Aa
Dizzy with Synthroid
I was just diagnosed with Hypo. I wasn't even tired....just my hair was thinning and I was gaining weight that I couldn't lose...so my Dr ran a test and my TSH was 5.753. I started taking .05 generic synthroid and started to feel extremely dizzy..(like I was on a boat ALL the time) it was so bad that I went to an ENT because I thought it was my inner ear. After tests and 6 weeks of no answers my ENT said its not my ears. Im 33y Female- Otherwise great health, so I thought maybe (even though I was told that synthroid doesn't cause dizziness) that it may be this medicine that is making me sick. I stopped taking it today, but I am still dizzy. I am so confused and frustrated that I am sicker with the meds then without. I felt so much better before all of this. I have never been so miserable in my life. Are there alternatives to synthroid? Should I even be on anything? any help? ideas?
I have considered allergies but my ent said it was unlikely do to the constant dizziness 24/7 for 7 weeks straight. He also said if it was neuorolical I would have other symptoms. I will try the four week idea. I feel dizzier today then usual maybe because I'm on day five of no levo and my level is changing? Do you think I should just start the new dose instead?
You say that you felt completely fine before taking the meds, yet you did mention thinning hair and weight gain that you could not lose. Both of these along with a TSH that was high and a FT4 that was low in the range were consistent with being hypo. So prescribing the meds was the predictable response. Unfortunately you are not having a good result.
So, since you seem to be willing to accept the original symptoms you had, at least for the short term, then I would find out if it is the meds, by going off the medication for at least 4 weeks to see if the dizziness goes away. That will allow enough time for the meds to essentially be eliminated from your body and see what results. There may be other potential causes for the dizziness, but this approach would at least enable you to determine if the thyroid meds are the culprit. For example, I know I have had some slight dizziness problems at some times of the year after I developed an allergy to pollen. I can tell when the pollen level is bad, and I have to take Claritin and use a nasal spray to help get through the worst periods.
So, since you seem to be willing to accept the original symptoms you had, at least for the short term, then I would find out if it is the meds, by going off the medication for at least 4 weeks to see if the dizziness goes away. That will allow enough time for the meds to essentially be eliminated from your body and see what results. There may be other potential causes for the dizziness, but this approach would at least enable you to determine if the thyroid meds are the culprit. For example, I know I have had some slight dizziness problems at some times of the year after I developed an allergy to pollen. I can tell when the pollen level is bad, and I have to take Claritin and use a nasal spray to help get through the worst periods.
The range was .84-1.51. So I went to the Dr today...got my labs back...There was no T3...unless its called something else. My TSH from 5.753 to 2.263 and my T4 went from.94 to 1.07. Heres the thing though- I felt completely FINE before I went on levo...what ever the generic is, when I had the first test...Ever since I have taken the drug...I have been miserable- Weight gain, alot of hair loss, fatique, headaches- what is this about? I obviously need medication since I am hypo..but I don't understand why I feel worse on the medication?! She said it could be the generic and gave me a lower dose (.025mg) of actual synthroid instead of the generic. I am on day four of being just as dizzy as ever and am scared to put anything in my body. I want to get this out of my system and feel normal again- then try the real sythroid..and if I get dizzy again then stop- but I am confused on what to do. I don't see how the medication makes you dizzy? Are there other ways of supplementing the needed hormones, without synthetic nightmares. Thanks for listening I am at my wits end:(
Ill check on the ranges. Do you hear about this kind of dizziness with thyroid medication often? I can't wait to feel better!
I think you will find that the upper limit of the FT4 range is higher than 1.04 and that your result is in the low end of the range, consistent with being hypo. For the future I suggest that you always make sure to get a copy of lab reports and jot down on there how you were feeling at the time and what your meds dosage was. That makes it a very valuable record for future reference.
Also suggest that you should insist on being tested for the most important thyroid hormone, which is free T3. FT3 is four times as active as FT4, plus studies have shown that FT3 correlates best with hypo symptoms. Doctors like to assume that if they know FT4 then they can estimate FT3 adequately. That is frequently not the case, since some people do not convert T4 to T3 very well. In view of the importance, it's best to just test and be sure.
Also suggest that you should insist on being tested for the most important thyroid hormone, which is free T3. FT3 is four times as active as FT4, plus studies have shown that FT3 correlates best with hypo symptoms. Doctors like to assume that if they know FT4 then they can estimate FT3 adequately. That is frequently not the case, since some people do not convert T4 to T3 very well. In view of the importance, it's best to just test and be sure.
It was a T4 free test. The range was. 84 to 1.04 I believe but ill check on that. Wouldn't I have lost weight on to high a dose instead of gain? Its day three..better but still dizzy .I see my doc tomorrow so ill post on what they found. Thanx for your help!
Many possibilities to consider here. First, is that a total T4, or a free T4 test? Also, what is the reference range shown for the test? What was determined as the probable cause for being hypo?
Numerous Forum members have reported having side effects with various T4 meds, not necessarily from the T4 itself, but apparently from the filler material used in compounding the med. Many have had success in just switching to a different brand. Another possibility is that you started with too high a dose. Some patients are more sensitive than others to thyroid meds. Some start with only 25 mcg. If the starting dose was too high, then just stopping it will not show immediate effects. Due to the half-life of a T4 med, it takes about 6 weeks to build up to full effect on blood levels. It also goes down slowly when you stop.
Numerous Forum members have reported having side effects with various T4 meds, not necessarily from the T4 itself, but apparently from the filler material used in compounding the med. Many have had success in just switching to a different brand. Another possibility is that you started with too high a dose. Some patients are more sensitive than others to thyroid meds. Some start with only 25 mcg. If the starting dose was too high, then just stopping it will not show immediate effects. Due to the half-life of a T4 med, it takes about 6 weeks to build up to full effect on blood levels. It also goes down slowly when you stop.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Thyroid Disorders Community
We tapped the CDC for information on what you need to know about radiation exposure
Endocrinologist Mark Lupo, MD, answers 10 questions about thyroid disorders and how to treat them
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
