Is this normal?

[Mickie29]

I am a 29 year old female.  I was told that I have hypothyroidism.  My TSH was 5.19 //  my T4 was 1.15. ( Did not have a T3 test)   The doctor gave me a three month supply of Levothyroxin 150 MCG.   Started the medication Jan. 17, 2009.  About 3 weeks or so after being on the medication I noticed that in the afternoons around 5pm I felt like I had no energy.  One day about 10-15 minutes after taking my medication I started to feel "light headed", disoriented, started to dry heave over and over, started to sweat, and fell over on the bathroom floor.  Also the next day I had a reaction.  After that I started to break the pill in half and take that.  I'm 5'5'' and I now weigh 111 pounds.  My normal is around 130.  I'm losing my hair still and it seems I can not gain weight.  Hopefully I do not continue to lose weight.  I have a headache for most of the day.  My stomach gives me problems.  I go from cold with chills to sweating and flushing of the face regardless of the temperature around me.  I feel lightheaded sometimes.  Around 5-7pm everyday I feel like I want to go to sleep Im so tired.  It seems like what I eat and drink doesn't stay in me long; frequent bathroom trips.  Also for about 2 years now I have had a yellow raised lump under my chin(right side; just under the chin bone).  It has became swollen, red, and very tender to the touch off and on.  Today I decided not to take the medication to see how I felt.  My head felt funny all day long and I felt "out of it".  My energy levels seem to be going down over time since I have been on this medication.  I feel frail and I have aches all over my body, sometimes sharp pains. ( middle of left arm, left side of chest a little to left of the sternum, stomach, behind my knees, groin area, lower back.)  Are side effects normal with this medication?  Can a person be allergic to this medication?  Am I on a high doseage of this medicine? Any information on this will be greatly appreciated.  I am currently looking for a new doctor however I have had trouble locating an Endocrinologist.  Thank you.

[contactreed]

Suggestion for finding an Naturopathic Doc...Here is a reply I did for a post/blog on this site for Gardisil (which I will NOT be giving to my teen daughter):

The Gardisil may have something to do with your daughters symptoms, I would look for an NMD that would be willing to evaluate your daughter further, not just look at "normal ranges" on lab reports and say "all is well." A good NMD will take labs into consideration, of course, but really seek to find the source of the symptoms.

Check your state Board of Naturopathic MDs to see what NMDs are currently licensed and practicing near you. NMDs can have the same "bedside manner" issues as allopathic MDs (arrogance, too busy to listen, etc.) so try to "interview" some before making a final selection on who to bring your daughter to. It may take a 2-4 weeks or so to find someone you feel comfortable with, but its worth it in the end. When calling NMD offices, ask if they do FREE consultations (usually 15-20 minutes). If they do, take advantage and get an appt asap. Be sure to have all questions and any medical files with you ready to go so you maximize the free appt.

If they do not offer free consults, try to research the NMD to find out as much as you can and find out their fee structure. Sometimes the fee structure is great, but the info on the doc is so sparse that, without the free consult, I would vote no and screen them out. I recently found a good doc with a good fee structure and can hopefully get some of the money back via Out of Netwk insurance filing. NMDs are known for wanting to find the source of symptoms and seeking to identify any relationships to symptoms rather than bandaiding the symptoms independantly... Hope that helps at all.

Best thoughts for you.

[Smilerdeb]

150mcg!
Wow that is high for a TSH of just over 5.0.
I was on 50mcg daily with a TSH of 6.0 after RAI and even then I was alternating the 50mcg every 2nd day because it sent me hyper too fast.
I would be doing as Jo says and asking for your 'Frees' to be done plus another TSH done.
150mcg is way too high and can be dangerous
Whenever I have gone Hyper on thyroxine, my Doc has told me to stop for a few days ...sometimes up to 4 days to bring the TSH back up a lot faster.
Hope that helps you.
All the best :)

[Jo_Stafford]

Hi Mickie

It sounds to me like you have gone hyper on your meds.   150mg is too large a dose to start taking.  You should have started on 50mg a day like I did.   Please go back to your GP and have your bloods tested again.  Reduce down to 50mg per day and see how you get on.   When I was on Levo I had to have naps every day after work as I was so exhausted.   Not good when you have an active social life like I do.  It shouldn't be like this though that is why I have switched to combining Armour and Levo to see how I get on.   I also supplement with adrenal gland extracts (bovine), multi vits and Vit D3.   Please get your free T3 and free T4 tests done as this will tell what is actually going on with your body as well as TSH.   Push for a Vit D test too.

Best wishes and I hope you feel well soon

Jo :o)