what should I try next?

[levothyroxine]

Dear Dr.
I had I131 treatment for Grave’s and became hypothyroidism 3 months ago.  I was treated with generic levothyroxine, starting from 1 tablet of 0.05 mg a day. When the dose increased to two tablets of 0.05 mg a day, I developed allergic reaction (severe rashes over body, confirmed drug allergy by dermatologist).  
Now I am on Armour.    If I take 60 mg, my BP is ~130 mmHg systolic and ~85 diastolic, and resting HR is ~75 bpm with visible water retention on face. I also have puffy eyes since I became hypo.  Water retention makes it worse.
If I take 68 mg, resting BP is ~110 systolic and ~75 diastolic with improved water retention.  But HR become >80 bpm.  If I walk around or at work, the HR will easily approach 150 bpm with elevated BP.  This happen too if I take 60 mg.   I worry about the chronic effect of elevated HR or BP.  Is it because of T3?  What can I do to find a supplement will result homeostasis?   Try another brand of synthetic T4 or stay with Armour?  
Please advise
Sincerely
Levothyroxine

[stella5349]

You may have been started a bit high on the Armour. I see you were at the .100mcg Synthroid before the switch to the one grain.but was on the .05 prior.

Maybe going a bit slower on meds can be talked about with your doctor.

Maybe a 30 or 45mg to start? and then increase after a few weeks? I noticed when I was on a bit higher then when my body was ready for - I had the HR and BP issues too.

You would need to test often but maybe that would help you get over the swelling and the other issues.

Moving very slow on Armour for me made a huge difference.

and I too was allergic on Synthroid - Armour has not reacted for me either.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

You certainly need thyroid replacement.  Standard care is with levothyroxine - the 0.05mg tablets are dye free so an allergy is unusual (but obviously not impossible).  Options would be to keep "fine tuning" armour or try a brand such as levoxyl but stay w/ the dye free tablets (ie 2 of the 0.5mg) -- but this must be done with your doctor as this type of management is beyond the scope of the practice.