My thyroid isn’t functioning well according to my body and blood work based on the amount of t3 I’m taking. Trying to get to the bottom of it. Anyhow I gained 10 pounds this winter which newer naturopath is blaming on lack of exercise/getting older (approaching 40). Not denying I could use more exercise (I work full time and have a 3 year old and no family around to help). I tried to explain that gaining 10 pounds was never my story and need to get to root of thyroid issue. In your experience is your thyroid is in a good spot do you gain weight if you aren’t exercising?
Thanks!
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Jesstuo
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Looking back, (I’m 67 now) things did change around 40 with metabolism. If I kept eating Ike I was 30, I was gaining weight with an office job and building a house on weekends.
Food today is less nutritious than in was 40 years ago and feeding instincts are confounded by stress. It’s quite common to gain weight as metabolism slows while eating continues apace.
I found an interesting solution. Brain injury. The brain consumes an inordinate amount of calories trying to heal itself. And then interest in food drops off. But I don’t recommend it as a solution to weight gain.
I know you’re working hard and trying to do the best for yourself.
A never ending struggle with me as I was always ‘chubby’ and have never been successful in keeping lost weight from returning , so different to you. Initially adding T3 did seem to allow more exercise but strictly watching out for gluten, stopping snacking and generally cutting out all pleasurable food does not work as a long term strategy for me. Continual dieting on and off for 50 years has not solved my problem and feel my metabolism is shot as information here confirms it is not the way to go with hypothyroidism. Unfortunately the definitive answer to this problem does not seem to be available. The stock answer, eat less exercise more, does not work for hypothyroid metabolism.
Thank you I’m already gluten free and pretty low carb. I haven’t changed what I’ve eaten so I doubtful that it’s lack of exercise (that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try to increase it). Just want to make sure I’m on the right path.
Thank you, just gotta get over this little speed bump (there’s always speed bumps right?!) yes I’m sooo much better on t3-just need to tweak it and I’m sure the weight will come off
It would be beneficial for us if doctors actually knew clinical symptoms of hypothyroidism and what is the most beneficial replacement for patient to resolve their symptomw.
If you're taking 50 mcg T3, your thyroid won't be functioning at all! Your TSH will be suppressed, and your thyroid cannot function without TSH to stimulate it. So, I take it you mean your thyroids status is off?
Total T3 is not the right test to tell you anything. You need the Free T3 - yes, I know you are in the US, and for some reason US doctors think TT3 is the best test, but they are wrong. It gives you no indication of the amount of T3 available for your body to use. Your TT3 could be high, but your FT3 very low, so your body will still be hypo. And, vice versa, of course.
If your FT3 is low the it's not surprising if you put on weight. But, is that weight fat or water? If it's water, no amount of dieting and exercise will make it go away. Only optimising your T3 can do that. Have a look at this video and try the pinch test:
Anyhow I gained 10 pounds this winter which newer naturopath is blaming on lack of exercise/getting older (approaching 40). Not denying I could use more exercise (I work full time and have a 3 year old and no family around to help).
That naturopath doesn't have much of a clue, does he. Never discuss nutritional matters with doctors, they don't know anything about it.
Sounds to me like you get quite enough exercise as it is! Some people think it's only exercise if you go to the gym. But, the best doctor I ever had used to tell me, even breathing is exercise! Everything you do uses calories - which is one of the reasons we exercise, to burn up calories - BUT, when you are hypo, using up too many calories can adversly affect the way your body uses thyroid hormone, converting one form into another - I take it you are on T3 only? So, you don't have to convert T3 to T4, but you do still have to convert T3 to T2, etc. I wonder if this new naturopath has ever looked after a 3 year old after a full days work!
So, forget exercise for the time being, and concentrate on optimising your FT3. And, the first step is to get it tested.
Thank you for your lengthy response. I read it all and yes I’ve done the punch test on myself and it’s not good.. I’m hiding in the bathroom so I can respond lol. Ohhh 3 year olds-yes I meant my medication is off. I plan on getting more blood work with free t3. I am only on t3. Currently I’m struggling to increase my t3 or my heart rate at night gets out of control and I don’t sleep well (no deep sleep) I’m trying to address what underlying cause for not being able to increase meds is aka checking all essential vitamins/minerals. I put a call into my old naturopath to see him again now that I’ve got the sleep under control with this dose. He at least fully understands blood work and can hopefully help. He was out of pocket and it was getting more difficult to afford during my pink slip year of Covid :/ thank you!
That is a good point. Weight gained started right around the time she started waking up multiple times during the night (we’ve since gotten it down to maybe once a night -phew).
Some people do develop unexplained weight gain but it is due to our body not being prescribed sufficient thyroid hormones that suit their bodies, i.e. NDTs(natural dessicated thyroid hormones) - prescribed since 1892 and no blood tests then - the knowledge and expertise of doctors saved lives. NDTs were removed without warning by the BTA, They also stopped T3 being prescribed but it has been restored in some areas.
The following link is informative and it was Dr Skinner who saved her life as she had come to the decision that she couldn't continue life as it was, and I knew she resided in the area in which Dr S had a surgery (he had one in Glasgow and one in Birmingham) she then discovered this forum. Lyn Mynott of TUK also assisted putting her case before the Scottish Parliament.
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