Levothyroxin or underactive thyroid itching

[Lei9g]

I am am just wondering. Did or do any of you suffer from all over itching without hives or a notiacle rash? I began to itch November 2016 and it has never let up even when my tsh was under 1. I was on Levo until last week and I suspected that it was causing my puritis. I have only been off it for 9 days and I was hoping that the itching would have begun to settle by now. I’ve had the usual investigations, renal, liver, hba1c full blood count and vits. They’re all good. How long does the Levo take to clear system I was in 150mcg.

[Lei9g]

I’m on erfa thyroid now.

[shaws Administrator]

I believe it takes about six weeks for one dose to gradually diminish. Have you tried taking one antihistamine tablet to see if it helps relieve your itching.

Sometimes we can have a sensitivity to fillers or binders in a medication.

[Lei9g in reply to shaws]

Yeah. I’ve taken antihistamines but they doo nothing. In fact, I took some that the doctor gave me and I came out with Petechie.

[shaws Administrator in reply to Lei9g]

Ask pharmacist to give you levo (you might need a new prescription from GP) that is from a different manufacturer. Sometimes the fillers/binders in some tablets can affect us.

[Barrister]

Yes, it caused me the most unbearable itching from the top of my head to my feet. It took at least 2-3 weeks after stopping thyroxine for the itching to stop. I was taking Fexofenadine 180mg a day to help but it barely touched it. I now take T3 only which I had to get prescribed privately because my gp said there was nothing else he could prescribe. By the time T3 was prescribed, my TSH had risen to 29.9.

Clemmie

[Unhole]

Hi there, I’m no expert but lack of Vit D can cause that kind of itching....you’ve had Vit checked but is it high enough?....

hypothyroid peeps need it higher than normals 😄....And a maintenance dose of Vit D is not enough.

[linkit]

I suffered with this some years ago. At first GP treated me for scabies! 🙄 but then prescribed an emollient cream to use as a wash and to put on after showering. Although it worked I believe the actual cause was nutrient based so once I had sorted out my lack of vitamins and was supplemented alongside using this emollient all is well now 😁

[overunbykids]

I am on NDT and get hives and rash all over my neck and chest (mainly concentrated in a ring around my thyroid) at least twice a month for a day or so. I take a telfast and it helps with the itchiness a little. Gp says it's a Hashi's trait.

[dolphin5]

I suffer from extensive itching when I’m either under-medicated or over- medicated. I don’t itch when I’m close to optimally medicated. For me, it’s a balancing act!!!

[Pascha1]

I had extremely itchy legs and I was under medicated I had a less of an itch all over but legs I itched till they bled, this went away when I increased my Levothyroxine

[Inishowen]

I'm on Thiroyd and starting getting hives, mostly on my scalp, about 2 years ago. The doctor tried antibiotics and medicated shampoo. Neither helped. I realised myself that it was being caused by dairy products. Maybe try cutting out dairy, gluten etc. to see if it helps. x

[Lei9g]

I’ve gone gluten free now following advice from my endo. He has also put me on erfa thyroid. I’ve only been gluten free for a week and been on ndt for just under 2 weeks. No change with the itching yet but, I think maybe I have a little more energy. Not sure if it’s a placebo but today, for the first time in a long time I got out of bed and my neck, back and shoulders were not aching or if they were it was MUCH less then usual. I’m a male 40 and I shouldn’t be feeling like this. I am so glad I found this site. Thanks for your replies.

[Ballyo]

When I had itching at the back of my neck and nothing showing it turned out that when I stopped eating gluten the itching stopped. Worth a try.

[leftbehind]

I have been itching also, no help from Endo, however I'm in the very low range of free T4, 0.9 ,,(0.8 is bottom). I take daily 48.75 mg,3/4 gr. Naturethroid. My skin is very dry.

[Hidden]

There are so many possible causes of itching, including dry skin. But when it's all over the body, without a rash, it does seem like an allergy or similar. You've had liver and kidney function tested so it can't be that.

I had terrific itching last year, but just on shoulders, upper back and nipples. Eventually realised it was only in winter, then read that alternating heat and cold can cause itching due to skin damage. I love a hot shower, and of course had it as hot as I could bear in winter, as my bathroom is the coldest in the house in spite of central heating!

[marvalrus]

Do you take calcium and/or magnesium? Sometimes a supplement of either can cause all over itching. Too much circulating in the blood. If it's calcium, maybe you can take MK7 to put calcium into the bone rather that running through the blood and going into soft tissue.