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Unable to Tolerate Synthetic Thyroid Meds

Posted , 13 users are following.

fishingguy
fishingguy

Greetings,

I cannot tolerate any synthetic thyroid medicine even though I am hypothyroid.  The synthetics cause fatigue and muscle weakness, no matter how low the dose.  Are there some people that cannot tolerate synthetics and have to use natural (i.e., pig) thyroid?

Thank you!

0 likes, 36 replies

36 Replies

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  • rose12774
    rose12774 fishingguy

    Posted

    Hi Fishingguy,

    I too had trouble with Synthroid although I experienced different side effects (insomnia, racing thoughts).  I found out that I had iron deficiency and H Pylori and both of these may have been blocking the absorption of the Synthroid, causing weird side effects.  Do you have any other health issues going on that might be blocking absorption?

    Fast forward to today - I've been treated for both of the above mentioned issues and now am able to tolerate Tirosint, 25 mcg, although I had to start low at 13 mcg since I had a bad reaction to the Levo before.  

    Also, has anyone said that your symptoms are common and may go away after a few more weeks of treatment?  From what I understand there can be adjustment periods when starting Levo and that we have to try to plow through them in order to get to the other side.

    • fishingguy
      fishingguy rose12774

      Posted

      Thanks for your response.  I was on Levoxyl  (25 mcg.) for about 6-7 weeks but got progressively weaker in my muscles.  The last time I took a dose it caused breathing problems and a headache for 2 days.  Both of these are signs of too much thyroid medicine in the sytem. 

      At any rate, I have now been off thyroid medication for about a month and am doing better (although I have been low in Vitamin D for long time and am trying to get my levels up as well).

  • barbara98940
    barbara98940 fishingguy

    Posted

    There's a great website that discusses what else can be done to help hypothyroidism. I was reading last night that there is a gene MTHFR that governs how well one can convert T4 to T3. Then there's loads of other things that can also affect conversion and absorption. Google madness and thyroid.

  • elaina21505
    elaina21505 fishingguy

    Posted

    I had my thyroid removed in March of 2017. I have tried Synthroid, Unithroid, Levothyroxine and am severely allergic. I break out every morning and night and have been on the Levothyroxine for 8 months! My doctor won’t listen to me. I feel awful! I have gained 50 pounds and my body and muscles hurt so bad I cannot walk some days. I am 37 years old with 3 kids. I have gone to every specialist I can find and no one will listen. I’m now so overweight that I’m depressed and they won’t give me the pig thyroid due to dosing issues. I’m not sure what to do;( any suggestions?
    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 elaina21505

      Posted

      Elaina, my suggestion would be to learn about hypothyroidism so you can do what I did and treat yourself. I've now been on ThyroGold for two and a half years and wouldn't swap back to thyroxine if you paid me to do so! There are several NDTs available without prescription. ThyroGold is a bovine one. There's 'thyroid S' and 'thyroid W' but I haven't tried these.

      Some notes of caution: firstly, thyroid meds are powerful, even a small amount can make a big difference (after 8-12 weeks, as this is how long it can take for your cells to adapt and absorb the extra thyroid hormone).

      Secondly, it is easy to confuse allergic/intolerant reactions with thyroid symptoms. A couple of weeks ago I had a racing pulse, fatigue and insomnia (symptoms of hyperthyroidism), so I reduced my ThyroGold dose by 37mg (by pulling the capsule apart and putting the right amount of powder in my mouth). I immediately got hypothyroid symptoms of feeling cold and sluggish. So after two days I increased my dose back up. I was fine, so I then ate the food I'd eaten that I know I'm intolerant to and the racing pulse and insomnia came back.

      I suggest you do some research to understand the thyroid process. A good place to start is the 3 free chapters from the book the doctor behind the ThyroGold site has written. These can be found at the top of the question and answer section of the ThyroGold site. Then read the question and answer section.

      Also there's some good stuff in the other answers to this discussion (no this isn't a dig at you, just an overt pointer - we all know how hyothyroid brain fog means we can't see and process what is under our noses!)

      I trust this has given you some some ideas and pressured you that things aren't as hopeless as they seem.

  • linda27950
    linda27950 fishingguy

    Posted

    Hello,

    My life has been awful and Levo has made me very sick. Was on it from 1989 until recent. Its like I was taking poison . Now I am frightened to take anything. Dr wants me to try Armour can someone can give me some good advice. Please help!

  • barbara98940
    barbara98940 fishingguy

    Edited

    i like the research by Midgley et al, 'variation in the biochemical response to l-thyroxine therapy and relationship with peripheral thyroid hormone conversion efficiency'.

    from this i identified i was a 'poor converter' of T4 to T3. I demonstrated this to an NHS endocrinologist and I'm now prescribed liothyronine (T3) on NHS.

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