Levothyroxine Side Effects (Top voted first)

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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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45

I've been on levothyroxine for about two months and I've got a funny feeling in my throat - as if I have a big lump lodged there. I keep coughing to try and clear it. Is this a side effect?

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26

I've just started taking levothyroxine 50mcg and the only effect I've had is a strange color to my urine - rather greenish. Is that normal??

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8

I have been on the meds for 2 weeks and feel like I have an electric current running thru my body/nervous and snappy. i am thinking about stopping the meds...how long before buzzing stops??

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46

Diagnosed about 2 months ago started woth 25 mcgs and a couple of weeks later had problems with my eyes, had to stop wearing my contacts, went to the eye doctor, no help, said my thyroid controled all my body fluids, went on higher dose of 50 mcg and my eyes are worse than ever. They stay red and bloodshot most of the time and it doesn't matter if I wear my contacts or not they are really dry and hard to focus. Has anyone else had this problem. I am on levothyroxine and some people say synthroid does not have as many side effects.

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5

my doc. just uped my medicine from 25 to 50. because its been really hard for me to lose weight. but know my teeth and my checks hurt just wondering if anyone else had this happen? althow it has gave me alot more energy.

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7

Response to Johnny. Yes, I have the same feeling. I am thirsty all the time to. I feel dizzy and kinda drunk feeling.

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42

Rocky, yes my sister is on 50 MCG and her stomach is quite bloated-she appears pregnant. I went on it as well and sure enough my stomach bloated as well-a problem I never had in the past, so I relate it directly to Levo...I googled the medicine to see if anyone else has experienced the same effect...

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185

I have been taking 25 mcg daily for about 7 weeks. My throat has been sore for days. I mean for like 4 weeks for 5 weeks now. I went to the doctor and they prescribed and antibiotic but my throat is still killing me. Has anyone else had anyhting like this going on?

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10

I'm so glad I found this site. I too have had really weird feelings in my head as if i'm drunk, and also a buzzing or as if being electrically shocked. Has anyone else thought about taking natural supplements, or know weather they are safe?
I hope we all get better, I'd like to go back to being able to take care of my children and my house without having to sit down because i'm too tired or feeling funny in the head. Losing this weight would be good too!
Good Luck All!

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4

Response to Johnny Yes, I have felt as if my brain has a weird short in it.. Indeed a head rush. Like a whoa, what was that? several times a day. I have recently been upped from 50 to 75 daily. Does anyone know if this will disappear soon? Thanks

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6

yes!!!! I know how you feel and its hard to explain (and frustrating). Ive been taking levothyroxin since june of 07 and that feeling has gone away some. however i have the symptons of hypothyroidism and my dr. insists i have a underactive thyroid which i dont believe this whole thing is frustrating!!!! and Im only 30!!!!

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36

I have been taking Levothyroxine for about 2 years. When my primary care physician (pcp) first put me on Levo. it was started at 25 mcg. I experienced hair loss on one side of my head. I then went to an endocrinologist and after waiting a few months and taking nothing else including vitamins I resumed taking Levo. at the 25mcg dosage. Hair grew back slowly and I was feeling pretty well. Blood tests have been taken regularly and I was increased to 50mcg and still everything was okay. A few weeks after having my Levo increased to 75mcg I started to feel joint pain in my knees and lower back (kind of near my hips). The pain was so bad that I was awake for two hours a night for two nights. Finally, I reduced my dosage to 50 mcg and slept through the night the next night and for a week afterwards. My knee (joint) pain continues during the day. It is severe and I was worried that I was going to have to miss work. I contacted my doctor's office and told them that I was going to stop the Levo. for a week to see if the pain subsides. I know that this all sounds too weird, but I really believe that it is the Levo. I hope that everyone else can find the correct dosage that they need. I'll let you know how this turns out. Good luck everyone.

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196

Hello all thisnisna very informative site so we can all learn to live with thyroid disease. That said I have been on synthroid for 25 years it runs in the family, hoer and hypo. I am hypo as I began Meds it was a very low does .25 mgs now I am on 1.75. I have never had any of the side effects as described here, actually to the contrary I felt great right out the gate. I am thinking that if you have difficulty with symptoms to take your supplement at night before bed until your does is regulated. It takes many weeks to adjust your levels. Thyroid does control many functions of the body that most are unaware of. The most important advise I can give is not to go to a regular MD but an Endocronogolist. You need to be adamant about your health care with this disease. I hope this will help some and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

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1

yes i would get that every morning after i took my pills and drank coffee. I think its inmortant to eat a little over an hour after to avoid the dizziness. It does go away though.

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9

I just went on this medication. My lips swelled as has my throat. I called the pharmacist and have a call into my doc right now. My lips, mouth hurt- and are ultra sensitive and am feeling tingles... not liking the feeling at all. Have taken 1000 mg vitamin C with minerals and drinking lots of water. Breathing okay but when I talk I sound funny because my tongue is swollen. Also feeling a bit fuzzy.

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19

I just began this medicine about a month or so ago and I have not had any of these side effects but I have in the last three weeks lost ALLOT of hair and it is to the point I can no longer continue this medication. I was just wondering if it has happened to any of you and if the hair comes back? I have lost 13 lbs this month and the effect it that sence is great, but at what cost? NO HAIR??? no way....

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20

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid in Feb of 2007. Once we got my intial generic levothyroxin making my test results normal, I felt great and my doc was pleased. After a few months all of the symptoms came back. (head rush, brain fog, cold all the time, exhausted, panic attacks) I went back to the doc and he said that my levels were normal. I talked to a family friend who told me to switch to a name brand version so I've been on Synthyroid without any problems for months now. about 6 months ago my symptoms came back out of the blue and my dosage was increased to 75mcg. Yesterday I started feeling my symptoms again and now i'm looking to switch medicines all together.

I know many of you are as frustrated as I am but I look at it like shampoo, your hair does better if you switch it up now and then. good luck to everyone

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44

OMG...now what do I do? It seems that what I had hope to be a cure to some of my problems, is going to make my other problems worst. I have been taking Levo for two months now. Started out w/25mcg and after one month was increased to 100mcg. I have fibromyalgia already ... so the muscle pain and etc., I already have 24/7. Since the increase in doseage of Levo. I have to wear sunglasses (which I have never done before) all b/c bright lights/sunshine hurts my eyes, I have headaches everyday, lost of balance w/out warning of dizziness (resulting in falling twice). I do get dizziness when rising from a sitting position or getting up in the mornings. But that along w/shortness of breath, brain fog, memory lost, over-all weakness, lost of concentration, were my problems before starting on thyroid med. After 2 months nothing has changed or improved, if anything they have gotten worst!! Is this normal? I thought this was suppose to be a cure not an addition to my problems. Has anyone experience sensitivity to light or falling w/out reason? If so please let me know, so I will know to look else where for the cause of these ailments also.

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121

I have been on Levothroxine for three weeks. The first two weeks, I felt light headed, foggy and nauseated. A friend of mine (who also takes Levothroxine) told me to schedule my eating properly while taking it, especially the first meal of the day. This week, I made a point to eat breakfast exactly an hour after taking it and I feel great! My stomach has tolerated the medicine fine for seven days now, the nauseating feeling went away. The light headedness and the foggy or 'drunk' feelings are now gone. I'm already feeling improvements in my energy levels and my desire to do things. My couch potato time has cut in half. My attention span is improving daily. My appetite has slightly increased, yet I have lost three pounds this week. Before the doctors found my thyroid problem, I was inactive, lethargic, depressed, and blah for quite a few years. I blamed it on age. I'm 46 and feeling alive again. I hope this continues, and I hope you all can get here too! Try scheduling three meals a day consistantly, with your first meal being within an hour of taking it. It did wonders for me.

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207

I'm 51 years old and I've been taking levothyroxin for 7 months, for the first 5 months it was 50 mcg and I started having alot of strange side effects about 3 months in, doc upped to 75 mcg, now it's worse my side effects are:Eyes; dry, itchy,blurred vision, squidly lines, light sensitivity Skin; dry, itchy, sunlight or heat hurts Head; headaches, pain behind right ear and neck, forgetfulness, moody, dizzyness,irritable, can't sleep Chest; pain, heartbeat not right feels like sometimes going to come out of chest, sore breasts, shortness of breath,weak all the time Stomach; bloated, nausea, indigestion, weight gain, hungary all the time Back; terrible pain in lower back hips and sholders Legs; pain, cramps, I have a hard time walking,can't walk for long time have to sit and rest, I have a hard time getting up from sitting, legs swell up,all my musles and joints hurt all the time, I can't stand the heat, I sweat really bad, one minute I'm burning up the next I'm freezing and my urine smells really bad. I feel like I'm going crazy, my doc says that I have to take this med if I don't I could have alot of problems like a heart attack or a stroke. I feel like crap all the time. I'm at my witts end. I feel for all of you who have to take this med but what are we to do??????

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