I have Hypothyroidism, I started taking Levothyroxine....

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  • kroque1
    kroque1 Posts: 1
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    I'm glad I stumbled onto this forum. I was just diagnosed yesterday. My doctor has not been forthcoming with much information, including not mentioning a diet change and that high cholesterol is a symptom of hypothyroidism. (Yes, I asked her a dozen questions.) I'm learning a lot from reading your experiences here. Thank you. I do have to say that knowing the symptoms of this has made me feel somewhat better knowing I'm not losing my mind. I didn't understand all the changes I was going through. Nice to know I'm sane. haha
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
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    Hi there!

    I am on thyroxine and have managed to lose weight using mfp. I am currently on 200 micrograms, but have been as high as 325!

    You can lose weight! Although, I must say it will probably be slower than if you didn't have a thyroid problem. It can take up to 6 months for the replacement therapy to fully stabilise your levels and as someone else suggested, remember to get them tested regularly. Here in the UK we have mandatory testing annually, but you will probably need a few more tests in the first year.

    I have some weeks where I lose nothing and this can happen too. Please don't get disheartened and remember it's a long term plan!

    Best of luck! :flowerforyou:
  • bkesecker
    bkesecker Posts: 163 Member
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    I too have Hashimoto's. Once I started on levo, my weight gain stopped. It is very difficult to lose weight. The recipe for success for me is lots of cardio, 2 - 3 days of heavy lifting, and eating low carb. Everyone is different though. Trial and error is the best way to figure out what's right for you. I wish you luck.

    Anyone reading, feel free to friend request me. I love providing support and enjoy the feedback from you. Good luck to all.
  • gloworthy
    gloworthy Posts: 1
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    Came across this while looking to hear what others have experienced with hypothyroidism and Levothyroxine... I sympathize with those that mentioned how fast the weight goes on... I once gained 8 lbs in 2 weeks while eating healthy (one 'cheat' meal)... Was sure that I had lost something because I had been so good with my food choices and tracking... It was devastating to see the scale go up, and by that much...

    I can loose weight, but it's slow and it's really uneven - a good loss followed by a big gain, then a plateau, then a small gain, then a loss... It's just all over and I can't seem to make a connection between any specific foods or hormones... It's always a completely random surprise as to what the scale will say... I'm hoping that some of that will go away, or at least lessen, as my dosage and levels even out...

    If anyone wants to add me, please feel free...
  • ereck44
    ereck44 Posts: 1,170 Member
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    Bump for later.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
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    started taking it in late 2007. Lost 25 kg in about 2008 (it takes a bit of time to get the level right and your body to respond)/ Put the weight back on (largely not due to the thyroid, though it complicated it) and have lost 21kg this time around.

    Once your levels are stable, you should be okay, plus there are herbals you can take that help.

    give it time x
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
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    started taking it in late 2007. Lost 25 kg in about 2008 (it takes a bit of time to get the level right and your body to respond)/ Put the weight back on (largely not due to the thyroid, though it complicated it) and have lost 21kg this time around.

    Once your levels are stable, you should be okay, plus there are herbals you can take that help.

    give it time x

    Oh and I'm on Eltroxin, 100 mcg Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, 200 mcg Monday, Thursday and Saturday. I tried the Goldshield Levothyroxine and it wasn't as good as this one is for me.
  • slim4health56
    slim4health56 Posts: 439 Member
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    Have you noticed a difference between the synthroid vs. name brand (not necessarily where weight loss is concerned)? I have been on 88mcg of Synthroid since diagnosed almost 3 years ago and was curious. Sometimes it seems like I sweat more than I used to but I'm not sure if it's because I'm getting older or something to do with the medication.

    Yes, yes, YES! Synthroid is name brand and after fighting with the Kaiser P. system for years I finally enrolled with another healthcare provider who IMMEDIATELY switched me from levothyroxine to Synthroid and my TSH dropped and has stabilized.

    I do concur with the others who stress the importance of having your TSH checked on a regular basis and follow directions carefully. Too little, and your metabolism slows...too much and you want to kill something.
  • karen0214
    karen0214 Posts: 120 Member
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    I was diagnosed as hypothyroid 3 yrs ago. My doc says that synthetic meds like Synthyroid and the generics don't work as well sometimes because it is only replacing the T4. If your body cannot convert the T4 to T3 then the med does nothing for you,or at least very little. So therefore some people do fine on Synthroid while others see no difference or even gajn weight and have other symptoms. My doc prescribed a med called Pathroid, which is T3 and T4 and it has done very well for me. My weight hasn't come off yet, but I've gotten better in other areas and I believe the weight will start to drop as my body gets more healthy. A fantastic website for thyroid info is www.stopthethyroidmadness.com.
  • bex6957
    bex6957 Posts: 3
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    Hi, I just got diagnosed with hypothyroidism yesterday. I start taking levothyroxine tomorrow. Ive experienced alot of the same problems with my weight as alot of you. Its soo difficult for me to lose weight and soo easy for me to put it on. Ive kind of nervous with starting with levothyroxine because I read stories of it actually making you gain weight! I exercise and eat right about everyday and I hope that starting it will help me out.
  • tfonz10
    tfonz10 Posts: 52 Member
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    I am glad this thread is active again. I am 4 weeks in with levothyroxine. I do not need to lose weight, I was more interested in getting my energy back. I had an immediate response but I have a long way to go. It will be interesting to see what my levels are in a couple weeks. I am still struggling with fatigue, but at least I am now functional. I have Kaiser and had to jump through so many hoops just to get a Free T3 test. I was not at all surprised when it came up out of range. My T4 was on the low range. I cannot wait to feel normal again.
  • fultimers
    fultimers Posts: 153 Member
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    I'm glad I found this thread because I was just diagnosed with hypothyroidism a few days ago. Now some of the symptoms I've had for years are beginning to make sense: gaining weight despite not changing my diet, extreme fatigue and sleepiness (need almost a daily nap), sensitive to cold, dry skin, etc.

    There is a group on mfp for hypo and hyper:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism
  • janburse
    janburse Posts: 1
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    Thanks for the link. I am Hypo and have been on Synthroid for 5 years. Dosage keeps increasing, and weight loss is very difficult. I have to restrict calories and work out alot to see results.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    I have hypothyroidism and also take levothyroxine. I do lose weight, but slowly. I'm not trying to lose weight fast, as I'm trying to avoid too much wrinkling. I can't say whether the drug has helped or hindered weight loss, as I was on that when I started, but I'm certainly stronger and fitter with all the farm work I do.
  • bceltic
    bceltic Posts: 135 Member
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    Ive had it since I was 13. Ive been heavy and thin, many times. Ive been able to lose tons of weight real fast, and when I'm bad, I gain it really fast! The meds will take a couple weeks to really kick in and level you out.

    Like others said, stay consistent with getting your levels checked. Find a good endocrinologist. Take your medication on an empty stomach, best either first thing in the am, then don't eat for an hour, or at night after you haven't eaten in a couple hours.
    You cant take the medication along with vitamin D (Calcium carbonate) it decreases the the absorption of the thyroid meds.

    You can absolutely lose weight with hypothyroidism, just stay consistent with healthy eating and exercise! good luck to you!
  • pinkellifun
    pinkellifun Posts: 1
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    Hi, I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism last Thursday and started taking Levothyroxine straight away. I am also trying to lose weight through a slimming club and have been since April of this year. Managed to lose 1 1/2 stone from April to June then started gaining it back on. The doctors think that is when I developed thyroid problem. I've noticed a change in my moods since taking the tablets but only a slow weight loss. Was getting quite distressed until I read this blog and realised that it's normal. I have now decided to go on a low carb diet to see if that makes any difference. I am going to increase my exercise too.
    Thanks for all the advice on here. It is very helpful. Would love for more!!! ;-)
  • amaysngrace
    amaysngrace Posts: 742 Member
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    Yep, and for the longest I was not losing weight. Then, I discovered that if I take the levothyroxine the same time every morning and wait at least 3 hours before I eat my first meal, then I can lose weight. That way, nothing interferes with the absorption of the pill. Calcium and iron can interfere, that is why it is best to wait for this long. I set my alarm on my phone to wake me up at 5 am, so I can take my pill, then after I get my son on the bus at 7:35 am, and browse my emails, I can eat my breakfast at 8:00am! You see how much weight I have lost. You probably need to wait for it to get in your system good, and you can tell by how you feel because I use to be tired and lethargic and once the medicine kicked in, I had energy again. I have been on it since after the birth of my son back in 2007, so I know what I am talking about.
  • julzrose
    julzrose Posts: 8
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    I have been on MFP for a couple years. My doctor put me Levothyroxine and I took my first dose today. I was very grateful to find this post and all the people on here. I was able to lose 17 lbs and keep it off for over a year but after a recent stressful situation I gained all the weight in just a few months. It was really scary to me and when I visited my doctor she wanted to check my thyroid. My results from the year before were reviewed and new tests were given. My results had gone up and even though I am in a normal range I guess there is a gray area too. I am hopeful this will help me in more ways than weight loss.
  • natyasa
    natyasa Posts: 22 Member
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    I didn't know how common this was until I was diagnosed this past Monday!! I started on Synthroid this past Wednesday and haven't seen a difference yet. Looks like I'll have to wait a few weeks to see if it's really helping. I read going gluten-free and sugar-free really helps with Hashimoto's. Which is great because I had just completed the Whole30 (without losing ANY weight while my husband lost 15lbs) - which was the first clue that something was wrong, but I was happy that I had gotten used to not having gluten and sugar, and so I'm continuing that. Until then....I just can't wait for the sluggishness/brain fog/and depression to go away.
  • ny2298pdsgt
    ny2298pdsgt Posts: 62 Member
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    I'm glad I stumbled onto this forum. I was just diagnosed yesterday. My doctor has not been forthcoming with much information, including not mentioning a diet change and that high cholesterol is a symptom of hypothyroidism. (Yes, I asked her a dozen questions.) I'm learning a lot from reading your experiences here. Thank you. I do have to say that knowing the symptoms of this has made me feel somewhat better knowing I'm not losing my mind. I didn't understand all the changes I was going through. Nice to know I'm sane. haha

    So I'm behind in finding this topic, but I had the same problem when I was diagnosed in my early teens (around 15). My Dr. told me I needed to go on this medication (synthroid), but didn't tell me anything else (I was active in sports, but my weight was still going up) and DEFINATELY didn't say anything about a diet change. Luckily for myself, I got tired of the weight constantly going up, and when I went into the military, after a while, I just stopped taking it (no I didn't ask a Dr. I just stopped), but I am now WNL on my t4 uptake and haven't taken the synthroid in about 8 yrs. I still struggle with my weight, but that's because I am lazy at times and don't always watch what I eat, when I am on track, I do good and lose, when I slip I gain.

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