Hypothyroidism and Weight Management
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Pamela_Sue wrote: »@CSARdiver Thank you for the great post. A question for you. I am on the generic levothyroxine but heard from a pharmacist years ago that the name brand Synthroid is better. The reason being that, with the generic, you won't consistently receive the same generic and it can effect a person. Therefore the Synthroid provides consistency.
Any thoughts on this? I have a long-standing struggle with low mental energy. Probably from my depression, but I am always looking for any micro-mini improvements I can make in my life.
Normally I'm all about the generics - simply because they are cheaper and identical. Synthroid is a bit different to the challenges associated with manufacturing. The safety profile on Synthroid is just better, so if there isn't a price difference - opt for the branded name in this instance.4 -
cheryldumais wrote: »cheryldumais wrote: »Thank you so much @CSARdiver. This makes me feel so much better. I have been worrying myself sick because my doc wants to reduce my meds. Apparently it is showing up as though I am overmedicated now. He's waiting 6 months for a new test but I admit I've had issues sleeping at night and my moods have been swinging wildly so I probably need it adjusted. Losing weight has really messed with all my medications. Your post made me realize I'm not going to gain all the weight back from a reduction.
I went through exactly this! I lost 40lbs with MFP and started having hyper symptoms (heart palpitations and hair loss)
I totally panicked when my blood test showed I'm over-medicated. I posted about it in another thread (being honest, I was a lot less educated back then) and was reassured there will be no dramatic changes. And that's how it was.
Sadly, I'm now eating wrong, so no longer losing weight.
An interesting angle here, which my doctor couldn't confirm not deny, is whether weight loss might directly reduce the need for meds i.e. improve one's thyroid function.
Yeah I wondered about some of this too. What I’m really curious about is how my new walking program might have affected it.
This is very common. As you lose weight you should expect TSH to decrease accordingly and ultimately lower your dosage over time.1 -
Pamela_Sue wrote: »@CSARdiver Thank you for the great post. A question for you. I am on the generic levothyroxine but heard from a pharmacist years ago that the name brand Synthroid is better. The reason being that, with the generic, you won't consistently receive the same generic and it can effect a person. Therefore the Synthroid provides consistency.
Any thoughts on this? I have a long-standing struggle with low mental energy. Probably from my depression, but I am always looking for any micro-mini improvements I can make in my life.
Normally I'm all about the generics - simply because they are cheaper and identical. Synthroid is a bit different to the challenges associated with manufacturing. The safety profile on Synthroid is just better, so if there isn't a price difference - opt for the branded name in this instance.
My health insurance will not pay for Synthroid or Cytomel, so what I do is always request the same manufacturer for the generic versions and so far, they have been working OK. I have been hypo for more than 16 years and the doses of both meds have been steady for the last 7 years.1 -
Pamela_Sue wrote: »@CSARdiver Thank you for the great post. A question for you. I am on the generic levothyroxine but heard from a pharmacist years ago that the name brand Synthroid is better. The reason being that, with the generic, you won't consistently receive the same generic and it can effect a person. Therefore the Synthroid provides consistency.
Any thoughts on this? I have a long-standing struggle with low mental energy. Probably from my depression, but I am always looking for any micro-mini improvements I can make in my life.
Normally I'm all about the generics - simply because they are cheaper and identical. Synthroid is a bit different to the challenges associated with manufacturing. The safety profile on Synthroid is just better, so if there isn't a price difference - opt for the branded name in this instance.
Unless you are me - the one time I got switched to synthroid (when I was on military orders) - my levels could not be stabilized - I went through 4 different doses in the 10mths I was on orders; back to Levo and stabilized within 3mths5 -
maureenkhilde wrote: »I received a great tip from someone in their office. I was asked do you get up early in the morning to go the bathroom? I said yes, the suggestion was take your levothyroxine then. Which is about 2 hours before I normally get up and start my day. So solved the issue of it causing issues with food. And have never had an issue with odd test results.
!!!!! Brilliant!!! I will start doing this tomorrow morning! Thanks for sharing that
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deannalfisher wrote: »Pamela_Sue wrote: »@CSARdiver Thank you for the great post. A question for you. I am on the generic levothyroxine but heard from a pharmacist years ago that the name brand Synthroid is better. The reason being that, with the generic, you won't consistently receive the same generic and it can effect a person. Therefore the Synthroid provides consistency.
Any thoughts on this? I have a long-standing struggle with low mental energy. Probably from my depression, but I am always looking for any micro-mini improvements I can make in my life.
Normally I'm all about the generics - simply because they are cheaper and identical. Synthroid is a bit different to the challenges associated with manufacturing. The safety profile on Synthroid is just better, so if there isn't a price difference - opt for the branded name in this instance.
Unless you are me - the one time I got switched to synthroid (when I was on military orders) - my levels could not be stabilized - I went through 4 different doses in the 10mths I was on orders; back to Levo and stabilized within 3mths
Absolutely! I should have expanded upon this - as these pills are 99% filler there's likely something in the filler you're having a reaction to.
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deannalfisher wrote: »Pamela_Sue wrote: »@CSARdiver Thank you for the great post. A question for you. I am on the generic levothyroxine but heard from a pharmacist years ago that the name brand Synthroid is better. The reason being that, with the generic, you won't consistently receive the same generic and it can effect a person. Therefore the Synthroid provides consistency.
Any thoughts on this? I have a long-standing struggle with low mental energy. Probably from my depression, but I am always looking for any micro-mini improvements I can make in my life.
Normally I'm all about the generics - simply because they are cheaper and identical. Synthroid is a bit different to the challenges associated with manufacturing. The safety profile on Synthroid is just better, so if there isn't a price difference - opt for the branded name in this instance.
Unless you are me - the one time I got switched to synthroid (when I was on military orders) - my levels could not be stabilized - I went through 4 different doses in the 10mths I was on orders; back to Levo and stabilized within 3mths
Absolutely! I should have expanded upon this - as these pills are 99% filler there's likely something in the filler you're having a reaction to.
no doubt...unfortunately, the endocrinologists response was that obviously i was taking my medicine wrong and that i needed to be reminded how to take it...(after being on it for 3 years with no issues)
i was on 125 at the time and now on 150 since then3 -
Great post. I had a total thyroidectomy several years ago and haven't noticed a difference in my ability to lose (or gain) weight over the long term, but I have noticed a difference in weight loss patterns, which I chalk up to some sort of shift in water retention. When eating at a calorie deficit, my weight will be stable or go up slightly for a week or more, then I'll drop a pound or two a day for several days in a row. Then the pattern will repeat. It's very consistent. That is a definite change from what weight loss was like for me prior to my surgery. But it doesn't seem to vary with the amount of synthroid I take -- my endocrinologists have had me all over the place in terms of dosage, and the weight loss pattern (and the amount I need to eat to stay in a deficit) stays the same.3
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This is AMAZING!! Thank you! I found much of this information when I was first diagnosed with hypothyroidism many years ago. I am really struggling with losing weight right now and have been questioning all of this and really needed the affirmation that this is accurate and I need to talk with my Dr rather than looking at supplements or other diets.3
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Absolutely! I should have expanded upon this - as these pills are 99% filler there's likely something in the filler you're having a reaction to.
It isn't life threatening or anything, but I usually end up taking my doses as some multiplier of the 50mcg white pills, because one of the dyes (either blue #2 or yellow #6) makes me break out for whatever reason, so I try to avoid it in my maintenance drugs.2 -
Thank you. Do you recommend seeing an endocrinologist? I’ve been treated by my family physician; I’m still having symptoms though.1
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It's always good to see an endo if you have thyroid stuff going on. My GP started me on Levo about 10 years ago and boy did HE get the dosage wrong - plus he did not get a sono to check for nodules, nor did he actually "feel" my thyroid. All things which my endo did immediately.
My experience has been that weight loss and synthroid dosage are not correlated. Dosage remains the same after 30 pound loss. Not sure if someone lost a LOT more weight or had a different thyroid issue whether it would correlate or not.0 -
It depends. My general physician felt a 2 mm nodule beneath a good deal of scar tissue from a 6 month old neck wound on a routine check up. I was sent to a specialist who even knowing this was there couldn't find it without me showing him where it was and I could only do this as my GP showed me where it was. There are phenomenal people in all professions and a much greater number of bad ones.
I do note that the phenomenal actors tend to ask questions more than they answer - they refer to trusted colleagues to get 2nd opinions and new eyes on a problem.
There's so much information out there that it makes it challenging for anyone other than a specialist to understand all the nuances and variables.4 -
i didn't see an endo until after i had had a ultrasound on my neck done - but this was after complaining of issues for years to military docs and getting told it was in my head - civilian doc/health insurance - and i saw an endo within a month and the rest they say is history3
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SummerSkier wrote: »It's always good to see an endo if you have thyroid stuff going on. My GP started me on Levo about 10 years ago and boy did HE get the dosage wrong - plus he did not get a sono to check for nodules, nor did he actually "feel" my thyroid. All things which my endo did immediately.
My experience has been that weight loss and synthroid dosage are not correlated. Dosage remains the same after 30 pound loss. Not sure if someone lost a LOT more weight or had a different thyroid issue whether it would correlate or not.
Lost around 50lbs, no change in TSH or subjective self-assessment. GP didn't retest T3/T4 after weight loss, but (1) no previous signs of conversion problems, (2) no subjective change, (3) he would if I asked him to. Meh.0 -
yourfitnessenemy wrote: »Thank you. Do you recommend seeing an endocrinologist? I’ve been treated by my family physician; I’m still having symptoms though.
You may want to try going to the doctor and reporting *just the symptoms* and no theory as to why the symptoms exist. See where the doctor goes from there. Thyroid issues like to bring friends - especially if it's autoimmune thyroid issues.
A surprising number of symptoms overlap with other conditions that are nothing at all to do with your synthroid treatment. It's worth a looking into if it will help you feel better.3 -
Yeah. I’m still having hair loss and I’m FREEZING. My tsh was in the normal range last time but my t3 and t4 were not and my gp said to just continue on 50mcg synthroid.5
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Thanks for the detailed, sensible Hashimotos description.
I’ve had Hashimotos for 20 years. Recently TSH was way out (tired, losing hair, weight gain); but seems to be sorted now with medication increase. Just working on anemia and B12 deficiency now.
I take iron tablets and vitamin B at night away from Thyroxine. I wake up in morning and take Thyroxine (sits beside my bed) when I get up to go to bathroom, before I get up an hour later to have my coffee and breakfast and take the pill.
My doctor tests TSH and T4 usually. He will test more if I ask; he’s pretty good with testing. I asked for B12 test as it was suggested by a nutritionist I spoke to. I get blood tests every 6 months normally ; except at the moment it’s every 6 weeks until everything stabilises again.1 -
yourfitnessenemy wrote: »Yeah. I’m still having hair loss and I’m FREEZING. My tsh was in the normal range last time but my t3 and t4 were not and my gp said to just continue on 50mcg synthroid.
The temperature sensitivity is an adverse effect and may never fully go away. I'm fully supplemented and I cannot take the cold anywhere near as well and pre-thyroidectomy days, but it is better than when I'm unsupplemented. Still trying to discern what causes this.2 -
Before I got my thyroid meds, I just couldn't stay awake. I was barely upright, much less working out, so yes I got fat! That was like 15 years ago, though. I have the right meds now.3
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