Levothyroxine Side Effects (Page 14)

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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that was so comforting reading your advice and very sensible .i take 50mg of thyroxine i had sufferd low thyroid for 4 or 5 years before the dr took my symptoms seriously he put it down to the menopause .as soon as i took thyroxine i felt like a teenager again 3 months later the fatigue and acheing joints and depression returned .so my meds were upped to 75mg daily but my temper was dreadfull felt anxious and aggitated and like i could kill someone .after 6 days i felt exhausted so went back to 50 mg but am still tired with brain fog and depression .most days i feel like im on automatic pilot i feel like i have no enthusiasm .i always feel flu like and lathargic .i have a great family a great life i should be so happy but how can i be when all i want to do is crash on the sofa .so i will try what helps you and hope for the best .

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Hi - I started on 50mcg around two weeks ago I have been quartering the tablets and when I'm feeling brave take almost half of one! I have also had bad wind/bloating it turns out the cause is down to the fillers in the tablets - ask your doctor for purified levothyroxine it's a liquid with no lactose gluten etc I shall be picking my prescription up for this tomorrow. Can't wait!

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i have been taking 50micrograms of levothyroxine 4 weeks and i have come out in a terrible rash what should i do

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OMG! I have been going crazy. I am happy to read that even with normal TSH values Levothyroxine can cause all kinds of things.
I am female, 31 on 137 units of Levothyroxine. At some point last year I got the flu and was sick for 1 month, i ended up in ER where they found I was slightly hyper. SO i stayed hyper for some time. I am now normal..TSH around 0.3, that is target number coz of thyroid cancer. I have been going crazy - shortness of breath, weird feeling in my head, dizzy, cramps and tiredness. SOme of these feelings come and go. Not there all the time. Just had about 3 week streak feeling good and now I am back to tired, moody, dizzy...man ...so annoying.

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I have recently been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and have been taking levothyroxine the symptoms are frustrating i have hair loss, excessive sweating, insomnia, always cold, stomach cramps, always tired and nervousness and i'm only 17

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I was started on this medication in November 2011 at first felt dizzy.I thought well i just need to adjust to taking medication because my body is not used to it.Well after a week felt more energy so i said great works for me.I then started getting a very wierd feeling in my body unexplainable feeling.I just said I must be just tired then a few days later it progressed more wierd feeling aggrevated at myself and then on others.When home alone feeling would get worse.A few days later I was showering and felt something like crawling off my back i got scared and looked it was a large shunk of my hair.I really didn't think anything of it or think its the medication but I have notice alot of changes in myself moods,memory,and body.Oh and today my daughter was like mom you have a balled spot :0(..Well this week off for spring break we traveled and I forgot my meds and notice none of the syntoms were there while I was off of them.So I looked up meds and here it all is everyone having the same issues and I feel relieved thought i was going crazy.I just hope that others like me that remain buzy that really don't relize whats happening read this and do as I am doing getting off these meds not just for me but my family.Thank you everyone for posting this info helps alot you guys helped me and many others.I felt I had to post my story to help others too .Thanks Again I know now I am not ALONE !

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I developed a goiter years ago and was having fluctuations from hypothyroid to hyperhyroid. My thryoid was treated with radioactive iodine to stop all thyroid function and then I was started on Armour thyroid hormone. It was the only thyroid medication that didn't cause side effects, because it is made from a hog's thyroid and is more natural for the body to accept. It helped for a few years, but after awhile it no longer gave me enough energy and I was tired all the time, although my blood tests showed a normal thyroid level. Eventually I found a doctor who prescribed compounded T3. It gave me energy, and it stopped the neuropathic pains I was having in my leg. Then Levothyroxin was added, so I was taking compounded T3 and also Levothyroxin that would supply T4. Eventually the doctor had me take kelp which supplies the iodine a thyroid needs. The kelp iodine cleared my head from the fogginess I was feeling. My leg continued to get weaker and caused falls. MRIs showed the leg weakness was due to spinal cord damage in my neck caused by a whiplash accident years ago. Recently my thyroid must have begun working some because now I don't need the Levothyroxin. I am taking only T3. Removing the Levothyroxin has caused me to have a calmness, energy, and my leg is stronger. I need to continue taking the compounded T3. Only the compounded type is helpful for me, because it is more natural. God is a great healer and I have found he gave me/us a body that responds best to natural remedies. I just wanted to share this because perhaps someone else can benefit from it.

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i have had a terrible reaction to levothyroxine pills, as a rash that as swollen and is very sore can anybody give me any advise yours thankfully john

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I've been taking synthoid .025 last years for 2 month. Had no side effect at all
Now, I'm in africa and i have to take the pills that comes from france and it,s called Levothyrox. same dosage. I've been having nausea and now, I can't sleep.
Wonder what the problem is. really weird. I just red on a site that in the first few weeks, we can have side effect as if we would be on surdosage because the body is re-getting started. So, I hope my side effects will go away

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I have finally found a site with info from people going through what i am! Yay! I had my thyroxine increased from 100mcg to 150mcg around 4 weeks ago as my thyroid gland does not produce anything anymore. For the last 2 days i have felt terrible, racing pulse at times, hot then cold, extremely tired and fuzzy feeling. Had similar feelings around 8 weeks after first being put on the medication (have now been on it for around 4 months). I am hating it - I have a little girl who I feel I have wasted yet another day being too tired to do anything with her - I just don't know what to do

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Hi Mumsy...if you felt OK on the lower dose.. go back to it until you feel right again then increase your dose slowly..... if you feel uncomfortable about this ask your doctor if you can take it more slowly 50mcgs is a big jump... You may even need to increase it by 25mcgs on one day a week until you feel ok then 2 days etc etc..... This is what I did (and kept going back a bit each time I felt weird and only updating it monthly cos it takes about 6 weeks to balance out each adjustment)... It's taken me 20 months to get it right (and I need a blood test to check but I'm avoiding it)... I feel good, have lost some weight and got my libido back so as far as I'm concerned I'm sorted..... hence blood test avoidance.... Anyway if your doctor is reluctant either go it alone or push the point with him.... he shouldn't mind as you're more likely to comply and take them if you feel ok. Hope this helps... NFWE

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Thanks PJ. As each day goes by I learn something new about taking this medication. My doctor is still trying to get my TSH levels back into the reference ranges - this is why she has increased it as I found I was starting to feel very tired again, and achy arms and legs. Thanks for the advice of increasing it gradually - def worth a try. I am feeling better today, but have to say the last 3 days were terrible - and it's a worry for me that there is no warning this was going to happen. I had a blood test yesterday so will be interesting to see the results - will keep you posted. Great news for you that you are feeling so much better - I can completely understand that you are reluctant to have bloods taken

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I, too, have a couple of teeth hurting since I started levothyroxine five weeks ago. I'm in my 60's so thought I might need a root canal. Visited my dentist - following X-rays and dental exam everything is ticket-boo!

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Holly,
I'm in my sixties and although I have a good head of hair, I notice, particularly when I wash my hair, I'm losing a fair amount. I've been on levothyroxine for 5 weeks. My dosage is 0.075. That and a couple of sore teeth are my main problems. I haven't seen any reference to headaches but I'm getting mild headaches from somewhere which I didn't have 6 weeks ago.

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When you take thyroxine it is because your body is short of it...... Every cell in your body needs it so when you take it they all (the cells) sort of 'party' (hence palpitations) til your system readjusts back to having enough... hence all the weird side effects... It takes a long while for the body to adjust which is why side effects can be reduced by taking it slowly even very slowly.... slower than your doctor may want... but you have the symptoms, not them AND any thyroxine in your system is better than none so taking it slowly is far better than throwing the towel in and not taking it. Think of it as an 18 month adjustment programme. If you get there sooner great but if not be reassured you will get there. (there being a point where you feel better than you have for years!!) Talk to your doctors many will understand your problems and be happy to let you take it slower and if not and you go it alone keep them informed of the dose you really are taking. Don't just tell them what you think they want to hear as the more times they are told 'I need to go slower' by more people the better they will understand.

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I have had the exact same problems for 21/2 years now and every doctor thinks I am crazy.

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I act the same way that I on top of it I am very moody and anything will set me off. I don't know what a thyroid does but I can not live with the moodness of the side effects. I almost lose a good friend not worth it. Can they take it out?

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My understanding is that the thryroid is removed if it is not performing properly - if this happens you will certainly need thryroxine for the rest of your life :( - i have been on it for quite a few months now and it definately has its ups and downs in the way i feel; but having said that, i wonder how much of this is just what all human beings expect (can't always feel great!) and also females may suffer more with PMT on top etc... You really need to give the medication time to work in your system - i have also discovered to take it at the same time (pretty much exact) every day, and not to eat anything for around 2 hours after. Certain foods and multivitamins can also counteract the effectiveness of it. Much information is available on the web and can really be helpful. Good luck :)

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I've been taking a low dosage for over a year now. It's 25 mcg and at first I have to admit it gave me a feeling of being drunk. With time it got better. I take it at either 4:30 or 5:30 in the morning and then I sleep for another 3-4 hours afterwards and I wake up feeling fine.
It said u can take it at night also...u guys should try that. That way you don't feel the effects of it. Just a thought.

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After reading all of everyones storys. I know now the feeling of discomfort from its the meds the Dr gave me for my underactive thiroid. I have tingle sensation threw out my face and sharp joint pains . Also my hair is thinning out and the feeling of being drunk and dizzy . The Dr said my thiroid is 42.8 under being normal but I definitely felt like a million bucks before I started takeing this . It has slowed me down at work, I lift 100lb boss all night long so my joints are givein me sharp pains even when I'm just trying to drink a glass of water . I'm always cold when I shouldnt be. After seeing all of you people with this I know now its the meds . All done . Good luck

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