When will it start?
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wlorenm
Posts: 37
Hi guys!
After a million symptoms I became convinced I was hypothyroid at the end of June this year. After reading a million horror stories I decided there was no way my doctor was going to fob me off for 12+months until he decided I was hypothyroid. So I became intent on getting a diagnosis.
My first blood test revealed that I was 3.58(0.27-4.2). Initially he refused to treat me and I begged him to send me to an endocrinologist. She was useless. But she did one thing for me - checked my TPO antibodies. Low and behold - positive.
Again she refused to treat me. But prescribed me iron because I had chronic anaemia. At this point it was the second week in July.
I returned to my doctor - who was off and landed myself with a locum. He was incredible and made me a deal. If I retook the TSH test and it came back the same of worse, he'd treat me. So ten days after the first test he took my bloods. 4.2(0.27-4.2) started me on a low dose of 25mcg Levothyroxine. He instructed me to increase to 50mcg if I felt no better after two weeks.
I revisited my doctor again last week - this time my own one. He took my bloods. My TSH is at 0.44(0.27-4.2) and my free T4 is at 17(11-22).
He still agreed to increase my dose because I wasn't losing weight and I still have symptoms. I started 75mcg back then. My question is - the weight gain has stopped - it stopped around the first 10days of Levo. But even though I am dieting and exercising it doesn't seem to be moving yet
Does anyone have any advice? How long will I be on Levo for before the weightloss starts? I have a 28lb goal and I'm so motivated to go but I'm physically unable.
I am rigid with what I eat so I know it's not the calorie intake. Help
Sorry for the saga!!!
After a million symptoms I became convinced I was hypothyroid at the end of June this year. After reading a million horror stories I decided there was no way my doctor was going to fob me off for 12+months until he decided I was hypothyroid. So I became intent on getting a diagnosis.
My first blood test revealed that I was 3.58(0.27-4.2). Initially he refused to treat me and I begged him to send me to an endocrinologist. She was useless. But she did one thing for me - checked my TPO antibodies. Low and behold - positive.
Again she refused to treat me. But prescribed me iron because I had chronic anaemia. At this point it was the second week in July.
I returned to my doctor - who was off and landed myself with a locum. He was incredible and made me a deal. If I retook the TSH test and it came back the same of worse, he'd treat me. So ten days after the first test he took my bloods. 4.2(0.27-4.2) started me on a low dose of 25mcg Levothyroxine. He instructed me to increase to 50mcg if I felt no better after two weeks.
I revisited my doctor again last week - this time my own one. He took my bloods. My TSH is at 0.44(0.27-4.2) and my free T4 is at 17(11-22).
He still agreed to increase my dose because I wasn't losing weight and I still have symptoms. I started 75mcg back then. My question is - the weight gain has stopped - it stopped around the first 10days of Levo. But even though I am dieting and exercising it doesn't seem to be moving yet
Does anyone have any advice? How long will I be on Levo for before the weightloss starts? I have a 28lb goal and I'm so motivated to go but I'm physically unable.
I am rigid with what I eat so I know it's not the calorie intake. Help
Sorry for the saga!!!
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Replies
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I am so sorry things are still not working out for you. T4 only is the treatment "of choice" chosen by NICE who set out the funding criterion here in the UK! Please may I point you in the direction of the "Stop the thyroid Madness" site, there is so much information on there which you can use to try to push your point. It is good to see the numbers may be improving BUT one is missing, the T3, there is a reluctance to look at this one here, as if it does not exist. If they keep the blinkers on then no one will know and it will all go away................... If you read the raft of tests done for thyroid issues overseas it makes me wonder how we manage here. One kind lady off shore told me of a Face Book group here in the UK, you may find information there to help. I don't do Face Book leaving it to the grandchildren.
Some people have problems changing T4 to T3 the working numbered one, there are many possible reasons for this, I'm not wanting to speculate, I do not know enough. It could be it takes a while for your body to adjust. I did read on a UK thyroid site that it is possible to be treated on a "named patient" for thing NICE think are out of the ordinary, but are common place off shore.
All the best, take care.0 -
I'm able to do well on T4 meds, but my weight loss didn't start until 8-10 weeks into treatment. Anytime we made a change to my meds (even different manufacturer), the weight loss stopped and/or reversed to a weight gain until another 8 weeks passed to stabilize.
No silver bullet here, it's about my long-term health not a quick fix. Losing weight is important to me too, but my other symptoms were higher priority than weight. It's taken me a year to lose 20 lbs. I also have to keep my eating in check with appropriate calories.0 -
Once you're at a level of medication that you and your doctor both feel is good for you currently, it will take at least a couple months to notice any weight loss. Are you also logging your food/calorie intake and getting some exercise?0
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I waited 6 months after getting onto the right dose of T4 before starting to diet.
Thyroid hormone is the only way for your cells to get iodine. I figured that I had essentially been iodine deficient for years and that all my tissues needed some rebuilding and maintenance. I wanted to free-feed for awhile on the correct thyroxine dose so that my body had an opportunity to repair and heal itself with an overabundance of everything it could need for that purpose. Only then did I start cutting back on calories.0
