I have been on 150mg of levo and felt ok, but started walking/jogging for 30 minutes 3/x/week (mostly walking). After 4 weeks was exhausted, so upped my meds to 175. I have exercised before (pre-hypo) so I know how I should feel. I still didn't have the umph to keep doing it so took 200mg every other day. My legs were bothering me by this time (never had before and have good gym shoes) and had terrible restless legs on the evenings and then in bed. So stopped all that and went back to 150mg.
I'm now taking 1 grain of Nature-Throid and 50mg levo. I'm lightheaded for several hours after taking it and am dragging a bit. Have been on the 1 grain for 1 week. I eventually want to get the meds and dosage right so I can go back to jogging without any side affects.
Any advice?
Thanks. Sharon
Written by
tbird43
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
The two main things that helped my own restless legs were iron and magnesium.
Before supplementing iron it is important to know your ferritin levels because iron can be poisonous in overdose. Knowing your serum iron, transferrin saturation and TIBC would be helpful too, but not many people get it done by their GPs. If you are low in iron/ferritin and decide to supplement then take each iron pill four hours away from thyroid meds, and take 500mg - 1000mg vitamin C with each iron pill.
As far as magnesium is concerned I think it is okay to take it long term - you'll know if you take too much because it will cause diarrhoea. The important thing to know about magnesium is that the commonest form it is found in in supplements is magnesium oxide. This is totally useless as a supplement because the body hardly absorbs it at all, so avoid it. I take magnesium citrate which is absorbed quite well. I know there are other good ones, but I can't remember what they are. Magnesium supplements (the good ones that actually get absorbed I mean) may cause sleepiness so take it in the evening.
I can't really agree with this comment. I think jogging is perfectly ok as an exercise whether you have thyroid issues or not. Also I would not class jogging as particularly vigorous. I don't jog myself as I have had a hip replaced due to overmedication and nobody mentioning calcium levels, however for cardio workouts I do swim seriously (amongst other things) incorporating sprints to increase my heart rate. I don't have a thyroid gland but as long as thyroid supplementation is satisfactory (that is an important factor) you can do almost anything!
Maybe you started off your exercise too quickly, too soon. Not that I'm an expert in any way but when you exercise it uses up your T3. Dr Lowe said to exercise to tolerance and I know you mainly walked but maybe once a week initially, gradually working up.
I would take 1.5 gr of NDT and ditch the levo but it is, of course, your personal choice which is the most important.
This is a link and read the question/ans dated April 22, 2007
You have to do what is right for you, nobody else knows exactly how you are feeling, and what is right for one is not for another. I personally don't like to think that I am 'ill' and can't do something (sensibly ofcourse). My thyroid gland was removed in 2001 and there definitely have been 'ups and downs' mainly because I was given little info, just thyroxine, but if you are well medicated, and feel up to it, don't put restrictions on your life. This website is wonderful and you can get very professional advice here if required.
I thought jogging was bad for the heart? All that jogging up and down, and plonking the heel down, jarring the spine, etc.
You don't give a time-frame for all this, but it sounds - the way you write it - that you upped and downed your dose rather too quickly. That is bound to have had an adverse effect on your metabolism. Your body doesn't like its hormones messed around with like that.
Anyway, now you're on Nature Throid - but why the added T4? Could be, you know that T4 doesn't agree with you at all, and that you're hindering your recovery by taking it. Most people add extra T3 rather than T4, because T3 is what you need to get your body going again.
Seems to me that you were rather over-eager and started jogging etc too quickly. But, once again, you don't give us any time-frame. Your body didn't get hypo over night, and it's going to need time to get back to where it was before you became hypo. Would be handy to know your blood levels - although, of course, blood tests are only a guide, it's how you feel that counts.
Might be an idea to give yourself more time - be kind to yourself! Don't push yourself too hard. How long it takes your body to get over this set-back dépends on many things - how long you were hypo before being diagnosed (and that we can't always know), how well you're converting T4 to T3, your vits and min deficiencies - because it's more than likely that you have some, and it's very important to be optimal - etc.
Perhaps if you gave us more information, we'd be better able to help you.
Well, two weeks isn't very long, it takes time to work. Being impatient will only make it longer.
But you still haven't shared your labs with us, that would give us a better idea of where you are. Do you have the results, with the ranges? If not, ask your doctor for a print-out, it is your legal right to have it.
I also disagree with the don't jog cos your hypothyroid comments. It's amazing what the body can cope with especially if you're used to exercise. If you're not then that's a different story. Listen to your body and aim to improve time or distance by 10% each week.
P.s sitting around on your backside and eating incorrectly is bad for your heart, not making an attempt to exercise. We are not meant to be sedentary. Jogging is not bad for you especially if as you say you have the correct footwear. The heart and lungs love a bit of action
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
New blood test results received, and ready to switch from Levo to NDT.
Moved dosing times - Anxiety arrived
Feeling alive again! 
