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Having Problems with Levothyroxine
Hello everyone!
This is my first post. I saw a post that made me feel that some might not understand a couple of things. So, in my own (possibly unorthodox way) I will try to explain. Please understand that by having hypothyroidism & fibromyalgia they are two completely different medical issues even though they have some of the same symptoms. I say this because I have them both. They were diagnosed many years apart. Unfortunately I am being treated by a VA doctor that refuses to listen to me most of the time. I am considering talking to the VA about changing doctors. I'm having trouble taking Levothyroxine. I get over heated just sitting in my apartment in my panties. I have also had chest pain, as well as what's called chest wall pain, palpitations, shortness of breath & my anxiety is worse when I take it. It's odd though that the posts I've read no one has said anything about sensitivity to heat. I know the heat is difficult on everyone this year but other people around me don't seem to have my problem & my idiot VA doctor is not helping me. I stopped the Levothyroxine & the heat isn't bothering me like it was. I'm just hot outside like everyone else but comfortable with clothes on in my apartment. Yes, before you ask, I live alone. It has to have been the problem. I'm going to ask the VA doctor to refer me to an endocrinologist. I know he's going to give me a song & dance about it but he's not his body, it's mine. Contrary to what he thinks I know my body best. I would appreciate hearing anyone's thoughts on this. Can anyone help me?
This is my first post. I saw a post that made me feel that some might not understand a couple of things. So, in my own (possibly unorthodox way) I will try to explain. Please understand that by having hypothyroidism & fibromyalgia they are two completely different medical issues even though they have some of the same symptoms. I say this because I have them both. They were diagnosed many years apart. Unfortunately I am being treated by a VA doctor that refuses to listen to me most of the time. I am considering talking to the VA about changing doctors. I'm having trouble taking Levothyroxine. I get over heated just sitting in my apartment in my panties. I have also had chest pain, as well as what's called chest wall pain, palpitations, shortness of breath & my anxiety is worse when I take it. It's odd though that the posts I've read no one has said anything about sensitivity to heat. I know the heat is difficult on everyone this year but other people around me don't seem to have my problem & my idiot VA doctor is not helping me. I stopped the Levothyroxine & the heat isn't bothering me like it was. I'm just hot outside like everyone else but comfortable with clothes on in my apartment. Yes, before you ask, I live alone. It has to have been the problem. I'm going to ask the VA doctor to refer me to an endocrinologist. I know he's going to give me a song & dance about it but he's not his body, it's mine. Contrary to what he thinks I know my body best. I would appreciate hearing anyone's thoughts on this. Can anyone help me?
many people believe that fibro is nothing more than under-treated Hypothyroid.
check out;Stop the thyroid madness website. That site goes into this a little bit. Essentially Fibro and chronic fatigue syndrome never existed prior to the invention and widespread use of TSH.
The TSH range is flawed and has too high of an upper range. This is because a lot more than 2.5% of the population is low thyroid. But since statistically they only throw out the extreme high 2.5 and low 2.5% to establish the range. The remaing so called "normal" range is left with a lot of people who are low thyroid.
Now when Drs simply use the TSH if you fall into the normal range they then rule out low (Hypo) Thyroid. Then they are left with people who clearly have symptoms but since it "can't be" Hypo, and it otherwise unexplained, they came up with new disease and called them Firbo and or chronic fatigue syndrome.
It is also amazing that "they" are now finding out that when they treat many people that have fibro, they seemingly miraculously start to feel better and symptoms are reduced or eliminated. AMAZING.
As you mention that the symptoms for firbro are the same as Hypo. That very well may be because they are one and the same!
Jut saying that don't be surprised if you start treatment for Hypo and your Fibro symptoms go away.
As far as reactions to the medicine. How long have you been taking them. Many people report feeling worse prior to feeling better when first starting to take the medicine. Your body is trying to adjust to finally having Thyroid hormone and trying to balance out things.
T4 medicine takes up to 6 weeks to build up and stabilize in your blood. So if you have only been taking the T4 medication for a couple of days or a fairly short period of time and you are having a reaction. It is more likely that you are allergic or have sensitivity to the binders and fillers or color dye in the pill itself. NOT the thyroid active ingredient (T4). Changing manufacturers can often help as different makers use different fillers etc.
you also didn't say what dosage you were taking. To start off with it mostlikely should not be over about 50 mcg. Too high a starting dose can also cause reactions to some people. Some people have to start for a couple weeks as low as 12.5 mcg a day and slowly work up.
Also understand that starting low and working slowly up is the traditional and probably the best way to go. So don't expect the first or even the 3rd of 5th dosage increase to suddenly make you feel well. It takes weeks to adjust and stabilize at each new dosage, check the blood labs and make another adjustment. Initially plan to be checked every 6 weeks. Also understand that symptoms can lag lab blood levels by a couple weeks or more. So once you get closer to the optimized dosage, the time between tests and adjustments may increase.
check out;Stop the thyroid madness website. That site goes into this a little bit. Essentially Fibro and chronic fatigue syndrome never existed prior to the invention and widespread use of TSH.
The TSH range is flawed and has too high of an upper range. This is because a lot more than 2.5% of the population is low thyroid. But since statistically they only throw out the extreme high 2.5 and low 2.5% to establish the range. The remaing so called "normal" range is left with a lot of people who are low thyroid.
Now when Drs simply use the TSH if you fall into the normal range they then rule out low (Hypo) Thyroid. Then they are left with people who clearly have symptoms but since it "can't be" Hypo, and it otherwise unexplained, they came up with new disease and called them Firbo and or chronic fatigue syndrome.
It is also amazing that "they" are now finding out that when they treat many people that have fibro, they seemingly miraculously start to feel better and symptoms are reduced or eliminated. AMAZING.
As you mention that the symptoms for firbro are the same as Hypo. That very well may be because they are one and the same!
Jut saying that don't be surprised if you start treatment for Hypo and your Fibro symptoms go away.
As far as reactions to the medicine. How long have you been taking them. Many people report feeling worse prior to feeling better when first starting to take the medicine. Your body is trying to adjust to finally having Thyroid hormone and trying to balance out things.
T4 medicine takes up to 6 weeks to build up and stabilize in your blood. So if you have only been taking the T4 medication for a couple of days or a fairly short period of time and you are having a reaction. It is more likely that you are allergic or have sensitivity to the binders and fillers or color dye in the pill itself. NOT the thyroid active ingredient (T4). Changing manufacturers can often help as different makers use different fillers etc.
you also didn't say what dosage you were taking. To start off with it mostlikely should not be over about 50 mcg. Too high a starting dose can also cause reactions to some people. Some people have to start for a couple weeks as low as 12.5 mcg a day and slowly work up.
Also understand that starting low and working slowly up is the traditional and probably the best way to go. So don't expect the first or even the 3rd of 5th dosage increase to suddenly make you feel well. It takes weeks to adjust and stabilize at each new dosage, check the blood labs and make another adjustment. Initially plan to be checked every 6 weeks. Also understand that symptoms can lag lab blood levels by a couple weeks or more. So once you get closer to the optimized dosage, the time between tests and adjustments may increase.
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