Putting on weight every week

[Auntbessy]

Hey everyone this is more of a moan. Before I got illl with Hashimotos in 2012, I was a size 10/12. Since my diagnosis and especially since my second child, I keep putting on weight!!!! I am now verging on a size 18. I actually eat less than I used to and am gluten and dairy free and don’t eat that much sugar or booze. I am not able to exercise much because I have two little kids and a job but I am not totally inactive. In fact I never sit down! I am going to have a proper blood test done next week which tests T4, t3, TSH, iron, b12 and selenium. Anyone have this problem and have found a solution??!!!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Essential to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 as well

Your ferritin was very low in recent previous post

[Jazzw]

How much levothyroxine are you taking?

[Auntbessy in reply to Jazzw]

150/125 mg every other day

[puffyface]

I found T3 to be the solution.

[penny]

I found that unless I was optimally medicated I could not lose weight but when I was I could using the 5:2. If your tests come back deficient in anything I would not try and diet until they were all satisfactory. (My opinion only.) I’m on T3.

[Auntbessy in reply to penny]

Hi Penny it’s my T4 to T3 conversion I’m most interested in when I go for my blood test next Friday. I’m kind of hoping it’s that simple but also worried that if it is T3 that I need, how the hell I will source it! And indefinitely for the rest of my life. I will be posting up my blood results as soon as I get them.

[penny]

Yes, sourcing T3 is a constant worry. I take 200mcg per day so have to find suppliers all the time. Dr. P. advised me to reduce my T4 (it may have been NDT at the time) and at the same time increase my T3 and keep a diary of my vital signs and symptoms. I found that I felt best on T3 alone. My GP tested my T3 many years ago and it was 0.03 and 0.01 respectively but would not diagnose me as hypothyroid as my tsh was ‘in range’. Stupid. Good luck.

[barb62]

Hi there, just spotted this post. This happened to me and I decided to try the Autoimmune Diet. SInce then I have lost all my weight and more. Its tough but I originally went on the diet to heal my gut, since Autoimmune diseases are caused by bad gut health. The weight loss is a bonus

[Auntbessy in reply to barb62]

Hiya, thanks for showing an interest 🙂 what sort of things did you cut out? I mostly eat a vegetarian gluten free diet and have tried a ketogenic diet recently but caved in to my old ways after a few weeks! Did you cut out coffee and alcohol?

[barb62 in reply to Auntbessy]

Yes coffee is not something you should not drink with hypothyroidism anyway it inhibits the absorption of T4. the AIP diet is very tough but you can eliminate foods gradually, I chose to go cold turkey as I was impatient. It eased my symptoms within weeks and as I said the added bonus was losing weight. There is loads of information on the internet, Dr Amy Myers and Dr Izabella Wentz are brilliant. Depends how desperate you are to mend things, I got to a point that I needed to take control. I have been on it now for 7 months and I now 'eat to live' rather that 'live to eat'. I will be looking to reintroduce foods when I am sure my gut is healed. One thing for sure, I am now absorbing vits and minerals better so I know the gut is healing. Gut Microbiome is becoming huge in the world of research as a cause for most problems including some cancers. And.....no my single malt whiskey is off the menu for a while too! remember though I did it primarily to feel better and reduce my symptoms as daily life was becoming unpleasant. p.s. lived on donuts, cream cakes and chocolate...no more!