I have been on Levoxyl for about 9 years and have felt awful. I h...

My doctor always told me to take my thyroid med first thing in the morning, then wait 1/2 hour before eating breakfast. I have had none of your effects, but do know that if I don't take it til later in the day I have insomnia... like my mind is racing and won't settle down.
Don't forget to eat breakfast, though. That may be part of the key in absorbing the med, or slowing down the absorption, rather.
Try it, and see if this helps.

I had the same problem. Please try to find someone who will prescribe you armour. It has been around forever. Cheaper and made from a natural pig thyroid instead of synthetic.
I am 47 with hashimoto thyroid. I was on levoxyl for 8 months and felt like I was 85 yrs old. Joints hurt, headaches, tired, blood test up and down. They will tell you it is hard to regualate, but the studies are the opposite. The doctors are brainwashed by the drug reps.
I am feeling so much better. I have been on Armour since Jan 08. My joint pain went away in 2 weeks. Finally stopped gaining weight and lost a few pounds. Look up the side effects of Armour. There are very few.

take care, Lee Ann

I am going through the exact same thing. Exactly. I am on 1/2 of .025 levothyroxine. I take it in the morning. I did ok for the first 3 days, but now I feel like Im drinking too much coffee or taking diet pills. I get home from work and fall asleep then I am up by midnight all amped up again, its like a tired/wired feeling, I fall asleep around 4am, wake up at 5am and start all over. My doctor says it can't be the meds, but Im not a freak, I know my body and I know it is the meds. I just don't know how long I should go through this before I say forget it.

All of those problems are due to a poor conversion of T4 to T3. Your doctor is probably only doing a TSH, Total T4 and T3 uptake. He needs to run a Free T3, Free T4 and antibody test. A whole LOT of people have had the same problems that you have seen and it IS because of using a T4 only medication. I had the same problem. I switched to Armour a 1.5 years ago and all of those problems went away. Problem is not many doctors will prescribe Armour because it is an old medication and there is no money to be made. Doctors and Big Pharma get big bucks for synthetic T4 medications. Go to this website and read http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/

I have been taking synthroid for 26 yrs.+ and have experienced similar problems. A year ago the doctor's office said they had to retest all blood for synthroid because they came back too "high?"; my file shows normal for that test. Seven months ago, I began the downward spiral. Check your symptoms against the B-12 deficiency symptoms list. Right now my synthroid is too strong and it does cause b-12 deficiency, anxiety, palpitations, insomnia, serious sinking feeling/ fatigue, weight loss, thinning hair, depression, crying for no reasons, no ambition to exercise, and racing heart rate with little exertion; feel like I'm dying, but have no energy to prepare for funeral. I have been directed to reduce my synthroid med. to 6/week for 4 - 6 weeks. Some improvement, but my symptoms were so uncomfortable that I dropped med' for 4 days in a row to stop the swelling in my mouth, tingling of my lips, and burning/painful tongue, numbness of my fingers and miserable fatigue, but had to take the b-12 to allay the anxiety and take child's dose of benadryl occasionally to help me sleep. I have had to have surgery inside my cheek; I quit taking boniva 5 months earlier to prepare (I think the swelling caused the benign hemagioma) ENT said mystery cause & boniva no problem (BEWARE). Cannot wait for the results of second blood test, I am reducing to 5 pills/week and taking 2500 mcg of b-12 (1/2 in the morning, and the second half in the afternoon). I no longer need the benadryl to sleep. Try to get 8 hours of rest daily. B-12 will increase your appetite, sweeten your attitude and help stop the anxiety within 30-60 minutes of taking it, but rest while it goes to work. My son-in-law confirmed this time frame; he has been prescribed b-12.

I have an appointment with an endochrinologist on 7-30-2008. If no help there, going outside our medical group on 8-8-2008 (appt. already set up), pay 200+ for a visit & from 2000+ for tests that can detect whether I need synthroid. I am determined to get help; I search the internet obviously for help, no quick fix though; just find a doctor who can help you.
You deserve the best of care; everyone should experience quality health care. I am willing to fight for it. My pcp said that the pcp that substituted for her and found my health problem has a high interest in endochrinology. The substitute did not offer depression meds; my pcp would have. I WILL BE changing to the other pcp. Yes, the sub. pcp said too strong Synthroid or Armour can cause heart problems and bone loss; the internet and my daughter's doctor warned it can cause anxiety as well. I am praying for you and me.

I had a sub-sternum goiter removed about 10 years ago. I was started on Synthyroid but my insurance company said I had to go generic so I was switched to Levoxyl. I thought the difference was like night and day. I felt so much better.

My levels are coming up high and have been having weird kidney problems and vaginal problems and now a really sour body odor. My blood work from a year ago said I was riding high in sugar so I'm eliminating almost all foods containing sugar.

I am also on simvastin for cholestrol control. I am also on clonazepan (similar to valium which I was on for 5 years).

I just saw a gyn and got a clean bill of health from him. Now I am going back to my primary care physician to find out just what the heck is going on. I can't stand this odor. I shower and still have this sour smell, makes me wonder if its a drug interaction, diabetes or pancreas, I'm not a doctor but do have an imagination going wild here. My levoxyl is 100mcg. I think my T level was something like a 6. I've also had this rapid weight gain (but I quit smoking 2 months ago and thought maybe food just tastes better now). My activity levels really are low as I work on a computer but do get around as much as possible. I am almost 63 years old. Insomnia ~ yes, big time. But the clonazepan helps with that (I take 2mg just before going to bed).

Do doctors monitor this thread or are we just sharing experiences here?
Dianne

About five years ago I switched from synthroid to levothroid. I have never felt worse in my life. I had unbelievable anxiety racing heart crazy thoughts felt like I was dying or at least wanted to. Long story short different thyroid medication can affect people totally different. I think you should definately try something else.

cahill70, does that mean you are on levothroid and still feeling bad? I couldn't stand synthroid and was glad to have changed. I really liked the levoxyl right from the start. Its just been the past year that weird stuff is going on. I have an appt. on Monday and hope to get some comprehensive testing done asap. Could be my dosage just needs to be changed. I hope so, as I really don't need anything complicated in my life... life has been great... except for this past year...

I have been on Levoxyl for a long time to and was told if I take it in the morning it will not cause insomnia but I have severe insomnia. I am diagnosed with anxiety but I really feel that the Levoxyl no matter when it is taken contributes to the insomnia.