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616450 tn?1228433627

Bad Reaction to Levoxyl?

I had RAI done over three months ago and about a month ago I was finally a little hypo. The doc started me on 25 mcg of Levoxyl and increased the dose about three weeks later to 50 mcg without even doing blood work. Since I've been on this stuff I could swear I feel worse. Along with the severe anxiety and depression, now I feel almost like I have the flu or fever--but I don't. I keep going to the ER and the bills are piling up. Has any one ever had a bad reaction to Levoxyl or another brand? I really feel like I'm dying and can't even perform simple duties. The only time I feel halfway decent is when I take Xanax and lie down. I'm afraid I'm going to overdose on the replacement hormones too--and feel like the fast pulse and everything is coming back.
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Avatar universal
Glad to see you got a blood test.

I can see how you’d be thrown for a loop by your own situation – it’s confusing me too.

I take this brand, Levoxyl, myself and have not had any reaction to it.  However, I have reacted badly to other unrelated meds and one way was to have flu-like symptoms come on.  Like what’s been touched on above, some just react to a med no matter what.  So perhaps you do need to change med brands.

I never had to have RAI though so I don’t know how that part ties into what you’re currently experiencing.

Again, glad to hear your drs are taking action.

Good luck.
Helpful - 0
616450 tn?1228433627
Gosh, folks...
Thanks for all the input, but some of this is not so encouraging. LOL. (Hey, at least I laughed a little bit.)

I went to the endo this evening and they drew blood, so I should know within a couple days where I'm at. All I can say is half the time I feel like I'm dying and the other half isn't much better. If I don't make it, it's been nice knowing you all!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I take Synthroid but I had a terrible time when I was on Levothyroxine. My labs were within the normal range but closer to the lower limit as I was pushing hyper. I was taking 125mcg Levothyroxine for 6 months with no increase or decrease but the last month was terrible. I had heart palpitations, anxiety attacks, trembling, sweating...  I convinced the dr to switch me to Synthroid but he didn't do any labs or change the dose. It just got worse from there. My dose had to be lowered because I couldn't handle the 125mcg of Synthroid and he refused.

I know I am rambling and I am sorry...but I agree that you need some labs to determine whether or not the dosage you are on 25mcg is doing the trick before raising it. Maybe the Dr could try switching brands to see if that would help. I would continue to take the 25mcg and ask for the bloodwork before making any changes.

I know how hard this has been for you and hope that you can feel better soon. You are not alone...there are lots of us here that have issues every time we increase our dosage. I am starting 88mcg (up from 75mcg) tomorrow so I will probably be there with you with the heart palpitations and panic attacks. :(  Feel better soon LittleEd.
Helpful - 0
727481 tn?1231203771
My TSH level is 3.21, T4 is 1.0 and T3 is 3.1.  The strength of Levoxyl I'm taking is 50mcg.  I'm hoping that once my thryoid levels are under control the blood pressure issue will go away, but within five weeks of starting medications it went from around 140/70 to 205/96 and it made the trembling worse.
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490443 tn?1236648256
I see youa re struggling for me I COULD NOT take the levoxyl!!!! It keot me at 13 TSH at 200 MCG!!! I HAD to switch to SYNTHROID the BRAND!!! My phamacist told me there is 30% Difference in potency!!! Just my imput!!! Hypo will make you feel terrible what is your TSH?
Rodeo
Helpful - 0
727481 tn?1231203771
I have also felt worse since going on Levoxyl 50mcg.  The doctor tells me that it's a natural medication and doesn't have side effects but within three weeks I was trembling, dizzy, had difficulty breathing, fell victim to hypertension (high blood pressure) and felt like I had the flu.  I've been on Levoxyl since November and still feel awful although I'm told my T4 level is great.  I felt better before I started taking any medication at all.
Helpful - 0
616450 tn?1228433627
All I know is about a month ago I was a little hypo. I didn't get copies of the results or any thing, but the doc showed them to me. Maybe I should get in the habit of keeping track of my numbers. He had me on the 25 mcg for three weeks, and then he had me go up to 50 without doing any blood work at all. I even thought that was a little odd. Now I'm starting to think Endo #3 is a quack too. He seemed to be great for a while, but this is scaring me. I know 25 mcg is the lowest dosage available for Levoxyl, but I agree that blood work should be done before any changes. I go tomorrow to have blood taken, and in a couple days I should know where I'm at. I'm just so afraid of overdosing or something.
Helpful - 0
280485 tn?1249013844
I was commenting on Ed's first message where they raised his dosage 25mcg's without first testing him: "The doc started me on 25 mcg of Levoxyl and increased the dose about three weeks later to 50 mcg without even doing blood work."  That was why he was feeling so awful.  

Now granted I was never hyper so I don't know all of the ramifications associated with Graves and such, but I do know that even with RAI to kill your thryoid, it just doesn't die overnight.  He may still have some problems that stem from that thyroid.  And changing any thyroid dosage without a lab test seems inately wrong to me.  I do not think he should keep taking the 50mcg's if it's making him sick.  But I do think he needs blood work to determine whether or not upping his meds in 25mcg increments is prudent and warranted right now or if he's ready for it.  

Did I clerify my point?  Or just clear as mud?  I just don't want to see LittleEd sick anymore.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
True Stella.
After RAI I was being dosed in .25mcg increments and went hyper and have now found that by starting from scratch (50mcg) and taking baby steps and being patient (gawd I hate that word lol) that my levels are now stabilising good.
originally I was on 50mcg, then 75mcg...went hyper.
Then put down to 62.5mcg (1 & 1/4 tabs daily)...went hyper.
Now on 62.5mcg Mon/Wed/Fri and 50mcg the other days.
4 weeks has passed...feeling good although bloods being done today as feel I could do with 62.5mcg 4 times a week instead of 3 times a week.
So will go for bloods, wait for fax to come through then evaluate the situation then.

Take baby steps LittleEd, it DOES pay off.
Good Luck :)
Helpful - 0
393685 tn?1425812522
If I am reading your reply - you say the nurse said you could DECREASE back down to 25mcg right?

I think pep may have read that wrong. Yes it is OK to drop back down with your doctors office aware of it. That's what they told you right?  I do however agree - depending on when you go back for your labs - that it may be too soon to tell on where you really are at - if you decrease in your meds.

A steady dosage needs to be taken to get a real true reading - and on your meds it is best to test 5 to weeks weeks after that dosage was administered daily.

Why are you on this overdose situation question? are you not taking your meds as intended?  

If you by accident take an extra pill that should be no real crises - but if it happens alot - well.... that could cause concern. Depending on where your levels are at - taking to much thyroid hormones is like naturally getting hyperthyroid problems. Those can grow into major concerns being hyperthyroid whether naturally or medically induced situations.

It's hard to tell what really is going on. The symptoms you express could indicate hyperness. - but it's a guess.

RAI is a tough thing for some. It's not something that adjusts everything overnight. I know you are hurting right now - but try to get just a bit more patient with this stuff happening. Lord knows - it pains me to say that - I know ..............

Listen to your doctor - drop down the dosage and IF ( and I say IF cautiously) you happen to be hyper - you should see some tiny changes with in a week hopefully. Maybe you just need to go exremely slow right now with meds and very tiny amount changes may be better for you than what you are getting. Keep that in mind at your next lab test.

OK??  PM me anytime - all of us here (MH) are here 4 U - Keep posting - a billion times if you need to. In time this will all pass and you will feel better.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sorry...forgot to ask.
What was your levels when the Doc started the Thyroxin (Levoxyl)?
What was your FT4, FT3 & TSH.
The secret to the levels being stable is knowing your symptoms and having bloods veing any dosage change.
Also do not ttake thyroid meds BEFORE bloods are drawn as this can give an inaccurate reading. Take the meds after the bloods are drawn that day.
I usually am at the Pathology labs at around 8am when it opens.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
LittleEd
50mcg of thyroxin is not a high dose and the symptoms you describe can be from BOTH.
Either Hypo or Hyper.
After RAI 7 months ago, I was so used to the hyper symptoms prior to RAI that whenever I felt like you do now, I thought I was HYPER.
I wasnt.
I was HYPO so try and keep on the 50mcg and then have bloods done every 3 weeks until your levels start to stabilize.
You may be drug sensitive like I am and find the thyroxin works within 3 days on me, yet with others takes 3-6 weeks to get a steady level.
See your Doc and see what He/She says.
All the best.....the worst is over.
Helpful - 0
280485 tn?1249013844
To raise your dosage of thyroid without even doing bloodwork is INSANE!  I guess your doc was trying to cure your via RAI, so he could try and kill you again?  Bloodwork is necessary with any dosage change.  Period.  And especially in your case.
Helpful - 0
616450 tn?1228433627
I forgot to ask--has any one ever overdosed on Levoxyl or another brand? I'm really concerned about that.
Helpful - 0
616450 tn?1228433627
I've been on the Levoxyl for about a month now, but I just started on the 50 mcg eight days ago.

I feel deathly sick and my pulse is racing and I almost feel like I'm hyper again. I have trouble sleeping. I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep and have really bad anxiety attacks. I feel worse than before I even started being treated, and it's been a long, long time.

Does 50 mcg sound like a lot of Levoxyl? I called the doctor's yesterday and the nurse said I could drop back down to 25 mcg, but then the blood work will be pretty much useless then right?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I don't think it's the Levoxyl making you feel that way, I think it's the being hypo. Being hypo can cause ALL of the things you mentioned, especially the depression and the flu like feeling.  How long have you been on the meds?  While I don't think he should have increased your dosage after just 3 weeks without doing bloodwork maybe he was going by your symptoms?  I think the important thing is to stay on one dose for at least 6-8 weeks and then have blood drawn to see how it's working and then go from there. It takes a long time for thyroid medicine to really get into your body and start making a difference. They aren't like when you take an aspirin and feel better in an hour, it takes weeks if not months for your body to really start storing it and using it efficiently.  It's a slow, agonizing process.  But, definitely let your doc know about that depression. Being hypo can really cause it to get worse and you don't want that.  Hope you feel better soon.
Helpful - 0
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