What is a good diet?

[Clmartin80]

I'm 34, underactive thyroid, on 50mg a day which I take at night. Last blood test last week at TSH 1.54 (3 months ago 1.19)

Nothing else was tested

B12 in it's 700's, folate 12.8, ferritin 52. Calcium 2.36 (dr done this as refused vitD test)

Anyway... I still feel sooo tiered but having trouble sleeping. I just wide awake then I start to get restless legs.

How could I change my diet (I'm not over weight).

I'd like to excersise but I've got NO get up and go.

I'm stuck on where to go now.

Thanks

[Clutter]

CLMartin, you are a little undermedicated. TSH should be just above or below 1.0 although some need it in the lower range 0.2-0.5 or even suppressed to feel well.

Scroll down to Treatment Options to read Dr. A. Toft's comments to Pulse Magazine. thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_... Email [e-mail] for a copy of the full article if you wish to show it to your GP.

[Clmartin80 in reply to Clutter]

Do drs take any notice of stuff from the internet?

I can't see my dr upping my meds as the receptionist said the dr wrote "on the right treatment"

[Clutter in reply to Clmartin80]

CLmartin, It depends what internet articles you present. Dr. Toft's expertise is recognised within the medical profession. spirehealthcare.com/edinbur...

Your GP may decide your treatment is not optimal if you tell him of your ongoing symptoms and ask for your Levothyroxine to be increased.

edited: ongoing treatment to symptoms.

[puncturedbicycle in reply to Clutter]

Yes, when I showed him the Dr Toft article my gp acted like he already knew that some people do better when their tsh is under 1 and agreed to top up my meds, so it can work if your gp wants to cooperate and is flexible. As you say Clutter, it depends on what internet info you present. I would limit it to professional papers and peer-reviewed double-blind whatnot if you want to make it easier on yourself.

[ivy77]

Do you have brain fog? Mood chnages? How is your digestion? Are you very tired after the meal?......what times of the day do you feel the most fatigue?

Your lvls do not look bad at all.....

Did you ever exercise before in your life? Get up and go is just mental exercise, the other thing is if hypo exercising with little will will just be too demanding and a struggle, and you may give up......but it would still be beneficial to your body, i exercised even when my ferritin was 6, yes one can enjoy much more in it when healthy body.....but mental power you can practise that

[Clmartin80 in reply to ivy77]

My brain don't work most of the time, I'm just genially tiered all the time, I haven't notice being affected after meals. I've never really excersized. I done Pilates for a while but stopped as I was feeling so drained.

[ivy77 in reply to Clmartin80]

If you feel drained from pilates then you shoud not consider anything more demanding, this points to low thyroid hormones, your tsh not showing it that bad, but you need to get ft4 and Ft3 checked then too.....how functional your thyroid is?, there is a test for that, 50 mcg is half of what normal thyroid produces....but you may not absorb it so well, do you drink it on an empty stomach and wait 30 mins at least?

Taking more of t4 may not do the trick to lift brain fog....low tsh points you have enough of ft4...but then ft3 must be low when you have these symptoms..adding like 5 mcg of t3 could then benefit

[jacky57]

i have had thyroid illness for over 45 years now....and i suprisingly feel better with my tsh around 3.5...this works best for me..but i would agree with admin that you seem undermedicated.....

[ivy77 in reply to jacky57]

What dose of meds are you on now? Very curious, for me i felt best at 2.4 but am not sure if that was my long term ideal ....did you experienced feeling better from taking less meds at certain point? Thnaks

[Clmartin80 in reply to ivy77]

I'm on 50 a day, when I was at TSH 1.19 I felt better with only a few symptoms, it the low mood/mood swings, anxiety and tiered ness that's come back.

[ivy77 in reply to Clmartin80]

I would experiment adding just 1_2 mcg t3 to that and then see how it goes, it should work!

[Clmartin80 in reply to Clmartin80]

Would that be dangerous if I don't know what my t3 is?

Drs won't test it.

[jacky57 in reply to ivy77]

i felt amazing for 3 days then the decline started and i really felt like i was dying...its such a subjective thing..from my history..i am better around 4...but never under or over that....Levo is my life saver but its difficult to get right....go with how you feel....i got it wrong i over medicated...and my God did i pay...i wish you well...i have a long haul ahead..lots of rest...no strain....no stress.....the difficulty people have with us when we arnt right.......and on it goes.....

[greygoose]

Clmartin, a good diet is one that feeds the body. Plenty of protein and fat - preferably animal - and a decent amount of salt. No sugar - unless it's coconut sugar. Coconut is very good for you in all it's forms. Fruit and veg, obviously, but you might need suppléments for vitamins and minerals because we hypos have trouble absorbing them from food.

But be careful of goitrogens!

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

If you are sensitive to any of them, they can make you feel really bad.

Do not count calories! Calories are not your enemy, you need them for all your bodily functions, including converting your T4 to T3.

Beware of exercise, it robs you of your calories AND your T3, and you probably don't have enough of either! And it will leave you feeling drained for days afterwards. When you are optimally treated, then you can find which form of exercise suits you best.

Hope this helps.

Hugs, Grey