I started taking Carbimazole 20 mg last May/June and since than I have gain 2,5 pounds. I'm very sad as I'm already fat . I lost 1 stone last year by being very careful with my diet but gain all this weight in this short time is terrible.
I read in NHS site that it is "normal" (see below)
"Once you start taking carbimazole, you will stop losing weight as your hormone levels stabilise. Once you are on the right dose of carbimazole, and your thyroid hormone levels have returned to normal, the treatment will no longer affect your weight."
Any advice, please?
Thank you,
Vanessa
Written by
vanbr
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Generally if you are on too high a dose of carbimazole you can be pushed into hypothyroid levels & this will make you gain weight.
What are your current TSH, FT4, FT3? add with lab range.
We are also advised having high thyroid levels made us accustomed to having a large appetite, so once corrected that is one of the reason we gain weight.
I wasn’t typical as I gained weight when hyper and lost weight when low but in range.
Have you now arranged online access to your medical records as I think we are still waiting on your T3 and T4 readings and ranges at diagnosis along with the antibody blood test detailing which antibodies were found over range and positive at diagnosis.
The Carbimazole is an Anti Thyroid drug and will be semi-blocking your daily new thyroid hormone production and if you weight is now increasing it could be that this AT drug needs titrating down - as your metabolism may have now been slowed down too much.
Do you have any readings for ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D as these core strength vitamins and minerals, if not maintained at optimal levels, can compromised your health issues further.
So - your have a positive and ' just ' over range Trab reading so the medical evidence of diagnosis of Graves Disease and why you were prescribed the Anti Thyroid medication - Carbimazole.
So the dose of the AT drug has worked - and it maybe time for the dose of Carbimazole to be adjusted down so you do not fall too far through the ranges and experience the equally disabling symptoms oh hypothyroidism.
as your T4 has decreased and nearly back down the range :
The TSH may well never recover - so don't worry about that at this point in time :
But we have no T3 reading - and it should be tested so see that it is back in it's range :
When is your next appointment with the hospital ?
Do you know how to find your previous posts and the replies received as I think i replied in some detail on your first post 2 months ago so maybe you might like to remind yourself:
Just press the More button - top right on this page and go to your Profile Page :
Or - press the icon alongside your name in any reply you have made :
And to read anybody else's Profile Page and everything they have ever written on the forum just press their icon alongside any reply they may have given.
We do now have some research suggesting the longer the patient stays on the AT drug the better the longer term outcome for the patient ;
OK then - a T3 reading and range are necessary - especially when diagnosed Graves and overactive thyroid :
Maybe your doctor can liaise with the hospital and be advised if there is a need to adjust down the Carbimazole ?
Are you taking any other medications ?
Did the hospital endocrinologist suggest how long you would be on the AT medication ?
We generally read of a 15-18 month period for AT treatment and then if your T3 and T4 - ' take off ' again - more definitive treatment is offered in the form of RAI thyroid ablation or a thyroidectomy.
Are your eyes itchy, dry, watering all the time, painful and light sensitive ?
I was on Carbimazole for 18 months following a diagnosis of mild Graves’ disease. My dose was only 5mg. Prior to diagnosis I had lost 1&1/2 stones over a 9 month period. Within weeks of taking Carbimazole the weight loss ceased. I have remained at a stable weight since then so it did not actually make me gain weight, just seemed to stop me losing any more. I’ve been off medication for 1 month now with a review in October. I do feel I have to watch what I eat now I’m off. I could eat pretty much what I wanted when the graves was active with no change to my weight. Maybe the higher dose you are on has pushed your thyroid the other way as suggested by others here.
Thank you for your reply. I'm waiting for my appointment to reduce the carbimazole to a low dosage. Hopefully I will start losing weight again. I do watch my diet all the time but still gaining weight at this moment. I wish I could eat everything like you said x
When metabolism is running too fast as in hyperthyroid or too slow as in hypothyroid the body struggles to extract key nutrients through food, no matter how well and clean you eat and low levels of core strength vitamins and minerals will compound your health issues further.
Please ask for your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D blood tests to be run and we can explain from the results and ranges, what if anything you need to supplement to keep your core strength strong and support you through this first phase of Graves Disease.
How did you loose your weight during the previous year before being diagnosed with Graves Disease ?
I have graves and am 5mths into my carbimazole 15mg and propranolol 40mg and I have not had any issues with my weight at all. Quite likely results from drugs are variable per person. As all of the doctors and specialist have basically told me they have no clue as to why you get it. and all they then do is treat the symptoms buy raising or lowering your meds or changing them. I found it daunting and unsatisfactory. But, the good news is there is lots of info around nowadays as to alternatives which seem to make sense to me. Leaky gut seems the root cause of most if not all of these auto immune problems and that is what you need to fix first IMO. Its tricky discussing alternatives with most doctors because they have to do what they have been taught to. which sadly is not always correct. like diet. Please don't think I'm telling you to ignore the doctor, just that you will help yourself way more with thorough research into ALL alternatives. There are many. I Hope with discernment you will find your path.
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