Levothyroxine Side Effects (Page 12) (Top voted first)

I was recently diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. I have been taking levothyroxine for almost two weeks. For the last four or five days I have had a weird feeling. It is hard to explain. I don't really feel dizzy but I get a strange feeling in my head. I guess you would describe it as a head rush. Has anyone else had this feeling and will it go away as my body adjusts to the levothyroxine?

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I was on Levothyroxine for several years. My heart started doing all kinds of weird things. Palpitations, skipping beats, beating irregulary. Couple of time felt like it stopped completely for a second. Very scary. At night I would wake up with racing heart. I tried to tell Dr. and she said I had premature heart beat. I quit taking the pills and my heart is almost back to normal. However, just went to Dr. and she wants me back on the Levothyroxine again only 25 mcg instead of 75. I am scared to death to start taking it again.

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Im 16 years old and female and i was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid around 3 months ago and was put straight away onto 50mg levothyroxine, i experienced no side affects for the first 2 months and my symptoms did seem to improve for a while but then i went downhill, i went to my gp this week who said that my blood levels will need to be checked again in 2 weeks and i will need to be on a higher dose. however, i was admitted to a&e just last night with heart palpatations and an irregular heart beat and pain when breathing. however it did feel like they were in a rush to get rid of me. i have also been getting severe headaches over the right side of my head and these affect my vision and balance, also the doctor said that i have many lymph glands up. what does this mean?!?! i just want to be normal again. anyone have any advice?

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Hi Laura, I too got a funny heart beat (atrial fibrillation) that was put down as coincidence after starting thyroxine. I got all sorts of other problems too and ended up being offered more and more different pills to sort out the problems it caused so I stopped the thyroxine went back to being sleepy and got rid of all the other problems. I then explored more because I knew that I needed the thyroxine. If your thyroxine has been low for a long time it is vital to start on a low dose and work your way up very, very slowly. If you go too fast you'll get symptoms of 'overdose' which include palpitations etc etc.... so yes 25mcg for as long as it takes then 50 then 75 or whatever but do it slowly and hopefully you too will feel better. It's just a shame that Gps just ignore us! Good luck

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I just started on the medicine last week and feel very bloated. My question to you is, have you gained the weight since you started taking the medicine? I'm feeling weird but it's more like I'm on edge and get snappy quicker than usual.

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Sharon - your symptoms are the same as mine. I have been taking levothyroxine for about a week and I feel bloated, it feels like a rock is in my stomach and I'm a little down.

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It seems like the medicine they give us does more harm than good. My heart actually beat off kilter. I don't know how to describe it but it was like it was beating only on one side and I was short of breath. Isn't there anything else they can precribe besides levothyroxine? I would rather not take anything. Ever since being on this drug I react to all medicines. Even allergy pills mess with my heart now.

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im very thankful too cuz i found this site,im also hypothyroid victim! im feel very sad bcoz of all people in the whole world im one of the victim of this kind of disease. everyday i feel sick even now & always hungry every hour! im annoyed myself & i m very tired of eating & eating & eating!. who else can help my problem?....please... im taking levothyroxine thyrax 30mins before breakfast. & my upper abdomen is bloating almost evryday &painful. thank you in advance!..

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Exactly!! That is why they are called Practioners...they are practicing medicine on all of us. I wish Doctors would listen to their patients instead of having the "I know more than you and you don't know what you are talking about" attitude.

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I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and PCOS in september, doc has finally arranged treatment of thyroxine and metformin for me. Started the thyroxine on wed this week, havent noticed any changes yet, probably too early. But i have been getting odd stomach pains constantly, and a lot of wind! Is this normal? I did have the flu at the beginning of week, but the stomach pain started when i started the medication.

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I have been taking 50mcg of this medicine for just over a week. I also suffer from a debilitating andiety disorder called agoraphobia and these last 3 days my anxiety has been heightened and I wonder if anyone else has felt this.

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synthroid 225 mcg, weird more like, on meds for over 27 yrs. today i noticed that one of my living room chairs was moved. (2/20/2011) my husband said he moved it three days ago.
Be strong, don't under estimate yourself. Think of what you have accomplished in your life. Then ask again, are you crazy ? (probably not) This might sound stupid but crazy is not us user with meds. Blame America for not letting us use bet superior quality medication, Forsay like in Japan, Canada, France, Mexico and other countrys who have cures and we are a large government with uncaring congres. Who let the pharmacutical company control are well being. When you are down, think good deeds and thoughts.

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hi im 13 and have been on the levothyroxine for a few weeks and since i have beenreally thirsty and i am always qutie cold at night my ahsma has also started playiing up since i started on the thyroxine are these all usual side affects?

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Weight gain, speech slurred. Say the same sentence more than once. Can hurt your total ability to think and concentrate, (don't drive.) Over all total health can be extremely dangerous. Can become diabetic, manic depressed, and maybe even with suicidal thoughts. I stay on my meds regardless of what the out come. That little butterfly known as the thyrid gland controlls your body. When removed the body can't function without it, for your safety take the meds. Never increase the dose on your own, can cause damage to the heart muscle. Even death can occur.

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Have been on 100 mcgs of levothroxine for 65 days and my TSH is now down to 2.3. That is the Good news. However, when exercising, I play tennis, my partners have noticed that i lose focus - concentration during the match. I kind of zone out during a point. It happened today. Is this what folks are describing?

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I have been diagnosed with underactive thyroid recently. I was diagnosed with hashimotos disease in 2004 but the functioning of my thyroid was normal hence wasn't taking any medication. Unfortunately, my recent blood test showed my TSH levels to be 300...yes completely out of the range. Since starting levothyroxine I have been getting this funny feeling in my head almost feels like im going to be dizzy and I feel i've lost the plot, I can't focus my vision and feel lost! I get really irritated and agitated,get confused,feel like my brain isn't working and feel like im going crazy! I also experience a cramp feeling on my left hip...when I stand up I have to take a 30sec break befor I start walking. My dr has requested a cortisol test to be done but i still feel im lacking knowledge on this whole thing...any advice?

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I'm taking alternates at the moment 50 then 100! Thanks for your advice...did u also start feeling funny when you started on thyroxine? I just get concerned because I seem to get new symptoms everyday but yea I think you're right maybe take of slow...do you have any suggestions in terms of diet? Thanks for replying it was helpful and hope your're doing well :-)

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Hi Nina. When I first took it I felt really weird: Hard to concentrate, muzzy headed, very nauseous and more which is why I had to give it up several times before I got the hang of the taking it slow bit. Yes, just as I thought I'd got rid of one thing another reared its ugly head (I think the palpitations were probably the worst). I try to eat healthily and have toyed with the idea of iodine rich foods etc but I figure my poor body can only cope with one change at a time so I'm sticking with the conventional therapy for a while. After all, loads of people take this for years without any ill effects so I'm giving it time. Hope the slow, step by step approach works for you.

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it was reassuring reading all the posts on this site...now i KNOW i'm not crazy! been on the meds for a few mos-dose started at 50 then went to 100 - doc said my thyroid levels were low which is why i couldn't lose weight (was trying so hard because i'm diabetic and diet and exercise is the recommendation of the doc -became frustrating-didn't lose a pound whether i ate salads all the time OR burgers and fries!!!)...i've had many blood tests over the yrs and no one ever told me my thyroid levels were low...oh well, i took the meds and i'm sitting here right now wondering why i've been feeling crappy for weeks, like having a pre panic attack feeling /depressed and down, dizzy at times, not in the mood to do any artwork or do "anything" i used to love doing...i've been working out 3-4x a week at the gym last few weeks and have not lost a pound and still feel crappy when i get home! i HATE taking this medicine-seems NOT to be doing anything good for me---i'd rather be 20 lbs overweight and my usual happy fun to be with self...going off meds asap-my doc appt is next week...
sugar is much better since i've been exercising tho, so at least SOMETHING is going right...
thx for sharing your stories i feel better now that i know it's the meds and i'm not going crazy :)

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I have been on the meds for a little over three weeks and I feel the same thing -- like an electric current is running through my body and it especially is picking on my left leg -- i also feel tremors . My doctor feels I should go off for a couple of days then half the dose. My thyroid is low normal, and I really don't want to take it if it is causing this . . .

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Hi everyone. Yes the bottom line is 'treat the patient not the result' but thyroxine is one of those things like insulin that your body must have..... so if you've been running low for a while (years even) it'll take time (many months) for your body to readjust to it. The way to do it is slowly. However small the amount you take it is better than not taking it so if your doctor is unsympathetic backtrack a bit yourself until you find what you can take with no side effects then once you've done that for a few weeks add a little more in every few weeks (NOT days!) until you reach the amount your doctor thinks you need to be on. You may never reach that point but taking some is better than taking none if you need it. Incidentally I've lost about 7 kg over 9 months and I'm still on half dose but I think I lost most of that in the early days when I crazily took what I was prescribed and was so nauseus that I couldn't eat for weeks!

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