Synthroid and weight gain

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?

Sometimes the symptoms of depression, anxiety, headaches, short temper and hot flashes are due to out-of-balance TSH and your medication may need to be adjusted. That's been the case with me in the past and it has worked. Usually the doctor increases the dosage and things go back to normal. However, my last increase has produced opposite results. I am on 0.137 now and I feel very, very anxious, fearful, and get easily upset. I feel hot flashes as I get angry and generally feel quite depressed. I've also gained about 6 pounds in the last two months, which should is bizarre, as higher dosage usually means higher metabolism rate and weight loss. I am confused. Should I go back to my old dosage where I felt better, except for the onset of weight gain.

I have been on Snythroid for 20 years. I had radiation treatment. I have experienced weight gain and most recently I think my hair is thinning. I take 1 0.15mg everyday except Sunday.I was reading a book that said the medication can cause loss of bone mass. I have been taking 1000 mg of Calcium a day. If you don't get those levels checked you will feel terrible! Take it from me! Thanks for sharing snythroid family

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.

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.

burning/tingling/pain of hands/feet, weight gain, teeth hurt whenever I try to decrease dosage, painful joints, palpitations, sores in my scalp, puffy hands, irritability, fatigue, increased appetite

Hi there,

I am reading all these postings and I'm here to say, "I survived Synth". I have been off for 15 days now and went the homeopathic route. My levels were always on the higher end even with 100mcg. They never really balanced out. I was so sick of vertigo, brain fog, and the WEIGHT GAIN. I stopped September 15. I will continue to have labs run just for piece of mind, but a major upswing for me......nine pounds have come off and I know I will go back to my ORIGINAL WEIGHT. I feel for all who are dealing with these side affects, it's not right. No more. I'm done.

Hello Ladies....I am 56 and diaged Hashimotos disease 3 years ago.At the moment on 112mcg of synthroid....dosage started off low and have gradually worked up....So angry with drs...was seeing endo, but moved and using family practice...so frustrated with weight gain approx 25lbs since diag. Also does the word sweat ....mmmm perspire for all us ladies, mean anything? I can't even wash dishes without breaking out in to a sweat...mmm beads of perspiration....Dry skin, I own stock in Aveeno....Also....does anyone get "boil type" skin eruptions in the nether region...butt, inner thighs etc? Does anyone or has anyone done any serious research on Iodine? I try to eat as well as I can, was doing Weight Watchers and gained weight do ya hear me? I am questioning my idodine intake or lack of....Presently take mulit vit with 150mcg. Considering uping it and dc ing my synthroid...cuz docs have been useless....eat less, (how much more less?) exercise more...I swim so much I look like a freaking prune....Any comments?

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.

I had always been 160 lbs since 8th grade, which was a fine weight for me bacause I'm tall and muscular. When I was 25 I gained 20 lbs over 3 months with no change in diet or activity. So I went to the doctor because hypothyroidism is very prevelent in my family. The blood work showed I was borderline hypothyroid, so the dr didn't suggest starting any medication. So I started working out 4-5 times a week for at least 1-1 1/2 hours per day. I also got on phentermine to help jump start my diet. After doing this for 2 months, I had gained 5 lbs. Which is crazy because anytime I needed to lose weight, I had no problem dropping 10 lbs in 2 weeks. I was frustrated but ignored it for a while because I got pregnant shortly after that. During the pregnancy, my throid was checked again and was normal. I weighed 248 lbs the day I went in to give birth. 2 weeks later, I weighed 210lbs and a month after that I was 200lbs. Then I went back to work,(where I walk continuously all day) and I could not budge my weight below 200 lbs no matter what I did. So I went back to the dr and I was slightly hypothyroid again. I opted to go on generic Synthroid 25mcg. I then gained 37 lbs over 4-5 months. So I went to another dr. to get on phentermine. I started the phentermine and lost about 27 lbs. I have been off phentermine for a while, but have been working out vigorously working out and watching my diet and couldn't lose another pound. So, I thought the synthroid might be making it harder to lose weight. I stopped taking it and have lost about 10lbs in the last month. I think there is definitely a connection in synthroid and my inability to lose weight. But I still can't get below 200lbs and I still feel sluggish. I am only 28 and don't think I should attribute this to age. I can understand age causing weight gain of 5-10 lbs per year but not 155lbs in May '05 to 183lbs in Nov '05 then to 200lbs in Jul '07. Please give me any suggestions you might have. Diet, medication, activities???

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

Headache, confusion, swelling, sore throat, weight gain, anxiety, heavy bleeding.

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...

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.

Wow! So glad and sad to find other sufferers. I wish our doctors would listen to us and take us seriously! Why are they stuck on forcing Synthroid on us? At this point, I think I'd rather not take any Synthroid. I stumbled upon this site while looking for something I might take to counteract the effects of Synthroid. I had to halve my 112 mg pills because of the side effects: frequents headaches, bloating, weight gain, irritability and anxiety, dry mucus membranes (eyes, nose, throat, etc.), allergies, muscle fatigue, achy joints. Of course, my doctor is slowly upping the dosage again, because my TSH is chronically high, but I feel like sh*t, physically and mentally. I used to feel so much more normal and like myself before I was diagnosed and "forced" to take Synthroid.

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 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.

My thyroid troubles started in 1993. I am not sure how long before the discovery I had the problem. Mine started as a nodule on one side. I was immediately put on Synthroid and had to go see the Endo every 6 months for a biopsy. In 1995 I became pregnant. I had one more biopsy until after the birth of my daughter. The Endo told me he wanted to see me right away after she was born to do another biopsy. I had my suspisions, but didn't think anyhing until after she was born and went for my biopsy. Well, I had cancer. I went through the whole thyroidectomy, the 3 days isolation with radio-iodine, and every year to every few years after I had to go back and get the radio-iodine treatment, while not the high dose as the first time, it went with the complete body scan. In fact, I am due now, but don't have health insurance. My dose has been switched a lot, I have probably been on every dose from the lowest up to .200mcg, which has been the highest for myself.

Symptoms: pre-thyroid disease, I am 5'2. I was always 110-115 lbs, I was 22 yrs old and 120 lbs. when I married in 1993. I did notice gradual weight gain, probably because of my thyroid problems. I am sad to say that now I am around 180 lbs. I cannot seem to lose the weight unless I go on a total starvation diet. I managed to lose 10-15 lbs over the past summer, but unfortunately for me it has come back over the winter. I tried to stay as active as possible by going to stores and malls to walk around. I do for a fact notice that when my dosage for Synthroid goes higher, so does my weight gain. I was on .137mcg over the summer, and I think that was a good dose for me, that was through the regular dr. The Endo is the one who put me back up to .150mcg. My Endo told me the thyroid is a regenerative organ, so it CAN grow back. I guess they don't want that in case of cancer again, and I guess that is why he keeps me on higher doses.

I personally cannot stand it. I feel it is a horrible curse. I feel very robbed of my previous active life. I have been dealing with this now for 12 years not having a thyroid and being on this medication. I feel angry that I do not have the energy to do things with my 12 yr old and 3 yr old. I miss the way I was before having thyroid disease. I feel very sad when they come up to me asking to do certain things and they (nor anyone else I know for that fact) can understand that I just feel so whooped, and no energy. All I ever seem to want to do is take a nap. I have migraine headaches constantly, I am constantly tired. I cannot concentrate, I have some memory loss. My ex-husband, and my current husband too for that fact think I am just being lazy. Well, that is not so. There are moments when I do feel a burst of energy, but then, I have to use that burst to do the things I need to do around the house.

Pre thyroid disease I was always active, never tired, could do anything. After: TIRED, I was 24 in 1996 and felt like an old lady, dry skin, no matter how much lotion I put on. The tub is full of hair, while it doesn't come out in clumps and I still have thick hair, I have hair all over the place. Irritable, mood swings, happy to angry and the snap of a finger. I can have insomnia some nights, constipation, lots of the same stuff others have listed on this forum. Those side affects are the same no matter what dose I am on. And like I said the higher the dose for me, the more weight I pack on. It is instantanious. Over Christmas, and no, it wasn't from eating all the goodies, I gained a lot of the weight I had lost over summer back, and that was because a few weeks before, the Endo had put me on the .150 mcg.

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 30+ years. It has steadily been increased throughout the years. Last April 2007 I ran out of medication and was going through a stressful move. I hadn't been on the medication for about 6 weeks. Once I got my new doctor they checked my levels and instead of putting me on the same dosage of .175 they increased it to .2mcg. I gained 10 pounds overnight. I looked like I was pregnant, mood swings, aching joints, insomnia, etc. I went back in 2 weeks to have it rechecked. That was the second problem. It takes 6 weeks for the medicine to level out in your system. So not only did they increase my dosage after telling them I had been off of it for some time they retested my levels too soon. So it was again increased to .225...more weight gain...another test...another increase .25mcg. Now my neck is swollen and I have an enlarged gland, hard to swallow, shortness of breathe, 43 pounds of weight gain, severe anxiety, acid reflux, gerd, on top of the other symptoms mentioned above. In 8 weeks of increments I have been retested and the dosage has gone down and as of last week it was finally decreased to the original amount of .175mcg. It has only been a week but I have lost 2 pounds. Oh Lord please let it keep coming off! My neck isn't as swollen and my 5th doctor who finally could see the light explained that I was having a thyroid storm. It is very important that when your levels are checked you wait 6-8 weeks to let the medication level out in order to get a true reading. He also said that you need to take your meds on an empty stomach...which I knew...sort of. I took my synthroid on an empty stomach but I also took my other vitamins with it which can effect the absorption of the synthroid throughout your body. He also gave me a beta blocker to help with my symptoms until my levels even out. It is called metoprolol succinate (Toprol-XL) 50mg. My gut doctor put me on Paxil as well to help with the acid reflux and gerd which he felt was caused by the anxiety due from the synthroid levels being off. I hope this info helps but it makes sense to me.

I have read a lot of these blogs and I am seeing that many other people have the same side effects. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism when I was in 6th or 7th grade I think and I am now a high school senior so about 5 years taking Synthroid. the doctors said that my antibodies had completely destroyed my thyroid gland so I wasn't getting any of the hormones I needed which became very noticeable when I started gaining weight and loosing energy in 5th grade. I haven't really seen any weight gain in a while but I still look like I am overweight. I am 5'6 and 130 lbs so I am about average. Side effects that are also occurring are rapid mood changes, one minute I am happy and something sad happens or I think about something and ill be tearing up. I feel depressed a lot. I am currently on 150 mcg. also during 9th and 10th grade I was put on this drug to stop my puberty so that I could grow more while on the Synthroid I guess it helped a little with height but I still look like a freshman. I don't know if I should stop taking it or keep taking it because I stopped for about a month once and started getting really sick, I would get really bad nose bleeds at random, had constant migraines and felt sick to my stomach. I started taking the Synthroid again and felt fine. I really don't know what to do.

I must say that I HATE this medicine. I have been on it for about 30 years. Constantly like playing a game. Too much then too little. It is driving me crazy. I swear that I have tremors from it. I also have gain lots of weight and my hair falls out everyday. Surprised I am not bald yet. I use to be able to go to the gym for 5-6 days a week and now it is soooo hard to get out of bed in the morning.

I truly wish that there was something that I could do. I have had one side of my thyroid taken out and now have to go and get a ultra sound of the other side. Still cant figure out why the doctor took one side and not the other when the other side had nodules too.

I am so tired of it and just don't know what to do.

I do know that I will be definitely speaking with my endo and even if my levels are okay she has to do something to help me.

175 mcg Synthroid, post Total Thyroidectomy due to bilateral papillary thyroid cancer. Increased appetite and increased bowel activity have been noted as well as a weight gain....even though my level of medication would normally be categorized as hyperthyroid(low TSH is indicated for post cancer treatment) recent tests have indicated elevated blood sugar as well("pre diabetes") some times I wonder if I shouldn't have just risked the cancer.....

Dear all

I am taking Synthroid 200 mcg for the past 3 months and have noticed at least a 10 lb weight gain(from 210 to 220). I am not overweight since I am 6'5, but I am worried that it may be from the Synthroid. Can someone give me some advice?
Thank You, Mihai .

I have been on Synthroid for about a year. I had high blood pressure and the doctor did a number of tests and found a thyroid deficiency. I started with 75 mcg and was moved up to 100 mcg.

I have gained weight in the last year - at least 15-20 lbs. It is all in the stomach. I look like I'm pregnant. It is very hard to get rid of! I am exercising my tail off, and giving up snacks, sweets, etc, and it's not going away.

I also never had problems sleeping but I do now. I'm glad I found this discussion group, because I see many others have had weight gain problems.

My daughter (now 18) was diagnosed with Hashi's 2 1/2 years ago. She had headaches, was tired more than usual and irregular periods. Now on synthroid for 2 1/2 years, she has steadily gained over 35 lbs. She works out every day and eats ONE meal per day. Doesn't matter. Doctors all lie about this side affect. Her weight gain has made her borderline type 2 diabetes now. (she's about 170).

Is there anyone who's been through this and has a reasonable approach?

weight GAIN (25lbs in 1 year) - I am an Army Doctor - work out every day and work very hard... and healthy diet. Despite all that i GAINED weight.

abdominal distention - marked.

severe constipation - myxedematous pseudomemranous colitis is now suspected.

BUYER BEWARE!!!

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 have been taking Synthroid for at least 10 years. I am on a very high dosage now175mcg. I have been on a lower dose but my counts were still low so my doctor put my dosage higher. I have been having a tremendous amount of body aches including finger joint aches and right flank problems. I have taken x-rays and various tests to determine what the pain is but I feel that after reading much of the side effects from this web site, much of what I am experiencing is from the Synthroid or Levothyroxin. I now feel that I need to take matters into my own hands and do more natural healing. Many doctors don't connect the dots to determine the real cause of your concerns.

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.

Would weight gain be a side effect?

I have been taking Synthroid since Jan. 2006, am on 100mcg per day and all test results have been 'normal', I have been told to take this medication in the morning an hour before eating anything, if I do this...I have headache all day, I can't eat after an hour because I am so sick at my stomach there's no way. I feel hungry, but feel like if I eat it's coming right back up. Am having serious joint pain in hips, knees, elbows and wrists, my neck hurts really bad as well. I wake up to arms asleep anymore and just feel like I haven't slept in months...am very weak and very tired all of the time.

I have found that if I take my pill at night this gets a little better, but holy cow, don't tell your Dr. your taking it before bed...no, take it of a day. (don't know why this is a major thing?)

Anymore I feel like I am walking around with flu symptoms constantly, and the Synthroid hasn't done anything weight wise with me, because I was so HYPERthyroid before the RAI, I was very thin and looked like a bag of bones, have been waiting and excited about putting on weight...at one point I stopped taking the Synthroid and let myself go HYPO just so I could gain weight, it worked and I got up to about 130 pounds, was very HYPO so they told me critical that I get back on meds...I lost it again because it makes me so sick I can't eat.

NO-ONE can tell me the Synthroid is not the cause of this problem, if I stop taking it I feel WONDERFUL, but my test reults are bad. After a while of course my feet become numb and I end up having some bad hypo symptoms, have tried breaking pills in half....oh Lord no, need it all...

Have been told they are thinking about raising my dosage again anyway, I can't do this, I will break down in the office if they try to raise it. Right now my TSH is fine but my T4 is 'a tad bit' off. I am already an emotional wreck, if they raise my dosage I am going to try and go a different route with this, am on my 3rd Dr. at this point anyway...

Hi everyone
I've been on Levothyroxine since August 2006. Eversince being on them I actually feel worse. I've always weighed 7 and 1/2 stones and I've actually put on half a stone since last August. I watch what I eat and I exercise regularly. Recently I had an increase in my thyroxine to 75mcg and my tummy bloated so badly I looked pregnant. GP has dismissed all this and said he didn't know what it was! I spoke to a rude woman on the phone at British Thyroid Foundation who was extremely rude and unhelpful. She said it wasn't the medication and blamed it on my thyroid! How can it be me when my weight has always been the same? I've never had problems like this before and the more sites I've visited on the net, I've actually found that so many people are unhappy on thyroxine and a lot of them experience bloating and weight gain. so something definately is taking place inside us and the Doctors are ignoring it. Its this medication thats making us worse and we are their guinea pigs and in the years to come they will admit they are in the wrong. There are so many thyroid sufferers and it's all about fobbing us off on cheap stuff. Well all those who don't care about us may it happen to them so they realize how and what we have to go through every single day. I am looking into alternative natural medications and am trying to also change my diet to help. We are stuck cos thyroxine is for life. We are all in the same boat and we have to raise this issue. A good website is thyroiduk.com
The good thing is we are all doing our research into this matter and more we are knowledgeable in this matter the better it is for us. I know Armour works for a lot of people but I can't take Armour.
From an unhappy hypothyroid sufferer.

i started on synthroid around nov '05, 1 pill daily. had blood levels checked in january, dr. doubled dose. started experiencing stomach bloating shortly after, as well as some abdominal pain (which i think is from the bloating).
a few days ago, i stopped eating altogether because the bloating was too uncomfortable. stomach still bloated, feel like i've gained weight in my stomach area. very uncomfortable, even without any food in my stomach.

Extreme itching all over body, insomnia, weight gain, psoriasis, high blood pressure, rapid thoughts and speech, water weight gain, swelling, diarrhea, mood swings, gall bladder removal, irregular periods, fibroid cysts in uterus, heavy period bleeding and clotting. Miserable everyday!

I have been between 110 - 115 lbs most of my adult life. I tried everything to gain weight, but it didn't work. I was diagnosed with Graves Disease when I was pregnant with my son. I took PTU for the duration of the pregnancy. I was symptom free for about 4 years. About two years ago, I started to experience symptoms related to Graves Disease. I saw an Endo doctor who told me that I have a non-cancerous goiter that needed to be removed. I have thyroid surgery 8 months ago. I started taking Synthroid shortly thereafter. I have been trying to explain my symptoms of Hair Lost, Dry skin and nails, Insomnia, weight lost, lost of appetite, and leg cramps to someone for 6 months. Nobody listens. They just discount my symptoms. Today I decided to do some research to find out if I was alone. I AM NOT ALONE. I've been taking Synthroid for 8 months. My hair is so thin that you can see my scalp. Combing my hair makes me upset because I have chunks of hair in the comb. I too called my doctor and he replied,"I can't believe that your symptoms are related to your synthroid use." Reading these articles helped to prepare me for his responses. I insisted that I didn't want to take Synthroid anymore. He ordered blood work and advised that I have to continue taking this medication. I don't want to feel this way for the rest of my life. I have a 6 years old son who is full of life. I don't have the energy to keep up sometimes. I felt better before my Thyroid Surgery. (34 years old Woman, post Thyroid Surgery for an Enlarged Goiter and Hyperthyroidism). Where is the support????

I have been taken 100 mcg of Synthroid for a year now and I have had weight gain, sleepless nights, and hair loss on my left-side of my head. Once, it stopped my menstrual cycle for two months. So, I decided to decrease on my own from 100 mcg to 50 mcg. Afterward, my hair loss started to increase. So, I started taking 100 mcg instead of the 50 mcg. Did I do something wrong? I want to have children.

I've been taking synthroid for 8 weeks for hypothroid and I haven't lost any of the weight yet that I gained with the hypothroid. I have experienced hot flashes and water weight gain around my cycle that I never had before. Other than those symptoms, I feel 100% better.

just started taking it today. .05mcg synthroid. TSH was 135 very hypothyroid. I have 5 children, one only 4 months old. Can this stuff work quickly to restore my metabolism. I am literally pulling myself throught the day, and begging God for sleep at night. I was normal and healthy all my life, until now. I want to know if I'll ever feel normal again. The things I read on here have scared me. I hate anxiety attacks, weight gain, oh and do not want to lose my hair....Really concerned

Hi everyone,
Just some info concerning Levothyroxine:
1/ Starting doses vary depending on your doctor's method,
I give 150ug then bring it down if necessary
2/ Anxiety problems are due to pre-existing psychological problems and not the molecule; if you're feeling over anxious you need to consult a therapist, the fact that the drug increases basal rate brings this out more manifestly
3/Hair loss is a symptom uniqueley of Hypothyroidism and not of the drug, as is weight gain

Take Care all

Docteur Jones

THE SIDE EFFECTS I HAVE IS LARGE WEIGHT GAIN CANT SLEEP AT NIGHT AT ALL GET UPSET EASY AND ANGRY NOT VERY MUCH PATIENT I TAKE MYSELF OFF FOR A WHILE BUT MY ENERGY LEVEL DROPS SO I GET BACK ON I HAVE ANXIETY ATACKS ALSO I TOLD THE DOCTOR ALL THESE THINGS HE SAID IT IS IMPOSSIBLE AND NOW I READ THAT ALOT OF YOU HAVE THE SAME SIDE AFFECTS

Does anyone have any side effects which affect voice quality - husky, airy or weakness in the voice speaking or singing? I'm hypothyroid, 200mcgs synthroid daily, some depression, insomnia, weight gain and struggling with getting back to my pre-hypothyroid state of well being.

i'm 15 years old and have been taking synthroid sience i was 8. i have noticed that i have gained weight and not really grew taller. recently i have been lossing a lot of hair. and i also get depressed really easy. another thing is that my hair and nails don't grow as fast as otherpeople's do.

I have been on Synthroid for about 10 years. I've been taking dosages between 5 mcg's to my current 137 mcg's. I had my thyroid removed 3.5 years ago, due to an enlargement. Fortuantely, it was not cancerous.The side effects I have noticed have included weight gain, depression, anxiety, dry skin, and lethargy. None of these have been extreme, and my thyroid panals (TSH, Free T4, and T3) all come back within normal range when checked.Because I was at the low end of 'normal' my Endo increased my doasge from 112mcg to 125mcg to my current 137mcg. It's stopped my weight gain, and since i've been working out regularly for years, the weight is finally starting to come off.