Diet pills and levothryroxine

[Swoods]

Hi all, I am on the medication levothryroxine for my thyroid and am finding it really hard to loose weight I've been eating healthy gym everyday nothing is working, I bought raspberry ketone slim XT and prima cleanse and just want to know will it be more dangerous for me to take these with the medication I am already on?desperately want/need to loose weight. Thanks

[Fruitandnutcase]

I think it can be difficult to lose weight if you have thyroid problems. I would try to avoid taking weight loss products if possible (don't know if you can take them along with thyroxine or not- just don't think they are very good for you)

I think some people try going gluten free, others are doing the 5:2 diet. I tend to do better when I cut out bread and potatoes and fill up on salads, vegetables, chicken, oily fish with the odd bit of lamb added in. I also feel I do better if I stick to drinking water and avoid fizzy drinks even if they are the diet variety. I feel as if there is a fine line between not over eating and making sure you eat enough so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode. Also you can over exercise which isn't good for us thyroid people either.

Know exactly how you feel, I've put on three stones in a year or so - lost a load of weight when my Graves was diagnosed and have put it all back on plus more. I'm sure I'm becoming hypo but my doc isn't having any of it - says I'm in the range. Ha, ha! Of course I am, it's so wide it's pretty hard not to be.

Hopefully someone will come along with better suggestions for you, there are people on here who are losing weight but it's a hard slog, think I'd avoid raspberry ketones if at all possible though.

[Swoods in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thanks so much for your reply, it's just so dis-heartening as I am bridesmaid this year and really am not happy with my weight, thanks for your advice x

[shaws Administrator in reply to Swoods]

This is a link which I think you will find what the reason may be. If we are hypo everything slows down, mainly our metabolism, so therefore no matter how much exercise you do or diet, it sometimes seems like a lost cause. If you maybe could get some T3 added to your T4 it might enable your metabolism to rise. Some members when they get to an optimum of medication, their weight does reduce.

web.archive.org/web/2010032...

[mcgill283 in reply to shaws]

In Scotland you cannot get T3 as they are too expensive, doctors don't even check T3 because they know your not getting them so no point in checking I'm on levothyroxine and 3 stone heavier and absolutely miserable

[polly3]

Exactly what fruitandnutcase says! Please don't take diet pills. Loosing weight is a way of life and you cant take those for the resst of yours. Your most important action is to make sure you optimally treated then you can adopt an eating plan that is sustainable as it is a life long commitment. We all understand how you feel and it is hard but please for your own health diet pills are not the way to go. Xx

[mcgill283 in reply to polly3]

With no T3 a bit of help is needed, before getting to fat, can't move, in pain anything to kick start a bit of energy a feel good, etc desperate needs

[greygoose]

You won't lose weight on a sustainable basis until your FT3 is optimal. Do you have any labs to share with us so that we can see where you are on that?

Does your healthy diet include plenty of fat? Because you need fat to function. Animal fat, butter, avacados, olive oïl, coconut oïl...

Make sure you get enough calories - no low-calorie diets! You need those calories for your body to be able to cope during this difficult time. You need calories to convert T4 to T3. Not enough calories and you stop converting and become even more hypo and put on even more weight. Besides, your weight gain is unlikely to have anything to do with what you eat. It's due to your low metabolism and probably isn't fat. It's probably mucin (a mucousy stuff Under the skin that only hypos get, and which holds water). So no diet pill, diet or exercise is going to get rid of that.

And you've been using up your precious calories on going to the gym everyday! And not only your calories, but you've been using up your T3 going to the gym everyday!!! And it would sound as if you Don't have enough to begin with. So that is making you more hypo, too.

So, eat well, improve your T3 levels and just do gentle walking or swimming (no gym!) until you're optimised, and you will lose weight. Don't take any form of slimming pill, no-one should take them. They Don't work and can be dangerous. They are just selling you a dream. Taking advantage of desperate people.

Hugs, Grey

[SilverAvocado in reply to greygoose]

Thanks, Grey, I've been appreciating all your posts about weightloss recently.

It's something I feel complicated about as I've gained 4 stone since I started cancer treatment, and and don't have the energy to get my eating onto any plan. You're helping me keep it in perspective

[greygoose in reply to SilverAvocado]

Sorry to hear that, SA. Hope things get better soon.

[mcgill283 in reply to greygoose]

No T3 in Scotland only levothyroxine T3 too expensive unless you have thousands to go private what is the next best thing to T 3

[greygoose in reply to mcgill283]

There is no next best thing to T3. It's a hormone, not a diet pill. You can't replace a hormone with anything other than a hormone.

I know about the T3 situation, but have you never considered trying to buy your own on-line and self-treating with it? That's what a lot of people do.

[rifflemum5]

i know how you feel, but go to your doctor and ask to be referred you to slimming world, its much better for you to lose it slowly and you will keep it of and they will help you on a journey to a better life, i know im on it. wish you luck x

[Swoods in reply to rifflemum5]

I've tried slimming world, literally have tried everything and I am bridesmaid this year so desperate to loose my weight.x

[Fruitandnutcase in reply to Swoods]

A long time ago I used to do ( and am SO needing to do again!) the Scarsdale Diet, basically you don't eat a lot of carbs - or in my case apsweets and chocolate. It says you can lose a pound a day - I didn't but I lost steadily. Somehow or another I just can't get myself back into that zone to be able to do it again.

The diet was fine for me because I actually liked everything on it, to be honest it was pretty much like my normal diet minus the many 'treats' that had taken over. You start the day with half a grapefruit and a slice of protein bread - or in my case wholemeal because I don't have a source of protein bread.

Then you have a lot of salad and vegetables, there isn't much fruit from what I can remember which is a shame because I like fruit but I got on well with it and never felt hungry. I wouldn't say it is a low calorie diet, seemed more like good calories to me. You can eat a lot of what you can eat, there's Just no junk food, not a lot of fat and definitely no fruit and nut chocolate.

You do one part for two weeks (?)I think then go on to another part for another couple of weeks and you can repeat those weeks until you get where you want to be. I bought my ancient copy of the book second hand from Amazon but you might be able to find the diet sheet if you look on Google. You are supposed to eat everything in the given order but I altered a couple of my days to suit how I wanted to shop.

((( hugs)))) as someone who has out on loads of weight and really needs to lose it ( I know, I need to follow my own advice) I know how fed up you are feeling, try not to worry, just try to keep going until you get to the weight you want to be. Its hard though when you aren't losing in spite of all your efforts.

Like grey says don't take those pills they wont work, the only thing they make lighter is your wallet and they could make you very, very ill into the bargain.

[Swoods in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Thank you for your help I will try that diet x

[mummyG in reply to Swoods]

Please find out about Juice plus!! I've lost a stone on it so far!!

It's on Facebook .. That's where I found it!

It's been amazing for me .. I feel less tired. More clear in my mind... Just happier...

It's eating real food. No gimmicks no additives and no processed food!

It's really really helped me .. Look for my name on FB and I can point u in right direction ( hope this is ok) Karen goodman

[mcgill283 in reply to Swoods]

I tried all them including slim world, stuck to the plan like glue and after 10 weeks i was 3lb heavier, distraught, depressed told doctor and basically told to accept it,get on with life, you have two choices, live your life and make the most of it happily or miserably , I'm both

[Hidden]

Hello Swoods,

Have you been diagnosed with Thyroid antibodies?

If thyroid meds can't work properly, you will put on weight.

Do you still have hypothyroid symptoms or is it just the weight thing that is not working for you?

If you type "raspberry ketone" into the search bar at the right hand top of screen, you will gets loads of hits. Some are quite negative.

Flower007

[Swoods in reply to Hidden]

The doctor never told me what exactly was wrong.. I went as I hadn't gotten my period in over 2 years and the blood tests came back that there was a under active thyroid I think. So I am now on levothryroxine I just need to loose weight quick as I am bridesmaid this year and am sick of being the size I am

[Marz in reply to Swoods]

thetwodaydiet.co.uk/

You can eat lots on the two days - just certain things - no carbs. Wish you luck ....

[Hidden in reply to Swoods]

Well, on the positive side, at least you don't have all the other horrid symptoms that can accompany hypothyroidism.

My weight came off when I increased my dose (which I have now reduced again) but you don't have this option if you are already medicated correctly.

I guess its back to the gym then Swoods.

How lovely being chosen to be a bridesmaid.

Good luck with weight lose.

[Jazzw in reply to Swoods]

Swoods, how much levothyroxine? Hopefully your doctor's got you on a decent dose? Do you know what your blood test results actually were?

[Angel_of_the_North]

It'll be more dangerous for your finances - that's for sure! Neither of those things work for hypo people (perhaps they work for people with a normal metabolism, who knows?)

Dieting and over exercising both deplete T3, which will make you hold on to fat.

[Nanbear69]

I have been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism last summer, finally! However, have been on L-Thyroxine for that whole year at a high dose, watch what I eat, and work out four times per week, and just ran a 10k. Training involved two 5-7k's per week for months. I cannot shake any weight and have gained two stone. Does anyone think that diet pepsi is bad for this disorder? I have been addicted for most of my life and now 46. I have read the article on NDT and wonder now if I should ask my endocrinologist to switch me to NDT instead of L-Thyroxine.....anyone have good results with this?

[BadHare]

You might find your weight will reduce if you count your nutrients & micronutrients, rather than calories, or make yourself hungry doing workouts. If you get what your body needs to function well, rather than take diet pills that have only been tested on rats, some weight might come off naturally.

Avoid eating processed foods, & add lots of prebiotic fruit & veg to your diet, as well as prebiotics for good gut health. That should help your digestion work better do you absorb more nutrients.

Some folks do well on intermittent fasting such as eating normally for 5 days a week, & cutting calories down to 500 for two non-consecutive days (5:2). I prefer the intermittent fasting way of eating, so have a short eating window of 8 hours a day, then fast for 16 hours with plenty of water (16:8). As long as I eat well, get enough protein & avoid starchy foods, I don't get hungry. There are other benefits to eating this way, & it fits in with empty stomach meds & supplement times.