Weight loss

[Cuffyuk2]

I'm so fed up with being over weight. I have tried everything I can with minimal success, if any.

Anyone know anything about bariatric surgery when suffering with Hypothyroidism?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Cuffyuk2 Weight loss when hypothyroid isn't really possible until you are optimally medicated and your FT3 is (generally) near the top of the range.

It would be an idea to get new thyroid tests done, and as NHS rarely do FT3 then most of us do a private fingerprick test with Blue Horizon.

They do a basic test with just TSH, FT4 and FT3 (Thyroid Plus 3), add in both types of antibodies and it's Thyroid Plus 6, add in vitamins and minerals and it's Plus 10 or include Vit D and it's Plus 11.

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/e...

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/e...

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/e...

bluehorizonmedicals.co.uk/e...

If you post your results members can advise if you are optimally medicated.

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Reading this post and your previous one .....have you ever had your thyroid antibodies checked?

There are two sorts TPO Ab and TG Ab. (Thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin) Both need checking, if either, or both are high this means autoimmune thyroid - called Hashimoto's the most common cause in UK of being hypo.

NHS rarely checks TPO and almost never checks TG. NHS believes it is impossible to have negative TPO and raised TG. It's rare, but not impossible, there are a few members on here that have this.

ALWAYS Make sure you get the actual figures from tests (including ranges - figures in brackets). You are entitled to copies of your own results. Some surgeries make nominal charge for printing out.

Alternatively you can now ask for online access to your own medical records. Though not all surgeries can do this yet, or may not have blood test results available yet online.

As suggested on previous post, you need to know your FT3 result too to see how well you are converting. With FT4 and TSH tested at same time.

Improving low B12, folate and ferritin as recommended on previous post, should help

If you can not get GP to do these tests, then like many of us, you can get them done privately

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...

Blue Horizon - Thyroid plus eleven tests all these. £99

This is an easy to do fingerprick test you do at home, post back and they email results to you couple of days later.

Usual advice on ALL thyroid tests, (home one or on NHS) is to do early in morning, ideally before 9am. No food or drink beforehand (other than water) If you are taking Levo, then don't take it in 24 hours before (take straight after). This way your tests are always consistent, and it will show highest TSH, and as this is mainly all the medics decide dose on, best idea is to keep result as high as possible

If you have Hashimoto's then you may find adopting 100% gluten free diet can help reduce symptoms, and lower antibodies too.

Selenium supplements can help reduce antibodies and improve conversion too

You do not need to have ANY obvious gut issues, to still have poor nutrient absorption or low stomach acid or gluten intolerance

Best advice is to read as much as you can. Vitamin and minerals levels are very important, but standard NHS thinking, doesn't at the moment seem to recognise this. You will see, time and time again on here lots of information and advice about importance of good levels of B12, folate, ferritin and vitamin D, low stomach acid, leaky gut and gluten connection to autoimmune Hashimoto's (& Grave's) too.

When you take Levo it shoukd ALWAYS be taken on empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after. Many take on waking, but recent research shows that for many of us, taking at bedtime may improve uptake and conversion

verywell.com/should-i-take-...

archinte.jamanetwork.com/ar...

Long research article - final conclusion paragraph below

"In conclusion, bedtime intake of levothyroxine in our study significantly improved thyroid hormone levels. This may be explained by better gastrointestinal bioavailability at night or by less uptake interference by food or medications. As shown in this study, bedtime administration is more convenient for many patients. Clinicians should inform their patients about the possibility of taking levothyroxine at bedtime. A prolonged period of bedtime levothyroxine therapy may be required for a change in Quality of live to occur."

[greygoose]

Bariatric surgery is never a good idea, in my opinion. Certainly not when you're hypo, because the weight-gain rarely has anything to do with food. However, as you would be extremely limited in what you can eat, and how much, you would probably suffer from sever nutritional deficiencies.

All surgeries carry a risk, but this one more than most. And, on top of that, there's always the risk that the results will not last - the stomach will stretch again. It's not something I would ever advise anyone to do - but, I'm not a doctor, nor anything to do with the health industry.

[shaws Administrator]

Hi Cuffyuk2

I have looked on your Profile and there's no history, only your name.

First I suggest you get ask GP for a new blood test and it should be TSH, T4, T3, Free T4, Free T3 and antibodies. He or the lab may not do them all if your TSH and T4 are in 'range'. The problem with that if your TSH is towards the upper part of the range many doctors think (wrongly) that's fine. We need our TSH to be 1 or lower.

When you have a blood test it must be the very earliest possible, fasting (you can drink water). Also allow 24 hours between your last dose of levo and the test and take afterwards. This will benefit your results.

Hypothyroidism means our metabolism is so slow that weight is gained or sometimes it is 'swelling' if not on the correct amount of levothyroxine for us.

If you've not had B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate tested ask for these too.

Normally we take when we get up levothyroxine on an empty stomach with one full glass of water and wait an hour before eating. If you decide on a bedtime dose you should last have eaten about 3 hours before. Food interferes with the uptake of hormones.

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges (we are entitled by Law) for your own records and you can post if you have a query.

Your TSH should be around 1 or lower.

[hebden]

Hi I was sent to obesity clinic by my GP which turned out to be a clinic pushing bariatric surgery and not as I thought about nutritional advice. I attended for 5 session (out of 6) and although I told them from the start I did not want this surgery they kept trying to push it. The information they did give was that this kind of surgery can cause nutritional problems and there will be a certain need for permanent supplements of vitamins and minerals and there will be folds of skin which they will not help you with on NHS. From what I gather the after surgery care is not very good. There were 2 women there who had gone through the surgery before and it had not worked and they were left with swallowing problems etc and were there to trying to get this rectified (1 wanted more surgery?). This is just my experience and I know people have lost weight with this but I personally would not go down this route. This has not been around long enough to know the long term effects. I have been optimising my vitamins and started NDT and in 3 weeks I have lost 4lb. I have a long way to go but I am feeling optimistic thanks to the help from this community especially grey goose. Joolz.x