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

Same medication I'm on...it has definetly helped stabilize my weight, but losing still seems to be a slow process. I don't expect more than a pound a week, if that, but at least I have a steady downward trend.

I have Hashimoto's Disease and just turned from having Hyperthyroidism to HYPOthyroidism.
I was diagnosed in July 2011. So now that I am HYPO my doc prescribed me Levothyroxine...So thats is why I cant lose weight...
Im am glad Im finally able to take something that will regulate me. My question is how long will it take for the medicine to get me on track with losing weight? I keep track of my food and exercise 5 days a week . Anyone out there that had hypothyroidism and got on meds and lost weight normally? I am looking to lose 25 lb from my pregnancy in March ...

I have hypothyroid. You can lose weight. The meds won't do it for you but they help your body deal with things better. You'll still have to do all the calorie tracking and exercise but you should see results from those efforts like a normal person now that your thyroid levels have been corrected.

And, for the record, not all hypothyroid folks are overweight. I have a sister with a worst hypothyroid problem than I do who is skinny!

Hi. It's different for everyone. You may notice some changes in how you feel quite soon but for some people it can take months to get totally back to normal if it has been severe for a while. You should notice your weight is a bit more manageable in the next couple of weeks, possibly sooner. Some people respond really well to levothyroxine and have no trouble losing weight once they have been taking it a few weeks. Other people (like me) are never really quite right even with the tablets and it still takes extra effort to lose the weight. The good news is that it should definitely be a lot easier than before you were taking it. One thing I found out recently that has made a huge difference is that I leave an hour after taking my thyroxine before eating breakfast. Apparently eating too soon after taking it can reduce how well you absorb it. I have definitely noticed a difference since waiting to eat breakfast. There's lots of other stuff that can help too but I don't want to bombard you with it. Feel free to message me or check out my blog for more info and there's lots of stuff on the web too.

Good luck with your weight loss. I'm sure you'll do great but it just might take a little longer than you expect. Just keep going and you'll be fine :happy:

I, too, take Levothyroxine for hypothyroid. I have been on this med for several years. Last year I lost close to 70 pounds while following a 1450 calorie intake strictly. Over this summer, I have regained about 30 pounds. I am now back following the approximate calorie intake, and I find that I am most successful when recording the calories, exercise, and water to the T. While drinking the required amount of water plus more, my sleep may be interrupted 4-5 times a night, I feel the weight loss outcome outweighs that minor inconvenience. I do recommend a high amount of water intake, to which I attribute my weight loss success.

I regained my weight due to failing to remember to drink water and turning to soft drinks, albeit diet (I was spending a large amount of time staying with my mother in the hospital) as well as failing to record my intake calories. I now have several mobile devices that will help me to record and to stay on track. Weight reduction is a life-style change, and one that I am willing to see through in order to enjoy good health. Much success to you!

And, for the record, not all hypothyroid folks are overweight. I have a sister with a worst hypothyroid problem than I do who is skinny!

Boy do I wish I had that problem . . . :laugh:

I agree with all the info you ave received so far. I've lost 71 lbs this last year but it takes a lot of hard work and dedication for me to lose even 1 lb a week. Getting you medication dosage correct is probably the hardest part.

i have hypothyroidism n on my 9th week in a row losing!!! my weight loss has been 2.6lbs ...1lb....0.8 ounces....1.6lbs...4.2lbs...2.2lbs....2.6lbs...0.2 ounces. with the right dose u can lose easier

I'm on 300mcg s daily I've had it from birth. Oddly enough i never had problems as a child/young adult with my weight it was only after i started having mobility problems.

I went gluten free/low carb after struggling to lose 9lbs in 4 months and now 2 months later I've lost 25lbs! I did see a link on internet somewhere mentioning a incidence of people with hypothyroidism developing problems with wheat and nuts, I've had allergic reaction to nuts years ago so can't have them and been bloated and overweight for years and now I'm only 3lb off top of healthy range for my height so I'm thrilled and planning to stick to this.

Also lost 12" from round widest part of tummy which was 48 ", now 36" and my waist has gone from 38 " to 32", now in size 16's (from 20) and hoping to be in 14's by end of this year! .. so it's worked for me but many see it as a restrictive diet rather than a lifestyle change. I am planning to gradually re-introduce more carbs (rice, potatoes, non-wheat based grains occasionally) as I get nearer to my goal weight but have decided to stay wheat-free permanently.

I was slim (117pounds) and diagnosed with hashimotos after weight gain. My levels were in the 80s. I'm now 3.0 and on 100mcg of levothyroxine and still gaining weight despite only eating 1200 healthy calories a day for 6 months. (20 pound gain).
Each time my meds are increased I seem to have a 5 pound gain within 2 days. When i first started taking it 4 months ago i lost 3 pounds. I recently decided to increase calories to 1400 a day in case 1200 was ruining my matabolism. I'm still gaining the same, no less no more -gaining on average 2 pounds a week while dieting. I hate looking at myself in the mirror, as I have been slim my whole life.

My little 1/2 a thyroid is giving out so I now am taking 75 mcg/day of Levothyroxine. I also take a beta blocker for high blood pressure w/ heart arrythmia. But, for the last two months I've been eating TDEE-20%, exercising a little, and am losing 1.5 lbs/week. I see no difference in weight loss ability from these drugs so you may not either.

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

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.

Bump for later.

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.

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.