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Could Depressed Emotions And Sensitivity Be A Side Effect Of Levothyroxine?
I had a total thyroidectomy on June 16th and have been taking 100mcg of Levothyroxin as a thyroid hormone replacement. I am a 19 year old female also on Nuvaring to regulate my very irregular period. Lately, for the past few months, I ve been feeling easily upset, irritable, and just down. My boyfriend thinks it might be depression, but I don t feel fatigued, my sex drive is fine, and I m not always sad. The thing is, though, when I get upset, I get VERY upset. I ve become very sensitive to anything even mildly offensive my boyfriend says to me. We ve been fighting all the time because I get emotional and hurt by him easily. Things I used to laugh off now make me cry uncontrollably. My TSH levels haven t been checked yet and my doctor did say he could be giving me too much. I do feel my heartbeat intensify more often than I used to now (it s a problem I ve had as a child, but now it happens more frequently). Also, my hair is falling out a lot and I ve lost 10 lbs. Could my depressed emotions and sensitivity be a side effect of an overdose of levothyroxine?
Sat, 24 Apr 2021
Hi,
Though depression is not a side effect seen with levothyroxine, but mood swings, (particularly nervousness and irritability) is a well known side effect of levothyroxine. Similarly, frequent intensification of heart beat as well as loss weight can be due to over dose of Levothyroxine. However, hair loss generally is not a sign of levothyroxine hyper dose, rather it may be a feature of under dose of levothyroxine.
Similarly all other symptoms like being easily upset, irritability, being sad, getting emotional, crying uncontrollably point towards mixed symptoms of anxiety and depression. Therefore, in my opinion, you should go for your thyroid profile and readjust your doses of levothyroxine, if required. If still the symptoms persist, you are advised to take anxiolytic and / or anti-depressive drugs under guidance of a psychiatrist.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician
Though depression is not a side effect seen with levothyroxine, but mood swings, (particularly nervousness and irritability) is a well known side effect of levothyroxine. Similarly, frequent intensification of heart beat as well as loss weight can be due to over dose of Levothyroxine. However, hair loss generally is not a sign of levothyroxine hyper dose, rather it may be a feature of under dose of levothyroxine.
Similarly all other symptoms like being easily upset, irritability, being sad, getting emotional, crying uncontrollably point towards mixed symptoms of anxiety and depression. Therefore, in my opinion, you should go for your thyroid profile and readjust your doses of levothyroxine, if required. If still the symptoms persist, you are advised to take anxiolytic and / or anti-depressive drugs under guidance of a psychiatrist.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Satnarain Bansal, General & Family Physician
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