weight gain

[rollrider]

I take 75mcg of T4 for underactive thyroid , I have a severe problem with weight gain would a combination of T3 plus T4 help my weight gain and hair loss

[Clutter]

Rollrider, you reduced your Levothyroxine to 75mcg a couple of months ago. Have you had a thyroid blood test since to check whether you are optimally dosed? If you've been shedding hair and gaining weight you may be undermedicated and need to go back on 100mcg. Liothyronine (T3) isn't a weight loss aid and too much will also cause hair to shed and exacerbate sweating. It is difficult to get an NHS GP to prescribe T3 without recommendation from an endocrinologist.

[greygoose in reply to Clutter]

Well, you won't lose weight without a decent level of T3! Without that level, you are hypo, and hypos put on weight - not necessarily from fat. I wouldn't suggest that anyone without a thyroid problem take T3 to lose weight, or that anyone take more than they need, but if you're hypo - i.e. with low levels of T3 - you're only going to lose weight when you raise those levels. Your statement there makes no sense.

[shaws Administrator]

Weight gain is a very common experience on levothyroxine. A couple of links.

web.archive.org/web/2010103...

On this link it means that 'replacement' i.e. keeping thyroid levels 'in range' is the most probable cause.

web.archive.org/web/2010073...

[faith63 in reply to shaws]

The last web archive is no good.

[faith63 in reply to faith63]

Wanted to read the info.

[shaws Administrator in reply to faith63]

If you want to read the whole info on that link you have to press the sentence under the headling i.e. (full text free in PDF form).

[rollrider]

Thank you Clutter for advise I have just had a blood test but will not increase my levo because I have A/F, I am in the suggested range , but I do feel a lot better on 100mcg, but they seen reluctant to increase because of the Atril Fibulation which they say resulted in over medication, poor Rollrider seems to be between the rock and the hard place

[faith63 in reply to rollrider]

AF can be caused by not enough t3 for the heart..very common.

[Revsie]

Hi rollrider, I'm now on T4/T3 combo and this hasn't helped me lose weight I'm afraid. I don't seem to have a problem with hair loss now but this had already stopped when I was on T4 only. I'm becoming more and more sure that it's the vitamin and mineral level in our bodies that's the important factor for weight loss and am aiming to do something about it when I can get myself motivated! Meanwhile I've bought some bigger clothes in the sales and charity shops and I must say it's took the pressure off for now which has stopped me feeling in despair each time I reach into the wardrobe for something to wear! At the chronic fatigue clinic' soon so am hoping they'll check all my vitamin levels etc and will take it from there. Phew! this thyroid lark is hard work isn't it?

[faith63 in reply to Revsie]

If your metabolism is not high enough, you will not lose weight and your vitamins and minerals will be bad too. Weight loss does not happen because of vitamins and minerals, but metabolism. You are probably holding fluid. It is very possible that you are not converting your t4 to t3 and getting a high reverse t3 level, this will stop your thyroid meds from worki. This happened to me. I only lost weight when i went off t4 meds completely and on to t3 only.

[Revsie]

Hi faith63 - thanks for your response but I must disagree with you slightly on this one. I'm not saying that if the average person takes a multi-vitamin pill every day they'll lose weight, but I do think that those of us with low levels of vitamins and minerals through our poor thyroid function will benefit from getting our vitamins and minerals at better levels and this will help our weight issues as our metabolism is then better supported. I've been reading a lot about this recently and this is definitely the conclusion I've come to ( as well as getting more cholce with our thyroid treatment obviously). Please see just two excerpts below

Dr Michael Holick (mercola.com) - DNA repair and metabolic processes.

One of Dr. Holick’s studies showed that healthy volunteers taking 2,000 IUs of vitamin D per day for a few months up-regulated 291 different genes that control up to 80 different metabolic processes, from improving DNA repair to having effect on autoxidation (oxidation that occurs in the presence of oxygen and/or UV radiation, which has implications

for aging and cancer, for example), boosting your immune system and many other biological processes.

Dr Rick Tague -( Livestrong.com) Vitamins, Metabolism and Body Weight

There are 13 vitamins considered essential for healthy physiological functioning. When you don't get enough of one or more of these vitamins, you may begin to experience a number of health problems that can affect your weight. For example, fatigue and depression can occur with certain deficiencies, explains Dr. Rick Tague, a medical obesity specialist, on his website. Fatigue and depression can make it harder to get the exercise you need to lose weight and can also make you more susceptible to overeating and craving fatty, sugary foods.

So while I'm not saying that vitamin pills on their own are the answer, I do believe good levels of both vitamins and minerals will help us with a healthy weight loss and increase our metabolism and this will be of great benefit to anyone who is suffering with thyroid issues.

By the way, I've been on T3 only for a few months now and whilst I'm grateful to have been given the chance to try it for myself, (why I should be grateful I don't really know, but I am as I've had to work so hard to get T3) I've decided to go back on T3/T4 combination and get my vits and minerals sorted out as I believe this is the personal path to wellness for me. I'm sure it's different for others and I wish everyone the very best in their personal paths. I hope by having differences of opinions on this wonderful site we can all come to our own conclusions and find something that works for us?