Levoxyl and moon face

I have taken some sort of medication for hypothyroidism for many years, perhaps as many as 22 (I am 51).

Over the last few years, I feel like my health has deteriorated. Frequent, severe headaches, irritability, moodiness. My face had a sunken look.

I asked an expert in alternatives about the headaches and she immediately said that Levothyroxine has headaches as a side effect. I had not really considered the side effects of this medicine at all--I thought of it as completely safe. (The side effects didn't pertain to me--silly thinking, I know.)

Well, except for the thinning bones! Just a few months before, I read in *Strong Women Stay Young* that levothyroxine causes thinning bones. My doctor had diagnoses osteopenia, which is the beginning of osteoporosis. I don't want that, but it may be too late. (I am started a strength training program to strengthen my bones.)

I decided to stop the med. and try alternatives. The headaches lessened, but did not cease. Ran out of the alternative. Now I have what one site called "moon face." Puffy. Eyes look smaller. Very interesting -- makes me think I was taking too much before, because I looked haggard.

But even more interesting to me was the level of my general anxiety (and thus, my irritability) is down. Yes, I am tired, but I am also calmer!

Long story short (I know, too late for that!), side effects: headaches, anxiety, irritability, haggard expression, depression, thinning bones.

Here's to hoping that the alternatives work! I want to clear this med. out of my body (especially my brain) and try to feel better with healthy alternatives.