under active thyroid over weight

[luckyloz]

Hi I have underactive I try very hard to lose weight but unable to would love to be able to get some T3 not sure where to look anybody's any idea as to where to get some

[luckyloz]

Nice to talk to some one who understands

[RedApple Administrator]

luckyloz,

T3 is not a weight loss drug.

What thyroid medication and dose are you on at the moment?

[luckyloz in reply to RedApple]

I'm on 100 mill of thyroxine I'm overweight cannot get off I'm tired hard I'm tired I want to sleep all the time my blood tests I am fine have a dry skin I'm just exhausted please help I look after my grandchildren so I am busy I don't get time to rest I now have emphysema so the weights cause more problems and I'm trying to lose it and I can't I have diverticulitis and irritable bowel please help

[RedApple Administrator in reply to luckyloz]

It sounds as though you may not be on the right dose of thyroxine.

When do you take your thyroxine? Are you taking any other medicines?

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Luckyloz

T3 isn't a weight loss aid. It's used when we can't convert T4 (the inactive hormone) to T3 (the active hormone).

To know if you convert well enough or not, you need to test TSH, FT4 and FT3 at the same time.

You also need to test Vit D, B12, Folate and Ferritin. These need to be optimal for thyroid hormone to work properly, and essential to be at optimal levels before considering T3.

Post all your results, with reference ranges, and members will help.

[luckyloz]

What time make an appointment and get my doctor to test me for the items above thank you for your help really appreciate it I'm 67 I want life I don't want to be exhausted all the time thank you

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to luckyloz]

We always advise, when doing thyroid tests:

*Book the first appointment of the morning. This is because TSH is highest early morning and lowers throughout the day. If we are looking for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, or looking for an increase in dose or to avoid a reduction then we need TSH to be as high as possible.

* Fast overnight - have your evening meal/supper as normal the night before but delay breakfast on the day of the test and drink water only until after the blood draw. Eating may lower TSH, caffeine containing drinks affect TSH.

* If taking thyroid hormone replacement, leave off Levo for 24 hours before blood draw, if taking NDT or T3 then leave that off for 8-12 hours. Take your thyroid meds after the blood draw. Taking your dose too close to the blood draw will give false high results, leaving any longer gap will give false low results.

* If you take Biotin or a B Complex containing Biotin (B7), leave this off for 7 days before any blood test. This is because if Biotin is used in the testing procedure it will give false results (Medichecks definitely use Biotin, they have confirmed this and the amount of time to leave the supplement off).

These are patient to patient tips which we don't discuss with doctors or phlebotomists.

What other medication do you take, and do you take them at the same time a snake your Levo?

Levo should be taken on an empty stomach, one hour before or 2 hours after food, with a glass of water only, no tea, coffee, milk etc, just water only one hour either side of taking Levo.

Other medication and supplements should be taken at least 2 hours away from thyroid meds, some need 4 hours.

[SusanAR]

T3 definitely doesn’t help with weight loss. I put on over a stone taking it and I’ve had to stop it because I’m constantly hungry on it. I’ve decided to get on the right dose of Levo and not bother with the T3 as I can’t cope with the hunger and weight gain on it.

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to SusanAR]

That's interesting you say that as I'm finding I'm far more hungry now I'm on T3 then when I was taking NDT

[SusanAR in reply to Jodiedebs55]

I haven’t tried NDT but I definitely feel that the benefits of T3 are not worth having the negatives. I really didn’t cope with the hunger and the weight gain. I tried eating filling things like oats and bananas but I just craved carbs. I could easily eat a whole pizza then 4 slices of toast 😂. Then I felt lethargic because of too much wheat and carbs but that’s what I was craving on it. Definitely not worth it. I’ve reduced my T3 to 5mcg a day while I gradually build my T4 back up to where I felt best. It takes about 8 weeks for me to feel the benefit of T4 so when I get to 6 or 7 weeks I’ll stop the T3 completely! Then hopefully get rid of that stone 😂.

[NWA6 in reply to SusanAR]

😱 oh strange, aren’t we all different! I’ve been on T3 for a few weeks now and no cravings or overly hunger, I’d no real appetite before I started it (still put on 2stone though 😱) and now I’m eating at least 2 meals a day.

[SusanAR in reply to NWA6]

I was on it for about 2-3 months before the hunger started.

I started it in October and the hunger started around January. I gradually built it up from 5mcg once a day to 10mcg twice a day and was doing fine then it just hit me. It took me a while to realise the cause but the hunger has almost gone now I’ve cut it right back.

[NWA6 in reply to SusanAR]

😱 I hoping that’ll not be me!! I feel bloomin marvellous! I can’t pile on weight too! Lol

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to SusanAR]

Oh gosh that's not good but to be honest I'd already gained 3st whilst on levo only then a year of NDT iv been on 12mcg T3 and 75mcg T4 for about 2 month now and I must say apart from hunger pains which by the way I ignore and drink water instead, I feel absolutely amazing in fact it's like I no longer have hypothyroidism, iv not had my bloods done in 2 months but I don't care what they are to be honest because iv not felt this good in years , NDT made me feel better il not deny that but I still needed to nap daily and wasnt fully energised but since swapping to this combo with help from a member here iv not napped once , iv not lost weight but to be fair I'd rather feel this good and maintain this weight than feel like a living zombie and lose weight, it's the best change iv made in years , I hope you get your sweet spot soon 😁

[SusanAR in reply to Jodiedebs55]

I was like you, gained 4 stone over 2 years under medicated on levo. Then the endo upped my levo and I lost the 4 stone in 7 months. I felt great but not 100% so he lowered my levo again and added T3 to see if that worked. I felt a bit better but not better enough to put up with gaining a stone! So I’m back upping the levo and lowering the T3 and it’s coming off again. I feel fine so I’m just going to stay on that dose and hopefully lose the rest!

[Jodiedebs55 in reply to SusanAR]

Iv only just seen this , wow so increasing the T4 helped you lose the weight ? I think I'm undermedicated with T4 to be honest as iv not lost a anything in 3 years and I eat healthy and gluten free though I think jumping on the gluten free band wagon hasn't really made a difference if I'm honest as I feel no different and I wonder if maybe my problem is the T4 as I was originally on 150mcg and just dropped 25mcg each month until I got it to 75mcg simply due to the fact I'm convinced I'm more ill on it , need to get my bloods done then il know

[anniem79]

Have you had the gene test DIO2 ?

I was feeling so tired and couldn't shift my weight then discovered I had the faulty gene.

I'm now on combination of t4 and t3 and was advised by my endo ( I finally found a good one) to follow a low carb gluten free diet, I have lost over 2 stone. He also advised me when meds are increased to up intake of protein best advice I have ever been given, all other endo and GPS would just keep saying your levels are in range just go to the gym etc.

Good luck

[Lovecake]

I 100% agree with SeasideSusie.

I took her advice and got my vitamins and minerals optimal. (Well, just have folate to boost a bit more)..

It’s taken about a year as I added one thing at a time to check that they suited me.

I also take a good quality probiotic first thing before breakfast.

Check what you eat too. I keep off dairy and soy and gluten is greatly reduced (I struggle to go 100%). But also be aware that gluten free alternatives aren’t always the answer. I find too much corn gives me pain and makes me bloat.

So it’s a completely different mindset.

I have to admit I have a little T3, but the weight didn’t start reducing until the vitamins and minerals etc were really optimal. If you feel good in your mind then you end up doing a bit more and that on its own usually helps with weight.

Many others on here have recommended different diets (Paleo, keto etc) but I don’t do well if I can’t eat regularly and some carbs. We’re all different. My hubby is T2 diabetic and I eat a far better diet than him.

I think you should try and get all your levels optimal and then see how you feel. My sister did (she’s on levo only) and now does weight watchers and has lost weight that way.

[AGen]

After yrs of struggling with the weight (hyperthyroid & post menopause) my Dr suggested intermitten fasting. It worked and I lost 22 pds. Google intermittent fasting as there are several ways to do it. I personally am not a breakfast person so aside from 2 cups of coffee in the am I only eat between 12-6 pm. Occassionally I may go out to dinner with a friend later than that but it's fine.

[Jodiedebs55]

I take 12mcg T3 and 75mcg T4 I'm hypo and have hashi's trust me when I tell you T3 is NOT a weight loss drug in fact iv gained 3st in 2 years NDT didn't shift my weight and neither has T3 and T4 Iv come to accept it now even though I eat healthy I'm 100%Gluten free and take moderate exercise, i doubt il ever get my size 8 figure back so I'm embracing my curvy size 12 /14 even though it actually caused me to have depression as I was devastated to gain 3st and had no control over it, sorry to burst your bubble but it's not true to say it's a guaranteed way to lose weight 😔

[Junep]

Well I have to say , that I was on T3 for around 2 years and definitely lost weight . I've had to come off it as I was losing a lot of hair , plus I stopped feeling good on it . I'm now on NDT and have put weight back on and don't really feel as good . It just shows how individualistic , thyroid problems are and how people react differently to the same medication . I wish I had answers as I find it very frustrating not being able to understand why these things happen.