Hi I have been on levo for 3 months not a long time now on 75 mg my skin is beter but my hair is still falling out my weight is still going up can I buy a supplement to help with my hair and weight I stick to slimming world diet and have only put on weight I have arthritis and can't exercise I have heard of armour would this help with my weight
Angela
Hi Angelinacosta,
12 weeks is a very short time to judge levothyroxine and 75mcg is quite a low dose too. Hypothyroidism has many clinical symptoms, of which the most common questions concern weight gain and hair loss.
Always get a print-out of your blood test results, with the ranges, and post for comments. If you've not had Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate test, ask for these as we are usually deficient and we need these to be towards the upper range to help us get better.
Because we have hypothyroidism, which means a very low metabolism, we cannot lose weight etc until we have sufficient hormones to raise our metabolism back to normal then we can begin to lose weight, sometimes we don't need to diet as the hormones/metabolism is sufficient.
With regard to hair loss that is another major symptom (there are about 300 symptoms overall) and again it can recover with proper dose of hormones.
Before we are hypothyroid it may have taken years before we are diagnosed so, therefore, we have to gradually increase doses until we feel much better and weight/hair/ anything else is resolved. Most of us feel better when our TSH is around 1 or below but, unfortunately, many doctors and endocrinologists are unaware of this phenomenom as they keep the patient within the 'normal' range which can be above 1.
When you get a blood test for thyroid hormones, leave about 24 hours since your last dose and the blood test. Take levo after it. Also have test as early as possible as TSH is highest then. If you've not had B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we are usually deficient.
Always get a print-out of your blood tests for your own records and you can post if you have a query. Make sure the ranges are also stated as labs differ throughout the country.
Angelina, try taking Evening Primrose Oil, and Borage Oil to countre-act the effects Levo is having on your hair.
I Don't know much about Slimming World, but the name puts me off! Be careful not to go on a low calorie diet, because that will just make things worse. You need those calories at the moment to help your body cope. You must eat enough, and good nutrients : fat (yes, lots of fat), protein, some carbs and plenty of fresh fruit and veg. It's not what you're eating that's making you put on weight - so cutting down on what you eat won't make you lose it! - it's the fact that you are hypo and your metabolism is low.
And forget the exercise. Not only will that not make you lose weight, but it would probably make you put on more, because it uses up your T3 - and it's T3 that is going to make you lose the weight - decent levels of T3. Just do a little walking and perhaps swimming at the moment, to keep you moving.
NDT does contain T3, and it might help you - on condition that you take a high-enough dose! But it doesn't suit everyone. If it doesn't suit you, adding some T3 (cynomel) to your levo might help.
But whatever you take, you have to give it time to work. 3 months isn't very long, I'm afraid. And you're only taking 75 mcg, so early days. You will probably have to have a couple more increases before you start to feel the full effects. So, patience is the name of the game!
Hugs, Grey
Hi thanks will give it a go I will try anything
Thanks Angela
Got the primrose oil today so will give it a try
But did you get the Borage Oil? They work together.
No will try get it tomorrow
Angela
Ferritin and T3
t3
T3
T3
I had T3 tests and the results are: Free T3 4.0 (3.1 - 6.8) and T3 1.5 (1.3 - 3.1). Are these okay?
