I'm feeling really frustrated I got married 19th sept I weighed 11.9 then my t3 was cut to 3 from 4 tablets I've just weighed myself and I weigh 13.04 stone I've never been this heavy not even when I was pregnant I'm so upset I can't fit in any of my clothes and just feel very down how can I put on a stone and a half since then I'm very active I excersise regularly I've started back taking a 1. Cynomel 25mcg along with my 3 liothyronine but still putting on weight my temperature has never been normal always in the 35s I've seen various doctors but they all say it's part of your thyroid condition can anyone recommend a really good doctor private or nhs I'm in the epping Essex area I still think I might have Wilson's as never had a normal temperature and my endo just don't seem to wanna know he just wants to get u in and out so frustrating
Massive weight gain: I'm feeling really... - Thyroid UK
Massive weight gain
Shazzy2 I'm sorry you are upset. Your Profile hasn't been completed to give an idea of your journey and you've been a member since 2014.
Members will send you a Private Message if they know of a good Endo.
Weight gain is a clinical symptom of hypothyroidism but it usually, once on optimum medication, can reduce.
Endocrinologists/doctors are nowadays unaware of clinical symptoms. Don't realise that they should at least have a rudimentary knowledge instead of none at all about symptoms.
Can you explain about your dose of medication, i.e. 1 Cynomel (which I know is a brand name). The 3 liothyronine, I assume, are generic but what is the dose?
Do you have a print-out of your latest thyroid hormones blood test results with the ranges which would be helpful.
Low temperature/pulse is a clinical symptom. Weight gain is a clinical symptom and usually it's due to not being on a sufficient dose of hormones or hormones which aren't doing their job, i.e. raising our metabolism and increasing temp/pulse.
Are you taking your dose once daily or splitting?
Are your vitamins/minerals at the optimum level.
Vitamins and minerals good take 2000mgs of vit c 2 nutri extra adrenal extra tabs q10 starflower oil 1 thyroid complex also on 1 cynomel 25mcgs 3 liothyronine 20 Mcgs I take 2 in the morn 40 Mcgs 1 in afternoon 25 Mcgs 1 20mcgs in evening also I take mirtazapine 30mgs in evening
Hopefully someone will come along to make a better suggestion.
I don't split my doses of T3 but take much less then you do. of levo daily.
When you take your T3 is your stomach empty? We should have an empty stomach to be able to absorb the T3 properly - food interferes.
It must be difficult I should imagine to have a completely empty stomach i.e. it takes around 2.5 hours for (hypo) women to digest a meal and then have an hour's gap after taking T3 before you eat again.
If you look at the right-hand side of the following link you can see if an anti-depressant interferes with the uptake of T3:-
Thyroid complex contains iodine.
I have calculated, roughly, that the amount of T3 is around 280mcg equivalent of levothyroxine. Some people who have Thyroid Hormone Resistance do need much larger doses than others who don't have resistance.
"I am not a medical professional and this information is not intended to be a substitute for medical guidance from your own doctor. Please check with your personal physician before applying any of these suggestions"
Shazzy2, here's a link to the blood test results you posted in August: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Your FT3 was actually very low, so your doctor should have increased your Lio, not reduced it. Looks like he's yet another one who got scared by low TSH.
The other thing that occurs, looking at the top half of your results as posted here: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu... is that your MCV is high. That may suggest Vitamin B12 deficiency/pernicious anaemia. Has your doctor ever tested for that?
I have had blood tests but never told I'm low on b12 I will get it checked can this add to weight gain ?
My endo says that I have to split it as it only lasts 8 hrs I don't know what to do for the best I would like to see a doc who also treats Wilson's as don't know what to do for the best but I can't put no more weight on as so uncomfortable
First, I realise your weight gain is distressing as it would be if you are taking hormone replacements and not a tiny dose either.
Your Endocrinologist is wrong about T3. It is absorbed quickly into our blood stream and goes directly into our Receptor Cells as it doesn't need to be converted (like T4) but once inside the cells it begins to work and it does so for between one and three days. I have even missed one day's dose and had no consequences.
It seems to me that your whole day revolves around taking thyroid hormones and supplements so it must be extremely tiring to say the least, particularly as it doesn't appear to be working as hoped.
I am not sure what Wilson's is but assume it's another autoimmune condition?
This is a link and Dr Lowe himself took 150mcg of T3 in one dose in the middle of the night. His Thyroid Resistant Patients also took high doses of T3 only. His other patients took NDT.
How did the increase in T3 develop, i.e. did you start on a smaller dose which increased gradually and then Endo later on added another dose or was it a direct daily dose split into
web.archive.org/web/2010112...
I started on avert low dose 0f 20mcgs then saw the fantastic dr p who got it increased I was on 7 tablets at 1 point the endocrinologist I see on nhs now has cut it from that to 3 ! But Iv had to take a extra 1. That I buy as couldn't stay awake during day do u think maybe I should take them in morning altogether and see if that helps il also read the dr low article thank u I'm really sick of these doctors
I just wanna add I don't eat processed foods or gluten and haven't done for years
If Dr P increased your T3 to 7 I would be apt to follow his advice. Always take your temp and pulse beforehand as it can be a guide to whether we're underdosed or overdosed. Usually it's easier to know if we're overdosed as we'd not feel very well at all.
If you've been on your Endos regime for a while, I'd be apt to increase my morning dose adding in the lunchtime dose. After about 2 weeks I'd then increase it again by adding your evening dose to the morning one. Any fast heartbeat or symptoms you don't like, drop the last increase as that may a little too much.
As I mentioned earlier I'm not sure about the 1 thyroid complex which might be a problem. Your other supplements you can take at lunchtime.
web.archive.org/web/2010112...
Also bear in mind I'm not medically qualified but am only going by my own experience. Don't do anything out of desperation about weight.
Ok thanx for advice yes I was ok b4 as last year I was 10 stone 2lb then my dose was cut and cut as they said I was over medicated but dr p said I have resistance to the meds but I'm afraid my endo now don't care he said if I was resistant it would show in my blood test !! I know this is rubbish Iv told him about my low temps in 35s he says wel look at it next time and that never comes I'd love someone to reccomend me someone who's good
Put up a new post headed 'Good Endocrinologist Please' then in the post ask for a Private Message to be sent to you with someone's recommendation and the Area you would like. We don't name good doctors in the open forum.
Also you can email louise.warvill@thyroiduk.org.uk for a list of doctors. She doesn't come back to the office until Monday.
Shazzy2 - have you thought about taking your T3 once or twice daily? I used to take a high dose split 3 times daily but found that I needed less when I changed to once daily.
I understand how you feel about your weight gain, my weight has increased by nearly 50%. Even when taking 150mcg of T3 I did not lose an ounce and still have plenty of excess fluid. NHS Endo just ignored me preferring instead to make lazy assumptions.
I know it's so upsetting wel I've started back on the cambridge diet today as I'm so uncomfortable and can't fit in a thing I refuse to buy bigger clothes I know we shouldn't diet but I feel I have no choice as Xmas eve I was 12.9 now I'm 13 stone I could put another stone on in the next couple of weeks it's ridiculous
If your weight gain is due to your thyroid condition, dieting isn't going to help.
Nor is the exercise. Exercising when you are not optimised is going to make you more hypo because it uses up your T3. And, it sounds like you're Under-medicated since your dose was cut. And exercising is making it worse. Besides, it isn't going to help you lose that hypo-weight, anymore than dieting is. Sorry. 
Wel like many others with this condition Iv been told I am under medicated but my nhs endo and doc. Say I'm over medicated he cut my meds from 4 to 3 so I'm very under medicated Iv upped it bak to 4 but am having to buy it's a joke but I have to diet as very uncomfortable and can't fit in a thing I'm sure my whole life will b a diet and a lot of it is water retention as since starting the cambridge diet on weds I've lost 8lb I lost 3lb then 5lb overnight it's crazy
Also the excersise makes me feel good and gives me more energy
Hi,
From my personal experience your endo is right to tell you to split your T3 into 8 hourly doses. I was originally prescribed one tab a day and I found I felt great for about 6 - 7 hours but then I gradually became more and more unwell. I only recovered when I took my next tablet. After five years I found a helpful endo that agreed to me increasing my lio to three tablets a day to be taken one every eight hours. I know it could be argued that the increase alone made me a lot better but I do not believe that is entirely the case. I never forget to take my lio because by the time the next dose is due I have "run down" and definitely need it.
I read an American article a few months ago - sorry I can't remember where - that said lio doses should be split into at least 12 doses a day. I don't think I would ever go that far - they're very small tablets to have to quarter ( in my case !) But I can see that it might be an advantage to do so. I have read many articles over the years that have supported splitting the doses evenly through the day. I have been told by some doctors and an endo that it is unnecessary to do so, whilst others say one should split them.
I would suggest that you try splitting your doses and see if you feel better.
Weight Gain on Levothyroxine
Weight gain 
Weight Gain!
