Taking synthroid

[Targhee]

Did it make you irritable? I’ve only been on it for a week and looking forward to not feeling like I’m wearing a lead blanket all day and not need 9-10 hours of sleep at night... but while I’m waiting for therapeutic effectiveness I’ve noticed I’m irritable. Way too early for PMS, and just snappy, what-is-wrong-with-you-people grumpy. I’ve recognized it well enough that I’ve made a number of apologies today, but I don’t like feeling like this. Could it be the synthroid? Will it go away?

[J-rap]

I've been on synthroid for years and barely remember what it was like when I first started, but I'm pretty sure it took some tweaking those first 6 months to get the amount just right.  However, once I got it right, I've never had any problems or side-effects at all.  I've felt great for 15+ years now!   Give it more time and hopefully you'll be feeling back to normal soon.

[Pawz4me]

No, I've been on it for over three years and have had no negative side effects at all. It made me feel wonderful. More accurately, it made me feel normal, but I had felt so very awful for so long that getting back to feeling like a normal early 50-ish person seemed wonderful. But it takes several weeks to fully kick in. After six or eight weeks I was raving to anyone who would listen that the stuff was truly the Fountain of Youth. I felt that much better. This early I wouldn't assume anything you're experiencing is from the medication. It took a full two weeks before I noticed the slightest change.

[scholastica]

No. I’ve never felt irritable from it. It does take a few weeks. Are you on name brand or generic? I have to be on name brand Synthroid. You can ask your doctor to prescribe actual Synthroid, if you think the generic may be causing problems. Be forewarned, insurance companies don’t always like to pay for the name brand. The good news is even the name brand is fairly inexpensive. 

[gardenmom5]

yes - it could be the synthroid (synthetic t4).  it's possible you would need cytomel (synthetic t3) as well.

it is VERY important your dr is dosing by FREE T3 and FREE T4.   they both have optimum ranges - and that's what you want to aim for.

more likely - one of the things treating hypothyroidism - it can reveal underlying adrenal issues. 

irritability is very common with high cortisol.  if you end up doing a cortisol test - avoid the blood test (it's a one time measurement, and isn't accurate anyway).  you want the 24 hour cortisol test which is measure 4 - 6 times in 24 hours. it should follow a specific pattern.  you need to avoid things that will raise your cortisol for up to two weeks beforehand as it can give a false reading.

there are some very good adrenal support sups available.  (don't take anything with adrenal cortex unless you know you have low cortisol)

here are some comparison charts.

here's more on adrenals - higher cortisol - and what happens when it crashes because the adrenals get too tired to put out.

 

 

 

 

[Mbelle]

I had a lot of trouble when I had to switch from Armor to Synthroid/cytomel. I was not only irritable, I was also feeling general anxiety overall.  It was very unpleasant. It lasted about 6 weeks.  I guess that was about 10years ago?  I'm  totally fine now.

[Carol in Cal.]

When I change doses, I usually feel very energetic and good for about a week and a half, and then normal after that.  I have trouble sleeping but don't get tired.  Exuberent, not irritable.