Weight loss

[Charliesays77]

Hi, I'm looking for advise please, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 2 years ago now. I have gained 4 stone in 3 years & I have been trying desperately to try and loose this excess weight by keeping my calorie intake between 1200 - 1500, doing hiit work outs every other day for 4 months now and I have only lost 2lbs. I am at the end of my tether, this is unbelievable frustrating & brings me close to tears every time I step on the scales. My last 2 blood tests have shown that my levels are fine, I have an appointment with my GP in 4 days & I want to be armed with the right questions to ask her. Please help

[seekingjenna71]

I feel our pain!

For me a low carb diet used to drop the weight but now t only maintains. Any other diet does nothing.

I'm trying so many different things now to improve my Vitamin levels and make sure my thyroid levels are as good as they can be for me.

Unfortunately my GP us very quick to say all is fine when maybe it's not for me(or you).

Do you have recent blood tests?

I'm sure if you post all results here someone may have some advice for you.

Wishing you well 😊

[Charliesays77 in reply to seekingjenna71]

These are all my blood test results

Aug 2016 - Serum TSH level - 9.71 miU/L

Aug 2016 - Serum free T4 level - 10.8 pmol/L

Sept 2016 - Serum TSH level - 0.92 miU/L

March 2017 - Serum TSH level - 0.3 miU/L

Oct 2017 - Serum TSH level - 0.48

She started me of on 100mg of levothyroxine now I'm on 125mg.

[seekingjenna71 in reply to Charliesays77]

Unfortunately the TSH us not enough. Mine is slightly below range and I still can't lose weight.

Try again with your GP to get the tests suggested by SeasideSusie

[Charliesays77 in reply to seekingjenna71]

I've recently started taking Ashwagandha root extract, selenium & probitics, as they were recommended to me to help my thyroid.

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

What exactly are these 'fine' levels? Doctors say everything is fine or normal just because they are somewhere within the range, but that doesn't mean that you are optimally dosed.

Can you post your results, with reference ranges, and we can comment. We are legally entitled to our test results in the UK so if you don't already have then ask at your surgery's reception for a print out (don't accept hand written or verbal results, mistakes can happen).

Ideally you need

TSH

FT4

FT3

Thyroid antibodies

Vit D

B12

Folate

Ferritin

FT3 is rarely done but that's the most important test. If FT3 is low it causes many symptoms and you won't be able to lose weight

[Charliesays77 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Thanks Susie, I have posted all the blood test results I have been given, I will ask for all of the above to be tested, do you think I should I ask my GP to reffer me to an endocrinologist?

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Charliesays77]

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4, TT4, FT3 plus TPO and TG thyroid antibodies. Plus vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12.

Essential to test thyroid antibodies, FT3 plus vitamins

Private tests are available. NHS often refuses to test FT3 or antibodies if TSH is in range

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

Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin or Blue Horizon Thyroid plus eleven are the most popular choice. DIY finger prick test or option to pay extra for private blood draw. Both companies often have money off offers.

All thyroid tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and fasting and don't take Levo in the 24 hours prior to test, delay and take straight after. This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, GP will be unaware)

If antibodies are high this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).

About 90% of all hypothyroidism in Uk is due to Hashimoto's

Dr Toft, past president of the British Thyroid Association and leading endocrinologist, states in Pulse Magazine,

"The appropriate dose of levothyroxine is that which restores euthyroidism and serum TSH to the lower part of the reference range - 0.2-0.5mU/l.

In this case, free thyroxine is likely to be in the upper part of its reference range or even slightly elevated – 18-22pmol/l.

Most patients will feel well in that circumstance. But some need a higher dose of levothyroxine to suppress serum TSH and then the serum-free T4 concentration will be elevated at around 24-28pmol/l.

This 'exogenous subclinical hyperthyroidism' is not dangerous as long as serum T3 is unequivocally normal – that is, serum total around T3 1.7nmol/l (reference range 1.0-2.2nmol/l)."

You can obtain a copy of the articles from Thyroid UK email print it and highlight question 6 to show your doctor

 please email Dionne at

[e-mail]

Also request list of recommended thyroid specialists.

It can be waste of time just seeing a random endocrinologist, majority are Diabetes specialists, not Thyroid

[Charliesays77 in reply to SlowDragon]

Thank u so much for all the info, you have been a great help to me, I can't thank u enough. I will let you all know how I get on x

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to Charliesays77]

Charlie

I think the first thing to do is see what the full range of blood tests throw up. Even with a referral endos refuse to see patients when their test results are in range. To be honest, most endos are diabetes specialists and know very little about treating hypothyroidism and have kept or made patients very ill. You may very well be better not seeing one, there is more information available from the collective experience of hypo patients on the forum than you are likely to get from an endo who isn't a true thyroid specialist (and they are as rare as hen's teeth).

[Charliesays77 in reply to SeasideSusie]

Ok thanks for the heads up, I will post my blood test results on here as soon as I get them & go from there.