I had half my thyroid removed in 2008 and rest removed 2015 and since the total removal I've put on 4 stone. Please believe me when I say I exercise, not madly but I do move every day. I don't eat loads of rubbish and even joined SlimmingWorld and put more weight on!! I was over treated with Thyroxine for 6 months according to my GP so they've dropped me back down to 100 mg and just can't lose the weight. im still not feeling 100% and don't think I ever will now but I'd like to get back to something near where I was.
Hidden What are your latest thyroid test results? if you don't have them then ask your surgery for a print out and post them on the forum, with reference ranges, for members to comment.
The chances are you weren't over treated but just that many doctors don't know how to interpret blood test results once someone is on thyroxine. It is important to get a copy of those results as has already been suggested. And then some expert patients can comment
I had my thyroid removed just over a year ago now. I had my left done in Dec 2015 and the rest February 2016. I still don't think my dosage is right and I go to the doctors every 8-10 weeks to have check ups and the blood tests it's frustrating having to go so often but it needs to be done. I joined slimming world a year ago and have lost 3.5 st. It can be done with no thyroid. Maybe slimming world is not for you? Or maybe you aren't following plan as well as you think. The only this that works for me is having that 1/3 of speed every meal!
It's hard but you can do It. Just try and go to the doctors regularly. Maybe make some eating changes? Or try something else. I don't know what will be best for you. But unfortunately there is no fast fix.
We are all here for you here though. Hope things get better for you. X
From what you say, it's pretty obvious that it's not what you eat that has made you put on weight. So, why would you think that eating less will make you lose it? It won't. Your weight gain is no doubt down to low T3 - just how much T3 can you make from 100 mcg T4 when you have no thyroid? Not very much. And, obviously not very much.
However, for good conversion, you need calories. That's right, you NEED calories. Low calorie diets have a negative effect on conversion. So, stop dieting. Just eat good food - and Slimming World is not good food, because it's based on low fat. The body needs fat. The body needs cholesterol, and all attempts to eliminate these essential nutrients will just make you put on more weight, because it will unbalance your hormones. People may lose weight at Slimming World, but it's a safe bet that they're going to put it on again. That's how these people make their money.
So, give up dieting, tone down the exercise (uses up your T3) and get copies of your blood test results to make sure your hypothyroidism is being treated correctly. That's the best advice I can give you.
About half my calories are from fat, mostly nuts & seeds, & some full fat dairy & lots of kefir. I've lost a stone since starting NDT & T3, & doubled my calorie intake to about 2,000 a day, so my nutrition is better.
Get your thyroid antibodies tested. If it's Hashimotos then going gluten free will help. The weight fell off me when I switched.
Hi I had my Thyroid removed in Oct 2015. I wasn't on any medication before. I was started on Levo 100mg then 125mg not only did I feel very ill I put on weight only 12 lbs in 4 months but I had never been heavy in my life. I join this forum and started self medicating on NDT.
I have lost all of the 12 lbs without trying and I have been on NDT for only 7 months now.
I didn't make myself clear I felt fine on 100 for the first three months but then got worse and worse.
Hi All,
Thank you so much for all you replies, they are very helpful. I'll get on to my GP and ask for my results as I've always said they don't know how to treat thyroid problems as not felt too good for long before my op but they just kept saying "no everything's fine" then when I saw specialist he said exactly the opposite.
When I've asked about my blood results they just say they're fine, like you've all said think it's just cause they can't interpret them properly. They put me up to 125mg and I felt lousy! I was shaking, couldn't stay awake, put more weight on, loads of stuff but they said if it was over treated these things wouldn't happen as the symptoms are for under treated?? I'm still shattered all the time but keep getting told that cause I'm now just over 40???
Bunnyjean: what's NDT? That sounds like something I could try.
Have your doctors never heard that life begins at 40? You shouldn't feel shattered all the time at 40!
And, they obviously have never heard that symptoms can cross over. You cannot say that weight gain is a hypo symptoms and not a hyper (over-medicated). Plenty of hyper people put on weight, and plenty of hypos put on weight when they're over-medicated.
And, of couse, they have no idea that it's not just a question of stuffing the patient with levo till it comes out of her ears! She has to be able to convert that T4 to T3. If she can't, then she is still hypo. Because - and I'm sure they'll find this idea quite revolutionary - that's what hypo is : low T3. lol
Bunnyjean is not going to see your reply, there, so I will answer. NDT is Natural Dessicated Thyroid, made from pig's gland - but that's the only 'natural' thing about it. It still contains a lot of fillers, that are necessary to make it into a pill.
It contains both T4 and T3, which is why some people do very well on it. But, it doesn't suit everyone. Some people actually need the synthetic.
It's very, very doubtful you would get that from your doctor - he's probably never even heard of it. They don't learn about it in med school. They learn that everyone does swimmingly well on levo - and they ignore all proof to the contrary. But, if you decide to try your luck, do not go and ask for NDT. That will not get the right response. Ask for a brand name, like Armour, or Erfa - there's just a chance that they may have heard of those - but even so, they might be dead against it. So, if you want it, you're more than likely going to have to buy your own.
Insist that your doctor refers you to an endochrinologist,at least they know a bit more than GPs.
I had my thyroid totally removed 15 years ago, was started on 100mcg thyroxine,but never felt well.
Eventually saw an endo and was put on T3 as well, which improved things.
If you have no thyroid you need to be given T3, as although (hopefully ) the T4 should convert to T3, a percentage of T3 comes directly from the thyroid gland,and if you don't have one you're never going to get enough with T4 only.
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