I agree with the posts ED
I know you are fearful of your job and not feeling well. I do think Smilerdeb hit a cord.
Hypo and Hyper symptoms can mock each other and we really do not know what we are until tested.
Tweeking the meds is critical and this soon after RAI - your thyroid is still in the OH MY GOSH mode.
You are far from actually seeing the permanent level yet. I am not sure if I am just a "odd" case - but it took two years before my thyroid levels swung up and down after RAI to even see where I was at and adding meds is a tricky thing too when your thyroid still can't make up it's mind.
Then med switches took place - from generic T4 - to Synthroid. Then dosage changes and then finally a permanent switch to T3/T4 meds.
Did you read my journal and AR's journal as I suggested. It does really help to see the grim details for someone to know - others faced horrible things too.
My history is a personal journey - not all need to switch to an entirely different form of treatment as I did - but tweeking any meds will be done unless you win the "thyroid lottery" and hit the right number ( dosage) right away.
Winning the thyroid lottery is just as unlikely as winning the real thing - but you got to continue to play ( tweek) to win!
Do you understand what I am saying? Get that heart checked out as we have discussed - ALWAYS rule out other issues for peace of mind if anything. Then concentrate on getting your HORMONE levels in balance. That most likely is your whole thing here that is making you miserable.
You know the saying about us women right? "Blame it on the hormones!" Well with thyroid disease to some degree - you have to know and think that whether male or female too.
It takes a whole lot of time to get back to stability. In this society "time" is NOT on our side and that stresses us out more. Jobs are tough to get and losing one is NOT as easy to get another one as it once was. I know -
But you have to find a place in your head that gives you some patience that you are hormonally off and that is casuing you stress right now. Give yourself some comfort in your mind there will come a time soon this will all look like a horrible nightmare. But it feels impossible right now for you.
That is what these boards are suppose to be. SUPPORT - so stay with us - listen to the suggestions - keep going to the doctor and get the issues resolved whether checking out your cardio - or whatever you fear right now. Remove the stress as much as you can with worry and then keep moving forward on the balancing of your meds and your thyroid hormones.
Levoxyl is not a generic, but switching to Synthroid may not hurt. I think it is about three months too soon to make that decision.
momofvera may be right too......good point.
Have you tried Synthroid? Generic doesn't work for everyone! Maybe you having a reaction to it?
Forgot to mention.....
I also had the irrational fears, the sore throat, the sore tongue when HYPO too.
What were your last labs?
When did you have your RAI done?
25mcg of T4 med is like taking an aspirin if you are Hypo.
LittleED...let me explain something to you and I know some who have had RAI can relate.
5 weeks Post RAI, I was HYPO. or more to the point my TSH was 6.0.
My Doc never let me crash low which was good in one way.
In the last 7 months, I have gone Hyper a few times and had to decrease my thyroxin because of being super drug sensitive.
Each time I have gone HYPER, I have had the bad sore throat, anxiety, crying,panic attacks, fast heart rate and honestly felt that I was going to die.
Each time, my Doc has told me to 'cut down' the meds by 12.5mcg which I have done.
Then something happened.......
I went HYPO and stayed HYPO for about 5 weeks.
In that 5 weeks the HYPO symptoms were exactly the SAME as HYPER.
I got up to 75mcg daily at first then had to STOP the thyroxin for 3 days to get the levels back down.
I then started again from 25mcg, then 2 weeks later it was increased to 50mcg , 2 weeks after that 3 days of 62.5mcg then 4 days of 50mcg.
My TSH went from 2.0 to 2.89 in that time.
I am now on 4 days of 62.5mcg and 3 days of 50mcg.
I now have bloods done every 3 weeks and they are faxed to me and to my Doctor.
That increse was a week ago.
I will have my bloods done again in a week and if still low on the TSH and if I still feel that little bit HYPO then I will increase to 62.5 5 days a week and 50mcg 2 days a week.
Now all along this has been worked out by my Doctor and myself.
Its 'tweaking ' the meds.
I feel good within 3 days of a dose increase whereas most people take 2-3 weeks to feel good.
That is how drug sensitive I am.
My Doctor has told me I will NEVER be on 100mcg thyroxin because of the drug sensitivity.
BUT I am now employed again and been offered another job as Medical Administrator.
I feel good as of now but I know I will probably need another increase next week.
LittleEd......I was one of those people who thought if something was wrong or I was feeling cr@ppy, I would think...Omg No! The thyroid meds!
I would think I was going HYPER with all the hyper symptoms but in actual fact, I was HYPO.
The symptoms are so very much alike that even sometimes I DONT know what I am lol.
(Sorry.,..this wasnt supposed to be a book)
I was also scared of taking thyroxin too at the start as I thought I would overdose or I thought I would die or I thought I was going crazy.
THIS IS YOUR LEVELS OUT OF WHACK.......not you.
Anyway...the only way of knowing for sure is going and getting your bloods done again.
Seriously...my guess is ...you are HYPO.
I may be wrong but thats my personal opinion.
I am 7 months Post RAI and Boy...it has been a ride and a half but there IS light at the end of the tunnel LittleED...I promise you that.
When did you have your RAI?
I just had my thyroid levels tested last week--two different times--and had different results with both tests. That's why I'm convinced something is wrong.
My heart can't seem to keep up with me. I get short of breath. When I do my regular job at work my heart really gets going. I'm afraid all of this has permanently affected my heart.
When was the last time you had your thyroid levels tested?