Hypothyroidism

maureenkhilde

One of the blood tests my endocrinologists are running more frequently now are the T4 and T3. Because yes I am on 100mg Levotyroxine. They want to make sure it is the correct dose. At first before they had the dosage correct, I was always tired, out of breath. And literally it felt like each leg weighed hundreds of pounds a piece. Now that I am losing weight and walking daily. They have decided to check every 3 months instead of twice a year. And I had low blood pressure, low pulse, and cold hands and cold feet, still do.

MostlyWater

we discuss this here all the time. do a search.

CSARdiver

FL_Hiker wrote: »

CSARdiver wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

M

yirara wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

I gain when my thyroid meds need increasing. My metabolism slows a bit, but my main problem is eating more for energy. I can put on a pound or two a month when my meds are too low. When it's right, I start losing again ( eating less and slightly faster metabolism).

If you are properly medicated, it becomes a non issue. For me, that meant taking T3with my T4. Synthroid was not good enough.

Most likely it's not metabolism slowing down, but cause metabolism doesn't work like that. More likely it's moving less because you don't feel well (also includes fidgeting, which is mostly subconscious), increased water weight and more hunger.

I don't believe the main problem is slowed metabolism, but it is a small factor. When your body runs at 96F, your metabolism is slower.

Definitely less fidgeting, more sleep, more food are bigger factors than slowed metabolism and inflammation related issues. Ymmv

Hypothyroidism does not cause a reduction in body temperature.

The weight gain associated with thyroid disorders is water weight. Fat gain is caused by inactivity and eating surplus calories. Hypothyroidism may make you feel sluggish and impact you appetite, but it doesn't do anything to your metabolism.

Not trying to be a smart butt here but can you explain this to me? In my college physiology & biology courses they are teaching us the opposite, that the thyroid regulates metabolism and body temperature. I've heard people contradicting this a lot, and I know with my own body my weight seems to very much depend on what goes in it (CICO) and even though I do have a metabolic disorder I am not over weight.
Here is a direct quote from my human physiology slides...... "Thyroid hormones are derived from the amino acid tyrosine.•they are secreted by the thyroid gland for heat generation•they are lipid soluble•they activate intracellular receptors that induce the expression of genes that code for metabolic enzymes. Effects: they increase metabolic rate at the liver, heart,kidneys, skeletal muscles, and nervous system for heat generation. •hypothalamic TSH-releasing hormone (TRH, a peptide) is released in response to stress and low temperature•TRH induces the production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, an adenohypophysealpeptide hormone)•TSH induces the production of thyroid hormones at the thyroid gland . Results: increase in oxygen consumption (metabolic rate) in the target tissues and the generation of heat.•subject to negative feedback regulation: thyroid hormones stop TRH and TSH secretion" All those things point to thyroid regulating heat generation? HOWEVER, every time I have gone to the Dr. just for a check up , etc. and they check my body temperature my temperature is below the average human body temperature i'm usually around 96-97F and that has always been normal for me.

Why am I always cold???

Thyroid impacts REE by ~5% from clinical observation (on thyroidectomy patients shifting from full supplementation to zero) and serves as a minor stimulus to signal increases/decreases to external stressors. Your metabolism is primarily influenced by mass, particularly lean muscle mass. Metabolism is nothing more than a series of biochemical reactions and does not go "slow" or "fast".

Most of the medical references are over 60 years old prior to our ability to calculate metabolic rate with any precision or accuracy. Weight was a dominant indicator, but the participants did not track caloric intake.

Correlation does not equal causation. Perception will differ dramatically between two people with identical circumstances.

deannalfisher

cdjs77 wrote: »

CSARdiver wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

M

yirara wrote: »

nvmomketo wrote: »

I gain when my thyroid meds need increasing. My metabolism slows a bit, but my main problem is eating more for energy. I can put on a pound or two a month when my meds are too low. When it's right, I start losing again ( eating less and slightly faster metabolism).

If you are properly medicated, it becomes a non issue. For me, that meant taking T3with my T4. Synthroid was not good enough.

Most likely it's not metabolism slowing down, but cause metabolism doesn't work like that. More likely it's moving less because you don't feel well (also includes fidgeting, which is mostly subconscious), increased water weight and more hunger.

I don't believe the main problem is slowed metabolism, but it is a small factor. When your body runs at 96F, your metabolism is slower.

Definitely less fidgeting, more sleep, more food are bigger factors than slowed metabolism and inflammation related issues. Ymmv

Hypothyroidism does not cause a reduction in body temperature.

The weight gain associated with thyroid disorders is water weight. Fat gain is caused by inactivity and eating surplus calories. Hypothyroidism may make you feel sluggish and impact you appetite, but it doesn't do anything to your metabolism.

Do you actually know anything about hypothyroidism? Because most of this is wrong. Yes, a lot of weight gain from hypothyroidism comes from water weight, but your thyroid is responsible for regulating various bodily processes, when it is underactive many of these processes slow down. This is why many of the symptoms include hair loss, slowed hair growth, slow healing of wounds, decreased heart rate, decreased body temperature, etc. It does mean those with hypothyroidism will require slightly less calories than the average person of their age/weight/height, because their body is doing less, although the decrease is usually a maximum of around 5%. So while the decrease is not really significant it absolutely does affect your metabolism. And yes, it absolutely can lead to a lower body temperature, in fact, it's one of the symptoms.
I was actually on the lower end of a healthy weight when I was diagnosed, but my average body temperature of 35,5 degrees (celsius) and heart rate of 45 bpm is what lead my doctor to test for hypothyroidism in the first place.

considering that @CSARdiver does research into thyroid medication etc...i think they know quite a bit....