After Thyroidectomy problems

[hoperoberts]

How do I stop losing weight by taking levothyroxine medication and having headaches daily.?

[Nanaedake]

It might help if you put some information on your profile. What was the reason for thyroidectomy?

[Jazzw]

We need lots more info Hope. I see from another post that you’re on 125mcg levothyroxine.

When did you have the thyroidectomy?

You say you’re losing weight? Lots of weight or just a little?

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Headaches are common hypothyroid symptom

For full Thyroid evaluation you need TSH, FT4 and FT3 tested. Also EXTREMELY important to test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12

Low vitamin levels are extremely common on levothyroxine

Ask GP to test vitamin levels

Do you always get same brand of levothyroxine

Which brand

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)

Add results and ranges if you have any

Or come back with new post once you get results

[VikingMama16]

Hi, everyone on here replying with what I would say as well but if you're losing weight it sounds like your dose maybe a little too high. Your dose affects your metabolism so if it's too high, metabolism will be working hard whereas too low a dose will cause metabolism to slow. I had totally thyroidectomy December 2018 & weight has been up & down since then because of adjusting the dose, finding the right brand (one brand the potency may be right at say 100mcg whereas another brand taking the same dose would equate to 75mcg of active ingredient) as well as other factors like menstrual cycle & heat affecting the medication.

[Jazzw in reply to VikingMama16]

Possibly—but losing weight can be an undermedicated symptom too. If you’re on so low a dose you can’t be bothered to do anything—don’t actually have the energy to do anything and find yourself feeling really ill—then feeding yourself can go right to the bottom of your to-do list and rapid weight loss follows.