Synthroid and armour

Thank you, Jesus! I am so glad I googled this am. I have gained about 10 pounds since I started taking this -about 3 months ago. I feel anxious, sleep like crap, and I am just as lethargic as before!!!!!!- Anyhow, I want to know if most of you went off of the synthroid cold turkey or weaned off over a couple of weeks time? I am going to checkout this armour supplement. Thanks to all who shared- rn in az

After reading so much about Armour, earlier this year I decided that I would like to try it. I was actually feeling very good on Synthroid but wondered if I could feel even better. I was on Armour for a month and got very ill. Dizzy, legs swelling, hard time walking and standing. I went back to the Synthroid and it has taken me about six months to recover. I had a thyroidectomy about 3 years ago and never gained any weight until I was on the Armour, about 15lbs. My Endo says everyone is different with the meds. I really wanted the Armour to work out for me and will be hesitant to try anything else now because of my terrible experience.

Hi I have been on syn for about 5 years now and it's made my life a living hell. I had so much hair shed it was insane. I finally saw a hormone therapist and she put me on synthetic t3s it worked ok but I started breaking out and I was still very tired and hair was still shedding. So now I'm going to finally go on armour and pray this is the final and last med that will help me and my hair. Can I switch from syn straight to armour right away?? Or do I have to let the syn get out of my system. Do you know why the synthetic T3's didn't work?? Please email me at ******

Also wanted to add that those on syn have to take iodine too

I'm fed up. About 4 years ago I had a complete thyroidectomy and OMG my life has been a mess ever since, Yes, I needed the gland removed (it was a goiter pressing on my air way and esophagus), it needed to come out but OMG what a nightmare. Synthroid is a drug I can't figure out. I am convinced that this has ruined my life. I have developed chronic/non-stop head pain and pressure. My B.P. has gone up and now I'm on B.P. medicine. (still have severe head pain). It just never leaves me. E.R. visits/hospital stays and on and on. They treat me like I'm a complete lunatic because they can't seem to find anything organically wrong with me. Ummm-it hurts(my head). I am starting with a new Doctor who is a D.O. rather than an M.D. and I am praying that he finds what the **** is causing my pain. I feel like crap. The T.S.H. is in normal range but I have learned that the T.S.H. is not everything (even though my thyroid is gone). The isiots for lack od better description, are just too lazy to go the extra minute to find out what is wrong here. I just want to be able to function and this head pain will not let me do that. It is a nightmare and I have nothing but sympathy and empathy for anyone who suffers with pain on a daily basis.

The only constant is the Synthroid. Maybe I can't take this stuff. It has to be that my body just can't tolerate it and need something else or T3 added (I don't know). I just pray that this new doc can figure it out because I feel so helpless with this. My pain is always there squeezing and pressing. It is horrible. Maybe Synthroid is the culprit. Good luck to everyone.

I am 57 years old and have been on synthroid for about 3 1/2 years. I had a nodule on my right side that was removed.I felt great but was told to see the endocrinologist. I felt better for quite a while but NOW I have gained over 25 pounds, out of breathe just going up stairs and feel like I always have a lump in my throat. The weight gain has made my feet, back and knees hurt. I have been exercising and even did Jenny Craig and only lost 10 pounds just to put it back on. I retain fluid in my hands and legs. Sometimes my legs feel like they are going to burst. I am seeing many of the same complaints on this site about synthroid. What is this Armour people are talking about?

Everyone out there, try Armour Thyroid!!! I was changed to Synthroid (because my endo only believed in it) a few years ago, and put on 15 pounds and lost half of my hair. I work out at least 6 days a week, run 3-4 miles a day, and live on salad. I asked my regular MD to switch me to Armour, and in three weeks, my hair stopped falling out, and I'm losing weight. I was losing, yes, I counted, at least 45 hairs a day when I combed my hair after my shower (and I'm not counting the clumps that came out in the shower). Now, maybe when I wring my hair out in the shower, only one will come out and less than 15 in my comb. Ask you doctor to just try it, and if it doesn't work, you can always go back. I swear by it. I'm happy all the time again, where I have just been monotone for the last few years, and I'm thrilled. Good luck!!!

edrogers, sorry to hear about all your difficulties. Hair loss is a hallmark of Synthroid and any doc that tells you it isn't, is simply incompetent! I too am 110 and can't gain weight. After years of having tests, incl thyroid (I figured I had Graves), tests always came back normal. A year ago I had a large goiter that turned out to be non-cancerous but I had to have half my thyroid removed. I ended up on 50 mcg and now 75 mcg of Synthroid. Since the dosage increased 2 mos ago, I have had SEVERE leg and foot cramps that wake me up several times during the night. Plus when I wake up, I feel an aching in my legs and wonder if that is not "restless leg syndrome". I am not sure if that syndrome is related to thyroid disease or Synthroid. I have not read about that one anywhere so far. I hate the idea of being on this med from what I have read and am considering Armour.

Two things I have learned though are: 1. If you have thyroid disease, you MUST have your adrenal levels checked. Even the drug info states this must be done before any thyroid treatment and 2. if your doc doesn't listen to you, find a new one. The best article I have read for thyroid disease is Gail's Thyroid Tips. it is a real eye opener.

I was prescribed this drug in hopes of keeping thyroid nodules and goiter from growing larger. My TSH levels have always been in the normal range throughout my life, so the theory that "normal TSH' means a working, normal thyroid is absolutely untrue. I am a prime example of a person who's numbers have always remained normal and yet their thyroid does not work properly. I have decided to discontinue this drug after 3 months of use. The weight is packing on faster than I can diet and exercise it off. My face is puffy, my stomach bloated and looking pregnant, and now retaining water. Anyone who does not believe that Synthroid causes weight gain, I welcome you to try this drug. It does the exact thing it claims it is combating. I am not hypo with levels of 1.07 and yet something odd is occurring within my body with this synthroid. I'm praying that if I stop the drug I might return to some form of normalcy soon.

Hello, I have been on synthroid since 1999. I am hypothyroid with hashimotos. Endr. docs couldn't seem to get any levels right so I went to my Intergretted doctor . and he put me on 1/4 grain armour so I took anywhere from 50mcg to 100mcg of synthroid in the AM and 1 armour at night. It worked but after a short while I felt terrible. Then I had to start taking high blood pressure presc., it was about 170/116 after I had some shots in my back for pain, never had hp. before these shots. In Sept. of this year I stopped the Topralxl because I felt my heart was pounding out of my chest which I was in hospital for they said I was having a heart attack, had anigram, but I didn't have a heart attack and and angigram came out good. Then this summer they put me on 2 Topralxl. My heart was pounding with 4 extra beats so with a ultra sound{echo]of my heart and 24 hour halter it was all good, so I figured it had to be something I am taking. So that lead up to the stop of Topralxl which I researched and took a few things from Health Food store and got my pressure down to 140/80. My heart quit racing and beating so hard, but still felt depressed, puffed up, confused, teeth felt loose, urinated a lot, gained weight, rashy on my neck, tired all day, did not sleep good, eyes were always red and watery, skin and hair dry, blemishes on my face{ I am'56 yrs. old] just didn't feel good and the list goes on. Came across this site and read them all. Realized so much from you all. Sythroid only has T4 which your cells should be able to covert T3 out of that. T4 stores in your body and T3 is used up as the day goes on. But some peoples bodies don't convert the T3. Several people have talked about TSH which is your thyroid stimulating hormone which comes from your Pituitary Gland. When you thyroid or your meds. don't give you enough thyroid of what you need the Pituitary kicks in there to tell your thyroid gland to to produce more. It's not good for your TSH to be high so Docs. put you on a higher dose of Sythroid or whatever you take for the pituitary to stop producing TSH. So I want to say I am not a doc. but have felt so terrible and researching what I could I quit my Synthroid on the 29 of Dec. and started taking my armour thyroid 1 AM, 1 late afternoon and 1 PM on my own cause I figured I am still getting my T4 and T3. I went to my Endr. Doc. yesterday and told him I went off my Synthroid and just taking Armour. and told him I felt so terrible, after stopping the Topral heart felt great but the rest of me felt drugged, I just felt desperate and horrible. So again it had to be something I was taking. Well I have to say that I feel 100% better than I was. I am much more alert with my surroundings and whatever i am doing, sleep so good, teeth feel good, no rash, urinate normal, not confused, face cleared up, eyes not red or watery, pretty much I already feel normal again. Working at my job is not exhausting, my neck, which I didn't mention before quit hurting. In a whole it was the right thing for me but maybe not for everyone. I just felt that it was slowing taking me out. Blood Pressure, Thyroid issues are to be concerned about but seems like a person should feel better not worse with the meds. So this is the information I have learned and I'm sure there is much more. So good luck to you all and listen to your body and talk to your doc.about how you feel. It can be very scary when you are diagnosed with something but we are all different in what our body needs and our side effects.

Oh My Gosh....I cannot believe I just stumbled across this site. Feeling so NOT LIKE MYSELF for quite sometime now made me decide to google Snythroid side effects, wondering if this medication I am on could possibly be the reason I am feeling so badly. I am 50-years old and started taking synthroid (Levythyroxine) about a year ago for hypothyroidism. I have been struggling tremendously with anxiety, mood swings, fatigue, more hot flashes, emotional instability, and sudden weight gain (about 10 lbs) since I started taking it. I never had any weight issues. I have just assumed this was all related to being "menopausal" (and I'm sure some of it is) and stress-related.....but here's the thing....BEFORE I started taking it, I felt "normal" emotionally, I never had a problem with my weight, and never really had any major "pre-menopausal" symptoms....in fact, I think I had A LOT LESS hot flashes and emotional turmoil, BRAIN FOG, etc., BEFORE I went on this stuff. I was technically POST MENOPAUSE two months ago. Okay, so symptoms should be subsiding now. Any menopausal symptoms would/should have been worse during pre-menopause. Again, I never remember having any major symptoms going through "the change" and felt blessed in that respect......so could it be possible that this hell I have been going through COULD be related to this fricken Snythroid????!?!? I want to just stop taking it to see if I feel normal again, but don't know if it's SAFE to go off all of a sudden. What is this Armour?? I cannot believe how many others out there are feeling like me. I hope this is the reason, so I can feel some hope. But now what do I do? I'm sure I still have to get my TSH levels or whatever regulated. Any suggestions out there? I'll try and make a doctor's appt and check levels again and see what my options are...I was told I probably had to stay on this stuff for the rest of my life. Thanks, everyone.

When I was first put on this we started at the lowest level and worked up from there, after having labs every 6 weeks for the first few months. I did feel better and had a little more energy, but I had to pee all the time and it smelled god awful, went to my GYN she said it came back fine.....then a G/F who had thyroid cancer told me she takes Armour (a natural ,made from pig liver)...OMG what a difference, I can take less meds, it is cheaper and my urine no longer smells.My energy level is back too!! Armour has T3 and T4 and Synthroid does not. I suggest to those not happy with Synthroid to try Armour thyroid, again it takes about 6-8 weeks to notice but what a great change, and better for your kidneys (which is how synthroid is excreted)

I have been on Synthroid and Levothyroxine for 12 years (I am 34 years old). All of a sudden, I had very achy fingers which got much worse over the course of two weeks until I could barely move them. Then my ankles hurt. I mentioned it to a coworker who told me the same thing happened to her but when she switched to armour it went away. So I drove an hour across town to the only doctor who prescribes it, and now just a few days have passed, and my pain has nearly ceased. I thought I had rheumatoid arthritis. I'm so glad I my coworker shared her experience with me. That is why I am posting now.

After a year and a half of synthroid because of removal of my thyroid for cancer, I feel worse than I have ever felt in my life. Many tests have shown that there is no recurrence of the cancer. I would think I had fibromyalgia if it weren't that I read the blogs from other sufferers like me. I now take 150 mcg on most days. Some days I have to cut it down or skip it because I just cannot bear the body pain, weakness, brain fog, constant awakening in the night, severe cramping knee and leg pain, and muscle aches (there's no word strong enough to describe this pain -- 'aches' just doesn't do it). On the days I don't take synthroid I begin to feel like my old self. But my old self was 40 pounds thinner and losing. My old self walked three miles a day and hiked into the back country with my son. And my old self felt energetic and woke up every day with happy plans. Now I feel like an invalid. Some days I can barely walk. I cannot stand for longer than 5 minutes. I have tried cytomel, unithroid, and armour with varying problems. Synthroid is all that is left. Those of us who are dependent on this drug really need some good research on its effects. And we also need compassionate physicians who do not dismiss our pain and, it is not overdramatic to say, suffering.

I was on synthroid for 10 years after getting treated with Radio Active Iodine. As the years went by my period was all all over the place. They were heavy the first three days and lasted 9 days or more days. I spotted all the way through the month. Other times I was so late that I thought I was pregnant. I had PMS two weeks before I started and was irritable. I had low grade depression. I had anxiety and heart palpitations. My skin was dry and rough. I went to the doctor and had my blood test. He checked for TSH and T4 and T3 levels. He insisted they were normal and that something else is wrong wth me (he wanted to give me sleeping pills, anxiety pills, depression pills) and that it had nothing to do with my thyroid. He sent me to an endo to get a second opinion and he said my levels were normal too. I ended up going to a holistic doctor (paid over 1000 dollars for two visits plus meds) that checked under my feet (yellow) and my reflexes. She checked my reverse T3 and my free T3 and T4. It turns out that my body was not converting T4 to T3 the way they said synthroid (T4 only med) should. My diagnosis was hypothyroid. I was put on Armour and felt the difference in my skin. It was softer and moist! My teeth felt strong compared to before I felt like my teeth were getting loose. My stamina last longer and can run on the treadmil 45 min at six miles per hour. I am less nervous and my low grade depression seems to be lifting. My days are brighter and less anxious. My hair is falling less. I know I have a long way to recovery because my Adrenal glands need some healing and I am still being optimized. I might still need to be raised on the dose that I am in. I will never go back to synthroid! My period has improved drastically as soon as I started on Armour! I am down to 4 days of period and less heavy. I still spot on day 5 and 7 but it is nothing compared to what I went through when I was on synthroid (T4 med only). My gynecologist wanted to burn my uterus to control the menstrual flow. He said that he could also pull it out. It seems like main stream doctors are more interested in treating the symptoms than looking to see what is the problem that is causing the symptoms.

1990 - 2003 synthroid
Major bone loss
Complete hair loss

I am was diagnosed with Hyperthyroidism about 2 years ago. I took the radiation treatment and was placed on Synthroid. Every 4 weeks the dosage was adjusted until my Dr doc determined 0.125mcg worked best for me. Well, at the time I was diagnosed I weighted about 150 pounds. Two years later I am at 180. I'm 5'8 so my doctor(s) tell me my weight is in portion to my height. Well, the extra weight is centered around my stomach and hips, I am extremely fatigued and lethargic, I have brain fog and would like to exercise but I'm just too tired. I heard about Armour but from reading some of the other experiences, it doesn't appear to be the 'cure all' solution either.

Why is it OK with the DR. if synthroid makes us gain weight?!!! I've been hyperthroid before and lost weight...why does the med make us GAIN weight...I've tried EVERYTHING....We must demand they do more research..something just isn't right..but what do they care as long as our blood work LOOKS right! We should have the same rights to meds that work as the rest of the population.

I had my thyroid removed 16 months ago. I had nodules and biopsies, but the biopsies couldn't tell if the nodules were cancerous or not---so I had the whole thyroid removed at my doctor's advice. I have been taking Synthroid and increasing the dosage---now up to 200---and I have gained 37 pounds!! I can't stand myself any more, none of my clothes fit,and I am so unhappy. I had gastric bypass surgery 9 years ago and lost 123 lbs. I had gained 20 lbs, but was stable for 7 years. Then I had the tyroidectomy and -boom- I'm fat again. I am really panicked. I don't want to gain all my weight back. It seems like I get fatter every day. My endo doesn't take me seriously, he says my thryoid is at the right level. I don't know what to do!!!!

I have been on Synthroid since 1983--varying dosages. Side effects have included: weight gain, heart palpitations,adrenalin misfires, extreme reaction to heat (sun burns) and body feels hot all the time, fingers go numb in cold weather. Just recently have not been able to regulate dosage--fluctuating between hyper/hypo. I would like to try a new medication with few side effects. Anyone had any luck finding a different med that works?

I have been on synthroid since 1982 after RAI to treat Graves. I had 1 child since then and was early 20's but around 30's started having weight gain and fatigue etc. I stopped the meds in 1992 on my own for several months then dr was very scolding and said never do that again. Ever since I went back on I have been gradually worse and worse. Went from 105 in 1982 to 192lbs now. I feel so helpless and lack of care from doctors in trwating me. 1996 had hysterectomy and both ovaries removed which has caused even greater imbalance of the estrogen and thyroid. I pray that I can find a cure that does not require medication like synthroid. Tried Armour in 2005 but did not get better. Lost a little weight but now I found it again and more. The only doctors in MN that I believe can help do not take insurance and I am single parent of 2 children and cannot afford to pay out of pocket expenses. I have already spent close to $1000 to the naturopaths but they sold me way too many supplements, I cannot even take all them its too much plus they both said lose weight. I have no energy or mind skills to implement a structured diet and exercise plan. Anyone know a doctor in twin cities, MN that takes insurance Preferred one that can help me with bio-hormones? Tmaya

I am a female and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's three years ago (looking at old childhood photos I've probably had this all my life) and have taken Levoxyl and Synthroid in escalating doses over time. Initially 25mcg for about a year and that was the endo plan until bloodwork indicated a need for more. I quit taking it after a year as it seemed I was gaining weight. After a few months went to a different endo and he started the treatment again with 25 (I weighed 160 at the time) and now has worked it to 100mcg (I now weigh 178!!!). I thought that with the higher dose I would have more of a weight loss effect (definitely not weight gain) and thought I'd have more energy, better brain function and happier outlook. I am experiencing the complete opposite. The last time I visited the endo and he looked at my weight gain he just said to "stop it". I work out almost every day for 45 minutes to 2 hours, have a job that at times requires arduous work, I eat a very healthy diet full of fiber, low in fat, low in carbs. I'm always hungry and feel like eating to make up for a lack of energy. I come home from work exhausted. This isn't living. I've had it with the Synthroid and any form of T-4 alone. I'm going to see a natural healthcare professional to try Armour because none of the medical doctors I've seen will prescribe it or synthetic T-3.

Ive been on synthroid since Saturday august 23rd and I noticed Im more nervous like I want to climb the walls and im sweating profusly. I have lost over 100 lbs since February and I had blood work done on tues august 19th and the doctor put me on 25 mg. Im suppose to go back in 6 weeks and get my level checked again but Im going to call the doctors office tomorrow and tell them what is happening. If this is what is going to happen Im not staying on it. Im only 42 and I am battling deg.disc disease which hurts enough and sciatia.

Welcome to my hell!

If I could choose to have my thyroid back, I take it and take my chances with the cancer. Well lets see... I take .300mcg of Synthroid and generally feel good only when I forget to take my medication for a couple of days. After about 3 days, I start feeling tired and will eventually start crashing for 10 to 12 hours at a time. OH! Ive heard that it takes weeks to level out, but I can feel the difference in about 3 days. Of course, the doctor says that's not possible, but then - he is holding my thyroid hostage.

I have gained 30 lbs. Have headaches frequently, get moody, AND now I get bloated when I eat. Im ready to try the Armour thing that Ive read about. Cytomel makes my heart race.

Im pretty sure that smoking helps! I read that it lowers your TSH levels.

Im just tired of feeling like sh_t all the time.

Just switched to synthroid 88 mcg after 8 yrs on Armour. My doctors found an ugly mass on my right thyroid and rushed me to surgery, certain it was Cancer: it was just an ugly goiter..now I have to take thyroid meds the rest of my life. :(

It took a year to get me regulated on Armour and I gained 30 #. 20:20 hindsite. I thought it was good and natural too... for 8 years

BUT here is an FYI: NOBODY TESTS THE PIGS. THERE IS NO QUALITY CONTROL TO SEE HOW MUCH THYROID WE ARE 'REALLY' GETTING.ANIMALS CAN BE HYPO AND HYPERTHYROID TOO.

Sooo... 7 weeks into a 90 day supply of my Armour and my pharmacy recalls it. I mention it to my doc who promply makes the connection and draws my labs, VOILA I am suddenly hyperthyroid AND now I can understand some of my crappy symptoms of late..

Lesson learned. Hoping to be feeling better soon. Hope you all find what works for you but these are all drugs and be aware.

Hi,
I am 50 years old. I was diagnosed with as hypo at age 39. My doctor prescribed Synthroid at 25mcg and I have (proudly-ha!) worked my way up to 125mcg. I was always one of the "lucky ones" who could eat any and everything and my weight stayed the same. I am a busy mom of two and a first grade teacher, so the 33 lbs. I have gained since age 39 has not been due to diet changes or sitting around with a bag of chips in front of a TV all day. I also questioned my doctor about this and he just brushed it off. Well, I am tired of not feeling good about myself. My life is in good order except for my weight. I want someone to take this seriously. Should I see a specialist rather than my regular internist?
Wow! I think I just lost a little weight telling you great people about this!
jf

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 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.

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 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.

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 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'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.

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?

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 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.

Through relentless pursuits in trying to stop my hairloss, tiredness, inability to lose weight and increase metabolism, my doctor agreed to allow me for 6 months to take a natural T3 supplement from a local apothecary. I FELT GREAT. The hair loss and tiredness stopped. However my body temperature still was low. 6 months later I agreed to a blood test and the "numbers" revealed I was out balance. Mr Dr. would not OK another Rx for the T3 supplement. Now that a few months have passed, again the hair loss and tiredness is returning. I am going to transfer to a Dr. who supports the T3 supplement. Did you know that there is no T3 in synthroid. However Armour has both T3 and T4.
There is a syndrome called Wilson's Temperature Syndrome. Search it out. A small group of endocrinologists are treating the body temperature (symptoms) rather than the numbers.

I was born without a thyroid gland so I can't compare the way I feel now to the way I would've felt with a thyroid. I've been on Synthroid my entire life (22 years), and I'm up to 112 mcg now. I am very skinny (5'5", 104 lbs) and feel constantly fatigued no matter how many hours I sleep, what I eat, and how much exercise I get. I periodically get pain in my hip joints, heart palpitations, and intense mood swings. My thoughts race but I have very little physical energy. I feel restless and gloomy almost all the time for absolutely no good reason. My doctor tells me I'm depressed but I honestly have no reason to be depressed and I wish she would see it as a symptom instead of a diagnosis. I graduated from a good college, I've got a job I like, I have friends, I enjoy life and my hobbies, yet I feel overwhelmingly sad. This does not seem like depression to me.

I find that after I do aerobics I get a tightness in my chest, which makes me worry about my heart, but again my doctor doesn't seem to think this is cause for concern. I have been irritable/fatigued for YEARS and I suspect I'll feel this way for the rest of my life. The worst of it started when I hit 16 years old and started the 112 mcg. My tests are always normal and it frustrates me that my doctor disregards my symptoms. I've tried other doctors, but they always send me away with my 'normal' test results. Can anybody help?

Been taken synthroid for 2.5 years. I am 30 old male, Really athletic.
I notice that I get fatique very easly and memmory and concentration problems. But the most noticable is shortness of Breath, and I have very high anxiety. I lost wait since being on synthroid.

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in April of this year (2007) kind of by accident through a routine checkup. I had gained a bit of weight over the past two years, but that was really my only symptom. I was begun on 75 mcg of a generic brand of Synthroid, levothyroxine. Since I began this medication, I have rapidly gained another 15 pounds despite a 1,000 calorie per day diet. I retain fluid horribly. My ankles, wrists, hands and face swell daily. My muscles ache, especially my legs, upon walking across a room. I'm fatigued, short of breath. My LDL cholesterol level has skyrocketed in only three months and now I'm being told I need to be on a statin drug. I cry frequently and feel uncharacteristically anxious and irritable, but this could be due to the frustration I am experiencing with the loss of my sense of well-being. In essence, I felt much better before being placed on the medication. I may, in fact, discontinue the medication totally and see if over time I begin to feel better. Like so many other stories I'm hearing, my doctor seems totally unconcerned.

i've been on synthroid for 9 years. started at some low dose and gradually went up to112 mg. get extreme itching all day everyday if i don't take allegra for that.not a rash just itching. that doesn't bother me as much as the fatique. every joint in my body aches all the time. sure there are better days but fo rthe most part it's bad. tried physical therapy and chiripratic care but no avail. they ended my sessions. my legs get sooo weak and my feet burn lower back really aches. sometimes muscle cramps. i'm very negative towards my loving family and it hurts me to do so. can't seem to keep upbeat. soo tired all the time.
is it the syntroid? i used to be very energenic and a doer. now i have spurts of activity in the morning , but then i just can't get motivated. help me any suggestions?

I think what a lot of people are posting here are more side effects of thyroid conditions rather than side effects of thyroid medication. After my RAI treatment I started on a generic brand of levothyroxine. I even got my doctor to let me try Armour Thyroid since many people do well with it rather than Synthroid. Armour didn't work well for me, but it definitely is the only way to go for some people. After months of misery, things finally smoothed out. I was a royal pain in the butt to my doctor because I questioned everything. The biggest side effect for me going from hyper to hypo was edema. A clinical name for water retention. It wasn't so much the bloated feeling that bugged me. It was the pain in my hands and feet from the water retention. I have never, ever had a problem with carpal tunnel syptoms even though I have always used my hands a lot for work and I play the guitar. I had to add a small dose of dieuretic to control the edema and relieve the hand and feet pain. Sometimes it does flair up depending upon what I eat and how much I sweat, but that's what goes along with this type of illness. It's not just a magic pill that makes you feel "back to normal". You have to be demanding of your doctor to try other things to get you to feel right. You even have to pay attention to how you feel at different times of the year to figure out how to adjust what you take, eat, or do to feel better. I have noticed that with all things remaining constant, how I feel in terms of energy level and edema is related to the season. The body is weird that way. I still have side effects from the treatment from time to time, but I finally figured out what seems to work best for me. Maybe things could change over time, but I've learned that medicine just doesn't have a black and white treatment plan that works the same for everyone for thyroid related conditions. To sum it up, question everything your doctor tells you, demand to try things that you think would help you feel right, pay attention to what your body is telling you and adjust, and fire your doctor if they treat thyroid problems as black and white. Your doctor is not the one suffering from the condition, you are. It's your life and there's nothing wrong with being demanding about wanting to feel right.

I've been taking synthroid for several years due to radiation caused thyroid damage. I appear to be quite sensitive to Synthroid. I get a total rush from a 77 mcg, but have no such effect when taking a 50 plus a 25. I've been told it is due to the dye in the 77. If my doses are too low (50 mcg), then I feel great for a week or two, but become foggy mentally and after a few weeks have sharp pains in the joints and muscles. At higher doses, I become irritable, have shortness of breath (77 mcg) and have burning sensations in the kidney area.

I find that regular exercise (walking 1-2 miles/day) moderates these effects greatly and stabilizes the emotional swings. The amount of medication that I need to balance between these two extremes varies depending on the amount of exercise I get.