Levothyroxine Side Effects (Page 20)

I was recently diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. I have been taking levothyroxine for almost two weeks. For the last four or five days I have had a weird feeling. It is hard to explain. I don't really feel dizzy but I get a strange feeling in my head. I guess you would describe it as a head rush. Has anyone else had this feeling and will it go away as my body adjusts to the levothyroxine?

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I have been on and off Levothyroxin and have GERD when I take it. I went off for a week once and felt so much better except for the extreme exhaustion. Why isn't there something better for us to take? I'm at my wits end. I have chest pains, panic attacks, can't drink my beloved coffee anymore, back pain, GERD, feeling of just unwell all from this stupid Levothyroxin! :(

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Hello, I started with hypothyroid 6 years ago and was put on 75 mcg's of the generic and after a month thought I was going crazy with weird feelings and ended up in the cardiologist office thinking I was about to have a heart attack. After all the tests there was nothing wrong. They switched me to the actual synthriod and my levels are normal and I feel so much better. The pharmacist told me some people can not tolerate the generic form. Hope this helps!

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Michelle that is exactly what happened to me a couple years ago. My levels were off and started getting palps and drove myself to the hospital. Hooked me up and ran tests and found nothing. (That bill was over $4000) I wish the doctor would of explained more to me about side effects and what can happened, I might not have gone. Having thyroid issues with low levels effects everyone different as we have all experienced. I have a low level depression that I deal with daily. Circulation can get crazy with cold hands and feets to overheating. Weight gain also can be an issue. Best non-medicine is to exercise and stay healthy. This picks up where the medicine leaves off and helps regulate your body's functions.

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hi everyone, I'm so glad I found this website. I thought I was the only one that was feeling dizzy/tipsy from Levo. I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroid because my tsh was 4.63 and according to my doctors note, the range is 0.1-4.5 so it says it's "slightly elevated." Anyway my doc prescribed me 25mcg of Levo. let me say before I get into my symptoms that I really didn't know I had hypothyroidism because the the only real symptoms I had of it was that I noticed i forgot certain things I knew I should've remembered (and I usually have a very good memory). I also noticed once in awhile that is be a little more tired than usual and that my libido went from 100% to about 50%. Lol yes u can laugh at that part. :P

anyway, so I've only taken one Levo pill so far--- I took it 30mins before I ate breakfast. the first 3 hours was fine... but then I started feeling extremely tired, then changed to mad, irritated, sad, anxious, nervous, nauseated, back to being tired. and for the rest of the day my mood kept continuing to change. I ended up falling asleep late (I'm surprised I even fell asleep). the next day rolled around and I woke up with a headache like a hangover. thought the day I felt tipsy like I drank alcohol, of course I didn't. on to the next day, same thing, woke up with a headache and felt like I was tipsy. Today was actually the first day I woke up without a headache. but I currently still feel like I'm a little tipsy.

When is it going to go away?! The feelings I mean? you're all probably laughing that I'm feeling this way after only one pill and it's only 25mcg. hehe it's ok, I'm actually quite sensitive to meds that are strong like steroid type meds and corticosteroid inhalants. I just would really want this feeling to end. I've also been having some slight pain in my chest, kinda like heartburn. it can't be a heart attack or stroke becuz I've already been to the er twice for diff reasons but they checked my heart and I've had a cat scan n all that crabby stuff and I'm fine.

I've been looking up alternatives for this med becuz I don't think I can tolerate it. I do have to work too, so it's even a bigger challenge to stay up at work.

has anyone gone natural as far as trying to treat heir hypothyroid by eating the right foods or pills from a whole foods store?

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It's been 5 months now on Natural Dessicated Thyroid. Anxiety, panic attacks are gone, cervical pain gone, fainted feeling gone, pain in muscles and joints gone down to a 2 out of ten, no more insomnia etc. I could see an immediate relief on NDT. I would recommend to every one with Thyroid issues the book Stop de Thyroid Madness. It has helped me a lot. I had big side effects with levothyroxine. It is not compatible with our human body and only gives T4 hormone. NDT gives T0,T1,T2,T3,T4 and calcitonin. No more hair lost ! I feel better, a lot better ! I also took care of my adrenals issues !

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I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid last month. The doctor did not know whether I should be on Levothyroxine or not, as he told me that the thyroid was okay but that it was more to do with the "hormonal" imbalance to the brain, but suggested I try Levothyroine 50 mg for approximately six weeks in any event to see if they would make a difference and then have further blood tests to establish whether the thyroid had regulated itself. However, since taking this medication, I also have a strange feeling - a sort of dizzy feeling in my head, I look and feel tired all the time - partly due to my insomnia I know but I just feel different - my weight is escalating and I have palpitations at night. Also, my feet and knee pain has worsened over the last two weeks and I believe it could have made my Osteoarthritis worse. I haven't seen any benefit since taking this medication at all and if after six weeks I still feel the same, then I will speak to my GP - and suggest I stop taking the tablets. I just have a gut feeling that they aren't doing me any good.

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i have been on 112 for a long time them the doctor put me on 150 mg i swelled and gained weight,I had to go back on the 112mg for some relief .The Doctor that swellings and bloated,is not a side effect of levothyroxin.I should have asked him if he ever had to take this junk

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Depending on the time of the month, I can spend the first 4 hours after taking my levo, running around with energy, then almost faint at times and out of breath. I'm all over the place. By 5pm, I'm wiped out. My labs come out within the normal range..TSH fluctuates between .84-1.15 month to month. When I am decreased, even 5mg., I get puffy and dry skinned. I'm starting to wonder if its just the type of meds I'm taking and if Armour or Synthroid might suit me better. I've been on this ride of ups and downs for 3 years now, never returning to exercise and a real sense of normalcy.

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My liver tests 4 years between 40-50, in Aug 2014 last test of 48. Sept 2014 prescribed 25mg Levothyroxine 6 months later, my liver tests are 118. I have not changed my alcohol consumption in 20 years. Seems a coincidence that the liver tests have rocketed as I've taken Levothyroxine.

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Hello cat, I realize that your message is 5 years old. I am feeling some of the same symptoms you listed. Can you contact me {edited for privacy}

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Yes! I have had some of the exact same issues being on Levo. I had never had a joint pain in my life until I was on this med. it has made my joints hurt something awful and tingling in my feet and hands. My levels came back normal a few months ago but my doc wanted me to remain on 50mg, my joints hurt even worse so I have stopped it. Withdrawals have given me dizziness and more tingling. I can't wait to get this med out of my system! I lost 25 lbs on a paleo diet and I think that's another reason I do not need the new any more. Paleo is the number one way to heal tour thyroid naturally so I highly recommend that !!

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My father just began this med two days ago and he talks crazy at times and guess he hallucinates. He feels good, but these symptoms only started after starting Levothyroxine 50!

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Hi, I have just been diagnosed with hypothyroid tsh-93, t4-3.2. I believe this is very abnormal. I also have liver cirrhosis (beginning of decompensation) splenomegaly and ascites (fluid in stomach and enlarged spleen. I have had pcos for a long time but periods were normal until I started levothyroxine. I began taking 25 mcg 5 weeks ago and it was increased to 100 mcg a few days ago. I feel absolutely awful. My bowel was very slow to the point of not moving most days but now it's moving but extremely painful. My mood is much worse, I'm very upset a lot of the time, I have memory lapses, fatigue, joint pains and I'm getting a period every two weeks with very bad pmt. I've not lost any weight and need to lose at least 45 lbs to be within a healthy range. I very worried that I'm feeling this bad and worried that my weight could increase with levothyroxine treatment. I'm a 40 year old female. My doc doesn't really want to deal with any of these issues until my thyroid is under control. I've only seen my gp so far but am wondering if I should ask to see an endocrinologist. Has anyone got any advice?

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Hopefully the 100mcg will be the right dosage to get your body regulated. With your other medical conditions you'll have to monitor carefully. Sorry to hear your struggles but try to stay positive. Give your Levo increase time to adjust since you just started. Try to eat right and in my opinion try to exercise daily for your cardio to get your heart rate elevated for 20-25 minutes. Obviously consult with your physician first. Exercise can greatly assist in the regulation of your body along with your medication. Good luck.. You'll get there.

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This is a common side effect right after you start taking Levothyroxine. Your body is adjusting. If it continues call your physician.

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A couple of things you could try:
Vitamin D (try and get a monthly dose made up by a compound pharmacist but you will need a script from your GP, then you only take one tablet a month). This also helps with acne.
Biotin
Vitamin K (helps absorb the thyroxine)
Pottasium and Magnesium (K Mag by Blackmores)
Hope this helps, it helped me - good luck!

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Sorry this was for loss of hair. Vitamin D, Biotin, Vitamin K, Magnesium and Pottasium.

If you are suffering tingling and sore joints and carpel tunnel syndrome you are not taking enough medication - may have to up it a little. Good luck! Terrible disease.

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Hi, Levo can make you feel like your head is buzzing a bit and a bit light headed/dizzy. I felt like this when the doc increased my dose from 25-100 mcg. I spoke to him about it and he reduced is to 50 and we plan to increase to 75 in 2-3 weeks and so on. I've had a strong reaction to this med and he assures me that it's not uncommon but will be ok in time. Keep in touch with your doc and explain how you feel, even keep a diary of how you feel if your struggling mentally with the meds. I'm in the same situation. I hope you feel better soon.

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Is anyone out there having issues with hair loss I've been on level thyroxine since January and it hasn't gotten any better and my doctor insists that I just have to wait it out. I don't think I can wait it out a longer it's actually driving me insane. I feel as though I might have a sensitivity to the medication anybody out there have the same issues?

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I took levothyroxine for over a year and slowly developed pain and stiffness in my right shoulder. Just before having an MRI I stopped taking it after reading about side effects. MRI showed severe arthritis but I noticed the pain was less severe. Was actually having a hard time putting on t shirts because of the pain and stiffness. After a few months without levo there was no pain and I noticed increased mobility of my shoulder. After several months my shoulder was almost back to normal. At the one year mark of stopping levo my shoulder was back to normal. I wondered if it was just a coincidence that my shoulder problems went away after stopping levo. I still had some so I took it for about five days and the pain came back slightly so I stopped taking it and the pain went away after about a week. I don't understand how levothyroxine affected only my right shoulder but I am convinced it did. The dr that prescribed it referred me to a rheumatoid specialist but I never went. If I did what they wanted me to do I would be still on levo and treating the symptoms it caused. I'm 52 yrs old and have no pain or stiffness anymore.

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