Starting Synthroid

[Guest guest]

I was diagnosed with hashi's almost a year ago. I technically

have subclinical hypothyroidism because my TSH is just above the

normal range and my FT4 is in the normal range. Over the last 4

months my TSH has been climbing a little and my FT4 has been dropping.

I see a general practitioner at my university in Canada. I am

originally from Minnesota. I took a semester off and saw an endo in

MN (who I didn't like) and at the time my levels were plateauing so

she said I didn't need to see her anymore and could follow up with a

general practitioner.

So because my TSH is getting a little higher and my FT4 is

dropping every time we do a blood test my doctor wants to put me on

Synthroid. She had put me on it right before christmas which was

right during my finals. I was on it for about a week and during that

week my panic attacks got really bad and I was super sweaty and shaky

and I couldn't sleep. During that week I was taking .025 mg a day and

I took it in the morning. I was worried that maybe the synthroid was

causing all of that so I called my doctor and she told me to stop

taking it and see her after our winter break. So that is what I did

and now she wants to put me back on it. That was about two weeks ago.

We actually decided to wait a month and do another blood test and

then make a decision so I could get through midterms. But I am kind

of scared to go back on it now because I don't want my panic attacks

to come back. I am in my last semester and really just want to finish

my degree but I am tired all of the time, moody and starting to gain

weight rapidly(these are just a few symptoms). I was wondering if

other people have had this kind of problem starting Synthroid. And if

so what do you do about it?

I know that people like for labs to be posted. I don't have my

labs because it is a pain getting a copy and I usually forget to ask.

My doctor lets me look at them, so I know that for my last lab my TSH

was around 7 (which is out of the normal range, their top end here for

TSH is 4.5) and my FT4 was around 13 (which is considered in the

normal range). Those are Canadian numbers and I don't know the units

they use here. Other medications I am on are Atenolol which helps

with the panic attacks and high blood pressure, Flonase for allergies,

Yasmin for birth control, I keep Ativan with me in case my panic

attacks get really bad. I would appreciate any advice anyone has to

give me.

[Guest guest]

I don't know much about Hashi's, so I'll let others speak to that. I am opposite to you in that I'm a Canadian living in the US. I've been on synthetic thyroid replacement for many years and most of the time, I've taken Eltroxin. One time and Endo put me on Synthroid and I had a terrible time. I had been stabilized on Eltroxin for many years at that time and then everything went haywire. I could not get him to switch me back, so the next time I saw my GP, I switched back to Eltroxin and stabilized quickly again. I'm not sure what is in the Synthroid, but I personally did not do well on it. I'm not sure if it comes in a 25mcg, but I get mine all in 50s anyway and split them with a real pill splitter to get the dose I need. Just a suggestion. Also, TSH of 7 is definitely hypo and on medication you might feel better if you can get it down between 1 and 2. My Eltroxin TSH is 1.18 and I feel pretty good at that level, but of course everyone is different. Also, have you checked for interactions with all of the other drugs? I used to have panic attacks, but I don't any more and I can't really tell you why except I nixed all sugars in my diet and made an honest effort to 'chill' and let the universe take care of the rest... Judy

I know that people like for labs to be posted. I don't have my labs because it is a pain getting a copy and I usually forget to ask. My doctor lets me look at them, so I know that for my last lab my TSH was around 7 (which is out of the normal range, their top end here for TSH is 4.5) and my FT4 was around 13 (which is considered in the normal range). Those are Canadian numbers and I don't know the units they use here. Other medications I am on are Atenolol which helpswith the panic attacks and high blood pressure, Flonase for allergies, Yasmin for birth control, I keep Ativan with me in case my panic attacks get really bad. I would appreciate any advice anyone has to give me.

Get your own web address. Have a HUGE year through Yahoo! Small Business.

[Guest guest]

Two things come to mind as I read your reaction... either fatigued

adrenals.. or you are sensitive to the ingredients in the Synthroid,

often it's the dyes used in color coding the dose that cause people

trouble.. they may only react to one of the color dyes and have no

problem with the others, or they may be sensitive to all of them and have

to stay with the white pill, just increasing the number of pills that

they take a day to make up their correct dose....

The color of a 25 mcg pill is orange... if you go to a 50 mcg pill it's

white, dye free.. that might be an option.. you'd have to split the pill

to get the 25 mcg dose though... I don't think it would be wise to go

with 50 mcg to start if you've already had trouble.

How many days had you been taking the Synthroid before you started

reacting to it... ? Was it the same day, next morning, or? The closer the

reaction was to the time of taking the first dose, the more I'd lean

toward a sensitivity to the pill ingredients, not a reaction to the

hormone....

If it was several days.. then I'd want to be checking the adrenals.. if

they are already stressed, keeping you going with all your studies and

such despite the low thyroid hormone levels... the addition of thyroid

hormone could push them. that will also cause a panic/anxiety type

reaction.

Topper ()

On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:11:20 -0000 " loocyb1008 " loocyb1008@...>

writes:

> I was diagnosed with hashi's almost a year ago. I technically

> have subclinical hypothyroidism because my TSH is just above the

> normal range and my FT4 is in the normal range. Over the last 4

> months my TSH has been climbing a little and my FT4 has been

> dropping.

> I see a general practitioner at my university in Canada. I am

> originally from Minnesota. I took a semester off and saw an endo

> in

> MN (who I didn't like) and at the time my levels were plateauing so

> she said I didn't need to see her anymore and could follow up with

> a

> general practitioner.

> So because my TSH is getting a little higher and my FT4 is

> dropping every time we do a blood test my doctor wants to put me on

> Synthroid. She had put me on it right before christmas which was

> right during my finals. I was on it for about a week and during

> that

> week my panic attacks got really bad and I was super sweaty and

> shaky

> and I couldn't sleep. During that week I was taking .025 mg a day

> and

> I took it in the morning. I was worried that maybe the synthroid

> was

> causing all of that so I called my doctor and she told me to stop

> taking it and see her after our winter break. So that is what I did

> and now she wants to put me back on it. That was about two weeks

> ago.

> We actually decided to wait a month and do another blood test and

> then make a decision so I could get through midterms. But I am

> kind

> of scared to go back on it now because I don't want my panic

> attacks

> to come back. I am in my last semester and really just want to

> finish

> my degree but I am tired all of the time, moody and starting to

> gain

> weight rapidly(these are just a few symptoms). I was wondering if

> other people have had this kind of problem starting Synthroid. And

> if

> so what do you do about it?

> I know that people like for labs to be posted. I don't have my

> labs because it is a pain getting a copy and I usually forget to

> ask.

> My doctor lets me look at them, so I know that for my last lab my

> TSH

> was around 7 (which is out of the normal range, their top end here

> for

> TSH is 4.5) and my FT4 was around 13 (which is considered in the

> normal range). Those are Canadian numbers and I don't know the

> units

> they use here. Other medications I am on are Atenolol which helps

> with the panic attacks and high blood pressure, Flonase for

> allergies,

> Yasmin for birth control, I keep Ativan with me in case my panic

> attacks get really bad. I would appreciate any advice anyone has

> to

> give me.

[Guest guest]

>I think it was about 2 days after I started taking the synthroid that

I started having a problem. I will mention to my doctor about

switching to the 50 mcg and cutting them in half. I do have an

allergy to sulphites which are used as preservatives is food mostly

and I am sensitive to things is general. She had also suggested that

I start out slower this time, like taking one every two days. I have

asked her if I should be worried about my adrenals and she said no

just because one thing is failing doesn't mean the whole thing has

gone bad. Sometimes I don't know about this doctor. She is pretty

good most of the time. She definitely treats my symptoms and not just

the numbers.

Thanks!

~

> Two things come to mind as I read your reaction... either fatigued

> adrenals.. or you are sensitive to the ingredients in the Synthroid,

> often it's the dyes used in color coding the dose that cause people

> trouble.. they may only react to one of the color dyes and have no

> problem with the others, or they may be sensitive to all of them and

have

> to stay with the white pill, just increasing the number of pills that

> they take a day to make up their correct dose....

>

> The color of a 25 mcg pill is orange... if you go to a 50 mcg pill it's

> white, dye free.. that might be an option.. you'd have to split the pill

> to get the 25 mcg dose though... I don't think it would be wise to go

> with 50 mcg to start if you've already had trouble.

>

> How many days had you been taking the Synthroid before you started

> reacting to it... ? Was it the same day, next morning, or? The

closer the

> reaction was to the time of taking the first dose, the more I'd lean

> toward a sensitivity to the pill ingredients, not a reaction to the

> hormone....

>

> If it was several days.. then I'd want to be checking the adrenals.. if

> they are already stressed, keeping you going with all your studies and

> such despite the low thyroid hormone levels... the addition of thyroid

> hormone could push them. that will also cause a panic/anxiety type

> reaction.

>

> Topper ()

>

>

> On Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:11:20 -0000 " loocyb1008 "

> writes:

> > I was diagnosed with hashi's almost a year ago. I technically

> > have subclinical hypothyroidism because my TSH is just above the

> > normal range and my FT4 is in the normal range. Over the last 4

> > months my TSH has been climbing a little and my FT4 has been

> > dropping.

> > I see a general practitioner at my university in Canada. I am

> > originally from Minnesota. I took a semester off and saw an endo

> > in

> > MN (who I didn't like) and at the time my levels were plateauing so

> > she said I didn't need to see her anymore and could follow up with

> > a

> > general practitioner.

> > So because my TSH is getting a little higher and my FT4 is

> > dropping every time we do a blood test my doctor wants to put me on

> > Synthroid. She had put me on it right before christmas which was

> > right during my finals. I was on it for about a week and during

> > that

> > week my panic attacks got really bad and I was super sweaty and

> > shaky

> > and I couldn't sleep. During that week I was taking .025 mg a day

> > and

> > I took it in the morning. I was worried that maybe the synthroid

> > was

> > causing all of that so I called my doctor and she told me to stop

> > taking it and see her after our winter break. So that is what I did

> > and now she wants to put me back on it. That was about two weeks

> > ago.

> > We actually decided to wait a month and do another blood test and

> > then make a decision so I could get through midterms. But I am

> > kind

> > of scared to go back on it now because I don't want my panic

> > attacks

> > to come back. I am in my last semester and really just want to

> > finish

> > my degree but I am tired all of the time, moody and starting to

> > gain

> > weight rapidly(these are just a few symptoms). I was wondering if

> > other people have had this kind of problem starting Synthroid. And

> > if

> > so what do you do about it?

> > I know that people like for labs to be posted. I don't have my

> > labs because it is a pain getting a copy and I usually forget to

> > ask.

> > My doctor lets me look at them, so I know that for my last lab my

> > TSH

> > was around 7 (which is out of the normal range, their top end here

> > for

> > TSH is 4.5) and my FT4 was around 13 (which is considered in the

> > normal range). Those are Canadian numbers and I don't know the

> > units

> > they use here. Other medications I am on are Atenolol which helps

> > with the panic attacks and high blood pressure, Flonase for

> > allergies,

> > Yasmin for birth control, I keep Ativan with me in case my panic

> > attacks get really bad. I would appreciate any advice anyone has

> > to

> > give me.

>

[Guest guest]

Yes, that would explain some of your issues. I think that's why I do better on the Eltroxin whether I get the 50mcg uncoloured ones or the 100mcg yellow ones, they all seem fine to me. The Synthroid though, not so much.

I will mention to my doctor about switching to the 50 mcg and cutting them in half. I do have an allergy to sulphites which are used as preservatives is food mostlyand I am sensitive to things is general.

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[Guest guest]

I started having a problem. I will mention to my doctor about

> switching to the 50 mcg and cutting them in half. I do have an

> allergy to sulphites which are used as preservatives is food mostly

> and I am sensitive to things is general. She had also suggested that

> I start out slower this time, like taking one every two days.

Considering you are in Canada, do yourself a big favour and have the

doctor call you in a prescription for Eltroxin.. it contains no

sulphites.. has a better shelf life and for some reason does not have

the manufactuer recalls, dose therapy issues that are associated with

Synthroid..and best of all ..regardless of strength it contains no

sulphites..

The only probelm with Eltroxin is it only comes in 50mcg increments..so

50mcg, 100 mcg, 150 mcg up to 300mcg..

So you would need the 50mcg pill and split it in half..it does make it

harder for dose adjustments but JMO it is a far superior product.

Kats3boys

[Guest guest]

One thing I like about Eltroxin is that it is also white, though I couln't

have told you that it has no suphites. I use the 100 mcg tabs, then split

another one, then the Armour. I haven't seen any dyes in this product.

Wondering if the other strengths are white also, or are they colored? Maybe

that's why I'm not having allergic reactions to it because I am allergic to

Sulpha drugs, if that's going to be the same thing.

Re: Starting Synthroid

> I started having a problem. I will mention to my doctor about

>> switching to the 50 mcg and cutting them in half. I do have an

>> allergy to sulphites which are used as preservatives is food mostly

>> and I am sensitive to things is general. She had also suggested that

>> I start out slower this time, like taking one every two days.

>

> Considering you are in Canada, do yourself a big favour and have the

> doctor call you in a prescription for Eltroxin.. it contains no

> sulphites.. has a better shelf life and for some reason does not have

> the manufactuer recalls, dose therapy issues that are associated with

> Synthroid..and best of all ..regardless of strength it contains no

> sulphites..

>

> The only probelm with Eltroxin is it only comes in 50mcg increments..so

> 50mcg, 100 mcg, 150 mcg up to 300mcg..

>

> So you would need the 50mcg pill and split it in half..it does make it

> harder for dose adjustments but JMO it is a far superior product.

>

> Kats3boys

[Guest guest]

Judy, the 100 mcg Eltroxin tabs I've been getting for all this time are white, and they are clearly labeled with the 100 on them, right in the middle, the word Eltroxin across the top, then Glaxo on the bottom. They are snow white, with no dye in them. Could it be that they are packaged differently and put together different from country to country or what? This is confusing to me, because, when I took Synthroid, the 100 mcg tab was a pale yellow! All this, I am sure of, being as I've been taking the Eltroxin for quite some time, it's clearly labeled, and the only dose of Synthroid I had ever taken (for yrs) was the 100 mcg tabs.

????????

Re: Re: Starting Synthroid

Yes, that would explain some of your issues. I think that's why I do better on the Eltroxin whether I get the 50mcg uncoloured ones or the 100mcg yellow ones, they all seem fine to me. The Synthroid though, not so much.

I will mention to my doctor about switching to the 50 mcg and cutting them in half. I do have an allergy to sulphites which are used as preservatives is food mostlyand I am sensitive to things is general.

[Guest guest]

Yes, each strength is a different colour. Only the 50mcg is white. The 100mcg is yellow for example.

I haven't seen any dyes in this product. Wondering if the other strengths are white also, or are they colored?

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[Guest guest]

That is odd , and I'm not sure. I've been taking 100mcg Eltroxin for decades and they've always been yellow. It might be different from country to country. My Canadian 100s just say '100' with the line, nothing else. My new Canadian ones are 50mcg and they are white with the '50' and the line, nothing else. I haven't openned my other shipment yet, so I'm not sure what they say on them. I'll have a look and post later, but I'll leave them sealed for now.

I found this and it supports what I've experienced. You are in the US right?

What ELTROXIN looks like

ELTROXIN 50µg tablets are small, white and uncoated. They are engraved with 50 on top of a dividing line on one side and are unmarked on the other side. ELTROXIN 100µg tablets are small, yellow and uncoated. They are engraved with 100 on top of a dividing line on one side and are unmarked on the other side.

Could it be that they are packaged differently and put together different from country to country or what? This is confusing to me, because, when I took Synthroid, the 100 mcg tab was a pale yellow!

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[Guest guest]

Ok, so I opened my new bottle, just to make sure. They're 50mcg, White, with a line down the middle on one side and 50 above the line. The back side is blank. They do NOT say 'Eltroxin' or 'Glaxo' on them, so I'm not sure what the scoop is on what you've got. They may have been manufactured for another country, but I don't know that... Judy

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[Guest guest]

Ok, mine, again, come in a bottle saying "Eltroxin", dividing line, blank on that side, then 100 in the middle of the other side, surrounded in a circle by "Eltroxin" at the top, then circle at the bottom says "Glaxo". Mine supposedly come from Canada, but I've heard and read many sources saying that the English in England call it Eltroxin also. The source that I told you about originally that I've been ordering from for a long time sells ONLY what they call Eltroxin. I'm concerned about this, and would like to know if anyone out there knows anything about the processing and packaging of these products. Holy cow!

HELP!!!

Re: Re: Starting Synthroid

That is odd , and I'm not sure. I've been taking 100mcg Eltroxin for decades and they've always been yellow. It might be different from country to country. My Canadian 100s just say '100' with the line, nothing else. My new Canadian ones are 50mcg and they are white with the '50' and the line, nothing else. I haven't openned my other shipment yet, so I'm not sure what they say on them. I'll have a look and post later, but I'll leave them sealed for now.

I found this and it supports what I've experienced. You are in the US right?

What ELTROXIN looks like

ELTROXIN 50µg tablets are small, white and uncoated. They are engraved with 50 on top of a dividing line on one side and are unmarked on the other side. ELTROXIN 100µg tablets are small, yellow and uncoated. They are engraved with 100 on top of a dividing line on one side and are unmarked on the other side.

Could it be that they are packaged differently and put together different from country to country or what? This is confusing to me, because, when I took Synthroid, the 100 mcg tab was a pale yellow!

[Guest guest]

I do know that different countries have their own drug companies. For

example there is Glaxo Kline in the US, Canada and UK. They

don't all have the same products. I know that a lot of the

prescription pills I get in Canada that I have also gotten in the US

look different.

This is a link to Glaxo Kline Canada:

http://www.gsk.ca/en/products/prescription/

You can scroll down and find Eltroxin and click on it and it will open

a pdf and in there it tells you that the different doses are different

colors. I looked on the US and UK Glaxo Kline sites and

couldn't find Eltroxin. I hope this is somewhat helpful.

I have a question. If I do start Eltroxin here in Canada and then I go

back to the U.S. I won't be able to get it in the U.S. from a pharmacy?

~

>

> Ok, mine, again, come in a bottle saying " Eltroxin " , dividing line,

blank on that side, then 100 in the middle of the other side,

surrounded in a circle by " Eltroxin " at the top, then circle at the

bottom says " Glaxo " . Mine supposedly come from Canada, but I've heard

and read many sources saying that the English in England call it

Eltroxin also. The source that I told you about originally that I've

been ordering from for a long time sells ONLY what they call Eltroxin.

I'm concerned about this, and would like to know if anyone out there

knows anything about the processing and packaging of these products.

Holy cow!

>

>

> HELP!!!

>

> Re: Re: Starting Synthroid

>

>

> That is odd , and I'm not sure. I've been taking 100mcg

Eltroxin for decades and they've always been yellow. It might be

different from country to country. My Canadian 100s just say '100'

with the line, nothing else. My new Canadian ones are 50mcg and they

are white with the '50' and the line, nothing else. I haven't openned

my other shipment yet, so I'm not sure what they say on them. I'll

have a look and post later, but I'll leave them sealed for now.

>

> I found this and it supports what I've experienced. You are in

the US right?

> What ELTROXIN looks like

> a.. ELTROXIN 50µg tablets are small, white and uncoated. They

are engraved with 50 on top of a dividing line on one side and are

unmarked on the other side.

> b.. ELTROXIN 100µg tablets are small, yellow and uncoated. They

are engraved with 100 on top of a dividing line on one side and are

unmarked on the other side.

>

>

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

> Could it be that they are packaged differently and put together

different from country to country or what? This is confusing to me,

because, when I took Synthroid, the 100 mcg tab was a pale yellow!

>

[Guest guest]

As far as I know, Eltroxin is not directly available in the US, but some pharmacies can get it in. My doctor here wrote the prescription and I filled in through 'Canada Drug' and it came from Winnipeg. I do travel back and forth and when I'm leaving Canada, I bring a few 100 with me. I can buy 200 there for about $18.

It's worth trying just to see if you like it better. I would not go to this amount of trouble to keep up my supply if I thought that Synthroid would work just as well for me. Having said that, I have used Levoxyl in the US and I was fine on it too. It's just that one brand that messes everything up for me... Judy

If I do start Eltroxin here in Canada and then I go back to the U.S. I won't be able to get it in the U.S. from a pharmacy?

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[Guest guest]

http://www.gsk.ca/en/products/prescription/eltroxin_pm_09132005.pdf

This is from Glaxo canada..the makers of Eltroxin in Canada.

Lots of reading as they really do give a good insight into

hypothyroidism..

Composition

ELTROXIN® Tablets contain levothyroxine sodium and the following non-

medicinal

ingredients: acacia powder, corn starch, lactose, magnesium stearate

and coloring agents:

50 mcg (white) - none

100 mcg (yellow) - colorcon yellow

150 mcg (blue) - colorcon blue

200 mcg (pink) - erythrosine

300 mcg (green) - colorcon green

Hope this helps.

Kats3boys