Weight gain with Levothyroxind

[Parrotmum2]

I have been on levothyroxine for uat for a few months now. Am on 50mcg per day and have gained over a stone in weight. Before I was put on this tablet I could lose weight easily but not anymore,. Has anyone any thoughts on this?

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Parrotmum2

It is quite common for weight gain when hypothyroid. It is a clinical symptom of hypothyroidism. Hypo means 'slow' and our whole system slows down, i.e. heart rate, temp etc. which means we cannot burn calories as we used to and weight can increase.

Your dose at 50mcg of levo is only a starting dose and you should have gradual increases (25mcg) around every six weeks until your TSH is around 1 or below. Levo increases our metabolism so if required when your on optimum dieting should be easier.

Blood Test: Have the earliest possible appointment . Leave 24 hours since last dose of levo and test as it may skew results and fast (you can drink water). Take levo after test.

Take thyroid hormones on wakening and wait approx 1 hour before eating. Some foods interfere with medication. Leave 4 hours between hormones and supplements. Some prefer bedtime dosing, in that case you must leave 2 hours after eating before taking hormones. If you've had a fatty meal it should be longer. Food can interfere with the uptake.

Ask for Vitamin B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate to be tested. They should be towards the upper range.

Always get a print-out of your blood test results with the ranges, for your own records and so you can post them if you have a query. We are entitled to them

[MariLiz]

I put on weight when I started on Levothyroxine, and despite many attempts, I haven't managed to lose it again. I'm hoping that an increase in my B12 injections might help, I've certainly felt more active in the last few weeks. I've heard that B12 levels need to be fairly high for the thyroid meds to work properly. Have you had your's tested? MariLiz