Levothyroxine

[hapybratt]

I was diagnosed with hypothyroid less then a week ago and started taking Levothyroxine 50mcg and 2 hrs after I take the meds my heart races and feels like its literally going to pound its way out of my chest.  I phoned my Dr with my concerns and she told me that it takes time for your body to adjust and to keep taking it until I'm re-tested in 6 weeks.  My chest now hurts and I am afraid to take the meds.  Anyone else have this issue?

[hapybratt]

I cut the pill in half this morning and its been 6 hrs and no sign of rapid heart beat.  Thank you again.  

[goolarra]

For some people, the fillers are the problem.  For others, like me, it's the medicine that's the problerm.  I've been on generic, Synthroid, Levoxyl.  I see absolutely no difference.among them.  In fact, as I look back, the generic was probably preferable to the other two.

[tsjpop]

Hi! I was diagnosed for the first time with hypothyroid in February of this year.

My doctor started me on 150 MCG of levothyroxine.

I went nuts. My mind was racing, my heart was racing, I could not function without paranoia and anxiety took over, I had the feeling I was going to DIE.

I did alot of research, and I went to my doctor after 7 days of levo and said, I CANNOT CONTINUE THIS. I demanded to try synthroid. She brought out this pamplet that said synthroid compared to levothyroxine is just like motrin vs advil = manufacturer. I said I knew that, but its the fillers that the different companies use that makes the difference in person to person. Some people are just "sensitive" to the fillers of levothyroxine, not the medicine itself.

She rewrote my prescription for synthroid, and now 2 months later, walla!! No effects like before. It may not be a miracle for you, but it was a night and day difference for me.

And I STARTED out on 150 mcg's, which is very high to start out on, and the synthroid is just fine.

Hope this may  help ~Sharey

[goolarra]

I understand, tachy is miserable. They don't get it.  Obviously, they haven't experienced it.

[hapybratt]

Thank you,  I will look into the beta-blocker.  Hopefully taking half the pill will do the trick.  Makes you wonder why the Dr. couldn't suggest that.  I was ready to just throw the pills away and live with the issues I already have.

[goolarra]

If your symptoms have been getting worse through the years, you've probably been hypo for a while.  I just can't tolerate any sudden increase in levo.  Many of us find a very slight increase can knock us for a loop.  I started at 88, had to back off to 44 because of tachycardia (rapid heartheat), then had to back off to 25, and still had tachycardia.  I finally got on a beta-blocker to counter the tachy.  Breaking it in half sounds like a reasonable solution.  Give it a few weeks, and then maybe increase to 37.5.  Baby steps are the way to go.  "Just keep taking it" is spoken by someone who has never experienced tachycardia.  It's frightening and uncomfortable.  If the tachy persists, look into a beta-blocker.  It really helps.  But first, try just going very, very slowly.

[hapybratt]

I am 46 and haven't been to see a Dr in years.  I have no idea how long I have had hypo.  My symptoms have been getting worse through the years.  My voice changing is what finally got me in to see a Dr.  Maybe I will just cut the pill in half and see how that goes.  Thank you for your response.

[goolarra]

Are you 1) over 50, OR 2) been hypo for a long time OR 3) have a history of heart arrythmias?  If so, your starting dose might have been too high.  Some of us are very sensitive to levo, and just can't hurry the process of building up to a therapeutic dose.  I was all three of the above, and my PCP nearly did me in starting me on 88 mcg.  Slow and steady is the way to go.  Don't put up with the side effects...you need to start at a lower dose (12.5-25 mcg).  Then you can slowly build.