Posted , 111 users are following.
Hi, I am 32 and have just been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid. Been put on 50 mg but after about a week starting to get muscle aches, upset stomach. Did anyone else experience this? also feel really tired!
10 likes, 194 replies
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buddhaken
Posted
I too started on Thyroxine a couple of months ago and had a bad time - I really felt that if waking up in the morning was going to be like this for the rest of my life, what's the point in taking it. However, tow kind advisors on this site said:
1) Take your Thyroxine well away from any other meds - separate them by several hours.
2) Separate taking Thyroxine from food intake by as much time as possible - preferably a couple of hours at least - before or after.
So, I took my other meds in the morning, had my three meals during the day and take my Thyroxine when I go to bed around 11:00PM. Result! I feel better than ever most of the time and the drug is working.
andrea32603
Posted
So far I have no noticed no change in anything other than in the last 3 days I have experienced SEVERE itching all over my body. There is no rash and the skin is not even particularly dry, but the itching is keeping me awake at night, and driving me mad during the day too. Even the palms of my hands are itchy.
Could this be a side effect? The leaflet does not mention this as a side effect.
petebythesea
Posted
I have found this forum this very helpful. My wife was diagnosed with under active thyroid a few years ago
and showed no signs of it at all but was picked up when blood tests done for skin cancer on her face.
Thankfully all clear now.
She is on 125 a day and is hyper active and never sits down and her moods are so different that we ( the children find her on their case all the time with no let up) find it all so difficult. How often is she supposed to have blood tests as she has not had one for 2 years? I think she is on too much. I can't persuade her to go back and get a test. She does have dry skin and does
feel the cold even more -although she always did have cold feet and hands.
Any thoughts please? from a guy who is desperate to have his relaxed carefree wife back .
kazzie189 petebythesea
Posted
Hashi petebythesea
Posted
Maintenance Blood tests to check thyroid levels are recommended every 6 months, though much sooner when you first start the medication, to keep adjusting until you get the levels right.
Bipolar type symptoms are often connected with thyroid imbalance - to the extent that a thyroid level blood test is given before a Bipolar diagnosis is confirmed.
Too much thyroxine is extremely dangerous. Please insist she gets back to the Dr for a checkover before irreversible damage is done.
Organise it yourself if you have to, then take her there. Being very anxious and irritable are signs. You need to take over here. Best wishes.
sweetmelissa petebythesea
Posted
Helen1951 petebythesea
Posted
Hi Pete, I am experiencing extreme anxiety, irritability and serious depression on this drug. After discussion with my doctor, I halved the dose of one pill a day (Monday through Friday), and still felt like I was the sole occupant of an evil parallel universe. I have now, again with doctor's advice, halved the dose again, to half a tablet 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Hopefully by the end of this week I will begin to feel like a human being again. I wish I could find out why this drug produces this kind of emotional disturbance, as it is extremely debilitating and affects every area of one's life, and also impacts on family members. I have been told the consequences of living with hypothyroidism would be dire, but I am feeling at the moment that anything would be better than feeling like this. Please give your wife my empathy, and suggest that reducing the dose to the lowest possible level might alleviate some of the symptoms.
barbara98940 Helen1951
Posted
I'm on ThyroGold because I developed an intolerance to corn aka maize, and maize starch is in all the thyroxine tablets. Sounds like its worth investigating for you. I buy it without a prescription over the internet with the full knowledge of my doctor and endocrinologist.ThyroGold has been a life saver for me. I just thought you'd like to know there's an option.
diane2619
Posted
6 years ago went to GP with being sick each morning - comes from pit of stomach but just fluid and feel better as soon as it is over. told probably stress...but has continued - hormonal linked liked morning sickness - once sick feel absolutely fine
last September started having light headedness - went to optician who said had pressure behind eye and to get checked for high blood pressure. blood pressure found to be ok (after week of monitoring) but blood test showed up a thyroid problem.
2 weeks ago right eye lid dropped and on investigation found to have optic nerve damage/double vision/dry eyes/dropped eyelid.
today prescribed 50mg of levothyroxine to be doubled in months time.
will let you know how it goes....feeling nervous but hope it helps with many symptoms fatigue, dry skin, poor nails etc
derek76
Posted
My wife (79) has been found to have borderline readings and has been put on the very lowest dose of 12.5mg. They don't make that size and she has to use a pill cutter to get her half dose.
She hates taking medication and is worried about side effects but on that dosage I told her it is very unlikely.
I learnt today that most medications contain (As do sweets, multi vitamins and practically everything else) magnesium stearate as a binding agent. It can cause muscle and joint pains. it can also evidently cause harm to the intestines and can prevent absorption of nutrients.
The person who told me asked his pharmacist if there were magnesium stearate free versions of his BP meds. The pharmacist found some for him and his aches and pains went.
diane2619
Posted
Jane3928 Guest
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Bryer Guest
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Jane3928 Bryer
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Bryer Jane3928
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leanne66327 Bryer
Posted
The only reason I ask is that I sadly dont even recognise myself anymore and I feel at my wits end...
kazzie189 leanne66327
Posted
I found this site today and have been reading some or these posts!!! Just wished I found it sooner . I had part of thyroid removed in 1985 and 18mthlater I was put on thyroxine.. 100mg and still on thisalthough recently GP has asked me to reduce to 75mg which I asked if I could stay on 100mg I am 55 yrs old and for the past 2 years struggled with weight gain, aching
Limbs, palpitations, mood swings sleepless nights and chronic fatigue depression lack of concentration, and now the sweats!!!! And there me thinking all of it due to my age!!! I asked my GP to check t4, and she said borderline!!! So I think I will go back and take up the offer to reduce the levo...
And investigate a bit more I think..my GP told me from day one if I didn't take thyroxine I would die so I never question. But these past two years have been awful so I want to feel good about myself. I live in the UK and don't think NDT is available but I think going to question a few things with GP
Helen1951 leanne66327
Posted
Hi Leanne, hope you are doing better on the thryoid medication. I have recently been diagnosed with Hashimoto's syndrome, and for 3 weeks took one table each day for 5 days. The side effects were appalling, and I stopped the medication. After a few weeks' break, my thyroid condition is such that I still need to take medication. I am now on half a tablet 5 days a week. After only 3 days I am feeling as bad as last time. The level of anxiety and mood disturbances are profound, which to me is the most debilitation of the side effects. I am not sure I can continue on this medication, as it is negatively affecting every area of my life. Just don't know what to do beyond this. Back to the doctor I guess. Best wishes, Helen
Cwhite1 Helen1951
Posted
Hi Helen sorry to hear about your symptoms. From my experience when starting the thyroxine it's was a bit of a bumpy road. Getting the mess into your system and allowing the body to get used to it does take sometime. I remember getting hot and dizzy, having numbness in my hands and feet and feeling quite emotionally a lot of the time. It's taken me years and several doctors from going from 50mg to 175mg a day. It's not a nice time getting used to the medal but hopefully you will eventually start to feel normal again. Again it's an emotional time and you are still ill from the lack of thyroxine in your system and it does take time so is perfectly normal to feel anxious and restless. Good luck x
barbara98940 Helen1951
Posted
Helen, what dose are you on? Try taking a quarter of a 25mcg tablet for 2-3 days, then half for the next 2-3 days then 3/4 for the next 2-3 days, and so on. After about a week you'll be up to 25mcg a day, after about two weeks you'll be up to 50mcg. Continue like this until you get to the correct dose. At the beginning as you've no experience of how the medication affects you, your doctor will be using the calculation 1.7mcg per kilogram of body weight - but this calculation assumes your thyroid isn't working at all, so you may end up on a lower dose.
Just a thought, havls your doctor checked that your adrenal glands are functioning properly? Thyroxine is contraindicated if you have a problem with your adrenal glands. Look up 'Cushing's disease' and 'Addison's disease' and see if you have the symptoms. Craving salt is one I can remember.