Can changing medication dose make you dizzy and emotional?

[Danni526]

I was just wondering if anyone else found changing dose made them dizzy, off balance, and emotional. I feel so weepy today after a long night of feeling off balance and dizzy. I upped my dose of levothyroxine to 125 about two weeks ago. First week I felt pretty good. Now I've noticed when I get hot (which I'm usually cold)  My heart flutters (feels like skipping a beat) Then races for a few until I calm myself down. My neck feels tight and swollen (had two surgeries due to thyroid papillary cancer). Then last night along with these symptoms I had a wicked dizzy/off balance spell (almost felt drunk while trying to get around at my job). And now today I feel a little bit better but could cry at the drop of a hat. (which is not normal for me- but did notice emotional period when I changed my medicine before-about three weeks into changed dose.) Due to my labs my endo wants me to up my med to 137mg this week and then go for blood work in 6 weeks. Should I call and tell her I'm not ready to up med or should I just try it and see if my symptoms worsen? I know the change will make me feel hyper (at least at first) but will it go away on its own. I feel like I'm on a horrible  rollercoaster ride and I want to feel better sooner than later. Thanks for all your support! This Thyroid community is wonderful!!!!

[gimel]

Symptoms often result from changes in thyroid meds, both increases and decreases.  If it is due only to the change itself and your body getting used to the new level, then that is usually short term.  If the med change was unwarranted, and your body needed the prior level, then that is another matter.  Were you symptom free before the change?

It would help us assess your status if you would post all your thyroid related test results and their reference ranges shown on the lab report.  Also, if you have been tested for Vitamin D, B12 and ferritin/iron, please post those and ranges as well.  

[jean785]

Could someone tell me if this a normal reaction to changing thyroid doses please... I have been on 0.15 mg for years but after blood work and a T5,free blood level of 2.03 the Dr. has changed my medicine to 0.112mg. I have started to feel alot of muscle ache and was wondering if this was part of the medicine change.

[jmidlife]

Hi Danni526,

I have Hashimoto's so it may be different.  Despite my very slow increases, I am in the midst of a hyper phase and have not really been able to increase my dose.  For me, it's a dilemma.  If I increase the dose, I continue to have dreadful hyper symptoms and if I don't, I remain hypo.  However, I'd prefer to be hypo any day!  I'm not sure what I'm going to do and am waiting for the next round of lab results.  

Sorry about both of your struggles.  I believe that a hyper response to overmedication is not properly acknowledged and, based on the responses here, is fairly common. Every time I've increased my medication (and this is the third time), I've become hyper.  

Hang in there and take care of your self.

[kspitzke]

Post TT and Post RAI131 Just starting thyroid meds

3/1Emergency room they ran basic labs this was 4 days post RAI 131  Tsh prior to RAI was 63
Thyroxine/4                       10.9              range 4.8-13.9
T3 uptake                            35                range 30-39
Free Thyroxine index (T7)  3.8              range 1.4-4.5
TSH                                     8.68   H          range 0.34-4.82

3/9 Emergemcy room labs
Thyroxine/T4                        14.2 HIGH
T3 UPTAKE                         42    HIGH
Free Thyroxine index (T7)     6.0HIGH
TSH                                      7.66 HIGH

2/27 Post RAI statred150mg levothyroxine
3/1  ER lower to 100mg of levothyroxine
3/7 call endo ofiice very hyper feeling is this normal they say increase to 150mg levo.
3/8 symptoms getting worse Endo wants to see me go to his office and he says my symptoms are not thyroid related.  straight to the ER.  
Coclusion they lowerd the dose of levo. back to 100mg.  and completly stop my Ritalin.  Which I had hasked every doctor if I should stop taking ritalin for my ADD when my symptoms got worse.  4 different doctors said absolutly not.  
Wow it only took 2 ER visits and a buch af changing meds over and over,  severe heart rate led to tremors and anxiety  to finally get someone to agree to drop the Ritalin.  Prior to my Thyroidectomy me and ritalin worked just fine, did not speed me up just leved me out.  Now the Thyroid is gone and Boom Im wired.

Still concerned about the labs why would all my levels except for TSH now be in the high limits when a week ago they were

[Danni526]

Oh I'm so sorry that you ended up in the ER because of all this. I hope you feel a little better after you change your medications. What are your results to your labs? Maybe when they say high they are talking about your T3 and or T4 levels- Then lowering levothyroxine would make sense.  jmidlife- My last labs on feb 17 : Tsh 5.65  (0.45-4.5) , Free T4 1.46 (0.82-1.77) , T4 7.6 (4.5-12), Free T3 2.2 (2.0-4.4) and I need to be supressed because of hx of thyroid pappillary cancer. I didnt know you could increase that slowly. How are you doing with that?

[jmidlife]

Thanks! So sorry that you're having to deal with all of this.  It's horrendous...as you say, a dreadful roller coaster ride.  I totally understand.    I just started taking a very low dose of a Beta Blocker (Propranalol) to deal with the hyper symptoms and it's helped with the heart palpitations but felt as if my whole body was slowed down including my lung capacity and blood pressure.  I just lowered my dose and am hoping that will help.  

What were the results of your labs?

You may want to talk to your doctor about going much more slowly, particularly since you're feeling terrible at this dose.  When I increased my dose from 75, I added an 88 every other week, then an 88 every week, then two 88s every other week, etc.

Take care.

[kspitzke]

Well I ended up in Er again today.  Elevated heart rate and tremors, anxiety (so they say).  
Well turns out that what I suggested weeks ago and all 4 doctors so no way it would effect anything.  Well guess they finally agree its causing alot of my problems.  How nice of them to finally agree.  Only been to ER twice and not to mention how crazy out of wack my body has been for oh about 2-3 weeks.  They finally agree Ritalin and Thyroid meds with the combo of no thyroid are spinning me out of control.  Ghee this was one of my first questions "are you sure I should keep taking my Ritalin"  and " oh yes Mrs. Spitzke dont change that, it has nothing to do with this".  I asked this to every doctor I saw.  So now they get it, stopping cold turkey (not sure about that) but willing to try anything.  Lowering my dose of levothroxine to 100mg although I dont understand why my labs are higher from last week.   O.k I can accept the anxiety attacks because It was pretty hard to control when I was overmedicated.  I know this for sure tomorrow im finding a new Endo DR!

[Danni526]

Thanks jmidlife for your reply! Do those symptoms usually subside if you hang on a little bit? I do need this increase- but I hate all these crazy symptoms! I want to just hide and go away until all of this gets leveled out. Its so hard to juggle your normal daily activities with all of these changes going on in your body. I work in a restaurant as a waitress and its almost impossible to sit down if you have a dizzy spell with heart palpitations. And people dont understand if you tell them cause to them you look fine on the outside! UGH! I also have 3 kids and a wonderful supportive husband but.... It's still hard!
And kspitzke I hope you feel better soon! We are all in this thing together!

[jmidlife]

Hi,

You're not alone.  I have Hashimoto's and every time I increase my dose (even slightly), I experience adverse hyper effects which include heart palpitations, emotionality, and sleep issues.  Usually, it doesn't occur immediately but several weeks after the increase.  
I seem to have developed an intolerance/sensitivity to Synthroid and am still trying to figure out how to deal with this issue.

Hang in there.

[kspitzke]

I would love to hear feed back as well.  I have been feeling the same way.  My endo started me on 150mcg and 4 days later 100mcg I got worse and now 7 days later back up to 150mcg.  As far as symptoms all mine mimic Danni526.  This is all new for me Partial 1/26 complete TT 2/5 RAI131 2/24 started levothyroxine 2/27.