Contraceptive pill and under-active thyroid.

[Mini2023]

I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid after having my second child. I literally would eat nothing and gain weight. I got diagnosed and it took about a year to get my levels right, however it still wasn’t right. To loose weight I had to literally starve myself I restricted myself to less than 2 meals a day did two hours the the gym daily and ran for 7miles per day. Before I had a problem I was a size 6-8 after my first child a size 10 after my second child I ballooned to size 18. After finding my husband had been having an affair with the next door neighbours niece I lost a lost of weight went to a 10 but it was starving and exercise that did this. I ate less than the recommended calories and was going at exercise hard. I found out he was still involved with this girl and lost all motivation. Recently I have reached that size again and grown concerned about my health I’ve tried loosing weight but I just put it on. So I started researching brought myself a load of vitamins and minerals which helped mask the sluggish me for a while. But I’ve an out of my pill, and because I had told my husband I want a divorce because of his continued relations with next door neighbours niece I’d missed getting a repeat prescription of my pill. Since I’ve refused to sleep in the same room let alone sleep with him for 3 years I didn’t bother rushing to get it. So after weeks I realised I should have had a period by then. I then start to panic as I’ve not been looking after my self. I wait over 1 month later I get a very light but painful period and hey presto I lost half a stone. My body isn’t retaining so much water I’m lesss tired pins and needles have reduced. So my question is how had the pill effected you all with thyroid issues? I feel mine has been making it worse and I want to know if it’s me going mad or there’s truth in it ❤️

[SlowDragon Administrator]

Very likely it has effect

Sorry you are having such a tough time

Suggest you get FULL thyroid and vitamin testing done

Ideally BEFORE starting any vitamin supplements

Retest folate, ferritin and B12 at least annually

And test vitamin D twice year when supplementing

How much levothyroxine are you taking

Which brand

Recommended that all thyroid blood tests early morning, ideally just before 9am, only drink water between waking and test and last dose levothyroxine 24 hours before test

This gives highest TSH, lowest FT4 and most consistent results. (Patient to patient tip)

On T3 - day before test split T3 as 2 or 3 smaller doses spread through the day with last dose 8-12 hours before test

Private tests are available as NHS currently rarely tests Ft3 or all relevant vitamins

Testing options and includes money off codes for private testing

thyroiduk.org/testing/

Medichecks Thyroid plus antibodies and vitamins

medichecks.com/products/adv...

Blue Horizon Thyroid Premium Gold includes antibodies, cortisol and vitamins

bluehorizonbloodtests.co.uk...

Only do private testing early Monday or Tuesday morning.

Link about thyroid blood tests

thyroiduk.org/testing/thyro...

Link about Hashimoto’s

thyroiduk.org/hypothyroid-b...

Symptoms of hypothyroidism

thyroiduk.org/signs-and-sym...

Tips on how to do DIY finger prick test

See detailed reply by SeasideSusie

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

Medichecks and BH also offer private blood draw at clinic near you, or private nurse to your own home…..for an extra fee

Is your hypothyroidism autoimmune?

It almost certainly is if started after pregnancy

About 90% of primary hypothyroidism is autoimmune thyroid disease, usually diagnosed by high TPO and/or high TG thyroid antibodies

Autoimmune thyroid disease with goitre is Hashimoto’s

Autoimmune thyroid disease without goitre is Ord’s thyroiditis.

Both are autoimmune and generally called Hashimoto’s.

Low vitamin levels are extremely common when hypothyroid, especially with autoimmune thyroid disease

20% of autoimmune thyroid patients never have high thyroid antibodies and ultrasound scan of thyroid can get diagnosis

In U.K. medics hardly ever refer to autoimmune thyroid disease as Hashimoto’s (or Ord’s thyroiditis)

Please add most recent results if you have any

Request GP retest or test privately 2-3 months after stopping (or starting ) the contraceptive pill or HRT

Always take contraceptive pill or HRT at least 4 hours away from levothyroxine

[Mini2023 in reply to SlowDragon]

This is all really helpful I hadn’t realised that there is more than one brand of tablet! I’m taking 100mg and I take them in the morning and hour before eating. It was never tested as autoimmune I’ve asked and it has been refused. I suspect it is as I am constantly sick. I have read about Hashimoto’s before and it fits my symptom's. I can’t afford private testing although I had full bloods a while back and I know my vit b12 is low and a few others. I take a cocktail of vitamins now and also a thyroid supplement

[SlowDragon Administrator in reply to Mini2023]

Always beware anything called a thyroid supplement

Most contain iodine not recommended for anyone on levothyroxine especially with Hashimoto’s

Exactly what vitamin supplements are you taking

Insist politely that GP test for coeliac disease

also that they test vitamin D, folate, ferritin and B12 annually

[Blissful]

All round, that's a painful story Mini.

Physically at least, you've been very hard on yourself. When the body is in constant "starvation mode", all sorts of processes get disrupted either up or down regulated and then adding in what I would consider a "punishing" exercise regime has likely further upset your particular apple cart.

Is it feasible for you and your husband to formally resolve your split - your current set up is not a nourishing situation for any of you.

My own view about the contraceptive pill is (like many pharmaceuticals) that they are way more damaging than acknowledged.

Are you perimenopausal?

From what you have said, I would suggest you make a serious plan to eat well - a form of intermittent fasting may be help wherein you leave your stomach with no solid food for at least 12 hours but pretty much eat what you fancy in an 8/10 hour window (e.g. first meal 9am, second meal 2/3pm and nothing more apart from e.g. fruit or a biscuit after 7pm).

It would also be helpful for you to have the full range of thyroid tests plus vitamins and minerals.

[Mini2023 in reply to Blissful]

Hi I have no medical background at all. I kind of stumbled on the connection by running out then just deciding I’m not taking it anymore. My husband is currently refusing a divorce or split. He is convinced he can fix things but it has gone beyond fixing for me. I want my daughter to know it’s not ok to be continually lied to and you do not have to accept someone’s bad behaviour and toxic traits

[Discodiva1]

Hi Mini

I also developed low thyroid after my second child. My partner eventually left just before I was diagnosed. I diagnosed myself using a private kit 😳. I had also gained 3 stone in weight and self worth was rock bottom and stress/cortisol sky rocketed. You need to put yourself and the kids in order to heal. The contraceptive pill will be impacting on your hormone balance. I can share what I did and send you a link to a very supportive women’s online health coaching group. I work in the NHS and I have an MSc in public health and nutrition so I know how to separate fact and fiction. What has helped me move on

* Hormone balance

* Online health coach with support group

* Healing from toxic relationship

* 16/8 fasting in a controlled way twice week

* Happy mum = happy kids

Good Luck and let me know if you want contact details for the health programme it will support your energy, weight loss and vitamin levels x

[Mini2023 in reply to Discodiva1]

I’m open to anything. I feel so much better it’s taken a month for the pill hormones to wear off but now I feel much better then I did.

[Eazybiker]

I'm sorry to read this especially since the thyroid problem does not help with mood or stress management either. Regarding your title question, I'm currently reading the Hormone Repair Manual by Briden, which is basically about perimenopause and menopause and she mentions hormonal fluctuations at that time impacting thyroid. So why not the pill? It is incredible how many body systems healthy ovulation affects due to our natural "dance" between estrogen and progesterone every month: insulin, bone health, brain, heart... Hugs.

[Mini2023 in reply to Eazybiker]

I’ve

Been researching and there appears to be connections to the pill worsening the thyroid. So far symptoms like the pins and needles in my feet and hand have lessened. My stomach has reduced in size and the head fog has reduced.

[Eazybiker in reply to Mini2023]

Wonderful. Years ago I read The Fifth Vital Sign by Hendrickson-Jack and it had nutrition tips for coming off the pill. If I remember correctly, zinc is particularly depleted by pill use.

[Mini2023 in reply to Eazybiker]

yes I’m taking zinc as it’s recommended with thyroid problems

[arTistapple]

I just want to acknowledge your story Mini. What’s happened is foul. I hope things get better from here on in.

The PILL. I am amazed that this is NOT seen as connecting to thyroid issues. Of course it is (without proof). Same with IVF for example. Having children. It’s a tremendous upheaval to the normal workings of the body. Even just starting periods or menopause. It’s all massive. Probably there will be some underlying and important genetic issue that makes some of us more prone to being affected by the above mentioned issues. Even something protective gone a bit awry because we have moved so far from ‘normal’ life.

Welcome to the forum where your real life can begin again. You are far from mad but there is going to be hard work ahead. Sort out what you can, with a view to getting your health back on track.

[FoggyThinker]

So sorry to read your story Mini.

Yes, I'm sure the pill contributed to my health woes, I took it from age 16 because of horrible period pains and never felt the same afterwards, in fact I'm feeling better mentally than I have for years since I started treatment earlier this year and my thyroid hormone levels started to pick up. I'm pretty sure cortisol levels were impacted for me too. And then as you've rightly noted there's an interaction with vitamins to contend with too, plus stress, plus modern life in general - they all interact but once you get the spiral going the right way they seem to help each other to and you're in the right place to get help with making that happen, so that's a really good start

[Mini2023 in reply to FoggyThinker]

It’s great to hear someone else has experienced good effects from stopping the pill. I also took the pill from 16. From what I’ve researched it seems if you take it for more than 10 years it can affect your thyroid. Since writing the post I’ve noticed I’m sleeping better as well.

[Hidden]

Your story made me so sad. It's terrible what are some man capable of. This person ruined your life and although contraceptive pills can cause weight gain, water retention and many other medical problems, it could also be that you just feel relieved that you finally asked this man for a divorce and your self esteem automatically rose knowing that you finally took your faith in your own hands and you won't live anymore as humiliated little wife trying to make yourself good looking by starvation just to please him. This positive feeling could have caused productions of many good hormones in body which make us feel satisfied and that could have caused sudden weight loss too. Because we all feel better physically when we are satisfied or happy mentally. There is of course a small percentage that this could be from the pill but from my personal experience years ago I became even bigger when I stopped with it. But we are all different. Just wanted to point out that there could be other reasons. Anyway, I really wish you everything best in your new life, I hope that eventually you will find a man who will treat you with respect which you deserve.