I'm brand new at this!

[what_now]

In June 2008 I went to a neuromuscular doc for manipulation because of traveling aches and pains; she would adjust my hip, spine, etc. and I would feel great for about a minute.  The adjustments wouldn't stick.  She had an idea that maybe my thyroid was out of whack so off I went for blood work.  Oh my goodness I never knew how complicated the thyroid is.   I thought - oh, a pill - hurray- I'll magically feel better.  In my ignorance I didn't pay much attention to the lab results.  All I came away with was "normal number is 4 - you're a 16".  She prescribed Levoxyl 25 mcg.  Well.  Simultaneously my family doc tells me I have high blood pressure and puts me on a water pill HCTZ 25mg.  I go back to the neuromusular doc and tell her that some side effects are bothering me - I feel like someone has their hand around my throat, my neck and upper chest are always always red, my upper chest felt prickley numb, my left breast feels swollen and hurts.  She said that I'm just adjusting to the thyroid juice and to hang in there.  Continue with the same dosage of levoxyl.  This is after taking the levoxyl from the end of June until the second week of October.  She sent me to have a scan of my thyroid because she said it was enlarged and for more blood work.  Had that done on 10/13/08.   Went to the family doc on 10/9/08 and my blood pressure wasn't coming down (still at about 140/85) so he changes the med to lysinop HCTZ 20/25.    Started taking the new med on 10/13/08 after having the lab work & scan done at the hospital.  Took the levoxyl 25mcg and the lysinop HCTZ 20/25 for three days and end up being wheeled out of work by the paramedics.  I was solid red, couldn't breathe, tongue and lips numb, legs floaty feeling.  The ER says I must be allergic to the blood pressure med.  I stop taking any med for the blood pressure, take prednisone and benadryl for a few days, continue with the levoxyl.  By Wednesday of last week I felt like I was poisoned and felt the need to PURGE my body of all drugs.  Since I was done with the script for the prednisone and benadryl and hadn't filled the new prescription for a new blood pressure med... I stopped taking everything, including the levoxyl.  After just a couple of days the redness in my neck and chest started subsiding, the numbess was almost gone, the tightness in my throat was leaving... my breast didn't hurt and wasn't swollen.  I work at a pharmacy school and one of the docs warned me to NEVER stop taking the thyroid medication - made me promise to start again.  So I started again on Friday.  By Saturday... redness came back, swollen throat... EVERYTHING came back.   The thyroid scan showed no nodules, no acute abnormalities except something about the texture being inconsistent.  The blood work showed that the 16 number came up to an eleven.  The doc wants to double the dosage of levoxyl.  I feel like I OUGHT to have a wealth of good information from the people at the pharmacy school I work for... but the three people I've talked to gave me three different answers.  So....  I have an appointment with the family doc tomorrow and I don't even know the right questions to ask!  Where do I begin? What numbers do I ask for - if I get the lab work will someone here help me understand what is happening to me?  What if I am allergic to the levoxyl?  Is there something else that I can take?  I'm SCARED.

[AR-10]

Synthroid, or any similar type of thyroid medication should be taken with water on an empty stomach. You shouldn't eat for an hour, and you should space other medications and vitamins at least four hour off if you can. Especially calcium.

That may be hard to do at work, although I can certainly understand your desire to be there when you take it. I guess if you can hold off on breakfast, it's not a problem.

You could ignore all of those rules the first week you take the Synthroid. See how you react to the med. The thing is, if you do not take it as directed, the absorbtion of the medication can be decreased, making it less effective. That won't hurt for a few days, but you don't want to do it long term.

Best of luck, and welcome.  

[what_now]

Thanks for the encouragement.  I went back to the doctor the morning and he changed my med from Levoxyl 25 mcg to Synthroid 50 mcg -no generic permitted.  I'll pick the prescription up tomorrow.  
I DID get copies of my lab work.  T4 = 1.15; T3 = 275; TSH = 10.51.
I'm pretty nervous about starting the Synthroid.  I guess I'll wait until I'm at work to take it since I live alone and if I have a reaction again it will be closer to a hospital anyhow.  
I guess I have lots more research and 'experimentation' ahead of me.  Sigh.  On a good note my blood pressure is down from the 170/90 to 140/70.  My doctor agrees to wait and get the thyroid under control and let me try to make some lifestyle changes and then take another look at the blood pressure.  

[Super_sally888]

Agree with mommy 2two2008.  Sounds like an allergy to either the levoxyl or a filler that is used in it.  More likely a filler than the T4 itself, which is supposed to be identical to that made by our bodies..

But yes, you need thyroid meds with the numbers you have.

You need to work with your doctor - perhaps try the different formulations of thyroid meds - different fillers may not give the same reaction.  Try dessicated.  Are there compounding pharmacies in your area?  Can  you get a pure form of the med.

Given your reaction, all of this needs to be done  under close medical supervision (with benadryl etc close at hand!)

Let us know how you go.

[mommy2two2008]

It sounds like you have an allergy to the levoxyl.  Some people do so you may want to discuss that with them.  Also, get your TSH run again, together with a FREE T4 and FREE T3, TPOAB (antibody test) and TGAB (antibody test).  It would also be good for you to get a copy fo the US report so others he can help you decipher that too.  Welcome to the community.  You'll find a lot of info!