posted
I was wondering if anyone had been taking synthroid or a similar thyroid medication and had bad side effects from it.
If you have had ANY issues with Synthroid PLEASE pm me and if you can, let me know about your experience.
I was on it for three weeks, had extreme muscle rigidity and then one morning for no apparent reason had an attack that looked a lot like angina (but I was told it wasn't that). My doc took me off the synthroid and said (I'm paraphrasing) "I had another doctor tell me that they will no longer put lyme patients on thyroid medications... at the time I just dismissed it, but now I see how you are reacting and I want to know WHY she said that."
Any thoughts of insights or links to similar problems would be GREATLY appreciated.
posted
I've been on synthroid meds for at least 20_+ years ... NO PROBLEMS.
Had chronic lyme for 36 years; 34 yrs. misdiagnosed, and 20 months of ABX ... NO PROBLEMS.
So I personally feel from a NON-MD perspective, that it is something else causing you this problem.
Also with your rx, they normally give you a sheet of paper explaining the med, side effects, & when to call MD or go to ER....check that too to see what it says.
You could check also NIH's library:
www.medlineplus.org and go to meds or explainations or do a search and it brings up everything about your med, etc. good luck! Bettyg
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I have Lyme and had difficulty with Armour thyroid. All of my hypothyroid symptoms got worse!! I have also talked to another Lyme patient who had difficulty with thyroid meds - hyper sensitivity.
I am now on Synthroid, and I have leveled out with initial symptoms, and feel good on it. If you go too high on Synthroid, it can make your heart do skips or jumps. It feels strange and scary. My Dr. warned me about this, so I just reduced my dose.
My body had gotten so used to my low body temp. from years of chronic infection, so I also felt unnaturally warm in the beg. If I miss a day's dose, I am cold again.
I have heard of many Lyme patients who are seemingly hyper-sensitive to many meds.
Anneke
Posts: 364 | From California | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
Hi, I have Hashimotos hypothyroidism diagnosed in 1995. I was on Synthroid 100 mcg without any problems for 6 years.
I tried Armour for a short while. It greatly helped with mood and memory problems but I was extremely sensitvite to a small dose. I had jitterness, palpitations and tachycardia and so stopped the medication.
Now I am on a small dose of Levoxyl to keep my TSH in the 1-2 range. I too am very sensitive to medications, and get hyperthryoid symptoms (fast heart rate, increased appetite with weight loss, and a fine tremor of my hands) even when my labs are normal.
Posts: 628 | From the south | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
I am hypo/hashi and have been taking a very low dose of armour for years. I have been hearing good things about Modiflan, which, is a natural source of iodine and contains other good things as well. There is research that suggests raising iodine levels can turn around thyroid problems. I just ordered Modiflan and will no longer take Armour; then, I will see what happens on my next thyroid panel.
btw: I also could not tolerate Synthroid, or any other synthetic drugs for thyroid
Sadie
Posts: 115 | From new york | Registered: May 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
I've had no problems with Synthroid. I started at 25 mcg and now take 50 mcg. I'm borderline hypo.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
Like Bettyg I have been on Synthroid for 20+ years, with Lyme for 40+ years and have not had problems like you mentioned.
My guess is that you are one of those with hypersensitivities to some meds. If you are hypothyrooid you need something to supplement your thyroid to prevent all kinds of problems.
Do you see and endocrinologist for this? My LLMD prefers that I see my endo for my thyroid and other endo problems.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
I've had Hashimoto's Thyroiditis for ten years, Lyme for four. I never had any problems on Synthroid or dosages. However Lyme is now affecting my thyroid and I'm having to alter my Synthroid dosage and have more frequent testing.
My LLMD said that Lyme does disrupt the thyroid, pituitary, etc. and now I also get the Free T3 checked which my doctors never did pre-Lyme.
I have always been hypersensitive to medications and other things, yet Synthroid has been the only medication that seems to agree really well with me.But I realize that you have to listen to your body, as well as the tests, to keep fine-tuning dosages.
Take care, Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
duskfire yes now that you mention it. tell me more. please my doc doesnt cross ref anything if at all, and i seem to be guiding him- more like the blind leading the blind;'let me know thanks
Posts: 5 | From Pa | Registered: Sep 2006
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posted
I have Hash/Hypo probems. I used to use the Armour, then did better on synthroid. The Last 2mos I have been just using T3 twice a day, 20mcg. I don't think it is working as well as the synthroid, so I am switching back.
I haven't had the racing heart stuff, but weight loss (which I don't need) and seem to have lose muscle mass And the skin is looking very saggy, old, yuk Posts: 315 | From USA | Registered: May 2005
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riversinger
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4851
posted
I have Hashimoto's thyroid and Lyme. I have taken levoxyl, Cytomel, and Armour. I never had any trouble with any of them, though I could never get my T3 to go up until I started on Armour.
I now take 120 mg of Armour and 25 mg of Levoxyl. The secret I found, is to always change your doses slowly. I cut pills in half or samller, and increase my dose by 25 mg at a time, letting my body adjust slowly.
Taking thyroid medicine is like working out. It puts demands on every part of your body, including your heart. If you tried to run a marathon the first time out of the door, you wouldn't make it. You have to build your strength over time.
Also, some people just plain do better on one thyroid drug or another. There is no one best drug. last, if your adrenal glands are not working well, you may not be able to tolerate any thyroid medication at all, even if you need it.
posted
I just started armour about a month and 1/2 ago. I have energy again and I know it is definately helping. It has made a huge difference in my recovery.
-------------------- Love, Merrie Believe in the power of your spirit..for it will carry you through the darkest hours of your life Posts: 261 | From minnesota | Registered: Sep 2004
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posted
I've been on Synthroid and Armour Thyroid over the years. The Synthroid is synthetic and the Armour wasn't always stable is what the doctors told me.
I'm now in on what they call bio-identical thyroid hormones by ITC compounding pharmacy.
It is supposed to be the closest to the real thing as the chemical structure matches the hormone it is replacing.
I could tell I was taking too much after my doctor slowly ramped it up so I now half the pill. I've had no problems since then.
posted
I take levoxyl for about 4 years now. I was wearing a coat in the summer and couldnt wear pants or pj's cuz the elastic waist hurt my skin too much. Anything but 100% silk or very soft 100% cotton felt like sandpaper.
My body temp was soooo low and yet all my tsh test were in the normal range. I finally found an endo doc who look at my symptoms and not just the tests and those symptoms got better with levoxyl
He did give me a trial run on the othe tryroid med (was it cytomel?) Anyway that gave me heart palps with even the tiniest physical movement.
Armour has both T3 & T4 in it so if your having palps you probably need just the levoxyl.
My doc anyays writed "no substitute" on my levoxyl scrips. He tells me never to let them give my synctroid.
I vaguely remember reading there was some sort of problem with synthroid serveral years ago but I wasnt taking it then so dont know what it was or if its still a problem.
Posts: 561 | From connecticut | Registered: May 2004
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TheCrimeOfLyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4019
posted
My thyroid supplement called IODORAL makes me EXTREMELY ill.
I wont even do regular thyroid meds- no thanks. I get too sick from just a supplement. Almost feels like a relapse no that stuff.
-------------------- You want your life back? Take it. Posts: 3169 | From Greensburg, Pennsylvania | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
I am on Armor thyroid. Does it make you Nauseated & dizzy? I have been like that for 4 days now.I have been onit for about a month and a half.
Posts: 188 | From NM | Registered: Feb 2006
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posted
I am going to be getting my thryoid checked as i beleive it is underactive. Is the testing for this as innacurrate as it is for lyme, or is the test ok? I was told to get a thryoid panel done, and have it include a thyroid antibody test.
Posts: 42 | From Pennsylvania | Registered: Jul 2006
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posted
I've been on synthroid, on and off for the last 4 or 5 years. I am very drug sensitive too. I can only take 25 mcg of the synthroid, but I can't take it every day or I go hyperthyroid. I do get heart palpitations from it too. It makes my pulse and blood pressure go up also.
They took me off the synthroid because of the heart issues several months a go. When I was on it my TSH was .5, after being off it for only 5 weeks my TSH was 115.60. My Endro said my thyroid was dead, but he has no idea why I react the way I do to the thyroid meds. That I'm taking less the a childs dose. My Endro said that I was was odd.
I tried Iodoral,I took less then 1/4 of a tablet and felt like I had drank a pot of coffee. It made my heart race too.
I talked to my lyme doctor and he said lyme patients are odd. I never react like I'm suppose to to any meds.
-------------------- You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have. Posts: 807 | From South Dakota | Registered: Jul 2005
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The accuracy of thyroid testing is dependent on the doctor's ability to choose the correct labs to order, interpret the tests and then to make a good clinical diagnosis.
Below are a few of the gray areas in thyroid testing and diagnosis:
There is debate about what constitutes a normal TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). This is the hormone release by the brain indicating to the thyroid that there is not enough hormone. If the thyroid is not producing enough hormone, the brain increases TSH. So a high TSH usually indicates a hypoactive thyroid.
But what constitues a elevated TSH. On most labs the normal range is listed os 0.5 to 5.0. However some doctors treat for a TSH of 3.0 or above in the setting of symptoms or presence of thyroid antibodies, which indicate some level of disease process and inflammation. There are also debates about what constitutes an optimal level of T3 and T4 (the two major thryoid hormones that are checked)
Also, Doctors don't routinely test for free levels of T3 and T4. The free levels indicate what is avaiable for the body to actually use, so these tests are crucial.
Also, ask for antibody levels (ant-TPO and thyroglubulin). These indicate if there may be a subtle disease process or inflammation even if your other labs are normal.
Lastly, a good thyroid doctor IMHO would take a detailed history. If you are having all the classical symptoms of an underactive thyroid, a trial of medication may be warrented even with normal labs. Many lyme patients need extra thyroid hormone for unclear reasons.
I was treated in 2003 with thyroid hormone despite normal labs, it got me out of bed and out of a horrid brain fog and depression. I tried another trial of thyroid hormone recently as my TSH was on the high side andfree T3 and T4 were on the low side of normal. I did not feel any better. But I am grateful to both doctors for their willingness to treat and observe.
Just like finding a LLMD is key finding a good thyroid literate doctor for me was key. You can ask your LLMD if he has`a referral for an endocronologist who is lyme literate. That would be ideal.
I found two thyroid literate doctor from the board, and have postred test results on the forum to get input and guidance.
[ 09. September 2006, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: serendipity ]
Posts: 628 | From the south | Registered: Dec 2005
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klutzo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5701
posted
I have taken low dose Armour for 3 years with no problems. I switched to Synthroid for a short time, but the equivalent dose to the Armour did not lower my TSH enough.
I was taught that TSH should never be over 3.04. If you have first degree relatives who have hypothyroidism or depression (which is often undiagnosed hypothyroidism), your TSH should not be above 2.0. My TSH is 1.55.
My energy improved more by taking Armour than any other thing I've done for my illness.
Klutzo
Posts: 1269 | From Clearwater, Florida, USA | Registered: May 2004
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