Health Concerns After Starting Levothyroxine
I've been taking levothyroxine for my hypothyroidism for about a week now and I need to share my experience so far. On the very first day, I noticed a strange sensation in my abdomen, particularly around my navel, as if it was drawing inwards? I’ve been trying to alleviate that feeling by bloating my stomach, but it persists. By the second day, I was hit with diarrhea, going to the restroom four times in a single day. On day three, I faced a struggle as I was completely unable to have a bowel movement while still experiencing discomfort in my abdomen. Day four brought a slight improvement, but I didn’t manage to go until later that night, and even then, it was just a small amount. I visited my general practitioner on day five to discuss these ongoing symptoms. Upon examination, she noted that my abdomen was soft and not tender to touch, but I was unsure what that indication meant. She listened to my abdomen and suggested it might be gastroenteritis or possibly food poisoning. Day six was similar, with difficulty in having a bowel movement. I finally managed to have a normal stool, but there was also diarrhea, leaving me with a feeling of fullness and bloating. Now, on day seven, the strange sensation in my stomach continues. While I have been able to pass gas, I've got no blood in my stool, no fever, and the pain isn't severe. I can’t help but worry—am I at risk of septic issues, or could there be something more serious like a perforated bowel or appendicitis? What about the possibility of bowel or stomach cancer?
Answers (1)
7/31/2025, 8:20:46 PM
OpenHealth AI
It sounds like you're experiencing a range of gastrointestinal issues since starting levothyroxine, including abdominal sensations, diarrhea, and difficulty with bowel movements. These symptoms can understandably cause worry, especially when considering potential serious conditions. However, it's important to remember that changes in bowel habits and sensation can often be attributed to factors such as medication adjustments, dietary changes, or mild infections.
Explanation
Levothyroxine is a medication used to treat hypothyroidism, and while it generally doesn't cause abdominal symptoms, starting a new medication can sometimes disrupt your gastrointestinal system. Your doctor's examination indicated that your abdomen is soft and not tender, which is a reassuring sign that there is no immediate distress. The symptoms you describe, such as diarrhea and then difficulty with bowel movements, can commonly occur due to changes in diet, stress, or a temporary upset in your digestive system, such as mild gastroenteritis.
Next Steps
-
Hydration: Prioritize staying hydrated, especially since you've experienced diarrhea. Drink plenty of water, and consider oral rehydration solutions to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes.
-
Diet Adjustments: Focus on a bland diet to help calm your digestive system. Foods like bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast (often referred to as the BRAT diet) can help. Avoid spicy, fatty, or heavy foods for now.
-
Monitor Symptoms: Keep a daily record of your symptoms, noting changes in your bowel habits, any new symptoms that arise, and your overall feelings of well-being. This can help identify patterns or triggers.
-
Gentle Activities: If comfortable, try gentle activities like walking, which can help with digestion and relieve bloating and discomfort.
-
Follow-Up Care: Since you’ve already seen your doctor, continue to keep them updated about your ongoing symptoms. If there are any significant changes, such as persistent pain, vomiting, or worsening diarrhea, don’t hesitate to reach out.
It’s good to express concerns, but the signs you've described, including the absence of severe pain or blood in the stool, are typically not indicative of serious conditions like appendicitis or cancer. However, if your symptoms continue or change significantly, or if you develop new symptoms, ensure that you seek further medical advice promptly. You're taking positive steps by monitoring your health, and together with your healthcare provider, you can address these concerns effectively.
Related Questions
Dealing with Loperamide-Induced Constipation: Seeking Solutions
Warning: This discussion involves digestive health topics. I’m a 24-year-old woman, standing at 5’5” and weighing around 140 pounds. I don’t smoke and have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. Recently, I was experiencing severe anxiety and dehydration due to some intense diarrhea, which prompted my doctor to prescribe loperamide. I took the initial dose two days ago and haven’t needed additional doses since then. However, now I find myself struggling with constipation and have yet to have a bowel movement. I’ve just started passing some gas, but still no stool. My anxiety persists, which is causing muscle tension and making it hard for me to breathe easily. To be honest, my eating and sleeping habits have been off due to the anxiety. My diet mainly consists of fruits, bread, rice crackers, beans, and jerky, and I only had a proper meal (tacos) today. I’ve also been trying melatonin for sleep, which is something new for me. I started with a 3 mg dose the first night, and I felt incredibly groggy the next day, so I reduced it to 1.5 mg the following night. I took both the loperamide and melatonin on the same evening. Unfortunately, my doctor is unreachable since the health clinic is closed over the weekend, leaving me without guidance. I’ve begun to experience some mild abdominal discomfort, but I think a proper bowel movement would alleviate that. I prefer to avoid over-the-counter remedies, as I’m concerned about jeopardizing my hydration, which has been quite the struggle. I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions for foods that might help, any stretches that could encourage movement, or if I should simply try to relax.
Is My Health Declining?
At 25 years old, I’m a non-smoker who only indulges in alcohol during New Year’s celebrations. I manage a few health conditions including a nonverbal learning disorder, sensory processing difficulties, mild depression, dyspraxia, troublesome duodenal bile reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which has been in remission. I also experience sinus tachycardia and maintain low blood volume. I stand at 5 feet, 3 inches and weigh 119 pounds—a drop from 127 at the start of December. My current medications include buspirone and metoprolol, along with a B complex vitamin supplement. Approximately eight months ago, I began noticing unusually large black pieces in my bowel movements. Strikingly similar to bits of diced green pepper but entirely black, these chunks appear daily and vary drastically in size—from resembling a piece of rosemary to about the size of my thumbnail. Typically, I end up with a small handful of these peculiar pieces. The odor has become quite unpleasant, yet I only began to consider this recently. Not long after these occurrences started, I had a short period of worsened IBS symptoms—which was strange since I had been symptom-free for two years. Everything reverted to normal until December, when I had an unfortunate episode followed by a particularly rough evening shortly after consuming a lot of sugar. I anticipated feeling “iffy” for just a few days, but that feeling lingered. Now, nearly three months later, I’m frequently experiencing \\*almost\\* daily flare-ups and usually looser stools that range anywhere from a 6 to a fuzzy 4 on the Bristol Stool Chart. Moreover, I’m feeling slightly more discomfort outside of bowel movements than I have in the past. Attempts to tweak my diet have yielded no improvement. Given my relatively young age, I hope I’m not facing something as serious as colon cancer. The last time I stressed over abnormal bowel movements, a professional informed me I was simply excreting excess fat, which is quite common. I researched potential causes for my current situation, and it seems this black matter is not related to pepper, which is somewhat reassuring. I’m unsure how to determine if what I’m seeing is truly “tar-like.” Occasionally, I feel a pressure in my lower left abdomen, somewhat like trapped gas that persists for several days before easing up. Due to my propensity for unnecessary anxiety regarding my health, I felt compelled to share my situation here. Is this just typical IBS behavior, or should I be more concerned? My parents suggest I remain calm and avoid a GI consultation (as I will soon lose my insurance), but I would prefer to avoid another extensive testing journey. Unfortunately, my quality of life has diminished significantly in recent months, prompting my need for clarity.
Seeking Answers for Digestive Distress: Recommended Tests and Advice
I am a 34-year-old Caucasian female, standing at 165 centimeters tall and weighing 78 kilograms. On a daily basis, I take several medications: Prestance (5/5), Aerius, a hormonal contraceptive vaginal ring, and magnesium bisglycinate (365 mg). Occasionally, I also use Lexaurin (bromazepam) at a dosage of 0.75 mg every two or three weeks, primarily for anxiety and sleep disturbances, though I have not taken it in the last three weeks. Previously, I underwent multiple tests. Initial blood tests indicated a slight increase in amylase levels, which led to an abdominal ultrasound, yet nothing abnormal was detected. Both flexible sigmoidoscopy and a subsequent abdominal ultrasound were performed, revealing only hemorrhoids and an anal fissure. Throughout my life, I’ve grappled with digestive issues. Since childhood, I dealt with constipation, which ultimately resulted in hemorrhoids and my first anal fissure. To address this, I became conscious of my diet and utilized osmotic laxatives, which significantly improved my situation for many years, allowing me to have regular bowel movements without bleeding. However, approximately one year ago, I began experiencing unexpected episodes of diarrhea that can last between a couple of days to a week at a time. Mornings are particularly challenging, as I often experience loose stools, which eventually stabilize later in the day. During these episodes, I feel continually fatigued; after waking up, all I want is to return to bed, and merely completing my workday feels incredibly taxing. I also suffer from persistent nausea without vomiting, and this typically follows a pattern of ten days of normal or firmer stools followed by three days of diarrhea. Thankfully, I managed to avoid any diarrhea for over two months and even found myself needing to use Miralax occasionally. However, this past Wednesday, I awoke to an upset stomach once again. My meals consist of homemade food, which I ensure is not overly greasy or heavy, avoiding fast food and excessive sweets altogether. My overall daily functioning is severely impacted by the fatigue and frequent headaches I experience. Although I don’t encounter much abdominal pain, I do feel cramping in the lower central abdomen along with considerable gas and rumbling. I have scheduled an appointment with my general practitioner for Monday, though I find her approach somewhat passive; she tends to follow my requests rather than take the lead. What diagnostic tests should I consider requesting? While I am open to the possibility of upper endoscopy, a full colonoscopy seems daunting due to my anal fissure. I would greatly appreciate any insights regarding what might be happening. I understand it’s difficult to provide specific answers, but any guidance would be immensely appreciated!
Concerns About Abdominal Discomfort
To start with, I feel compelled to mention that I struggle with severe health-related obsessive-compulsive disorder, which leads me to intensely focus on any symptoms I experience, resulting in unnecessary worry. Recently, I began to experience some discomfort in my abdomen, specifically in the area just below my right breast, which has now evolved into tenderness upon touch. This soreness is located beneath my rib cage, and I haven't experienced any changes in my appetite or feelings of nausea. My last bowel movement occurred on Thursday, and as of this morning, the discomfort has shifted slightly, now positioned just above my belly button. I had a regular bowel movement this morning and was able to take a walk without any issues. The pain only manifests when I cough or during the transitions between sitting and standing. Initially, I was concerned about the possibility of a hernia, but I understand that the pain associated with a hernia typically does not shift in location like mine seems to. I should also note that I am classified as overweight and have been living with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), for which I’m taking a proton pump inhibitor. Fortunately, my heartburn symptoms have remained stable, largely influenced by my dietary habits. Over the past year, I've dealt with some weight fluctuations due to medication side effects and stress (ranging from 330 pounds to 275 pounds and back to 310 pounds). Thankfully, I have not encountered vomiting or any changes in my bowel movements. I would appreciate any insights or advice on this matter.
Lymph Nodes Observed in Abdominal CT Scan
A 26-year-old female, standing at 5'1" and weighing 70 kg, who does not smoke and drinks alcohol occasionally, has been experiencing gastrointestinal problems characterized by alternating periods of constipation and softer stools since January 24th. Additionally, she was diagnosed with a bladder infection on February 3rd, which was treated with a single dose of antibiotics totalling 3000 mg. She sought emergency medical attention due to significant discomfort in her lower left back, initially feeling colicky before becoming a constant dull ache, leading to an overnight stay for an abdominal CT scan the following morning. The findings from this scan have caused her some concern, particularly regarding identified lymph nodes. **Medical Findings:** Diagnosis: Lumbosacral radiculopathy and fecal impaction. **Treatment Approach:** The patient has been prescribed spasmolytic analgesics and will undergo further radiological evaluation. **CT Scan Results:** The low-dose native abdominal CT revealed normal appearances of the kidneys and urinary tract on both sides, with no signs of urinary retention or kidney stones in the renal pelvis or ureters. However, a few small, nonspecific mesenteric lymph nodes were detected in the mesenteric root and perizocecal areas, along with small inguinal lymph nodes on both sides. There is also no indication of appendicitis, and the colon contains a moderate volume of stool. The remainder of the low-dose CT findings are within normal limits. **Ultrasound Findings:** The abdominal ultrasound indicates grade I ectasia of the left renal pelvis, while no abnormalities were noted in the left renal pelvis, and the bladder was observed to be empty following urination. **Next Steps:** A referral for further urological evaluation is recommended alongside maintaining adequate hydration, with analgesics suggested if pain management is necessary.