SYNTHROID Reviews (LEVOTHYROXINE SODIUM)Average Rating: 2.6 (900 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare SYNTHROID with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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More on SYNTHROID: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR SYNTHROID | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | hashimoto's/ hypothyroid | stiffness/ joint/ muscle pain/ tingling/ numbness in feet | Although synthroid helped with waking me up from a fog, I began to experience a tingle/numbness in my feet as soon as I began synthroid. This spread to stiffness/ joint/ muscle pain which worsened over time. I have to adjust to walking again after sleeping, sitting for a period of time or driving. I NEVER had a problem prior to taking this medication. I recently learned about Armor thyroid and have switched in the past week. My hope is that I am not being fully treated and the T3 in Armor will help. I feel a slight difference already and hope for the best. What is this I hear about Synthroid not being FDA approved? ANYONE WITH SIMILAR SYMOTOMS PLEASE WRITE | F | 27 | 8 months | 9/25/2006 | 5 | Total Thyroidectomy and Graves | Weight gain until my dose stabilized | The key to getting better is BEING PATIENT!!!! I went to my doctor once a month for over a year to get my dose changed -- it has to be gradual or you will be thrown into hyperactive again and have to start all over.I started on synthroid after I had my throid removed when I was 17. I was well educated about the disease and drug before I started and that is the first step to recovery.BE PATIENT! Be on the drug for at least 2 years before you say something bad about it. | M | 20 | 3 years | 9/19/2006 | 3 | Total Thyroidectomy | Weight Gain, low energy, moodiness,hot flashes | I have been on Synthroid for about 4 months now and my energy level is still not where it was before. I am also a type 1 diabetic. | F | 42 | 4 months | 9/7/2006 | 5 | Hypothyroidism | none, if dose gets too high, you may get nervous, be careful to watch TSH | This drug saved my life!!! | F | 31 | 3 years | 8/23/2006 | 3 | Hashimoto's disease | When I increase my dosage above 10 mcg. I can't sleep; I get PVC's (heart rhythm disturbance); and I am irritable. Also overactive bowel, but can't tell if it's due to the Synthroid. | I think the key to tolerating the drug is to start with a tiny dose and increase dosage VERY slowly -- about 1/4 mcg. every 4-6 weeks. Doctors don't seem to realize that some patients are extremely sensitive. (I crush 1/2 of a tablet and dissolve in 10 ml. of water, then measure 8 ml. with a graduated syringe.) | F | 67 | 10 months | 8/3/2006 | 5 | Thyroid surgery to remove goiter | None | Works great. It is the one medication that all of my doctors have told me to get ONLY Synthroid and not a generic and there is a difference. All other drugs I take generic when it is available. I had also read about synthroid vs generic brands so there must be something to it. At least it isn't expensive! | F | 58 | 4 years | 7/27/2006 | 1 | Hashimoto's/Hypothyroid | Severe Fatigue, for example, sleeping >10 hrs a night and still can't get out of bed. Severe depression, mood changes, irritablity, emotional sensitivity. Brain Fog. Weight gain. Headaches. Heavy periods. NOTE- I have never been depressed in my life or even had any signs of mental conditions. Since starting synthroid, I am so sad all the time and have feelings of hopelessness. I have no motivation to do anything. Also, I have had a very high metabolism my entire life. I've always been skinny by most standards. Started on Synthroid and have been gaining weight. AND, I have a Ph.D. in molecular biology so grad school required lots of thinking and concentration. Since starting Synthroid I have a cloudy mind and no concentration. | I NEVER HAD ONE SYMPTOM OF HYPOTHYROID BEFORE TAKING SYNTHROID. MY HORMONE LEVELS SAID DIFFERENTLY SO I BEGAN TAKING IT. SINCE I STARTED SYNTHROID, I HAVE HAD A PLETHORA OF HYPOTHYROID SYMPTOMS LIKE DEPRESSION, FATIGUE, WEIGHT GAIN, BRAIN FOG, HEAVY PERIODS....THAT I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED IN MY LIFE. I BELIEVE IT WORKS FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT ITS VERY FRUSTRATING TO BE AN INTELLIGENT PERSON AND FEEL LIKE I'M CRAZY BECAUSE A DRUG IS GIVING YOU SYMPTOMS ITS SUPPOSE TO ALLEVIATE. | F | 29 | 5 months | 7/26/2006 | 5 | hypothyroidism | none I have always taken 50mcg even though I was told I would need to increase it and my TSH is still going down. Does anyone know if maybe my thyroid was injured during heart bypass surgery and perhaps has now healed? My doc does not think so. | got my TSH from 6.8 to 3.2 in 6 months and from 3.2 to 1.6 at 18 months. My doctor felt I would have more problems later unless I started the synthroid now. I did not have any symptoms so I still wonder about it but the blood test show a big difference in the TSH so guess I did need it. | F | 64 | 3 years | 7/22/2006 | 3 | Hypothyroidism | Bone Pain, dx'd with Osteoporosis last month, body aches and inability to lose weight. | I was diagnosed hypo at age 19, put on Synthroid and have taken from 50mg starting dose to where I am currently, 300mg. Initially for the first ten yrs it worked great. Then slowly it began to be less effective for me (or I developed a tolerance of some sort). Doc wants to raise my dosage again to the highest amount possible but I am totally against it due to the osteoporotic factor that this med caused in me. | F | 41 | 21 years | 7/19/2006 | 4 | hypothyroid | reduced appetite? it's only been 3 days so that might be just a coincidence | After at least 6 years of my doctor writing off my fatigue as a one of the symptoms of depression, I finally got a doctor who did the thyroid testing I asked for. Of course, I had to twist his arm too…what is it with doctors not wanting to go beyond the basic testing? I’m only on day 3 with Synthroid, still have fatigue, but decreased appetite. Anyway, I’m looking forward to being able to get through a whole week of work without leaving early to go home and sleep. | F | 32 | 3 days | 7/17/2006 | 2 | Hypothyroidism | Hair loss, muscle aches, heart palpitations, racing pulse, heart felt like it was pounding in my head, increased blood pressure, insomnia, shakiness when I try to walk, hand tremor. | Two months after starting Synthroid, I went to a hospital twice in one week because of scary heart symptoms. Doc said I was not overdosed because my TSH was 4.9. Was given Xanax and a beta-blocker to control the cardiac symptoms. I was an avid runner for 15 years before becoming hypo, but I don't feel like running now. My body temp is still around 97F in the morning. If I don't get better soon, I will ask for Armour. | F | 55 | 3 months | 7/15/2006 | 1 | RAI after equestrian accident | Got bald, skin turned to alligator skin, lost skin collogen, massive bone loss, lost all but ten teeth, went from gorgeous 95lb athlete to 250+lb old hag, massive headaches, systemic organ failure... This drug is dangerous. | The IDIOT dr decided I had osteoporosis after I broke my back due to an equestrian accident (I broke my back because I fell on a cement parking guard from the back of a very tall horse). What THAT has to do with a thyroid gland is beyond me. I was given a "magic pill" to "help my heart" and that pill (RAI) detroyed my very healthy thyroid gland. I was put on synthroid ($ynthCRAP), and I almost died. Near the end of my life, I found these websites and learned how to get myself well on the CORRECT medication: www.stopthethyroidmadness.com ---- -groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/NaturalThyroidHormones/info Because of what I learned, I got my life back, I am now HEALTHY and have lost 129lbs. I feel alive and young again, and look like a beauty queen once more. Synthroid is very BAD medicine, except for only a very very small few. | F | 54 | 13 years | 7/14/2006 | 4 | hypothyroidism | The only side effects I've experienced had to do with dosage adjustments: when the dose is too high, the symptoms of hypothroidism return (hair loss, dry skin, fatigue, moodiness, cold). When the dose is too low, I get hyper, like a chihuahua. The real side effect of synthroid, as I understand it, is bone loss: something to keep in mind, surely, and try to compensate for with calcium, exercise, avoidance of carbonated drinks and other things that interfere with calcium absorption (see symptoms and tips for avoiding osteoporosis). | Synthroid is a miracle drug: within a week of being on it, I was a changed person. The toughest thing was getting the diagnosis, for it seems every doctor these days wants to be a therapist and try to find psychological reasons for your illness. The way I got a diagnosis was by figuring out what was wrong myself, and heading straight for a doctor who specialized in hypothroidism. After three years of medical "pseudo/psychotherapy, the specialist diagnosed hypothroidism in a ten minute conversation, exam, and blood test. | F | 52 | 25 years | 7/13/2006 | 1 | Hypothyroidism | No energy, brain fog, could not concentrate, depressed, high colesterol, high blood pressure, no sex drive, dry skin, hair loss, cold intolerance, achy hands and feet, constipation, did I mention no energy and severe brain fog. | Was put on synthroid for 6 years. No dose helped. Doctor got tired of hearing about me still having hypo symptoms so he put me on effexor. That didn't help either. Thank God I heard about Armour and got my doctor to prescribe that and within a couple days, I felt 75% better. Three months later and very few symptoms remain and those that are (while I'm finding optimal dose), are very slight. If synthroid isn't working for you, please, look into armour or equivalent natural medication. I had to demand prescription from doctor (for some reason they are afraid of prescribing this medication and don't know much about it which is sad because it helps so many). I also have to tell her which blood tests to run because TSH only doesn't help. | F | 44 | 6 years | 7/13/2006 | 1 | Hypothyroidism | Enlarged goiter, severe fatigue, weight gain, dry skin, loss of hair, adrenal fatigue | It only made my hypothyroid symptoms much worse. | F | 24 | 5 years | 7/12/2006 | 1 | Hashimoto's | None. Wouldn't even know I was taking it. | Symptoms have never changed, regardless of dosage changes. I hate this stuff, but good luck getting my doctor to see that. | M | 36 | 12 years | 7/12/2006 | 1 | Had a complete thyroidectomy | face felt like it was drooping down. Brain function slow. Head hurt. Muscles in legs hurt | Even after taking it for 2 years and changing dosage, even when the TSH, T3 and T4 were right on the correct levels, I still felt awful. Got very depressed. Forced endroconologist to perscribe Armor thyroid medication and have been on it for a year and I feel way better!! | M | 42 | 2 days | 7/7/2006 | 1 | hyperthyroid | I don't think I have had 'side effects' per ser, it just has never returned me to any reasonable state of well being. | I've been on synthroid for 8 years and with the exception of about 8 months or so when I first started I have never felt well, healthy, have never had any energy, suffered extreme depression, huge weight gains. I think 8 years is a long enough trial however my Dr. believes synthroid SHOULD take care of things. I have also had doseages upped only to have my heart rate speed up to dangerous rates so I can't even up the med. I hate it. | F | 57 | 8 days | 7/7/2006 | 1 | hypothyroidism | Major hair loss, muscle ache, and severe depression | Would rather be hypothyroid!! | F | 39 | 2 months | 7/4/2006 | 2 | Hashimoto's Thyroiditis | joint and muscle pain, brain fog, fatigue, hair loss | Overall this is a good medicine if you only need t4 replacement. If you are like me and you can't create the much needed t3 from a synthetic, then you will still suffer, even with "normal" tsh levels. After two years and three doctors, I finally found a dr. who is putting me on t4 - t3 combination therapy along with thyrocsin which is a dietary supplement. TWO DAYS LATER I feel better already! My advice is be your own advocate and if you don't feel better, insist that your doctor treat your symptoms, not just your lab results. Everyones "normal" is different. Make sure that your doctor is aware of the new TSH "normal" range which is high at 3.0 not 5.0 or 7.0 that some are using. | F | 37 | 2 years | 6/29/2006 |