New to thyroid medicine

[chris14914]

I am 44 year old female and about 3 months ago I went to doctor with symptoms of pretty bad dizziness and cold chills which I new something was wrong as I have been perimenopausal for the last 4 years and have had hot flashes on and off but not a feeling of severe coldness.  Over the last couple of years for my annual blood tests my tsh has been steadily increasing from 2.4 when I was 38 yrs old and felt great  to 4.2 a year ago when I started feeling bad which as it turns out all happen to be classic hypo symptoms and I had just about all of them. I just thought and doctors told me it was because I was entering menopause.  My tsh a couple months ago came back at 11 when I was feeling all those horrible symtoms so my doctor started me on synthroid 75 mcg which I faithfully took for 8 weeks. I am not on any other medicines or hormones. It helped with my dizziness and cold chills and seemed to give me a bit more energy and took away some of my aches & pains I was experiencing but it also gave me very bad headaches mostly in my temples and very distressing ear pain and fullness like they are clogged or something with pain in and above and behind my ear.  I still have bouts of dizziness or motion like I am on a boat.  I have had headaches on and off before being perimenopausal but this is different and I have never had an ear infection or problems with my ears until I started taking synthroid.  After about 4-6 weeks of treatment I started getting a sore throat and tender neck more on my right side, a bit of anxiety and hot flashes that I haven't had in like a year.  I requested another tsh test this time to include free T3 & T4 and TPO antibody test.  My TSH came back at 1 with free T3/T4 in range and negative antibodies less than 10. My doctor said to continue with current treatment but I asked to decrease synthroid dose to 50 mcg to see if my ear problem and headaches would decrease and she agreed. It has been 2 weeks and the ear problems and headaches I guess are a bit reduced but still there and still getting sore throat.  Have also noticed more aches especially in hands since lowering dose. As a test I didn't take my synthroid pill yesterday and my throat wasn't sore and my ears seemed to clear up a bit. I am going for thyroid ultrasound in a couple of days.  Today I went back to taking the pill and after about an hour I noticed changes in my ears and pressure in my temples. I am trying to be patient with this pain but I am really starting to think it is the synthroid.  I just don't know if it is the dosage or an intolerance to the medicine.  If this doesn't go away should I try and brand change? I am hoping my ultrasound comes out okay and tsh will stay down so maybe I can reduce meds even lower again?  Maybe a tsh of 1 is a little low for me and something around 2 or 2.5 would be better? The ear problem and headaches are really causing me trouble and making it hard to function.  Since I have only been on the 50 mcg for 2 weeks I am trying to wait a few more weeks to get tsh retested.  My doctor says 8 -12 weeks between tests but that seems like a long time to wait when you are trying to get your dose right and you are so uncomfortable?  

Any thoughts?  Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.  I apologize for being so long winded, just wanted to make sure you had all information.

[Super_sally888]

hi,

it may be that you are having trouble with the formulation (reacting to something in the med).  I would see if trying a different brand or even nature thyroid helps.

YOu do need thyroid hormone from the sounds of it and the 75 mcg seems that it was close to the right level with TSH of 1 and the other levels in range (though we'd like to know where in range to give us a better idea of your actual status).

[jtlmom1577]

I am sure the most experienced posters will be answering you as the day goes on.  I was kind of surprised to see such a high starting dose of synthroid.  My doc started me at 25 mcg and insisted on 8 wks between blood tests.  She explained that it was going to take awhile to get it all regulated.  At the followup blood test, she increased to 50 mcg and again insisted on 8 wks between blood tests and she explained that it wouldn't surprise her in the least to increase it again when I re-test.  You have to give it time.  Take the medicine first thing in the morning and wait an hr to eat or drink.  Changing things will just mess up the process. From what I understand synthyroid is  not like an aspiring where you take it and things are better (or worse).  Rather it builds up/down in your systerm.

Good luck and patience.  Diane