Hypothyroid, exercise, activity

[Dandelade]

Morning virtual peeps,

I wonder if all you people who have gone through everything before me can part some wisdom this way?

I’m hypothyroid and on 125mcg levothyroxine, feeling really good. “Normal” feels practically euphoric and I’m so relieved to be symptom free. I have another couple of months before reviewing but think for body weight I’m on the right dose.

I feel really greedy but my attention is turning to what I Can do now. I know I should just count myself lucky I’m relatively normal now. I always had in my head that being to do my job, walk the dog and have enough energy to do a couple of hours work in the evening and a chat with my wife would be the ultimate goal. Now I’m there. Which is awesome.

But. Activity/ exercise still feels a step too far. I can do whatever I want but then have to rest for the rest of the day. I’m not talking anything vigorous,- an hours gardening or low resistance stuff like sit ups and leg raises. I’m not out of breath or aching muscles it just feels like I’ve used my quota of energy (t3?) up and can’t do normal activity on top of exercise. It’s either/or.

Is that how it is now? I’m not consistent enough for exercise to impact a long term change in tsh I think. I’ve read past posts about exercise. Euthyroid people would have bodies that release more t4 as needed, whereas whatever dose we’ve got as medication is it. So I don’t think pacing/ graded exercise would help and am aware of the NICE guidelines for exercise and ME. Do I have to just learn how to manage an active day?

I feel guilty for even thinking about wanting more and am coming to terms with how it’s going to be, probably forever. I guess this is just a massive dump of my thoughts. So thank you for reading till the end!

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Looking at previous posts you only had increase in levothyroxine 10 days ago

Your levels will take several weeks to settle

Recommend getting full thyroid and vitamin testing done minimum of 6-8 weeks after this latest dose increase

Do you always get same brand levothyroxine at each prescription

What vitamin supplements are you currently taking

When did you last test vitamin levels

[Dandelade in reply to SlowDragon]

I know I’m being incredibly impatient! I will give myself a slap 😂 Same brand levo and vitamin d, folate supplements which have improved and now all vitamin levels tested half way through range. But seriously do people do people manage eventually to do more “stuff”?!

[fuchsia-pink]

Not necessarily no! It sounds as if you are getting there in terms of being on the right meds - but not quite where you need to be ... so get another blood test when you've been on your current dose for a good two months and see where you are (including measuring free T3). I'm 15 years older than you and feel I'm a perfectly medicated - and I do a 5 mile coastal walk every morning and still have energy for a bit of gardening, a swim (when the sea is rather warmer than it is now!) or whatever, or a full day babysitting a toddler grandchild, including "horsey rides", chasing him around and walking with him up on my shoulders. I say this just to show that it's possible to be completely properly well - as you were before x

[Dandelade in reply to fuchsia-pink]

That is incredibly comforting, thank you so much for your reply! I will endeavour to find my patience 😬

[Sparklingsunshine in reply to Dandelade]

Hi

I've always been very active, pre pandemic and pre hypothyroid I was at the gym 5 days a week, doing intense cardio and heavy weights. My gym went bust during covid and I haven't found the motivation or the courage to go back elsewhere.

Although triple vaxxed I'm wary of catching covid and an environment of air conditioned heavy breathing does concern me. I've got some pieces of cardio equipment and some weights at home which I use regularly and I walk, a lot lol.

Since being on Levo I have found I'm not as energetic as before, in as much as I can't sustain activity for as long. I need to have more water breaks during a workout, for example.

It could be that I'm 2 years older than when I was at the gym, or that my overall fitness has dropped, despite my best efforts. Or it could be that as you say being on Levo gives you a finite amount of energy and once it's gone that's it. I don't know lol. Maybe someone on here might know.

[Dandelade in reply to Sparklingsunshine]

Thank you for sharing your experience Soarklingsunshine. I guess time will tell for us all! In the meantime, I’m holding onto the positive experiences of others, and checking the back of the sofa for that pesky patience!

[Runner25 in reply to Dandelade]

Hi There

Sorry to hear that you are struggling a bit with exercise. I can wholeheartedly say that I know how you feel and that you mustn’t give up! I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid 3 years ago, but even a year before that my running was becoming more difficult. I also developed headaches something that I have never suffered with and also period of feeling very flat and completely fatigued and generally very ill. I used to run marathons and would run 3 times a week and just felt very fit. I have to be honest and say that marathons are a no no for me now, but I do still run 3 times a week probably only 7k each run. I also walk my dog and do sit ups! At times I just felt like giving it all up, because exercise was making me feel worse not better! I’m so glad I’ve stuck with it and maintained some fitness, even if I have had to adapt a bit. I would say to you, perhaps don’t expect to do as much as before (I know I know that’s not what you want to hear) but DEFINITELY do not give up! So start back slowly, keep doing the weights and some cardio and listen to your body! Unfortunately an under active thyroid, if your medication isn’t optimal, will make us feel like we can’t be bothered so check your T3,T4 and make sure you’re getting enough Vit D, B Vitamins, iron and selenium! Not sure what medication you’re on, but I definitely felt a lot better after starting T3 that I had to get privately. Levo just wasn’t enough for me and that’s the same for many others too. Start back slowly, keep positive, keep healthy and don’t give up! Good luck, you can do it!!!! X

[Dandelade in reply to Runner25]

Only 7ks! Wowers, that’s brilliant and great to know it’s achievable thank you. I feel like a bear stretching from their winter hibernation at the moment and dipping my toe in to see what I can do. Will wait until after Easter before the first tentative run I think! In the meantime gentle bits here and there, listening to my body. Thank you for inspiration!

[BiscuitBaby]

Hi Dandelade. I'm pleased you are feeling better. It can be a long old old road back to wellness. I just wanted to say that I too used to be very fit and active before my diagnosis nearly 3 years ago. Since then I have tried hard to maintain some level of fitness, even when it felt like I was making myself worse. I find now that little and often works better. If I want to do a bike ride, I plan around it so I have nothing to do after or the next day! My body definitely behaves differently now. I don't have the strength or flexibility and my heart rate rockets now! Running again is my goal but I have come to the conclusion that I'll not have any long runs in my legs now! This is disappointing but when I think about how unwell I used to feel, I am OK with this. Listen to your body. If it doesn't feel good, don't do it. Also the advice from some of the other members can be invaluable. Without this I'm not sure where I'd be today! Certainly nowhere near as well as I do today!

[Dandelade in reply to BiscuitBaby]

Thank you BiscuitBaby - loving the user name btw! I am keeping perspective too and very grateful to be where I am. Just tentatively trying out my body now!

[BiscuitBaby in reply to Dandelade]

Good plan. I'm not sure about the whole mechanics of this but it seems to me that we have a finite energy level and once we reach capacity that's it! The trick is working out what your capacity is! That, I have discovered, is trial and error. Might help to keep a diary. Also, you might find as you increase activity you might need a dose increase. Good luck.

[tattybogle]

under promise .. over deliver .. leads to a happier state of mind. I reckon it's best not to expect that you will ever be 'exactly' the same again, accept that it's in your own interests to listen to your body more, and allow for the fact that if you choose to use up the last drop of capacity, you may well have to pay it back later in a way that costs more than you bargained for.

Don't do what i did and get naffed off and let the motivation to exercise fall by the wayside because your ego is dented about having a lower level of achievement than you had before ...... Do keep everything working . flexible . strong.. but aim for using 60/70 % of capacity and more important ...being able to do the same level again tomorrow.

And with any luck .. if you have this as a mindset ... and are kind to yourself and consistent and patient (lol) you may be posting again in 6 months saying .. actually , i can now do more than i thought i could.

[Dandelade in reply to tattybogle]

Thanks tattybogle, some great advice there that I’ll take to heart!

[SarahJane1471]

WOW 😯. Well I will never be able to run a half marathon or even 5K but I can now walk my dogs for an hour in the morning and enjoy the walk rather than feel like I’m walking through treacle 🤷‍♀️. But my part-time work as a housekeeper/ cleaner is still half the hours pre Levo. But I look at the positives. I can accept that my energy levels are not as they were, however I have “incentive “ and that’s a great feeling 🙏

[Dandelade]

Yep, enjoying dog walking was the first thing I got back to. It’s a great feeling and fab attitude - progress is progress however small the wins!