Hello,
My name is shannon and i have hypothyriodism (underactive thyriod) i was just wondering if someone might help me i was diagnosed 5 years and my levels still arent right and i am putting on excessive weight but not eating any differently i was wondering if this has happened to anyone and what did they do to ressolve it, also is there any ways of loosing weight like shifting a stone as cant seem to shift it no matter what i do
Please help anyone
Shannon
Hi Shannon, I was dx'd in November 2017 because I complained about constantly gaining weight even tho I eat very healthy and last year went to the gym 9 hours a week for classes and weights. I continued to gain weight. My oncologist tested my TSH and put me on 100mcg of Levothyroxine. Before I could get an appointment with a primary, I was HYPER and still am. My dosage has been dropped 3 from 100 to 75 to 50. I start the new one tomorrow. I'm still gaining weight because I'm always hungry and will get up at night to eat. I sleep very little now, too. I was told some lose weight and some don't. I hope someone can help us!
Hi diane, i dont seem to sleep very much either i have found that going to bed earlier than usual such as going at 8 and having a full 8til 10 hours sleep helps also by drinking loads theoughout the day will help you to sleep more and throughout the night if this doesnt work see doctor they may prescribe amitriptilyne 10mg to start off with
Kindest regards
Shannon clarke
Hi Shannon, I could write a book on weight loss. There are a couple of key factors in weight loss: good quality food in the right quantities, underlying health issues, toxicity.
Thank god for my acupuncturist, who’s been a lifesaver when I’ve been at my worst.
For years I kept my weight and hypothyroid disease under control with a high protein, low fat, organic diet. enjoyed a blissful ten years of a size 3!
When my hypothyroid disease kicked back in, I stayed with the same diet, except I also went gluten-free. I started seeing an acupuncturist regularly. I stayed about ten pounds up on my weight until I switched from NDT to levothyroxin, at which point, I l ballooned. Docs should have immediately taken me off the meds, but I stayed on them for over two years, my health declining, as I was hoping to find that ever elusive perfect dose. No such thing for me.
After the disaster I had with the medications, my system was really messed up. I’d had “subclinical” pancreatitis for who knows how long. I finally figured it out when it was so bad, I was sick as a dog, as they say. The symptoms were there and obvious since I started the Levo, yet not a one of the dozen doctors I went to even mentioned pancreatitis as a possibility. With the pancreatitis, my usual low fat, low calorie diet was completely ineffective. Seriously, zero results, and I continued to bloat. I’d gone from a size 3 to. 14, with massive water retention!
I read some posts here on pancreatitis and changed my diet drastically- I started with baby portions of white rice (I added well cooked bits of carrots and onions so it wasn’t so boring). Sort of a light fast. The rice is easy to digest and the tiny portions don’t trigger the pancreas. It worked! I started feeling better and the bloat started decreasing enough that I could swim a bit! This was huge! I also used turmeric with bromelain combo capsules, and tried some digestive enzymes as I increased my food intake slowly- gradually adding chicken, sashimi, avocado, and soft well-cooked vegetables into my diet. I only use the ginger condiment for thevsashimi.
You could argue that the lower calories would of course result in weight loss, but I got zero results with my usual low cal, low fat diet.
I’m not on thyroid meds anymore because they nearly killed me and didn’t work anyway. So I take essential amino acids. Not a perfect solution but it helps a ton and no side effects.
I’ve been on my rice diet now for a month and have added in some other foods (really, it’s a little like an elimination diet). I can tolerate gluten free breads quite well and potatoes and even a gf oatmeal cookie once in a while.
Sometimes, I’m really hungry, but I find I feel terrible if I eat too large portions, so I stick with small amounts. I also drink tons of warm tea before each meal- it seems to help with digestion.
The results? The massive water weight is slowly going away. I’m able to except us for the first time in a really long time. I’m eating what my body can handle.
I feel like I’m dropping weight like a bomb. (It’s probably normal slow weight loss, but seems drastic to me after trying fir so long and only gaining weight.) I’m noticing my clothes are turning from very tight to slightly baggy. Yay! I feel like there’s hope now!
My point is that along with thyroid disease and the side effects of the medication, you get other health problems, many of which are “subclinical” or “subacute”. These subclinical conditions along with toxicity can result in massive weight gain. You’ll have to systematically figure out what works for you.
Never in a million years would I have thought a white rice/ “sushi” diet would be such a lifesaver!
Hi Shannon, I had huge side effects from the Levo that caused massive weight gain and bloating. I sent you a private message.
my experience is.... go to the gym. EVERDAY...if only for 20 mins or do some form of exercise(EVERYDAY ) The body is clever and if you do actually eat less as well the weight will come off. (gym and portion control with food )
I agree that you also have to keep up with the exercise. That’s a given.
Last year I went to the gym 3 hours, 3 days a week with an instructor. We did aerobics, HIIT, weights, cardio but no 'machines'. I lost a few pounds the first 2 weeks and gained it all back. We had to drink 1 bottle of water per hour during exercise. The gym changed ownership and the classes are now for people who have Medicare but no private insurance so I can't attend. Since being dx'd and going on Levothyroxine, I've gained 7 lbs! Two to 3 days a week I eat only a healthy salad.
i think you are doing the wrong exercises. Are'nt they muscle building ? My exercise is 20 mins rower ...30 minutes bike. all gentle. Just eating a salad is no good. Eat a normal sensible meal but eat less. do not snack during day. then a reasonable small meal. Quality food is essential. Those are my views rightly or wrongly
I'm 67 and the exercises are those recommended for people over 50. Only the cool down is gentle. I did 1 hour and rested 15 minutes and 3 hours of classes M, W and F.
Re salad: A new study said to lose weight with thyroid problems, to fast three days a week with NO food and eat normally the other four. I felt that was a bit much and my salads are very healthy (no iceberg) so have those 2 to 3 days a week.
My typical salad is 5 greens, mushrooms, carrots, 1/2 cucumber, a whole tomato and usually 1 boiled egg. Alternate nights might include a few olives, whole wheat bread crumbs instead of croutons, and either tuna, chopped chicken but in small amounts. I use left over Brussel Sprouts (all veggies are steamed, not fried), asparagus, okra (boiled), etc. Fat Free dressing or Olive Oil and Red Wine Vinegar. Some nights it's greens, fruits like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, crumbled feta cheese and nuts with a dressing made from pureed raspberries. Instead of a salad bowl, I use a small serving bowl so I'm getting loads of goodies.
I really eat healthy and yet continue to gain.
well can i come for lunch ! your diet is amazing ! I can only think you must be on the wrong dose of thyroxine. I am 78 by the way !
My TSH was 7.56 and the doctor put me on 100mcg Nov. 8th. Didn’t retest until I saw the new doctor and it had dropped to 0.045! He reduced dosage to 75 and I had hives and was covered with itchy bumps for 5 weeks. I demanded he test again and it was even lower but only by 0.001. He reduced me to 50mcg 5 days ago and 99% of the rash is gone. I have slept 2 nights after messed up sleep since November. I’ve never been so hungry as I have during this doctor induced hyperthyroidism the last 4 1/2 months. Middle of the night is the worst. Fruit, Granola bars is my ‘tummy ache from hunger’ go to. I’m hoping 50 is low enough but they won’t test until March 28th. I weighed 89lbs when I got married and 103 after our last child. I finally hit 135 at age 44 and still looked too thin. I was 155 when I had colon cancer in 2009 and gained weight on chemo! I worked hard and got off the 10lbs but since my liver resection, it’s been a battle. I have gained 5lbs every six months and am 170 now and feel huge. I think I’ve been hypo since chemo. That’s 9 years.
Hi Diane, 100 is too high a dose to start with. It would make anyone feel hyperthyroid and would be very hard on your body. Also, it would cause an initial drop in TSH, which would later come back up a bit once your body adjusts.
The meds can also cause stomach and gut problems, so when you say your stomach hurt because you were hungry, I’m more likely to think your stomach hurt because it’s a dude effect of the medication.
Also, you said you had you had a rash from the medication? Levothyroxin can cause autoimmune disease and other dude effects. Please read up on the side effects of this medication do you can better discern what is hypothyroid, what’s caused by overmedication and what is caused by side effects of the medication.
My feeling with this medication is that it’s basically useless because if you have only low level hypothyroid disease, it’s likely you can get by with dietaryvabd lifestyle changes for many years. If you have advanced thyroid disease, the side effects become worse as the dose increases, so with advanced thyroid disease, a higher dose is needed, resulting in higher side effects.
There are many other medications available and non prescription supplements that are very helpful on curbing, preventing and treating thyroid disease. You don’t have to take levothyroxin. If you feel it’s unhealthy, find s different solution! Please read the many posts here or ask others who have been through the thyroid (hell) disease process. It will save you a lot of time and drama.
Diane, you say you feel you’ve been hypo since chemo? And you’ve had a liver resection?
Levothyroxin can cause liver lesions. With your history, I’d be very hesitant to take levothyroxin.
Also, liver resection? You’ve had part removed because it was diseased?
This is VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND... the liver and gut are responsible for 80% of conversion if T4 to T3 thyroxins. With your gut and liver compromised, it’s likely your body is not properly converting T4 to T3. Your body is probably producing T4 fine, but you’re having conversion problems and are low in T3. So taking levothyroxin would only increase your T4, your body can’t convert well, so you are hyperthyroid for T4 and still hypothyroid for T3. This creates a huge imbalance in the natural T4/T3 ratios and can cause anxiety and other side effects.
For this reason, you might find and NDT to be more suited to your symptoms, because it has both T4 and T3, and in fact, is higher in T3 than natural human T4/T3 ratios. Armour and Naturethroud are some brand name Natural Dessicated Thyroid prescriptions. ThyroGold can be purchased without a prescription, but you’ll need to have a good understanding if dosing if you go with the nonprescription because you’ll be on your own.
They really need to test and monitor your medication with full thyroid panels every time, at least until you find something that works. An endocrinologist will be better at this than s GP. SEE AN ENDOCRINOLOGIST.
Hope that helps you sort things out and you feel better soon!
My oncologist started the meds because it was a six week wait to see a new doctor. By then, they couldn't drop me from 100 to 25 (or so I was told).
I'm on 50 now. My stomach only hurts middle of the night like hunger pains. The rash might have been from the dye in the 75 mcg. It was a pale purple pill.
Here's the thing, and I hope you'll respect my thoughts.... My CEA (tumor marker) had gone up above normal. It's 9 years since my first cancer and 5 1/2 since it was in my liver. My CEA went above normal by 1 point and then a few weeks later by another 1 point. I researched causes of elevated CEA when CT/ MRI's found no cancer and thyroid was one generally overlooked by oncologists. Hypothyroid, hashimoto's, etc. I asked for a thyroid test, not knowing anything, and it was just under 8 with 4 being high normal at the lab.
If hypo is causing the CEA to be elevated and it remains untreated and my CEA remains elevated, I'll have CT/ MRI's every 6 months for the rest of my life. You can't imagine unless you're Stage IV cancer what that feels like. Blood tests one week, scans the next, office visit the third week for results, so there's a few months at a time but if CEA is elevated, you don't even get that time of peace.....
The radiologist drained my largest cyst and it was 100% fluid. I have 2 tiny nodules and one very very small cyst which also appears fluid filled.
My blood work for tumor markers is March 28th.
After 9 years of 2 or 3 sets of MRI/ CT/ PET scans, I probably shine in the dark. Chemo left me with L'Hermitte's Syndrome and Tactile Allodynia in my feet then that spread up to my hips. Central Nervous System damage.
I was never ill until I turned 58 so I'm not a patient patient.
Diane
My liver and gut are not compromised. My liver grew back in 6 weeks. My intestines are pristine. Not even a polyp. No sign of any IBS, IBD, Chrons or anything. My liver panel is always perfect.
I posted my free T4 numbers when I got it. I know it was higher than the high norm, but only a point or 2. That was with me on 75mcg.
I know you mean well, but do you take Tylenol? Cough and cold meds? Those will destroy your liver. I take D3 and that's it.
I have to bow out of the conversation. This has caused me to have a panic attack about cancer.
I did an online search with elevated CEA and levothyroxin. There’s a lot of confusing and contradictory information. I found mainly that there is a connection between thyroid disease and CEA levels. I did find some information pointing to levothyroxin as lowering CEAs, but not enough with all the other information to really get a strong sense. It seems that some of the related thyroid problems could lead to higher CEA. However, levothyroxin is also known to cause hypothyroidism, so could definitely influence CEA levels. One large study I read attributed elevated CEA levels to laboratory errors.
Whatever direction you decide to proceed, do so with caution and monitor your symptoms closely.