Does Levothyroxine Cause Acne (Page 6) (Top voted first)

I have been taking 25mcg for about 6 weeks and feel much better, no weight loss, but no gain. I have developed acne on my chin and around the right side of my mouth...is this a side effect? Anyone else had this happen?

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After complaining to my doc about being tired...and having blood tests done I was told I was borderline hypothyroid by my doc. I was then prescribed a very low dose of synthroid...immediately my skin broke out in cyst type acne along the chin cheeks and hairline (never had acne in these places before!! and these very very painful cysts with an obvious head)...I am 48 and previous to this I had very clear acne free skin...I continued taking the synthroid for 5 months trying to deal with the ever increasing acne and scarring...and then suddenly it occurred to me that I had started synthroid around the same time as these breakouts started.-BTW the synthroid did not help me get over my fatigue if anything I found I was even more tired...
synthroid was discontinued and my skin has cleared up ...I had one or two more cysts in the week following but even those dried up on their own. Now I am back to my normal well behaved but OILY skin. I would say you should check with your doctor before discontinuing the medication though.

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I too have been on synthroid for twelve years! A few months ago, I started experiencing bad breakouts. It occurred to me one day that it maybe had to do with my thyroid. What is your current status? Has your acne gotten better or worse after quitting synthroid? Did you go back to taking it?

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Levothyroxine appears to increase testosterone levels. i have read that men with low T use levo to increase and based on their labs it works. iodine and potassium iodide may be a good alternative for some with thyroid issues. thats what i'm using. i stopped the levo due to the acne and other side affects. DR. DAVID BROWNSTEIN look him up. for the acne you could try antibiotics, and retin-a, salicylic acid 10%, and glycolic acid 20% (EBAY). rotate acid peels to avoid building up a tolerance when you use just one.

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Yes!! it happens to me i have been om 25mg for about a year now. I did stop taking it for about a month and cleared up. Doctors will say it is not a side effect but lots of people experence acne

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i'm heading back to the dr tomorrow morning for this awful cystic acne. been on levo for 4 months, they just upped it to .75 mg 2 wks ago & big breakout. i'm going to ask for armour but we'll see. i use braggs apple cider vinegar helps dry it up tremendously & cut the itching. I had to cut all oil & butter from my diet, seems to help, until i figure out whats going to work to prevent goiter without tearing my face up so bad.

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I am having the same exact problem, acne on my cheeks and forehead. I called the doctor to ask why and she said I am having allergic reaction to the medication. So they switch me to a different pill( but the same name)...and nothing is better. I'm so sad

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doc took me off levo about 8 months ago,THS had come down to 5 from 7.5 but i didnt follow up 6 wks later to see where it was at after being off of it so i became a detective to see if the meds caused it, i was fine before that as far as acne. evidently all butter, oil, nuts, fats etc are causing the break outs. i'm 55 with hot flashes etc so i know my hormones r out of whack & doubt they will settle down as this has been going on for almost 6 yrs now. gramma had goiter & others in family have thyroid issues so i just dont want to end up having surgery on my darn throat. hormones including thyroid are a very complex thing that i dont think they totally understand yet so i will go back for my yrly bloodwork in a few months & just keep reading. lots of info out there. i know tons of people believe the levo was causing the acne but i think when your hormones are all out of whack, we have to adjust the way we eat accordingly. fat is the problem for me. bacon, all of it. i saute my veggies in broth instead of oil & grill any meats & eat lots of beans & veggies, poached or boiled eggs. minimum fats. hope this helps. oh and braggs apple cider vinegar really helps the itching & quick healing of the acne that does come out.

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I was diagnosed with under active thyroid put on eltroxin 0.5mg and developed bad acne from it. I just through it in dusbin. Wil this clear up and how long does it take. I feel luke an outcast. And i never had a problem with my skin

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I have been trying to figure out what is wrong with my body? I stopped taking Levothyroxine for one month and my face cleared up! After I started taking it again for just 4 days and I have breakouts all over my face again. I was concerned that I might have food allergies. Now it seems the cause is Levothyroxine. Going to see a doctor to find out.

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I've been taking this medicine for about week now and I had a bad break out of painful acne on my leg/buttocks, right where it connects. I take it for hypothyroidism and have birth control implant and it doesn't help, I'm on the lowest dose possible. So does it ever go away or should I talk to my doctor about changing since I've never had this problem before and I've only taken it a week???

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Break outs all on face under arms back it's a mess right

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Why hasn't there been a class action lawsuit filed against the manufacturers of levothyroxine? Are there any lawyers out there?

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I have fought cystic acne for 30 years and wasn't sure why? When I was a teenager I never had acne. It took me this long to do research to find out it may be my Levo and I quit instantly and my face cleared up then I had some minor issues with hot flashes and since my Adrenal Glands are not running as well as they should I asked the doc to try Synthroid and boom my Acne came back with a vengeance. I am now stopping that drug and going with a natural supplement. Synthroid may change my blood results but did not help with anything else.

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Re: Kel (# 112)

I am sure it is the Thyroid meds. I even tried Bovine thyroid supplement and it caused my breakouts also. Now trying Thyroid support pure Herbs.

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Yes it is a side effect but your doctors will not admit it or don't know better. I dealt with this for a few decades and only in this last year I figured it out and unfortunately I have major scaring from it. I no longer take any Pharm meds for it as I tried them all with no hope. I now take supplements for my thyroid along with adrenal support as they go hand in hand.

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Yes it is a side effect but your doctors will not admit it or don't know better. I dealt with this for a few decades and only in this last year I figured it out and unfortunately I have major scaring from it. I no longer take any Pharm meds for it as I tried them all with no hope. I now take supplements for my thyroid along with adrenal support as they go hand in hand.

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Yes I’ve been on 50mcgs for about two months now and I have zits all over my body but not on my face...yet. The zits are full of puss and in really odd places like on my knee or in the crease of the back of my knee and over my torso. Really not happy about this.

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Re: Stratfordkit58 (# 118)

I tried Synthroid one more time about a year ago and with a few days the cystic acne was on my scalp !!! I would suggest everyone find out if they have Hashimoto's as that could be what is attacking your Thyroid 99% of doctors don't even check.My thyroid was fine when all of this started but my diet more than likely caused Hashi which attacked my thyroid so now trying to control with diet but happy with no acne!!

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I have been taking Synthroid for about 17 years and have been having terrible body trunk acne. I thought it was from our water as we had recently moved to the country. About 2 months ago we put in a filter system for our water and my skin is no better. I then thought about the fact that shortly after we moved into this house I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and put on Synthroid! All of my years and through my adolescence my skin was ALWAYS clear. Not anymore. My skin is so scared and damaged now and after trying everything I am now going to try a different thyroid medication. If this works I will be so happy and so mad at the same time. If this does work I may look into skin treatments for my back and trunk to help repair the damage.
Thanks to all of you that shared your stories so that I can finally have hope for better, pain free skin. Fingers crossed!

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I've been on that dose for a little over 2 years and have no acne issues.

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