Allergies to Thyroid Replacement Therapy

Harvard Medical School reports that more than 12 million Americans suffer from thyroid disease. Either their thyroids are too active (hyperthyroidism) or too slow (hypothyroidism). Either way, it's a serious problem that affects metabolism and, therefore, mood, behavior and quality of life.

Luckily, medications are highly effective to treat these conditions--especially thyroid replacement therapy for hypothyroidism. But for some, there are serious adverse reactions.

Thyroid Replacement Therapy

• Hypothyroidism is when a person's thyroid is not generating enough thyroid hormones to properly regulate the body's metabolic activity. The thyroid gland is a key part of the endocrine system, and its chemicals not only affect they way a person burns energy but, in turn, emotions, clarity of thought and energy levels. For people with impaired thyroids or who have had their thyroids removed, thyroid replacement therapy is not only helpful it may be required to live.

  Thyroid replacement drugs with Levothryroxine have been around for more than fifty years. They are well tested, highly effective and usually considered to be relatively safe.

Allergic Reactions

• As with all drugs, patients are sometimes allergic to thyroid replacement medications. Reactions can vary from simple skin reactions such as a mild rash to anaphylactic shock and difficulty breathing in extreme cases. These drug reactions are treated like any drug allergy. Doctors bring the allergic reaction under control, often using antihistamines, and then they work on finding a drug that doesn't create an allergic reaction.

  Luckily, there are a few different brands and variations of thyroid hormone medications and the composition of one drug may be safer for a patient than another. Medication brands include Estre, Levo-T, Levothroid, levothyroxine, Levoxyl, Synthroid, Thyro-Tabs and Unithroid.

Other Adverse Reactions

• Thyroid replacement therapy drugs can induce other side effects. Patients taking thyroid medication should get medical attention if they experience any of the following: difficulty breathing, tremors, wheezing or shortness of breath, chest pain, excessive sweating or intolerance to heat, fast or irregular heartbeat, nervousness, skin rash or hives, and swelling of ankles, feet or legs.

  However, some adverse reactions are par for the course. Patients beginning thyroid medication may expect to experience changes in appetite, changes in menstrual periods, diarrhea, hair loss, headache, trouble sleeping and weight loss. Patients should still report these symptoms to their physicians, but probably do not need to be alarmed about them.