Mcg symptoms and conditions

Reading this has been really comforting. I am extremely sensitive to medication. I went in to see my doctor and even though my blood tests were normal, he believed I had hypothyroidism and put me on 25 mcg of the generic version of Synthroid. In the first 5 days I developed feelings of "dread" and I was afraid to go to sleep at night. Right afterward I got hit with some really stressful stuff and I went into full anxiety attacks (something I hadn't experienced in 15 years). Now, after about a week I'm a little better than I was before but I still cannot eat much and scary thoughts race through my mind...I also feel detached from everyone, like I'm in a bubble or something. I emailed a therapist yesterday, but now that I know the synthroid is probably still in my system, I feel a lot better. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

I am extremely sensitive to medications. That being said, even though my thyroid levels were normal, my doctor believed I had hypothyroidism. He put me on .25 mcg of the generic brand of synthroid. I could only take it for 5 days because during that time I developed feelings of "dread" and I was afraid to go to sleep at night. When I stopped the pills, I started to feel better but I believe the stuff was still in my system. Some stressful things happened right after, and it threw me into panic attacks with scary, racing thoughts, trembling, insomnia, etc. I'm slowly getting better. But after reading this, I feel even better now knowing that I'm not losing it and chances are great that it's the synthroid that's causing it.

i discovered that i had hyperthyroidism which was from grave's disease and grave's thyroid eye disease in jan. 2009. at the end of march i had my thyroid removed. never let anyone use the radiation treatment if it is in your eyes. my surgeon said if we had waited another week i would have been dead. they started me on 75 mcg of levoxyl. it made me mean, i prayed to God to let me die in my sleep every night. the dosage was changed to 88 mcg. my hair was falling out by the handfuls. i kept calling my dr. and being told it was normal. i lost 75% of my hair mass almost to non reversible. i have been on appearex and women's rogaine once a day and am using nioxin hair cleanser and conditioner for 2 months. i have new growth thank goodness. my toes almost froze off my feet, the headaches cannot even be described, i gained 40 lbs, this will be the 3rd time in 7 mos. they need to change my dosage to 100 mcg. my body cannot take it. today i am starting synthroid. until i found this site today i had no idea most of my agony was from levoxyl and it's side effects. thanks so much for all the information. good luck to everyone.

i was told i was hypothyroid,but i felt fine! dr. put me on 88 mcg's of levoxyl and i all of a sudden came down with the worst case of acid reflux,which i did not have b4.also,heart palpitations.i choked down this med for 3 years,experiencing hours of burning after my daily pill.i could not take it any more! i put myself on a trial month without levoxyl ,and the burning and acid feelings are gone! i feel gr8! i dread being scolded by my doctor for going off it,but i could not take that burning anymore.ive been to 2 gastroenterologists,plus my general practitioner,all of whom said it was impossible for levoxyl to cause g.i distress.if that is so,why has the burning gone now that i stopped taking it?if u have experienced burning with levoxyl,could u kindly email me/i want to know-am i crazy,or is heartburn an issue for other levoxyl users also/plus,i never felt/looked ill in the first place,so even tho my thyroid functioning may not be optimal,did i really need medication yet?maybe someday i might,but i feel fine,i have long thick hair,decent fingernails,full of energy and not cold all the time-so why do i need meds at this point?(if i ever have overt hypo symptoms,i will have to take something,but why fix what is not broken?) ps-my b/p and cholesterol all very good too,altho apparently ive been hypo about 5 years.

Wow, what an eye opening experience it is to read all these posts! I was just about at the end of my rope thinking something was horribly wrong with me. Now I firmly believe it's the Levoxyl that is wrong.

I went on thyroid meds about a year and half ago for just slightly under active thyroid. I was actually lulled into it because the Doctor assured me it was a completely safe medicine and taking it would help me lose weight. Always a welcome thing. So I started on 50 mcg. I noticed some degree of improvement. I was sleeping better and having more energy during the day. Next checkup, the levels are in the normal range but just barely. So he doubled the dose. Two weeks later I broke out in a horrible itchy rash. I actually thought about the meds but then I didn't change meds, I was just taking more. I called the doctor and he said, "No this medication won't do that." So I change detergent, soap, everything I could think of and nothing worked. Finally I said, enough and I skipped a dose. During the day the rash got a lot better. Next morning I took another one and within and hour I was itching like crazy again. I stopped taking them, waited a week and called the doctor again and told them. His reaction was "You have to take this." I said, No, I don't and I won't. He actually argued with me that the rash could not be caused by the meds. Now I realize at that point I should have called another doctor but he's in my town, convenient, yada, yada, yada. Anyway he called me in another med which he said was the same active ingredient but different brand. Enter Levoxyl. I've been on 100 mcg for 3 months during which time I have felt progressively worse. Most of these things I didn't attribute to Levoxyl until later. Initially I noticed I was having the hot/cold flash thing. I have no comfort zone. I'm either flushed and sweating or chilled so my nights are spent constantly either searching for cover or kicking it off. Next thing I noticed is that my breasts would swell. Naturally that was a concern but about the time I would decide I needed to see about it, they would be normal for a few days. Sleep? What's that? Tired all the time. Started having confusion and forgetfulness. I even told my co-worker I thought I was losing my edge. I was all of a sudden forgetting things I had done automatically for over 15 years. Then the really scary stuff started. I would wake up in the middle of the night with my heart racing and feeling like I was in a fight for my life. I was afraid to go back to sleep. Joint aches and pains across my upper back, my knee. Tingling in my feet. It just keep getting worse and worse. Still didn't think of Levoxyl. Then Monday of this week I didn't have a pill to take. I forgot to get it refilled. Monday at lunch I told my husband I felt better than I'd felt in months. Tuesday took the regular dose. By noon the mental fog was back, back was hurting and I just felt like crap. Tuesday night went to bed early because I was so tired. 11:40 woke up with the worse anxiety attack I've ever had. Heart was pounding and I was breathless. Wednesday morning I got up and the light came on. I did not take the pill. Entered Levoxyl in google and found this site. I am so angry at my doctor I can hardly stand it. I even went to the official Levoxyl website and all these side effects are listed except for the swelling breasts and confusion but I've noticed several posts here that list those. During those two days I didn't take the freakin' pill both problems improved greatly. This morning, I reluctantly took half a pill. I plan to to that every other day for a few days then skip two days, then three, until I'm off of it. I don't know at this point what I'll do about my thyroid but I won't take this stuff and I won't ignore feeling like crap again. This is crazy. Where is the FDA? Oh yeah, being entertained by the drug companies. What a shame.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to post here. It is a sad commentary when we can't rely on our doctors to take care of us but we sure can't. If he had just told me about the bone loss, I would never have started this drug in the first place. My Mother suffered with that and that is something I would not trade for a few lost pounds and a little more energy. No thanks.

Just want to survey everyone and ask for responses for the following 3 questions:

1. how long did you keep your Mirena and if you no longer have it, why did you have it removed?

2. how many of you had your thyroid checked? who's came back abnormal? what were the levels?

(I'm a medical student doing research on this one since I believe the levonorgestrel affects our thyroid hormone. My TSH was elevated to 5.2 which is considered "subclinical HYPOthyroidism". This was mid cycle when my natural progesterone AND synthetic progestin were cumulatively high. When I had it rechecked 6 weeks later (around my period when any natural progesterone level is gone) it was normalized at 1.5. So I think that the P+P screws up our thyroid and can throw us into a high TSH and "hypothyroid state". The opposite effect may be true during menstruation and we can become HYPERthyroid for a few days... hence the really bad anxiety?!)

3. where is everyone from? perhaps we can have support group meetings?

ALERT!!!

If you have been having any one of these side effects, then AcipHex may be causing nerve damage.

-- tingling or numb hands or feet
-- confusion / "fuzzy head"
-- ringing in the ears
-- vision changes
-- anxiety
-- depression
-- apathy
-- fatigue

It may be serious. In my case it certainly is. I can barely use my hands. Why it happens:

AcipHex cuts down on stomach acid. Sometimes it cuts down too MUCH acid. In that case, you are unable to break down animal products enough to absorb vitamin B12 from it. Without vitamin B12, your nerve sheathing erodes. My advice would be to stop AcipHex and get a good vitamin B12 supplement (sublingual -- the type that dissolves underneath your tongue, and at least 1000 mcg). I would also advise to get the book -- Could It Be B12? By RN Sally Pacholock. Before starting supplements, insist on a urinary MMA test. It is the only B-12 test that does not give false positives or negatives often.

This book has literally saved my life.

I've been on levothyroxine 150mcg for about 3 months before that it was 100mcg and so on. I have gain lots of weight and tired all the time. depression also, headaches. I hate this gaining weight, sleepy all the time and depression is from gaining weight. I thought this med is to up boost my thryiode but it doesn't seem to be working. my dr. said I'm on the highest dose there is. I don't know what to do any more. I was thinking about taking myself off this but not sure what will happen if i do. I hope there is someone out there that might be able to let me know if they are going through the same things what they are doing and how they feel now.

edrogers, sorry to hear about all your difficulties. Hair loss is a hallmark of Synthroid and any doc that tells you it isn't, is simply incompetent! I too am 110 and can't gain weight. After years of having tests, incl thyroid (I figured I had Graves), tests always came back normal. A year ago I had a large goiter that turned out to be non-cancerous but I had to have half my thyroid removed. I ended up on 50 mcg and now 75 mcg of Synthroid. Since the dosage increased 2 mos ago, I have had SEVERE leg and foot cramps that wake me up several times during the night. Plus when I wake up, I feel an aching in my legs and wonder if that is not "restless leg syndrome". I am not sure if that syndrome is related to thyroid disease or Synthroid. I have not read about that one anywhere so far. I hate the idea of being on this med from what I have read and am considering Armour.

Two things I have learned though are: 1. If you have thyroid disease, you MUST have your adrenal levels checked. Even the drug info states this must be done before any thyroid treatment and 2. if your doc doesn't listen to you, find a new one. The best article I have read for thyroid disease is Gail's Thyroid Tips. it is a real eye opener.

I have been taking Synthroid 25 mcg for a year now, and here is a list of side effects that I have experienced. Appetite has gone nuts, Gained 15 lbs, ringing in my ears has gotten louder, here is some scary stuff-constant visual disturbances, and now moderate to severe vertigo of which I have never had before the medicine!

I have been on Levoxyl 100 mcg for 9 months and I never related this rash with the medicine I was taking. I have tried changing my shampoo, bar soap, laundry soap trying to figure out what I am allergic too. I still have this rash-red bumps that sometime itch and when I scratch they seem to bring out more redness. My doctor prescribed me cream but the rash is still there.
I have headaches but I think they are sinus related.

After an ER trip where I discovered I was a hypo, I've been on Levoxyl 50 mcg for just under a month. I recently informed my doctor on the phone I was experiencing swelling directly under my chin after I took the medicine in the morning and it lasted all day. He told me to stop and come in and see him immediately. It's the weekend and I can't get in until Monday. It's the 2nd day I've been off the hormone and today I have numbness in my cheeks, they are swollen, I can't eat much and feel really depressed. I've been in pain for so long and now it's just getting worse. I don't know if I should take the hormone tomorrow morning to see if I feel better or stay off as advised by my doctor. Reading everyone's comments is helpful, as it's very difficult for my family and friends to relate to me during this time and seem to think I'm over-reacting all the time as the pain never goes away. Levoyxyl seems to make me feel better, but I still have a lot of back and neck pain, as well as sensitivity to light, headaches and jaw pain. I'm 215 on a 5'5 frame, I eat quite healthy, avoid all the trigger foods for the thyroid and try to be active, but I can't seem to loose weight. I'm really not sure what to do with myself and am loosing hope.. I'm 24 and feel like I'm 84.

my mother was raised a month ago to 50 mcg, and since then she has eye muscle spasms around her eye,
she has rupchured discs in her back, which doesn't help with the pain, she also has restless legs, i see how she sleeps, and her legs can never stay still, she sleeps a ton, and has static hair, and also hair loss. if you have any of these symptoms please let me know

See my earlier post (from concerned mother on 8/5/08 at 8:29pm) regarding my daughter's severe reaction to the Gardasil vaccine during October - December 2007. As stated, she continues to experience menstrual problems (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe cramping) which incapacitate her. In October 2008, her annual pap test showed precancerous cells. She is going for a re-check in February (I will post the outcome once it's known). The doctor wanted to wait 6 months for re-check but we are not comfortable with that. Just wanted to remind everyone to get their annual pap exams!!!

I have had great experiences with Levothyroxine. I am no longer tired, achey, grumpy, constipated. I feel great. I am only 27 years old and got my hypothyroidism from having my first child. I am excited that my levels are now normal after 3 months (TSH was 25.89). I was on .50 mcg now I am on .75. Feel great!
I am a medical technician and have found that a lot of people who start on a certain medication for hypothyriodism, such as Synthroid - do not fair well if they have to switch. My doctor always says NOT to switch...not EVER. She repeats over and over again to check my prescription every time I receive it. That means checking the pills against each other, because hypothyroidism medication is one of the highest missed - filled prescription. If I were anyone who has had to switch, I would demand to be put back on your original meds. Have your physician write up your symptoms with the new meds and make a recommendation to the insurance company that you NEED synthriod.

Summary of Side Effects: subcutaneous stomach soreness, temporary blurry vision (for 10 minutes after injection), intermittent headache, moderate to severe joint pain.

I started using Byetta 5 mcg about 3 month ago. Prescribed dose is 2 injections per day. I’m gradually working up to a consistent 2 per day compliance. I have experienced intermittent headaches, and I never used to get headaches. I have had moderate intermittent joint pain over last month in both elbows. Yesterday evening I experienced severe debilitating joint pain in my left elbow. The surrounding muscle was not even tender. It has subsided today, but is still limiting motion of that arm. Byetta may not be for me.

I believe that immune response to this drug may vary widely. I have not felt particularly nauseated. Just mild stomach discomfort, and now the severe joint pain.

I was on the duragesic patch for 8 months, and it was a nightmare...Seems I was absorbing the medicine in the patch in 2 days, and going into 3rd day extreme withdrawals all along, but doctors did not recognize this, and kept upping the dosage, By the time I was up to the 75 mcg patch, I had lost 30 lbs and, later they tell me, was close to death.

All I can say is WOW! I did a search for Levoxyl side effects because in the 2 weeks since my dosage has gone up (200 mcg) I have had a constant headache and my entire body just aches, especially my hips, legs and knees. I have a hard time sleeping because I can't get my knees in a comfortable position. I do have arthritis which has not really bothered me in over a couple of years and this is not the same as my arthritis pain. It is more of an overall achiness and it feels like my bones are sore. I am also having eye twitching occasionally, but I am not sure if that has anything to do with it. What should I do?

After being on Diovan hct 160/25 for about two years I developed a severe stiffness in my neck, a piercing center chest pain when I coughed and so much muscle/joint pain I could barely get out of bed in the morning. Don't know if it is a result of Diovan, but this is my only med. Finally (after a year) I spent six months undergoing tests and consults with one doctor who finaly gave up. A second doctor diagnosed fibromyalgia and prescribed diclofenac, which somewhat controls the neck stiffness and pain. Now, a year after the fibromyalgia diagnosis I am learning Diovan might be at fault but don't know what to do next. Any suggestions welcome!...

I have had a merina in for 12 months to reduce heavy periods as tehre was no change I went back to the doctors to have it removed only to find it had been out of position, so had another one inserted and some blood tests as i was feeling unwell, depressed,weight gain,itching eyes, feeling cold, insomnia,heart palpitations,headaches the tests showed i had hyperthyroidism yet i had more symptoms of hypothyroidism i feel this was caused by mirena but the doctors deny it yet looking into different sites the above symptoms are very common so i don't know if i feel unwell due to the merina of the thyroid will be going to the specialist this week hopefully to find out has anyone else had hyperthyroidism diagnosed while on mirena

After a year and a half of synthroid because of removal of my thyroid for cancer, I feel worse than I have ever felt in my life. Many tests have shown that there is no recurrence of the cancer. I would think I had fibromyalgia if it weren't that I read the blogs from other sufferers like me. I now take 150 mcg on most days. Some days I have to cut it down or skip it because I just cannot bear the body pain, weakness, brain fog, constant awakening in the night, severe cramping knee and leg pain, and muscle aches (there's no word strong enough to describe this pain -- 'aches' just doesn't do it). On the days I don't take synthroid I begin to feel like my old self. But my old self was 40 pounds thinner and losing. My old self walked three miles a day and hiked into the back country with my son. And my old self felt energetic and woke up every day with happy plans. Now I feel like an invalid. Some days I can barely walk. I cannot stand for longer than 5 minutes. I have tried cytomel, unithroid, and armour with varying problems. Synthroid is all that is left. Those of us who are dependent on this drug really need some good research on its effects. And we also need compassionate physicians who do not dismiss our pain and, it is not overdramatic to say, suffering.

i have been on 137 mcg of synthroid after a total thyroidectomy 1.5 yr/ago. i have since gained 40 lbs...am fatigued and irritable...have severe pain in both of my feet...and my hair is falling out by the hand full. i am 43 yrs old and had hopes of conceiving a child with my husband...but have had no luck for the last 6 months. i am interested in meeting with a holistic doctor that is willing to listen to my symptoms. my physician now is only interested in my blood leves. will someone recommend someone in san antonio, Texas?

I have been taking Vagifem 25 mcg for about 3 months (about every other night or 3 times per week). I am starting to have chest pains. It feels like what might be angina, though I have never had chest pains in my life before. The drug information enclosed with the prescription does say that chest pain can be a rare but serious side effect. Anyone else had this side effect?

I've been on the same dose of Levoxyl (118 mcg) for 11 years and I have none of the side effects that have been described. My mother and grandmother also have hypothyroidism, but my mom take 110 mg of synthroid, also prescribed by the same doctor that prescribed me. When I was in the 4th grade my thyroids swelled to the size of golfballs, so much so that you could see them when my head was up, and I was extremely tired and had hot and cold flashes- scary for a 10 year old! My doctor recognized it immediately, and put me on Levoxyl. About a year ago, I gained 15lbs for seemingly no reason, but then this summer I lost about 20lbs. The only difference was taking the medicine 1 hr before I ate anything. I saw someone said that after taking the medication she would get hungry, which I also have, but this makes sense, because Levoxyl is in essence trying to up your metabolism and by doing this you are burning more calories and thus become hungry. If you let this hunger pass, about 20 min later you are no longer hungry and feel great! I still get slight hot flashes, but not too noticeable. I would recommend just as other on here have, that the dose that your doctor may give you may not be 'your' number, and to give it time. If you change your dose, give it 3 months, not 5 days like I saw above! If you have to wait 6 months for 2 dose changes isn't that better than hurting your whole life? GOOD LUCK!

IN FEBRUARY MY DOSAGE OF SYNTHROID WAS CHANGED FROM
100 MCG TO 200 MCG ... I AM WONDERING IF THE MAJOR CHANGE COULD HAVE MESSED UP MY MENST. CYCLE BECAUSE IN APRIL
I FOUND OUT I WAS PREG . AND DID NOT HAVE SEX ANY WHERE AROUND THE TIME OF MY USUAL MOST OVULATION CYCLE ... IN FACT BY THE ULTRA SOUND THAT WAS DOWN THE DOCTOR TOLD ME THAT MY LAST PERIOD WAS ACTUALLY LATER THAT I TOLD THEM
NOW MY HUSBAND IS ACCUSING ME OF CHEATING ON HIM
BECAUSE HE WORKS OUT OF TOWN AND WAS NOT IN TOWN
WHEN I SUPPOSEDLY GOT PREG I KEEP TRY TO TELL
HIM THAT MY MEDS PROBABLY MESSED IT UP