Diet

[JNaughton]

Well newly diagnosed and gaining weight, exhausted and tired all the time! Is there any recommendations on what not to eat? Or what's good to eat? Thanks

[shaws Administrator]

Welcome to our forum, and do not worry yet about weight gain, exhaustion, fatigue. i know that's easy to say when we are frustrated and do not know what the blazes is happening. What you are suffering from is clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism but probably doctors are unaware of any.

As your dose of levothyroxine is raised, the aim is to relieve you of all symptoms and feel well. Your dose should be raised by 25mcg around every six to eight weeks. The aim of levothyroxine is to raise our metabolism, raise our pulse (which is usually below normal as is temp) and temp. Weight gain should also reduce but sometimes a diet may be helpful. It is no use going on a diet until metabolism is raised as you weill get despondant.

Many times doctors stop increasing as they are fixated upon the TSH only but we need it around 1 or lower. Also you have to ask GP to check B12, Vit D, iron, ferritin and folate as we can be deficient which can also cause symptoms.

thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

Blood tests for thyroid hormones should be the very earliest possible and fasting although you can drink water. Also allow 24 hours gap between last dose and the test and take afterwards. This allows TSH to be at its highest as it drops throughout the day, i.e. high a.m. low p.m. and doctors will adjust and we then don't feel so good.

Always get a print-out of your results with the ranges for your own records and you can postif you have a query.

[JNaughton in reply to shaws]

Thank you shows, just frustrated having gone from having loads of energy to barely any is frustrating!! Really struggling at work too. Not sure what to do.

[shaws Administrator in reply to JNaughton]

You have to make sure you are given an optimum of hormones, (it is a gradual increase usually about 25mcg each time - around every six to eight weeks) which means your symptoms go and you feel well. We have to be pro-active and although many people do fine on levothyroxine, the majority on this forum are looking for help as it's not forthcoming from many Endocrinologists or doctors.

We have to read, learn and find our way to good health. It can take a while but worth it in the end when we can carry on as we used to.

Get a print-out of your latest results with the ranges and post for comments. We should do this after each blood test and also ask for B12, Vit D,iron, ferritin and folate as we can be deficient which can also give us symptoms.

You are looking for a TSH of around 1 or lower. Doctor might think 4 or 5 is fine . No it isn;t.

[greygoose]

What not to eat is all forms of unfermented soy. Soy milk, soy protein, soy oil, etc. Apart from that, eat what you enjoy - but always read the labels!

[OllyJ]

I was feeling just like you a few months ago. Then I started the Ketogenic diet and all my low thyroid symptoms have now all gone. It may work for other people too

[Rosie_P]

Are you off of gluten??

[JNaughton in reply to Rosie_P]

No eating normal.

[Rosie_P in reply to JNaughton]

😬 Hard subject to broach....but getting off of gluten will decrease your inflammation which triggers auto immune. Good read on this is Dr. William Davis' book Wheat Belly. Plethora of information!!!