Can you exercise with hypothyroidism? can you recommend different types of exercise

I am suffering from hypothyroidism and my thyroid levels are low. I want to find ways of getting my thyroid back to normal and reducing the amount of thyroid pills. I have heard of miracle stories where peoples thyroids have gone back to normal and i really wish mine will go back to normal so i can enjoy my life

[Clutter]

Primary hypothyroidism is a lifelong condition requiring daily medication to hopefully achieve a euthyroid state.

Sub clinical hypothyroidism is often untreated and thyroid condition can be improved with diet, ie gluten & dairy free and avoidance of goitrogenic & soya foods.

De Quervain's is a viral form of thyroiditis which may be cured in weeks or months.

[Hidden]

You could try Tai Chi: a gentle form of movement and breathing exercises which raises the heart rate to exercise level (approx 120 beats per minute) but does not leave you short of breath. It will not cure your hypothyroidism but will help you to regain a sense of calmness and a feeling of wellbeing, eventually, and also help to restore your sense of balance. Altogether, it helps you feel better whilst being totally stress free.

[Duchy82]

Swimming is great as it doesn't put pressure on your joints and burns a decent amount of calories, i also just go for walks which are free where swimming is not.

Everyone i know with thyroid problems haven't got miraculously better or gotten out of taking pills for their condition, it is a life time thing unfortunately so i wouldn't believe everything you read. There are plenty of things you can do to make it more manageable though. Exercise be it gentle is one of them.

[tweed]

Hi I can totally sympathise with you! I have been on levo for 12 years and now I can't stand the pain in my joints any longer! I am a fitness instructor and up till bout 18 months ago was fine on it! They seem to have changed the ingredients, to cut costs and this has caused terrible side effects weight loss lethargy and servere joint pain that has just about finished me! Just before Christmas there was a problem with my prescription and I was left without levothyroxine. 2 weeks later my joint pain was away and I was walking with no pain! I felt so much better and gained a little of the lost weight. Had to get blood test again and was shocked that my Tsh was 47. 73 and T4. 4. So clearly we can't survive without it!!! . Sorry for the long winded story but my point is we should be able to do all types of exercise including high impact and it is the meds I think that is making joints so painful, not the condition. I am insisting when I get referred that something different is prescribed. It's an underactive thyroid we have not arthritis and it is important to exercise!

[Clutter in reply to tweed]

I had similar experience when I stopped taking T4 for 4 weeks. All side effects cleared up & i gained 2½kg. TSH was 107 but I still felt better than on levo.

[tweed in reply to Clutter]

Hi did you try liothyorine after? I'm thinking of paying and asking for natural thyroid if they will prescribe it? I just can't face going back on levo but I can't stay like this my thyroid is already swelling! Grrrrrrrrrr!!!

[Clutter in reply to tweed]

I'm taking Actavis T4 which I find infinitisemaly less toxic than Mercury Pharma. For 3 weeks I've added 25mcg T3 which does seem to calm some of symptoms T4 causes, particularly in reducing palpitations and shortness of breath.

I buy T3 online as my CCG have instructed GP practices it is only to be prescribed in exceptional cases, whatever they may be.

NDT isn't licenced for UK use but can be prescribed on a named patient basis if you have a progressive GP. There's info about this on the main TUK site.

I haven't trialled NDT, but may do so next month, in my quest for 'wellness' or 'less illness'.

[tweed in reply to Clutter]

Thanks for that and yes I agree mercury pharma is the worst!! Will Def ask about Ndt and keep you informed! Thanks again and glad you are a bit better! The weight loss is the worst I think and In my opinion unacceptable.

[galathea in reply to tweed]

I used to work out with a trainer, but due to aches and pains often spent the whole session doing stretching. It used to help.. ( at the time I was on synthetic t3 and t4) Eventually my adrenals were terrible and I stopped training. Ff 4 years and after a couple of years on natural thyroid. I am back at the gym... With no aches or pains. I do barbels one day, abdominal s the next day, followed by boxercise the next day. Days rest, then a one hour outdoor session usually down to the beach.... I also garden for people three days a week. And i have a dog to walk too. I would say I am not really hindered by the hypothyroidism, any more, although you would think I would be rake thin..... ( I am far from thin). The weight will not budge :(. .

[tweed in reply to galathea]

Hi that sounds great! I really hope I can at least try natural thyroid but will have a battle on my hands to get it prescribed. I don't mind paying I'm so desperate never to go on levo again. Thanks for your info and so pleased to hear you are well on that!

[Hidden]

Hi, I am Hashimoto's and I used to do a lot of workouts on the Wii with Just Dance and Zumba. I found that sort of exercise worsened my TSH as I had a blood test done that came back at 22 (0.27-4.2) and my FT4 was at 10.9 (12-22). That was when I was working out a lot.

Jo xxx

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Hidden]

Tsh may go up and down of its own accord but I'm not aware of it being related to exercise. What was it that made you feel it was the exercise specifically that raised your tsh?

[Hidden in reply to puncturedbicycle]

I read somewhere online that some forms of exercise can raise the TSH. Maybe I got that wrong.

[Hidden]

I go for little pootles on my mountain bike. Can't do what I used to but still enjoy the fresh air and countryside.

[Babette]

Iyengar yoga! I feel much better afterwards (maybe that's because it's over :D). On a not so bad day I'll go for a bike ride.