Hypothyroidism and Synthroid - dizziness and brain fog

KBL

I have been taking Armour Thyroid for many years. I switched from Synthroid long ago. As of late, I have been having issues with keeping my thyroid in check, so I switched back to Synthroid, not the generic. I have been having extreme fogginess, headaches, and dizziness for about a week and a half. My heart is doing some fluttering, which I’m used to when I’m overmedicated. I landed in the emergency room last week for this and extreme left-side flank pain, which I don’t believe to be related.

They tested my TSH, and it was in normal range, which means the Synthroid is doing its job, but I’m wondering if I’m having a reaction to it. It’s very coincidental as to when the dizziness started.

Has anyone had a similar experience? I’ve decided to go back on the Armour and will call the doc on Monday to let her know I need to see if the Synthroid is the cause. I just don’t know what else it could be. I would be shocked if I had metastasis to the brain. Lobular doesn’t usually spread there, as far as I know. They have ordered an MRI of the brain, which I think will be a waste, but always better safe than sorry.

flashlight

The dosage of Armour Thyroid is determined by the condition being treated and is individualized according to patient response and laboratory finding. Synthroid dosage wouldn't be the same as the Armour. It sounds like your dose is too high. This what I read: it can take a few weeks (or sometimes even a few months) for your body to adjust to any change in dose. I have a goiter with hypothyroidism and had my dose increased a few months ago. If you are having a rapid pulse I would ask if your dose could be lowered and give it another chance.

KBL

Thank you, Flashlight. I am going to go back on Armour. The problem is when I needed a dose increase, she popped me from 90mg to 120mg of Armour. I knew that was too much. I’m going to call her Monday and ask her for 90mg and 15mg. I really don’t want to go back on Synthroid, and I’ve never had a reaction to it, so that’s probably not what I’m dealing with, but since it happened at the same time, I don’t want to do it. I really like Armour.

Last year just one time I got a generic at a different pharmacy. It was the same dosage as I was taking of Armour, but for some reason, I went hyper, which I do sometimes. Come to find out there was a recall because they had too much of something in the medication. Was able to go back to Armour, my normal dose, and was fine.

The problem I’m having is my TPO has been high, and no matter which way my thyroid goes, hyper or hypo, it’s staying high.

prairiesea

KBL I have taken some form of thyroid medication my entire life; I had congenital hypothyroidism, and then 13 years ago my totally inactive gland blew up with a bunch of nodules and was removed, so now I'm considered post-surgical hypothyroid. I took the kind of thyroid supplement they make from cow glands until synthroid became available, and have taken that since. Have never had the symptoms you describe, or at least not in a way I connected to synthroid....I do get dizziness occasionally, but that's been related to ear issues, I suppose it could be synthroid, but since I've taken it so long I don't usually attribute new symptoms to it. I think it is true that the doses are difficult to regulate if they get out of whack as flashlight says. I have found as I get older it gets out of whack more often. The best method for keeping this from happening I've found is to rigorously follow the direction to take the pill with a lot of water 30 minutes before I eat or drink anything else in the morning. That's become a little more difficult as I've begun to deal with nausea from cx treatment, though. Just had T4 and TSH tested today, so we'll see how things look, as I recently had a dosage change. Anyway, having had a lifetime of experience with thyroid drugs, I thought I'd share..... So glad to see on another thread that you are getting some possible answers on the pain you have been enduring!

KBL

Hi, prairiesea. Boy, you’ve had some issues. I’m sorry you’re dealing with thyroid too. I e had hypothyroidism for many years as well. I am doing okay by dosing 90mg one day and 120 mg the next for now. I’m having my numbers checked Monday. If they’re normal, I’m going to ask for 90 and 15 to take every day, which equals the same as 90 one day and 120 the next.

I’ll keep you posted as well with my results.

Do they test your TPO as well? Mine has been high, and it doesn’t matter whether I’m hypo or go completely opposite to hyper.

KBL

Well, nope, numbers not okay. Now with my new regimen, I went really hyper at .13. I’ve finally asked for an ultrasound. I haven’t had one since 2014, where the report then said: The gland has slightly lobulated contour and heterogeneous echotexture throughout - no dominant cystic or solid lesion - no abnormal vascularity.

My TPO is above normal whether it’s hypo or hyper. I am at a loss.

My ultrasound is set for next Friday, the 21st.

prairiesea

KBL. Good luck with the ultrasound, sorry to hear about these ongoing uncertainties. And sorry to respond so late....I'm at the end of our semester and struggling to keep up with job responsibilities on top of medical things, unfortunately. But thanks for your response, and I will try to keep up on your progress with this.

The description of your imaging sounds familiar. The decision to remove my gland had to do with multiple nodules on an ultrasound, though like yours no clear indication of malignancy (and none was found on the biopsy of what they took out). Also by the concern of the best primary I ever had (sadly retired), who knew the best surgeon in the clinical practice I'm covered by might retire soon and thought I should get the surgery done before he did, because he was renowned for good surgeries with small scars (this in fact was the case for me).

But in all my years of thyroid issues, I've never heard of an IPO. What is that? The only other test I ever had besides T4 and TSH was a radioactive iodine test when I was 11, when they wanted to figure out whether my gland did take up iodine at all. It didn't.

KBL

Hi, prairiesea. It’s TPO, thyroid peroxidase antibody test. It’s an enzyme in the thyroid, another test. Sadly, my daughter’s is way off as well, but she goes hyperthyroid. She will probably eventually go hypothyroid like me.

I’m so glad you had no cancer there and that you had a great surgeon. I don’t think I’ve ever had the iodine test.

I can’t imagine I will have any nodules on the test, as I don’t feel any, but we have to try to figure out why I can’t regulate. It’s been about four months of my thyroid flipping and flopping back and forth. It’s definitely taking a toll.

KBL

Had my ultrasound today. Different from 2014, I do have a nodule, but it’s been rated nonsuspicious, TR-2,because it’s 0.2x0.2x0.2cm.

Can this throw my thyroid off more? Who knows? I went back on Armour. I don’t like Synthroid. Now I have to try and regulate it somehow.