I am a 62 year old, overweight, type 2 diabetic... - Thyroid UK
I am a 62 year old, overweight, type 2 diabetic, using insulin. Constantly being told to lose weight. Now with hypothyroidism. where to now?
if you only just started thyroid medication then maybe when you get to a good control of your hypo you will find it a little easier to lose weight, some do.
when were you diagnosed? what medication have they put you on and what is the plan?
Diagnosed 3 weeks ago. Gp prescribed Levothyroxine (50) then 2 weeks later put it up to 75. Don't know what T3 and T4 are. All that was explained to me was that TSH was too high therefore thyroxine levels must be too low. what else do I need to know?
Perhaps TUKs main site can help explain T4 & T3 (Thyroid hormones)
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
I also asked a question below, if that's OK. Jane
As nobodysdriving says 
Also, an underlying, undiagnosed thyroid condition could have contributed to your weight gain and also your type II diabetes. You may find that, once your thyroid is adequately treated, your weight and your diabetes are easier to control.
Carolyn x
I was guessing (perhaps wrongly) that having diabetes and being overweight was causing the Hypoth. I didn't consider it may have been the reverse.
x
Yes, hypothyroidism can be responsible for, or at least contribute to, several chronic health conditions. These vary from diabetes, to heart disease, high blood pressure, depression and even fibromyalgia or CFS in some people.
Hopefully, once you are on the right dose of thyroxine, you will start to feel much better
Thyroid probs and Diabetes often go hand in hand, it's a chicken & egg thing (as far as my limited knowledge but been reading a lot!). As Carolyn says (& Dr Broda Barnes 1976 book) correct Thyroid treatment can help Diabetic symptoms too.
Can I be really cheeky and ask a question about insulin?
I have read that doctors often prescribe an alternative to 'lab-made' insulin if unsuitable, that is, the 'animal derived' sort (from pigs I believe). I'm asking because Thyroid sufferers are usually only given synthetic T4 (known as Levothyroxine) although there are alternatives like NDT which worked well before the 'lab-made' sort, GPs no longer even know of alternatives. Jane 
Hi Fist make sure you have had a Free T3 test, if T4 on the high side, especially if TSH is too, then the FT3 is likely us you need T4 ( levo) and T3 on a script.This relates to all symptoms but especially weight. Also make sure that your T4 is in the top third of range. Always have copies of all blood tests with ranges as different. Receptionist or NHS hospital secretary.Diabetes, diet is not easy to find the correct one. It is no normal potatoes,( Sweet ones Ok) little protein, no cheese, eggs OK., no grapes, no fruit drinks even natural ones.Not too much fruit any way and lots of green veg. , Bread only a little and then Soya and linseed, Super market.. Quite hard to find the correct diet. I found the best was the forward in one of A. W. T recipes books, he does 2 diabetes related, I bought mine second hand on Amzaon, I expect library would also have them.
I hope that helps.
Jackie
Get your thyroid issues sorted... as others will advise, and eat a low carb diet, stop pumping yourself full of carbs as the "standard" diabetic diet does... if you look at my other postings, there is information on it, (I have lost 51kg this way) but do some research more specifically on diabetes and low carb diets too. There is plenty of info out there. just google something like "low carb diet type 2 diabetes" and start there!
There was a study released just last week which highlighs some of the benefits
I was referred to the SWM Team who advised a low calorie diet plus exercise, but the diet wasn't cutting out anything, just very small portions of everything. Already I have very small portions of everything (don't think they believe me!) and I have a very small appetite. |I am totally exhausted most of the time and exercise is almost out of the question. Went swimming last night and swam 8 lengths of a small pool and have suffered all today of exhaustion and aching legs and arms. I really want to overcome this Thyroid thing and lose weight and get control of diabetes, but it all seems impossible. All professionals I see, tell me my problems will be over if I can lose weight.
I have just seen a dentist privately, to have dental implants and he has just written a paper on the effect of having poorly functioning teeth on the body such as body begins to go in to close down mode, when you don't eat enough, for whatever reason and stores fat etc as in a period of famine. he believes I fall into this category. This is yet another believable theory to consider.
Where to start ???
