I've been taking Synthroid (Levothyroxine) for about 17 YEARS. I ...

I've been taking Synthroid (Levothyroxine) for about 17 YEARS. I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease, and opted for the radioactive iodine. After two years of trying to control the disease with PTU (which has serious bone marrow depletion side effects) I decided to go for the one thing I knew would work. Of course, the treatment with the radioactive iodine is very tough to estimate, and I went from hyperactive to hypoactive. As a result, I'll take 200mcg (0.2mg) for life. I think it's important to understand that Synthroid is not a drug. It is a hormone. When you take Synthroid, you're engaging in hormone replacement therapy (HRT). You really won't experience side effects from the hormone, but you will experience problems if the amount of hormone is not within a "normal" range. Too much or too little will be a problem for anyone. What's critical here is to take the hormone at the same time every day (without food -- calcium will block its absorption), and monitor your hormone level frequently to establish a solid baseline. The hormone will take days, or even weeks to reach its peak, and the duration is variable. BECAUSE IT'S A HORMONE, TAKING MORE OR LESS THAN IS NECESSARY WILL PRODUCE UNDESIRABLE RESULTS. Any "side effects" are really the result of improper dosing. Having said all of that, I've never had a problem with Synthroid -- once my optimal level was determined. I worked closely with my MD and together decided that I was best at the upper side of "normal." I've made only one change in the 17 years, and that was to increase the dose. Here's something to consider: If it weren't for this hormone, and the science behind HRT, I probably would have died years ago.