SYNTHROID Reviews (LEVOTHYROXINE SODIUM)Average Rating: 2.6 (900 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare SYNTHROID with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender with females listed first (reviews with no gender reported listed before females). Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 |
More on SYNTHROID: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR SYNTHROID | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | Partialthyroidectomy | Weight Gain, fluttering feeling down the arm, spacing out, concentration problems | I started synthroid in Oct 04 and have had nothing but problems. I gained 40lbs due to the thyroidectomy before I was placed on meds and I had to push to even be treated. I gained another 25lbs due to the meds not being adjusted right. I started having the fluttering feeling, spacing out and concentration issues when my meds were too high and I was actually being OD'd. | F | 25 | 2.8 years | 8/10/2007 | 1 | thyroid removed | Depression, mood swings, weight gain, low libido, fatigue,crying spells, sleepiness, and no energy. | I have been taking synthroid for 2 years and I am dissatisfied. I have gained weight, hair loss, mood swings, and low libido. I want to stop taking it. I spoke to a co-worker and she stopped her synthroid and her THS levels is normal and she had her glands removed as well as I did. Do we really need to take this medicine everyday of our lives or is this a gimick? I feel terrible on this stuff. I have no energy, and cry at the drop of a dime. I am depressed. I feel worse now than I did before I had the surgery. | F | 32 | 2 years | 6/15/2007 | 1 | supposed hypothyroidism | extreme fatigue, depression, constipation, negativity in general when I've always been a positive person, feeling like I can't think or make decisions and I'm a therapist, overall feel like I'm disconnected from my life. I have gained 80lbs in 3 years and I've NEVER gained weight in all of my life. | I hate the so-called options for healing in our medical world. This has been hell. | F | 36 | 3 years | 7/31/2007 | 1 | Hypo | Tons of negative side effects over time. | I posted twice below. I have been off Synthroid for about 3 or 4 weeks now. No weight gain, other than being a bit more tired than usual (which I think is from stress anyhow), I feel great - back to my old self. I am FREE!! I will never get on a perscription drug that must be taken daily again!! My thyroid is working ok on it's own - thank God. I do believe the selinium supplements are helping my thyroid. I can not tell you how relieved I feel to not be dependent on a drug and have to worry about popping a pill everyday. No more worrying about having to refill scripts. In my case, I was able to free myself. (Oh and the hair stopped falling out too!) | F | 38 | 3 years | 6/22/2007 | 1 | Hypothyroid after radioiodine | i felt horrible on this drug. I had so much muscle stiffness and pain it was unbearable. | I first posted here in August 2005 after taking myself off of synthroid. I was on 50 mcg and my tsh was 2.5 after supposedly having my thyroid destroyed. Six months off of this horrible drug and my tsh was 5.0. One year off the drug and my tsh was 8.0...But a miracle has happened! My tsh is now 3.7 and my thyroid is working and healthy without a synthetic hormone! Don't settle for what your physicians tell you is "normal" use your gut instincts to decide what is right for you. | F | 45 | 4 years | 4/11/2007 | 1 | Hypothyroidism | No resolution of disease: continued fatigue, hair loss, osteo, muscle aches, brain fog. While Synthroid may work for some-it did not work for me. Naturethroid (just like Armour), along with adrenal support, has resolved my symptoms. | Please read the article on Desiccated Thyroid Extract at Wikipedia.org for the full details on thyroid treatment, and the discussion article as well. Armour has not contained any cow (it formerly was a beef/pork mixture) for more than 30 years. It is easily available by prescription at any pharmacy (see Drugstore.com). Doctors cannot prescribe unapproved drugs or they would lose their licenses, as would pharmacies. It is the pharma reps. who tell these untruths about competing drugs in order to boost business and, most unfortunately, the reps. are often the only source of info. for doctors who pass this on unwittingly to patients. Patients: please do your research and make informed opinions. You have nothing without your health! (my last post here)... | F | 52 | 3 months | 5/14/2007 | 1 | hashimotos | weight gain, fatigue, fluctuating TSH, low T3, depression | Synthroid is horrible. I was on it for two years. I fluctuated hypo to hyper and back the whole time. Depressed, fatigued and kept gaining weight no matter how much exercise I did and how little I ate. Never stabilized. I switched to armour with a small dose of cytomel in the afternoon and it made an amazing difference. I've been on the same dose now for 3 years. TSH has remained low and T3 has remained in the upper end of normal. My new Endo told me some people do not convert T4 to T3 properly so synthroid will not work for them. I am one of those people and I am so greatful I found a Dr who would finally listen. | F | 36 | 2 years | 9/6/2007 | 1 | hypothyroid | dry hands, dry brittle hair, incredible fatigue, insomnia, pale skin. | Amazingly I have taken this stuff for years...and despite the side effects I have continued to have, my doctor has never once let on that there was a kosher alternative. For years I have heard how my tsh is normal while on it. BS!!!! I wouldn't feel like this if everything was where it should be. I just found out about Cytomel and Thyrolar today and if my doc wont prescribe it tomorrow I am finding a new doc. Synthroid has robbed me of most of my life, not to mention that over the last year I have gone down hill and she wants to increase my synthroid...which just takes me to a new level of feeling ill? NO WAY. I am so glad to have found this site and learned that there are 2 T3 meds I can try, (Cytomel and Thyrolar). It is disgusting how ignorant doctors can be. What in the world do we pay them for? | F | 38 | 19 years | 10/28/2007 | 1 | hashimoto thyroiditis | After a short course of synthroid, extreme facial flushing 24 hours a day. Did lose weight very quickly without diet or exercise. | Stopped using it. | F | 45 | | 11/6/2007 | 1 | hypothroid | I had no side effects. It just didn't do anything for me. I finally talked my doctor into changing to Armour Thyroid (a natural form)and I couldn't believe the difference in the way I felt. Never again will I go back to Synthroid and if your doctor has you on it -- change to Armour -- you will notice a definite improvement in your energy level and the way you feel. | Doctors are doing their patients a total injustice by prescribing Synthroid. I don't know what the Pharmaceuticals promise doctors or bribe them with but it shouldn't be allowed. | F | 55 | 17 years | 11/9/2007 | 1 | TSH 8 - 12 | Crippling trigger fingers requiring 3 hand surgeries, horrible muscle & joint pain, complete insomnia, depression, high cholesterol. I would like to sue synthroid's makers for those hand surgeries--the drug definitely caused the synovial damage. | Two days after I stopped taking this drug, I felt as if I was reborn. My TSH went back up though, & Dr. insisted I go back on. I said no, I wanted Armour. Dr. refused, as did the next doc I asked. They didn't care I never had low thyroid symptoms until I was on this drug. I've been a vegetarian for 10 years--wondered if that could account for higher than averaged TSH. For the last year I've been taking an over-the-counter thyroid-glandular pill I get through the mail. (It's just dried, compressed cow thyroid gland--so much for being a vegetarian!) Last week my TSH was 3 and I feel fantastic. I think synthroid is killing a lot of people. | F | 51 | 2 years | 11/5/2007 | 1 | hypothyroid | tingling through out my whole body, difficulty concentrating, brain fog, so called "anxiety attacks" sore muscles | Thank you for this site. If I hadn't found it I would still be taking my doctors advice and be on synthroid. I stopped taking it in October (now on Thyroid)and I feel so much better. During the year I was on it,I was in ER three times feeling like I was having a stroke. This had NEVER happened to me before, and the first time was only a few days after I started this horrible drug. My numbers from blood tests never got into the normal range, but I felt better before, when I was originally diagnosed with a number of 100. Why would Dr.'s give you something that is worse than original symptoms? My Dr. had never heard of Thyroid (we don't have Armour in Canada) but my pharmacist said she's known of it for 30 years. Thank you again for sharing information on this site. | F | 30 | 14 months | 12/10/2007 | 1 | Total thyroidectomy | Nausea, chest pain, palpitations, headaches, hair loss, vision loss, constipation followed by diarrhea, joint pain, trouble eating, mood swings, and so many more. | I had my thyroid out when I was 18 due to pre-cancerous tumors and I have had nothing, but awful pain, terrible sickness, and horrible "side effects". My doctor not only wont admit that my problems are side-effect related, but also is strongly discouraging me from going on Armour. They have been treating me for anxiety even though I have never had anxiety problems prior to surgery. I only pray that I can try Armour and see if it helps. | F | 22 | 4 days | 12/12/2007 | 1 | Hypothyroid | Debilitating fatigue, bloating, water retention, miscarriage, menstrual problems, feeling of being overwhelmed when unnecessary, muscle aches, constant pressure in head, head and neck ache, stiff hands, irritability, can't control emotions, no endurance, no libido. I could go on and on. | I have been on and off Synthroid for 6 years. It always seems to help my hypo symptoms initially, then doesn't help so dr increases dosage. When he tops out at highest dosage, tells me I'm depressed and prescribes anitdepressants plus my high dosage of synthroid. I AM NOT DEPRESSED! I AM FRUSTRATED AND EXHAUSTED, BUT NOT DEPRESSED! Finally, after losing most of my beautiful hair and figure, I got fed up and spent hours of online research. I demanded my dr. change me to Armour. He refused. I found a PA to change me and am starting Armour today. I have hope. PEOPLE, GET OFF THIS GARBAGE AND FIND SOMEONE WHO WILL SWITCH YOU TO ARMOUR OR AT LEAST ADD CYTOMEL TO THE SYNTHROID!! I've spent my 30's in a fog and those are years I will never get back. Do your own research because I assure you, your dr does not go home and spend hours researching your symptoms, but you can!! Be your own advocate! | F | 38 | 8 months | 11/20/2007 | 1 | THYROID CANCER | THE CANCER DIDN'T KILL ME.......SYNTHORID ALMOST DID! | IT ONLY HAS T4 ...YOUR BODY MAY NOT TURN SOME OF THAT INTO THE T3 THAT YOU NEED. I WAS SO SICK, I WAS ON LONG TERM CARE...THIS IS THE WORST MEDICINE ON THE MARKET | F | 58 | 9 months | 11/26/2007 | 1 | Lithium induced- hypothyroidism | I experienced extreme anger and become irritable when I started this medication. | I started taking this medication while was taking 75mg of zoloft and 625mg lithium. My doctor thought my anger was induced by the zoloft in combination with the lithium and zoloft, so she took me off zoloft, when that didn't help (it made it worse) we increased my lithium to 900mg. It this point I was on 25mg synthroid, 0mg of zoloft and 900 mg of lithium and I felt more miserable in life than ever before. I was mad all of the time. I was dizzy and light-headed. Finally, I went off the synthroid and reduced Lithium down to 625mg. I've been off synthroid for only two days now and I feel SO much better. Beware of this medication if taking in combination with mood stabilizers- it literally made me a different person. | F | 29 | 8 weeks | 1/1/2008 | 1 | hypo | On Synthroid my hair started falling out, I gained more weight, I couldn't sleep at night, I couldn't seem to "think" clearly, I developed a large bulge on my neck & it felt like my body was made of lead. I switched to ARMOUR & immediately it felt like the fuzziness in my mind was gone, I lost weight,the bulge on my neck got smaller, I started sleeping better at night,my hair quit falling out & my energy level increased drastically! For me, Armour works better! | I would love to see a comprehensive unbiased study done with users of the thyroid medications to see if one truly does perform better than the other ones. | F | 60 | 2 years | 1/1/2008 | 1 | hashimoto's | depression,severe anxiety,panic attacks, severe insomnia, tingling in extremities | this drug was so devistating to me, i felt as though i was suffering from extreme mental illness. anxiety,panic attacks, paranoia, insomnia, no libido all were resolved when i switched to armour thyroid. an endocronologist told me all these symptoms were something else. thank god there are a few honest doctors out there, don't be bullied, you know your own body. your doctor should respect your choices | F | 57 | 2 years | 1/13/2008 | 1 | I'm not, though was prescribed to. | I have had diabetes for 20 years and my endo prescribed Synthroid "for goiter", which I did not (and still don't have). I would like to know how many women that have posted here have had to have a hysterectomy after long-term use of this drug. Both my sisters-in-law had been on this since their mid to late teen years and BOTH (in their 30's) have had hysterectomies. Your doctors won't tell you that long-term use will ruin your reproductive system when they prescribe this drug! YOU should ask them if it will ultimately ruin your female reproductive system. | F | 44 | | 2/17/2008 | 1 | Hypothyroidism | Heart palpitations - especially at night; hair loss; weight gain; dry skin and acne. | Initially, I felt no difference when I started taking Synthroid five months ago. Then, two months into it, I had rapid and irregular heart palpitations and went to the ER. They ran a stress test and checked my cardiac enzymes and everything was normal. Around this time, I also started gaining weight of about 2-3 lbs per month, despite watching my caloric intake, reducing caffeine, and increasing my exercise. About a month ago I noticed my hair seemed thinner and dull. My skin, which is usually clear of acne, now has a bit of it along my jaw line most of the time. For five months, I did not make the connection. Recently, I started wondering about the Synthroid and got online to do some research. I couldn't believe everything I found. Now I'm convinced it's the reason behind all of this!!! I have a follow up visit in two weeks and I'm going to tell my doctor I want off of it. If it works for some people, that's great, but I'm with those who feel like it's poison to the body. | F | 43 | 5 months | 2/7/2008 |