Hi, I know this an old post but thought I would respond anyhow. I am on a similar journey - taking the meds with no difference in my symptoms - extreme fatigue and struggling with weight. I am doing my own lifestyle changes but I think we should keep pushing for alternative treatments to be available and I am reseraching this currently. All the best.
Hi Im 45 and always been thin eating anthing i want and remaining 8stone in weight even after having 2 children. 5 years ago I was prescribed thyroxine for hypothyroidism, im now on 100mcg and can honestly say I believe that thyroxine has made me fat im 11 st 4 at the moment. Im unable to lose weight no matter what i do and I am as active as im able. I also believe that all of my debilitating symtoms are also due to thyroxine. My GP will not hear of it and once said that i was imagining my symptoms. I would not come off thyroxine though but wonder if i can live my life like this. one day the medical profession may sit up and realise that we are not imagining our effects and symtoms and make a change fingas crossed lets hope so
Just some hints, I had my reverse T3 checked, also my adrenals, cortisol, B12 and iron, also iodine level. These have all come back fine. I am on 350mcg of Eutroxsig a day, tried to drop back to 300 and my body did not like it. So this is my dose for now and feel great. Now have to watch what I eat which is a nuisance but most people do. Have put on a couple of kg's but can lose it if I try. Yes it's an unusually high dose and I don't know what the long term effects will be. There is a thyroid hormone that can be used as an alternative to thyroxine tablets, doesn't work for everyone though.
Thanks - have you heard of armour throid (dessicated thyroid) and do you know of anyone who gets it on the NHS?
I wish you well on your journey
My Dr told me that if I wanted Armour instead of Levothyroxine then I would have to pay for a private perscription which I cannot afford so I am stuck on Levothyroxine for life. I am one of the lucky ones though, apart from very weak muscles and my knees giving way on me a lot I dont suffer the other dreadful side effects that some people have. I have been on 125 Levothyroxine for 30 years .
Hi
I have found the same has happened and i am also feeling very depressed i started on 25mg tablet and its now been increased to 50mg 2 weeks ago and i have put on half a stone since then i am worried as i have asthma and when i gain weight my asthma gets worse and this is very concerning. My doctor said they want to see me in 6 weeks for another blood test but dont think i can wait that long. Hope you get things sorted
Hi, I started taking Levothyroxine about 2 months ago. I mentioned to my GP that I thought I might have an under active thyroid and the blood test proved this to be the case. However, the only reason I suspected this was because of my slightly thinning hair and eyebrows. I have never been hirsute, in fact the opposite. Even in my younger days I rarely needed to shave my legs or under arms. I also always felt the cold more than others. Apart from that I have been very lucky to be always fit, active and healthy with a steady weight of around 8stone 10pounds.
Since taking levothyroxine I have started gaining weight, especially around my middle even though my diet hasn't changed. No one will convince me that this is good for my health! I shall be 70 in October and have decided that slightly thinning hair/eyebrows I can live with. I have no other symptons whatsoever. In view of this I shall no longer be taking the medication no matter what my GP tells me.
Hi
I also am having same issue with weight gain. I exercise 2-3 times a week with cardio martial arts, and walk our dog nightly. I only eat healthy foods, smoothies that include celery, spinach , avocado, banana ets to help my thyroid. Yes, it is very depressing. 40's do not mean one has to stop looking good. I am a RN and my PCP thinks I am nuts. I want to look the way I used to look. I a 120's but feel like 300 lbs. I will see an endocrine specialist, hopefully not need a referrel.
Hi please see my new discussion on GP etc Hope you are feeling better now.
Hi Linda,
Im 45 and want to also look the best that I can. This is an update. 3 weeks ago I went to see my GP and managed to get my LEV reduced from 100mcg to 75mcg on the understanding that we review after 8 weeks. I have to say that i have lost 4lb in weight, my hair has stopped falling out, my skin is less dry. Surely this is no coincidence hope my GP will agree to keep me on this dose as I do feel more positive about my other symtoms and things may get even better.
Hi Michelle
I am happy for you!! I really believe,if you feel better despite what the labs say is how thyroid issues should be treated. Yes, good luck to you. Please keep in touch. There is strength in numbers
I have teenage daughters, and don't believe I can not look or feel my best as I get a tiny bit older. I definitely don't want to be an overweight, unattractive mother or future grandmother.
I would go back to the doctor and have another blood test to check , Tsh, T3 and T4.
Tsh should NOT get below 0.7 so you understand that it is difficult to get things just right. Blood tests should be taken every two months (approximately) until you're stable and then every six months to a year.However, if you're getting hot and sweaty , it could be that the dose is too high.
Don't know if things have improved for you since you posted this but I also went through hell but have come through it.
You must take your medication on an empty stomach and wait about an hour before having breakfast. Avoid all foods of the cabbage family, cut out all sauces and industrial foods, cut down on salt and sugar intake and don't take any other tablet for at least 4 hours after taking levothyroxine. Get regular exercise.
Oh my word.
I was diagnosed with an underactve thyroid after having blood tests for fertility reasons a month ago. I started taking Levothyroxine yesterday. After reading all your posts I'm now terrrifed that I'm going to put on weight and suufer side affects. I'm 9 stone 7 at the moment and I'm not happy being this weight. I have put half a stone since getting married in September last year, I can't bear the thought of putting on anymore.
I will refuse to take them if I start putting weight on.
Does anyone else have any epxerience with other medications? I would be happy to pay for my prescriptions if it meant I was recieving a better quality of medication. Why do GPs not prescribe anything else other than Levothyroxine?
I started putting on weight BEFORE taking Levothyrox but haven't put on any more since I sorted out the dosage; this takes a long time and means a blood test once a month until TSH, T3 andT4 are back to normal.
Perhaps it would help if you explained EXACTLY what all you have done and what dosage you are on.
Sorry, have just seen that it's all new for you.
Are you depressed? If you come off the medication things can only get worse. You must be patient and take your levothyrox at LEAST half an hour before having breakfast, on an empty stomach with a full glass of water. Certain foods should be avoided and any other medication should be taken at least 4 hours after the Levothyrox.
This is considered to be the safest of all the medicines for hypothyroidism.
Hi Carol,
I'm taking 50mg.
I've been feeling crap for ages, constantly tired, depressed, lack of energy and lack of interest in anything, not being able to motivate myself to do any exercise, feeling run down all the time, coldsores, mouth ulcers, thrush. I've just felt like I've been on a different planet.
It's only because I've been trying to get pregnant for quite some time that it's been diagnosed.
I'm pretty upset about it. I've read really negative reports about levothyroxine. Are there other medications you can try?
Charlotte, can you tell me exactly what's written on the box of your medication and which pharmaceutical company makes it?
All the symptoms you have are due to your underactive thyroid. I promise you it does get better but not overnight.
What was your TSH when you had your bloodtest and when are you supposed to go back to the Doctor's?
Karen what was yout TSH when you had your blood test?