I am hypo and dont seem to be able to control my eating. I am eating far to much but get really strong cravings for food all the time. I have been wondering if my bodie is trying to get energy from food as Im not getting energy as I should. Has anyone any helpful suggestions or similar problems.
I am on thyro gold 450 mg.
Mandyjane, if you've been taking ThyroGold for 6-8 weeks you should have a thyroid blood test to check levels. Overmedication can overstimulate appetite but undermedication makes it nigh on impossible not to put on weight.
Dear Clutter,
I cant afford blood tests right now and my gp will only do tsh. I am trying to go by how I feel. I have reduced my dose from 600 mg as I was on maximum recommended dose, had loose bowels and after feeling well for a while I started feeling very tired again. I don t think the food cravings are due to over medication though as I have had them for years and only been on medication recently. When I have felt well and energetic I have not wanted excess food but I dont feel well currently.
I have bouts of this two. I think it has Something to do with leptin level/resistance....sorry my memory fails me ha! Maybe be something on google, I will have a look quickly! X
OK, try and google leptin, weight and thyroid by wellness news/wellness resources, sorry I don't know how to copy it into here but explains the connection. Leptin is your hormone that signals you are full. Hope you find it.
Thanks polly. I found something about a leptin diet that is very similar to the way I used to eat a while back and it was the only way I ever lost weight. Trouble is I dont think I could stick to anykind of diet while I feel so terrible with lack of energybut thanks for your imput
Your welcome. Maybe you need to check your t4\t3 levels are good too. I could eat all day so know how you feel! X
Mandyjane, everybody gets energy from food, that's why we eat!
Who says you're eating far too much? What exactly does 'far too much' mean?
What sorts of food are you craving? Sweet foods? Salty foods? Specifc foods like custard creams or mashed potatoes? Cravings - as opposed to hunger - usually mean that you have nutritional deficiencies. Have you ever had your nutrients tested? Iron, ferritin, vit D, vit B12, folate, magnesium, zinc, copper, selenium? Any of that? Would be good if you could give us a bit more information. 
Dear grey goose.
My iron was low and my vit d but I have been on ferrous sulhate and vit d for about 8 months now. I noticed my vit b 12 was under 500 when last tested but I have been taking a good sublingual losenge for quite a while. I dont know about the other vits but I am taking magnesuim citrate and a good multivit with zinc, copper and selenium in it.
I crave sweet food, biscuits and chocolate.
OK, so, assuming your vits and mins are now optimal - although it hasn't been that long so you could still be suffering from previous low levels, - the next step is to get your adrenals tested. Craving sugar is sometimes a sign of fatigued adrenals.
However, very doubtful you would find a doctor who knows about that - even if they did a test, they probably wouldn't be able to interpret it - so, it will have to be private, I'm afraid.
In order to lose weight, you have to get your ducks in a row, so to speak - you need all your nutrients and hormones optimal. Craving sugary foods is a sign that something is off. But it's not what you're eating that is making you over-weight, it's your low metabolism. So, as well as adrenals, you need to test your Frees - FT4 and FT3.
Hi. I used to get very bad food cravings when I had more carbohydrates in my diet. I sometimes used to feel more hungry after a meal than I did before it! For me, I think it was all linked to insulin resistance and being sensitive to carbohydrates. If I eat a lot of vegetables, plenty of protein and hardly any grains or sugar then I don't get the cravings. For me it is something I always have to watch. I recently came across this anh-europe.org/ANH_Food4Hea...
which ties in with what I'd found worked for me many years ago.
I used to be a vegetarian and ate a lot of healthy-sounding carbs. They just weren't healthy for me.
I am also better if my meals are smaller - again I think this is linked to not over-stimulating the insulin response.
I realise this may not work for you, our bodies are all so different in the way they react to food, especially when the balance is being thrown out by medication, but thought I would mention it in case it worked.
I know what cravings can be like. One biscuit at a friend's house would make me feel ravenous to the point where I could think of nothing but going home and having my next meal. I'm now gluten, sugar and biscuit free and my life is so much easier.
If I do get cravings (and new thyroid meds have definitely caused me to have them) I eat things like raw vegetables. Or a boiled egg. It is not exciting....
Hope this may be of some use. You probably do this already, but worth a mention.
Thanks. I do crave sugar and carbs and eat quite a lot of them. I find I crave after meals and want a pudding. I used to smoke many years ago and always had a cigarette after food. Now I always want some thing sweet.For a long time I was in over eaters anon and now eat much smaller portions at meal times and I also learnt that it is not a good idea to eat in between meals but I cant seem to stick to anything. I left OA because I no longer wanted anything to do with religion. I have gone sugar free for periods but always ended up feeling really deprived and binging on sweet foods. I did have a glass of milk last night after my meals and that felt quite comforting and Ok as a sweet subsitute.
Hi. I'm the same as you MJ. I crave sweet things, especially after a meal and especially on my lower energy days. Psychologically I'm thinking if I eat it will give me energy. However it never does. Do you have any hobbies? I think distracting ourselves from thinking about food can help.
Do you take pregbalin (lyrics) its most common side effect is weight gain...I am on 300mg daily and growing fast lol..doc says I need to loose weight too help a arthritis in knees....what a contradiction
No sandstone I am not on pregablin but I do take an antipsychotic at night which makes me hungry a hour after I take it. I have arthritis in my knee too. this overeating is really frightening me
I am a great believer of listening to my body. Food cravings i always think is telling us what we need and aren't getting. Think about pregnancy cravings mKing sure the baby has the best possible help etc. I usually Google why am I craving whatever and I usually get the answers and have been reassured when put in more that one think I'm getting similar answers. In also trying to cut down on sugars and the other day I packed a snake to take to a football match-12.15 start. Half time I ate my sandwich and a fizzy drink. I would have called it my usual but have been trying to be good. It tasted so sweet it was awful so my cutting back must be having the desired effect. I've also found when doing my searches I also get a selection of food suggestions to help address the deficiency. See if it works for you.
I do so hope you meant a snack not snake lol
Lol!!!! It was a great helpful post, but that was the best bit, imagine taking a snake to a football match 
There is a list of cravings and possible reasons on another website.
do you know what website please
I too have a crazy sugar addiction going on its as though my body can't get enough. Psychologically it's an energy thing as Wired says but only short term energy so always after more. Often wonder if I am heading towards diabetes.
Searching for answers and reading a lot. So much info for a fogged head but sure I read sugar uptake in hypothyroidism is harder to achieve?
I changed my diet hugely. Low carb HIGH fat. Keeps you full longer. Lots of nuts etc. No wheat (or as little as I can ) No grains No added sugar. Paleo eating, Lots of natural ways to get sweet. Have a handful of nuts by your bed, Nuts help you lose weight. Google paleo and just try and follow it a bit, I eat bacon and eggs every morning, lots of meat and eggs and sweet potatoes or turnip roasted etc. I have lost a stone since christmas. xx
Oh wow! I have put a stone on since my op in January! I do eat nuts - love them but will look further at paleo. I have been gluten free for about 4 months as I have Hashi's. But will try anything at this stage.
I used to have a fab metabolism. I have always been active with dogs and ponies getting me out and they still do otherwise i would probably want to stay in bed & not get up.
For some of us it seems to be a lot about carbs. So no grains and legums and being rather genious with food ideas - pinterest is bloomin great with ideas. Nooooo to potatoes but turnip chips are yum no to pasta no to rice etc but as long as the majority is ok then the odd treat is fine. I use only maple syprup or honey or coconut sugar - no agave no other refined sugar substitutes etc. Definitely worth a go.
get a spiraliser and make courgetti spaghetti and cauliflower rice etc and for lasagne use boiled leeks cut open and sliced x
I hear what you're saying about cravings - mine have been mainly for chocolate and also salty stuff like crisps - reading on this forum and Googling, I have come across adrenal fatigue and that one of the symptoms of that fatigue is yep you guessed it, salty and sugary cravings.
I am desperate to lose weight as I have put on 2 stone since this time last year!
I have started taking adaptogenic herbal supplements as in Siberian Ginseng and Rhodiola and the salt cravings have lessened after only taking them a few weeks, still have sugar cravings but they also seem to be lessening and trying to substitute chocolate for fruits and carrot batons as a way of killing the craving.
I think when I have the money Ill get my adrenals tested I am sure they are fatigued. Thanks for your reply its really helpful. I am finding dark chocolate a bit helpful. I allow myself one bar a week and it seems to satisfy my craving better than milk chocolate which I always want more of.
Have you has your b12 done? I had major sugar cravings when it was low
Dear Carly ,
My b12 was just under 500 and I have been taking loads of it since so hopefully its up a bit. Thanks for help.
Over weight with Levo or HRT
Levothyroxine and eating
Headache after eating
MY HEALTHY EATING AND EXERCISE IS HELPING ME LOOSE WEIGHT :)
