Levoxyl and ankles

I love this page! I have been taking Levoxyl for about 6 months now and my joints are killing me. Especially my wrists and ankles. It hurts to even pick up a half gallon of milk or hold my kids. I am also so exhausted all the time. I was put on 50mcg when I started the medicine but I was not having any symptoms before I started taking the medicine. I am trying to wean myself off of the pills and am down to 25mcg. I am taking b12 and b6 to help fight the fatigue. I also am having a huge problem with my periods, I get them every 2 weeks, and they last a week. This is not fun at all. I am also getting cold sores like crazy. Before I started taking this medicine I would maybe get 1 a year, if that. Now I get at least 1 a month, sometimes 2. It is really frustrating. My skin has changed, so dry and I look like I have aged 10 years. My hair is brittle. I am looking into a more natural route to take, maybe the Armour thyroid would work.I have been to the Doctor who just tells me that it is not my medicine and could be something else. I know it is not something else. All of these symptoms started right after I started to take the medicine. I am going off of it to hopefully feel better. Thanks so much for all your posts out there!!!

I've been taking medication for hypothyroid since 1987 with some changes of dosages and brands based on lab tests and, I suppose, doctor preferences. Until 2 days ago I was taking 112mcg Levoxyl, with no side effects, I thought. Recently, my pharmacy ran out of the usual brand and substituted another brand with 7 pills until their shipment came in. No problem. Without medication my throat and tongue starts to swell within 3 days and in 10 days I'm sitting around trying to see how little I can breath. Even that wasn't so bad but the heart beat slowing and then quickening gives an unsettling adrenaline type feeling. OK back to the switch. I retrieve my usual brand when it came in and was 5 days into that when BAM!. intense chest pain woke me up 2:30 in the morning. I took aspirin and TUMS, thinking I covered everything. The pain radiated from the center of my chest to my back, continued tingle sensation down the undersides of my arms, and achy ears. It even hurt to breathe. 30 Minutes later, and after unsuccessfully trying to minimize symptoms using WebMD, I decided to go to the ER. Lots of test later that rule out heart they said I was taking way too much Levoxyl and wrote a prescript for .75mcg. Since researching I've notice other symptoms I attributed to age (am 52) painful joints especially hands, wrist, feet, ankles, and knees that I've been popping Tylenol for 2 years. Stiffness. I'd like to blame the 20 pound weight gain in 8 months on it too but seems like I should have lost weight.
Since I can't go without medication it seems like I'm but to the hunt and peck method of finding the right dosage and brand. Any recommendations on which direction to take?

I have been on Levothyroxine 50 mcg
for six months I have really bad leg cramps
and in the morning when I wake up I can
barely bend my ankles to walk I am 45 years old I have also gained 10 pounds since
I have been on this medicine. My Doctor is sending me for more blood test, she says
it may be hormonal.
A.R Chicago

I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Since I started taking Levoxyl I am no longer fatigued or cold. My TSH levels stay between 2 and 3. However, I seem to be having memory problems that are getting worse. Also I have pain in my hands and feet and sometimes wrists and ankles. I have been tested for everything in the world and they have found nothing. I did not have this pain before the levoxyl, so I assume it is a side effect.

I forgot to mention that I also have suddenly had a feeling of very cold hands and a feeling like cold water running through my arms since I started taking levothyroxine Oct 01 /04. This is in addition to the muscle aches/burning feeling in the legs, arms, feet, hands, ankles, and elbows, plus insomnia.

I was required to switch to Levothyroxine, after 15 years on synthroid,because my insurance co. would no longer cover synthroid. I started Levothyroxine Oct 1/04 and within about 2 weeks my knee, elbows, arms, hands, legs, ankles and feet started to ache constantly. The knee was so bad for 6 weeks, that I couldn't walk - it felt like a broken, achy bone. Sometimes the pain feels like a burn. The muscles feel weak too. The pain moves around. This all seemed to happen suddenly. I also can't sleep well and feel very tired through the day. I had blood tests, MRI, xrays, etc which showed no rheumatoid arthritis, only very mild cartilage wear in the sore knee. Nothing so far has explained the pain in the muscles. I have very good health in every area, low sugar, low cholesterol, good weight, take lots of vitamins, etc. I don't drink, and I avoid any drugs, even pain killers. I eat a healthy diet, mostly organic and no artificial sweeteners, lots of fresh and raw veggies, no fatty meat, etc. Levothyroxine is the only change in my lifestyle recenly that I can think of. I think I should ask my doctor to switch me back to synthroid. Has anyone tried Armour thyroid and do you like it and why?

I only took Levoxyl for 2 1/2 months recently. I had strange sensations in my ankles, feet and hands plus a frequent pounding, rapid pulse. My hair fell out and is quite thin. My doctor insisted I remain on it. I logged on to www.safetyalerts.com today and was shocked to find that for many of the past few months, various dosages of Levoxyl has been recalled for contamination with an animal drug plus some other chemical. I refused to continue with the Levoxyl a month ago and sucessfully prevailed upon a new doctor to prescribe Armour Thyroid. I have been entirely side effct free and do feel so much better! It's too bad that patients have to be their own protectors of their health when doctors should be better informed!

I suddenly have arthritic symptoms, that I never had before when I wake up in the morning as after I sit for any length of time. My ankles, leg and now my back are stiff. When I start to walk, I have to slowly straighten myself before I can take the first step. What do you think? Any relationship to Levoxyl.