Hi, I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid last May, 2019 and I am now 52. After my recent blood test last week, all seems to now be stable. I have been trying to lose weight for a long time and have tried several diets, although I do not eat massively anyway. A couple of months ago my husband bought me lots of gym equipment to help me get my weight under control. Since then, I work out for AT LEAST an hour a day, 30 minutes cardio and 30 minutes weights, 5-6 days a week. I am getting very upset, depressed and unmotivated as I have put on another half a stone. I just don’t know what to do, I feel so very low and down in the dumps. Any help / advice would be really appreciated xx
Trouble with weight: Hi, I was diagnosed with an... - Thyroid UK
Trouble with weight
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Oreo2012
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Hi. Do you have your test results with ranges on hand so that other experienced members can comment. This is just a thought of mine, but doing weights everyday, do you think your weight gain could be muscle rather than fat? I’m really sorry you’re feeling so low...this is such a horrible illness to have and no one understands unless we are going through it ourselves x
Hi there, unfortunately not as I was just told over the phone that the test has now, finally, come back normal. I could put a bit down to muscle but maybe not half a stone. It just seems I’m trying so very hard and getting absolutely nothing back. Feel so depressed, nobody to talk to about it (husbands tired of listening to me I think lol), just doesn’t seem there’s a way to lose this weight. I was a size 8 all my adult life, even after my children, until I had my son 12 years ago. Then I just couldn’t do anything with my weight. I had a thyroid test in 2014, I was told it was underactive and to have another 10 weeks later. When that came back just borderline they said nothing to worry about it’s normal. It’s only last year that I was finally diagnosed with it properly. X
I feel for you. 😔 I would definitely make a call to your Gp and ask for a copy of your results. You are legally entitled to them so they can’t refuse. When you get them, come back and do another post with results and ask again. Its very difficult for members to comment without knowing your levels. What dose are you currently taking? Do you know if you’ve had your vitamin levels tested as well? It does sound like you could be under medicated. I’m sure your husband loves you unconditionally whatever size you are but it’s how you feel and it’s obviously getting you down so start by getting your results x
How long have you been lifting weights and doing the cardio?
Hi, just over a month. I probably expect too much too soon but it doesn’t help me feeling very down 😢
SlowDragonAdministrator
Frequently the only thing GP tests is TSH ...which is completely inadequate
ALWAYS get copies of test results and ranges
How much levothyroxine are you currently taking?
How long at that dose
Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine?
You are legally entitled to printed copies of your blood test results and ranges.
The best way to get access to current and historic blood test results is to register for online access to your medical record and blood test results
UK GP practices are supposed to offer everyone online access for blood test results. Ring and ask if this is available and apply to do so if possible, if it is you may need "enhanced access" to see blood results.
In reality many GP surgeries do not have blood test results online yet
Alternatively ring receptionist and request printed copies of results. Allow couple of days and then go and pick up.
Important to see exactly what has been tested and equally important what hasn’t been tested yet
For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 plus both TPO and TG thyroid antibodies tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12
Low vitamin levels are extremely common, especially if you have autoimmune thyroid disease (Hashimoto's) diagnosed by raised Thyroid antibodies
Do you have Hashimoto’s?
Ask GP to test vitamin levels
You may need to get full Thyroid testing privately as NHS refuses to test TG antibodies if TPO antibodies are negative
Recommended on here that all thyroid blood tests should ideally be done as early as possible in morning and before eating or drinking anything other than water .
Last dose of Levothyroxine 24 hours prior to blood test. (taking delayed dose immediately after blood draw).
This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip, best not mentioned to GP or phlebotomist)
Is this how you do your tests?
Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or thyroid antibodies or all relevant vitamins
List of private testing options
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/testin...
Medichecks Thyroid plus ultra vitamin
medichecks.com/products/thy...
Medichecks often have special offers, if order on Thursdays
Thriva Thyroid plus vitamins
Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes vitamins
bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...
Come back with new post once you get results
WOW, thank you for all that info. My doctor only has telephone appointments after a blood test but will call and ask for copies tomorrow. I didn’t know any of this, my doctor doesn’t even really talk to me about it or give advice. She just sort of says yes you’ve got it, yes take the tablets and doesn’t offer any advice for anything else. I will have a good read of this info now and get back on here when I have received the results. I am only on 75mg, so not overly severe, but also have peri menopause to cope with too 🤦♀️ Thank you very much X
What you mean is you are almost certainly under medicated..
We see thousands of patients left on 75mcg ...it’s only one step up from starter dose...enough to lower TSH but not enough to recover your health
Likely low vitamin levels as result
Low vitamin levels tends to lower TSH
GP training covers the entire endocrine system in 2 days....perhaps an hour or two on thyroid...they are frequently out of their depth. Despite 2 million people in the UK being on levothyroxine, standard testing and treatment is woefully inadequate...hence almost 108,000 members on here
Improving nutrients improves conversion
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Also ....guidelines by weight might help push for dose increase
Even though we often don’t start on full replacement dose, most people need to increase dose slowly upwards in 25mcg steps (retesting 6-8 weeks after each increase) until on full replacement dose of 1.6mcg per kilo per day
NICE guidelines on full replacement dose
nice.org.uk/guidance/ng145/...
1.3.6
Consider starting levothyroxine at a dosage of 1.6 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day (rounded to the nearest 25 micrograms) for adults under 65 with primary hypothyroidism and no history of cardiovascular disease.
BMJ also clear on dose required
Post re how to push for dose increase in levothyroxine
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu....
First step is to get copies of existing test results
Get anything not tested yet, tested ...privately if necessary
I am stunned 😳 I knew nothing about any of this, at all. I was already feeling a tad cross about being told that I’m under and then borderline, so therefore ok, a few weeks later in 2014. No help / advice was offered when I was crying about my significant weight gains, no help / advice on foods that are best or a diet 😔 etc. I am speechless. Thank you for all this information X
Read as much as possible
Find out if cause of your hypothyroidism is autoimmune...about 90% is so it’s highly likely
Read posts everyday...you can soon learn how important god vitamin levels are
Why just testing TSH is utterly useless
Etc etc
List of hypothyroid symptoms
thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...
Standard starter dose of levothyroxine is 50mcg (unless over 65 years old).
The aim of Levothyroxine is to increase the dose slowly in 25mcg steps upwards until TSH is under 2 (many patients need TSH significantly under one) and most important is that FT4 is in top third of range and FT3 at least half way through range
NHS guidelines on Levothyroxine including that most patients eventually need somewhere between 100mcg and 200mcg Levothyroxine.
nhs.uk/medicines/levothyrox...
Also note what foods to avoid (eg recommended to avoid calcium rich foods at least four hours from taking Levo)
All four vitamins need to be regularly tested and frequently need supplementing to maintain optimal levels
If you have high antibodies this is Hashimoto's, (also known by medics here in UK more commonly as autoimmune thyroid disease).
Hashimoto's frequently affects the gut and leads to low stomach acid and then low vitamin levels
Low vitamin levels affect Thyroid hormone working
Poor gut function can lead leaky gut (literally holes in gut wall) this can cause food intolerances. Most common by far is gluten. Dairy is second most common.
According to Izabella Wentz the Thyroid Pharmacist approx 5% with Hashimoto's are coeliac, but over 80% find gluten free diet helps, sometimes significantly. Either due to direct gluten intolerance (no test available) or due to leaky gut and gluten causing molecular mimicry (see Amy Myers link)
Changing to a strictly gluten free diet may help reduce symptoms, help gut heal and slowly lower TPO antibodies
While still eating high gluten diet ask GP for coeliac blood test first or buy test online for under £20, just to rule it out first
Assuming test is negative you can immediately go on strictly gluten free diet
(If test is positive you will need to remain on high gluten diet until endoscopy, maximum 6 weeks wait officially)
Trying gluten free diet for 3-6 months. If no noticeable improvement then reintroduce gluten and see if symptoms get worse
chriskresser.com/the-gluten...
amymyersmd.com/2018/04/3-re...
thyroidpharmacist.com/artic...
drknews.com/changing-your-d...
restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...
Non Coeliac Gluten sensitivity (NCGS) and autoimmune disease
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/296...
The predominance of Hashimoto thyroiditis represents an interesting finding, since it has been indirectly confirmed by an Italian study, showing that autoimmune thyroid disease is a risk factor for the evolution towards NCGS in a group of patients with minimal duodenal inflammation. On these bases, an autoimmune stigma in NCGS is strongly supported
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/300...
The obtained results suggest that the gluten-free diet may bring clinical benefits to women with autoimmune thyroid disease
nuclmed.gr/wp/wp-content/up...
In summary, whereas it is not yet clear whether a gluten free diet can prevent autoimmune diseases, it is worth mentioning that HT patients with or without CD benefit from a diet low in gluten as far as the progression and the potential disease complications are concerned
restartmed.com/hashimotos-g...
Despite the fact that 5-10% of patients have Celiac disease, in my experience and in the experience of many other physicians, at least 80% + of patients with Hashimoto's who go gluten-free notice a reduction in their symptoms almost immediately.
How much weight have you actually gained and over what time period, months,weeks?
It has fluctuated a lot. I have tried all sorts of diets and some worked for a short time. Atkins and Keto diets (Which are the only ones that did anything at all but only short term), weight watchers online (no difference), slimming world (I put weight ON), low calorie...all sorts. 12 years ago before my son was born I was my usual 8 stone, which I’d been all my adult life, but after he was born, until today, it has just gone up and up. I had a thyroid test done in 2014, it came back underactive but when the one 6 weeks after came back, she said that nothing is needed as it is now borderline. I have now put on a significant amount to what I used to be, which I put down to both perimenopause and hypothyroidism. Even last year when I was eventually diagnosed, she wasn’t even going to test me, it was my husband that insisted that she did.
Which brand of levothyroxine?
If it’s a single tablet it will be Teva as that’s only brand that makes 75mcg tablet
Levothyroxine is an extremely fussy hormone and should always be taken on an empty stomach and then nothing apart from water for at least an hour after
Many people take Levothyroxine soon after waking, but it may be more convenient and perhaps more effective taken at bedtime
verywellhealth.com/best-tim...
markvanderpump.co.uk/blog/p...
Many people find Levothyroxine brands are not interchangeable.
Once you find a brand that suits you, best to make sure to only get that one at each prescription.
Watch out for brand change when dose is increased or at repeat prescription.
Many patients do NOT get on well with Teva brand of Levothyroxine. Teva contains mannitol as a filler, which seems to be possible cause of problems. Teva is the only brand that makes 75mcg tablet. So if avoiding Teva for 75mcg dose ask for 25mcg to add to 50mcg or just extra 50mcg tablets to cut in half
Teva and Aristo are the only lactose free tablets
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
Teva poll
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
No other medication or supplements at same as Levothyroxine, leave at least 2 hour gap.
Some like iron, calcium, magnesium, HRT, omeprazole or vitamin D should be four hours away
(Time gap doesn't apply to Vitamin D mouth spray)
I have been told none of this information by my doctor. She calls me to tell me if it needs to go up and evades any other questions / concerns. She doesn’t even tell me when to make another appointment, a friend of mine that has it told me 10 - 12 weeks until it’s normal. I asked her about diet but she didn’t really respond, just said I would have to make a telephone appointment as this one is only for the results. The test has come back as normal at 75mg and so I don’t apparently need to speak with her, no idea when I would need another test done, and yes, the brand is Teva, I’ve just checked. I didn’t know about the hour lapse with just water, the tablets just say avoid caffeine for half an hour. My husband bought me a caffeine free barley hot drink to supplement my coffee buzz but have not been advised of anything from doctor. I was told to only take the tablets in the morning as that’s the best time. I would like to thank you very much for all your help and advice xx
So first step is to get hold of recent (and ideally previous) blood test results ...see EXACTLY what has been tested
GP will say any result in a TSH within range is “ok”
Usually range is roughly 0.2-4.8 (varies from lab to lab)
But on levothyroxine we almost always need TSH towards bottom of range ...at or under 1
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
tukadmin@thyroiduk.org
Median TSH graph in healthy population
healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...
I can’t thank you enough for all your help, I feel like I’m not battling this alone anymore 😊 x
shawsAdministrator
If you are taking levothyroxine alone, many people complain about weight gain and this could be due to you not yet being on a sufficient dose to raise your metabolism.
What dose of levothyroxine do you take? Do you have a print-out of your last blood test? with the ranges? Ranges are important as labs differ in their machines and therefore it is good to always get a print-out of the results, with the ranges for your own records and you can post on this forum for responses.
The aim is a TSH of 1 or lower with FT4 and FT3 in the upper part of the ranges. Unfortunately the latter two are rarely tested.
The following may be of interest.
Hi. thank you. Unfortunately I had absolutely no idea about all this information until today and I was diagnosed last May, 2019. Dr is not at all helpful and doesn’t give any advice on anything to do with the Thyroid and I had no idea about results, I’m just told whether ok or not.
I am on 75gms which isn’t a vast amount but result has come back now as normal. Thank you again x
Spring receptionist tomorrow and request printed copies of your blood test results
Ask about registering for online access to your medical record.....ask if it includes blood test results.
Takes a few days to set up,
Come back with new post once you get results
Hey Oreo2012 The best advice I can give you is get a nutritionist or dietician who has experience with people with Hypo thyroid. You really need to establish you baseline or maintenance calories as in how much you can eat on average a day while maintaining your weight. t can typically be between 200 -400 calories less than someone the exact same weight and height with no thyroid problems.
Once you have your baseline you can reduce your calories slightly and maintan that for 2 weeks tracking you weight carefully. Believe me I lost 10kg through diet with Hypothyroidism it wasnt easy but I have a nutritionist who keeps me accountable and monitors my trends in bodyweight and makes adjustments to my calories as I need it.
Honestly without strictly tracking for a while it may be hard to make much progress
Hi Oreo2012.
I too am a 53 year old perimenopausal lady. I have been in Levothyroxine since ages 26 when I was finding it hard to conceive and they discovered hypothyroidism was the reason why. I too find it very difficult to lose weight and I also undertake exercise - I love boxer use and cardio class. I did have some success losing weight with Michael Moseley’s 5:2 diet but it’s hard to maintain when you are feeling exhausted from peri menopausal symptoms. My youngest son is 14 now and my weight has gone up quite significantly. My latest blood tests are on my profile and are acceptable to me as being in a good place for me. I take 175 mcg Levo and feel well on this. I’m sure the knowledgeable folk in here will help you when you get your results. Take care.
Hi there annegal, thank you very much. My youngest son is 12 (nearly) and I am the same, my weight has gone up A LOT. My husband has bought me all the gym equipment from running machine down to kettle bells, I spend at least an hour a day exercising both cardio and weights, I also love kickboxing so have a little kick about on the punchbag lolol. I hope to speak with you again soon. X
Definitely. I see myself turning into my nana week by week.
Hi Oreo
I am in the same position as you. I have been told by my gp that my levels are ok, but I am gaining weight and I eat very healthy. My hair is also very dry. I have lupus also. I was diagnosed in 2016 after gaining weight and when I was put on levothroxine 75mcg, I did lose some weight but it is creeping up again and I definitely don’t overeat. I have read all the comments which are really helpful as my gp and my rheumatologist didn’t explain anything to me. Hope things get better for you
Hi, I have lost nothing at all and have worked out that I burn at least 1,200 + calories per week on cardio alone without weights etc. I threw the scales away as they were showing I’d put on just over half a stone in 3 days 🤣. We eat healthily too and, like you, have never been one to overeat. My doctor doesn’t really talk to me about Thyroid issues and offers no guidance / advice regarding weight loss. I hope you keep well x
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