Is my medicine making it harder???
MyTurnNow2018
Posts: 36 Member
I have hypothyroidism (along with PCOS and a few other autoimmune issues.) and I am on Levothyroxine. (50mcg/day)
I am wondering if this medicine is making weight loss more difficult than it should be. Before I was on it, the loss would be steady as long as I stuck to plan. Now, I am 100% on track with diet and exercise and still seem to stay the same or even gain some.....
My hormones are clearly a culprit , but I am thinking I need to take another look at medication options!? Has anyone else had issues with Levothyroxine / weight loss??
I am wondering if this medicine is making weight loss more difficult than it should be. Before I was on it, the loss would be steady as long as I stuck to plan. Now, I am 100% on track with diet and exercise and still seem to stay the same or even gain some.....
My hormones are clearly a culprit , but I am thinking I need to take another look at medication options!? Has anyone else had issues with Levothyroxine / weight loss??
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Replies
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How long have you been taking the medicine?1
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I have been on it for 8 weeks. Same dosage. I take it in the AM with 20 oz of water. I wait at least 90 mins before eating or drinking anything else.
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Have your numbers leveled out yet? Thyroid problems can make it harder to lose weight, but if you're in a normal range then it's going to be another issue, most likely inaccurate logging.2
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Is weight gain listed as a side effect of the medicine?1
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SOME people have said they did experience weight gain, but they were not actively trying to lose. My log is 100% accurate to what I have been eating, and I have not done anything out of the norm. My Dr. checked my levels in November. I have been reading that my other health issues may play a role and I may need to switch the type of med, as Levothyroxine is generic. I can only keep trying.
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I did take Metformin for a brief while but it made me SO sick!! I was taking it with spironolactoneKepplekakes wrote: »I didn't have a problem with that one at all but I was also on Metformin at the time.
My doc stopped it, but I wonder if I should try again without the Spiro.
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I changed from the regular metformin to the ER version and that was a huge difference. There are alternatives but doctors will usually refer to metformin just because it is so cheap. The big key to it is to lay off the carbs and fat big time. Once I lost about 30 pounds my dr took me off both and I haven't really had a problem with either. Now if I could just get my estrogen to balance without BCP. [/quote]
Thank you! I most def try to avoid most carbs, especially after noon. I will make sure I look into altering the meds a bit. I hate paying to go back to the Dr , but alas, this is why they are so rich LOL!
Here is to hoping we all find the right balance!
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From what I've read Levothyroxine should cause weight loss not gain if anything by increasing your metabolism. I would speak to your dr. I'm on it (125 mcg.) and neither lost nor gained when I went on it but I certainly felt better. I have since lost 70 pounds through diet and exercise. Your dose seems very low and may need to be adjusted upwards but that is something your doc needs to look at. Don't try to do it yourself. For me it rid me of lifelong headaches and chronic constipation. For those things alone it was worth it!
Also just a note about Metformin. It should not cause weight loss. Actually theoretically it would cause the body to store more fat instead of the sugar circulating through your blood and being excreted through your kidneys. It is designed to make your pancreas work better and the pancreas' job is to remove the excess sugar from your system. Generally your system does that my releasing insulin which causes the sugar to be stored as fat. Metformin should only be used under the advice of a doctor. I was on it for a couple years prior to weight loss and had no problems but my doc had me take very small doses at first to avoid the diarrhea and stomach upset. I am no longer taking it now as my sugar has stabilized due to the weight loss. I finally went off when it was making me hungry (probably due to low blood sugar).1 -
L-Thyroxine is more likely to cause weight loss than weight gain, however, because L-thyroxine has to be metabolised into its more active friend T3 first, and thyroid hormones work by changing gene expression, it might be that it just takes a while for the effects to kick in. Also, technically I guess it could cause weight gain in some people as it has both anabolic and catbolic effects. For example, it may induce either lipolysis or liponeogenesis, and increases glucose oxidation but also glucose uptake.
However, as the likely reason for your lack of losing weight, I agree with one of the above posters that your dose may simply be too low (since you've only started the treatment 8 weeks ago and the required dose varies a lot from patient to patient, your doctor probably started with a low dose and will adjust it depending on your T3/T4/TSH levels. Please do not try to adjust the dose yourself but ask your doctor about it! Overdosing can lead to arrhythmias, blood pressure increases and other things that can be dangerous, and the therapeutic range of L-thyroxine is not very broad, e.g. I know a patient (from med school) who was fine on a dose of 90 mcg/day but when the dose was changed to 91.5 mcg/day she started feeling jittery and unwell. So it's a very fine balance that has to be found out for each patient individually.
Alternatively, the culprit might be the PCOS and related metabolic issues but I don't know anything about that
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Kepplekakes wrote: »cheryldumais wrote: »Also just a note about Metformin. It should not cause weight loss. Actually theoretically it would cause the body to store more fat instead of the sugar circulating through your blood and being excreted through your kidneys. It is designed to make your pancreas work better and the pancreas' job is to remove the excess sugar from your system. Generally your system does that my releasing insulin which causes the sugar to be stored as fat. Metformin should only be used under the advice of a doctor. I was on it for a couple years prior to weight loss and had no problems but my doc had me take very small doses at first to avoid the diarrhea and stomach upset. I am no longer taking it now as my sugar has stabilized due to the weight loss. I finally went off when it was making me hungry (probably due to low blood sugar).
It is not unusal for metoformin to be used in treatment of women who have PCOS because their insulin is generally high. Some women with PCOS do experience a a weight loss when using metformin. And as always these women are usually under the care of a Endocrinologist or Reproductive Endorcrinologist. Some of these doctors will also prescribe a combination of Levothyroxine with Metformin and maybe a couple other drugs if a woman with PCOS is trying to get pregnant. I can only speak from my own experience with these doctors and drugs.
Thanks for clarifying that. I know nothing about PCOS so you are likely better suited to speak to that treatment than I am. I just know from my personal experience with blood sugar issues.
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levothyroxine (synthyroid) is supposed to help manage your hypothyroidism which in turn would help your weight loss efforts... your dose may not be correct yet. it takes time and adjustments by your doctor to reach the correct dose. be patient... it took me over a year to finally get things sorted out myself - i have PCOS and hypothyroidism as well.3
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Ive had PCOS and Endometriosis for years. I was just diagnosed in Nov 2016 with Hypothyroidism. I was put on 50 micrograms of Levothyroxine and as of this week my dosage was increased to 75 micrograms. Before seeing an Endocrinologist, my PCP gave me Metformin 500mg 3x a day. This caused issues and I thought I was having digestive issues because it looked like my food wasnt digesting properly. My Endocrinologist suggested I go down to 500mg 2x a day and it has made such a difference with the side effects. Im back to normal with my bowel movements. However, I too have not been able to lose the weight. My Endocrinologist and I talked extensively about diet and exercise the first time I saw him in Nov and here is what he has suggested to me. First off, its going to take time to get the right dosage for your thyroid med and for it to work properly. He said I should stick to protein at every meal, lots of fruits with skins like berries, apples, peaches, nectarines, pears and so on. If you have to peel it then try to avoid it because there are more nutrients in the skins that you need. Also, lots of green leafy veggies raw or steamed. Do not boil the heck out of it as it removes all the antioxidants and nutrients your body needs. Stay away from fruit juices. No filler carbs. No bread, no pasta, no pastry. I dont have to eat gluten free, just eliminate the filler carbs and eat as clean as you can with no processed foods. Lots of fruits and veggies have carbs in them. Dont deprive yourself. Give yourself one cheat meal a week. It helps with the binge eating. Im Italian and I like my pasta. I dont eat it every week but I like it at least once a month so that is what I stick to. Also, when you have PCOS, your sweets craving is amplified. I always want ice cream and cake and bad crap like that. I do it once a week. I have one Eddy's or Ben and Jerry's little sample cups they sell in the grocery store for like a buck. I only buy one a week so I dont tempt myself to go over. Or I buy one cupcake at this place near me. Also I make my own trail mix. Dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried apricots, banana chips, dark unsweetened chocolate pieces and cashews is what I like. Helps with the cravings during the day when Im at work. I also bring in cubes of cheese or the mini cucumbers cut up with some humus on the side. I walk outside or inside the office every day at each 15 min break and 30 min lunch that I have to try to get in as close to 10,000 steps I can. I have lost 16 lbs this far and that has been slow going but its a loss. I hope this helps. Small changes.2
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Ive had PCOS and Endometriosis for years. I was just diagnosed in Nov 2016 with Hypothyroidism. I was put on 50 micrograms of Levothyroxine and as of this week my dosage was increased to 75 micrograms. Before seeing an Endocrinologist, my PCP gave me Metformin 500mg 3x a day. This caused issues and I thought I was having digestive issues because it looked like my food wasnt digesting properly. My Endocrinologist suggested I go down to 500mg 2x a day and it has made such a difference with the side effects. Im back to normal with my bowel movements. However, I too have not been able to lose the weight. My Endocrinologist and I talked extensively about diet and exercise the first time I saw him in Nov and here is what he has suggested to me. First off, its going to take time to get the right dosage for your thyroid med and for it to work properly. He said I should stick to protein at every meal, lots of fruits with skins like berries, apples, peaches, nectarines, pears and so on. If you have to peel it then try to avoid it because there are more nutrients in the skins that you need. Also, lots of green leafy veggies raw or steamed. Do not boil the heck out of it as it removes all the antioxidants and nutrients your body needs. Stay away from fruit juices. No filler carbs. No bread, no pasta, no pastry. I dont have to eat gluten free, just eliminate the filler carbs and eat as clean as you can with no processed foods. Lots of fruits and veggies have carbs in them. Dont deprive yourself. Give yourself one cheat meal a week. It helps with the binge eating. Im Italian and I like my pasta. I dont eat it every week but I like it at least once a month so that is what I stick to. Also, when you have PCOS, your sweets craving is amplified. I always want ice cream and cake and bad crap like that. I do it once a week. I have one Eddy's or Ben and Jerry's little sample cups they sell in the grocery store for like a buck. I only buy one a week so I dont tempt myself to go over. Or I buy one cupcake at this place near me. Also I make my own trail mix. Dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, dried apricots, banana chips, dark unsweetened chocolate pieces and cashews is what I like. Helps with the cravings during the day when Im at work. I also bring in cubes of cheese or the mini cucumbers cut up with some humus on the side. I walk outside or inside the office every day at each 15 min break and 30 min lunch that I have to try to get in as close to 10,000 steps I can. I have lost 16 lbs this far and that has been slow going but its a loss. I hope this helps. Small changes.
Thank you!!
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Hi Hun, i'm on 150mcg, a day and until my levels evened out i could not lose weight, i found that the pills never made me gain weight. however there there to ensure your thyroid is back to normal, so you can lose weight like any other person,
that being said its still a struggle, i think hormones are making you want to eat more maybe, i know when its my totm, i absolutely gorge fest its ridiculous.1 -
With hypothyroidism medicating it should make it easier to lose weight because your energy level should increase.1
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The problem with levoxy and synthroid is twofold. First, generics are only required by law to have 75% of the actual medication of the brand name. If you're someone that needs the full amount prescribed, then a manufacturer that is using the 75% number and using fillers for the other 25% is going to cause issues for you. That's why some people do better on one generic brand vs. another. Each manufacturer uses different numbers to stay within the law of 75%. The second issue is that synthroid and its generic are both T3. Your body has to convert T3 to T4 in order to use it. But what happens when someone's body isn't efficient at converting it (I was like this)? It takes higher and higher doses of levoxy to get any effect OR it just doesn't work well for the person at all. 200-400mcg of selenium will help with the conversion factor if that is the issue. Or, you can fight your doctor to prescribe armour or naturethroid which have T1, T2, T3, and T4 (your thyroid produces all 4 forms) and have your body respond more naturally. Does levoxy work for some people? Yes. But the majority of people I know on just T4 do not feel near as well as they do when they have all of the other forms as well. One way to tell if you're having conversion issues is to look at your Free T3 and Free T4. If your FT3 is high, but your FT4 is quite a bit lower then you are likely not converting well. In that case, selenium would be worth trying.
I would suggest before you increase the levoxy that you try the selenium test (looking at your blood work) to see if you have a conversion issue. I would also make sure that your thyroid numbers are in the upper 2/3's of the range for FT3 and FT4, and between .5 and 1.5 for your TSH. If they are out of this range, it's likely you will not feel well or have success with regular weight loss. And finally, I would try armour or naturethroid. Good luck fighting your endo.......1 -
Have you adjusted your calorie goal since the initial weight loss? And is your logging as tight as it can be? (Weighing all solids, measuring all liquids, double checking you are using the correct database entries).
Just small things that may help whilst you get your levels sorted out.
There are lots of people who have one or both of the conditions you mention who have lost weight. Outside of getting your medication straight it does boil down to finding the right calorie level for everyone, medical conditions or not.
There are also PCOS groups here you could join to see how others manage their conditions and weight loss. I believe reducing (not eliminating) starchy carbs can be helpful.1 -
Have you considered talking to your doctor about switching to Nature Throid or another natural replacement? I changed my diet to plant based with no oil and I actually changed my system and was able to stop taking my meds all together. Many doctors will say they are not fans of the natural replacements but I know several people who have had success with them. My doctor even said he has patients that do better on the nature Throid, it just requires them to really think about the dosing its a little different as it is in grain.1
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ronjsteele1 wrote: »The problem with levoxy and synthroid is twofold. First, generics are only required by law to have 75% of the actual medication of the brand name. If you're someone that needs the full amount prescribed, then a manufacturer that is using the 75% number and using fillers for the other 25% is going to cause issues for you. That's why some people do better on one generic brand vs. another. Each manufacturer uses different numbers to stay within the law of 75%. The second issue is that synthroid and its generic are both T3. Your body has to convert T3 to T4 in order to use it. But what happens when someone's body isn't efficient at converting it (I was like this)? It takes higher and higher doses of levoxy to get any effect OR it just doesn't work well for the person at all. 200-400mcg of selenium will help with the conversion factor if that is the issue. Or, you can fight your doctor to prescribe armour or naturethroid which have T1, T2, T3, and T4 (your thyroid produces all 4 forms) and have your body respond more naturally. Does levoxy work for some people? Yes. But the majority of people I know on just T4 do not feel near as well as they do when they have all of the other forms as well. One way to tell if you're having conversion issues is to look at your Free T3 and Free T4. If your FT3 is high, but your FT4 is quite a bit lower then you are likely not converting well. In that case, selenium would be worth trying.
I would suggest before you increase the levoxy that you try the selenium test (looking at your blood work) to see if you have a conversion issue. I would also make sure that your thyroid numbers are in the upper 2/3's of the range for FT3 and FT4, and between .5 and 1.5 for your TSH. If they are out of this range, it's likely you will not feel well or have success with regular weight loss. And finally, I would try armour or naturethroid. Good luck fighting your endo.......
Thank you!!
I just looked at the most recent labs, which were done in 7/2016. (I thought it was November , but I was wrong)
TSH Ultrasensitive/Solstas 1.85
TSH 2.86
FT4 1.1
I am going to ask about the natural one and see what the thoughts are about it. I would like to try it for sure. I know that my health issues play off of one another, so it will be a trial and error process! 0 -
cheryldumais wrote: »From what I've read Levothyroxine should cause weight loss not gain if anything by increasing your metabolism. I would speak to your dr. I'm on it (125 mcg.) and neither lost nor gained when I went on it but I certainly felt better. I have since lost 70 pounds through diet and exercise. Your dose seems very low and may need to be adjusted upwards but that is something your doc needs to look at. Don't try to do it yourself. For me it rid me of lifelong headaches and chronic constipation. For those things alone it was worth it!
Also just a note about Metformin. It should not cause weight loss. Actually theoretically it would cause the body to store more fat instead of the sugar circulating through your blood and being excreted through your kidneys. It is designed to make your pancreas work better and the pancreas' job is to remove the excess sugar from your system. Generally your system does that my releasing insulin which causes the sugar to be stored as fat. Metformin should only be used under the advice of a doctor. I was on it for a couple years prior to weight loss and had no problems but my doc had me take very small doses at first to avoid the diarrhea and stomach upset. I am no longer taking it now as my sugar has stabilized due to the weight loss. I finally went off when it was making me hungry (probably due to low blood sugar).
For interest sake metformin is often used off label for weight loss particularly with people that are taking drugs such as atypical antipsychotics that affect metabolism and fat storage.
Edited to correct typo and include reference:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857117/
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Hi!
Going in year two with metformin, now on a nerve blocker but dunno how I'm feeling about it. all I do know I'm having amazing sleeps from them lol!! Would love support and feed back from you guys. Feel free to add me!1
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