What could cause such dramatic weight gain

[Joyya]

I have currently been on .1 mg Synthroid and 5 mcg Cytomel for three months, and while the blue lips, freezing cold and fatigue are gone, my legs are super swollen and hard, my "weight" is up 20 pounds in two months (unexplained by diet / lifestyle). Nutrients of importance are almost optimal and still being supplemented BUT my legs are feel like they are made out of lead. I can't walk stairs, stand up out of a chair or my car without assistance (this was what it was like when I was very hypo 2 years ago).

FT4 is at 75% through the range and fT3 at 60% through the range.

I have a call with my doctor tomorrow morning.

What could be going on and what labs should I try and request?

Thanks.

[HealthStarDust]

Are you taking B6 and if so is the amount over guidelines?

[Joyya in reply to HealthStarDust]

I am taking and have optimal levels of B6, B12, iron, zinc, vitamin D, vitamin K, selenium, and magnesium.

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to Joyya]

Pretty sure you know this but I'll add for others reading this thread 🤗

Pyridoxine (inactive form) can actually block uptake so worth choosing P-5-P the active form as testing is expensive

helvella.blogspot.com/p/hel...

[Joyya in reply to TiggerMe]

Yes, I make sure all supplements are in their bioavailable / active form.

[FallingInReverse]

An opinion, not certain what’s going on, but here’s what I thought when reading your post.

First, our journeys are on a similar timeline. I was diagnosed Aug 2022 and currently on 75 mcg Levo/Synthroid and 10 mcg Lio/Cytomel. Not sure that’s relevant, but it’s always interesting to me when I find a bit of twinning : )

The one thing that stands out for me in your post is the swelling. It is not something I am familiar with in my own hypo journey , and I don’t think I read about it here often. Heavy legs like lead… yes! Legs swelling, not for me.

The times I’ve seen people in my life with swelling as you’ve described, it sounds like water retention. Ie, not like a bruise or an injury, more like a taut puffy all around. Would explain the weight gain too.

I think about kidney function, liver, heart/circulation. Anything that’s preventing your body from filtering and excreting stuff.

So - not sure, and of course thyroid can play a role in causes of swelling, but your bloods look in the ball park, so knowing only what you’ve said above, I might consider tests for the other organs.

[Joyya in reply to FallingInReverse]

Yes, water retention is a definite candidate, so measures of kidney function is already on the list. I had UTI triggered by shingles which started all this in October. I've heard people talk about "adrenals" role in thyroid and wonder if something related to that could result in this?

[TiggerMe Ambassador in reply to FallingInReverse]

I'd agree with the testing for liver and kidney function... suggests something is backing up, I found my liver numbers were up and glutathione was low so added this in and thankfully all good now.

CoQ10 - Ubiquinol good for heart function

[arTistapple]

Hoffman Hypothyrid Syndrome? Although not too many clues about better treatment. More an observation for some patients.

[helvella Administrator]

Am I right to assume you mean you are on 100 micrograms of Synthroid?

(1 milligram would be a huge dose!)

[Joyya]

Sorry, yes 0.1 mg

[Batty1]

I for some reason I also have this swollen leg thing … I feel like I have balloons inside my legs … weird. When you say .1 Synthroid I have never heard of this dose .

[Joyya in reply to Batty1]

Sorry, 0.1 mg Synthroid = 100 mcg Synthroid