Medication Side Effects

Hi folks. By way of introduction, I'm a prostate cancer survivor and mod on the prostate cancer forum. I have a question concerning some issues my wife is having.

Earlier this year she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which tends to run in her family. She was termed "borderline" and was put on synthroid (actually Levothyroxine) 25 MCG once a day. After a second blood test a couple of months ago her dosage was upped to 50 MCG once a day.

Over the past month she has experienced her hair falling out and some fairly severe leg pains/cramps which she understands to be a potential SE of the medication. Naturally, she has gone back to our doctor and he ordered another blood test and we should see those results today.

Anyway, any thoughts or suggestions on this situation?

Thanks,

Jim

Welcome to the Thyroid forum, Jim. I'm sorry your wife is having problems; adjusting levothyroxine dosages can be a tricky process sometimes.

Hypo is absolutely right that side effects of levo can almost always be attributed to an over or underdosage of medication. In your wife's case, her complaints are most like those of hypothyroidism. Here is a listing from the Mayo Clinic of hypo symptoms:

Fatigue

Increased sensitivity to cold

Constipation

Dry skin

Unexplained weight gain

Puffy face

Hoarseness

Muscle weakness

Elevated blood cholesterol level

Muscle aches, tenderness and stiffness

Pain, stiffness or swelling in your joints

Heavier than normal or irregular menstrual periods

Thinning hair

Slowed heart rate

Depression

Impaired memory

Her doctor is absolutely following the appropriate protocol in starting her at a low dose and increasing gradually. I'm assuming she has a recall appointment in about a month now? When stabilizing levo dosage, she should be evaluated clinically and with a thyroid panel every two to three months. It normally takes about four to six weeks for medication changes to become effective; that is the reason for this timing.

Ideally she should have had TSH, free T4 and T3 on her initial labs. On her return all of these should be repeated. I'd recommend she also request her doctor order thyroid antibody tests if these are not part of the doc's usual thyroid panel. Please do let us know what these levels are after her visit, as we will be able to help more then.

Today the doc told her to go back to the 25 msc dosage. Her levels were as follows: T-4 = 1.24, TSH = 2.37. Comments please...

Thanks,

Jim