Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism

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Question about synthroid

jacki1976
jacki1976 Posts: 15 Member
in Social Groups
I was diagnosed with hypothyroid originally back in February. They put me on .25 of the generic medicine. It gave me weird anxiety and just made me feel odd. I quit taking it after a very very short time. I was then retested in July when I had to go to the dr. My levels had gotten slightly worse so they wanted to put me back on something. I told them I wanted the name brand synthroid because I had read not so great things about the generic. I took about 4 of those and started getting anxiety again but I also had an odd feeling in my chest. It would feel like my heart was racing but my pulse was normal.

I stopped taking it after the 4th one (I know, bad idea but I felt a lot better off of it than I did on it). Are these normal side effects of just starting out on this medication? I know I need it but I hate taking something that's going to make me feel bad when I felt pretty good in the first place.

Replies

  • Janette3x4
    Janette3x4 Posts: 135
    I would keep the communication going with your Dr. and ask about Armour, a natural thyroid medication that works for many. I take Levo, and have none of the side effects that you mention. You may have an allergy to the fillers in the medication, but I am not a Dr. and am just guessing. Good luck, and keep us posted!
  • sowrongitsemily
    sowrongitsemily Posts: 25
    In terms of the anxiety, I remember when I first started taking my levothyroxine 3 or 4 years ago, I had some anxiety and depression-like thoughts, but they went away after a month or so. Your thyroid makes hormones and taking the thyroid medication regulates them back to normal, so I would think that it makes sense that you might feel a little weird when just starting out. But only taking them for 4 days and then stopping again isn't good because then your hormones are even more confused. I'd take the medicine for a good 3-4 weeks straight to see if the symptoms go away, because it takes around 4-6 weeks for the synthroid to take full effect. But obviously I'm not a doctor, and make sure you mention these symptoms to your doctor. :)
  • Fuzzipeg
    Fuzzipeg Posts: 2,301 Member
    Most of these pills use maize starch as a filler/binder. I was unable to take anything food and medicine with maize starch in it and was given other scripts without it but when it came to Lev, I was not given any alternative, one pill a day did for me, all benefits I had worked for, gone in days, went away developed many more problems, went to immunology and then to an endocrinologist who did not do allergies and who grudgingly gave me it in liquid form when I told him it affected me as a toxin. The inability to take maize starch is now being recognised as an indicator of possible thyroid issues.
  • irleshay
    irleshay Posts: 102 Member
    I've taken both Levo and Synthroid and never experienced what you describe, but it's really bad to just stop taking them. You've been diagnosed with a health condition, and it needs to be treated. Talk to your doctor about your anxiety.

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