please help . Severe extreme weight gain fat on... - Thyroid UK

Thyroid UK

137,936 members161,765 posts

please help . Severe extreme weight gain fat on legs since t3

Chouchou1234 profile image
10 Replies

please I read 2 other ladies had this

I have had this and it’s now beyond comprehension

This is what I find is t3 is metabolically better than before could my body be compensating with extreme fat storage . Makes no sense

My face has completely changed shape to round and puffy too

ACTH was on the low side but cortisol was normal

I’m beside myself

Thank you

Written by
Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Read more about...
10 Replies
healthkiwi profile image
healthkiwi

You need to get some tests done - and share them here if you want good advice. You may not have found your proper "optimal" balance of hormones. Rapid weight gain leading to swollen fat legs or face, if you are hypothyroid, may not be fat but is MUCIN. I had terrible swollen painful legs and feet for years until I got better medicated . Then the "fat" - actually trapped fluid - fell off. Still not perfect but at times I can see the bones of my feet and ankles again.

I have copied this from another website

Hypothyroidism was originally referred to as myxoedema or myxedema — myx meaning “mucus” or “slimy substance” and edema meaning “swelling.” We commonly refer to swelling of the legs, feet, arms, or hands peripheral edema. High thyroid TSH levels were found to be significantly associated with painless bilateral limb swelling. Peripheral edema is the technical term that refers to swelling of your legs and feet, but also swelling of your arms and hands.

Myxoedema is primarily the result of a buildup of mucin (also called glycosaminoglycans or GAGs), which form the extracellular matrix that fills the spaces between tissues in the body. Mucin is a spongelike jelly that holds our organs and tissues in place and protects them against compression.

Hypothyroidism causes a rapid accumulation of mucin, which causes the swelling, stiffness, weakness, and pain. This swelling may occur in the legs and feet, arms and hands, belly, or face. It results in thick, rubbery skin that you can’t pinch and lift like normal skin. And it doesn’t push in easily when you poke it with your finger. Left untreated, hypothyroidism leads to systemic swelling, and the entire body can become waxy, pale, cold, and doughy with thick, dry, swollen skin.

Swelling that affects the nerves results in numbness, tingling, and impaired reflexes.

The weight gain associated with hypothyroidism is a combination of slowed metabolism and water retention due to the buildup of mucin. Eating less and exercising more may help with the weight gain from a slower metabolism, but it will do little or nothing for the weight gain associated with mucin buildup. In fact, most of the weight loss that patients experience after being successfully treated for hypothyroidism is due to the excretion of excess water stored in mucin.

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply to healthkiwi

Thank you . But the point is I didn’t have this bad over a year ago before T3 . My whole body is swollen . Legs are trunks so makes no sense if my t3 was 2.1 then and now 5 . But I am bigger now.

Thank you for the information.

Sorry to bother you.

healthkiwi profile image
healthkiwi in reply to Chouchou1234

It's the balance of everything that needs to be right for you. T4, T3, vitamins, iron status, gluten, absorption - whichever, there are many factors. It's taken me years to get functioning and then improved. If your T3 number is good, what about everything else?But legs like trunks? sounds like mine were - mucin! And when it went it was quick (I didn't understand why I was going to the toilet constantly) and within a couple of weeks people commented "what's happened to your legs?"

My suggestion: don't just focus on the T3 number, try to look at everything, and get into balance. You will get some real wisdom from experience on this forum.

But start with a fresh set of full blood tests.

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator

Do you have recent test results

Only test at least 6-8 weeks after being on constant unchanging dose and brand levothyroxine/T3

Which brand levothyroxine and which brand T3

What dose

What time do you take your levothyroxine

What times do you take T3

What vitamin supplements are you taking

Add vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 results

Do you have Hashimoto’s

Are you strictly gluten free and/or dairy free

And soya free

Have you see lipodema specialist

lipoedema.co.uk

30% of lipodema patients are hypothyroid

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply to SlowDragon

Thank you

I still don’t understand why my TSH was 0.02 and t3 2.1 (4.1 to 6.8) - If inwas hypo wouldn’t the tsh be higher? That’s why no one ever tested t3 .

Could I have leptin resistance? Endo refused to test leptin as I was 48 kilos before . Leg fat has dramatically increased - iam 2 people like bones at the top .

Last test

T3 5 (4.1 to 6.8)

T4 19.2 at 6am and 10t3 then t3 spaced through the day . Teva t4 -and Roma

On 30t3 and 125 mcg t4

Weight 50kg but body composition changed completely

Vitamin D 70 - dropped

B12 1272

Ferritin 60

Gluten free was diary free for years until a month ago and started yogurt but given that up again.

No hashimoto tested 2022

Walk about 6,000 steps a day and in bed most of the day - BUT the weight gain has been dramatic on legs as didn’t have this before xx even with doing much less before

Thank you

Seeing gastro tomorrow

Liver ALP is very very high suggesting high bone turnover which is thyroid . Makes no sense

lastly - after I take t3 - I have energy to move and do stuff. Just where is this energy coming from?

Also I have lost a lot of muscle but got fatter.

Doesn’t the body do something to compensate like save fat as I have got tons more energy than I used to ( I use be in bed 23.5 hours a day. I just walked to kitxhen back and crawled to bathroom when t3 was 2.1 . (For years )

Mercury results waiting - but head toxicologist said it doesn’t down regulate thyroid

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Chouchou1234

Leg fat has dramatically increased - iam 2 people like bones at the top .

Look at getting assessed for lipodema

lipoedema.co.uk/about-lipoe...

lipoedema.co.uk/about-lipoe...

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Chouchou1234

50 kilo is only 7st 12lbs

You could be on too high a dose of levothyroxine and T3

Being over medicated can cause hypo type symptoms

Chouchou1234 profile image
Chouchou1234 in reply to SlowDragon

That’s what I thought .

My results on t4 ONLY

T3 2.1 TSH 0.02 and T4 20.2

adding the t3 at 25mcg t3 it came back at 4.6 so I don’t know.

The results are what they are . I am so confused .

I am not sure the evening doses are absorbed properly .

Thank you again

I

SlowDragon profile image
SlowDragonAdministrator in reply to Chouchou1234

so doesn’t look like over medicated

Perhaps looks like poor absorption in gut

Your soya free as well?

Have you been assessed for SIBO and/or H Pylori

comprehensive article on malabsorption

academic.oup.com/edrv/artic...

How long have you been taking Roma T3

Roma Doesn’t suit some people

Could try Teva T3 20mcg tablets

goatheard profile image
goatheard

Sounds like it may be lipedema. You need to find a specialist who understands this disease.

Good luck

You may also like...

Advice please about weight gain and loss. (T3)

Weight Gain - Please help!

since I had the op. I had a blood test after the op and the consultant said all was 'normal', and I

Still gaining weight on T3

two and a half years. I have felt almost back to normal on it but I cannot lose weight. In fact, I...

T3 Liothyronin weight gain

others have noticed the difference in shape. In case it’s relevant I’m male. Is this common? My...

Weight gain-need help :-(

I have had a massive wake-up call today and am really feeling down and at the end of my tether :-( I