just been taking 50mg for 15 days now and these attacks are frightening have spoken to my doc who says that is not this drug causing these attacks
Side Effect - levothyroxine has it been known to cause severe anxiety attacks?
Question posted by mazza123 on 26 Jan 2013
Last updated on 10 September 2022 by WildcatVet
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
24 Answers
WildcatVet
10 Sep 2022
Although fairly uncommon these are possible side effects:
"Psychiatric:
Frequency not reported: Nervousness, anxiety, irritability, emotional lability"
Cardiovascular:
"Frequency not reported: Palpitations, tachycardia, hypertension, arrhythmias, increased pulse and blood pressure, dyspnea"
Besides potential causing anxiety it also has side effects that can mimic an anxiety/panic attack.
Anxiousrabbit51
10 Sep 2022
I have had anxiety so-so for years. I wake and shake after 50 mg the last 2 years. I have also lost 80 pounds but the doctor says to continue or stop for a few days here and there. I suffer from depression as well and when I don’t take levothyr…. I don’t feel motivated. I need to study the effects on my person further and see if I REALLY need to be on this because the anxiety is CRIPPLING. I LITERALLY shake, my mind goes into 1000 directions…I never thought it could be related to this!!
AdamG280
29 Sep 2021
I took 25 μ g for two days and thought I was dead. I couldn't eat. I couldn't relax. My PCP also said no anxiety is possible. Screw that. If I were you, I'd take it very very very slowly.
Loubarry
3 Aug 2019
I too would like to share my experience for anyone that ever suffers with the anxiety from Levothryoxine. I was diagnosed subclinical hyperthyroid about 2 years ago and started on 50mcg. Over time it was upped to 75mcg then recently 88mcg because my tsh was a little over 3. Shortly after starting the increased does I began to have tummy issues (lower GI) and massive hair loss. About three weeks later I started to notice I couldn’t breathe right. I just couldn’t catch that deep breath. Two days later I awoke in the middle of the night thinking I was having a heart attack. My husband rushed me to the ER and fortunately my heart was good. That was the first of 6 ER trips and 2 overnight hospital stays. After the first ER visit my PCP advised me to drop my dosage back down to 75mcg and follow up 2 weeks later.
Nothing changed in those 2 weeks but I discovered my heart rate was constantly elevated and irregular, I was having afib, my blood pressure was now out of control high, I was dropping weight like crazy, had constant adrenaline rushes, could not sleep or eat, had terrible tremors and panic attacks. I’ve never suffered from any anxiety or panic attacks until now. My PCP told me to stop the Levothyroxine entirely which I did almost 5 weeks ago. I’m now on a beta blocker, blood pressure medication, Ativan and just yesterday started an antidepressant/anti anxiety medication. Some of the side effects are better but the anxiety is awful. I’ve been off work since mid June and I’m still having a difficult time getting out of bed. I’ve read that it can take months for the levothyroxine to leave you body completely. Since being off the poison my tsh is as low or lower than it was while I was on it. Please be very careful with this drug. Especially if you have subclinical and no Hashimotos. If you’re tsh is just a little elevated and you’re having hypo symptoms please wait to medicate. Try changing your diet and just monitor before you medicate. This drug is so dangerous if used when you don’t need it. I was told by my PCP I needed it and I listened without doing any research. Now I’m paying the price! Hopefully things will settle down for me soon and I can get off all the extra medication I’m now on as a result.
Shobbie
10 June 2019
June 2019... I thought I was all alone in this until I just bumped onto these postings. I was put on 25 mg of levothyroxine which was raised to 50mg and on it for two years until a month and a half ago. A new doctor told me I should have never been put on it in the first place and to discontinue use so I quit cold turkey. I never connected what has happened to me since discontinuing the med until now. I’m so full of anxiety and have so many panic attack’s I can hardly function anymore. I have never suffered from debilitating anxiety until now and I feel like I’m going crazy and worse yet, losing my mind. It literally feels like my mind and body have been hijacked because I can’t self soothe the panic and anxiety and it literally crippling. I’ve told the doctor but they offer no relief. Has anyone found out what to do to set things back to where they belong? Any homeopathic remedies or any medication that has helped calm every thing back down to normal again? Any suggestions are so appreciated.
Smeinzer
31 May 2019
I have been on Levothyroxine for about a month now . Started at 50 anxiety was off the chart so doctor switched to 25 I feel like I could jump out of my skin . I have had generalized anxiety my whole life but this has gone to a whole new level since taking this medicine. Doctor told me to stop and have been off for two days but so jittery how long before going off this medicine did everyone feel better
Anxietyhurts44
18 April 2019
I would like to add my voice. I have been put in 75mg of levothyroxine and my anxiety is debilitating. It feels like sheer hell. I have always had generalized anxiety but this is different. It's like something hijacked my thinking. Drs didnt even suggest this could be the cause and they sure dont listen
AnonymousBee
12 June 2018
I realize this question was asked quite some time ago, but I’m adding my answer to help future Googlers. I wish I’d come across it five years ago when I was in full-blown crisis mode.
Yes, taking more Levothyroxine than your body can handle can cause SEVERE anxiety and panic, heart racing, nausea and diarrhea, adrenaline rushes, and all kinds of craziness. I was on 112 mcg of Synthroid for years with no problem. A doctor raised me up to 125 mcg. Within weeks, I started to have anxiety attacks, which was new for me. I didn’t connect it to the increased dosage until it was much too late and I was completely bedridden, certain I’d suffered a nervous breakdown. It was the worst and scariest experience of my life. Finally, my husband thought to call the doctor’s office and they told him that the medication can cause “a little anxiety”.
I went back to the original dosage and, after a few weeks, I felt like my old self again (but absolutely horrified by what I’d been through).
I found a new endocrinologist who told me that my body had gone toxic because I didn’t have enough heart receptors to handle that amount of thyroid in my system.
Sadly, I’m going through it again. Six months ago I started to have severe anxiety again. It’s hard to believe, but it’s taken me all this time to realize that I’m overmedicated again. Over the last couple of years, my doctor added 13 mcg of Tirosint (another Levothyroxine) twice a week, and that was fine. But last year he raised it to three times a week, and I believe that’s whats causing my anxiety now.
So, no... you are not crazy. This is probably not just because you have Hashimoto’s (I have it, too). Please take care of yourself and find an endocrinologist who will find something that works for you, or who will start you off super low and raise you gradually.
Sending love and strength from a fellow sufferer (and survivor).
jakeaiken
8 Feb 2018
Think about it folks. Hyperthyroidism is essentially the opposite of hypothyroidism. When you are hyperthyroid your thyroid is pumping too much thyroxine. Classic symptoms include nervousness, anxiety, insomnia. It goes to reason that you can be easily over stimulated by too much synthetic, or natural, thyroxine replacement drug that would have the same symptoms that you describe and that of hyperthyroidism. I'm in the process now of cutting back on my synthroid, hoping to get leveled out again.
Inactive
8 Feb 2018
I agree with what you are saying. But in my case, quitting my thyroid medication has greatly contributed to my current level of anxiety, which became almost unbearable. Nature-Throid has been on back order, and since I was about to run out, I quit taking it because my pharmacy and the other local pharmacies have it on back-order, and no one can get it back in stock yet. It caused me a lot of suffering in the meantime of being in an extreme debilitating state of anxiety. Also a puffy face, weight gain and other side effects in the meantime.
cathy1956
28 Sep 2017
I'm on 100 mcg and its exacerbated my anxiety so much. Ive had generalized anxiety my whole life and my meds ( buspar and Ativan ) made it bearable until I started Levothyroxine. Now they barely touch it. I take it for as long as I can but when it gets really bad, I take a break for a few days to try to feel normal again. Probably not the smartest thing, but it's so hard to take something that causes anxiety because I've fought so hard for 40 years to prevent or lessen my anxiety. My gp has recommended an endocrinologist so I'm hoping he/she might have some solutions.
Mari8234
3 Sep 2017
I have the same problem everytime my endo changes my dosage I get severe panic attack,, hot flashes sweating irritable like a Raging Bull I have no sleep for a month when tthry o adjust my medication from 50 to 75 and I thought I was going crazy I am such that I know it is the medication in my gut feeling so I let them know right away what was going on but of course they all tried to tell me no don't worry you get better you get better but you know what I gave up I don't want to listen to any of them anymore I'm tired everybody's body is not the same I cannot be the normal TSH level like everyone else I think the more they try to adjust my levels to be normal TSH level it makes me feeling worse. I sm a very healthy individual I'm not fat I mean great weight physically.. I look very good for my age.but i wss diagnosed hypothyroid 5 years ago I do not like taking this ..
very bad side effects I lost so much hair because of this and very bad panic attack and very very irritable and anxiety I am high energy person and this medication makes me double my energy which makes me really crazy I don't need this so I'm not going to listen to any dosage adjustment I'm happy with the least dosage I already have I'd rather be natural as much as I can I'd rather remain natural but really it's because of the dosage after reading everybody's response to your question I am really really not happy with levothyroxine, I don't even understand why they prescribe this medication when everybody else have very very bad effects
cathy1956
9 Aug 2017
I've been wondering the same thing..I'm a lifelong anxiety sufferer and will do anything to avoid it. I moved to a new area, found a new dr who put me on my Buspar and Ativan but also found I was hypothyroid and started me on levothyroxine. 25 at first, but now a few months later up to 100. My anxiety is off the charts and my medication barely touches it. I finally stopped the Levo 2 days ago. I'm home for a wedding so can't see my dr until next week when I get back but I think this week without it will help me see if it is, in fact, exacerbating my anxiety. What then? Do you think she'll be amenable to trying something natural? I'm not the most assertive person in the world and I'm nervous about rocking the boat with a new dr (I had my old one for over 30 years) but there's no way I'm taking something ever day that's giving me anxiety. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
DebilitatingAnxiety
14 Aug 2017
Hey cathy1956,
I am also a lifelong anxiety sufferer but I have yet to be medicated as medication is one of my triggers (family medication abuse). I started my levothyroxine about 12-15 days ago,50mcg, and my anxiety is through the roof! Also i suddenly feel very shaky and seem to be feeling symptoms of low blood sugar or at
least that is what it feels like. I have also been feeling brain fog way worse than before. I can't spell properly and it takes me a minute to be able to remember the correct spelling? I can't stand this. I finally was able to find way to either avoid my triggers or stop an attack before it happened but now I have no control and my techniques are not working anymore. I am thinking about stopping this medication and wait for an endo appointment as my PCP is treating me now. I was only diagnosed on the 21st of Juy so this is all so new. I am also still dizzy. Some days are good and some are really bad. I don't know what to do but I feel like I am starting to get depressed. :(
Esther5
14 Aug 2017
I had my 3/4 of my thyroid removed in 2006 because of nodules. Since then I have been on 75 mcg of levothyroxine. Never really had a lot of energy and some brain fog at times, just assumed that's the way it is. I had knee scope surgery to trim some cartilage on July 7th. 3 weeks later I'm feeling horrible. Terrible anxiety, can't sleep, stomach issues, jittery, at times feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest. Went to the ER. All blood work came back fine. Was told it was viral and to see my regular doctor if I wasn't better in a couple days. Followed up with my regular doctor and asked to have my thyroid levels checked because I felt like something was off. He reluctantly did. For the last 10 years my tsh has gone between .90 and .30. The .30 was at my last check in Dec. of 2016. My tsh came back at .06. Asked if he was changing my meds, no he would recheck in 4 weeks. Wasn't real comfortable with this.
A week later and I'm still feeling horrible. Emailed him and he agreed to have me come in to discuss a treatment plan. He felt my tsh changed because of the stress of surgery and lowered my dose to 62.5 mcg. Not feeling comfortable with this doctor treating me so I have an appointment with a nurse practitioner who deals with thyroid issues. Anyone deal with these symptoms after surgery?
cathy1956
17 Aug 2017
Hi Esther5, I haven't had any surgeries so I can't answer your question but I'm sure someone here must be able to. I wish Drs listened more to us about what's going on in our own bodies
cathy1956
17 Aug 2017
Here's the rest of my comment-I don't know why it didn't post.
cathy1956
17 Aug 2017
Esther5, I
Hi Debilitating Anxiety ( what a perfect name because that's exactly what it is!) I stopped taking the Levo for a week and felt so much better, so much less anxiety. I started taking it again this week and for some reason it hasn't been as bad (yet!). I feel like maybe sometimes when our anxiety becomes overwhelming, it might be ok to stop taking it for a bit? Let our systems calm down? I'm nervous about asking my new dr about seeing an endo-would she be insulted? Ah, the what ifs rule my life. I've just fought anxiety forever and taking a pill that makes it worse will never work for me. I'd rather be hypo.
Esther5
17 Aug 2017
Hi cathy1956,
I've been on a lower dose of levo for one week. My anxiety has decreased dramatically and I'm feeling better. Not fantastic but so much better than I was. I honestly believe it's because of lowering the dosage. My appointment is one week from today. Looking forward to getting some answers from someone willing to listen and that's knowledgeable on thyroid issues. I've decided I need to take charge of getting healthy and if I offend a doctor in the process so be it. My daughter is getting married in 8 months and my son and is wife are expecting their second child in February. I need to be able to enjoy my family. Thanks for listening. Take care!
KellyCiscoTx
2 July 2017
Oh thank you Jesus I thought I was going CRAZY.. I started the generic of Synthroid 50mg on Wed and by Friday 3 days later I was in full blown Panic.. I stopped taking it Saturday I felt rundown had 2 low blood sugar moments throughout the day today on Sunday for no reason at all I had a anxiety attack with major brain fog worse than before I was medicated... My T3 and T4 are all normal low my TPO was only 46 which is very mild early stage of Hasimoto. . I haven't took any prescription drugs in many years I have a very weak tolerance to anything.. I know I'm suffering from the underactive thyroid and I do have symptoms but I also had gastric bypass 3 years ago I have been able to keep off my weight and maintain a healthy weight but I suffer from being fatigued... belly bloating ..dehydration and brain fog.. I know I need something to treat my thyroid but I need something that will not cause this anxiety it is debilitating..
Inactive
26 June 2017
Hi Mazza: Of course the doctor who prescribes these type of medications would never agree that they caused your anxiety attacks! But, I believe you. I had it happen to me with Synthroid. I am now taking Nature-Throid, a bio-identical thyroid hormone, and it does not give me anxiety as a side effect. Been on it for 20 years now.
Elle j
26 June 2017
I've bn on levothyroxine .75 mg for about 3 mos. now. I think it''s causing me to have nervous energy. Didn't take it yesterday and felt ok.
Related topics
anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, levothyroxine, side effect
Further information
- Levothyroxine uses and safety info
- Levothyroxine prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Levothyroxine (detailed)
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