Hi I have just found this site I've got underactive thyriod because my immune system is destroying it , how can I lose weight

[Mousey3]

I've been on tablets for about a year but my weight just keeps going up I'm not over eating I never have & I've never been over weight before what is a good diet for under active thyriod

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Mousey, welcome to our forum.

Many people on levothyroxine complain of weight gain but feel well otherwise. Sometimes weight gain can be due to not being on enough medication. It also used to be a way of diagnosing hypothyroidism before blood tests were introduced.

The first thing to do is get a copy of your latest thyroid gland blood tests and post them on a new question. You must include the ranges which are the figures in brackets. If you haven't had a recent blood test, request one from the GP and ask him to include Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate. The first two in particular are usually low with hypothyroidism.

Some of our members will tell you how they lost weight but your medication should be at an optimum medication.

[Mousey3 in reply to shaws]

Thanks for your reply I'm on one tablet of levothyroxine a day have been for about a year & I was feeling better but had not lost any weight but I'm starting to feel tired again I've just had a blood test so I'll get the results soon & ask for a print out I already have vit b12 injections as I have had pernous anemia since I was 21 I'm 47 now I thought perhaps I was under medicated thanks for your help

[Duchy82]

Welcome i hope you can get a world of knowledge from the site and support from us of course to help you get better.

First the bad news you wont lose weight regardless of which diet you follow if your not at the right level of medication for you and considering you are still gaining weight my guess is your undermedicated.

The good news when you're well medicated you just need to find the right diet for you and you will lose weight. There are a variety of diets used by members here from simple calorie counting which has been successful for me: 3st and 2lbs lost so far, others have been succesful with: weight watchers, slimming world, 5:2 diet and paleo diet. Im sure many would love to share their experience.

[Mousey3 in reply to Duchy82]

Thanks for your reply yes it so nice to be able to have people to talk to about this as it's hard to under stand what's going on with your body as my doctors haven't really explained anything just basically said take this tablet. & your feel better & that's it, I think your right I'm properly under medicated & that's why I'm not losing weight because I was ill with a bug for 2 weeks & put on 2llb when I ate so little & was so sick usually I would of lost a lot of weight being that ill

[shaws Administrator in reply to Mousey3]

I am not sure if your GP has told you that you need to take your meds before breakfast with one glass of water and leave 1/2 to 1 hour before eating. When you get your next thyroid gland blood test, don't take your levo until after it. If you take supplements they must be taken 4 hours later. Also have the test as early as possible as that's when the TSH is highest. Some find they do better if they take levo at bedtime but you must not have eaten for two hours beforehand.

[Mousey3 in reply to shaws]

No I wasn't told this but I read the leaflet and it advised to take the tablet in the morning on an empty stomach , but I didn't know not to take my tablet till after my blood test I've just had a blood test & took my tablet as normal about 7 o'clock & my blood test was at 12 will this effect my results

[shaws Administrator in reply to Mousey3]

It may do but next time, remember to take it afterwards.

[poppppy]

Hi I was normal weight before diagnosis but I also exercised but only a small amount ie about 2 and half miles cycle times 2 in one day . 3 times a week . because I cycled to work slowly . this became hard before diagnosis as auto immune hypothyroid . as you sound you are from your opening statement. then I started to put on weight also with no change in diet . then eventually tested and diagnosed when I started to have terrible brain freezes when I couldn't think ,concentrate , remember peoples names or what was supposed to be doing at work .

anyway what I want to say to you is I lost the weight again with no change in diet and no exercise as too tired when I started thyroxine . of course over many months . which makes me wonder whether you are under treated . are your other symptoms subsiding ? are your blood levels in the upper end of normal range for your t4 . whats your t3 result ? my doc never suggested doing t3 . I did and he obliged . As I suggested to him I was worried that I was not converting t4(thyroxine) to t3 (the next step in the hormone chain before you can actually get any benefit from the drug thyroxine . I was shocked to find my t3 was below range . this could be the case for you .

also could you or do you do just a tiny bit of exercise . to get your metabolic rate up again . I am not saying this as criticism because I do not do exercise and keep meaning to .

diet wise I gave up wheat namely gluten in the wheat because I read so much about its ill effects for all since interference with wheat in 50's to increase crops etc . also that hypothyroids can be coeliac and /or benefit from gluten free diet . ofcourse my advice is only my interpretation . so please investigate all for yourself . also there have been articles saying sugar free diets help with energy for hypothyroids but hell I cant reduce my diet to mmmm a tomato for tea how nice lol . good luck hope this helps

[Mousey3 in reply to poppppy]

Thanks for your reply yes I think my mess my be wrong I'm not sure about my bloods & I don't know about the t4 & t3 this is all new to me & I've not had anything really explained to me is this normal for the doctors not really to explain much or should I of asked more questions I was just pleased after feeling so ill that they said I had something that could be treated , I'm going to go to the literary & get some books so I understand my condition more

[Heloise]

Hi mousey, it is a dilemma for us. I've read that we burn 17 calories LESS than normal per hour when being hypothyroid. That's 400 calories......which could be a breakfast or lunch....but if you skip that meal, our bodies will start to conserve calories thinking you might be starving. Often, that kind of dieting doesn't work because of that. Perhaps exercise is the key, ha ha, if you have the energy.

[Mousey3 in reply to Heloise]

Thanks for your reply if I don't eat much I feel so hungry & find it hard to function it's horrible , yes exercise is proberly the key but I've also hurt my foot & it's still healing after all most a year so that's not helping

[Stourie in reply to Mousey3]

You should get your bloods done first thing in the morning as that is when your tsh is at its highest and you would have most chance of asking your doc for an increase in meds.

Jo xx

[Moggie]

You might want to try taking gluten out of your diet for 6 - 8 weeks to see if it makes a difference as a lot of thyroid patients are gluten intollerant.

Moggie x

[Becksd]

I've struggled with my weight for the last 18 months. I'm on 175mg per day of levothyroxine, I train 5 times per week, two of those sessions with a personal trainer, and have done for the last 5 months and haven't list an ounce! I try to stick to about 1600 calories as I'm on my feet all day. I've booked for my bloods this coming week as this extra stone I've been carrying around is really starting to get me down

[Mousey3 in reply to Becksd]

I really feel for you all that exercise & still know weight loss it must be so hard , I haven't got the energy to work out like you so well done , I've just had my bloods done & they say they are fine , I hope yours show something so at least you could get some help.

[Seakelp in reply to Mousey3]

Hi. I have just seen your post and I am having the exact same problem. Just wondering what happened with your thyroid.