Has Anyone Taken Synthroid When You Did Not Need It? Experiences?

[Minarchist]

Does anyone have experience with Synthroid when you did not need it in the first place?

I was prescribed 50mcg Synthroid when my annual blood work came back with a TSH of 5.0 (.4-4.5 range). Im a 37 year old male

I took the doctors advice and started my one pill a day every morning. After  6 months I went in for my checkup and I start complaining of unexplained nervousness and the overall feeling that something is off. I wasnt too bad, but it was concerning. I was offered an anti-depressant. I refused.

Fast forward to 10 months on Synthroid. Now Im paranoid, my heart is constantly racing, Im sweating, cant sleep, cant eat, confusion and Im the most irritable I ever remember myself being. It felt like my body was in overdrive constantly. My doctor still recommended an anti-depressant. I know my body and this was WAYYY more than any depression or anxiety Ive ever experienced and for no reason. Everything in life was going good except how I was feeling.

Now we get to month 12. I go to my doctor 3 times in 3 weeks. My heart rate is in the upper 90's. Im 55-60 BPM on average. On the last visit I brought in the Prescribing Information from Synthroid and showed my doctor the symptoms of "over medication". I KNEW at this point that was my issue. The only med I was taking was Synthroid. However, I was still "in range" at .7 TSH (.4-4.5 range) so of course it couldnt be my thyroid so says the doctor.. I dont care whats normal. A .7 TSH is not normal for me!

Now get this..The doctor told me to stop cold turkey and sent me to an Endocrinologist. Four days after stopping Synthroid I felt 100% normal. Now I was really convinced. However, that good feeling only last about one week, then my body crashed.

I was freezing, My face was pale with red cheeks and my skin was flaking off. I had no energy. I literally felt like it was a slow death coming my way.

This horrible feeling last 2-3 weeks, then I had another 5-7 days of felling good. Then right back to the crashing feeling of death. This cycle continued for months. Im 10 months off Synthroid and the cycle is more spread out and not as intense. They also do not last as long either.

So with all that said how long would it take my body to adjust itself after taking thyroid hormone for one year when i didnt need it?

I went to 2 Endo's and was tested numerous times. The conclusion is I should have never been given Synthroid off one blood test. I do not have a thyroid issue. I do not need Synthroid.

The doctors also seem to think once the Synthroid was out of my system my body would adjust pretty quickly. I do not agree with this. I know what I feel. I never had any of these issue until I took thyroid hormones.

Just curious if anyone else has experienced anything like this.

Thank you for reading! Sorry so long!

[Barb135]

Can you tell me what tests they did to rule out Hashimoto's?  And do you have the actual results, with reference ranges?  

Do you know if the T4 test that was done was a Free T4 or a Total T4?  Those aren't the same tests and don't provide the same information.  Typically, when we see "T4", we assume it's Total T4, which is considered obsolete and of little value; however, the result of yours, is one we, often, see for Free T4.  Do you have the reference range for it?  Ranges vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own report.

It's always a good idea to get/keep copies of all lab and diagnostic reports for your own records, so you'll have them for future reference...

First off, if your thyroid was swollen, that means you had a goiter... something was causing it to be that way - so it wasn't completely okay, even though it might have been functioning properly at the time.

Secondly, since there was never a Free T3 test done, you aren't completely sure that it was functioning properly.  Free T3 is the hormone that's used by all the cells in the body.  Free T4 is a storage hormone and must be converted to the usable Free T3; not all of us adequately make that conversion.  

Studies have shown that selenium can help with the conversion of Free T4 to Free T3... Iodine is not, typically, recommended, except under the supervision of a doctor, especially, if you have Hashimoto's as it can make the autoimmune reaction that much worse.  Since you had a swollen thyroid, which is often caused by thyroiditis, you may have an autoimmune issue.

L-Tyrosine is used, along with iodine, in the production of thyroid hormones... if you're already producing excess thyroid hormones, both iodine and L-tyrosine would counter-productive.

Zinc should be taken with Copper in order to keep the 2 in balance... you should talk to your doctor before starting new supplements.  You can get a micro-nutrient test to determine if you have deficiencies...

[Barb135]

The first thing your doctor did wrong was put you on a thyroid medication based only on a TSH reading, if that what he did... were there ever any Free T4 and Free T3 tests done?  Those are the actual thyroid hormones, whereas TSH is a pituitary hormone, which is a diagnostic tool, at best; it should never be used as the sole factor in prescribing thyroid hormones... If you have results for Free T4 and Free T3, please post them, along with their reference ranges, since ranges vary from lab to lab and have to come from your own reports.

That said, because synthroid has a long half life, it would take 4-6 weeks for it to be out of your system after stopping it.  It could take a short period of time for your own thyroid to kick back in, but not 10 months.  

Did any of these doctors, by any chance, do any antibody tests to determine if you might have Hashimoto's?  Since a TSH of 5 is, technically, hypothyroid, it would seem prudent to find out WHY you were hypo, even if you might not have had symptoms at that time.

If there were any other relevant tests done, please post them, along with reference ranges.

[Minarchist]

The original blood test was TSH only at 5.01. After 6 months I was retested and TSH was .961 and T4 was 1.38. I was feeling ok at this time, but did complain of unexplained nervousness on the retest visit. After 12 months my TSH was .7 and no T4 or T3 was done this time.

I was tested for Hashimoto and all was negative. I did every test I think they could do. I have no thyroid issue at all. Well they did say it was a little swollen, but it was functioning fine.

At this point I know I had a crap doctor. Ive just never felt like this until I started messing with my thyroid. I cannot process that its just a coincidence.

[83yoSoftballPlayer]

Have you ever taken supplements to support your thyroid? Like Selenium (200mcg/d), Iodine/Iodide (recommendations vary from 1-2 mg/d to 6.25 mg/d or 12.5 mg/d and even higher doses), L-Tyrosine (500mg/d), Zn (25-50 mg/d)?