Levoxyl and natural thyroid

I have been on Levoxyl 0.112MG for about 18 years. I do have some of the symptoms described by others, hair loss, hot flashes, etc. , but I think the alternative to this is a lot worse. If I do not take it for long periods of time, it gets to the point where I am freezing cold and the bags that develop under my eyes are embarrassing. I think the problem with most of you that are having very bad side effects is the dosage. If the amount is off just a little bit you can feel like you were just run over by a truck. I went through this many years ago. I would suggest continuing to change the dosage until you get it right. I wish I did not have to take it but it is absolutely necessary in my case.

EFFFF Levoxyl!!! My life has been really, really difficult since being on this medication. Reading all of your posts truly makes me feel like I am not alone in my struggle, anger, and frustration! If we could only sit in a room and talk about this face to face, how much better we might all feel. I think there needs to be thyroid support groups. Does anyone know of any?

I went back on Levoxyl about 2 months ago, because I was feeling tired again. I took myself off of it a year ago because I felt like I didn't need it anymore. I wasn't feeling great being on it and I had given myself a year on it already. Which by the way was a year from hell. I experienced depression for the first time in my life, gained about 20 lbs. from binge eating (never had an eating disorder or weight problem in my life), was fatigued constantly, then blamed myself for being so lazy all the time, lost friends because I canceled soooo much on hanging out, "I'm really sorry but I'm just not feeling good." Yeah that excuse gets really old to people with a normal functioning endocrine gland. Mind you I was diagnosed with this at 23. Sure I am mad that I have this problem, but when I am trying to get myself well and take the steps necessary per my doctor, it's really frustrating to just not feel like yourself. During the year off of it I took a natural thyroid support. Feeling fine, I slacked on taking the support thinking I had kick started my thyroid.
Two months of being back on it and I'm done! In a moment of emotional anger I threw my Levoxyl pills in the toilet. You know what they did...expanded to the size of a bazooka joe bubble gum piece. Uh that's big considering it's such a small pill.
I went to my doctor today because I've been experiencing bloating, pain and constipation for 3 weeks now. He told me to drink coffee and take benefiber, because perhaps I'm not getting enough ruffage in my diet. Just to see if I'm crazy about the expanding pill, I dropped an advil and tylenol in there. They simply fizzled down. I think these meds are making me bloated etc. and it's not worth it to me to feel this way. My body is telling me something is wrong and I need to listen!!
I eat right, take vitamins, drink PLENTY of water etc. and I still feel crummy.
I have been doing research online and have found a product called IODORAL. It is Iodine and Potassium Iodide. I have read many posts from people stating that this product has given them energy, helped with fatigue, their memory, overall well being. What was shocking for me learn is that Iodine helps fibristic breast tissue along with other parts of the body. Did you all know that 30 years ago breast cancer affected 1 in 20 women, and now it's 1 in 8 ???! Iodine used to be part of our diets. It has since been depleted from our soils and other foods. Bread used to be made with Iodine. Now Bromine is used in the baking process. Did you know that Bromine blocks the thyroid from producing necessary hormones for function. I bought myself some IODORAL and I'm going to see if it works. I am not a doctor but I am a person who is very in tune with their body. The bible says that there IS A CURE for everything on earth. I pray that all of you who have posted on here and are in discomfort do not give up your hope and find a different doctor or start doing your own research and be your own advocate for your health. There has to be something better out there! Something that isn't hurting our bodies! I am not giving up hope yet and neither should you!

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 am just slightly hypothyroid and could go without meds, but decided to try meds, and endocrinologist suggested Levoxyl 50 mcg per day. First day on the drug, felt exhausted by night time, next morning, usually jump out of bed for workout and was extremely tired at the gym, no energy, was starving during the day even after breakfast which is unusual for me, and exhausted by evening, and third day woke up with swollen glands and exhaustion, knew something was up. Decided to research the side effects and found others with similar symptoms and didn't like long term effects so I am going off the drug and hoping I caused no damage to my system. My doctor's reaction was "impossible" that the drug could cause this. My reaction was, "no thank you, I think for myself, know my body, and know this drug caused this reaction." I was feeling fine before 3 days ago, and how could so many have similar symptoms if it isn't the drug.

I HAVE BEEN TAKING LEVOXYL FOR 22YRS AND I FEEL LIKE I CAN NEVER GET SLEEP,I TAKE MY PILL IN THE MORNING AND CAN'T SLEEP ALL NITE AND AM TIRED OF IT,I WISH THEY HAD AN ALTERNATIVE.THAT WAY I CAN SLEEP AND NOT BE DEPRESSED ALL THE TIME

I was prescribed 25 MCG tabs of levothyroxine (generic for Levoxyl) by my MD for my hypothyroid. (I was tested at a 4.5 reading -- just below a normal 5 reading). After 60 days of taking levothyroxine EXACTLY as prescribed (i.e.; on an empty stomach, 1st thing in the morning with a glass of water; no vitamins for at least 4 hrs afterward), I started to have symptoms that I've never experienced before: my hands began hurting so bad with joint pain; my lips felt numb; and I was sweating more than I ever had in my life. I decided to stop taking the medication due to these symptoms, and in about 7-10 days from stopping, ALL these symptoms had disappeared and have not returned to date. I relayed this information to my MD who told me that my symptoms had nothing to do with Levothyroxine and that I needed to continue taking the drug. It's more than strange to me how some MDs will not listen to his/her patient -- even more so now that I've read other info on the internet where many other people have had these same side effects taking levothyroxine!! On my own, I am now looking into taking an all natural alternative that I found on wellness resources called "Thyroid helper". I will not take Levothyroxine again if I can avoid it by taking an alternative. Has anyone else out there had success taking "Thyroid Helper"?

I have been on Levoxyl for 10 years and have never felt "good" yet. My dtr thought maybe I needed an increase, so I am on 125mcg three days a week, 112mcg the other four days. Upon taking the increased meds, I was experiencing headaches every morning, and also severe exhaustion every afternoon. I also have muscle pain and cramps, and memory loss, thinning hair. I also have developed a stomach issue- maybe acid reflux, probably because I feel hungry all the time. I would really like to explore the natural thyroid but my dtr is not familiar with it but I think would be willing to try it. Can anyone advise me on the process of switching over? Has anyone weaned themselves off the levoxyl alltogether? I have a friend who was on it for 10 years and her tyroid no longer has a problem. She is totally off all meds.

AFter taking Levoxyl for almost 6 months, I suffered severe anxiety--couldn't sleep, cried all the time, at times couldn't leave the house and other times couldn't stand to be at home. I suggested to my dr. it was the Levoxyl, but he didn't agree. So I took myself off and finaly felt like my old self. Now my thyroid is low and they are wanting to put me on synthoid. Is it any better? I can't go through that again and Is there any natural thyroid medication I could try?

I have been on Levoxyl for 14 years, over time I have had increasing problems with leg pain, joint pain, memory loss, cold hands and feet, bouts of being very tired. Until I discovered Armour Thyroid, I feel so much better since going on the natural thyroid instead of the synthetics.