hypothyroid med - Levothyroxin

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My weight loss stalled a few months ago. Since then my Dr diagnosed me as hypothyroid and gave me a prescription for Levothyroxin 125 mcg. Does anyone have experience with this medication or taking it while trying to lose weight?

I only took it for about a week, then stopped because I thought I was having terrible side effects (it turned out I had the flu) One side effect I believe was caused by the medication was increased appetite. This makes me very anxious about losing the progress I've made so far. I've tried researching the med, but I still don't know effect this drug will have, if any, on my weight loss. There are several warning that it should not be prescribed as a weight loss drug, but no explanation for that warning.

Any advice is appreciated. I've started taking it again and just hope I can keep my eating under control.
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Replies

  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I've no experience myself, but a friend of mine is hypothyroid (she has hashimotos) and she either took this drug or something very similar. She lost loads of weight, but coupled with healthy eating and lots of exercise.

    Obviously you wouldn't use it purely as a weight loss drug as if your thyroid is fine, it would mess with it. It's just supposed to help your thyroid be at normal levels so it functions properly. I don't think you'd lose extra weight unless you do what a 'normal' person has to, i.e eat at a calorie deficit and exercise.
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
    edited December 2014
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    I found much better results when I switched to the name brand (Synthroid). It's more expensive but worth it. The weight came off easier and other symptoms improved as well.
  • marnieroberts15
    marnieroberts15 Posts: 3 Member
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    Brand name or generic, it is exactly the same drug/ chemical compound. If you need thyroxine as prescribed by a Dr, you need it. No questions asked.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,396 Member
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    I take it and generally have no problems losing when I stick to my calorie goals. I only have a third of my thyroid and it is medically necessary for me to take it.

    When I first started on synthroid way back when I first had my surgery, I did experience side effects-mostly related to mood. Since my remaining thyroid functioned well for several years, my doctor took me off it. Now with age, it's not quite up to the task and I've been taking the levothyroxin for a few years now with no ill effects.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,514 Member
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    My weight loss stalled a few months ago. Since then my Dr diagnosed me as hypothyroid and gave me a prescription for Levothyroxin 125 mcg. Does anyone have experience with this medication or taking it while trying to lose weight?

    I only took it for about a week, then stopped because I thought I was having terrible side effects (it turned out I had the flu) One side effect I believe was caused by the medication was increased appetite. This makes me very anxious about losing the progress I've made so far. I've tried researching the med, but I still don't know effect this drug will have, if any, on my weight loss. There are several warning that it should not be prescribed as a weight loss drug, but no explanation for that warning.

    Any advice is appreciated. I've started taking it again and just hope I can keep my eating under control.

    too much thyroid hormone would make you have the symptoms of an overactive thyroid
    so while yes you might lose weight you could be inviting heart trouble. i had surgery in January and was accused of overdosing on my levothyroxine and was told " you wouldn't be the first bariatric patient overdosing on thyroxine to lose weight" all because my heart rate during pre ops was over 100bpm

    the took away my meds as they didn't believe me only giving it back a week later when they realized my heart rate never went below 100bpm

    i dont feel any hungrier on levothyroxine, ive been on it about 18 months

    what i do feel is a lot less pain. off my meds the pain in my limbs is terrible, i struggle to stay upright, i slur my words and i cant string a sentence together and could fall asleep on a washing line

    not taking my meds just isn't an option for me

  • BrokenBelles
    BrokenBelles Posts: 19 Member
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    How long does it take to show improvement? I have a lot of the symptoms (fatigue, very poor memory, cold sensitivity, some hair and skin issues, and of course being overweight) but thought that was just life.. It never occurred to me that I might have a thyroid problem until it showed up on a routine blood test.
  • kbanzhaf
    kbanzhaf Posts: 601 Member
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    I've been on thyroid medicine for close to 20 years. Lost weight after I was taking it, and don't really think it had any impact. For me it was making healthier choices and moving more....which I've become lax on, which has lead to ganging weight, which means I now need to start paying attention again.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,514 Member
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    takes around 6 weeks to feel the benefits. i know my meds need upping when my symptoms start rearing their head
  • Vananners
    Vananners Posts: 19
    edited December 2014
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    How long does it take to show improvement? I have a lot of the symptoms (fatigue, very poor memory, cold sensitivity, some hair and skin issues, and of course being overweight) but thought that was just life.. It never occurred to me that I might have a thyroid problem until it showed up on a routine blood test.

    I was just diagnosed with Hashimoto's in October and my doc told me it can take 6 weeks before you start feeling better. I noticed small improvements after about 2 weeks then even more improvments after that. I'm currently on 100mcg and my 6 week blood test was back down to 1.45 TSH, whereas upon diagnosis is was all the way up to 15!
  • Vananners
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    takes around 6 weeks to feel the benefits. i know my meds need upping when my symptoms start rearing their head

    Ditto. I start to feel tired again, that's the first sign. Last time, I just called my doc and she upped my dosage right then and there.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,514 Member
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    Vananners wrote: »
    takes around 6 weeks to feel the benefits. i know my meds need upping when my symptoms start rearing their head

    Ditto. I start to feel tired again, that's the first sign. Last time, I just called my doc and she upped my dosage right then and there.

    i soooo wish mine would. i went for a medication review today with my gp and it was obvious she didnt know who i was and wasnt listening to a word i said

    but tiredness for me isnt a reliable indicator sadly as i cannot absorb vitamin b12 so get tired a month before every injection, sucks *kitten*

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    Please don't willy-nilly just stop taking a drug without discussing it with your doctor!

    I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's 25 years ago. My thyroid took a major nosedive last year and I gained 30 pounds because it would not respond to medication adjustments for a while. I take Synthroid brand as I feel better on it than I do generic. I'm on 200 mcg.

    It can, as other posters have said, take 6 weeks to feel the full effects of medication. A good doctor will be retesting you at that point. A good doctor will also be sensitive to your symptoms. There's a reason a range of norms is acceptable, and that's because what's optimal for one patient might still be low for another. For example, I need to be corrected to a fairly low number to feel well. Get to know the number at which you feel your best.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Weight gain is not a common problem with Synthroid. If you feel that is happening, speak to the doctor about it.

    The reason there are all those warnings is that it can hurt people who don't need it. People hear that it helps those who needed it. So, they figure, "If it helps her lose weight, I want it, too!" But if they don't need it, it will mean too much in their system and can cause other problems.

    Thyroid hormone afters weight, but it also affects a lot of other things. Too much or too little isn't good. That's why there are all the warnings about not taking it for weight loss. People hear that someone (like me) was able to lose after taking it and think, "If it helps her lose weight, I want it, too!" So, they have to remind people that they will not reap the same benefit (since they already have thyroid hormone, lol) and that taking too much can hurt them.

    People do nutty things to lose weight. :)
  • GinaNation
    GinaNation Posts: 3 Member
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    This is all very welcomed info, you guys! I was just diagnosed hypothyroid yesterday. Endo doesn't know what the cause is: I have low Free T4 but my T3 and TSH is norm. She thinks possible pituitary issue, so more testing. She did put me on Synthroid at 50mcg and I started it immediately. When my symptoms started I was on 1400 calories a day and Zumba 3-4 times a week. And was GAINING weight. Overall I put on over 25lbs in 3 months and I was terrified. All the other symptoms became obvious - I almost fell asleep driving - neuropathy, weird period, pain...

    I'm hoping with the Synthroid I can get back my ability TO lose weight. I don't expect it to make me lose weight without putting in the effort (I guess that's a big problem with the drug's expectations?) I'm gluten free, little to no processed food, almost no red meat, and greatly reducing sugar intake. Despite joint and muscle pain, I'm still going to Zumba. I just power through it if I can and take a break when I can't.

    I do have a question: any of you guys that are hypothyroid - do you have vitamin deficiencies? Endo said my bloodwork shows major Vit D deficient and low B12. Also, I'm now anemic. It is not dietary, as I take the vitamins in but cannot seem to retain them. Is this common with hypothyroid?
  • ElizabethMaryam
    ElizabethMaryam Posts: 159 Member
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    I have to supplement with vitamin d3 drops and b12. I'm not sure if it's common; but it's been a problem for me since becoming hypothyroid. I know I feel MUCH better when I'm supplemented (I've had to continue taking them to keep me at a good level). I believe having good levels have helped me with my weight loss goals. Take care :)
  • ElizabethMaryam
    ElizabethMaryam Posts: 159 Member
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    Also, I find for myself the vitamin d3 drops absorb better than the pills and for b12, I find the sublingual tablets that dissolve under your tongue better than the ones you just swallow. Also always check the expiry date on the vitamins and keep the bottles out of the sun and away from extreme temps as I believe it impacts the efficiency of the dose. Take care :)
  • misscfe
    misscfe Posts: 295 Member
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    I am Hypo and have been on Levo for almost two years. It may take awhile to get you at the right dosage. Levo will not necessarily "cure" your symptoms either. I actually ended up doing natural medicine to help my symptoms but the Levo regulated my thyroid. It may take a lot of playing with your workouts and diet to find what you need to do to lose weight and get in shape. For me the key ended up being a high protein diet, I didn't necessarily decrease my carbs I just don't eat very many unhealthy carbs. I'm supposed to be gluten free too but haven't been doing so well at that lately. Going GF didn't help with my weight loss at all but it does help with other internal issues. Supposedly low intensity workouts are better for hypo and I know a lot of people had results with that but I personally need high intensity. I suggest playing with your diet and exercise until you find the right combo for you.
  • epido
    epido Posts: 353 Member
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    I've taken Synthroid for almost 25 years. Your doc should be rechecking your blood work every 6 weeks or so and making adjustments to your dosage until everything checks out right.

    As for how long it takes to feel better, like previously mentioned, it can take up to 6-8 weeks for that to happen. It takes a while for the med to reach a consistent, therapeutic level in your system. That being said, even though it will take several weeks to find out what the full effects/relief of symptoms will be for you, you should still start feeling gradually better over those first several weeks.

    It is important to take your meds, even if you don't feel as if they are helping at first. Long term, there can be bad consequences from an underactive thyroid. The same is true if your meds are off and the dosage causes you to have hyper symptoms.

    There are several reasons that could be causing your thyroid to not be working normally. Ultimately, no matter what the reason is, you will still need to take some sort of hormone replacement, whether it is Synthroid, Armour, or one of the other replacements available. Diet changes can help alleviate some of your symptoms but they won't fix the underlying problem, despite what some of the junk science out there may say.

    Hang in there, and continue to follow your doctor's advice. Once you get this under control, things should begin to get a bit easier for you to loose weight.
  • mustloseweight2015
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    Okay, I have hypothyroidism and I have a cousin who is endocrinologist and two cousins who are pharmacists. Here's the information I have got after questioning all of them.

    For most medications, the generics work just as well as the brand name ones. According to FDA or whoever regulates medications, a med can have 20% more or less of the main ingredient than the name brand in order to be called the same med. In more other ailments, this won't matter. However, thyroid gland can be significantly affected by small changes. Synthroid is the original brand name med (I think it's made by Abbot labs...and only Abbot). Levothyroxine is a generic and may be made by multiple companies. Now if one company uses 80% of the ingredient and another one uses 120%, they may both call it levothyroxine, although there might be significant difference in the two. There is no problem using the generic, but the bottle of generic will indicate which company/lab made it. Just make sure you get the generic made by the same lab (usually if you keep buying it from the same pharmacy, it will be the same). So then there is precise consistency.

    I am not a pharmacist or a doctor, but this is what I have been told by pharmacists and doctors. So, this this information is not accurate, don't attack the post folks. I'm just trying to help.

    As for weightless, I have found that once you're put on ideal dosage, you can lose weight. I would not stop taking the meds though without consulting the doc unless the side effects are very bad. Stopping the meds or altering the dosage without asking the doctor WILL affect the weightless.

    Hope this helps!
  • cruzmom123
    cruzmom123 Posts: 72 Member
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    I have been taking 50mcg of Levothyroxin for 3 years and have never experienced any side effects. However, the first 6 months of taking it, I lost weight without even trying. (no healthy eating nor exercise). Now that I'm actually doing those things, it's like the medication has no effect at all.