Hi I am 40 years and have been diagnosed with hashimoto lately that made me understand and explained itself why I have been struggling with weight loss after my second baby! My dr put me on 25mcg euthyroid. I am not happy about taking medication esp that seek natural treatment most of the time. I am gluten free right now. I am taking few supplements that I read it would help. I am so frustrated About the weight loss and I am so confused about the medication especially that I have read a lot of negative feed backs about the levothyroxine! My dr adviced me to take armpit or cytomel but the issue it's not available in my part of the world 
i have the prescription with me, does anyone have an idea how can I get the medicine taking into consideration I am not living in UK!
Rula : Hi I am 40 years and have been diagnosed... - Thyroid UK
Rula
If you have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroiditis and Hypothyroidism then I do not understand why you are hesitant to take your Levothyroxine tablets.
I was diagnosed in 2011 and started on the 50mcg dose of Levothyroxine which was increased to the 75mcg dose several weeks later after repeat blood tests.
You may not feel the benefit of your Levothyroxine for some time, until after you reach your full dose following repeated tests after 6 weeks intervals, increasing by 25mcg at a time.
Do you have any details of your blood tests results? With dates of tests and 'normal' ranges in brackets.
We're you also tested for nutrient levels :
Vitamin D
B12
Folate and
Ferritin?
If not you could ask your doctor to test to see if you have any deficiency.
You could Google NHS choices for symptoms of deficiencies in each of these.
X🐥
25 mcg is a very, very small dose! How long have you been at this dosage? What are your current lab results or can you obtain and post here? With unanswered questions about lab results one can only speculate here, but 25 mcg is a so called "starter dose" - most people start at 50 mcg. The protocol is to have new labs after 6-8 weeks of starting treatment thereby dose is gradually upped in 25 mcg increments, with retesting thereafter until reaching optimal levels.
Other alternatives to Levo are NDT (natural Dessicated Thyroid) it is not readily available in the UK as not often prescribed. But in US (and Canada) it is available via online pharmacy. Ther are likely other online sources available elsewhere but other members would have to recommend. I would suggest reading up on this "alternative" treatment - which was previously the only treatment available prior to synthetic treatment (I take NDT myself).
stopthethyroidmadness.com/n...
And a clinical study FYI:
It's in the beginning, the story is that I haven't been able to loose the weight totally after my second delivery and I have done a lot of detoxes and gone on diets and my weight was still the same! Then I started to have fatigue and confusion that made me go and test my thyroid to my shock I discover I have Hashimoto. I am hesitant to take Levothyroxine coz I have read a lot of bad reviews about it and it's side effects, besides I just started the doze and I gained in only half a month another kilo though I am training every day and watching what I eat and I am gluten free. It's making me uncomfortable. I discussed the issue with my dr and she gave my armour or cytomel but they are not available in my country. My FT3 level is 4.39 and FT4 is 16.34.
Lots of people do very well on Levo, I did for over 20 years but folks doing well don't search on forums for help. So do t dismiss Levo too readily, it's easier to deal with than the alternatives. It you read the info on Thyroid U.K. site who run this forum you will see that justctaking thyroid meds is only part of the answer as we are often very low in minerals and vitamins and there are also basic rules on what to do to help things work correctly. Many doctors don't know this so don't pass it into their patients so that accounts for many who struggle on medication. We have to look at the bigger picture and learn how to manage it.
Some. An have a defective gene so have to take T3 but I would advice any newbie to learn the ropes with Levo and get to know your body and if that doesn't work take advice and may be then move onto other treatments.
Patience is always need though. Nothing works quickly in the Thyroid word and it's foolish to try and speed it up
It's true that drs don't know much or tend to be commercial these days. When I first discovered hashimoto I didn't know much about it. It sounded for me like a Japanese food! Having that sense of humor my dr didn't get it lol instead of calming me down he said well that's what you got deal with it, I have seen another dr she didn't want to listen much. She said this ' this is your results and this is what you have to take"! But no body is really elaborating or discussing this is so annoying and as long as I just started herbal studies, in our world nothing can't be reversed so I am researching since then hashimotos should be gluten free, dairy free and grain free!! I am handling the gluten free but other things seems difficult for me. So back to my results
FT3 SI units 4.39 pmol/L (3.1. -6.8 normal range) conventional unit 2.86 ng/ml (normal range 2.0-4.4) FT4 SI units 16.34 pmol/L ( normal 12.0 - 22.0) conventional units 1.27 ng/dl (normal 0.93 - 1.70) TSH SI units 4.030 mU/L conventional units 4.030 uU/ml the normal range is 0.30 - 2.80
I am hesitant coz it's not the natural hormone it's synthetic too and everything not natural harms the body in my point of view and I don't want to be an experiment for drs I don't know what to think anymore
Dr Hikaru Hashimoto (1881 - 1934)
(healing. com)
extracts from:
Endocrine Today - November 2007
"After making a great discovery early in his career, Dr Hashimoto left his academic pursuits for a career as a hometown family physician.
At age 35 Dr Hashimoto identified a form of thyroiditis that would be later classified as the most common cause of Hypothyroidism. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..
He was infected with typhoid fever on one of his house calls.
He died on 9 January 1934 before receiving wide recogniton for the discovery of goitrous Lyphocyctic thyroiditis or Hashimoto's Disease.
Occurring almost twice as often in women than men, Hashimoto's disease is now recognised as an autoimmune disease and the primary cause of Hypothyroidism. "
Rulaaj
Don't understand why you would feel the need to go "grain" free or dairy free ??
Strenuous exercise is not recommended. Gradually increasing stress-free gentle exercise (if possible) is: - Such as walking, swimming or gentle exercise in pool.
Levothyroxine is not a drug. It is the replacement hormone which is needed when the body isn't producing enough. Hashimoto's Autoimmune Thyroiditis is not curable. The Hypothyroidism that it causes is treatable - with the Levothyroxine. That's the starting 'position' for newly diagnosed patients.
Every cell in the body needs thyroxine in order to function. Without it the body doesn't work properly. Every organ is affected. That's why we have so many symptoms and medical issues. Metabolism is slowed, there is (usually not always I have heard) unexplained weight gain.
Once on full dose of Levothyroxine and stable, the only way to lose weight is by keeping to a strict, healthy-eating, well balanced diet of 1000 - 12000 calorie a day - and gradually increasing exercise , as mentioned, to 3 extra sessions of 30 minutes (as far as I am aware).
Weight does not suddenly 'drop off' as quickly as it went on after starting Levothyroxine - unfortunately.
Many people suffer symptoms for a long time before they get their diagnosis and treatment and are relieved when, finally, they are prescribed their Levothyroxine.
ps
That should be, of course,
' 1000 to 1200 calories a day '
not 12000 !
X
Phew! I did think that should be 1200!!
ps
Please be reassured that you have not been prescribed Levothyroxine to be
" . . an experiment for doctors . . . "
but for your health's sake.
My concern would be - should you have been presribed a higher dose?
If this were me I would be wanting to know when my next blood test and dose increase were going to be.
X🐥
Thank you Mary-intussusception for your answers and support. I am studying alternative medicine and in our dictionary we can reverse diseases even autoimmune diseases and in most cases when you want to cleanse your body you usually go on gluten free dairy free diet but I have read a lot that most grains they cause attacks in the thyroid check this site
drknews.com/autoimmune-gut-...
There are supplement beside the diet that should be taken to help in this matter. This is new to me and still in a shock and can't digest until now that I have it but I am trying to find other natural solutions that would help me keep the dose low🙏
Your own antibodies attack your Thyroid.
The natural solution to lack of Thyroxine hormone is its replacement.
You won't help yourself by taking less than you need. Doubt you'll ever feel better on 25mcg. What are your test results and ranges? Date of next tests?
You should consider asking your doctor to also do the blood tests for nutrients levels already mentioned above.
My dr refused at first to put me on medicine coz it was borderline, when I went to another dr this year she was shocked that I haven't been put on medication so I just started Mary, I saw another dr in a different country and I explained my concern for her about levothyroxine and she prescribed for me Armour or cytomel but they are not available so I am now on this Levo dose until I receive my Med as I ordered it from an international pharmacy then I will take it and do some tests after one month so I am now on a waiting mode 😢
It can take some time before we begin to feel the benefit of our Levothyroxine Rulaaj. I just quickly read through your other post thread, you've had some helpful replies there also. With Hashimoto's bloods can fluctuate. So many people on here suffer and wait for the doctors to diagnose and treat.
You are on the right road to recovery now. Yes you are on waiting mode, but you should feel better with time. I think it is impossible to succeed in losing weight when untreated Hypothyroid. Remember to take your Levothyroxine on its own with water and no other medication or supplements. Eating a healthy balanced diet helps generally. You may wish to consider changing your exercise regime if it is strenuous. Do you like swimming and /or walking?
I hope when you are retested next month that you are presribed the appropriate increase. You can always post again with full details, date of tests and ranges also for nutrients levels if you get them done.
When we're anxious about our weight gain this can cause stress which itself can cause more weight gain! Hopefully, once you reach your optimal dose and symptoms subside you will have some success with healthy reducing diet. I start the day with a banana, water and decaf tea. (That is some time after taking my 75mcg Levo in the early hours). Losing weight will be gradual at only one pound a week or fortnight maybe - that's the healthy way to do it. But in 3 to 6 months time that would be a loss of one stone or 6 - 7 kilos. Something to look forward too!
I'm not managing to keep to the 1000 to 1200 calories a day at the moment. I have lost some weight, but happy to not be increasing anymore!
I was late diagnosed and treated after many years of suffering symptoms. The weight would just pile on after every cold or throat infection when (unknown to me at the time) my antibodies were attacking my thyroid as well as my infection!
Over the years I gained 5st (about 33 kilos?) I am now just under 4st overweight.
Once you are over the shock of your diagnosis and get into a routine with your new medication, I think you are going to be fine.
X🐥
Thank you Mary for your replies and support. Hopefully I will get used to this new life style soon, it's a big jump though I have been on gluten free most of the time. Today I have flu symptoms chills and head ache, feeling down a bit. My kids are annoyed for me. Ring tired most of the time I hope I will be over this soon.
I want to ask you about levo. I read sometimes it's helpful to take the dose at night! Do you have an idea about the way i can take it at night, it sounds for me more reasonable to avoid cortisol levels in the morning
I have read on here that if you take it at night then in needs to be at least 2 hours after last food and drink. Also no other medication or supplements to be taken at the same time. Take only with water. So that would certainly help with the diet! No bedtime snacking!
Many on here take it when they get up in the night to go to the loo , around 3 am like me, but that probably isn't applicable to you. Hopefully, you get a good night's sleep!
It all depends what other medications you take and what supplements you may be prescribed following your nutrients tests / or take.
I didn't know till I joined here about the nutrients. I learned that we can have absorption issues. I also learned that people with Diverticular disease (which I've had since in my thirties) can have absorption issues. So that's 2 reasons doctors should have tested but I had to ask. I have Folate deficiency and Vitamin D insufficiency. So get these supplements on prescription now.
Pardon my ignorance, but I'm not sure what you mean when you say ' . . to avoid cortisol levels in the morning ' Could you explain? Did you have any tests /investigations to check your adrenals glands?
I was 'diagnosed ' by an Endocrinologist after I'd already been told I have Hashimoto's by a woman on a Thyroid helpline! The Endo arranged a Short Synacthen Test to check my adrenals first before I started my Levothyroxine.
You must feel really awful just now with flu symptoms on top of everything else. Hope you are spoiling yourself with your most tasty, favourite food and lots of hot drinks or any fluids. What do you take for pain/symptoms paracetamol or aspirin?
Are your kids very young?
X🐥
I have two kids a girl that's 9 years and a boy 11 years. I am stressed because of their fights most of the time. It's soo frustrating 😌 Mary it's recommended to take the medicine at night because cortisol levels that inhibits the conversion of FT4 to FT3. Normally, cortisol is present in the body at higher levels in the morning and at its lowest at night. That's why they recommend in some case to take the pill at night. Please read this reticle ..
hypothyroidmom.com/cortisol...
My chills comes and goes, now I feel better. I took only Panadol and tend not to take more often but I sweep into my bed for a bit I think it was an attack, this started two years ago but now I understand why I get those chills and fever sensation. I don't get sick more often that surprises me as part of hashimoto is having colds but thank God I rarely have one
I have been thinking of taking mine at night again. At the moment though I sometimes eat later than usual. So 2.30am - 3.30 am is working for me just now.
Children are such a blessing aren't they AND such hard work !!
Hope over the next couple of months you will be feeling better once your dose is sorted. Stress just doesn't help does it.
xxx
🐥
ps
I don't understand why, but I don't get notifications when you reply. So sorry for the long pause between replies.
X
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