losing wt with hypothyroid

[ElaineP]

Once your thyroid hormones have leveled out and your meds are where they should be did you lose the wt you gained before you where diagnosed? My levels are just about where they should be so now my journey begins on trying to lose the weight I have gained while I was not treated. Can it be done?

 

[Autumn68]

repsonse

Once your thyroid hormones have leveled out and your meds are where they should be did you lose the wt you gained before you where diagnosed? My levels are just about where they should be so now my journey begins on trying to lose the weight I have gained while I was not treated. Can it be done?

I've been taking synthroid for my thyroid condition and I was told it makes my thyroid levels normal. I would talk to your doc about what's best for you.
autumn

 

[nancy324]

Once your thyroid hormones have leveled out and your meds are where they should be did you lose the wt you gained before you where diagnosed? My levels are just about where they should be so now my journey begins on trying to lose the weight I have gained while I was not treated. Can it be done?

I'm inclined to say "sure", but then I didn't gain any weight before I was treated. But I'm going to say "sure" anyway. The thyroid hormones are intended to get you back to normal, and once you're back to normal, you're in the same position re weight loss as you would be if you weren't hypo.

Of course, you've got to keep tabs on those TSH, T3 and T4 levels. The T4 should be between 4.5-12.5. The T3 uptake should be between 22-35%. The TSH should be between .4-4.5. Of course, this is coming from a patient with hypothyroidism and NOT a medical practitioner.

Long story short: if your thyroid levels are normal, your weight should not be affected.

 

[Clarissa]

THANK YOU for posting this. Listen, I was recently diagnosed w/ Hashimotos Disease after baby # 3 was born. Have been on Synthroid for 4 mos approx. My baby is 10 mos old. I was a TSH 52 in Sept (yes, you read that right = 52!). Then, after starting on a low dose of synthroid, I was an 8-ish, then a 5-ish, now I am told I am running in the 3's after being upped to 88mcg recently.

I am upset because I have gained 10-12 lbs on this stupid medicine (or as a result of the hypothyroid and the meds aren't helping, whatever the reason is...) and to know that I am in "normal range" and still not losing despite an excellent lifestyle (I am a personal trainer), I am upset. Although, I belong to a thyroid forum that informs me that in order to lose weight and quit gaining, I need to be in the 1-range and because I am in the 3's I can't lose weight. I dont know...anyway, that is all I know about the topic. I see my endo in one month...hoping for some answers then on why I haven't shed these lbs yet...Best of luck to you. PS - I don't know my T3 levels but am told they are in normal range as of now too.

Clarissa

 

[nancy324]

Thanks interesting, Clarissa. I guess my TSH of 1.84 is pretty good. Amazing that you were ever at 52! Glad to hear you're back to normal.

ETA: If it makes either of you feel any better, I have no problem losing weight as long as I watch what I eat. In fact, in the last few years I've lost weight while I was just trying to maintain.

 

[ElaineP]

Thanks Nancy. It is good to hear that you've lost weight.

Clarissa, wow 52 is very elevated.

I just had my blood work done and levels are in the normal range a little on the higher end, but normal.
Maybe I just need to give it time and really watch what I eat.
I've gained about 6-8bls. I just feel very chubby.

 

[lrusso]

In Oct. my level was 4.93. I was currently on Levoxyl (1.0 )at that time. Doc wanted to up my meds but then asked how I was taking them. I was taking them w/all my vitamins including calcium. Bad idea, guess I never read the paper work with my pills. Now that I am taking it alone I have to get retested to see if that made a differance. Calcium keeps it from absorbing. The weird part is when I was orginally diagnosed, they were testing me for hyperthyroid (because I was so thin.) Turned out it was hypo. I was exhausted and cold all the time. I think it takes several months to get back to normal so hopefully in time you will lose the extra pounds. Good luck!!! Linda

 

[nancy324]

In Oct. my level was 4.93. I was currently on Levoxyl (1.0 )at that time. Doc wanted to up my meds but then asked how I was taking them. I was taking them w/all my vitamins including calcium. Bad idea, guess I never read the paper work with my pills. Now that I am taking it alone I have to get retested to see if that made a differance. Calcium keeps it from absorbing. The weird part is when I was orginally diagnosed, they were testing me for hyperthyroid (because I was so thin.) Turned out it was hypo. I was exhausted and cold all the time. I think it takes several months to get back to normal so hopefully in time you will lose the extra pounds. Good luck!!! Linda

It's annoying not to be able to take calcium in the morning. Ideally, calcium and magnesium should be taken in small doses 3x per day, but the best I can do is 2x per day because of the thyroid meds. Also remember to take the thyroid meds in the morning at least a half hour before you eat anything. Glad to hear you didn't have hyperthyroidism! Must have been a relief to find out.

 

[den333]

It may take some time to level off to your optimal range. Everyone is different. For ex, I was 92-97 lbs when first diagnosed stayed on 75mcg synthroid for 12yrs, no insurance=no meds for 7 months causing a 40 lb increase in wt, after starting meds again lost 10 lbs but it's been a struggle ever since when I never had a struggle with wt before. I'm now on 112 levoxyl. Personally just because your tsh is within range doesn't mean you're okay, it depends on your symptoms. I'm within range with 112 mcg but I feel too hyperthyroid so I've decreased it on my own (I wouldn't recommend changing doses without speaking with you medical practioner first though). So basically if you already had trouble with wt before hand you're still gonna have trouble. Also some people fluctuate alot with their dose and others are maintained on a certain dose. It's a very indivdual type of thing.
(BTW 3 out of 4 of my sisters are hypo/hyperthyroid and parents were for many yrs--almost all struggle with wt except the youngest)

 

[wutherhi]

My thyroid numbers are perfect, but it's still a struggle to lose weight. I can lose it, but there's no leeway. I have to behave perfectly, and still it's very slow. I average half a pound a week and often go several weeks at a time without losing any at all. Then I'll have a "big" loss of a pound or two. I have to watch the trend downward, not the daily weight or I'd lose my mind.

Shari

 

[toughYrun]

I recently had full blood work done as part of a routine physical exam. My TSH was 3.08.....in the high normal range. At the time of the test I was trying to lose weight. It was coming off, but very slowly.

My MD instructed me to take 100mg of selenium which is important for proper thyroid function.

Once I started taking the selenium and 100mg of chromium, I had no problem losing the weight.

In addition to the selenium supplement, I also eat Brazil nuts since they are, to me, the only palatable food that is high in selenium.

 

[nancy324]

I recently had full blood work done as part of a routine physical exam. My TSH was 3.08.....in the high normal range. At the time of the test I was trying to lose weight. It was coming off, but very slowly.

My MD instructed me to take 100mg of selenium which is important for proper thyroid function.

Once I started taking the selenium and 100mg of chromium, I had no problem losing the weight.

In addition to the selenium supplement, I also eat Brazil nuts since they are, to me, the only palatable food that is high in selenium.

Great post, Elaine. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Clarissa]

Thanks for the post on Selenium. I just went out and got some today. I'm hoping it will help aid in the weight loss that i am striving for...
Clarissa

 

[ElaineP]

Thanks for the Selenium post. I did not know that. Do you take the Selenium before or after or with your thyroid med?

Nancy, I take my Levox before I step a toe out of bed. I then workout. By the time I am ready to eat it has been well over an hour. I take my Ca and D(I am vit D deficient) approx. 3hrs after my Levox. I then take another Ca & mag. vitamin at lunch and then again at dinner. This way I get all my Ca in.

 

[carolyn122162]

I just had my TSH checked and my levels are .06 which my doc said are too high. She switched me from .175mcg for .150mcg. I'm so confused on how all this works. I had been on .175mcg for 5 years and maintained my levels and now all of a sudden they are too high. I know they have to keep my TSH suppressed (thyroid cancer), but if normal is between 4 and 6 something, how is .06 to high?

 

[Clarissa]

Normal is more between 0.5 and 5.5ish...I think what you dr is saying (I think) is that your thyroid is becoming HYPERactive which is actually a low number but high-acting. Hence the lowering of the dosage as well to help get your number "higher" yet less "hyperactive".

I am "high" in it's true sense, yet UNDERACTIVE because I was a 52! I am now in the 3.5 range and still considered UNDER active and "high".

Again, you are actually "low"..thyroid levels/numbers are inversely related...
HTH,
Good luck

Clarissa

 

[toughYrun]

Thanks for the Selenium post. I did not know that. Do you take the Selenium before or after or with your thyroid med?

I don't take thryroid medication. My MD noticed that my TSH was in the high normal range and so advised me to take selenium since it is necessary for normal thyroid function.

 

[ElaineP]

Elaine Okay I reread what you wrote and get it.

Not all labs use the same range. It can depend on the methodology of the instrument that they use. Such as the normal lab values for my TSH are 0.360-3.27. They are all about the same, but vary slightly.