Thyroid Disease Treatment What Happens When You Don't Take Your Thyroid Medication Consequences can be quite serious By Mary Shomon facebook twitter linkedin Mary Shomon is a writer and hormonal health and thyroid advocate. She is the author of "The Thyroid Diet Revolution." Learn about our editorial process Mary Shomon Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Lindsey Waldman, MD, RD on November 06, 2019 linkedin Lindsey Waldman, MD, RD, is a board-certified pediatrician and pediatric endocrinologist. Learn about our Medical Review Board Lindsey Waldman, MD, RD on November 06, 2019 Print Table of Contents View All Hormone Replacement Antithyroid Medication Reasons and Solutions Feeling Conflicted If you don't take thyroid medications for your thyroid disease, you can experience a number of serious long-term effects. Some of the effects of skipping or discontinuing your thyroid medication are obvious, while others are subtle or can even remain unnoticeable for years. Verywell / Emily Roberts Effects of Skipping Thyroid Hormone Replacement If you are hypothyroid—whether due to Hashimoto's, Graves' disease treatment, thyroid surgery, or congenital hypothyroidism—failing to take your thyroid hormone replacement medication can pose many risks to your health. These risks include: Blood pressure irregularitiesElevated cholesterol, including treatment-resistant high cholesterol and increased risk of heart diseaseLow body temperature; feeling perpetually coldFatigue, muscle weakness, or joint painDepressionMemory problemsWeight gain; inability to lose weight despite diet and exerciseInfertility, miscarriage, stillbirth, or premature laborMenstrual irregularitiesLoss or reduction of sex driveConstipationHair lossSwollen hands, feet, and faceGrowth of thyroid nodules, increasing goiter sizeIncreased risk of infection Ultimately, if you are deprived of thyroid hormone for a long period of time, you face the risk of a very dangerous condition—myxedema coma—which can ultimately be fatal. Of particular importance, if you have had thyroid cancer, you can actually face an increased risk of thyroid cancer recurrence if you don't take your medication. Effects of Skipping Antithyroid Medication If you have Graves' disease, toxic nodules, thyroiditis, or another cause of hyperthyroidism, you may need to take antithyroid medication such as methimazole or propylthiouracil/PTU. If you skip or completely discontinue your medicine, you can experience a number of short-term and long-term consequences, including: Debilitating weight lossDramatically increased appetite and thirstNervousness, anxiety, panic attacksHeat intolerance, sweatingFatigue or muscle weaknessDiarrhea, nausea, and vomitingMenstrual irregularitiesGoiter/enlarged thyroidMuscle weaknessInsomniaRapid pulse, heart palpitations, or high blood pressureItchingTremorsHair lossProtruding eyes Untreated hyperthyroidism can increase your risk of stroke or heart attack. It can also increase the risk of developing a dangerous condition known as thyroid storm, which has a high fatality rate. Understanding Thyroid Storm Reasons and Solutions Clearly, there are sensible health reasons to take your prescribed thyroid medication. There are experiences, however, that may cause you to question the benefits, as well as preferences and circumstances that can influence how well you adhere to your medication plan. If you are not taking your thyroid medication because of one or more of the following reasons, take the provided advice to heart so that you can seek changes that both keep you feeling your best and address your concerns. You Don't Feel Any Better Thyroid medications do not usually work rapidly. It can take a few days to a few weeks for you to even start noticing a difference in how you feel. If you don't feel better after taking your medication for several months, you may need a dosage adjustment or a change in medication—not a complete stop of your regimen. You Experience New or Worsening Symptoms If you have lived with untreated thyroid disease for years, you may have gotten used to living with symptoms. When starting medication, your appetite may change, you may be feeling tired, or you could experience a change in your bowel movements. Some thyroid medications can also cause hair loss, which most find frustrating and undesirable. Discuss these issues with your doctor, as they can be the effects of normalization of your thyroid hormone levels or even overtreatment of your condition. You may need a dose adjustment or a different medication. You're Worried About Side Effects Keep in mind that the risk of serious side effects is extremely small, and it is far lower than the risks of remaining untreated. Side effects are also most likely to occur within the first three months of treatment, so that is the time to be most vigilant. You Can't Afford Your Medication Paying for medications can be stressful. It is a smart investment to get affordable health insurance if you don't already have it. If you are covered by Medicare or Medicaid coverage, your thyroid treatments should be paid for under these plans. It's Difficult to Remember to Take Your Dose There are a number of strategies you can use to remember to take your thyroid medication. Your phone, computer, or another alarm can be programmed to give you a daily reminder. You can keep your medicine in an obvious place in your bedroom, bathroom, or kitchen, or you can use a pill organizer to keep you on track. You'd Prefer to Use Natural Remedies Unfortunately, there isn't a natural or herbal replacement for thyroid hormone. Just like a person with type 1 diabetes needs insulin, you need thyroid hormone for survival. And there are no natural substitutes for antithyroid medications. You Like How Hyperthyroidism Makes You Feel Hyperthyroidism can cause undesirable symptoms like anxiety and excessive sweating. But it can also cause weight loss and a reduced need for sleep, which some actually welcome. While you may experience some symptoms of overactive thyroid more than others, and you may even consider some of them beneficial, it is important to be aware of the strain this condition is putting on your heart, bones, and overall health. What Happens When You Don't Take Medicine as Prescribed? Feeling Conflicted About Thyroid Medication You need to be involved in the decisions regarding your care, and how you feel about your medication and its effects are of central importance. With a thyroid condition, your symptoms can be a good reflection of how well the medication is working. But the constellation of symptoms and side effects associated with thyroid disease can make it difficult to know whether you feel better overall with or without your thyroid medication. Since you may be conflicted about your thyroid medication, it is a good idea to think about your reasons for feeling so conflicted, to discuss these reasons with your doctor, and to fully understand the consequences of untreated thyroid disease. A Word From Verywell Most people who have thyroid disease feel better with the appropriate medication. However, thyroid disease is complicated, and you can develop new symptoms when you begin your treatment, either due to the wrong medication dose or the way that your body compensates and responds to the medication. Sometimes, it can take a few months to adjust your medication, but the end result is well worth it. Again, be sure to discuss any concerns with your doctor and do not cease taking your medication without consulting with her first. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Losing weight with thyroid disease can be a struggle. Our thyroid-friendly meal plan can help. Sign up and get yours free! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Kandukuri RC, Khan MA, Soltys SM. Nonadherence to medication in hypothyroidism: a case report. Prim Care Companion J Clin Psychiatry. 2010;12(3). doi: 10.4088/PCC.09m00863gre Abraham P, Acharya S. Current and emerging treatment options for Graves' hyperthyroidism. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2010;6:29-40. Additional Reading Hepp Z, Wyne K, Manthena SR, Wang S, Gossain V. Adherence to thyroid hormone replacement therapy: a retrospective, claims database analysis. Curr Med Res Opin. 2018 Sep;34(9):1673-1678. doi: 10.1080/03007995.2018.1486293. Epub 2018 Jun 25. Scavone C, Sportiello L, Cimmaruta D, et al. Medication adherence and the use of new pharmaceutical formulations: the case of levothyroxine. Minerva Endocrinol. 2016 Jun;41(2):279-89. Epub 2016 Mar 25.