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Can Levoxyl For Thyroid Problem Cause High BP?

Posted on Tue, 13 May 2014

Question: I am 62 year old women I had a thyroid reading of 35 and have tried cytomel 25 mcg.which the doc. said it was not working for me I tried synthroid, levothyroxine all had bad side effects I am now trying 112 mcg of levoxyl a normal BP for me is 119/70 It has gone up to 167/104 what else is there for me to try ? I have tried 1/2 pill also and my BP is 140/95, Will the high BP go away on its own ? Also I wonder why my Dr. did not increase my cytomel I had no side effects on it . It just was not strong enough.

Answered by Dr. Binu Parameswaran Pillai (28 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Start on a lower dose and slowly build up the dose Detailed Answer: Hello, Good day. I guess your TSH reading was 35. Cytomel and Synthyroid(Levoxyl) all are thyroid hormone preperations. These will help to reduce your TSH levels. Apart from raise in BP, what other side effects did you have ? CYTOMEL is T3 ( a type of thyroid hormone) where as Levoxyl is T4 ( another type of thyroid hormone). Cytomel has short half life where as Levoxyl has long half life and that way its is better. Raise in BP could be due to the pills, but it is an unusual complication. At your age, I would start on 25 mcg of Levoxyl and gradually go up on the dose. If some one had started you on 112 mcg Levoxyl straight away, that can cause problems. I would suggest that you start with 25 mcg Levoxyl, increase the dose to 50 mcg next week and then increase to 75 mcg a week later and finally 100 mcg next week. In that way your body get time to adjust and adapt with this drug. We start on full dose straight away in younger patients, where as above 60 years, we should be extremely careful and start on a lower dose and build up the dose. Once you have the 100 mcg dose, check your Free T4 and TSH after 6 weeks Regards Binu

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Binu Parameswaran Pillai (19 minutes later)

I feel great on Levoxyl just the high BP. It gives me good energy. and I just feel good on it . The other pills I tried made me feel like I had the flu and hurt all over. I gained 10 pounds in 3 weeks to. I will try your advice and see if that works. Thanks XXXXX

Answered by Dr. Binu Parameswaran Pillai (17 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Please let me know the progress Detailed Answer: Hello, Noted your symptoms. It is the hypothyroidism which make you to put on weight. The pills may not make you gain weight. Please let me know the progress. Regards Binu

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj