Levothyroxine makes me ill: Hello, I am new to... - Thyroid UK

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Levothyroxine makes me ill

jenan profile image
17 Replies

Hello,

I am new to this website, but am relieved to discover that I am not alone in finding it difficult to get the right treatment for Hashimoto's. It seems that Levothyroxine (Euthroid) doesn't work very well for me. The symptoms - heart irregularity, hair loss, dizziness etc - have calmed down, but are still present. I still have no energy and often feel low. But the worst thing is that since I started taken the pills, I have constant pain and inflammation of the gut. Euthroid does not contain acaia or other alergens, so it can't be that. I wonder - is this a common side effect?

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jenan
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17 Replies
helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK

What does Euthroid contain? Have not easily found an official company document - indeed, there is utter confusion as to what the product is and who it is made by. And why are you on Euthroid?

There are three medicines: levothyroxine, liothyronine and desiccated thyroid. But choices are not always simple.

Rod

flatfeet1 profile image
flatfeet1 in reply to helvella

drugs.com/cons/euthroid.html

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liotrix

Maybe ?

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to flatfeet1

I didn't think so because several years ago Thyrolar was the only combined T4/T3 product in the USA - and it has been withdrawn from market ever since! (Seems they cannot manufacture it to the standards required - i.e. consistency of tablet potency.)

I found so many pages which simply had the word "euthroid" as a keyword or a mis-spelling of euthyroid. :-)

Rod

jenan profile image
jenan in reply to helvella

Oh Dear - It's not Euthroid, but Eutirox! Please excuse my mistake. I am staying in Portugal at the moment. Here there is less choice of medication. The other one I was on was Thyrax, but the side-effects were the same and did not really help.

Jenan

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to jenan

I have found a site which states that Eutirox contains:

INGREDIENTS:

Main ingredient: sodium l-thyroxine.

Excipients:

Calcium phosphate, microgranular cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl starch, talc, citric acid, magnesium stearate, cornstarch.

Is that what the insert says on your pack?

If so, aside from any issues with having too much or too little levothyroxine, some people are intolerant of corn.

Are you taking it on its own, well away from food, drink (other than water), supplements and other medicines? (By two hours either side, if possible.) Are you taking it with a glass of water? (Not a mere sip.)

What time are you taking it?

Have you been on any other makes which have worked OK?

Have you got recent laboratory blood test results?

Rod

jenan profile image
jenan in reply to helvella

Hi - thank you. Yes - it contains all that. I am allergic to gluten and lactose. But when I tried another brand - with no lactose - it had the same effect. I am not taking much water with it. I take it about 1/2 hour before breakfast. Is this wrong?

My last blood tests showed: T4 free - 1.16; TSH 2.23; T3 1.24. The tests for the anticorpus (what happens if it is Hashimoto's) were positive

Jen

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to jenan

Yes - half an hour is not enough. Depending on what you have for breakfast, you might be significantly affecting absorption.

Some people take it at bed-time:

thyroiduk.healthunlocked.co...

It is best to take a reasonable amount of water.

Do you know the reference ranges for those results? And was that total or free T3?

OK - so you have Hashimoto's.

Please also check out:

vitamin B12

folates

iron/ferritin

vitamin D

All of which are commonly low in hypo/Hashimoto's.

Rod

jenan profile image
jenan in reply to helvella

Oh - right. I'll take it at night with more water.

It was total T3

I'll check all this - do I need alnother blood test?

Jen

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to jenan

To check:

vitamin B12

folates

iron/ferritin

vitamin D

Yes.

To get reference ranges for the tests you have already had, no.

Rod

jenan profile image
jenan in reply to helvella

Thank you very much! I'm on it!

Jen

tiredted profile image
tiredted

i want to come off thyroxine as ive had lots of colds coughs flu and take KELP...any ideas/comments please?

helvella profile image
helvellaAdministratorThyroid UK in reply to tiredted

If you wish to take kelp, that is entirely your business.

However, it would not be my choice. There have been many, many posts here which discuss iodine and kelp. Some (but not all) people feel that their health has been severely compromised by doing so.

There have also been several questions recently about what might happen if someone stops taking thyroxine. Doing so can, in some cases, have very serious consequences.

I urge you to read lots before making potentially major decisions.

I suggest that you post your own question. Explain what your problems are.

Rod

alanc profile image
alanc

Iodine is meant to bring on autoimmune attacks so nit good for hashimotos

jenan profile image
jenan in reply to alanc

Thanks - how do I avoid iodine?

alanc profile image
alanc

Don't take kelp, iodine supplements or certain types of salt

jenan profile image
jenan in reply to alanc

Oh - that's interesting. I use unrefined sea salt - rich in minerals etc. I'll cut this out and see what happens. Thank you!

alanc profile image
alanc

Only iodized salt

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