Does Levothyroxine work? What's your experience?

[samela23]

I was just diagnosed with Hypothyroidism and was prescribed Levothyroxine. I'm just hoping to hear others experiences with the medication so I can know what to expect. Did you have any side effects? Positive and negative? Were/are you happy with the medication? Thanks and God Bless :)

[Barb135]

You've attached to a very old thread and samela23 has not been active on the forum since 2010, so I doubt you'll get a response...

Some people are very sensitive to the med and have to have, either, brand names or generics from a different manufacturer, as manufacturers use different fillers/binders in their products so absorption may different from one to the other.

[kcisok]

I have taken Synthroid for almost 30 years.  Recently switched over to generic because I just couldn't afford it any more.  My doctor advised me not to change, that only the active ingredient is the same, and I may not respond as well with the generic.  I was doing great on Synthroid, but now not so much on generic.  My lab tests show that I am in the "normal" range, but in spite of seeing a nutritionist and following the diet perfectly I am unable to lose weight, hair is thinning badly, and now I have developed these horrible bags under my eyes, and my eyelids are swollen.  I believe I will have to pay the cost and go back to the brand name.  Appointment soon with doctor to discuss this.  The generic may work well for you, and my problems may be due to changing meds, but if you have any of these symptoms you might consider it.

[annamae26]

yes it works    but   it takes time several weeks  hang in you will feel better    i am also on levo

[Barb135]

I'm on levothyroxine.  It's simply the generic version of synthroid, levoxyl and some others.  Levothyroxine is thyroid replacement hormone.  The only side effects you should get is feeling better once your thyroid hormone levels come back to a proper level for you.  Do be patient, as this can take some time, with med/dosage changes along the way.  It takes at least 5-6 weeks following any med/dosage change before you get the full effect of it.  

Hypothyroidism causes an entire laundry list of symptoms, including anxiety, so you may see some of that diminish as you go along.  I, personally, knew something was wrong when I began gaining weight very quickly (30 lbs in about 3 months).  I also had extreme fatigue, joint/muscle aches/pains, a choking feeling in my throat, hair loss, huge bags under my eyes, etc.  The first thing I noticed after beginning med was that my hair stopped falling out (as badly) and the bags went away from under my eyes.  The fatigue has diminished considerably; however, I do still have "my days".  I'm still struggling with the weight issue, but I think I'll win that battle also.  I just don't happen to be one of the lucky ones who lose the weight right away; I have to work at it and I haven't had the time to commit to a routine exercise regimen.

PCOS is a separate issue; I doubt you will see any improvement on that from the levo; however, there are separate meds they can prescribe for that.  

Do you know what tests were run for your diagnosis?  Do you have Hashimoto's, which is an autoimmune disease in which antibodies destroy the thyroid gland?  

It would be great if you could post the labs you had done, along with their results and the reference ranges from your lab report.  The reference ranges are most important because they are lab specific and must come from your report.

Good luck

[samela23]

Also, did you have any other problems before you started taking it that it might have affected. For instance, I'm in the process of being diagnosed with PCOS, also have Anxiety Disorders and ADHD. I'm not asking if these problems will be fixed, just if there has been any affect on anyone with these problems. :)