Synthroid side effects

It took 3 years for me to be diagnosed with hypothyroidism and for a year I tried levethyroxine. This was a total waste of time. I was so exhausted the kids kept missing school, I kept walking into things, couldn't remember anything so I asked my doctor to let me try armour thyroid. This has apparently T4 T3 T2 and T1 and the T2 is the one that helps your metabolism (weight).
The change is nothing short of miraculous...I know it may not work for everyone but it is worth trying. I also had very extreme mood swings and the doctors were considering manic depression, but the latest thinking with that is to take your TSH levels higher before considering drugs such as lithium. I have just moved to Reading and my new doctor thought my T3 levels too high so reduced my armour dosage by half .....BIG mistake. Ended up in bed for days, couldn't remember which day it was, and the mood swings
!!!!!!! screaming, tearing my hair in frustration, punching my boyfriend. I staggered, literally, in tears back to the doctor who reinstated my original dosage of 2 grains one day 3 the next etc. For me my TSH has to be 0.1,
T4 around 14 and T3 around 8 to 9; basically on the high side but my blood pressure stays low as does my body temp and I feel alive again. It is worth trying different variations synthetic T4 AND T3, and don't rule out armour thyroid if nothing else is working after 6 months of use.

I was diagnosed with graves disease last year, I had a really acute case that turned me into a total nut job.
In October after going through several thyroid storms and the doctors not being able to keep me stable with medications, I had a full thyroidectomy in October.
I started on .100 mcg of levothyroxine and then the dosage was gradually decreased, I started having a lot of random body aches, mood swings, lots of muscular pains and no energy.
They ended up raising my dosage and detected that I had a large vitamin D deficiency, after several treatments of taking 50,000 units of vitamin D, and also adding my levothyroxine dosage I started feeling better. I still have mood swings here and there, and feel sad periodically, but the last month or so I've been feeling more fine than I have in a long time. They have me on .170 mcg of levothyroxine for two months now. Last week I started getting headaches more frequently, and one of the times I got this nose bleed.
This past weekend I got a headache, and then later that night I had another nose bleed.
I don't usually get nose bleeds or this many headaches so I'm a little concerned.
Also the last time I was getting headaches and constant nosebleeds was when I was really hyperthyroid.
As far as the doctors go, I'm in between insurances and quite honestly I've been frustrated with both my pcp and endocrinologist...

Re: Dosage Confusion- Synthroid

This simple of communicating dosage became confusioning. To prevent confusion synthroid is always discussed in terms of (mcg). That is, micrograms (mcg) vs. milligram (mg).

This is of tremendous value The conversion factor is 1000, for example a dose of Synthroid represented as 0.025mg, would be converted as
.025mg x 1000=25mcg. To fully understand this blogger’s statement feel comfortable to talk with your pharmacist or physician.

I've been on synthroid now for about a year. My dosage is VERY little (0.075). My doctor keeps running blood tests every 3 months and assures me I am within the "lower-end" of the norm, but I still feel tired, sleep deprived, wake up with night-sweats and I keep gaining weight...

I am only 24 and have just been told that I need to take this medication for the rest of my life, it\s pretty depressing. I keep asking if there are other ways to lose weight and feel more energized. He tells me that I need to keep taking this medication and has put me on a "sleep hygeine" routine where I go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

Does this "disease" mean I will always be overweight and tired for the rest of my life? I would like to know if someone else with more experience with this medication can give any sort of advice? Feeling a little hopeless about it and not really interested in complaining to my doctor anymore.

Thanks:)

I have just been switched to Synthroid (by my Endocrinologist) after being on Armour for 4 years. I have to tell all you out there that think "Armour" is the save all drug..and believe me I am not an advocate of Synthroid either because I have not been on it long enough to know what possible side effects I might have..however when I first started on Armour I felt like I did before I had been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism ..then about 1 yr ago I started to gain rate rapidly like 40lbs in 6 months feeling sluggish, off and on skin problems, puffy hands, face, feet,hives, pimples in the back of my head almost hive like,some hair loss that is noticeable to me as I have had very thick curly hair all my life now it is getting noticeably thin and It is making me very nervous...My Endo put me on .75 mcg Synthroid and .5mcg Cytomel which she calls a "controlled Armour"..Armour does not stay consistent with your T4's and T3 levels and that is what cause my thyroid to become suppressed and these are the symptoms I was experiencing...she also put me on Spironolactone which is a mild diuretic to lose the puffiness in my face,hands,and feet and so far so good...Like I stated earlier, I am not an advocate of Synthroid or Armour our any drug for that matter, I just want to find what is right for me and stick with it..and if Synthroid doesn't work for me, then I will try something else...Just remember one very important thing.."You" are the only one who knows how you feel and Dr's are not God they can't fix everyone that is why its very important to read about your disease and find out what things might work for you..I suggest getting this book I bought that was recommended to me by my Endocrinologist called "Screaming to be Heard" Hormone connections women suspect and doctors still ignore written by Elizabeth Lee Vliet, MD...its a fabulous book and I am sure all you women can relate to this book...its all about us....Most important thing is to stay healthy eat a well balance diet and exercise..also find out about the foods that only worsen thyroid problems...

The biggest side of taking Synthroid for me: it did NOTHING for me. ZILCH. ZERO. It was no better than a sugar pill. After 17 years of that nonsense, I switched to Armour and WHAT a difference.******

I have been on synthyroid for the past 4 months and my doses have been increased from .75 to .112 which I am currently on. I weigh 92 pounds, which is my normal weight, but it seems this new increased dose has increased my appetite (I always had a fast metabolism) given my palpitations, flushing, sweating, high and low blood pressure and generally feeling overstimulated. It's been two weeks since my dose was increased and I felt better with the lower doses. My endocrinologist keeps increasing my dose since my TSH levels are still not in the right numbers, but this new dose is making me sicker than I was before. Could this new dose be too high for me.

I have Hashi's and have been on Synthroid for about 2 years. I was recently on 75 mcg and was teetering on the brink of being hypo again so my doctor increased my dosage to 88 mcg last week. Ever since I have been on the new dosage, I have had the worst insomnia. I wake up covered in sweat (in air conditioning) and I feel caffeinated all the time ( I don't consume caffeine). I feel strung out! Is my body just getting used to the new dosage or am I being over medicated? I don't want to complain yet to my doctor if this is just my body getting used to the new dosage but this really is terrible.

Hello To All,

I too am on this med, I have been on it for 1 year as of July 2008-

35 pounds, brain fog, headaches, eye sight for reading, chest pain and fluttering heart beat. My doctor who is my friend has told me that he will up my dose... "Dear God" any more and I will go nuts. Does anyone know of any study done in a medical journal that theu could forward to me so I can show my doctor.

Please email me at ****** I would be so very thankful.

Thanks to all and be healthy.

I am a diabetic with hashi. I had been taking synthroid longer than metformin and had been on both for at least a year now. Recently I have been to ER due to heart palpitation and shortness of breath, so I had stopped my synthroid .1 for one day and felt better. So I stopped taking synthroid altogether, After 3 weeks I took it again because I was afraid not to follow my doctors order. 3 days into it, I was back to a high pulse, shortness of breath, chest pin and palpitation. I went to a different doctor,
and he agreed that we experiment on the dosage and try a generic brand.
I took .25 this time and I had the same reaction as taking synthroid .1.
I have now stopped completely, I am hoping to that my doctor will listen to me and will give something else other than synthroid.

Wow! So glad and sad to find other sufferers. I wish our doctors would listen to us and take us seriously! Why are they stuck on forcing Synthroid on us? At this point, I think I'd rather not take any Synthroid. I stumbled upon this site while looking for something I might take to counteract the effects of Synthroid. I had to halve my 112 mg pills because of the side effects: frequents headaches, bloating, weight gain, irritability and anxiety, dry mucus membranes (eyes, nose, throat, etc.), allergies, muscle fatigue, achy joints. Of course, my doctor is slowly upping the dosage again, because my TSH is chronically high, but I feel like sh*t, physically and mentally. I used to feel so much more normal and like myself before I was diagnosed and "forced" to take Synthroid.

Just posted, but having trouble with the website, maybe 'cause I'm new to it. Can't see my posts. Anyway, forgot another side effect (there are so many): more armpit sweating.

This medicine is horrible for me! I gave it a long while to give it a chance. Rapid weight gain, hair loss (ongoing), terrible aches and pains, hives, dead tired, terribly hot, irritable...the list goes on and on. After getting pro-active with my health care provider, I have now changed to Armour and now I'm remembering what 'normal' feels like again. I've lost all the weight I gained, my hair and skin feel much softer. I can't believe the amount of people that feel bad on this drug. It seems to be bad-mouthed all over the internet. I guess as long as the major drug companies retain it as the 2nd or 3rd best selling drug in the States and continue to fund, wine and dine and court physicians, we're never going to get rid of it. I chose to dispose of every single one of those evil pills. Armour stepped in to change my life for the better as Synthroid was slowly destroying me.

I have been on Synthroid for 12 weeks now. I have been experience extreme leg pain and knee pain on one side. Now my ankles ache in the morning and my elbow is starting to hurt. My doctor thinks there is no relationship of the synthroid and my joint pain.

I had a thyroidectomy on 4/16/08 and started on the generic synthroid right after that. The reason for the surgery was nodules and pre-cancer cells( I have had breast cancer and mastectomy 12/06. Since starting it, I have had swelling all over my body and was wondering if it could cause it. Since reading all these blogs, I see it is probably the cause. I am taking 75 mg and was wondering if maybe it's to high a dose.(?) I don't go to my Endo for a month but was planning on calling him tomorrow to see if I can half the dose until I see him-Is that a good idea or should I increase it? I'd appreciate all replies. Theresa

Twitching of the toes and fingers, wondering if this drug is the cause of it. I am a 47 year old female, been on the drug one year because I have nodules. They have been tested, so far no problem, but they test me every 6 months.

I have had Hashi now since 2000, i got it when I was still in high school. They though that was rare that this would occur at such a young age. No one in my family had it, well not quite yet. I was the first to get diagnosed. My gyn mentioned that there is a link between autoimmune and preeclampsia. I had a terrible preg. I take synthroid now well the generic. And I do not feel much better at all. But people who use Armour should be careful. My endocrinologist strongly disapproved to this. It is Pig tyroid. This is from a site "The prevailing opinion is that everyone converts all the T4 needed into T3 automatically, and that drugs such as Armour and Thyrolar are outdated and old-fashioned at best." Also does not mention much on Hasimoto patients like myself. I would like to try it though to feel better. The side effects are higher as well. Esp long term.
Unfortantly, what works for one, does not always work for another person. So though some have problems with there synthroid others do not. Also it takes a while for you to notice a difference with this. IF you take it regularly at the same time and follow instructions on eating as well as not take it with vitC then you should be experiencing something. If not then you really need to get a new endocrinologist. Regular doctors are not made to deal with these issues, though they try, you need to see a specialist. Just remember that you know how you feel and if Synthroid is not working for out then change.

A couple of other symptoms I didn't mention before are I still get cold a lot and ibuprofen is my best friend because of all the aches and pains. But running on 3-5 hours of sleep a night with the occasional 7 hours has definitely diminished the quality of my life.

I was diagnosed as having Hypothyroidism in 1-07. My TSH was 83 and I was sleepy all the time, moody and anxious, hair falling out, gaining weight, heavy clotting peiods, etc. I was 51 and it was all blamed for a while in perimenopause. I have been on Synthroid .50 since then and some things are better like hair loss and sleepiness. My last check a few months ago was 1.3. What I hate most of all is waking up after a few hours of sleep and I feeing like I am on some kind of speed. My mind is wide awake and jumping from one thought to another, sometimes sweating heavily with my heart racing. I was diagnosed 10 years ago with Inappropriate Sinus Tachycardia and was on Beta blockers for a while. I have a new doctor now and never discussed this with her. The anxiety is awful sometimes too . I start to get fears of not being able to swallow or breathe but can keep it under control. An average night of sleep is five broken up hours of sleep and every now and then from exhaustion I will get close to seven hours. I am foggy headed a lot but I never hardly yawn or feel sleepy in the daytime.

I suggest to anyone that has Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (type of Hypothyroidism) to have a blood test done for Celiac Disease. There has been research done linking Celiac Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Celiac Disease can be controlled by a gluten-free diet (wheat, rye, and barley free). In the US, not many doctors recognize/know of this link. I have been hypothyroid for 20 years (had Hodgkin's Disease (cancer) - radiation/chemo at age 16) I have 2 sisters with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and were iron and B12 deficient. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis 3 months ago with iron and B12 deficiency. I have been on a gluten-free diet for 2 months now. My dosage of synthroid (levothyroxine) was 175 mcg and now is down to 137 mcg. I hope that I am one of the lucky ones that will have their antibodies to their thyroid normalized (no more synthroid!) I have a couple of days left before my next blood test and I hope that it goes down more. I am feeling better now than I have in a very long time. I have attached a link for those of you interested. It is an endocrine article from Finland outling the link between Celiac Disease and Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (among other things). I hope that this helps some of you. http://edrv.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/23/4/464

I have recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease and my dr. put me on 50mcg of Synthroid...I haven't really noticed a lot of the normal symptoms that everyone else has except the memory loss. Oh and one other very disturbing side-effect...FREQUENT URINATION! I never had this problem before I started taking this drug that I can recall and I've been tested a gazillion times for kidney infections and UTI's and they've all come back normal! This is so frustrating...please tell me I'm not alone! If anyone else has experienced this please reply asap....I need to know I'm not crazy.

I've been on Synthroid for 8 months after gaining 10 pounds in two months. The symptoms started to appear when my Mom was very ill. Doctor said it was caused by stress and started me on 25 mcg of Synthroid. My reading at that time was 5.56. I had blood work done every 4 weeks,and the numbers are going down (1.8 last reading), but so is the quantity of my hair, which I see all over my white tile. My weight hasn't budged even though I am dieting. My doctor upped me to 100 mcgs. My blood work is not good - low white count, low lymphocytes, borderline anemic. Mom died, and I didn't get any better. I feel sick all the time and it's difficult for my husband to understand how bad I feel. I've tried to get my doctor to prescrive Armour, but he doesn't even return my phone calls. When I see him in the office, he keeps telling me it takes time. I hate living this way and want to stop the pills completely.

I was put on Synthyroid 20 years ago. It did nothing beneficial that I could detect, so I discontinued taking it. -- I was always cold, always tired, I just learned to live with it. (Thankfully, I was a stay-at-home Mom, so didn't have to punch a time clock.) -- Fast forward 10 years to 1999. I had many food allergies, dust allergies, pet allergies, was tired, cold, ached all over. etc;etc: -- Was referred to an old doctor who listened patiently and told me he thought thyroid supplimentation would help. -- Started me on Armour thyroid. One pill, then upped to two all the way to 6 a day before I felt any differently. -- Slowly, my allergies improved. My energy improved. I started to feel like a new person.

For those of you who are still strugling with getting your thyroid situation straigntened out, try going to this web site:

http://www.majidali.com/temperat.htm.

It will fill you in on why some of what has been done for you hasn't worked.

Good Luck!

Marie

PS My daughter was on Armour thyroid, and when she couldn't get it, was put on Synthroid. -- Within three weeks she had mood swings, was mean, was always cold, was depressed, ached all over. Had a cough.

I have been on Synth since june of last year and have steadily gained weight to the tune of 22 lb! Most of my symptoms ( Fatigue, joint pain, dizziness, foggy thinking) have gone away, but the heavy ever lasting periods are still here, as is my extremely terrible acne and the numbness in my hands.Also have daily headaches that never subside. I just went off the synthroid all together yesterday and am hoping that I start to lose this weight. I have been diagnosed with asthma and am now on Advair, so I am hoping that it will make me feel better, maybe all of my symptoms were related to lack of oxygen! Cross your fingers that all of the bad symptoms don't return, I will post back when I notice a difference, either way.

I love that you all have the courage to post here. We must self diagnose, most dr's don't care, we are but numbers to them

Thanks to all

I just took synthroid for the first time last night, and had some intensely weird nightmare dreams, which is why I am here, googling "synthroid" and "nightmares" - has anyone had this experience and had it subside? Please respond if that's the case, I certainly don't want my sleep to be like this every night.

I have been on Synthroid since about 1995. I had a thyroidectomy and do not have a thyroid anymore. I have been on 0.175 mcg for about 10 years and did not have any side effects except for fatigue and a little depression.Everything else was pretty good. My TSH is registering low so my doctor moved me to 0.1 mcg of Synthroid and 5 micrograms of Cytomel. I took this for about three weeks and for the last 1.5 weeks have had awful headaches and the dryest eyes ever. Something, I have not experienced before. My doctor keeps saying he wants to help me but does not listen to
any of my symptoms. I actually pulled off the symptoms from the list online of hypothyroidism and have 15 out of about 20. I am wondering why I felt so much better on the higher dose than this low dose. Can anyone releate. I am starting to think maybe my body is not processing this right. The funny thing is is that my lab work came back with normal results today, which means my doc is probably going to keep me where I am and I feel the worst I have felt in ten years.

I was diagnoed back in november with Hashimoto Disease and had a complete thyroidectomy in December. I have been switched three times since Dec. 07 (only April 6 '08) to different doses of Synthroid. I still experienced weight gain and cannot lose weight, irritability, depression, hair loss, exhaustion... I decided last month to stop taking it all together and was wondering what effects this may have on me. Any clues as to the effects of NOT taking the medication after having a my thyroid completly removed?? I feel the same (depressed, irritable, still losing hair, exhausted...) but am sure this is probably not a good thing to not take any medication when I don't have a thyroid anymore.

I have hypothryoidism and have had great success with Armour Thyroid. I was on Synthroid for about 5 years and then on Levoxyl for 2 years prior to Armour Thyroid. I have been on Armour for the past 6 years and will never switch back to Synthroid. It did nothing for my symptoms other than to give me a normal TSH reading.

I'd like to say that I think the Old version of Synthroid that existed
before 1982-83 was MUCH better than what is produced today,
I'd done quite well on Old Synthroid from 1975 to 1982 after
RAI treatment for a bad case of Grave's disease when I was
eleven years old....but when Synthroid was changed to be
more "cost-effective" for its manufacturer, my life was basically
destroyed--and I haven't recovered since then, despite trying many
different doses of various thyroid drugs.

Symptoms I've gotten since Synthroid changed in '82 include:
Severe breathing trouble that really limits what I can do every
single day; extremely dry skin in certain places--like legs and
feet; much poorer memory and thinking ability; much drier hair
and too much hair falling out; tendency to get chest pains whether
dose is too low, too high, or "normal," have had a lot of trouble with
blood pressure at times; getting red in face; too much weight gain
for what I eat; lymphedema (much swelling in legs and feet),
inability to sleep well; always feel congested or blocked up;
vision problems like black spots floating before eyes; sensitivity
to light; double or triple vision at times; involuntary eye-twitching
at times. I'm sure I've forgotten some things, too....

A very odd thing about Synthroid since 1982 (and the other drugs
that've copied it, since that time) is that it tends to give me
symptoms of both high and low thyroid trouble at the same
time, while also causing new symptoms that I'd never had in
the first place. Old Synthroid was much more clear-cut for me.
If the dose was too low, I'd have typical low thyroid symptoms
only (too tired, dry skin, etc), and if too high, I'd get only typical
high thyroid symptoms (too nervous, insomnia, racing heart, etc),
Much easier to adjust and work with than today's Synthroid.

At any rate, I was left with little working thyroid gland after my
intitial Grave's treatment, so I am (unfortunately) very dependent
on GOOD thyroid medicine to help me. In my opinion, I haven't
had any good stuff to take since Old Synthroid left the market
in 1982-83. Haven't been well to accomplish much since that
time--feel like I'm getting punished for being a thyroid patient,
which is ridiculous, really--because I know better medicine once
existed, and I want it again!

Have tried many avenues to get someone to produce Old Synthroid
again, but no luck--I'm not rich, famous, or politically connected,
so no one listens to me. But if anyone out there reading this can
help in some way, please feel free to contact me--maybe we can
work together to bring back a better treatment that would help at
least some folks out there who are really suffering. S.D.

Would like to know if anyone with side effects to Synthroid, have at any time been diagnosed with Sarcoidosis(inflammation of the lungs). I only get symptoms(read other posts) when taking Synthroid, not other thyroid meds. Please reply a.s.a.p.

Would like to know if anyone taking Synthroid who has been having itchiness, joint/muscle pain(neck, lower back, knees, ankles, arms), extreme fatigue, etc.. have also been having shortness of breath, inflammation of the lungs. I was diagnosed with Sarcoidosis 6 years ago which causes inflammation of the lungs and scarring of the lungs. I do not have these symptoms when on other thyroid meds. Possible allergic reaction to Synthroid. Please reply a.s.a.p. Thanx

I was prescribed Synthroid for Hypothyroidism about 6-months ago. I was told my thyroid is covered w/ nodules caused by Hoshimotos(?) Thyroiditis. Prior to that I suffered with severe anxiety attacks. Since my first dose of Synthroid I have felt much calmer. I realize Synthroid isn't prescribed for that, but I definitely feel much better. However, now it is early spring, and I ventured out for some light gardening and thought I was going to die from heat stroke and a pounding heart - it is only 68 degrees! Could this be a side effect or perimenopause?

My thyroid troubles started in 1993. I am not sure how long before the discovery I had the problem. Mine started as a nodule on one side. I was immediately put on Synthroid and had to go see the Endo every 6 months for a biopsy. In 1995 I became pregnant. I had one more biopsy until after the birth of my daughter. The Endo told me he wanted to see me right away after she was born to do another biopsy. I had my suspisions, but didn't think anyhing until after she was born and went for my biopsy. Well, I had cancer. I went through the whole thyroidectomy, the 3 days isolation with radio-iodine, and every year to every few years after I had to go back and get the radio-iodine treatment, while not the high dose as the first time, it went with the complete body scan. In fact, I am due now, but don't have health insurance. My dose has been switched a lot, I have probably been on every dose from the lowest up to .200mcg, which has been the highest for myself.

Symptoms: pre-thyroid disease, I am 5'2. I was always 110-115 lbs, I was 22 yrs old and 120 lbs. when I married in 1993. I did notice gradual weight gain, probably because of my thyroid problems. I am sad to say that now I am around 180 lbs. I cannot seem to lose the weight unless I go on a total starvation diet. I managed to lose 10-15 lbs over the past summer, but unfortunately for me it has come back over the winter. I tried to stay as active as possible by going to stores and malls to walk around. I do for a fact notice that when my dosage for Synthroid goes higher, so does my weight gain. I was on .137mcg over the summer, and I think that was a good dose for me, that was through the regular dr. The Endo is the one who put me back up to .150mcg. My Endo told me the thyroid is a regenerative organ, so it CAN grow back. I guess they don't want that in case of cancer again, and I guess that is why he keeps me on higher doses.

I personally cannot stand it. I feel it is a horrible curse. I feel very robbed of my previous active life. I have been dealing with this now for 12 years not having a thyroid and being on this medication. I feel angry that I do not have the energy to do things with my 12 yr old and 3 yr old. I miss the way I was before having thyroid disease. I feel very sad when they come up to me asking to do certain things and they (nor anyone else I know for that fact) can understand that I just feel so whooped, and no energy. All I ever seem to want to do is take a nap. I have migraine headaches constantly, I am constantly tired. I cannot concentrate, I have some memory loss. My ex-husband, and my current husband too for that fact think I am just being lazy. Well, that is not so. There are moments when I do feel a burst of energy, but then, I have to use that burst to do the things I need to do around the house.

Pre thyroid disease I was always active, never tired, could do anything. After: TIRED, I was 24 in 1996 and felt like an old lady, dry skin, no matter how much lotion I put on. The tub is full of hair, while it doesn't come out in clumps and I still have thick hair, I have hair all over the place. Irritable, mood swings, happy to angry and the snap of a finger. I can have insomnia some nights, constipation, lots of the same stuff others have listed on this forum. Those side affects are the same no matter what dose I am on. And like I said the higher the dose for me, the more weight I pack on. It is instantanious. Over Christmas, and no, it wasn't from eating all the goodies, I gained a lot of the weight I had lost over summer back, and that was because a few weeks before, the Endo had put me on the .150 mcg.

We all experience similar problems. I think most of it is from frustration and is affecting us all mentally. You go to the doctor pay your co pays,blood work,and your prescriptions. Then patiently wait for change for the better. Go back and do it all over again every few months. You pay all this money and you still feel miserable.I feel like a lab rat sometimes.My muscles hurt,feel tired,can't lose weight.Don't feel like doing somethings I use to enjoy. I been on this stuff 3 yrs and my doc has me taking 300 mcg now.Wish I have some answers!

I have been on Synthroid for about 15 years for hypothyroidism. A few months after starting on it, I became sluggish with just no energy and my once thick hair was getting thinner and thinner. I told my doctor but she shrugged it off saying it was just my age (which at the time I was 45). She being the doctor, I assumed she was right. But awhile ago I started doing research and found in The New England Journal of Medicine that they were finding that Synthroid caused hair loss "in some people". It suggested using a thyroid hormone that used both T3 and T4 rather than the single one that Synthroid is. I went back to the doctor and she put me on Armour Thyroid. I have been on it now for 3 months, and my energy levels are way up, no longer sleeping my life away. My hair has not started growing back in yet, maybe it never will after all this time, but just feeling better is such a plus! (Of course I would feel a LOT better if my hair would thicken up again).

DIAGNOSED W/ HYPO IN SEPT 07 GAINED AT LEAST 35IBS PUFFY HANDS, ARMS, NECK 122IBS TO 160 NOT GOOD! CRAZY DOCTOR STARTED ME ON 75MCG WENT BACK 3 MONTHS LATER BLOOD LEVELS ARE STILL LOW HE WANTED TO INCREASE SYNT HE INCREASED TO 50MCG THAT IS NOT INCREASE IT IS A DECREASE. I ENDED IP CHANGING DOC BECAUSE HE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WAS DOING HAVE NOT HAD PERIOD SINCE JUN 07 CURRENTLY 88MCG FROM NEW DOC. I NOT SURE ABOUT SYTHRIOD SOME OF MY SYMP ARE STILL THERE

I a 49 year old male. A little while ago I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. My TSH was at 43. I have been taken Synthroid for a little over 3 months. I started with 25mcg and was recently increased to 50mcg since my TSH was still at a high 15. I also thought it prudent, since I had gained a lot of weight over the last year and a half, to also diet and exercise a little. In the last 5 weeks I have lost 32 pounds. (I was about 80 pounds more than I liked). I have more energy, have not lost anymore hair than normal, and my hair is not brittle. I have episodes of Atrial Fibrillation since I was 30 and occasional "heart flips" ever since. Since taking the Synthroid I have not experienced these "flips" at all. I sleep well. My blood pressure was High in the past and was taking two meds for it. Since taking the Synthroid (I'm also guessing the weight loss, diet and exercise has also helped) I am down to one med and I now have a BP of 110/65 with a resting heart rate of 64. By the way..I am taking the generic form of Synthroid.

I switched from a generic levothyroxine to Synthroid. After four days I awoke with extreme pain in one heel and the opposite knee. Both were caused by inflammations with no known cause in exercise or joint trauma. I switched back to the generic and both problems improved rapidly. Was Synthroid the cause? I don't know.

joint pain, inflammation

Hey, First off I would like to say thank you all for posting, I was just diagnosed with hypo. I was placed on 50mg then increased to 125, I felt terrible so I cut it in half. I take the pill at night, but I still feel all the symptoms you guys feel, I woke up this morning with no voice, hoarse. My tsh level was 13, I am going back to the doctor for more blood work this week. I think I my ask to be switched to another brand. I hope all of you will soon feel better.

I have no bad side effects on Synthroid, unless I am overmedicated. I get burning feelings on my shoulders, back, arms, and nape. I can't sleep, or wake for no reason during the night. I get very nervous, and have a jittery feeling all through my body. Has this ever happened to anyone?

My 82 yr old mother was prescribed Synthroid last May after tests on her carotid artery showed a problem with her thyroid (she had no symptoms). In June, my father started calling me and telling me how strange she was acting. So I called the Dr., and he said she was getting dementia, so put her on Aricept. Then she started getting depressed, not doing all her favorite things, not driving, etc. I called Dr. again and he put her on an antidepressant. I now know that this whole situation was caused by the Synthroid. It is so obvious. I am taking her off it for a few days to see how she acts. I sympathize with everyone who posted.

I have been on synthroid for about 6 months now. Some of the side effects I have been experiencing are numerous.I have hair loss, sometimes I get so ill that no one can stand to be around me, my weight has gone up about 30 pounds, my cholesterol levels went sky high so now I'm taking Crestor, I'm bloated most times, I have episodes where my face flushes and gets so red that it feels like its on fire, and now I've just started experiencing burning and aching of the legs, I'm tired a lot too! My doctor said I would lose the weight but every time I go for check ups and get on the scale it just keeps going up. I would like to know if anyone else out there is experiencing the burning and achy legs because I have been tested for everything and they can't find out what is going on. They of course say it's not the medication.It seems to never be. Does anyone feel me??

I've been on Synthroid since November 2007. I've had several side effects that's been driving me crazy. From night sweats, trouble breathing, can't stand heat, mood swings, stomach pain, insomnia, and menstrual changes. The side effect that's having me worried is my menstrual cycle. I started my cycle Jan 5th and during this time, my doctor switch dosage. He started me out with 100 and now I'm on 50. I'm very petite and I knew 100 was too much for me when I weigh 110. I've been spotting since and today is Jan 19th. I told him about this and I asked him if the medicine caused this and he said no to contact my GYN. I never had this problem before and I've been so stressed about it. I told my nurse at home about and I did tell her that the thyroid specialist said it wasn't a side effect of Synthroid. Also, I told her that I did research and it did mention menstrual changes. So I have to meet with her next week. Am I the only one having this problem. I want to have children in the future and I'm worried.

I have been on synthroid for 30+ years. It has steadily been increased throughout the years. Last April 2007 I ran out of medication and was going through a stressful move. I hadn't been on the medication for about 6 weeks. Once I got my new doctor they checked my levels and instead of putting me on the same dosage of .175 they increased it to .2mcg. I gained 10 pounds overnight. I looked like I was pregnant, mood swings, aching joints, insomnia, etc. I went back in 2 weeks to have it rechecked. That was the second problem. It takes 6 weeks for the medicine to level out in your system. So not only did they increase my dosage after telling them I had been off of it for some time they retested my levels too soon. So it was again increased to .225...more weight gain...another test...another increase .25mcg. Now my neck is swollen and I have an enlarged gland, hard to swallow, shortness of breathe, 43 pounds of weight gain, severe anxiety, acid reflux, gerd, on top of the other symptoms mentioned above. In 8 weeks of increments I have been retested and the dosage has gone down and as of last week it was finally decreased to the original amount of .175mcg. It has only been a week but I have lost 2 pounds. Oh Lord please let it keep coming off! My neck isn't as swollen and my 5th doctor who finally could see the light explained that I was having a thyroid storm. It is very important that when your levels are checked you wait 6-8 weeks to let the medication level out in order to get a true reading. He also said that you need to take your meds on an empty stomach...which I knew...sort of. I took my synthroid on an empty stomach but I also took my other vitamins with it which can effect the absorption of the synthroid throughout your body. He also gave me a beta blocker to help with my symptoms until my levels even out. It is called metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL) 50mg. My gut doctor put me on Paxil as well to help with the acid reflux and gerd which he felt was caused by the anxiety due from the synthroid levels being off. I hope this info helps but it makes sense to me.

I have been on synthroid for about 3 yrs. I am considered subclinical (can't find hypothyroidism with blood test- normal range).
Grant it, the medicine took away the almost angina pain and loss of breath. However, my body seems to have deteriated structurally. I have tremendous lower back pain, that worsened. I have been in pain every day since. I starve, (veggies - then dinner). It's been very, very difficult. Always looking for help.I'm hoping that a natural hormone will change this, I know my husband will be glad; he won't have to hear me cry anymore.

Does anyone with hypothyroidism have also been diagnosed with Granuloma annulare?
DDTT

I have read a lot of these blogs and I am seeing that many other people have the same side effects. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was in 6th or 7th grade I think and I am now a high school senior so about 5 years taking Synthroid. the doctors said that my antibodies had completely destroyed my thyroid gland so I wasn't getting any of the hormones I needed which became very noticeable when I started gaining weight and loosing energy in 5th grade. I haven't really seen any weight gain in a while but I still look like I am overweight. I am 5'6 and 130 lbs so I am about average. Side effects that are also occurring are rapid mood changes, one minute I am happy and something sad happens or I think about something and ill be tearing up. I feel depressed a lot. I am currently on 150 mcg. also during 9th and 10th grade I was put on this drug to stop my puberty so that I could grow more while on the Synthroid I guess it helped a little with height but I still look like a freshman. I don't know if I should stop taking it or keep taking it because I stopped for about a month once and started getting really sick, I would get really bad nose bleeds at random, had constant migraines and felt sick to my stomach. I started taking the Synthroid again and felt fine. I really don't know what to do.

I must say that I HATE this medicine. I have been on it for about 30 years. Constantly like playing a game. Too much then too little. It is driving me crazy. I swear that I have tremors from it. I also have gain lots of weight and my hair falls out everyday. Surprised I am not bald yet. I use to be able to go to the gym for 5-6 days a week and now it is soooo hard to get out of bed in the morning.

I truly wish that there was something that I could do. I have had one side of my thyroid taken out and now have to go and get a ultra sound of the other side. Still cant figure out why the doctor took one side and not the other when the other side had nodules too.

I am so tired of it and just don't know what to do.

I do know that I will be definitely speaking with my endo and even if my levels are okay she has to do something to help me.

I HAVE BEEN ON SYNTHROID FOR ABOUT 6 MONTHS AND FEEL WORSE DAILY, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE BRONCHITIS AL THE TIME I FEEL LIKE I CAN'T BREATH, YES I AM A SMOKER BUT I NEVER FELT THIS WAY BEFORE, I AM READY TO STOP THE MEDICINE THIS IS CRAZY..

ANY ADVISE WELCOME GUYS