Synthroid and cancer

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.

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.

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'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.

Had total thyroidectomy 9 months ago and started taking Synthroid immediately thereafter. For the last 4 months I have noticed significant hair thinning. I have always had very thick, healthly looking hair but now it's just dry and brittle all of the time. I always feel tired and bloated around my stomach area in particular. I have always been a size 4-6 but have inexplicably gained 6 pounds in the last month. Is there an alternative to snythroid without these side effects?

I had 2/3 of my thyroid removed in the 90s' because of a nodule, non cancer, wish I wouldn't have. After being on 125 for years now in Oct I started having palpations and numbness, went to my family dr, my endrocronoligist disapeared, anyway, he cut me in 1/2, I went from .2 to 20 on my levels, he raised me to .88, I was at 8 when my gyn raised me to 100 and then to 125 fast, I went to the ER last Sunday, and still having flushes and my hands are going numb. Right now my family dr has me off thyroid meds til tommarrow, and then start back with the .88. I feel like I am going crazy.. nervous, and then now getting tired, still having flushes and my hands are going numb.

I have been on synthroid for about 4 months now, I am having a great deal of trouble sleeping and have pain in all my joints, so bad that I had to stop therapy, that was after back operation, I have nogules in my neck and have had them checked for cancer, because had part of thyroid removed in 1963 with cancer. Not feeling like myself since I went on these meds and wonder if it is a side affect from it.

Been on .15mg sythroid for 2 years. Had thyroid removed due to cancer nodule. Just recently started having lower back pains, neck, and leg cramps at night with anxiety, also my fingernails keep splitting.