Side Effects of Stopping Thyroid Medication Abruptly (& Why you Shouldn't do it)

The side effects of stopping thyroid medication abruptly and why I never recommend this route. If you want to stop taking your thyroid medication then make sure to do it correctly and safely.

Is it safe to stop taking your thyroid medication? The answer is no for several reasons which I will explain here.

But first, we need to talk about why you are taking thyroid medication, to begin with.

Thyroid medication is prescribed to those people who are deficient in thyroid hormone (meaning their body isn't producing enough).

So if you were to stop taking your thyroid medication then your body would revert back to whatever it was capable of producing before you started taking thyroid medication.

This process usually results in certain symptoms including:

- Hair loss
- Weight gain
- Depression
- Increased pain
- Increased fatigue
- And other symptoms of hypothyroidism

But why do you experience these symptoms?

These 4 reasons will help you understand why you will most likely feel worse if you do:

#1. Your body may be reliant upon thyroid medication.
If you've had your thyroid removed or if it's been destroyed by radioactive iodine then you may not be able to produce thyroid hormone on your own. In this case, you will be required to take thyroid hormone.

#2. Your HPT axis may be blunted.
Taking thyroid medication blunts the normal HPT axis in your body and it can take weeks to months for this system to recover. During this period you will most likely feel very poorly.

#3. Your body may not be able to produce thyroid hormone by itself.
Conditions such as Hashimoto's damage the thyroid gland and even though you may be able to produce some thyroid hormone you may not be able to produce enough to sustain yourself.

#4. Thyroid supplements do not replace thyroid medication.
Lastly, you want to make sure that you use supplements to compliment your medication but not to replace it. Supplements can help improve natural conversion and production of thyroid hormone but they aren't as powerful as thyroid medications.

Recommended thyroid supplements to enhance thyroid function:

See ALL of my specialized supplements including protein powders, thyroid supplements, and weight loss products here:

Want more from my blog? I have more than 400+ well-researched blog posts on thyroid management, hormone balancing, weight loss, and more. See all blog posts here:

Disclaimer:

This video is for general informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. It should not be used to self-diagnose and it is not a substitute for a medical exam, treatment, diagnosis, prescription, or recommendation. It does not create a doctor-patient relationship between Dr. Childs and you. You should not make any changes to your medications or health regimens without first consulting a physician. If you have any questions please consult with your current primary care provider. Restart Medical LLC and Dr. Westin Childs are not liable or responsible for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or product you obtain through this website or video.
#thyroid #hypothyroidism #hashimoto's

[drwestinchilds]

You can get things like a complete list of thyroid lab tests (with optimal ranges), a list of 10 foods you should AVOID if you have thyroid problems, a checklist of thyroid symptoms, and more. If you liked this video then you will LOVE these resources! Enjoy :)

[marinethgonzales]

It was worse. My doctor asked me to stop it. Low grade depression, fatigue and things starts to be overwhelming again. And losing the grip and any drive to do life again. So, I let her know. She put me back again today. Thankful!

[cindycox]

the thyroid medication never took my symptoms away....ever

[mlreed]

I have a friend who changed her diet to a very healthy one with lots of vegetables and fruits, no bread, no gluten, etc. She had hypothyroidism and had been on the typical medication. But after her dietary change she's now perfectly normal. When she went back to her doctor to be tested, he said, "you no longer have hypothyroidism. Your health is dramatically improved!" So no more medication for her.

[andreaarias]

I have been taking Armour Thyroid for 15 years, and I'm very happy with it.

[IAutumnRoseI]

I felt worse on levo. Fatigue, moody and always tired. Stopped taking it. It’s been 5 days and I feel normal again.

[kristinabeck]

I got off my levothyroxine by healing my gut. I have fatty liver disease. I took food grade diatomaceous earth and still take it. I also take magnesium, vitamin D, and ox bile.

[Wyocraftychic]

I was one of those people who decided to try to go off of it. I experienced worse memory, messed up periods, depression. I didn't know what it would do, but I won't be trying that again.

[Livindaybyday]

I never had any of these symptoms before I started taking thyroid medicine. Now my hair loss is like someone taking chemo. I have always had thick, shiny hair, great skin, and now it is so dry, and my hair is so brittle while taking this medicine. But my tests always shows normal. I say Bull on this medicine. I may just stop taking it, and see what happens. It seems like the more they give me, the more the symptoms are. I have spent thousands of dollars for my hair and skin, to try and make it better. I can't afford this, and why? I may ask my doctor to reduce my amount gradually. Not sure.

[lynkinealy]

I very stupidly tried it. Couldn't stop crying. My boss thought I was having a break down. I went back on them. Back to normal.

[FSSpag]

Hi. I am diagnosed with hasimoto..taking synthroid.. dose is.075 now I am losing my hair
I had major digestive single meal....constipation beyond any help...
Ended up with a nutritionist...who has helped me with my diet...basically was doing raw food..juiced and in certain combinations
Well this worked.
So I trust him now to help with my hairloss...synthroid side effects.
I decided to reduce my medication in half...and will get proper diets to help my thyroid produce its hormone..

[marthafernandez]

I started taking thyroid medications 4 weeks ago and I have all symptoms he mentions above, symptoms I DIDN'T have before other than a little fatigue and weight gain. I don't think I could feel worse than now, cant get out of bed, cant function normal, I think I'll risk it, this is no life!

[colat]

Does anyone know what to take if you don't have access to synthroid? or does anyone know of any natural substitutes? I had a total thyroidectomy. i think this is a question that ALL people who take this med should be asking....especially NOW with the current 'threats'. if things shut ALL the way down, what do we take or do we just die from lack of this? wish i wouldve known MORE before i allowed them to remove this from my body!!

[TiffanyluvsZaynMalik]

I stopped levothyroxine for 2 days and felt great and so I stopped for 2 weeks and ended up in the hospital... headaches, heart rate, fever, all that fun stuff. I’ve had it since I was 14 and I’m 21 now and every couple years my tsh level goes up. I have hashimotos and hypothyroidism. I just still feel exhausted the time

[singjazzy]

Does Dental visits that xray your mouth (teeth) have any effect on damaging the thyroid even more? Would a lead neck cover stop the radiation? Also, will cell towers strength mess up people's thyroid at some point?

[AmyKurylo]

My doctor told me to stop after I lost 10lbs, with diarrhea and tremors - basically I became hyper. It landed me in the ER 3 times thinking I was having a heart attack. This is after 20+ years of taking the same dose of thyroid medication.
I don’t know what to do now. I’m so confused. Because having too much is terrifying, but having too little could make me sick too.
This all started with an iron deficiency and now I have enough iron and too much thyroid. Been off it for a week and a half. Still have a high heart rate and was put on a beta blocker. 😢

[sarahleineweber]

I only have subclinical hypothyroidism. But I was put on 25 mcg of levo. That dose was too high and I had to slowly build up to that dose. When I reached that dose I had a bad side effect and thought it would be best to stop. I stopped abruptly and now I think I shouldn’t have. My heart started going faster and experienced insomnia. I’ve stopped for 3 weeks. But I’d like to take a small amount to take the stress off of my body. I wish I had slowly tapered off the meds in the first place.

[marneycohen]

I stopped mine for almost a year this April, I don't feel that bad or about the same on it...a bit tired, just got my blood work done and doc office called me to discuss levels so my levels are probably off...I refuse to back on synthroid again...

[ladybug]

Hi Dr.Child,
All your videos and blog posts are super helpful for me but there are a few topics I wish that you can cover as well.
1. Hypothyroid Vs Hashimoto
- the differences in causes, treatments, medication, supplements
2. How to reduce Anti-TPO for Hashimoto patients

Thanks a bunch and keep up the amazing work that you are doing!

[truthforourtimes]

Someone I know stopped their Synthroid by weening herself off of it over the course of 4 weeks...stepping down to half a dose for two weeks and half again for two weeks, then off. What is odd, and I don't understand, is that before she ever starting Synthroid (20ish) years ago, her TSH was completely normal...but since going off of it, her TSH has soared to 60+! Could the Synthroid have damaged her Pituitary gland over time? Or could it just be hyper-reacting to being off of it since it was suppressed for so long?