I have experienced 13 years of hell with Levothyroxine, which is ...

I have experienced 13 years of hell with Levothyroxine, which is pure sodium. Everything in the body from skin to internal organs are affected by shrinkage and shortening of muscle. My horror complaint - leg cramps, massive thoracic jerking and therefore no sleep. think of salt cod or an Egyptian mummy. First, do not deal with a GP. Thyroid is very tricky and only an endocrinologist should be consulted. Second, get tested at a Nuclear Medicine Department in your hospital. You may be making enough thyroxin. Partial organs DO compensate. Third, sodium binds with blood serum. Blood enters muscles. Muscles CAN store sodium. My case. If you can get away without taking thyroid meds you may find withdrawal unbelievably difficult. In a withdrawal situation, a larger amount is released into the blood stream. You will find your muscles steely rigid and unbendable. You may be pulled over. You will need huge willpower and support. My withdrawal is now in its 8th month. I use acupuncture by Chinese medicine methodology, resistance exercise several times a day. Get yourself rubber resistance bands and put hooks in your basement walls and ceiling. Pilates is excellent. Magnesium tablets high strength. 1000 mg is allowable but I've done twice that. Some diarrhea but basically one is too dried out for there to be a problem. From a good herbal store, get probiotics 30 million a day, Udo's Oil (Canadian), eat almonds - several hanmdfuls a day - I hate it but Lorazepam had to be used as a muscle relaxant for 6 weeks at the worst stage. Never discontinue these abruptly. Detox drops after a visit to a QUALIFIED Naturopath. First, Unda Numbers to detox liver and kidneys, then thyroid and lungs. Very effective but you may only tolerate shortish stints- 10 days. me anyway. Eventually, the muscles feel caged but bulging. Then they start undulating dramatically and free up. But so far I've had to endure 6 of these session at about once a week. After which even more toxic stuff pours out. But it WILL end. I am 63. I resent losing wellness for so long and it took a friend to tell me about a relative with leg cramps to get the connection. By the way, it was the naturopath that identified the cause NOT a doctor. Allopathy (Western medicine) believes all drugs leave you with tissue renewal every 4 months. But Chinese medicine, massage therapists, naturopaths, injury rehab (they use theraball) and reputable spas don't. All of you are young. I hope I have helped in some way. All of you who ache, I think it is the tightening of the muscles. it is like enforced arthritis. Number 2911, I hope you read this. Your little son sounds just like my beginnings of my dreadful journey.