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Synthroid Side Effect - Frequent Periods?

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Posted 5/24/2013 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I am desperately trying to find an endocrinologist in my area but they are all apparently booked up till September and its starting to piss me off lol. I will be going back to my PCP to see if they can help but I'm wondering if any of you have had INCREASED number of periods as a result of Synthroid?  I read online of women who stop getting their periods from the drug but for me it seems to be increasing my periods.  I am getting them now every 2 weeks and its driving me nuts... lol.

I started my period on 5/8 and it lasted for about 5 days or so and then on 5/22 I started bleeding again!  I started taking the drug after switching from Levoxyl about mid April and I also found that my period started much earlier than it was supposed to last month as well.

Also, when I first started taking it I was getting these really annoying heart palpatations but after about 2 weeks it stopped. 

Is this just my body adjusting?  Anybody else experienced this?  I'm wondering if I should keep trying to give the drug a chance or ask my PCP to put me on Amour or Tirosint. 

Any thoughts?

Posted 5/24/2013 5:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,
Dose is brand dependent, so your proper dose under levoxyl is going to be different under synthroid.
Irregular periods is a symptom of hypo/hyperthyroidism, so what I suggest is that, if you have been taking synthroid for at least six week, then it's time for blood tests, TSH,FT4 and FT3.

When you have those please post them with reference range, and we will be glad to interpret them for you.

S
Posted 5/24/2013 6:07 PM (GMT 0)
Well I have been taking Levoxyl for many years and never had irregular periods. Between my Levoxyl and my PCOS medication my periods were finally normal. This 2 week period thing occurring only started after started the Synthroid. So, I'm pretty confident its because of the drug.

I was taking 75mcg of Levoxyl and they gave me the same amount for Synthroid...so maybe its not the right dosage with the new drug. I will go back to my PCP this weekend but I'm not sure if they will do the tests for FT4 and FT3...usually they only test my TSH.
Posted 5/24/2013 6:18 PM (GMT 0)
Mine also only checks for TSH and FT4, but that is enough for me,since I go by the TSH.

S
Posted 5/24/2013 6:57 PM (GMT 0)
Amethyst, more frequent periods can accompany hypothyroidism. Do you have any of the other symptoms? Perhaps your dosage needs to be increased.

Also, don't be afraid to request your doctor do the blood tests you need. I've always found my docs to be accommodating in doing this for me.
Posted 5/24/2013 7:49 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the replies. I'll make sure I ask them to do the additional checks.

My usual symptoms from hypo and PCOS relating to my period were actually opposite... I was having very long times between periods and very heavy flow lasting for 7-10 days. Once I was diagnosed and treated my periods became regular.

Two weeks after starting the Synthroid my periods started coming every two weeks. This has never happened in my life and while I realize its a possible symptom of hypo, its not a typical one for me. The only correlation between it and my condition is the new medication. So, unless its caused my numbers to swing drastically I can't see how it is only a symptom of hypothyroidism.

I had another thread I posted about symptoms but nobody ever answered me. My TSH number has been steady at 1.9 for a number of years but I'm still unable to get pregnant, tired all the time, having skin issues and heart palpitations.... The heart palpitations I'm confused about because those are supposed to be hyperthyroid symptoms.

I was seeing a reproductive Endo but we moved far away and now I'm trying to find a new regular Endo.... But they are all booked up! My PCP is willing to treat me but I really feel like they aren't qualified to give me the proper care as they aren't specialized.
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