PLEASE HELP!!! Medicine switch and not doing good.

[Heatherv627]

Hi had to switch meds due to Nature throid recall. Felt absolutely fine on Naturethroid.

Doctor started me on 100 mcg of Synthroid and immediately had headaches, shortness of breath and brain fog. Stuck it out for 7 days and then she put me on 50 mg of Tirosint. I am on day 5 and I have extreme brain fog...feels like I’m slightly having an out of body experience all day, and shortness of breath. I can barely drive. I am getting hopeless!!! I want to feel like my old self from two weeks ago. Please help!!!!

Thank you! Heather

Here are my labs right before the switch off Naturethroid

TSH

1.790

0.450 uIU/mL to 4.500

T4,Free(Direct)

0.78

0.82 ng/dL to 1.77 ng/dL

Triiodothyronine (T3), Free

2.4

2.0 pg/mL to 4.4 pg/ml

[Heatherv627]

Forgot to mention I was on 97.5 of Naturethroid. I am about to quit the Tirosint cold turkey

[PavlovaDog in reply to Heatherv627]

I think you were given too high a dose of Synthroid. I got switched from 120mg NP Thyroid which is similar to Naturethroid and was put on 88mcg of Synthroid. My doctor said it was best not to start at too high a dose, but start lower and bump it up if needed and possibly add T3 later.

[jrbarnes]

I'm going through the same. Switched from NP Thyroid to Unithroid ten days ago. I picked Unithroid because their brand is a little more potent in comparison to Synthroid. On Synthroid I couldn't get out of bed. each brand of Levothyroxine has a different percentage of Levothyroxine in it. I wasn't doing so well on natural desiccated due to not being able to adjust the T4 and T3 levels. I also tried five days of Tirosint, which gave me extreme acid reflux and it was too potent yet dropping down a dose gave me body weakness and foot/wrist pain. Going from 100mcg down to 50 mcg on Tirosint is too much of a drop. They should have done 88mcg

The switch is rough. You're going from getting a bunch of direct T3 to getting nothing and now only getting T4 yet it takes 6 weeks for that T4 to build up storage in your body so your T3 is going to be low for awhile. Your T4 on Naturthroid was also low so that's why you feel so terrible. It's a combo of low T4 and low T3. Dizziness, inability to think or focus, aches and pains, voice hoarseness, I mean the list goes on.

I had a prescription for synthetic T3 and have been using just 5 mcg per day just so I can move.

[beaubeau1121 in reply to jrbarnes]

I switched from 81.25mg of Naturethroid...

Levothyroxine was better than Synthroid...

112mcg..... added 5mg T3 after 2 weeks.

Now... 4 weeks later... feeling comfortable

on 112mcg plus 5mg of T3 in am... w 2.5 in afternoon.

Wiill await bloodwork in another week or so.

It is so discouraging to start over..... but hope this helps.

All the best...

[Hypopotamus]

Some of us are resistant to thyroxine of any brand or potency, and need NDT.

[Wolfiesmom08]

Hopefully someone will explain it better but bottom line you need T3. Tirosint is pure T4. Your body is having to now convert all your needed T3 were as before you were provided it.

Personally I had a headeache everyday in Tirosint. After switching from Naturethroid I started on a lower dose of T4 with T3 and over the course of a year testing every 6 weeks and increasing my dose I felt better and found my correct dose. (I’m still not great and still asking for more but I’m so much better)

I’m sure you’ll feel better if you can get some T3. I’m sorry this happened to you. It’s gonna take time to adjust.

[Heatherv627]

Thank you all for your replies. I didn’t take the Tirosint today. I feel like the brain fog ever so slightly lessened. It is seriously debilitating so I feel I had no choice. I am seeing a new endo this Friday to see about trying a different NDT since Nature throid isn’t available. Praying I can put this all behind me soon. Does anybody have any good experiences with other NDT’s?