Side Effects of Stopping Thyroid Medication Abruptly

Side Effects of Stopping Thyroid Medication Abruptly (& Why it isn’t Safe)

Is it safe to stop taking thyroid medication?

In most cases, if you stop taking your medication cold turkey, you will experience many negative side effects. 

In this post you will learn more about why you shouldn’t stop taking your thyroid medication (without physician supervision), the side effects of stopping thyroid medication abruptly, reasons why it isn’t safe and what to do instead.

Let’s jump in: 

Is it Safe to Stop Taking Thyroid Medication?

The answer is no, in many cases it is not safe to stop taking your thyroid medication (at least not without physician supervision). 

In some cases, it’s actually incredibly risky to stop taking your medication, especially if you have had your thyroid removed or destroyed from radioactive iodine ablation

It may surprise you that your thyroid is responsible for some very important functions inside your body. 

And when I say important, that’s really an understatement. 

Thyroid hormone is required to function optimally, but it’s also required for you to be alive. 

The complete lack of thyroid hormone leads to a condition known as myxedema coma which can lead to death (1).

Fortunately, there are VERY few deaths from these conditions due to the ability to catch and diagnose thyroid dysfunction. 

The problem does not occur with the diagnosis of thyroid function, instead, it occurs with the MANAGEMENT of thyroid disease via thyroid hormone (2).

Most doctors can easily and readily diagnose thyroid dysfunction, but the way that they treat thyroid dysfunction has led to many disgruntled thyroid patients. 

These patients then go out and seek alternative therapies to try and feel better. 

But make no mistake, the problem is not necessarily the medication (you probably need thyroid medication), instead, the problem has more to do with dosing, the type of thyroid medication you are taking, etc

If you were put on thyroid medication then there is probably a good reason that you need it. 

The problem with stopping your medication (abruptly or otherwise) has to do with how thyroid hormone impacts your body. 

When you take exogenous thyroid medication (like levothyroxine or Synthroid) you are basically shutting down the ability of your own body to produce thyroid hormone naturally. 

Your body then becomes reliant upon the medication that you are putting into your body each and every day. 

If you suddenly stop taking that medication your body will not be able to produce its own thyroid hormone (usually for days to weeks) and during this time period, you will most likely feel terrible

The symptoms that you will experience tend to mimic the symptoms of hypothyroidism (which probably lead you to your Doctor, to begin with) but may even be worse. 

Symptoms associated with stopping thyroid medication include: 

  • Worsening of brain fog
  • Increased fatigue
  • Increased weight gain
  • Increased menstrual irregularity
  • Increased hair loss
  • Worsening of constipation or GI issues
  • Worsening memory function
  • Increased pain
  • And other symptoms of hypothyroidism

These side effects usually mimic the side effects of hypothyroidism, because if you stop taking your medication your body will not be able to produce it naturally for some time. 

This may sound depressing, but it doesn’t have to be. 

Instead of stopping your medication, there is another approach

We will discuss more about that below (you can skip there if you want to now), but first I want to discuss some basics about how thyroid medication is impacting your body. 

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4 Reasons You’ll Probably get Worse If you Stop Taking your Medication

There will always be exceptions to these reasons, but most of you will probably feel worse if you stop taking your thyroid medication for the following reasons: 

#1. Your Body May be Reliant upon the Medication

The first group of patients that should never stop taking thyroid medication includes those who do not have a thyroid or those who have had their thyroid removed. 

This typically stems from conditions such as hyperthyroidism or thyroid cancer. 

If you don’t have a thyroid (or if it’s destroyed) then you are REQUIRED to supplement with thyroid hormone indefinitely (3)!

That means you will NEED to take thyroid medication for the rest of your life. 

Remember, we said that thyroid hormone is required for you to function and for you to live. 

If you can’t produce it naturally then you have to take it in some other way. 

This group of people should never make changes to their thyroid medication without physician supervision as it can be very dangerous

Does that mean that you need to suffer from any existing symptoms?

No, but it does mean that you should be very thoughtful about any changes you make to your thyroid medication and dosing. 

In many cases, adding some T3 to your current medication regimen is enough to improve your symptoms dramatically. 

I’ve discussed various options for patients post-thyroidectomy in this post here

This information is also relevant if you have had your thyroid damaged or destroyed via RAI. 

#2. Your HPT Axis is Blunted

When you take thyroid hormone it causes a feedback loop that inhibits the natural production of TSH from your pituitary gland. 

The more thyroid hormone you take, the lower your TSH will go (4).

TSH stands for ‘thyroid stimulating hormone’ because it stimulates the production and release of thyroid hormone from your thyroid gland. 

The lower your TSH goes the more your body is reliant upon thyroid medication for thyroid hormone

TSH is part of an important axis known as the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (5).

In this axis, your body produces TRH which stimulates TSH which stimulates thyroid hormone production. 

This normal axis is disrupted when you take any sort of thyroid medication (T4 or T3 or otherwise). 

Even some supplements, such as iodine, can alter this axis. 

It’s important to realize that this axis is altered when you take thyroid function because it impacts your body’s ability to produce thyroid hormone if you stop or alter your medication. 

This axis is very sensitive and it can take weeks to months for it to come back to normal

Consider cases of HPA suppression from cortisol (which can take 6-12 months to recover) (6) or cases of HPO suppression from birth control medication. 

While your body is trying to heal you will be left with an insufficient amount of thyroid hormone and you will most likely feel worse.  

#3. Your Body may NOT be able to Produce Thyroid Hormone by itself at 100%

People may assume that when they stop taking thyroid medication their bodies will be able to start producing it on their own. 

This should happen eventually, but you also have to consider the fact that your body may not be able to even produce a normal amount by itself (thus the requirement for additional thyroid hormone through medication). 

Imagine this scenario:

If you have Hashimoto’s, and you’ve had it for many years, there is a good chance that you have some element of permanent thyroid damage to your gland. 

The autoimmune component of Hashimoto’s may lead to the eventual destruction of your entire thyroid gland which means it can no longer produce thyroid hormone by itself. 

Even though this process can take years or decades before you lose 100% of function you will lose 50% of function and so on. 

So, if you decide to stop taking your medication your body can only produce the amount that it is capable of producing. 

If your body is capable of producing less than the amount that you are taking then you will be at an even worse deficit! 

In some cases, you may be able to improve the amount that your body produces naturally, but you won’t be able to determine how much this is unless you go off your medication. 

This may be an option for some people, but again, it should not be done without physician supervision. 

The last thing you want to have happened when you alter your medication is that you feel worse. 

#4. Thyroid Supplements do not Replace Thyroid Hormone (They aren’t as powerful as medications) 

Lastly, some people make the assumption that taking thyroid supplements (such as those available over the counter) may allow them to stop taking their thyroid medication. 

I am a big fan of thyroid supplementation and recommend that many of my patients use very specific and powerful supplements. 

But it’s not safe to assume that supplements have the ability to replace thyroid medication. 

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Thyroid medication is always more potent and more powerful than any supplement (available over the counter). 

Thyroid hormones are regulated by the FDA which means that they require a prescription medication.

The only exception is T2, which is available in some over-the-counter supplements. 

T3 and T4 will require a physician’s supervision. 

It is possible to purchase T3 and T4 via online pharmacies, but these pharmacies may not supply you with the correct dose or medication and they are not worth the risk (in my opinion). 

Why do Some People Feel Better when they Stop Taking their Medication? 

If you spend any time researching on the internet you will always find someone who has a positive experience when they stop taking their medication. 

But you have to ask yourself a very important question:

Are their experiences, medical conditions, circumstances, etc. the exact same as mine?

In most cases, you will find the answer to that question is no. 

It’s very possible that these patients may have been incorrectly placed on thyroid hormones, to begin with. 

If you are taking thyroid medication, especially T4, and your body didn’t actually need it, then stopping the medication may actually make you feel better. 

This likely has to do with thyroid hormone conversion and metabolism in your body. 

But, let’s go back to the idea of incorrectly taking thyroid medication for a minute. 

It’s possible, that through incorrect testing of an isolated TSH test, patients can be placed on thyroid medication inappropriately. 

Your TSH can fluctuate on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis and is sensitive to factors such as stress, supplements, sleep, and so on. 

In addition, it’s estimated that up to 5% of lab tests are inaccurate (just from the standard error of measurement). 

Either of these conditions can set the stage for improper management in a patient with normal thyroid function. 

The chances of this happening are slim, but the chances of stopping thyroid medication and feeling better are also slim. 

Just realize that some people may feel better when they stop the medication, but the exact reason should be evaluated on the individual level. 

Never make any assumptions about your body or your thyroid function based on someone else’s experience. 

What to do Instead of Stopping your Thyroid Medication

If you feel like you are stuck with your current thyroid medication and aren’t sure what to do then this is the section for you. 

Before you consider stopping your thyroid medication make sure you at least look at these potential options which tend to help MOST people. 

#1. Get a Complete Thyroid Lab Panel

The first step is to get a complete thyroid lab panel. 

I’ve discussed, at length, what is included in this panel, and you can find more information in this post

The reason that this is so important is that, without it, you are really flying blind. 

Ordering and obtaining all of the thyroid lab tests will help give you information about how well you are absorbing thyroid medication, how well you are utilizing it in your body, how your body is metabolizing/converting it, and so on. 

This step is the MOST important (well, second to only #5) for ensuring that you feel better because you can’t treat without it. 

If your current doctor is unwilling to order these tests then you may need to seek out a second opinion and look for someone who specializes in thyroid care. 

This lab panel includes the following tests: TSH, free t3, free t4, reverse T3, thyroid antibodies, and sex hormone-binding globulin

You can read more about what each test tells you, including optimal ranges, in this post. 

#2. Consider Altering your Medication or Dose

The next step, which hopefully follows #1, is to take a hard look at which medication you are currently using. 

Most patients, especially those who feel terrible, all find themselves taking the same medication: levothyroxine or Synthroid. 

This T4-only thyroid medication may be one of the reasons that you aren’t feeling well. 

In order for your body to activate this medication, it must convert it into T3 (through thyroid conversion) and not everyone does this at the same rate. 

This means that there are some people (up to 15% of the population based on genetic studies) who simply don’t do well on T4-only thyroid medication. 

In a great many cases, feeling better can be as easy as switching up the type of medication you are taking. 

Medications like NDT (Armour thyroid and WP thyroid) or Cytomel/liothyronine, contain T3 and can be added to your current thyroid regimen. 

In other cases, it may not be that you are on the wrong medication, but that you are taking an insufficient dose. 

The answer to people in this category may be as easy as increasing your medication. 

#3. Consider adding Thyroid Supplements to Compliment your Medication

Another surprisingly effective strategy for improving your thyroid is through the use of targeted supplements. 

Some patients may be able to dramatically improve their symptoms (reduce their symptoms) with the use of these high-quality supplements. 

I have several supplements that I have used on hundreds of patients which you can find more about here. 

When you use supplements make sure that you find very high-quality supplements, and make sure that you are using it for your desired outcome. 

Not all supplements are created equal and not all thyroid patients will need the exact same supplements. 

If you know that you have low T3 or have a problem converting thyroid hormone, then taking a supplement designed for improving T3 conversion is probably ideal

If you know that you have low energy from adrenal issues, then taking an adrenal/thyroid supplement is probably ideal. 

If you know that you have gut issues that may be contributing to your Hashimoto’s, then taking a probiotic may be ideal

These supplements can be used in conjunction with your existing thyroid medication and with other therapies, which makes them great for “layering” therapies on top of each other. 

You’ll often find, and this is the case in my practice, that those people who do more than one thing at a time often have more improvement than those who do one thing. 

Supplements also have the advantage of being available over the counter, which means that they are easy to get (much easier than thyroid medication). 

Whenever possible, it’s always a great idea to take your health into your own hands, do your own research, and make informed decisions about your body and health. 

Supplements allow you to do just that. 

#4. Improve your lifestyle (Diet + Exercise + Stress Reduction)

In case you aren’t already aware, another very important factor that is within your control is the food that you put into your body and how much you exercise. 

If you aren’t doing these two things then you are potentially missing out on an improvement in your symptoms. 

Diet and exercise by themselves are probably not enough to “cure” your condition (though they may for some) but they will allow you to feel better, help maintains your weight, and improves thyroid function. 

Included with diet and exercise should be stress reduction techniques. 

Techniques such as meditation are also incredibly powerful at reducing stress and helping you cope with difficult situations. 

Stress may not always be within your control, but what you can control is how well you cope with it by adding certain techniques. 

I’ve written extensively about diet, exercise, and thyroid function on this blog before so I won’t go deep into it now. 

Just realize this is something you should be doing. 

#5. Find a New Doctor (or get a second opinion)

Lastly, and perhaps the most important thing you can do is to try and find a physician or Doctor who is willing and able to help you with your condition. 

Doctors such as endocrinologists and PCPs may, surprisingly, not be best suited to help you. 

These physicians tend to be engrained in their logic and thought patterns and are not really interested in newer or alternative therapies (even though these therapies are well-studied and proven to be effective). 

In most cases, it’s not worth the energy to fight with your Doctor for tests or medications. 

The chances you of convincing your doctor to do this are slim to none. 

A better approach, however, is to find a Doctor who is already knowledgeable and understands how to help. 

This can definitely but difficult, but I’ve put together some resources to help. 

You can find more information about how to find a thyroid doctor here

Final Thoughts

The bottom line?

In most cases, discontinuing your thyroid medication (abruptly or otherwise) is not a wise decision. 

The exception would be if you are starting a new medication, altering your dose or if you are doing it with physician supervision. 

It’s far better, instead, to try other therapies (which are proven to be effective) with a knowledgeable physician

Now I want to hear from you:

Are you struggling with getting proper thyroid care?

Is your current physician unwilling to work with you to try something new?

Have you thought about discontinuing your medication?

Leave your comments below! 

#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1980928/

#2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2585732/

#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4737508/

#4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2784889/

#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK278958/

#6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5682381/

dangers of stopping thyroid medication abruptly

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About Dr. Westin Childs

Hey! I'm Westin Childs D.O. (former Osteopathic Physician). I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. I also happen to formulate the best supplements on the market (well, at least in my opinion!) and I'm proud to say that over 80,000+ people have used them over the last 7 years. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do.

P.S. Here are 4 ways you can get more help right now:

#1. Get my free thyroid downloads, resources, and PDFs here.

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128 thoughts on “Side Effects of Stopping Thyroid Medication Abruptly (& Why it isn’t Safe)”

  1. Hello Doctor Childs,
    I live in Farmington NM and had HypoThyroidism for 35 years. I had a good doctor who took care of me and prescribed 0.1 mg levothyroxine all those years. So I am 61 now and my conditioned got worse. I have a new doc who prescribed 25mcg liothyronine for my T3. It only helped me have daily bowel movements. Previously I was having bowel movements every other day. I still feel tired and wired with my new meds. How long does it take for the liothyronine to work so I can feel better. I have been on it one month. My new doc is saying all my blood lab work shows the T4 is normal and he will go by how i feel. Last week I slept for two days and it did help me to rest up. Some days I feel like I can’t catch my breath and end up
    Resting until my breathing gets back to normal. My doc is going to have my heart checked for heart failure.

    Reply
    • Hi Barbara,

      Liothyronine usually kicks in within the first 4-6 weeks of taking it. So if it’s going to work for you, you should feel something by that time. Also, it’s probably a good idea to ensure proper cardiac function (with an echo) before continuing to alter that dose of T3, especially if there is even some minor concern of heart failure.

      Reply
  2. I recently started taking Armour, I’ve worked up to 120mg. I am also 4 months postpartum, my hair is falling out so bad. I want to stop the medication. My labs were are in normal range, just not optimal. I don’t feel any better on Armour either.

    Reply
    • Hi Michele,

      It would be a good idea to check for postpartum thyroiditis and to also check for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, either of these may explain your symptoms. It may be that you are getting the wrong treatment, but there are also other options as well.

      Reply
      • My thyroid peroxidase was <0.3 reference range 0.0 – 9.0

        And my thyroglobulin was < 0.9 reference range 0.0 – 4.0

        Reply
      • Hi Michelle, I would recommend trying a different brand. Naturethroid or NP are better options than Armour. I was put on Armour before and it made me feel worse. Now I take Naturethroid and feel great . I’ve talked to many others who had the same complaint about Armour. Look up the reviews.
        Good luck!

        Reply
        • Armour has changed since the drug was bought by another company I have read many are having problems with the NEW version. I am currently taking supplements and no meds. But still tired and weight gain. Don’t know who to do to in my area to fix this. Looking for Doctor.

          Reply
    • The same is happening with me. I won’t to just stop. Did you do it? Is it safe to just stop taking it? I don’t know what to do

      Reply
  3. Dear Dr. Childs,
    My daughter sent me your website and I have been reading your articles. I am 84 and in pretty good health. I take no medications but take some nutritional supplements. I am having trouble with my thyroid. I have found an NP that has given me a full thyroid panel of tests. The trouble is no one understands how to read them. I have a TSH of 26.23, T3 Free 2.5, T4 Free 0.9, ReverseT3 ,LC/MS/MS 14,T3, Total 67, T4 (Thyroxine), Total 4.9, TPO AB Endpoint 181, Thyroglobulin antibodies 3, Thyroglobulin 47.4, B12 1050. They did the B12 because I am very tired in the afternoon. After reading some of your articles I asked them for some T3 (Liothyronine) I am taking 5mg at your suggestion in the morning. Now I am wondering if I have done the right thing. It just seemed logical to me since my TSH was so high and so were the antibodies both of which would seem to me keep the T4 from converting into T3. Now this just seems like a by-pass. Can you help me understand my numbers at all and should I be taking this T3 medication.
    I would so appreciate a reply and thank you for the help you have given through all your informative articles.
    Sincerely,
    Elise

    Reply
  4. Hi Dr. Childs,
    I had a consult with you back in Feb 2018. At the time you recommended T3, cytomel for me, titrating up to 25mcg dose. My most recent bloodwork revealed very very low TSH (which I believe is to be expected) but T4, Total T3 and free T3 were all lower than on my previous labs????
    I’ve also noticed since taking T4 in combo with my T3 (as recommended by my current doc early may 2018) that my fasting blood glucose is way higher than normal. Thoughts???

    Thanks
    Dr. Oikawa

    Reply
    • Hi Darcy!

      Make sure you re-check your labs to make sure that those results are indeed accurate. Many times lab tests are not, so if they don’t make sense (or correlate with your clinical picture) then re-check them.

      In regards to your glucose, sometimes patients do experience an increase in glucose when using T3 but it’s usually temporary!

      Hope this helps 🙂

      Reply
      • i’d like to know how all of you are paying for all of this blood work and lab tests??????? my god! just the thyroid bloodwork costs $175 and that does not include the medication for just the thyroid. why is it that for over 6 years I went to 7 doctors and not one of them checked me for thyroid problems until the 8th one did. that means for 6 years I was walking around with a thyroid count of zero. and who knows how long before that because no one ever checked me for thyroid issues when I was a child. this means that maybe for 27 years, my thyroid gland was not working and I was not taking any medication for it. I am still here. I think many people “in the old days” had thyroid problems and they just dealt with it without medication. most of them lived into their 80’s.

        Reply
        • Hi George,

          Actually, it’s the exact opposite! Back in the old days people were dosed based on their symptoms and most people were taking roughly double the dose they are now largely because testing wasn’t available at that time. There was a higher incidence of overmedicating but there were also plenty of people who did very well. Also, if coded correctly, insurance should cover 100% of your thyroid lab tests.

          Reply
  5. I recently had a total thyroidectomy of the right lobe due to a large mass (benign); this followed the loss of my left lobe for similar reasons many years ago. I also had a very large mass of thyroid tissue in my thoracic region which was also removed. On discharge I was given levothyroxine 150 mcg, enough for 30 days with no refill and told to get a blood test 3-6 weeks after the surgery. I’ve been dealing with thyroid issues my whole life (l’m 69) and I waited not quite 4 weeks to have the blood work done in the hope that if the surgeon received the results before my pills ran out I would get a refill. I don’t t know at this point if that is going to happen or not and I run out of pills tomorrow. However my next follow-up appointment isn’t for more than a week. My question is whether it is going to be OK to just stop taking the replacement cold turkey like that until I hear from the surgeon or go to my next appointment? Your opinion will be appreciated. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi L. Katz,

      If you’ve had a portion of your thyroid removed then it would not be a good idea to suddenly stop or make changes to your thyroid dosing without physician supervision. It would be better to try and bump the appointment up if possible.

      Reply
  6. Hi Dr. Childs,

    I am currently taking Levothyroxine 125MCG in the morning.
    I am reading about the health benefits of wheatgrass juice. Can this replace my medication? I do realize I need to keep taking my medication until I get new lab results but wondered what you thought about wheatgrass juice as an ultimate replacement for low dosage meds.

    Thanks so much,
    Bonnie

    Reply
    • Hi Bonnie,

      I wouldn’t recommend going off of any medication without discussing it with your current physician. It only seems likely that you could reduce your dose if you have some sort of reversible condition causing your hypothyroidism to begin with (but you would need to figure out if this is the case for you before making any changes to your medication).

      Reply
  7. Hi, Dr. I was on Levothyroxine for about 5 yrs and didn’t have too many issues s until my dose was continually raised. I then went on Ndt. I’ve been suffering severe insomnia since starting this. I also have hashimotos. I’ve decided to go cold turkey and not take anything to see if it’s the meds causing my insomnia. I’m starting to sleep a little better since stopping. But now I’m not sure what to do. I feel like like I just hit a brick wall.

    Reply
    • Hi Barb,

      It’s probably not so much related to your medication as it is the dose of the medication you are taking. Insomnia may be an indicator you were taking too much hormone for your body. The best way to tease this out is with lab testing.

      Reply
  8. Hi Dr. Childs!
    So a few years back I went to a holistic Dr. and she ended up putting me on a natural thyroid medicine… in the long run I didn’t think it was making me feel any better, therefore, I ended up going to my PCP and she tested my thyroid levels and ended up putting me on medication. While I’ve been on it for a few years, I’ve never actually noticed a difference even in the beginning of taking it. I’m 27 and I wanted to try to go cold turkey off the medicine To see if I would be fine without it and I’m having insomnia and heart palpitations throughout the evening… I know going cold turkey isn’t probably normal, but I’m a week into it, are the heart palpitations and insomnia normal? I’m thinking it’s just my bodies way of getting off the medicine, hopefully, it will stop soon!

    Reply
    • Hi Alyssa,

      No, heart palpitations and insomnia are not normal side effects. You definitely want to make sure that you touch base with your Doctor to ensure that it’s safe for you to stop taking your medication.

      Reply
    • Hi Alyssa I’m wondering what happened with you and did you end up going back on the meds to stop your insomnia and heart palpitations? I’m having a similar issue after suddenly stopping and I think that is my issue.

      Reply
  9. I recently had to stop cold turkey on my Armour Thyroid supplements because I lost my job and have no Insurance, what do you recommend to supplement, I have an increase in heart palpitations and cold fingers and I am sleepy.

    Thank You
    Debbie

    Reply
  10. I recently got prescribed with 25mcg of Levothyroxine only issues I was having was tiredness in afternoon hours. I have been on it for about a month and the other day I felt like my anxiety was higher than normal and when I went to bed my mind was racing and I was shaking uncontrollably. Do you think this could be due to taking thyroid medications and not needing them? My Dr said my thyroid levels were slightly low and I’m afraid my levels are now too high is why I’m experiencing these issues. I cut back to a 1/2 of a pill of 25mcg and seem to be doing better. Thoughts?

    Reply
    • Hi Bill,

      Yes, taking too much thyroid hormone can definitely trigger anxiety and panic attacks. It’s hard to say if that’s what happened in your case, however.

      Reply
    • Hi,
      I was wondering how you are doing?
      I’ve been on 37,5 mcg of Levothyroxine for 4 months now and I haven’t noticed any huge changes. My mood is generally low (but I am going through breakup / covid / no job), my weight seems steady, my anxiety is actually better (I was never diagnosed or that huge but I did CBT therapy and time is healing the breakup).
      However my hair is falling out in clumps! And that IS making me anxious. Did this happen to you? Maybe I don’t need it?

      Reply
  11. Hello,
    I am 52 and on .5 Synthroid. I have recently moved to a new community and away from my doctor of 32 years. I am now in a conveyor belt system of health care doctors reading online info rather than listening to you as an individual and operating out of offices with multiple people working with the same receptionist or out of a walk-in clinic leaving me alone and unheard.
    my new (?) doctor did blood work upon meeting me and immediately took me off the Synthroid saying i “probably didn’t need it, let’s see what happens with the next blood work”. I have been told by many, many professionals that you should never go off this med.
    I have been off it now for 6 days and terrified I will get sick, lose my hair, gain weight etc.
    she is taking me off it as she said: “why be on a medication if you do not need it?”. She is retesting my blood work in 3 months.
    By that time if it turns out I needed it will I then need more? will I get sick by then if I did need it all along?
    Please advise. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Hi Lorie,

      Going off of your medication shouldn’t change how much medication you need if you have to go back on it later, but it will probably make you feel worse for a short period of time.

      Reply
  12. I was taking Nature Throid – 65 mg (once in the AM and once in the PM) every day. I was also taking 1 mg. Twice a day of Estradiol too. My alternative medicine dr prescribed this for me after seeing many different Md’s and they kept telling me my thyroid levels were fine and and I didn’t need thyroid meds not any estrogen. Keep in mind I had a radical hysterectomy in 2014 and went 100% without any hormone replacement for two years. My hair was very healthy and thick. I do have a goiter on my thyroid which I get scanned yearly to check the size. When I went for my yearly in Jan 2018 of this year and I told him I was taking the above meds he said I could have a stroke for the high dosage of both and to stop. He said I did not need any thyroid meds at all. I went home and stopped all meds cold turkey. Within a few weeks I was losing my hair ( breaking off and within 3-4 over half the hair around my face and top of my hair is half gone and broken off and little fine short hairs are starting to grow. My hair is a totally different texture than before I stopped the meds in Jan 2018. I had only been taking the meds since Dec 2016 and felt terrible before that and the meds made me feel super. I no longer had brain fog, I had Energy and I lost about 10 lbs and was about my normal weight gain. As soon as o stopped the meds in Jan 2018 – I gained 12 lbs and became lethargic and got a small gut. Here are my thyroid levels before Jan 2018 when I was on the meds the day that I visited my Endocrinologist’ in Jan 2018 and he told me to get off all meds of which I did. Getting off these meds cold turkey must of also triggered my trichotillomania of which I haven’t had any issues with at all on over 20 years. I have had very thick, coarse beautiful hair until Jan 2018. Now my trichotillomania is back with a vengeance in addition to the texture of my hair being now very fine and broken off around my face and half my eyebrows are missing from the middle to outer sides. Tell me if you think I need the meds – I called the alternative medicine dr and told him the labs pulled and the results and the endocrinologist told me to get off the meds with those lab results And he said he disagrees and that the endocrinologist is basing this on the national average thyroid scale and that he is basing this on me and my body. He said I disagree and this is the reason your hair has changed .Do you think that with these labs I need it be on or off the meds – I don’t know what to do? Here are labs now – TSH – 0.01L T4 Free 1.4 T3 FREE 5.6L. After stopping the meds here are the labs which is causing me to be tired and all the hair issues and trichotillomania – July 2018 current labs now after off the meds here are my labs – TSH 1.48 T4 FREE 1.0. T3 FREE 2.4. – please give me your thoughts whether you feel I am hypo or hyper or don’t need any meds and if so please elaborate? I feel terrible but don’t want to take meds of not needed. Please advise my email is lisacfarmer@gmail.com

    Reply
  13. I never had a thyroid problem, until my doctor said my numbers were off after having a blood test. That was about a year ago. I was put on Armour Thyroid. In that year, I have gained at least 5-8 pounds a month. I am now 40+ pounds overweight. I do not eat hardly anything. I’ve gotten so fat (in my opinion), that I’m more depressed, and don’t want to see anyone. None of my clothes fit so it’s easier to stay in pajamas all day. I’ve asked my doctor and she gives me no reason why I’m gaining weight like this. So, I woke up today and said, that’s it, I am not taking any medication, other than my daily antidepressant, again. I don’t know what else to do. I stay away from sweets, and bread and I still gain. I can’t take much more of this. It’s driving me crazy and making me a hermit. I live in a small city, and we don’t have a lot of ‘second opinion’ options. Any thoughts other than just laying around getting fat?

    Reply
  14. Dr., I am a 66 year old male, who talked with my dr about feeling lethargic and tired. He had recently done a full panel on me and said all looked good except one of the
    thyroid results was “just outside” of normal on low side. He put me on 3 month regime of 50 mcg of levothyroxin.
    I felt no different. Now he wants to add a daily does of thyroid medicine to increase t-4 which 2nd test shows is “slightly outside” average normal levels.
    I don’t want more drugs and would like to wean myself off the levothyroxin slowly. Your opinion? Thanks.

    Reply
  15. I am a 60 year old female who had her thyroid remain bed completely due to cancer, and then 6 months later a left neck dissection was done. The VA is afraid it has returned. I am new to this VA hospital since moving here (Florida), from Oregon. They are discussing Radioactive Iodine, I’ve been losing weight and hair. Is this a wise decision? They have stopped my medication as if today, no thyroid meds as of this am. Any suggestions?

    Reply
  16. Hello,

    I was diagnosed with hypothyroidsm in June of this year. I was doing routine lab work for my hormone levels which were totally off and this was discovered. I assumed my issues/symptoms were due to out of whack hormones. My doctor prescribed one grain of armor thyroid daily. Since then, my weight loss has completely stalled (I had lost 40lbs prior to starting Armour). I am restless at night and rarely get a full nights sleep. Both issues that I hear thyroid regulation should assist in improving, not hinder. I wonder if estrogen and testosterone levels could cause thyroid levels to be off or if there is an underlying adrenal issue perhaps. I am considering stopping the Armour thyroid and instead continuing with dietary changes and supplements. Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated.

    Reply
  17. coleenrain@hotmail.com
    Diagnosed with papillary cancer 6 years ago, had thyroid removed. My T3 and T4 always come back normal, however I have developed high blood pressure spikes, difficulty breathing at times, wheezing, chest pressure and pain, painful jolts with my heart that will stop me in my tracks at times, and honestly lack the will to live with no answers and this just being my life. It’s ruining my relationships as I am faking being happy and pain free, because friends and family are tired of hearing about me being tired, achy, and sick. I don’t usually write on any of these forums, but I also am becoming desperate. If there is just one other person out there that is sufffering with the same ongoing symptoms, I guess it would make me feel less crazy.

    Reply
  18. I was feeling horrible and my PCP said it was my thyroids so I went to an endocrinologist who stated she was a thyroid specialist. I had Graves and had an RAI twentysomething years ago.The endocrinologist did the full thyroid panel which showed that my tsh was suppressed but my free t3 and t4 was in range but low. The endocrinologist misdiagnosed me as thyrotoxic, took me off my meds for two weeks and then restarted me at .05mg Synthroid. I’d previously been taking .2mg of Synthroid. The shock of being taken off synthroid and being put back on at such a low dose caused my body to go into shock and I developed insomnia, panic attacks and severe pain and dizziness. The endocrinologist refused to increase my dose and when I complained and questioned her, she dropped me as a patient. I’ve since found that it was because of anemia and vitamin D and B deficiency, that I was so ill.This occurred in May-June of this year and I am still suffering from the insomnia. I am now working on getting my thyroid level back to optimal. I am now taking 125mcg of Synthroid and thinking of adding T3 to this. I would like to know if this insomnia will be abated when I am back at my optimal level. Thank you for your response.

    Reply
  19. Dr Child’s,
    I have no regular doctor who help me. So I consulted a Naturopathic doctor and he wants to use laser treatments to stimulate my low functioning Thyroids. Then he plans to wean me off my 2 hypothyroid meds levothyroxine liothyonine. It’s been 35 years with the Levothyroxine. And I have been getting worse as I get older. I am62. The Naturopathic wants to put me on different supplements. He said my thyroids can be revived. What do you think?

    Reply
  20. Hi, Dr. Child’s,
    I’ve been dealing with chronic fatigue, low immunity + sinus issues for years. About one year ago, I decided to devote myself to finding a diagnosis + healing. I went from doctor to doctor & eventually was diagnosed as Hashimoto’s and put on meds… I tried Synthroid, didn’t work. Added cytomel in, didn’t work. And eventually landed on 1 grain of Armour which felt better than the others but still not much relief. I have now recently been diagnosed with Lyme…
    On this journey, I am much more educated about how my body works, especially my thyroid…and now looking at my initial labs from a year ago (before I was put on meds) & I realize, I absolutely did not need to be medicated. My TSH was 1.5, Free T3 was 3.4 & Free T4 was 1. Now with this Lyme diagnosis, I realize my Lyme, not my thyroid has been the culprit all along.
    So, about 3 weeks ago I stopped the 1 grain of Armour cold turkey and have felt fine, better actually. To be safe, I took a thyroid blood panel a few days ago & was disappointed to see my TSH at 3.4, free T3 at 2.3 and free t4 at 1…..worse than they were before I began the meds a year ago.
    My question for you is:
    How long does it take for my thyroid to “reset” post medication? These new labs were taken about 3 weeks after coming off the Armour….I’m not concerned if they are simply leveling out, but my worry is that they will continue to decline (or go up rather in the case of my TSH). When coming off meds, are the numbers typically way off immediately (days) after & start evening out after a few weeks…which would mean my numbers won’t get worse? Or do you think my thyroid has only just starting to realize there’s no supplementation coming in & perhaps my numbers will continue to decline?
    As I said, I haven’t had any negative side effects (only positive really…less abdominal bloating, more energy) but I don’t love these numbers that I’m seeing in my bloodwork. And concerned for my thyroid health and worried I will be hit with symptoms soon?
    I’ve never loved my endocrinologist and don’t fully trust her opinion – so would be incredibly grateful for your insight. Thank you so much.

    Reply
  21. About two months ago, my pharmacy called me to say that the natural dessicated thyroid I had been taking for 8 years was being recalled and I should stop it. Before stopping, I went to see my internist who told me about Thyrovance, an over-the-counter alternative from South America. I ordered some and began taking it immediately. When I began having worsening gut issues, I discovered that the Thyrovance contained rice powder as a filler. Since I am quite sensitive to excipient ingredients in medication, I called my internist who told me to stop it for a few weeks to see if my nausea/diarrhea got better. So I did. I have been off of the Thyrovance for about two weeks now, and today, I awoke with a terrible headache, extreme discomfort in my abdomen, and terrible fatigue and muscle weakness. I have had really bad heart palpitations and shortness of breath also. It wasn’t until this afternoon that I realized that maybe these symptoms could be due to stopping the thyrovance. So I actually took one of my old dessicated pills (I kept them because the pharmacy said they aren’t contaminated, just that the manufacturer was recalling them). It remains to be seen if stopping the thyroid pills was causing these problems. I will probably know tomorrow.
    Has anyone else experienced these symptoms? Also, has anyone else had problems getting their NDT in the past few months from the pharmacy?

    Reply
    • Hi Pam,

      Hypothyroidism can certainly cause the symptoms you were experiencing off of the medication. There are also many other brands of NDT available (at least in the US) which may be available in your country as well.

      Reply
  22. I’ve been taking Synthroid for probably 25 years. During those 25 years, a couple of times pharmacies gave me generics by accident and they wreaked havoc with my system. Just recently, my insurance has denied a prior approval for the Synthroid causing the cost to go from $18 a month to $70 a month. My doctor submitted info stating the problems I previously had with the generics, but they still denied the prior authorization. I’m reluctant to switch to the generic, but the alternates are the high cost or no medication. Any thoughts?

    Reply
  23. My doctor just stopped me taking my thyroid medication cold turkey for 7 days to test me again to see a “safe” level. I am terrified to do this! Would it be better to just go to another doctor and get a second opinion?

    Reply
    • Hi Christine,

      The only reason to abruptly stop taking your medication is if you were taking way too much, to begin with. If that wasn’t the case then you may want to seek out a second opinion.

      Reply
  24. Hi Doctor,

    I was in the hospital for 2 days after I had a complication from appendicitis for 2 days they did not give me my levothyroxine 100 m and I wasn’t feeling well so I completely forgot. The last day I was there my heart kept fluttering (I have SVT) I realized when I got home and saw my medicine on my night table that I hadn’t taken it and probably why my heart was acting up. What could have happened if I had stayed longer without my medicine?
    Thank you,
    Jocelyn

    Reply
    • Hi Jocelyn,

      Missing your medication for a few days is probably not a problem for most because the medication has a long half-life and stays in the system for up to 30 days.

      Reply
  25. Hi, Dr. Child’s -I 81 years young and have been taking Armour Thyroid over 65 years. Have tried synthetics and they didn’t affect my levels at all. Recently tried NP version and had adverse side effects, eg. equilibrium and brain fog issues, so was put back on Armour. The real issue now is I changed prescription providers and since Medicare doesn’t approve Armour, my new provider won’t either, even with my Dr. appeal. Since a can’t afford the full cost of this medication, I stopped talking my Armour one week ago and the side effects are starting to kick in. I have tried every avenue available to obtain this med but have had no success. Do you have any suggestions at all about an alternative med I might try? It was about 10 years ago I tried synthetics so maybe there is a new one that I could try. I value your opinion. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Hi Lee,

      It’s hard for me to give an opinion here because I’m not 100% convinced that your current doctor correctly dosed your medication. It’s possible that they either underdosed you or overdosed you which resulted in your symptoms. I find that most people fall into this trap and they accidentally blame the medication when it’s more the fault of the dose and not the medication itself. There are some people who don’t tolerate certain formulations, however, which is where things can get tricky. But, unless you are sure that your medication dose was optimized, you can’t say for sure that the medication did or didn’t work for you.

      Reply
  26. I need some advice, I had a sudden thyrotoxicosis attack 3 years ago. My blood work came out in the normal range at that time. 3 months after the episode my TSH was 17 so my endocrinologist started me on levothyroxine,75 daily even though I was feeling fine. About 6 months later I started having overactive symptoms. Gradually over a 2 year period, I lowered my dose to, 50 4 days a week. Within the last 6 months, I developed red itchy swollen eyes I have now been diagnosed with urticaria from autoimmune thyroid disease, for some reason only my eyes are affected. My histamine levels are high, all my thyroid levels are testing normal and I never developed any thyroid antibodies since 3 years of being diagnosed. My PCP thought possibly it may be from the levothyroxine and I feel that I may have never needed it after how this has progressed. I am on 2 antihistamines daily and can barely control the swelling and redness around my eyes. So I stopped the levothyroxine 1 week ago to see if anything would change. So far nothing. Now I’m scared I really need the levothyroxine and should go back on it. I only missed 4 doses so far, is it too soon to tell? Do you have any suggestions?

    Reply
  27. tinfinn@aol.com. I need some advice. I am currently struggling with high histamine release showing up as swollen itchy red eyes. After testing from an allergist, it was concluded that it was being caused by the autoimmune hypothyroid. I had thyrotoxicosis 3 years ago and my thyroid tested normal. 3 months later my TSH was 17. My endocrinologist started me on levothyroxine.75 daily. Since then I developed over active symptoms and have been lowering my dosage gradually. I am currently taking .50. 4 x a week. Since this histamine problem started, my PCP suggested that I stop the levothyroxine just to see if it was causing this allergic response. I have been off for 1 week and really don’t see an improvement. I currently take antihistamines 2x daily but they are not controlling the eye problem. Should I stay off levothyroxine for another week and let the levels drop to see if there are improvements? My allergist wants to start on injections of Xolair but I am reluctant to start. Any thoughts?

    Reply
  28. I stopped taking thyroxine (100 mg) about 6 weeks ago and felt OK until a week ago. I began to feel very sluggish.. Wiped out.. I lost my balance my body temperature fluctuated massively.. My brain fog was the worst ever I had really bad numbness in my hands and arms. In short l felt terrible.I couldn’t go to work or drive. I saw my doctor and now lm back on thyroxine… Its been 3 days and ln feeling better each day.
    I will never stop taking my thyroxine again.

    Reply
    • Hi Lynne,

      What you’ve experienced is a fairly standard response to stopping thyroid medication. It takes a good month or so for it to be eliminated from your body which is why many people think they are doing fine without it but it catches up with them later.

      Reply
  29. I stopped my thyroxine (50mcg) 2 weeks ago as per my endocrinologist as my t4 levels are high. I’ve been on thyroxine for 16 years now after having the radioactive therapy when I was 7. Since then I’ve been feeling really different. I’ve been having palpitations and my lost my appetite. I don’t know if it was stopping the thyroxine abruptly that may have caused this.

    Reply
    • Hi Dianne,

      It’s certainly possible that it is at least contributing. If it persists, or gets worse, over the next few weeks then that is an indication that it is probably related.

      Reply
  30. Hello There,

    I am writing on behalf of my Mother Annabelle Reed. Mum was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid 12 years ago and put onto Levothyroxine 25mcgs.
    After 3 weeks on this medication, she began to suffer with painful hands which were curling up. We went to see her GP who then took Mum off this medication and did more bloods to test. A few weeks later her GP contacted her to say that she did indeed need to resume this medication for an underactive thyroid at 25mcgs.

    The dosage remained at this level for a few years until it was increased to 50mcgs. Mum appeared to be ok for a few years. However, over the last 5 years Mum’s ability to walk, complete household chores and go out has slowly ebbed away until this last year whereby she is practically housebound. The pain levels are fairly high and leading to her becoming quite depressed and relying upon my Dad to do everything for her.

    This last month Mum asked to see a Thyroid consultant which was finally allowed…bloods with this expert have resulted with Mum being taken off the medication altogether as it was deemed useless being on such a low dosage. A further blood test has now revealed that Mum no longer (if she ever did have) an under active thyroid.

    So we are now into week 7 with Mum withdrawing from Levothyroxine medication and she is suffering quite a lot whilst waiting for another appointment to see this consultant.
    I am writing to you as we are at a loss as to what to do next. Mum’s own GP is not interested in the slightest. Do you have any advice for us please as we are desperate to be quite honest with you.

    Many thanks,
    Sarah Behan
    Annabelle Reed (79)
    Clive Reed
    Birmingham UK

    Reply
  31. Yesterday, after discovering I had not taken thyroid meds (.88mg) for over thirty days, it become clear why I was experiencing all of the symptoms of a non-functioning thyroid. I immediately took 2 doses, and will return to a single daily dose immediately. My PCP concurred with this plan. In your experience, is there a average time to return to “normal?” I am hoping for a recovery in 10 days, but then again, I’m the guy who overlooked taking his thyroid med for thirty days. Your thoughts, Please.
    Regards,
    John Fitzhenry, Florida

    Reply
    • Hi John,

      After about 1 month all of the thyroid hormones in your body will be mostly metabolized and used which means you will be starting from scratch again. I would actually guess that you won’t see a modest recovery for up to 6 weeks or so. You may, however, start to see some mild to moderate improvement at the 2-4 week mark.

      Reply
  32. Dr. Childs,

    I am a 44-year-old woman that had a hysterectomy when I was 28, my thyroid in 2011 and my appendix in 2017. They removed my thyroid because I had nodules and they were afraid they would become cancerous. To back up a bit, when I was 12, I was diagnosed with migraines and was told I was allergic to shellfish/iodine. So I stayed away from anything that had ANY iodine in it because it caused me to have migraines. So, due to the lack of Iodine, my thyroid suffered. When they did the initial test, I was “off the charts hyperthyroid” but I gained a ton of weight. I went from 224 to almost 400 pounds. I was told that my body does things opposite of what it should and that once my thyroid was removed and I got my levels regulated I would drop the weight rapidly. Didn’t happen. I continued to gain weight. I wasn’t able to get my levels where they needed to be until 2017. I became pre-diabetic and decided I needed to make some serious changes. I cut all sugar out of my diet, drank water like a whale and lost 120 pounds. I am a medical assistant so I have some medical knowledge, but not a lot. haha. I worked for a natural-path and she increased my Armour thyroid to where I became Hyperthyroid again with the hope that it would help me lose weight. Again, no…… I can’t take hormones or bio-identicals because they cause me to grow sebaceous cysts. I have tried exercise, plant-based diets, Keto, you name it and I cannot drop the pounds. I retain water like an ocean, I suffer from insomnia, depression, moodiness, increased appetite; which leads me to think my adrenals are shot. I can’t see an endocrinologist until September. I know my body and yes it does everything the opposite of what is the “normal”. I was thinking about not taking my thyroid medication to see if I could possibly shock my body enough to where it got “back online” and I could start shedding pounds. I have been researching and I came across your article. Yes, I know that if I don’t take my thyroid medication I will eventually die, but I am still curious if I quit for a short time if I would start losing weight. I didn’t take my meds today and I haven’t felt the need to snack like I normally do. I have energy, I am not tired, I alert and definitely not moody or weepy. That’s just in 24 hours… I know I need to see my doctor and I have, but as I stated before, I am playing the waiting game. Do you have any advice or maybe even assistance with a question to ask my PCP? I am desperate as I am getting remarried and I would like to shed some weight. Thank you for reading this and I hope it makes sense. I have been told that I am a Science project because nothing works as it should. Way to live life let me tell you. Anyway, thank you and hope to hear from you soon.

    Reply
  33. Hello, your article was very informative and helpful. Thank you.
    My endocrinologist will not listen to me or take me seriously about the way I feel. No, I don’t know what’s wrong, but I do know I feel horrible, have no energy and have seen significant physical changes in my body since my thyroid surgery.
    The doctor who removed most of my thyroid didn’t even put me on medication for three months until a friend told me I should be on something. I couldn’t even get out of bed.

    A. Steel

    Reply
    • Hi A.,

      It sounds like it may be time to seek out a second opinion from another physician. You want to make sure that any doctor you are seeing is taking your concerns seriously or at least attempting to address them.

      Reply
  34. Unfortunately, I have been on levothyroxine since 1990, starting at 100 mcg qd but decreased to 50 mcg circa 1999. I say unfortunate b/c purpose was to shrink a benign thyroid tumor and b/c I developed premenopausal osteopenia (eventually, osteoporosis) within six years of beginning therapy. My doctor since 1999 never suggested I might come off it, and, in fact, dx’d me with hypothyroidism although I had always tested euthyroid. I do have my old medical records. In March, after I was dx’d with atrial fibrillation (afib), he reduced, then d/c’d my levothyroxine. I suggested reducing more gradually by cutting in half etc, which I did in periods of two weeks. After that, I was on 25 mcg for two more months before recently reducing the rest of the way in two-week periods. I will be off in two more weeks. My thyroid profile was normal after I got down to the 25 mcg level and will be measured again in December after I’ve been off several months.

    If my thyroid profile remains normal, I assume that confirms I was never hypothyroid.

    Here is the complicating factor. After two weeks of the levothyroxine reduction, I began to show elevated BP, with systolic in the 140s and 150s.

    Prior to this, I enjoyed a low BP, with systolic never > 120 and often lower. In fact, on the day I went into the cardiologist’s office to discuss my presumed new-onset afib, my BP was 100/60. The next day I began weaning off levothyroxine, and in 2 1/2 weeks had the 1st elevated BP. After I had been at the 25 mcg level for several months, BP scores decreased to 130+/70+. Now that I’ve started reducing it again, BP scores are back up. Doctors want to jump to a conclusion of “white-coat” effect or new-onset htn, but so far there is a neat correlation of BP and thyroid reduction.

    My cardiologist is willing to observe for a while.
    Haven’t heard yet from the endocrinologist.
    In the meantime, am monitoring BP at home and seeing what happens.

    Have you ever heard of an inverse relationship between levothyroxine and BP in a pt coming off meds?
    Thanks!

    Reply
  35. I’ve been on 15mg NP thyroid for 14 weeks. My most recent lab work showed my TSH actually increased and worsened since taking this medication (3.9 prior to med and currently at 4.8). My Free T3 and Free T4 are also on low end of normal. My hair started falling out and I developed menstrual irregularities while on this medication which is what prompted the lab re-check. So stopping at such a low dose may not be as bad of a re-bound effect? The medication was actually making me feel worse than before. I want to know what I can do to get back to my baseline which wasn’t optimal but was better than what it is now while on NP thyroid.

    Reply
  36. Dr. Childs,

    Thank you for your article and all of the questions that you have answered. It is an excellent material for reference.
    I have battled weight my whole life despite being active. Running 5k, Power 90, P90X, and a list of workouts consistently. I was in the care of an NMD for about 3 years. She put me on a mixture of (Metformin, Phentermine, and Topiramate) I was able to successfully drop 45 lbs the first year. Consequently, it caused my thyroid numbers to drop. So, she put me on Armour thyroid at 60 mg. She did that a year ago despite my concern about getting off the poisonous concoction. For the past two years, I remain at a weight plateau of 195-200 lbs. It stands to reason after a weight loss the thyroid levels would drop. Currently, my labs show my free T3 at 4.9 (2.2-4.2), Free T4 1.10 (080-1.90), T4 6.4 (4.5-10.5) and of course TSH 0.230 (0.400-4.100). I have tapered myself off the poisonous mixture (Met, Phen, and Topir) (only because of the possible effects to my heart and mitochondria! 🙂 ) I did that about 3 months ago with no adverse effects and found a new NPD. However, the new NPD continued me on the thyroid medication.
    My issues are thus: My joints have become extremely sore and will freeze at night. Despite my intake of 48 oz to 64 oz of H2O daily and daily bone broth. Is there a possibility that since my thyroid was still functioning (albeit at a much lower level) could the high levels be causing these joint issues? I have been experiencing these joint issues for about 1 year. I have tried to talk to my doctor about lowering the thyroid, but she remains convinced that this is the only way for me to lose the remaining 40 lbs. My thoughts…Couldn’t I taper the thyroid medication down slowly and pray that my TSH, and thyroid begin picking up the slack? Perhaps doing a medical detox with my NP and continuing the organic veg/meat diet. I have seen no fluctuations in weight despite a Keto/Paleo lifestyle. I ingest no processed foods, nor any type of processed sugar. I use stevia drops (4-5) in my morning cup. ( Only 1 cup of coffee daily.) Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you for your thoughts.

    Reply
  37. Hi!
    Loved your article. I was on 50mcg levothyroxine for 8 years. I was diagnosed because I started missing my periods. Even after taking medicines religiously I didn’t observe any improvement. I was constantly bloated, tired, had weak hair and periods were never on time. I was sick of taking progesterone. The doctor wasn’t recommending anything apart from putting me on another set of medicine as wanted to conceive. To take matters in my hand, I decided to stop the medication abruptly. Altered my diet to an extent and started taking multivitamins instead. It has been more than 2 months now. The period hasn’t returned and the hair has turned weaker, but there is a considerable improvement in my digestion and bloating issues. Before 3 months my thyroid panel read T3 3.23 T4 1.38 and TSH 1.07 and now it is T3 3.30 T41.14 TSH3.19
    The change in TSH is alarming. Is it a reason to worry. Shall I start my medicines back?

    Reply
  38. Sir:

    I take armor thyroid and have dor ten years my number was above the lower range. I have had all the symptoma of oversose of this amount after dr increased from 50 tp 90 to increase number. I quit taking for two days. I go to thyroid specialists in three weeks. Should i stop meds totally or smaller amount. My limbs were even swelling. It scared me but I dont wanna stop in have other effects.

    Reply
  39. Hello
    I don’t even know if you read these.
    The reason I went looking for this is because in January of last year my doctor put me on thyroid meds and I should never have been on thyroid meds because I had had cortisone shots prior so my TSH was hired she put me on thyroid meds and then may I ended up in the hospital they took me cold turkey off of thyroid meds and I was perfectly fine then they decided that because I had been on the meds that I should probably be on .25 of Synthroid I cannot get away from the foggy head or feeling sick all the time and believe me when I say foggy I mean my body is less acute to everything around me. I need to come off of the centroid because my body makes enough on its own but they’ve been giving it to me since September 22 2019 and when I complained that I feel really bad and over-medicated they just told me it’s a psychological problem. however prior to this I ran 5 miles a day was happy a firefighter work for Red Cross AER in the middle of Terri now I’m non-functioning. So I am one of those people that will put on the meds when I didn’t need to be I need to come off of the slowly but you didn’t say how to do it and that is what I’m interested in.

    Reply
  40. I am 58 years old, I started taking armour thyroid medication about 3 months.
    I take 15 mg once a day.
    I’m having trouble sleeping feet cramps
    Tingling in my legs
    More anxiety than usual
    Should I stop taking it?

    Reply
  41. Hi Dr Child’s.

    I am a 44 year old female. A month ago, I started a new job and changed doctors due to not having insurance at this time. I’ve never had any thyroid issues and March 11th my new Dr called saying my blood work indicated I needed thyroid medication. He prescribed T3. One a day for 7 days, 2 a day for the 2nd week and then 3 a day from then on. This past Friday he called me and told me he read the wrong file and my thyroid levels are fine. I was so upset that I just stopped the medicine. I have been having panic attacks, sweating, brain fog like crazy and dizziness. Today I felt as if I was going to pass out. I had no idea until reading your article that this medication can be causing this. I’m very healthy, I don’t smoke or drink and no drug use. I workout 5 times a week. I’m writing this in tears now because I’m panicking and don’t trust this doctor. I don’t know what to do. My question is. How long before my thyroid goes back to normal and I stop feeling so sick? Please help me!

    Reply
    • Hi Natalie,

      It should be out of your system within 4 weeks but the side effects may linger for a bit longer due to the genetic changes that occur with thyroid medication.

      Reply
    • Natalie, I am curious if you are feeling better? I have had a very similar experience where my fertility doctor put me on thyroid meds to help with fertility but when I started experiencing over dosage symptoms, my family doctor took me off cold turkey. Now it’s been 5-6 weeks and I have all the symptoms you experienced. It started with major panic/anxiety attacks, dizziness, nausea. And now I am handling the anxiety but left with brain fog, and it’s sooo incredibly uncomfortable. I feel like I can barely function and I feel so tired, detached and uninterested in things I once liked. I also feel very dizzy and having trouble remembering things. So frustrating. Doctors keep telling me to hang in there and it’ll get better. So I’m just curious if things got better for you? Hopefully!

      Thanks
      Jess

      Reply
  42. Hi, Dr. Childs –
    I am a 58-year-old female diagnosed with hypothyroidism and on daily meds since the age of 27. I’m a strong Christian, and I went to a healing service in August 2018. I believed I was healed and went off my medication cold turkey (2 grains Armour daily). I felt great for a month and then felt terrible. I experienced major hypo symptoms and some I didn’t recognize (arms would go weak and feel heavy). I fought it for 2 weeks, then titrated myself back on my Armour quickly (2 weeks to get back up to 2 grains after being off meds completely for 6 weeks). Ever since then (it’s been 1.5 years), I have felt terrible. I’m up more than 15 pounds and I eat only about 1,000 calories a day. Crushingly exhausted. Insomnia. Anxiety, depression, and irritability. I also am under OVERWHELMING, EXTREME, and UNRELENTING stress at work. Every time I go for labs, they tweak my meds up and then down. Whether my bloodwork shows hypo or hyper, I feel hypo. Please share your thoughts … thank you so much! – PJ

    Reply
  43. I have been on synthroid and cytomel for years. About 6 weeks ago my doctor told me to stop taking the cytomel because of other health issues I was having. I stopped cold turkey. Since then my hair is falling out, and I feel jittery…..could it have anything to do with stopping the cytomel.

    Reply
    • Hi Janelle,

      Absolutely. If you stop taking any thyroid medication you will experience hypothyroid symptoms which is what you are experiencing.

      Reply
  44. Hi,
    I am 31 and started taking Levothyroxine (37.5 micrograms) in February this year.
    I didn’t have any obvious symptoms for hypothyroidism other than low mood, irregular periods and neck tension. However the whole of 2019 was pretty miserable due to lack of work (I’m a freelancer) and in September I lost my job as well as went through a big breakup due to my partner losing his dad. We have since then got back together but I have been under a lot of emotional stress as he is not capable of loving me and there are no more projects for the future (we planned to live together and have kids). I have been suppressing my work related emotions as well as relationship emotions in order to try to support his grief process, to no avail.
    Since mid -March I have now been losing HUGE clumps of hair and my skin is dryer. I obviously still have low mood due to no work / covid / end of the relationship again, but it seems manageable.
    However the hair loss isn’t and it’s really scaring me.
    I had a blood test last week at was told all was “normal”. I will ask to see the figures. My blood test was also “normal” in August last year as well as March last year although I was told I was borderline hypothyroid.

    Is all this a side effect of the medication?
    Could I possible not need it?

    I am not sure how to read the test results in January but theses are the figures:
    THS: 4,96 mUI/L
    Free T3: 5,34 pmoI/L and 3,48 pg/mL
    Free T4: 13,49 pmoI /L and 10,48 pg/mL
    (I am clueless as to why there are 2 figures for the T3 and T4)

    I look forward to hearing from you/
    Thank you!
    Melissa

    Reply
  45. Hi, hope you can provide some clarification since my GP is unsure about this situation and I am waiting to speak to a specialist. I had a sinus infection and took antibiotics and during this time, had fatigue and sensitivity to heat. Did bloodwork – TSH – 5.24 and iron was low. GP prescribed levothyroxine 0.025mg and I took the tablets for about 43 days. Since fatigue did not improve, GP said it was fine to stop it. Another doctor (in GP’s health team) said that he would not have prescribed the medication and that it was a “blip”. On the first day of no levothyroxine I felt more fatigued and now on the second day, I feel random dizziness. GP said since the dosage of levothyroxine was so low, I could safely stop taking it and there would be no side effects. Since levothyroxine was taken for about 43 days, is this enough time for a person’s body to now have difficulty in producing TSH naturally? Will these symptoms reduce naturally? Any feedback will be appreciated.

    Reply
  46. Hi! This article was very informative, thank you! I was put on 50 mcg levothyroxine after being on lithium which I never needed in the first place! My TSH level was .21 after stopping the lithium and remaining in the levothyroxine! My doctor reduced the levothyroxine to 25 mcg and just yesterday discontinued it! Will I experience any withdrawal symptoms? Thank you for your help!

    Reply
  47. Very helpful article!
    I ended up getting diagnosed with hypothyroidism 8 months after giving birth to my son. The side effects I was having was fatigue sleepiness zero energy and lots of brain fog. After getting the blood results my thyroid was barely functional. Not to mention it got enlarged and inflamed. I was put on 137 micrograms, I took it for 3 weeks and started feeling side effects, heart palpitations increased appetite. After getting blood work done my thyroid got drastically better, so I was put on 88 micrograms. Two weeks after that I started to feel anxious, muscle spasms around my knees, shortness of breath, and terrible night sweats. I got blood work done again and it turns out that my thyroid was almost normal again. So I was put on the lowest dose of 25 micrograms. it’s been a week and I’m taking it now and I still just don’t feel very good. I really feel like I should not be taking this medication. I would like to stop and continue with natural supplements considering how fast my thyroid got better, but I was told that I will have to take this forever. I will not be able to see a endocrinologist for a few months, but at the same time I don’t want to feel miserable taking this stuff. Any advice? Thanks!

    Reply
  48. Hello

    I have had Hashi for approx 10 years and have been on Thyroxine for approx 6 of those years. At the beginning of this year my GP reduced my meds and then had me stop them altogether as I was showing signs of Graves. After seeing an Endo he has told me to stay off the meds as coming off them has balanced my levels however it is too early to say if I will stay hypo or go hyper. My issue is it is approx 8 months off my meds and I feel absolutely terrible. Weight gain, fatigue, memory fog, muscle aches and have also found out I have bursitis in both shoulders but the ache in my arms and joints since stopping my meds has been unbearable. Both my GP and endo are telling me that these symptoms are not related and I should be feeling fine because my levels are normal. Thoughts? Thank you.

    Reply
  49. I am 65. Need to lose weight. Diagnosed as hypothyroid & I started taking ndt in 2013. Currently, I was on 1 grain Naturethroid or WP Thyroid daily. Last tested, My Tsh was high & t3 & t4 in range. However, with the latest recall, there is no naturethroid available. I took my last pill yesterday. I am allergic to milk, corn, gluten, eggs. In the past, when I tried the np thyroid or armour, I had allergic reaction. I take Suzy cohen’s thyroid script & hashi script supplements. I also take rhodiola & Adrenal Logic supplements for adrenal gland support. I’ll call my doc after the weekend for his recommendations. Meanwhile, any suggestions about getting off rx or what rx will actually work? Your articles are giving me hope & helping me see outside of the box. I did have allergic reaction to ct scan radioactive dye a couple of times about 20 years ago. I also took cipro for 28 days & then for 52 days about 10 years ago. Thanks.

    Reply
  50. I was diagnosed with Hashimoto’s last fall. My antibodies were around 30, so not terrible, and I was able to stave off medications for a while by adopting a really clean plant-based diet. Still, my doc suggested I go on meds to “optimize” my numbers because they were still a bit off. She put me on 75mcg of Levo and 15mcg of Lio. I started have a lot of hair thinning, and I didn’t think it was the meds – just assumed it was stress and the harsh water in LA. Well I got my numbers tested a few months ago, and my TSH was 0.2 (she hadn’t been checking my TSH until I checked it on the lab form myself…). This past August she brought my Lio down to 5mcg, so I’m taking that every day with the 75mcg Levo still. The hair thinning/loss has gotten worse over the last 6 or so months, and it’s really stressing me out. I have about half the hair I used to have, and it’s so brittle now. I’m wondering if you all have had success coming off of Lio, as I read online that that could be causing the hair thinning/loss. I am also searching for a new endo, as she is technically a gastroenterologist. 5mcg seems like a small dose, and the half-life is only a day, so I’m almost tempted to just stop taking it and keep with the Levo only – it seems that taking both Levo and Lio is actually quite controversial and not recommended by doctors (not something I knew until today). If you have any recommendations, I’m all ears! It’s really stressful to have issues with weight loss on top of being afraid to shower due to seeing how much hair I’ll lose each time. Greatly appreciate the help.

    Reply
  51. I’ve been on thyroxine (50mcg x3 a week) for 3 years. IMy doctor has taken me off thyroxine now to try and stop my recent onstart of excessive sweating. Sweating is so excessive impossible to live and work with. Do I need to supplement with some iodine? (No disease or operations on my thryroid)

    Reply
  52. I am 63 years old and had been on 4 grains (240mg) of Armour Thyroid for 30+years. Since then I have gone through menopause (which I have read Estrogen binds some Thyroid meds) and have progressively gotten more and more tired. I started having heart palpations several years ago and when my Dr decided it was Afib, he immediately cut my dosage in half. Following that I became increasing worse, gained 20 lbs, my hair started falling out, my blood sugar became increasingly unstable (tend towards hypoglycemia) EXTREME fatigue and my everyday body temp is somewhere between 95 and 96. 5 degrees. He sent me to an Endocrinologist who declared that my TSH was nonexistent (and had been since before I started on Thyroid) and my T3 and T4 were in the normal range I should keep reducing my dosage until the TSH raises up to a “normal” range. (She also was positive that I was a diabetic and that Thyroid has nothing to do with blood sugar levels. A1C, insulin and daily blood tests show me NOT Diabetic, in fact my blood sugar goes DOWN many times after eating instead of up)

    My Doctor decided she did not know what she was talking about and asked my to try upping my dosage by taking 1 grain every other day. He asked if she had considered that I might have a pituitary issue instead. He has since retired and I have been managing by symptom. Irregular heartbeats + too high, multiple charlie horses per day with no reason + not enough. I did lose the 20 lbs at about the same rate that I gained it in 6 months to a year, when I stabilized my dosage at about 135mg per day.

    Any new doctor is going to take one look at my TSH and reduce or take me off the medication entirely. Cutting in half could turkey is not an experience that I want to go through again.

    On top of this my husband has been taking 120 mgs of Armour Thyroid for about the same period of time. He just started seeing a VA Dr who saw that HE has low TSH and wants him to cut the Thyroid medication completely, cold turkey. He is 77 years old, very active and has what they now call Afib for years since BEFORE he took any Thyroid meds. I am VERY concerned and do not want his health to go downhill like mine did when we cut my dosage in half cold turkey.

    What do we do??!!

    Reply
    • Hi Deb,

      It is HIGHLY likely that if you cut your dose down (or your husband) that you will feel terrible. Your best option is to find a new doctor, unfortunately.

      Reply
  53. There was a question about an inverse relationship on BP that didn’t appear to have an answer. I switched from 100 mcg of levothyroxine to 90 of Armor 1 month ago. All the typical symptoms of over medication including increased pulse (70 to 90+) with an alarming drop in BP 70/50) with fluctuations from normal to low throughout the day. I did several EKG’s and have normal sinus rhythm. I stopped armor for 1 week; pulse is still high with BP returning to normal. However, taking a 1/2 dose of Armor to keep it from going to low drops my BP again. When would you typically resume a 1/2 dose of Armor and when would you typically expect this to level out? I realize you do not provide medical advice, I’m only looking for what you’ve witnessed in the past with other patients.

    Reply
  54. I had my thyroid out many years ago and have been on Thyroid meds ever since. I’m 78 and my wife left me for no apparent reason two years ago and since then I’ve lost 58 pounds. After 2 mos. I found out that she inherited a half million dollars and didn’t want to share it w/me. I also have 3 disintegrated disks, severe neck pain, ringing in my ears so loud, $4,000 hearing aids do not help! I’m extremely miserable, lonely and I have no money, so I’m about to be homeless. I stopped taking my Meds 9 days ago and was wondering how long do you think I have to live. I don’t want to shoot myself in the head or crash into a concrete wall at 130 mph so I thought this would be the best way to go without causing a mess or having my family think I committed suicide!

    Reply
    • Hi William,

      I am not sure how long you have left to live based on this information but I would strongly recommend that you seek help for your depression! It may seem hopeless right now but I can assure you that it will get better. Please seek out help if you are feeling this way!

      Reply
  55. Hi, Dr. Childs – I took myself off of my Armour thyroid (2 grains per day) cold turkey on 8/17/18. (I was 56, and I’d been on daily thyroid replacement since the age of 27.) I felt GREAT for about 4 weeks. Then symptoms hit me like a Mack truck: rapid weight gain, very puffy face, and other things that I wouldn’t have associated with hypothyroidism, mainly: I would see flashing lights in the dark; my arms would suddenly go heavy and tingly. I fought the symptoms for two weeks, then went back on my 2 grains Armour thyroid (titrated up over the course of two weeks). The arm thing resolved and the eye symptoms resolved about 90%. The face puffiness resolved–all but my very puffy eyes. And the weight (15 lbs), sadly, has never resolved. Any advice? (I am concerned that I have Thyroid Eye Disease, even though I’m hypo.) Please share your thoughts … thank you so much!!! – PJ

    Reply
  56. Dear Dr
    I have recently been diagnosed with overactive thyroid after having underactive for many years. My daily dose of Eltroxin 0.05mg has been stopped for 6 days now and I feel horrible. Tremors, anxiety, up and down BP, extremely cold and on and off hot flashes, I’m using Estrogen gel 3x a week for a perimenopause diagnosis. I’m having very strange experience in my body. How long can this take and what can I do?
    Thank you kindly Andrea Jacobs

    Reply
  57. Hi Dr Childs!

    I’m 47 years old, been hypothyroid with Hashimotos for about 12 years now. Had a nodule on my right side that was being watched for about 5 years. Last year it grew rapidly, more than doubled in size and showed as more dense on ultrasound (which was done in June of this year). I also all of a sudden became hyperthyroid (was on 120 levothyroxine and 5mcg liothyronine). Dr decreased levothyroxine to 100 to bring my TSH back up to normal. Before that I was doing well on naturethroid but had to be switched to synthetic 10/2020 when it kept going on recall/backorder. Anyhow, The decision to remove right side of thyroid was made due to it having grown so quickly. 4 days after speaking with ENT and deciding to remove, I woke up feeling horrible. Neck was swollen, lymph nodes in neck and various places throughout body were swollen, my blood pressure started going high and I started getting painful lumps in my fatty tissue areas and just a general unwell feeling (I believe it to be panniculitis but I’ve seen 3 doctors that haven’t seemed concerned). Prior to this I had started having hot flashes, sweats and insomnia. One doctor switched me to Armour since it’s natural and we wanted to see if Levothyroxine and/or liothyronine were causing my issues. No improvement. I had to be put on propranolol to bring down BP since Lisinipril (later changed to Losartan) wasn’t doing it alone( and I hadn’t had to take BP meds fir 6 months because of a successful weight loss and workout routine). Pulse started being high too (95-100. When it was normally about 75).

    So, I had my right side of thyroid removed on 7/28. Dr said there was tons of inflammation, “definitely thyroiditis”. Since then my blood pressure has been all over the place. I asked to go back to synthetic since Armour seemed to make it worse. I started back on the Levothyroxine 100 about a week ago and was feeling pretty decent with normal BP. Four days ago I tried to start Liothyronine 5mcg back up and 2 days later my neck once again felt like it was starting to swell, lymph nodes painful, blood pressure raised etc. so I’m pretty convinced that the Liothyronine is the problem. I didn’t take it yesterday or today. Today I’m feeling light headed/dizzy, headache. Could it be from the two days I tried to take Liothyronine and then stopped? I’m wondering if I have thyroid toxicity. All of the endocrinologist around here are booked 3 months out and primary doctors don’t seem to know anything. Even though I don’t feel well today, my BP and pulse are back to normal but still have tightness in throat and chest. I’m at a loss and don’t know what to do.

    Reply
  58. Hi there. Thank you for this article. I am one of “those” who responded very well when I quit taking Synthroid cold turkey after taking it for 10 years! I was over-prescribed and still wonder if I even needed it in the first place as my TSH was just outside the high range of normal. The first week I stopped taking Synthroid, no joke, my bench pressed increased by 20lbs, I felt relaxed and calm, I could sleep and I felt…well…happy, which was a very odd feeling for me. For ten years I would have one good day every 10 to 20 days. Typically I felt nauseous, headaches, anxiety, nervousness and eventually develped persucatory delusional disorder (I believed people were trying to kill me, my wife and my children – seriously!) I was actually overwhelmed with joy. However, I continued to see doctors who tried me on WP Thyroid (my eyes swelled shut as it turned out I am allergic to pork), then a compounded T3/T4 medication. I started to struggle again and eventually stopped taking that as well. I am not on 5mcg of Cytomel, which I only take once per week – every Sunday morning around 7a to 9a. I am wondering if I even need to take that now? I typically feel tired, lethargic, have a headache and a bad attitude on Mondays. I don’t believe it is just because it is Monday, but I believe it is due to Cytomel. Good sir, do you have any advice for me on this? Finding and working with a good Endocrinologist is NOT easy these days!!!

    Reply
    • Hi Brian,

      5 mcg taken once per week is such a small dose that it’s likely that it’s probably not doing much for you at this point.

      Reply
  59. Hi Dr. Childs,

    Recently I started weaning off of my synthroid medication by dropping 10% every two weeks as suggested in one of your YouTube videos. My TSH was low (0.6) and my T3 & T4 were quite high. However, every time I drop my dose my blood pressure rises to hypotension levels for about 4-5 days before normalizing. I have no other symptoms and actually feel quite refreshed after the hypotension subsides.
    I’m discussing this with my G.P. on Tuesday but my functional doctor couldn’t figure out why this could be happening. Would you happen to have any idea what would cause this? I’ve always felt like I was unnecessarily on Synthroid, so that’s my only speculation.
    Thanks!

    Reply
  60. Dear Dr. Childs, 8 years ago I retired to Mexico. I had been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and had taken levothyroxine when I was 30, 37 years ago.
    6 months after retirement to Mexico I started getting rashes that worsened with each flare up.
    I saw many doctors who contributed my problem to allergies, although none of the tests concluded that.
    The rashes and all other symptoms continued to worsen. Doing my own research I discovered your website and others that led me to believe I had a very bad case of drug induced cutaneous lupus which also became photosensitivity with much scarring.
    I tried my best to find a doctor to help me wean off the thyroid drug, no luck there. As a matter of fact they would no longer accept me as their patient.
    I was at the stage that I felt my only option was to cold turkey stop the med alone.
    Yes, there were some very scary results of that. But imo stopping may have killed me, but not stopping definitely would.
    The rash stopped itching in just a few days.
    Fortunately in Mexico one can order lab tests independently of a doctor. After 9 weeks without the thyroid med I tested (with the help of your site as to what tests were necessary).
    Sure enough the test results showed my thyroid was indeed active.
    It’s now been over a year since I discontinued levothyroxine. I’m now working on lessening the scars, although I’ve lost quite a bit of pigmentation that appears will be permanent.
    Yes, I know what I did was risky and I would not advise others to follow my lead. But I sure am very grateful to you for having info to aid in my decision. As well as Jama posting that levothyroxine was added to the list of drugs that can cause drug induced cutaneous lupus.
    Now I can only believe that my body was telling me to stop the drug. Did my thyroid become active with less stress because of retirement? Did my diet change because of the fresh foods available here? I’ll never be certain.
    But I do believe the internet saved my life and the info you provide was crucial. Thank you doctor!
    PS I have many pics I’d be happy to send to you if you’re interested in seeing what happened to my body.

    Reply
    • Hi Ingrid,

      Thanks for sharing! It’s hard to know for sure why that happened but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was due to stress. Stress is such a powerful modulator of thyroid function that it probably played some role.

      Reply
  61. My name is Kathy Mills, I live in Mississippi. I quit taking my synthroid because I have acid reflux when I take it with my nexium. Now I feel like death. I’m hurting all over and want to sleep all the time. I started taking my synthroid back today. How long will I feel like this?

    Reply
  62. Dear Dr. Child,

    I used to have hypothyroidism and took doses up to 125 Eltroxin then it altered to hyperthyroidism after having an adenoma then my doctor stopped my medications however my TSH level returned to be border lines and I began to gain weight so I began to take Eltroxin 100 again so should I stop it, or can I wait 4 weeks and test my TSH levels again?

    Reply
  63. Dear Dr. Child
    I am 75 and have been taking Armour Thyroid for many years and my endo reduced the dose of 45 mg down to 30 mg. I see him every 6 months. My question is this: Can my medication cause me to shake?
    This has come on quite suddenly.

    Reply
    • Hi Carol,

      Yes, it is certainly possible but shaking is very nonspecific so I wouldn’t be able to say for sure if it came from your medication or note.

      Reply
  64. Hi Dr Childs,

    I quit my LevoThyroxine cold turkey 6 weeks (only just found your article). I have been on 125mg for the last 15 years, i decided I’d test what happens after such a long period of time.. I know I defo shouldn’t be doing stuff like this.

    After 6 weeks, I still feel pretty normal, a get a little more tired easier, take a nap and feel ok, I do not feel cold, or yet to have any constipation.
    Could I ask, am I yet out of the woods, or is 6 weeks not yet long enough to consider this my new normal?

    Extra info if it helps: UK based, 41 yo male, 86kg, 6’3″, plant based, GF, regular fasting, exercise 5 days a week.

    Many thanks, Lloyd.

    Reply
    • Hi Lloyd,

      It takes a good 4-6 weeks for the levothyroxine to completely be out of your system based on its half-life and probably another 3-6 months for your thyroid to get to whatever level it can in terms of thyroid hormone production.

      I would say it’s a pretty good sign that you aren’t feeling much worse at the 6-week mark. Hopefully, from here you will continue to see minor improvements over the coming months as your body attempts to re-regulate itself.

      Reply
  65. Hi Dr Childs- I have been dx with hypothyroidism for 25 years. Currently being treated with 100mcg of Levothyroxine. I have maintained good thyroid levels according to lab work. My last Rx was Levothyroxine 100 and pharmacist noted it may look different and different replacement. Prior it always listed as substitute for Synthyroid, and this time it noted substitute for Euthyroid. I didn’t really acknowledge that until two weeks in I started not feeling myself at all, shakey, anxious, diarrhea, racing heart just unsettled. I went to the PCP and she felt was anxiety with stress I am under and we very briefly discussed the med. She did note that some of her patients do request only levothyroxine-Synthroid. I went to the pharmacist who argued with me about there being any difference. I quit taking the levothyroxine until I get an answer. Have you heard of this before? How long would almost two weeks of the Euthyroid levothyroxine is out of my system? Thank you

    Reply
    • Hi Mary Ann,

      Pharmacists have some theoretical knowledge but their practical knowledge is usually lacking. There is absolutely a difference between Synthroid and levothyroxine in terms of how it impacts certain patients which your doctor would be aware of because he/she treats patients (whereas the pharmacist does not). There are also some studies that show that these medications are not bioequivalent. I’ve written about this topic before and this article includes some tips to make sure you can get Synthroid over levothyroxine if that’s your goal: https://www.restartmed.com/synthroid-vs-levothyroxine/

      Reply
  66. Hello!

    I’m taking .5 mcg of levothyroxine and have been for about 10 months. I was prescribed it by my obgyn when my thyroid went slightly hypo during pregnancy. My baby is now 5 months old and I’m still taking it. I gained about 30lbs during my pregnancy. I am very active and mindful of my diet. I lost most of the weight right away but have been holding onto 10 lbs for nearly 5 months! It’s crazy. I workout daily, nurse, and watch what I eat but these 10lbs are NOT budging. Lately I’ve noticed more headaches and generally not feeling all that great. I had my thyroid tested thinking maybe that was issue and all they said was that’s it’s normal. Mind you, I’m still on the levothyroxine. I’ve never had thyroid issues in the past, only during pregnancy.

    Well, it occurred to me yesterday that maybe it’s the medication that’s screwing with my thyroid and the way I feel. I’ve always been sensitive to medication so this would NOT surprise me. I asked my dr about going off of it and he suggested a slow weaning and then retesting. So that’s my current plan. I’m wondering how plausible my theory is that these last 10lbs and general crappiness feeling is related to taking the levothyroxine unnecessarily, and perhaps, I have the reverse T3 process occurring? What are your thoughts?

    Thanks!

    Katie

    Reply
    • Hi Katie,

      It’s possible it could be contributing and I’ve seen things like this before but I would say it’s not very common. Pregnancy seems to have an impact on hormone balance which frequently leads to weight gain after giving birth.

      Reply
  67. Hi Doc-

    In reading through all of your posts it is evident you have extensive expertise in this area! I am a 55 year old male who is a six year survivor of H&N cancer. SCC in the throat. 35 radiation and 7 chemo treatments over 7 weeks. Started Levothyroxine about 4 or so years ago as thyroid was in radiation path and is slowing. Sometimes it seems to make me have a rapid heart rate at rest. The last prescription I just started 2 weeks ago shot my resting heart rate up to 115-118. Stopped taking it after 5 days then split my pills for another 5 days before I could get in to my oncologist just today. TSH and T3 numbers were worse as expected. Surprising to me was my cholesterol and triglycerides spiked up significantly. Is this common? Also, it doesn’t seem that Levothyroxine is the right med for low T3?

    I appreciate your thoughts.

    Thanks for all you do!

    Reply
  68. My TSH is in the 9 range. All other thyroid labs are in the normal range. Doctor just raised my Tirosint from 75mcg to 100 mcg and keep taking T3 2.5 mcg because I’m sensitive to it. I have icy cold hands, horrible menstrual cramping, and occasional irregular heartbeat and dizziness. Your suggestions? Does it sound like we’re on the right track, or do I need to go a different route? Doctor always asks what I want to do, but I’m not the expert and am lost. My heart rate is typically 60 BPM but has been above 70 resting, which I’ve never had in my life. I’ve been on thyroid meds for over 20 years.

    Reply
  69. I was on 150mcg of levo for 20 years. One day out of nowhere my legs and arms started going numb and had constant panic attacks for months. They upped me to 250mcg and switched to synthroid. My tsh went down to 8.9. Was on it for a year and all I did was shake sweat, couldn’t sleep more thsn 3-5hrs a night, panic attacks, numbness. I couldn’t afford the medicine, so I took half the dose for 2 weeks, then 50mcg for a week. I haven’t taken it in days and I feel better. What the heck? I’m sleeping through the night. I can eat now. My body doesn’t ache. My heart rate lowered 15bpm down to 78 instead of 90-100. BP is 130/80. I now take probiotic 3x a day, i’m doing a liver cleanse, I’ve cut out preservatives and 85%of seed oils and gluten. I eat meat, vegetables, potatoes, butter salt. Could I have been taxing my system with terrible food and the stress of my divorce cause my tsh to explode like it did? All of those symptoms are gone and I probably only have about 25% of my original 250mcg dose in my bloodstream, at the moment.

    Reply

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