When I first switched onto Armour from Levo, I gained about 2 stone. I put some of that down to my mental state at the time, but i had been very successfully doing Weightwatchers prior to the switch and was a size 10. I rapidly went up to a size 16. It didn't feel like I was eating that much though. Around 6 months ago I started to lose again, and went down to a size 14. In the same time period I started to feel my symptoms returning, and am now increasing my dose by a 1/4 grain a day. Within days, i have started to gain weight again! I really am not overeating, and before I went onto Armour I maintained my size for months. I've I am convinced something in the Armour is making me gain weight, even though most people seem to lose on it. It's really hard to find any information about this and what to do. The weight gain is making me really unhappy, and I desperately don't want to gain MORE. Has anyone else experienced this? I am wondering whether switching to another brand eg naturethroid would make a difference? I know some people have reported side effects from the reformulation of Armour, and I wondered if this was a known issue? I think I need to be on a slightly higher dose of NDT which I am working up to, but I'm worried about increasing now as I don't want to pile on the pounds. In all other respects, Armour works amazingly well for me. I'm not deficient in iron or B12, I don't eat gluten, and I'm mainly low carb these days, I'm not sure what else I can do? Could it be adrenal?. Help!
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electrica77
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Yes, and the numbers weren't bad but I was very symptomatic so am increasing slowly against my gp's wishes Because the endo refused to increase. However I feel I was optimal before the last 6 months of decline and still put on loads of weight. Any help in understanding why would be appreciated. now it won't come off no matter what I do.
You can't be 'optimal' if you're still putting on weight. Optimal is when all your symptoms have gone, including weight-gain.
Having said that, I put on weight with all NDTs at least 20 kilos in the 5 or so years I was on them. I only started to lose weight when I went onto T3 only. There are some people that just cannot take T4 in any shape or form.
Its usually the T4 that makes you fat!! I have been on Armour for over 7 years and have lost no weight, I went to WW for a year and gained 2 1/2 stone!! I put on 9llb in one week even though I stuck to the diet, never again!!
I was on NDT, successfully for many years, then there was a worldwide shortage and the GP gave me T4. I became very ill, so ill that I didn't know that I was ill. I had a 24hr headache and gained a lot of weight. I was back on NDT and upping my dose to try and get to feel a bit better. Thankfully I went to see Dr. P. as I could not even walk up the stairs without gasping for breath.
Something had changed and I could no longer convert T4 to T3 and so was accumulating T4. I stopped all medication for 2 weeks and went onto adrenal support. I re-started NDT and added a bit of T3, gradually reducing T4 and increasing T3 until I felt better. I am now on T3 only. I kept a diary so that I could track my bp, pulse and temperature.
The GPs had no idea what was wrong and could only ask that I reduce my NDT, which would have been fine in one way but not in another. As my GP will no longer prescribe my T3 (as I am not hypo.!) I self-medicate and don't bother with them.
Interesting that you say it's the t4 making me fat. It seemed to be the armour that caused the increase in weight, but made me well in all other respects. When I was on t4 alone I was losing weight on ww and maintaining but everything else about my health was wrong. Not sure where to go from here other than trying t3 alone or changing brands. Perhaps vit d or adrenals worth looking at?
I was told recently I probably had candida which tbh I've ignored as it's just one more problem. I wonder if that could affect things?
this was so long ago that I can't remember specifics but several things have made a difference over the last 9 years. I firstly increased my dose, then I think around a year later my mental health took a real nosedive and I became constantly fatigued, cold, unable to work, hair falling out, and horribly depressed. I basically had a bit of a breakdown and was drinking a lot to blot it out. A few things happened that brought it to a head and I started anti depressants. At some point around this time when I was ordering my medication from America, I saw that there was almost none available and the pharmacist was saying there was a recall and warning issued on Naturethroid. I looked it up, and essentially they had not been putting the stated dose of medication in the pills!!! I was so angry, and given all my fluctuating symptoms in the prior years, I do wonder if this was going on for some time. I had to switch brands but with the shortage the prices went up and up at a time when my work was decreasing. I went to the GP in desperation and he said that he'd heard our local consultant had changed, and the new one was willing to prescribe t3 (old consultant blocked this, which is why I'd been self medicating with imported Naturethroid). I got referred, and they agreed straight away but they insisted on lowering my dose and then building it back up as I'm on a high dose. This meant a year of very low energy, but for the last few years I've been prescribed nhs t3 and t4 and I've felt so much better.
I started having similar symptoms about 2 years ago and was convinced something was wrong with my thyroid again. I had constant utis for the first year of the nhs regime and I felt like my body was broken. I was on near constant antibiotics and had so many appointments and investigations, but after a vast amount of money had been spent on all sorts of herbs, and I'd started down the private route, it became apparent it was actually early signs of menopause when my period stopped and I started having hot flushes. I'm now taking hrt, testosterone and vaginal oestrogen, and they have made so much difference it's unreal. I honestly have more energy now than I've had since before I gave birth.
I find it really upsetting that my whole 30s and majority of my 40s has been blighted with the constant circus of inefficiency, blocking and dismissal from the NHS and the wasted years I lost to being undermedicated and seriously depressed and ill. It could have been so different if I hadn't had an arrogant consultant and such awful treatment. I changed my GP and ended up with a really wonderful doctor who supported me so much, no matter how bad things got. I would strongly recommend that to everyone who has a difficult GP.
With regard to weight, I am back on ww for the umpteenth time after various gains and losses, but now I'm more physically healthy in myself I'm finding it really easy. I've changed things in my life so I have better stability, drink much less, do more exercise and I'm focusing on trying to stabilise at a healthy weight after a lifetime of yo yo dieting. Ultimately, most of the weight gain Has been down to me over the years.
I was also diagnosed with adhd shortly after my original post, and that has really helped me understand a few things. I have medication for it which decreases my appetite somewhat and stops my brain trying to get dopamine from sugary food etc.
So- no silver bullet answer here I'm afraid but I would say in summary if anyone else is struggling, the following will help you find your way to what works for you-
1. Try to be as healthy as possible and cut down anything that aggravates your system.
2. Get a GP you can work with and remember you have a Right To Choose under the NHS so you can change consultant
3. Keep on top of blood checks and keep a note of any symptoms you are having, especially if they return suddenly.
4. If you are approaching perimenopause investigate your options- Davina Mc Call has a great book about menopause- there can be a lot of crossover symptoms post 40.
5. Be honest about what you're putting in your mouth and think about following a structured weight loss programme. I'm very loyal to ww, but there's loads of others
6. Think about your thyroid med combination and whether it needs adjusting, and if you are taking one that you aren't getting from a GP, make sure you keep getting bloods done. I didn't do this and I think the medication issue would have become obvious much sooner if I had.
7. It's easy on these forums to think this is a super complex condition with all these co morbid problems attached etc, but my general experience has been that that's only true when you're not on the right type or level of meds. Once you figure out what works for you, your body starts working again and you stop worrying about whether you've got some rare subtype or deficiency. These forums are wonderful for support but I do also think it's easy to get dragged into obsessing on it when you feel unwell, and the simplest answers are usually the ones that work.
8. If you feel really low or hopeless or burnt out, go to your GP and get proper support and help.
9. If you order your meds for whatever reason, make sure you are getting them from a reputable source and that you subscribe to the manufacturer's Web page. They are quick to take your cash and slow to make issues known, and it's the only way you'll get that news more often than not.
10. Really try and create proper work/life balance. That means eating well, getting enough sleep, having some downtime, doing a job you enjoy and that doesn't make you constantly ill or stressed, and where you don't feel bullied or dismissed, getting out of any relationships that are dragging you down, and achieving some goals or making some plans, doing something creative or restful etc.
All these things help keep you on an even hormonal and chemical keel.
And remember every journey is made up of lots of baby steps and small incremental changes, so you don't have to do everything overnight. Start small, but keep at it.
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