Do doctors consider the weight of the patient when prescribing the dosage of levothyroxin?My endo referred to this on my last visit when I complained I'd put on a lot of weight recently. I had an idea that an increased dosage may help with weight loss.
He told me not to use hypo as an excuse which p'd me off especially as it was in front of my daughter!!!
Anyway the anger was positive because I went to a dietician and have managed to lose 3 stones!
So does this mean I have to look at reducing my Levo dose (88 mcg)
I wonder......
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Crete
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Doctors can be so rude to patients, when we always treat them with respect. I have in the past told them what I think of their attitude if they have said something rude to me. The trouble is they then write you are a troublesome patient on your records which I have seen time and time again. All I will say is that some think they are gods when in fact they are just like you and me ordinary people . Having said that there are some good Doctors but I seem to meet all the bad ones who just happen to be treating thyroid disease. Btw how big was the Doctor who said this? I have seen a few overweight Doctors and nurses in my time and I think they should practice what they preach!
Well actually he was slim unfortunately- but I did say "it's all right for you !" To which he replied that he had to fight to keep as he was...
I wanted to prove that I couldn't lose weight- but ended up proving him right - I was using my thyroid issues as an excuse and I was really over-eating!!!
Hi Crete, the average dose is two grains of NDT and 150 mcgs of T4. I think you have been undermedicated and that may be why you are gaining weight. It's rare to reduce thyroid hormone after initial adjustments.
Usually an insulin resistance problem is a main cause of weight gain. Your body uses carbs for metabolism and any fat will be stored. As long as you have any carbohydrates in your digestive tract, it will always store the fat. They once recommended never eating fats and carbs together for that reason. If you make an effort to change that and use fats for energy you will find it easier to maintain or lose weight. This takes training your body and really reducing carb consumption and adding more fats...good fat like avocado and nuts.
Yep- that's why I went to the endo to suggest I was undermedicated- having learnt a few things from this forum. Then he suggested the only reason he would increase my dosage would be because I weighed more...
So now that I weigh less does that mean I no longer am undermedicated?
Or is it of no relevance at all and I should review again after my next blood tests(October)?
Not necessarily. What about other symptoms? Are you sleeping well, do you need naps, do you have enough energy for your work, etc.?
Have you tried unfiltered apple cider vinegar with meals? This blocks starch, kills bacteria and adds probiotics. It's these changes that helps regulate weight.
Hello Heloise, just butting in on this chat, can I ask in what format do you take apple cider vinegar? And how much do you take of it? Do you take once a day ? Many Thanks
Hi Malteser, I kept the vinegar in the fridge with a small glass and took about two teaspoons just before eating. It has to be the unfiltered vinegar. I did it with two meals a day. The real reason for weightloss is the change in your microbiome and the bacterial change that takes place. It got me past that set point that always stopped weight loss at a certain plateau. Try to get your body using more fats less starch. I haven't gained weight since doing this and it's the only thing I've done. I hope it works for you.
I've learned so much from the summits provided by functional doctors. I see one beginning soon about this topic if you care to watch. They give a link for each day's discussion if you sign up. It's free for initial viewing. If you want to preserve the information they offer to sell the downloads but no pressure to buy.
I know it's hard to get an FT3 but that would be more helpful. Your TSH is still too high. A normal dose for T4 is around 150 more or less. I'm a medium size and take either 2 grains of NDT or 50 mcgs of T3 which are more or less equal.
I've been on this forum for six years. Nothing has changed with endos. It's the training. We have to seek functional doctors who now know so much more about autoimmune issues. People like this: youtube.com/watch?v=SDphVgA...
There are many doctors on the internet who know exactly what to do. Dr. Tom O'Bryan and Izabella Wentz who has a great book you could learn a lot from.
Oh, sorry to hear about the cancer. I had Hashimoto, Graves and three nodules, but thankfully no cancer.
I think that double the weight to start with is a good aprox. but of course each body is different and each person has an optimum range. Mine at 125 seems to be working well with T4 in the top range, T3 in the mid range and TSH at .9. I have not gained any weight and I am trying not to loose either as I read it is key to feeling well when in thyroid replacement therapy. My surgery was 3 months ago and I feel so much better than pre-op and normal for the first time in years!! I hope it stays like this 🤞🏻
Aha so my starting dose was low- I weighed about 85 kilos then and was started on 88mcg and never increased even when I went up to 93 kilos! So now I'm down to 76 it's still low....
Having been advised on this forum previously of this and getting no joy from endo I tried an increase to 100 mcg but felt so "buzzy" I was scared and went back down... must admit I feel ok on this dose.....
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