I have noticed since I’ve stopped smoking I feel like my thyroid is not working properly. Anybody know if stopping smoking can change thyroid levels? I take synthroid, and have been on it for 6 years. Have been a smoker for 25 years. Quit 3 months ago.
Thanks in advance.
Well done for giving up smoking! You will really benefit from it. Smoking may have made you feel stimulated, masking the feeling of low thyroid. At least now you will have a better knowledge of when you need to get blood tests done and check your dose of Levothyroxine.
If you've not had blood tests recently. Get them done as it sounds like you might be undermedicated. Post them here for help when you've got results.
Some of these may be relevant to you.
Mary Shomon on thyroid and smoking: verywell.com/cigarette-smok...
Scroll down to: Does Smoking Cessation Cause Hypothyroidism?A Closer Look at Smoking Cessation, Weight Gain and Hypothyroidism
See discussion in comments: healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Thank you
Well done for quitting smoking!! I had to do that as well many years ago, and it is not easy to do.
Smoking is a stimulant and may have kept your energy levels up. I am guilty of same by eating sugar. Bad idea, not unlike smoking. But it sounds like you already had the thyroid problem, and just did not feel the effects as much while smoking. Better to be in touch with what is going on in your body, not to mention bad effects of smoking. Maybe try a natural thyroid med like Armour Thyroid or NP Thyroid, which is the generic. It is better for you, and may produce better results??? I hope. I got sick on synthetics, but I am the unusual one.
Good luck!!
How did you react to synthetics if you don't mind my asking? I'm having terrible stomach issues. Thanks
Hi Nanny, I had stomach issues as well, so switching to the natural raw thyroid got rid of them. What a huge difference it made. Armour or NP Raw Thyroid must be by prescription from your doctor. The raw is supposed to work better too!! Hope that this helps!
Thanks I have talked to dr. about that but he seems to promote synthetics. Not happy about it either. Thanks a lot. G
Of course your doctor would promote synthetics. That is what they are taught in med school, and paid for in the states. I'd look for another doctor who is more open to natural substances. After all, it is YOUR body and life that is affected; NOT the doctors. Good luck with that. I know how difficult doctors can be.
Thanks for your reply
I started getting hypothyroid symptoms when after 12 to 18 months without a cigarette.
I thought I'd read somewhere about some benefits of nicotine (not the cyanide, tar, etc) but can't find it. I have found this though
thyroid-info.com/articles/s...
Very informative!
There is definitely a relationship between smoking and thyroid. Several members first hecane aware of being hypo after giving up smoking. There is something about the affect of smoking on the brain that masks the effects of hypo.
Congratulations forgiving up smoking! All it means is you may need a dose adjustment.
Thank you for your suggestions and comments.
I also gave up smoking in January this year. Then I noticed I was becoming tired,and my memory was terrible also rapid weight gain. In July I finally went to doctors diagnosed under active thyroid. She said I had probably been like this a long time. I didn't realize that smoking could mask symptoms. I am learning so much here.
My hypothyroidism became evident when i stopped smoking after 30 odd years. First I became
euphoric and hypomanic then crashed a few months later with no idea why. That was the start of my story 11 years ago. Nevertheless I am still very glad I stopped smoking when I did!
Yes, definitely a connection as far as I'm concerned.
Personally, I believe it is something to do with nicotine and metabolism. My symptoms flared up gradually after giving up and that's when I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism though blood tests of previous years show that my thyroid had been struggling for some time.
My TSH was just under 5 in 2011 but I wasnt diagnosed until 2014 when it was then 13.6 and I had stopped smoking some months before.
In fact,as the symptoms became more apparent, I couldn't smoke, it would have made me too sick. What's interesting is that nicotine has been found to help some conditions, ulcerative colitis in particular. There have been people tested to prove it. Interesting.
When I read it I actually considered using nicotine patches of a low strength to see if it helped with the sluggishness of my metabolism.
I didn't of course. Silly idea! 
Well done for battling the evil weed. Not easy!
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