question(s) for those taking thyroid meds

[mickeym]

My doctor put me on the generic for synthroid, starting me out at 0.025MG (or .25MCG). I've taken it for a whole whopping two days so far...and it's made me so very, incredibly sick. I've got hot flashes/flushing that feel like a fever -- I don't sweat, I just get HOT (and it doesn't help that the temp in my office has hovered right around 80 all week). I also get a headache, and nausea. The nausea seems to be triggered by eating, because I was fine up until I ate breakfast -- an hour after taking it, like the instructions said. And then within about 45 min. of eating, *bam*. SO sick to my stomach. It actually took the phenergan well over an hour to kick in, which is almost unheard of, for me and that stuff. Then it happened again with lunch. I crashed when I got home from work -- relaxed on the couch with the a/c cranked up and the fan going, and slept for over three hours -- and felt fine. Even after eating dinner, all I felt was sleepy.

So. For those of you out there taking thyroid meds in general, and synthroid in particular...did you have any/all of these side-effects? How long did they last? Any tips or secrets to dealing with them? Would I be better off taking the synthroid in the evening, rather than the morning?

I did put in a call to my PCP, who was out for the day (naturally). So, until I can talk to someone...any info any of y'all can give me would be most welcome :)

Comments

[sneaky-sena.livejournal.com]

My mom calls synthroid her miracle drug (she's been on it for over 30 years now). She never had any side effects like that, but she's heard of people having hot flashes from it before. Also, apparently different brands of the drug can have different effects, so if one generic doesn't work for you, another kind might. My sister's been on it for years, too, and I think the both of them take different brands.

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

That's not one I know about, so I'm just sending you hugs and snuggles and love. {{{{{{{{{{{{{{kim}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[readerj.livejournal.com]

I've been taking oroxine (aus name for it) since I was 13 so I can't really remember any initial side effects. I get hot really easily and have trouble cooling down once I do.Kind of ironic since one of the symptoms of hypothyroidism is low body temperature.

I find I have trouble controlling my body temperature in general and need to keep a fairly moderate temp around me. Too hot and I melt and too cold and I freeze and then get sweaty as my body fights to warm up - weird but part of my life.

I generally take my pills first thing in the morning, because it's the best way for me to remember taking them (20+ years and I'm still struggling). My endocrinologist told me that consistency is the most important thing and to take it around the same time each day.

I hope that this settles down for you soon and you can start to see the benefits.

[cormallen.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I am trying to remember what happened when I was on synthroid a looong time ago. I had some weird side effects, but I don't remember them being quite like this. I, personally, was told to take it in the evening (and do that with the stuff I am on now) - mainly because if there is an issue, I don't have to be at work right then. Let me check with my mother (who is on synthroid now) and get back to you, hon.
*hugs and love*
Hope you feel better ASAP!

[fleshflutter.livejournal.com]

Have no experience with thyroid meds, but am sending you lots of love and hugs. Hope you feel better soon, lovely. ♥

[rivers-bend.livejournal.com]

I hope you get to talk to your PCP soon, honey. and that you feel better!

*hugs and hugs*

[umbo.livejournal.com]

Have never taken Synthroid (btw, it's 25 mcg, not .25 :-)), but sending lots of *hugs*

[leighm.livejournal.com]

Make sure you take it with at least a full glass of water. It doesn't matter when you take it, in the morning is okay.

Also, from what I'm reading-it says take it 30 min before any food. Some of the side effects are headache and vomiting. So make sure you drink plenty of water when taking it, I think it swells and expands in your stomach.

I hope you feel better:)

[deansdemongirl.livejournal.com]

I take synthrroid, I'm up to .88 now.

The drug is designed to help your thryoid regulate your body's endocrine system. So sometimes the hot flashes happen to you. I had that kind of nausa when I first started taking it as well. My doctor told me to wait two hours before eating instead of one and see if that made a difference and it did. So you may have to take your medication an hour earlier than you are right now.

The headaches are also a side effect not of the medication, but of your body going through the readjustment of having it actually working right. So I would suggest you talk to your doctor but also realise that your body is being guided back to normal.

Let me tell you that you will eventually love what this does for your skin (no more dry, flakiness) and your hair (no more dullness and/or it falling out in clumps which was what mine did..it got so bad I had to wear wigs for awhile).

Keep us posted.

[chrismm.livejournal.com]

First of all, when I first started I didn't have any bad reactions at all. However, that said, do they have you on a generic?

There's one generic I can take, which actually looks just like the official Synthroid (little round pills, pink in my case, due to my high-ish dose), and then actual Synthroid is OK for me, too.

There's another generic by a company called, I think, King? It's shaped sort of figure-8-like, with pointed ends and a wasp-waist in the middle. And that one made me so sick, SO sick. More of an overall "shoot me now, please" than actual puking, but yes. I think it's a difference in binders and dyes, as I understand it.

So depending on what they actually have you on, that can make a huge difference--and of course it's different from person to person, since a binder/dye that doesn't bug me might bug you. I'm on non-generic at this point--it's a little more expensive, but not much, really.

[geneli4.livejournal.com]

i take thyroid meds, but don't really have anything to add to what everyone else said, esp, what chrismm said about dyes and whatnot. also, i know you're supposed to take them on an empty stomach, but i always take them with breakfast.

[kgoodbuddy.livejournal.com]

I've been on thyroid hormones for 18 years, and have done doses from 1.5 to .88 with no side effects EVER no matter the brand or dose. At such a tiny dose, I'm surprised you'd run into problems. The big drawback with starting hormones is that without a huge effort, you'll never get off them. I'm taking a nutritional supplement now that seems to be jazzing my thyroid output (my TSH dropped from 2.5 to .75, so apparently I'm either producing more hormone or using it more efficiently). I'd be tempted to give something natural a try before getting on synthetic hormones. The one I'm using is Thyroid Strength (from Megafoods) and one of the main components is ashwaganda, an amazing adaptogenic herb that also calms your cortisol responses. I'm feeling good;)