Levoxyl side effects

I just started taking Levoxyl 25mcg. My doctors says my levels are slightly off and I have mult. nod. and this will help them from growing bigger. After taking my first pill I feel a lump in my throat that doesn't want to go away. didn't feel that way before taking the pill.

Hello... I started taking Levothyroxine last July for slight hypothyroidism. I felt great for the first 6-7 months, but then in January the problems started for me. I was getting severe anxiety which the doctor said was stress and he also thought I was depressed. I knew I wasn't, but he put me on Ativan and Prozac. The week I took prozac was the worst week of my life. I thought the effects I had were from the prozac, but now I know now it was my thyroid spiking, which the doctor never checked my levels during this period. My heart rate doubled, I had insomnia, was gagging, sick, felt like my body was on speed and wanted to die. I was prescribed a beta blocker for my anxiety previously which I had never taken, but decided to take when my heart was racing, which helped me feel a bit better for the week, but I knew something was wrong. I had this happen again recently for about a week (and I was on nothing but levothyroxine). I know what anxiety is and I have never had anxiety or depression my whole life until these episodes that happen when taking this medication. By the time I went to the doctor to get labs done, I had been feeling a bit better and he said my levels were fine. I am now wondering if it's side effects from the meds or if it is spikes in my levels making me hyperthyroid instead. All I know is that I cannot live like this!! I have a 3 yr old and I need to be happy and healthy like I used to be before this medication... no more heart racing, racing thoughts, anxiety, and insomnia. Please help!!

I am 34 years old. Back in 1985 I had most of my thyroid removed, due to a tumor attached to it. Since I was 10 until my late 20s, I was on Synthroid. By age 19 I had 3 knee surgeries to remove arthritis. I have suffered most of my life with joint pains, dry skin, weight that is like a roller coaster, and being tired most of the time. In my 20s I was put on Levoxyl. I has been on Levoxyl for several years now. Since being on Levoxyl I have been fighting anxiety, racing heart, joint pain in fingers and ankles, sudden dizziness to the point where i have to sit or pass-out. I feel like I'm 80 and not 34. After reading this site I am printing all this out and taking it to my doctor. No telling how much damage has been done after all these years.

I have been on Levoxyl for about 2 1/2 years. Before I was on levothyroxine, but my new endo said the generics don't work, so he insists on the name brand. I've been taking it in the morning on an empty stomach, and have been battling extreme daytime fatigue ever since. At first I thought it was because I was unhealthy. I had LAP-band surgery, and I use a CPAP machine for my sleep apnea, and I lost 50 lbs, but I've hit a plateau that can't be explained by my food intake, and the fatigue is so debilitating. My GP is adjusting my anti-depressant to see if that makes a difference, but so far no. On my own I decided to start taking the Levoxyl at night before I go to bed. It's only been a couple of days, but I have noticed a marked improvement. I'll talk to my endo about it, and hopefully he'll be at least willing to consider the change.

On a side note, anti-depressants are the best medicine ever discovered. If you are feeling at all depressed, talk to your doctor. Whether the Levoxyl contributes to it or not, the anti-depressants help. I never want to go back in that black hole again.

weight-gain/ alternatives have been availalable.."Amour-thyroid" about.com any alternative medicine sites! Thy-Aid..etc,Synthroid does nothing for thy,roid issue Everything starts there! Bio-denticals deals w/ harmonal...read and learn..FDA lies! Alternatives have "Cured" ask "Breakthrough" Susann Sommers book w/ doctors! Larry King! Truth re: real cures for thyroid,not HRT's..yet another that has killed and/or close to from...Side-effects..alt's do not have side-effects.soon,if enough people stop being lazy and so afraid to take what will keep them alive and happy only then will ALT'S push the bad FDA approved poisons away! Both MUST be explored,but the FDA make billions w/ doctors who get kick backs from each script they write for the infamous SIN-Throid,made my life a horror..hypothyroid issue does not need syn! There are better natural things! Headaches,never get the right dose! Right thyroid tests? Endocrinologists will use those bio-denticals bec- hormone & Thy go together,for all of the idiots out there who think their doctors are sooo good,slowly they are killing them in many ways!

I have been taking Levoxyl for approx. 5 years following having a total ablation of my thyroid due to follicular thyroid cancer. I am constantly tired, have joint pain, trouble sleeping and continue to experience weight gain. The doctor continues to tell me this is not from the medicine and to improve my diet. My vision has also gotten terrible over the past two years. Has anyone else experienced this and do you know of anything that helps?

I am 46 years old. I first started taking Levothyrox 11 years ago during a pregnancy. Now I currently take 200 a day. I have been suffering chest pains. I also suffer bone pain. My hair has not grown in nearly 3 years. I am borderline diabetic and each day when I take the drug, I immediately sleep due to the immediate sugar elevation I feel.

Six months ago my femur broke. It seems due to a Vitamin D deficiency. Now I discover that a few of the nasty side effects that no one ever told me about is Vitamin D Deficiency and also Osteoporosis. Due to the strict bed rest that I have been on from my fractured femur, located near my pelvic, I have suffered muscle atrophy. I am too weak to even stand. So for 6 months now I have not even been able to leave my bed.

Now the only solution I feel in order to possibly save my life is to immediately discontinue the use of Levothyrox. My boyfriend is a little concerned for me doing this but I see no other way. Any feedback appreciated. Thank you.

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.

Have been on Levoxyl for the past two years and have been having EXTREME hair loss. Would like to hear from anyone having this side effect who has had success with an alternative treatment....either a different drug or an alternate treatment such as Armour, etc. Is coming off Levoxyl cold turkey as dangerous as everyone says it is?

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.

I have been on Levoxyl since I was 19. I am now 49 and a yr ago because of cronic fatigue I took myself off. I noticed I was awake again, my back, legs and teeth quit hurting, I went back on it because the blood test came back funky and after just 2 weeks back on it I feel awful. My back and body hurt so severely I cant stand it and Im taking vicodin I had laying around the house. Tonight its almost unbeable and is interfering with my job. There has got to be an alternative to this type of pain..

Levoxyl makes me Tired and fatigue.
Does anyone get tired and crash 2 to 3 hours later after taking any thyroid medication? I get tired need to lay down, I crash my body lays in the bed and this tired feeling goes away after a hour. It used to last 2 hours. I feel like I took a sleeping pill. This is probably due to adrenals from what I read. I have tried all the armour and t3 that I think adds to the tiredness.

bowel disturbance, nervousness and headaches, migraines cause frequent urination, muscle cramps, neck and left shoulder pain

My serious hell started at age 43 and I am 49 now. Diagnosis was hormonal changes. My doctor put me on Zoloft, klonopin, xanax, flexril, pain killers, and prescribed many other meds to control my very frightening panic attacks, depression, fibromyalgia, migraine, arthritis type pains, knee pains, insomnia, restless legs, tingling, numbness, hot flashes, and many other indescribable symptoms.
Nothing helped. I stopped going to work and stayed in bed most of the year and a year later stopped taking all of the prescription meds because of the serious side effects etc. I continued the Zoloft though. Zoloft helped with my panic attacks but all other symptoms are intact and some new symptoms have joined the list.
New development is that about 6 months ago I started feeling very tired, drained, exhausted, thinking became slow; weight won’t come off (put on 40 lbs last couple of years). My depression and other symptoms listed above worsened.
Now in Dec. of 2008 I got my annual physical done and the blood test showed that my thyroid hormone was low (hypothyroidism) so my doctor put me on Levoxyl which drove me even more crazy (manic depressive type symptom, restlessness, blurry vision, and vomiting. Ear infections, sore throat, cough that won’t go away for weeks. But there were moments here and there when I found myself feeling good and happy but the moments didn't last longer than half hour. There was one week when I didn't get any migraines and my appetite reduced but then there were times when I felt very very hungry and ended up eating a lot.
Fed up with my indescribable hell and the doctors I decided to check into some alternative medicines, home remedies, and herbs. A friend who is a nurse and has been going through worse hell recommended that I start taking Thyroidinum 30cc, a homeopathic tincture, and slowly stop the Levoxyl. So I ordered it online. Then I researched on Black kohosh and bought it in liquid form from whole foods. I also bought chamomile liquid form and progesterone cream. I looked for bioidentical hormonal creams but didn't find any so decided that I will try progesterone cream.
OnDec. 26, 2009 I started taking Thyroidinum 30cc 10 drops in 1 ounce of water three times a day and at night before going to bed I started taking black kohosh only 10 drops in water. Recommended dose of black kohosh is 30 drops in water three times a day (total 90 drops a day). I was little afraid to take that much because I read some reports which said that it can cause liver damage. I tried it couple of times during the day but it made me feel funny so I stopped taking it during the day time.
Now I don’t know what’s making me feel good whether it’s Levoxyl adjusting to my body or Thyroidinum 30cc or black kohosh. Believe it or not I have never slept like this in my whole life before as I have in the past one week. I go to bed at 10 PM and wake up at 9 AM. I have no idea what happens in between. I am happy. Energy is great. I go out to do things I had lost interest in in the past 6 years. No migraines. No joint pains. No body pains. It almost feels like I am woken up from a very long sleep. I don't know what’s making me feel good. It’s too early to tell but I will keep you all posted if anything changes. Please give me feedback regarding my condition and the meds I am on. I will also be posting this message for the greatest and the best homeopathic doctor Pankaj Varma /Max Varma and see if I can get some help in that forum. I started Thyroidinum without consulting a homeopathic doctor and I want to quit Levoxyl and Zoloft in the next week or two. I am afraid to do so but I am really fed up with the doctors heavily medicating me for the past 6 years and all I have felt is minute help in couple of symptoms and gotten twenty additional side effects from the prescriptions. I have not had a normal life since I turned 43 and I will be turning 49 in Feb this year.

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis (hypothyroidism) about 9 years ago. My teenager was diagnosed 2 years ago. I have done a good amount of research and have also learned a lot through experience.
*The most critical thing is to NOT accept a generic brand of thyroid replacement. My GYN, family doctor, and my endo (who specializes in thyroid) have told me that generic pharms are only required to match the original drug's ingredients/strength by 75%. As my GYN said, if you're in the business of making a profit, and you can get away with putting in 25% less of the expensive (and unfortunately, the essential) ingredient, that's what you're going to do!
*Measuring T4 alone may not reveal hypothyroidism in the early stages, and it will probably not show everything that is going with your thyroid. I knew something was not right, but my old GYN (got rid of her) tested T4 only and said I was fine. I went to an endo who measures 1/2 dozen indicators, including antibodies and thyroid uptake, and I was correctly diagnosed. He also diagnosed my son early on, albeit, my son was exhibiting numerous symptoms. Which brings up another point -
*Everyone exhibits a different degree of different symptoms. So don't be surprised if your thyroid levels are higher or lower than you thought they would be based on your symptoms.
*Find a doctor that will work with you. I had a doctor that insisted my dosage was correct, even though I was still feeling very tired, had dry skin, etc. I finally found a doctor that acknowledged that there is a range of "normal" thyroid function. He upped my med a little, and I've felt much better.
*Know the signs of too high of a dosage - restlessness, eye and muscle twitches, trouble sleeping, etc. Our endo has us come in 1 month after prescribing a new dosage to make sure it is enough or not too much. If I was exhibiting hyper symptoms, I would not wait 1 month to be rechecked.
*Hormonal changes of any kind can wreck havoc on your thyroid - whether you're a male teenager or a peri-menopausal woman. Your thyroid levels can change quickly. If my son or I experience any new symptoms - fatigue, rapid weight gain, unusually dry skin, muscle aches/pains, etc. - I make an appointment w/ the endo. My son's thyroid had plummeted the last time I took him in, and the endo adjusted his med. Illnesses (flu, pneumonia, etc.) can effect your thyroid levels, as well as stress, so have your levels checked after going through a serious bout.
*Once you have your dosage correctly set - watch your appetite! Hypothyroidism can reduce your appetite, and once you've got that corrected, your appetite comes back. Keep a food journal to track your calorie intake.
*Have an annual thyroid ultrasound to make sure your thyroid is not enlarged and to look for nodules (very common w/ hypothyroidism.)
*TAKE YOUR THYROID 1ST THING IN THE MORNING BY ITSELF 1 hour before you eat. I had a friend who was taking her calcium supplement along with her thyroid every day and later found out the calcium was basically canceling the thyroid. Her doctor should have warned her about this, but I think they assume we know these things. Vitamins, herbs, cold medicines, certain foods, and other medicines/supplements can greatly interfere with your thyroid replacement.
*Women with hypothyroidism should take a calcium supplement (take one with magnesium for better absorption) because we are at greater risk for osteoporosis. I take mine at night, so it does not interfere w/ my thyroid replacement.

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.

I have been on Levoxyl for years. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's when I was 13 years old. I'm 35 now. I have been on every medication made and this is the only one that didn't make me want to sleep all the time. I have suffered from Depression my whole life, but that started before the thyroid too. My mom was one of the first people to be treated with Iodine when she was a kid and it worked for years then her thyroid acted up again in her 50's. When she was younger it was Hyper and now it went Hypo. She takes Levoxyl now too and it's been great. I think part of my problem has always been a lack of exercise. A lot of the symptoms everyone has mentioned went away for me when I started hiking and walking regularly. After being inactive for so long due to the depression and exhaustion because of the poor diagnosis of my thyroid medications for so long, my blood pressure was too low, my circulation was poor and my depression got worse . Now with a combination of meds for my depression and my Levoxyl, I don't feel like there is a giant weight on me when I wake up in the morning. So many of the meds described have similar side affects I've stopped judging by side affects and rather my energy level, my weight, goiter size and sleep pattern.
Just my experience. Good luck to everyone

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

How do you tell what is a side effect and what is normal aging and what is the result of lifestyle? I know without levoxyl I would have nothing because I have no thyroid at all.
Lately I have felt great. My weight is normal and I have enough energy. This didn't happen overnight. I was overweight for quite awhile. At 59 years old I do expect some achey joints and so forth.
But I am totally dependent on levoxyl. I worry if I couldn't get it for some reason I would die.

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.

ive been on levothyroxine for about 6 years...... for an underactive thyroid gland and i am stunned reading all these side effects as for about 4 years ive suffered from severe joint paint, fatigue ,very low moods , foggy brain, mood swings hair loss, all i want to do is sleep and even then im still tired.
I am 35 and feel about 80 as my back hips legs calfs and feet all hurt so bad.
I have been to the doctors so many times and got no where.
ive been told your in pain because your depressed( who would not be depressed ) but i said i am depressed cause im in such pain.
i remember asking once if it was due to the thyroid or the drug and the doctor said your levels are fine and the drug gives no side effects.
I feel like stopping it right now to be honest.
I only got it after my third pregnancy and i remember reading once it can correct itself as it could be caused by pregnancy ????? any ideas.
ive copied and pasted a lot of these comments and i will be making a trip to doctors to be fobbed off again im sure ....but its worth a try

This is my 4 week of taking 125mg and I have noticed headaches but not sure if this is a side effect. I have headaches all the time the only thing is sometimes it seems like they come on when I first take my dose. But later in the day everything seems fine. Started having knee pain in one of my knees that I injured about 8 years ago not sure if this is a side effect as well, but I will be tracking it and I will be calling my doctor first thing on Monday. I have alot of allergies to medications so hopefully if this is all do to the medication, I can take one of the other that has been mentioned.

I started taking Levoxyl about two months ago and since that time I have suffered from an internal shakiness that won't stop. I was told that Levoxyl has no ill effects, but the handout from the pharmacist shows that nervousness and trembling can be one of the side effects. My blood pressure has also been all over the charts since I started the medication and I feel chest pressure every once in a while.

Hello, told my doctor today of leg cramps, facial rashes and numbness in feet....and specifically asked if they were related to Synthroid? He said no, I have been on it for 2months...and just upped script to .50mcg....and cramps are worse....I am going off the meds. I am in excellent health @ 64 and only went to this Doctor because of back pain.....was tested for a myriad of things...I had none of the symptoms for hypothyroidism.....what natural remedies are there for this . E.

Been taking this for 18 years. No Doc could figure out what was wrong. I have too many allergies. Knee's ache, retain water, moods are way off, dry skin, hair loss, I am now taking armour. I feel fantastic and am losing weight. My skin is oily. TYG

I am having a bloated tummy with plenty of gas, though I rarely consume heavy and oily food. I don't touch potatoes. As a result I am having chest pain and pain radiating down my shoulders and elbows. To top it all I am just 19

I have been on levothroid 25mg for a year but went to see an endocrinologist who switched me to Levoxyl 75mg which I have taken for a week. I have developed tiny bruises on my body. I am waiting for my doctors office to call back to see what they say. I don't think I want to take it anymore. I am glad i found this website. Thanks to everyone for all the information.

I'm on 50mg of Levoxyl I'm 42. I have experienced major gas and heartburn. I have no sex drive anymore and just feel like I'm in a box and can't get out. I thought by seeing a specialist it would help. I just don't know anymore. I told my doctor about my side effects and he said this medication has no side effects. Hmmm after reading all this I am printing and giving it to him. Anyone feel the same. Especially the gas and heartburn?

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?

Thank you all for posting your experience with Levoxyl. My mother started to take this med about a year ago or so. She has experienced all of the side effects listed in postings. I thought she was going crazy. She actually found this site and e-mailed it to me. WOW!!!!!! We have been in and out of doctors (numerous) and hospitals for testing. All test results came back with nothing being wrong with her. She actually just went to Catholic Medical Center in NH (this hospital specializes with heart problems) last week because she too thought she was having problems with her heart. Thankfully all is o.k. She has now taken herself off the Levoxyl. It is amazing what we think will help us can do so much harm to a person. Good Luck to anyone who prescribed this medication. DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!

D.NH

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's Disease 12 yrs ago after my daughter was born. I've been taking Levoxyl 100mcg all these years. Recently I switched to Targets pharmacy & I let them talk me into buying the generic. What a mistake. I've been on the generic for 3 1/2 months & I feel like I have been hit by a truck! I thought I was coming down with the flu. I don't get out of bed, I shuffle out of bed. It's like I have the body of an 80 year old. I also noticed I was hungry all the time. I've been having dizzy spells and my dry skin came back. I have been very tired. I've been taking a nap everyday. The only good thing that came out of it was I started sleeping better, but it's not worth going through all of this. I switched back to the name brand today. I've read where some of your doctors prescribed antidepressants. I started getting very irritable & anxious after my daughter was born, but I thought it was because I was a first time parent. Now, I'm thinking it was the levoxyl. I am slowly weaning myself off of the Wellbutrin. The less medication I take the better. One thing I did was start a personal program with Women to Women a few years back. Once I did, I noticed my fatigue went away. Before I was having to take a nap everyday & didn't want to get back up. I also noticed my memory got better. It's a very interesting website.

Been on Levoxyl dose of 88mcg, for about 9 months. No problem at first. got rid of my symptoms of being extremely tired(all of a sudden, usually high energy person) and cranky. Now though, I have had a weight gain of almost 8 pounds (a lot for me). My hair has fallen out, and irritable. Going to call my doctor and get my levels checked. Something has changed. Get back to you.

too all, i have a slow thyroid, my doctor today put me on levoxyl tabs. 75mcg, gave me samples take one a day in the morn. got my blood work back and thats why the doctor is putting me on this med. cause my thyroid is not working like it should. i weighed out at 282 when i went in this morning for my appt. with him. so i will start tomorrow morn when i wake up. i will let you know what happens in a few days. today is 10-23-08 Thursday. i'm to go back for a blood test next and then to see him the following week to the doctor again. i read all of your comments on this medication sure didn't sound to exciting. till next time. B.

WOW ok this freaked me out. I was just prescribed 50mcg of Levoxyl after reading this I am going to call my doctor back and ask more questions.I haven't started taking it yet. Like what my numbers are and do I really need this. I feel fine, I have energy and think clearly, as well as am active. Just had my 44th birthday. I had a physical and then the next thing I know they are calling me saying take this and see us again in 4 to 6 weeks. Thanks for all the information.
JT California

Sitting here with heat on thigh fm severe muscle cramp. Had one earlier in hand. Have had many probs with hands lately; thought it was carpel tunnel but pain seems to be randon in hand and fingers. The muscle cramps are unbelievably severe; didn't know about the loss of Calcium and B - good to know. Was taking Levothyroxine .25 with seemingly no effects but when TSH was still over 4.0, MD changed to .50 Levoxyl. Have been on it a month and have had nausea, bowel disturbances; irritable eyes; bloating, depression (which MD is offsetting with antidepressant), and SEVERE muscle cramps in places you wouldn't expect... hands, neck when I yawn, things, stomach, waist... it's awful. After hearing everyone else, I'm weaning off and doing more research. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

I was on Levoxyl .175 for 6 years and found it was the only one that worked for me. I do have pain in my joints ,but defiantly have arthritis, I have anxiety and panic but have had this stuff my entire life. About 4 months ago my doctor had me cut my .175 in half despite my level was in the normal range,all it did was wack my thyroid out and now my TSH is 18.4 .Instead of giving me my .175 back he felt I may be getting to much with it (though my levels were always normal on it) and put me on .100.
I did notice when he changed it,I felt nervous and bad for a week now its been 2 weeks and I feel like I always did so far the only difference is im having trouble with constipation and stomach pain and I have nausea ..Not sure though if its the Levoxyl or something else going on.

I'm on my sixth week of Levoxyl 50 mcg. I've been feeling great, and even losing some fat. I've been able to work my 14-hour Mondays without any caffeine at all as well. My pancreas must have been stimulated to work more efficiently, because I don't wake up hungry, I don't get the sugar crash and shakiness before meals, and I can go longer between eating without feeling homicidal.

The only weird thing: my lips are extremely dry. They're cracked, chapped and swollen so much it looks like I had a lip job. Even a tiny bit of salt hurts to eat it, as well as wine and spicy food. IDGI.

I have been on levothyroxine 75 for two months so far. I started off at 25 then up to 50 and now currently on 75. I have horrible lower back pain along with my knees aching too. It's all the time and Advil or aleve do nothing to relieve the pain. I am miserable and hate living like this. Doing some reading here and other sites I've read that this can be due to the med and some thing about the fillers in it. When I first started the the 75 that my doctor game me from samples at his office that were the name brand all was good. Now that I have been on the generic from my pharmacy I'm in pain. Am I off base here and does any one have similar issue's? I'm calling my endo when the office opens today to see him. Thanks for any info.

Boy, this could take a while. Have been on generic Levoxyl for more than 7 yrs(can't say exactly how long since I stay "fuzzy headed" all the time). Anyway, about a yr ago I became so depressed I went off all my meds -- I'm a diabetic on insulin and also have high blood pressure. I felt good!To try and make this story a little shorter, I went on a diet and lost 70 lbs -- went from 310 down to 240. Then I went back on meds. In less than a yr, have regained all the weight I lost. Also, my legs swell and ache so badly it makes walking painful. Hands, wrists and knees throb constantly. Intermittent headaches so bad I have to wear sunglasses just to tolerate indoor lighting. Hair loss is so severe I'm considering a wig. Skin is dry and itchy and lotions help not at all. Any work I have to do I must accomplish before noon because by early afternoon the fatigue is debilitating. I'm currently on 300mcg of Levothyroxine (up from 250mcg 2 months ago) and doctor wants to increase dosage even more. Had no idea there were other people suffering the same problems until I stumbled upon this site. I take the medication as prescribed (with perhaps less than the recommended full glass of water) but plenty of coffee. Discovered on another site that the coffee may be inhibiting the drug's absorption. I feel so helpless/hopeless. Am considering going back off the Levothyroxine but am seriously worried about high T3/T4 levels. Thanks for listening; guess I just needed to vent.

I was put on Levoxyl for 20 years. Hair kept falling out, muscles aches, acid reflux, plantar fasciitis, carpel tunel, tired, cranky, brain fog. I could barely walk and had developed a stutter. I was to be tested for Alzheimers at 45. I was told there was no other drug for hypothyroidism and it wasn't the Levoxyl doing these things to me.

Well I found another drug thanks to the internet and Yahoo Natural Thyroid Group. It was Armour. I have been on Armour for about 2 years now. All those problems I had on Levoxyl are gone. Completely GONE! Wasn't the Levoxyl huh?

extremely depressed after a week of taking levoxyl. Also face is swollen, eye swollen and red and face and eyes burn. These were the same symptoms after taking synthroid after a week. What's next? I am close to being suicidal after having survived lung cancer, surgery, chemo and radiation. To get another primary cancer and have things slide downhill after such a remarkable recovery, I can do nothing but cry after making the decision to have a cancerous thyroid removed that could have served me for years and years since it was such a slow growing cancer. I should have followed my instincts and just left it alone. Now all I want to do is lie on the couch and cry.

I started taking thyroxine about 6 weeks ago - i went to the doc with tingling fingers, bloods showed tsh 34 so doc gave me 50mg thyroxine. Felt awful within a few days i was getting palpitations and felt like my skin was crawling. I couldn't bear even the slightest noise. I had diarrhea (cant spell) fast heart rate, the shakes and couldn't handle lots of people in a room. I am a teacher so it became difficult for me to work. I went up to 100 it got worse, until in the end I decided to stop them.
I am going to wait and see but I would rather be hypo than have these symptoms, my doc said you will feel great soon, pah what a load of c%%%

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!

I too was a picture of health even with my TSH being off. My old doctor retired and a new one prescribed the levothyroxine.
I never have felt so rotten in my life. Extreme fatigue to the point I am given up many activities I've been involved in for years. Headaches and joint and body pain. I feel like I was hit by a truck!
I stopped the meds and felt fine..cept my cholesterol went up to 262 and my tsh 7 something.
The doctor scared me back on to the levothyroxine.
I am desperate. I wish I knew what to do.

I have been on Levoxyl for years. Have experienced all the side affects this medication has and then some more! My hair loss and thinning, depression, bone aches, headaches, fatigue, and much more...finally I asked the doctor is there was anything else out there in the market which had less side effects....there is a natural product which has been in the market for many years called Armour Thyroid (*******). All I know is that if I continued to take Levoxyl, I will most likely end up in bed for life...I am only 43 yrs old and would like to have at least "normal" energy for my age. There is NO reason I should feel a lot older and I know for a fact it is the medication. I have only been taking Armour Thyroid for just a few days but will report my well being in about the next 30 days. Since I was on 100mg of Levoxyl a day, am taking two grains of 30 mg a day for a total of 60 mg of Armour a day. In about 25 days I go for blood work to check levels, so far I experience a bit of nausea right after I take the "new" medication but it does not last all day. Hopefully, this new med will give me my LIFE back! Thanks for reading.

Hi l have it all too and more!! I am so fed up :( lm cracking up! Does any one get sternum area pain cramps? They scare me the most l cant move :( Sick of docs passing me off grrrrrr

Everyone here PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! Dr. Holtorf in Torrence, California is the only one who tests for REVERSE T-3 and 80% of people are not being treated properly for thyroid function. The Holtorf Medical Clinic is the ONLY way you will find the answers and people are experiencing miracles.

i have been on the same med and am getting off made me feel nuts crying all the time, hot flashes, my body feels like its on fire very depressed tired panic and anxiety attacks never was like this before being weaned off and going the natural way going to take thyroid essentials and macafem i can't wait to get off this dam pill

I've been taking levoxyl for 8 years now with mostly good success. My endo doctor recently upped my dose due to lab results (I think the test results were bad). Now I feel horrible. Headache, dizzy/lightheaded, blood pressure increased, tightness in throat, and muscle cramping. I've been to many specialists concerning the dizziness - everyone says I'm OK; cardiologist, ENT, and neurologist. The symptoms started a few weeks after the dose increase, and have worsened in the last week or two (about 2.5 months out).

I have hashimotos thyroid syndrome andi have been on Levoxyl for about 5 years, now the medication is .088 mg's. I do not get anxiety depression. i really wouldn't know what normal is because im only 19 and iv been diagnosed for so long. My sex drive is completely there, the only thing that is wrong is that i CAN NOT wake up in the morning. i must find out what will happen if i get off levoxyl to go to the coast guard. please let me know.