How much?

[WallFlower0610]

Hope this will make sense.

How much (Levo)thyroxine will cause weight loss?

How much do normal healthy people have in dose measures?

[Lalatoot]

It is not how much it is being on the correct dose for you.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Lalatoot]

I want to be on enough so I lose weight

[SeasideSusie Remembering]

Wallflower0610

It's also having a good level of FT3. Low T3 makes weight loss difficult.

How much do normal healthy people have in dose measures?

Normal healthy people won't be taking Levo.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to SeasideSusie]

I know normal people don't have Levo, what levels do they have, what is that in doses - hope that makes sense

What are people with fast metabolisms - used to be me before had my thyroid killed off because of Graves - levels

[Lalatoot in reply to WallFlower0610]

It is wrong to try to replicate what levels normal people have or the levels you had before. Because our system is broken it doesn't work quite in the same way as before and perhaps not as efficiently. Others like me find that we need to have higher levels of FT4 and Ft3 to compensate for the fact that our bodies are no longer efficient at processing the thyroid hormones. I think these higher levels of hormones in our systems that we would have normally had means that we end up with suppressed TSH.

You need to optimise your FT4 and FT3 levels for you.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Lalatoot]

What doses are you on

[Lalatoot in reply to WallFlower0610]

I currently am on 100mcg levo and 20mcg lio (T3). My levo dose has recently been increased. I am trying to get my Ft4 and Ft3 levels balanced for me so I have been increasing my levo dose as it was 0% through the range at my last blood test.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Lalatoot]

I'm on 125 levo

[Lalatoot in reply to WallFlower0610]

I can't comment as to whether or not that is a good dose for you. The dose means nothing. It is the Ft3, ft4 and tsh results that would show how good that dose is for you.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Lalatoot]

I had a blood test a week ago and my levels are normal :/

[SeasideSusie Remembering in reply to WallFlower0610]

Wallflower0610

I know normal people don't have Levo, what levels do they have, what is that in doses - hope that makes sense

No, it doesn't really make sense. You are asking what levels do normal healthy people have - presumably their levels of TSH, FT4 and FT3? Then you ask in what doses - well doses usually means what dose of a medication does someone take.

If you are asking what levels of TSH, FT4 and FT3 a normal, healthy person without any thyroid problem has, well that varies with the individual. Normally they would have a TSH of no more than 2-ish and possibly an FT4 of around 50%, but because nobody is tested for a baseline when healthy then it's impossible to know where an individual's healthy levels are. And that will be different for everyone.

Whatever level a person who has a thyroid condition and is treated has can't be compared with a person who doesn't have a thyroid condition.

[Lora7again]

Normal people have a TSH of 1 or lower. I have actually put a couple of pounds on since the lockdown but I have been eating a few chocolate bars through utter boredom. I wouldn't worry about your weight at the moment because everyone is struggling and my neighbour asked if they could put some wine bottles in my bin because theirs was full. I am now sick of thinking up interesting food to cook every night and once restaurants re-open I will be eating out every weekend.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Lora7again]

I always worry and hate my weight these days. How much wine they drinking ! I'd love to eat out every weekend once they open again.

[Lora7again in reply to WallFlower0610]

I think they are having a bottle a night with their meal. I don't think it will hurt in the short term because when I go on holiday I usually have a glass of wine with my meal every night. I think they will stop once they get back to work but it is a worrying time for everyone healthwise and financially.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Lora7again]

Think everyone does that sort of thing on holiday. It definitely is a worrying time for a lot of people

[Louiserosie in reply to WallFlower0610]

I’m the same my weight dominates everything I do I put on 3st over the last year no one doctor would listen that it wasn’t normal for me I have always weighed 6 stone even during pregnancy I’d put no more than a stone on I have been living on one meal a day since December and work out for 2 hours a day I have lost 2st now but finally 3 weeks ago was told my levels are really high n low so started taking another 25mg every other day I hope this helps I just want to be me again and with this lock down I’m teaching the kids how’s to bake cakes n biscuits etc it’s so hard

[Hidden in reply to Louiserosie]

If you are hypothyroid be careful not to work out too much. Exercise lowers T3 and your body will struggle to replace it. Not only does over exercising when hypothyroid make you feel worse but it may cause you to put on more weight!

Pace yourself and rest when your body tells you to

[Louiserosie in reply to Hidden]

Oh no really I put myself through so much pain everyday my body aches all the time but my doctor said I have to work out twice as hard as someone without thyroid problems to lose weight I’m a fit person anyway I’m always walking and busy round the house I didn’t know this maybe I should just work out every other day thank you for telling me this

[Hidden in reply to Louiserosie]

Most doctors get minimal training about the thyroid. One lovely doctor admitted as much to me. And some of the training they do get is wrong.

...But I'm 99% certain this is correct. Others have asked questions or mentioned that they work out a lot without losing weight and the above is the answer from those who have been here a long time and do seem to know what they are talking about.

The advice isn't to stop exercising, but maybe go a bit easier than you have been doing, until hopefully you find a level and type of thyroid replacement that make you feel well enough to do more if you want.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Hidden]

Exercise doesn’t make you lose weight

[Hidden in reply to WallFlower0610]

But it helps heart and lungs, lowers blood pressure and makes you feel better. It also increases muscle and decreases fat. Not much change in weight because fat is lighter than muscle.

[Hidden in reply to Louiserosie]

"my doctor said I have to work out twice as hard as someone without thyroid problems to lose weight"

He sounds like a bit of a sadist!

It might help to try not to worry so much about gaining weight. I used to be a skinny, very bony 8 and a half stone until my 40s, then gradually put on weight, even without thyroid problems. Very annoying! But I'd rather be fat and reasonably well than thin, ill, exhausted and in pain.

If you are married or anything, tell yourself that many men like their women cuddly!

[Louiserosie in reply to Hidden]

Yes it’s destroying our relationship he says I look great I just see a blob when I look in the mirror it’s also effecting my 10 year old he said to me please mum eat some of your birthday cake I was gutted I thought to myself what am I doing but I’m just so tired now my body aches deeply I have to get up two hours early so I can work out I just wish I had someone to sit with me and go through it it seems my doctors I have seen 3 about this all tell me different I just don’t know what to do for the best

[Hidden in reply to Louiserosie]

You "Have" to get up two hours early in spite of being in such pain?

And you wouldn't eat any of your birthday cake?

And you worrying about your weight is affecting your relationship?

There's no easy answer, especially as the doctors seem to have let you down, but somehow you have to let go of this weight loss worry. Somehow you have to go easier on your poor body that is already struggling with the loss of energy caused by thyroid problems.

It is quite likely that you are undermedicated as well. Which itself can cause agitation and depression as well as weight gain, making the physical problems seem even worse. As if they weren't bad enough already!

Do you have any recent thyroid test results that you can post here, with reference ranges? Start a new thread, and hopefully some of us may be able to advise.

Sorry, WallFlower0610 , for hijacking your thread. But you are concerned about your weight too, so hope you don't mind. To me, weight gain in itself is far from the worst problem of being hypothyroid (mine is lack of mental energy and difficulty concentrating sometimes). But I'm over 70 and not married or anything, so less concerned about looking attractive.

[Louiserosie in reply to Hidden]

Hello thank you so much for your kind words I read this and burst into tears your right I am being to hard on my body so this morning I took my dog for a walk and only done a light 10 minute work out and my body isn’t aching as much as it normally is I actually feel happier I haven’t got no results my doctor has increased my meds I was taking 75mg now I’m taking 75 one day and a 100 the next I got a blood test the end of next month so I’ll see how that goes could I also please ask you if you take vitamins I take b’s selenium and zinc and magnesium I take them at different times of the day I was wondering if it is worth taking them I have been on them for about 9 month

[Hidden in reply to Louiserosie]

❤

I was a bit worried about saying too much but have a friend with anorexia (mostly under control now) and it it is a possible risk for anyone who worries too much about their weight.

Have you had vitamin D tested? What about iron? Most hypo people have low ferritin (iron storage), folate (one of the B vitamins, can't remember which one) and B12. Also low vitamin D. Any dose over 100iu needs to be taken with vitamin K2(7) and magnesium .

Even if we are low on vit D doctors will normally only give 800iu per day unless you are badly deficient and they think if yout blood test is over 50 (bottom of range) you are fine. But we need all vitamins and minerals optimal.

Take care x

[Hidden in reply to Louiserosie]

Forgot to say that you have a legal right of a copy of your blood tests. Ask at reception.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Hidden]

That’s alright, I don’t mind at all. I find the weight gain worse than anything else, then I find the exhaustion really hard. I have trouble with concentration.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Hidden]

I really miss being a size 6/8 - I thought I was fat then, all I saw was fat and wanted to be the smallest. When I was size 8 I wanted to be size 6 and when I was size 6 I wanted to be size 4 or 2. Now a size 12/14 and I hate it for so many reasons.

[Hidden in reply to WallFlower0610]

Try not to worry about your weight and just concentrate on your health. If you get your thyroid sorted (as much as is possible) it will make a huge difference to your wellbeing anyway.

[Hidden in reply to WallFlower0610]

I used to be a very bony 8 and a half stone, size 14 until my 40s. Now I'm a size 16 or so, but content - except for how the thyroid trouble makes me feel - especially tiredness and difficulty concentrating for long.

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Hidden]

Are you serious?? So not only weight is really easy to put on and really hard to lose, exercise makes it worse!! What am I and we supposed to do then??

[Hidden in reply to WallFlower0610]

Try and get optimally medicated? Exercise helps, but not too much or you will feel worse.

Weight gain is a comparatively minor problem - one of the many symptoms. But if your metabolism is sorted it should help

[WallFlower0610 in reply to Louiserosie]

What’s the cause of you being hypo?

[Louiserosie in reply to Lora7again]

Good one you x

[Cooper27]

The dose people require to have optimal thyroid levels varies from person to person. I could get there on 75mcg, whilst my friend could need 300mcg. There's not a good answer to your question I'm afraid.