Dizziness

[milliemack]

Are there any thyroid sufferers out there who can relate a dizziness condition to levathyroxin? That is the only med I take and dizziness started slightly when I was on very low dose. I am now up to 100 and have full blown dizziness.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Do you have any recent thyroid tests? If you have add them here including the ranges (figures in brackets after the results)

You need a full test - NHS rarely does anything more than TSH & FT4

You need TSH, FT3, FT4, TT4 and both antibodies. Do you know if your antibodies have ever been tested? If either or both are high this is autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimotos

Common when hypo (especially with Hashimotos) to also have low nutrients, as the gut & digestion are affected

Ask GP to check vitamin D, folate, B12 & ferritin. These are commonly low & need to be at good levels in order for Levo to be used.

Dizzy may be low B12 or that you are under medicated or not converting T4 to T3

If you have Hashimotos very many of us find strictly gluten free diet greatly reduces symptoms

See The Thyroid Pharmacist website - also Chris Kresser & Amy Myers

How & when you take Levo is important. It needs to be always on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for an hour after. Some medications must be at least 4 hours away from Levo - e.g. iron, calcium, magnesium

Many take Levo on waking, but lots of us take at bedtime - research shows this may be more effective. But it doesn't suit everyone.

When going for blood tests - need early appointment- fasting & don't take Levo in 24 hours before, take immediately after test.

Private tests available via Thyroid Uk - Medichecks or Blue Horizon offer full thyroid & vitamins for £99 DIY finger prick test or a bit more for getting blood drawn at private clinic

[milliemack in reply to SlowDragon]

Hi SlowDragon: I don't have Hashimotos and have had every test available. All came out normal. Am healthy in every way except for thyroid and dizziness. Dr says maybe aging but I don't believe that as I have many elderly friends who do not have this.

[ElleBee71]

Hi milliemack ,

You may also want to check your blood pressure. Low blood pressure can result in dizziness, and is something that is connected to hypothyroidism.

[milliemack in reply to ElleBee71]

Hi ElleBee: Thanx for your reply, Blood pressure is 130/76. I guess that is about normal.

[Wolfiesmom08]

I had quite a bit of dizziness before my Hashimoto's was discovered and I was treated with medicine. It really only got better once I started adding some T3 to my T4. I believe what you're experiencing is not so much related to the type of medication but not being fully medicated. Here's two links that might be helpful :

tiredthyroid.com/blog/2015/...

lapislight.com/wp/vertigo-d...

Hang in there! Like the second article says Hashimotos is an autoimmune disease that is more complicated than first believed. More systems are affected than just the thyroid and the vestibular function is one of them.

[mii101]

Hi, i don't have a thyroid, i m on levo and T3 and have recently been feeling nauseous and dizzy. i checked for hypocalcemia as i also was suffering from muscle spasms and terrible pain on my arm. My vitamin B12 was actually over the range as I have been supplementing and the calcium as well as other vitamins turned out to be ok. I am still a little worried as dizziness is an awful feeling and have not found what caused it or if the two are linked. GP and A & E think it's vertigo and not related to arm pain. Private GP suggests stopping some of the vitamins i am taking such as B complex, zinc, A and K2, as he has seen overvitamination (not sure if the word exists), resulting in dizzy spells. Hope you find out or treat your dizziness soon.

[milliemack]

Hi: Thanks for the reply. I don't take any meds other than the levo and have been increasingly dizzy as my doses increased so I have emailed my dr and asked her to switch me to a natural thyroid med. I am waiting to hear back from her. Hopefully, that might do the trick. I seem to be very sensitive to prescriptions.