New to hypothyroidism

ajwang

Good Morning All!

I've been suspecting for years, but finally was confirmed in April that I am hypothyroid. I just started Levothyroxine 3 weeks ago, and it has already been a rollercoaster ride. I have been on MFP for a year now, but I am really excited there are groups on here for people with thyroid issues as that makes weight even more of a challenge. Any tips or suggestions of food/snacks and exercise that can help someone with hypothyroidism lose weight would be fantastic, considering my hunger has only grown since starting medication.

I look forward to learning and sharing with you all!

heidihurl

Hi AJ.. I am new too... and posted pretty much the same start as you did. I heard from many people which was a bit helpful. I am on Levo too... and it HAS been crazy. Some of the posts were over my head.. I really didn't understand what they were talking about... I have been doing some online research on the subject and finding out what is good... and what is not.

I have cut out coffee from my diet, which was difficult to do. I drink a cup of green tea in the morning. I also have stopped broccoli and dark green leafy vegetables. It's been tough because normally I have my vitamins first thing in the morning.. and now I have to wait... That has been a huge adjustment for me. My OJ also has calcium in it... so that, too.. I have had to put on hold. Total change in routine.

Best wishes and hang in there!

MoreBean13

I'm not in a great position to help with snacks, but there are a few things to avoid within an hour or so of taking synthroid : calcium and high fiber...since most people take it first thing in the AM those are very inconvenient things to avoid right away! Calcium and high fiber hider the absorption of the synthroid, making it less effective.

tecallahan

Hi and welcome to the forum!! Lots of us on here that are at various places in our battle against hypothyroidism. I was diagnosed over 15 years ago --and put on Synthroid (same as levoxyl).. its a synthetic T4 replacement. I steadily gained weight and became more and more fatigued and depressed over the years - went through menopause and got even worse.

In November, I found Stop The Thyroid Madness website -- I purchased the book - I educated myself about my thyroid. I talked to my doctor and asked her to check for some of the levels suggested in the book -- and told her I wanted to try Natural Dessicated Thyroid. She declined -- was not comfortable with that. So, I fired that doctor and found a Naturopath that agreed to do what I wanted -- he agreed to treat my symptoms.

I have been on a journey since then -- I've lost weight -- but I've also stopped taking cholesterol medicine and high blood pressure medicine. It seems that my thyroid was causing these to be high -- and now that I am on Armour thyroid, I no longer have high cholesterol or high blood pressure!! Hard to believe -- but your thyroid controls many, many aspects of your body. And just because your TSH levels are "normal" that does not mean that your thyroid is ok or that your metabolism is ok.

Your best defense is to educate yourself -- don't let the doctors lead you around by your nose... you can demand that they treat your symptoms.

www.stopthethyroidmadness.com has some great pages on Thyroid Symptoms, why TSH testing is useless and why Synthetic T4 (levoxyl, Synthroid) doesn't work. It has a list of recommended lab tests and how to read lab tests. Education is the key. Most doctors have no idea how to treat your metabolism.

Terri

MoreBean13

I appreciate the helpful sentiment of that post but honestly I have no intention of changing the medically accepted treatment of my thyroid. Is that what this group is about? I just want to figure out how to best deal with the problem that I have within the confines that I already have.

tecallahan

No -- this group is about hypothyroidism and many, many, many of us are treated by FDA approved, prescription level of a natural thyroid medicine. It is definitely not outside of accepted medical practice -- there are endocrinologists and MDs that prescribe natural dessicated thyroid medication -- they are just hard to find.

debbylee22

Hi ajwang & Heidi,
Welcome to the group! :flowerforyou:
I just started on 75 mg of synthroid 3 weeks ago also. I have learned a lot here, and really appreciate all the knowledge that is shared.

I go in to get my blood tested this week, to see if it is helping my levels or not. I have had "looping" colds all winter, so until this week, I could not tell if my hot/cold flashes were the cold or the hypo... but now the cold is gone, and I am still having the same issue, only not as severe, so I am not sure the meds are working yet. Although my vertigo has not come back (I'd been getting that once a week).

Do you notice feeling better yet? They say it takes 6 weeks - 3 months! :yawn:

I learned on here, about gluten-free being good for us; and virgin coconut oil also. So I'm trying those things.

Did you stop green leafy vegetables? Why? And.... step away from the coffee!!! LOL.... nobody touches my coffee... hehehe.

Have fun & keep sharing what you learn & your questions! :happy:

heidihurl

Hi Debby here is one bit of information I found while searching. I have a ton of information but thought this was a bit more bullet ed.

Natural Treatments for Hypothyroidism

There are steps that you can take to make your condition manageable at home. Try some of these suggestions to help you cope more effectively:
Surround yourself with a good support system
Educate yourself on your condition
Involve doctors, homeopaths, naturopaths, specialists, therapists, family, friends etc in the management of your condition
Try to maintain a positive ‘can-do’ attitude
Eat a healthy well-balanced diet
Include lots of salt water fish, shellfish and sea weed in your diet as these are rich in iodine – essential for healthy thyroid functioning
Avoid cruciferous vegetables (cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale) as these contain a natural thyroid blocker
Try to do regular physical activity or exercise
Take and adjust your medications as necessary
Have your hormone levels monitored on a regular basis
Perform a daily thyroid self-massage. To massage the thyroid gland; gently stroke up and down the sides of the trachea (also known as windpipe).

The coffee reduction is from another article..

I feel OK.. I have hot-flashes which I thought were menopause... guess it's something else? I am still tired all the time.. but fight it off...

Glad to know there are others out there to give suggestions and help out!!!

Hi ajwang & Heidi,
Welcome to the group! :flowerforyou:
I just started on 75 mg of synthroid 3 weeks ago also. I have learned a lot here, and really appreciate all the knowledge that is shared.

I go in to get my blood tested this week, to see if it is helping my levels or not. I have had "looping" colds all winter, so until this week, I could not tell if my hot/cold flashes were the cold or the hypo... but now the cold is gone, and I am still having the same issue, only not as severe, so I am not sure the meds are working yet. Although my vertigo has not come back (I'd been getting that once a week).

Do you notice feeling better yet? They say it takes 6 weeks - 3 months! :yawn:

I learned on here, about gluten-free being good for us; and virgin coconut oil also. So I'm trying those things.

Did you stop green leafy vegetables? Why? And.... step away from the coffee!!! LOL.... nobody touches my coffee... hehehe.

Have fun & keep sharing what you learn & your questions! :happy:

debbylee22

Thanks Heidi,
I also started taking kelp drops for iodine... but will stop immediately! I had a scare tonight. Started feeling really woozy, took my pulse & it went from 38 bpm to 98 bpm back to 33 bpm... my heart was palpitating really erratically. I am going to assume that I don't need iodine, and quit taking it. I also know that we are prone to panic attacks, so keeping that in mind.

That's good advice. I'm going to see a naturopath after my next Dr appointment & med adjustment. I've always been into using natural cures, so will keep working on this too. One thing I need to find out, is how to take calcium without making constipation worse. I take magnesium citrate daily, & that helps a lot, but that's without any calcium.

Yes, the hot flashes... everybody assumes that its meno, but I'm done with that & haven't had those in years.

ajwang

Wow thanks for all the responses!

I had previously found the stopthethyroidmadness website in my searches and did learn a lot from it. From a lot of horror stories on that website I have found that I have a great PCP who doesn't shrug off symptoms or suggestions, which seems to be a lot of people's issue. The only problem with my PCP that I have found, is that she wants me on levo for 3-6 months before she will change the dosage. I know that's not horrible, but after all the research I have done, 3-6 weeks seems like a timeline a lot of other medical professionals use. BUT, I also have high prolactin levels (no pitutitary tumor thank goodness), and my PCP does not feel comfortable medicating me for this. So I have to see an endocrinologist, who apparently are very busy and the earliest appointment I could get was August.

Since I am so far out from another blood test or the endo it does give me plenty of time to research and set myself up to succeed. One of the hardest things I have found so far is that I am incredibly tired. This obviously does not help when it comes to exercising and it just something I can't shake.

My other issue is support. I never knew the way I was before was symptomatic, until now. It's very hard to explain to someone who doesn't have thyroid issues the way you feel. How has everyone else approached this with their family?

Thanks again for all the responses, they are greatly appreciated!

fiberartist219

Obviously, you want to keep up with your meds and testing, because all of this is so much easier when your hormones are balanced.

Don't let yourself get too hungry, because our hormones are already messed up and you don't want it to get worse. The calories are hard to pin down, but when I'm hungry, I get light headed, irritable, and none of that is healthy. Go ahead and eat, and try to choose nutritious foods. Foods that are high in protein are helpful to keep you feeling full and give you some energy. Sugary foods lead to a crash, and I don't know the ins and outs of adrenal fatigue, but I think highs and lows can make that stuff worse.

So, the best thing to do to lose weight is work out, which feels next to impossible when you're tired, but when you build some muscle, it's good for your metabolism. I have no idea how or why, but it has helped me out in my general energy levels. Lifting weights seems like a royal pain, and sometimes it is, but it has been worth it in my experience.

Also, make sure you are getting enough rest.

Whatever you do, don't over extend yourself. Slow and steady wins.

As far as family goes, my husband has been very supportive and has taken care of a lot of things while I was passed out on the couch. There were a few times when all I could do was go to work and come home and sleep. I don't know how he functioned with me sleeping all the time, but he's just awesome like that. Almost all of the women in my family have hypothyroidism, so no one was shocked that I got it too.

bethanylaugh

I appreciate the helpful sentiment of that post but honestly I have no intention of changing the medically accepted treatment of my thyroid. Is that what this group is about? I just want to figure out how to best deal with the problem that I have within the confines that I already have.

just for the record... armour thyroid & other naturally dissected meds are "medically accepted" ...just not synthetic. and lots and lots and lots of people do better on natural vs. synthetic. :flowerforyou:

also... calcium needs at least a 5 hour buffer from thyroid meds. i have hypoparathyroidism also so i take calcium all day, and it needs to be significantly more than 1 hour away from your thyroid med.

lmelangley

My advice is patience. Sometimes, that's the hardest advice to take, but trust me, it's what you need.

el8942

Hi AJ!

Not all of us are excited about the idea of dessicated thyroid. I am struggling with finding the right levothyroxine (synthyroid) dosage for me, but the science behind it is strong and I am feeling much better several months in. It is the standard of care right now because the dessicated version is made from animals and is therefore hard to regulate. Personally, I would never want to consider dessicated thyroid because I am a vegetarian, and because of the quality issues. I would also worry that I might have a hyperthyroid spell if the dose happened to be a little larger than usual.

I have noticed that I don't seem to lose weight as fast as others on MFP, but at least I am not gaining any more! I have lost 10 lbs, but it has taken me since January to do it. Exercise seems to be key, as well as patience, which I think someone above me suggested.

As for the 6 month time window between blood tests, I also wish my endo doc would test me more often. However, I am still in the fluctuating phase of Hashimoto's and sometimes have hyperthyroid symptoms (especially heart palpitations), so I understand why she wants to wait a few months and see how I do. But, it sounds like that is not what you are experiencing. If you are consistently exhausted, call your doc! There's no reason they can't test you earlier, and they should also make sure there isn't something else underlying all this that is causing you to be so tired.

shakybabe

Hi AJ

I think you have to find what works for you. I was born with my thyroid not working and have always been on synthetic T4. I was also never told by any doctor in my 42 years with it, to not take calcium with it or to avoid certain foods.

My mum used to crush them in weetabix when I was very little to get them down me!.. and broccoli is one of my favourite vegs.

I do have a nut allergy though and a mild wheat intolerance so everyone is different.

Maybe it depends on the dosage and if you are on a lower dose it is more effective if certain foods are avoided?.. maybe they now tell people to avoid certain foods with them so they don't have to prescribe as much, saving NHS money! .. my Dr's never have and I'm still on 300mcg daily.

I've lost 3 st the last year, going low carb/wheat free certainly helped drop quite a bit of weight for a few months but then the weight loss tapered off to a few pounds a month. I seem to have come to a standstill just 4lbs off my goal at the minute!

Good luck!

embclark

Thanks Heidi,
I also started taking kelp drops for iodine... but will stop immediately! I had a scare tonight. Started feeling really woozy, took my pulse & it went from 38 bpm to 98 bpm back to 33 bpm... my heart was palpitating really erratically. I am going to assume that I don't need iodine, and quit taking it. I also know that we are prone to panic attacks, so keeping that in mind.

Why do you think the kelp is the problem? I don't take drops, I take a capsule form, but I haven't had any problems... I have only been on it for about two weeks though. Have others had problems with it? My doctor said it couldn't hurt.

debbylee22

I thought it was harmless also. Last night out of curiosity I looked up iodine on google and found articles. Iodine is helpful only to people who absolutely need it, and that is usually in third-world-countries that don't get it in their salt. Look up what too much can do to you... it can destroy your thyroid, by making it fight the over-dose of iodine. Scarey stuff. I'm surprised your Dr said it couldn't hurt, mine said I couldn't possibly need it. (I didn't believe him), but he was obviously right! Please read up on it & be careful!

Ktbug613

Hi AJ!

Not all of us are excited about the idea of dessicated thyroid. I am struggling with finding the right levothyroxine (synthyroid) dosage for me, but the science behind it is strong and I am feeling much better several months in. It is the standard of care right now because the dessicated version is made from animals and is therefore hard to regulate. Personally, I would never want to consider dessicated thyroid because I am a vegetarian, and because of the quality issues. I would also worry that I might have a hyperthyroid spell if the dose happened to be a little larger than usual.

I have noticed that I don't seem to lose weight as fast as others on MFP, but at least I am not gaining any more! I have lost 10 lbs, but it has taken me since January to do it. Exercise seems to be key, as well as patience, which I think someone above me suggested.

As for the 6 month time window between blood tests, I also wish my endo doc would test me more often. However, I am still in the fluctuating phase of Hashimoto's and sometimes have hyperthyroid symptoms (especially heart palpitations), so I understand why she wants to wait a few months and see how I do. But, it sounds like that is not what you are experiencing. If you are consistently exhausted, call your doc! There's no reason they can't test you earlier, and they should also make sure there isn't something else underlying all this that is causing you to be so tired.

I just wanted to throw out there not to give up hope if synthroid does not work for you there are other options that are not dessicated thyroid. My doc says t4 doesn't work for everyone because t3 is the hormone our body actually absorbs, t4 just converts the t3 into an absorbable form. So for some people if they aren't producing enough t3 it wont ever matter how much t4 they take. Many patients find success with t3 meds or a combination of t3 and t4.

To Aj:
I agree with the above quoted! Not all of us like the idea of dessicated thyroid. Its not the only sucessful thyroid treatment out there. Personally I feel my doctor is pretty educated on the thyroid. Her opinion is that although its a natural form vs synthetic, its not natural for our bodies, we are not pigs and our bodies don't function the same. She also mentioned that a good number of patients actually end up producing antibodies against it and therefore build up a tolerance to it. Everyone tries to share what has worked for them but please don't feel that this group is all about pushing just one thing!

montanadanni

hi!

only thing i can suggest is this list: (all are very important and is my own personal opinion)

1) Educate yourself on the thyroid! this will help you understand whats going on and if you are gettin the right care
2) Be your biggest advocate! if you don't fight for your health then who else will do it for you....
3) Find a good endo or PCP to treat your symptoms not your levels! this is soooooooo important, most doctors will get you in 'normal' range and then consider you treated. this is not the case and a good doctor will know this
4) High protein and low carb is the go to for eating with hypo. granted not everyone will agree but i have heard lots of success with this plan as well as my own success
5) Don't get down on yourself. weight loss might be slow and frustrating, don't give up and keep trucking
6) Try to fit in some excersise into your life... whether it be the gym or hobby or club, just do it, it will help a lot!

i hope i covered the most important stuff.... good luck

heinrichs21

Hi all!!

I was diagnosed 11 years ago. I was 8 at the time. When I was 13 I was 161 lb. With in 1 year I lost 32 lb. It has been 2 years since I lost 32 lb and now I am looking to loss the last 15 lb.

With me, whenever I gain weight it was because:
1) levels were not balanced
2) I was not eating healthy
3) Not getting enough sleep
4) Forget to take meds!! (Happens A LOT)

It is really not as scary as it sounds. Just remember to take you meds everyday! I know I forget. Just a few weeks ago I forgot to take my meds for 4 days in a row! In Feb. I got my meds for 3 months at a time this time and I should almost be done but it seems that I have a month left.