I feel that this is not the right medicine for me, or that it should be higher, as after 12 years of being on it, I still don't feel that there is a change in my thyroid.
Purpose:Hashimoto's Thyroiditis(Started Jun 01, 2009)
Date
Dosage
Efficacy
Side Effects
Adherence
Burden
Jan 25, 2012
Major
Severe
Usually
Somewhat
Date
Jan 25, 2012
Advice & Tips
This is unusual, obviously, but my body ended up hoarding synthroid in an as-of-yet unknown way, causing me to overproduce/under-siphon cerebro-spinal fluid, giving me a condition that mimicked a moderate brain tumor (condition is called Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension; i had it to such severity that I incurred brain damage which persists and was almost in a coma). IF YOU HAVE conditions such as high pressure headaches (headaches that get worse when you lie down), cognitive changes (for me: strategy, memory) weird graying of your vision, or loss of your periphereal sight while taking synthroid, please go to an opthalmologist (not an optometrist) just to check if your optic discs are swollen. They might not be! IIH as it is has only been the side-effect of synthroid in veeeery rare cases (and it's a veeery rare syndrome to start with), but honestly it's better safe than sorry. Blindness and coma are not fun, and semi-permanent brain damage isn't either to be honest.
I switched to Cytomel, and my IIH disappeared slowly following the half-life cycle of Synthroid.
I've been taking levothyroxine since July 9, 2011, the day after my thyroidectomy because of papillary thyroid cancer.
The first month was fine, no side effects. About 6 weeks into it, though, I started to have lots of HEAT INTOLERANCE; if I got hot (sometimes for no reason), I'd be so sweaty and uncomfortable that I would even take my shirt off, and it would last for up to an hour. This was NOT A HOT FLASH! I know hot flashes well.
After the first month, I had switched my Rx from Walgreens to my local pharmacy. It wasn't until the second refill there that I noticed the levo. was the generic MYLAN BRAND. BAD BRAND! Several docs have told me Mylan's generics tend to be weak, have poor efficacy, extra side effects, etc, so I refuse to use them. My pharmacy took back the refill as asked, and I had the Rx returned to Walgreen's. It's been almost a week since I started this supply by Lannett, my third refill. Still having some heat intolerance but am hoping this will subside with the Lannett brand of levothyroxine.
My nurse-practitioner, when I told her about all this, said that generic hormones were particularly effected by the FDA efficacy range allowed w/generics, said that many of her patients were sensitive to different brands.
It's important to be aware of what brand your generics are. Good ones are Teva, Sandoz, Greenstone. Geneva is ok. If it's totally obscure, beware. MYLAN IS BAD!
Cost
< $25 monthly
Date
Aug 14, 2011
Advice & Tips
I take the Levothyroxine first thing in the morning with my coffee. I'm not a breakfast eater, so the empty stomach requirement isn't a problem. I'll have my first TSH blood test next week, 6 weeks after my thyroidectomy for Papillary Thyroid Cancer. I have been having unexpected and much greater intolerance of heat. Not hot flashes... just sweating like crazy and finding it very difficult to cool down. Pharmacist says doubtful it's a side-effect, but the info that came with the Rx listed heat intolerance as a serious side effect. I hope it passes. Don't want to NEED winter!
Purpose:Hashimoto's Thyroiditis(Started Mar 11, 2008)
Date
Dosage
Efficacy
Side Effects
Adherence
Burden
Sep 04, 2011
112 mcg (0.112 mg)
Daily
?Can't tell
None
Always
Not at all
Date
Sep 04, 2011
Advice & Tips
Make sure to keep on top of your TSH readings but more importantly your subjective feelings (fatigue level, bowels, skin, heart palpitations, etc). I have been extremely hypothyroid and then went hyperthyroid. Now just trying to balance it.
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