Retired into thyrotoxicosis.

[Bambi369]

Finally retired last September. Had been feeling nauseous and weak for a few months and was losing weight despite eating more than usual. I am about two stones overweight and have been prescribed carbimazole. Dreading gaining weight.

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

Hi Bambi and welcome 🤗

It looks like you have really been through it.

Do you know if you have Graves or Hashimoto’s antibodies?

If I can offer a little advice (which personally I really struggle with)Try to alter your mindset away from weight being your marker of how you measure yourself. Aim for nutrient dense meals, the good stuff, proteins, veggies, variety and proper sized portions , stay hydrated and allow the meds to regulate your thyroid levels. Your goal right now is to resolve those symptoms and not cause damage to your body long term. Worry about building muscle and strength when you start to feel a bit better.

I have Hashimoto’s and no experience of Carbimazole but someone else of this wonderful friendly forum will be along shortly and help with more specific information. PurpleNails

[PurpleNails Administrator]

Welcome to forum,

How much carbimazole have you been prescribed?

Was anything else prescribed? Propranolol is often prescribed along with carbimazole.

Try and get access / or copies of all your results. Once you understand what’s being monitored you can check your being tested the correct things & treated the correct way.

Some gain back the weight they lost, if left on too high a dose of carbimazole it causes thyroid levels ( FT4 & FT3) to drop too low & this causes weight gain too.

Doctors sometimes say it’s because we become accustomed to a greater appetite but we’re all different. I tend to gain weight when hyper. I lost weight when thyroid levels fall back into range.

[pennyannie]

Hello Bambi and welcome to the forum :

Carbimazole is an Anti Thyroid drug and generally prescribed when there is a diagnosis of Graves Disease.

Graves is an Auto Immune disease that tends to only get diagnosed when the immune system starts attacking the thyroid and or eyes - both major organs that affect our whole body and psyche.

Quite why your immune system has turned and started attacking your body rather than defend it is of course the 64 million $ question with you best placed to know the answer, if there is one.

There is likely a genetic predisposition with a family member - aunt/uncle - a generation away from you with a thyroid health issue - Graves can be triggered by a sudden shock to the system like a car accident or unexpected death of a loved one - or seem to appear simply ' out of the blue ' and every persons journey with this poorly understood AI disease unique to them - though we do know that common triggers are stress and anxiety.

There is no cure to this AI disease and all the AT drug, Carbimazole will do is semi-block your new daily thyroid hormone production while we wait for your immune system to calm down again -

Slowly your T3 and T4 thyroid hormones will start to fall back down into the ranges and hopefully your symptoms relieved - your body is in a heightened state - please rest - be kind to yourself and do not expect to bounce back - as there can be something of a mismatch between the brain running very fast but with the body totally exhausted and burnt out.

Your metabolism will be controlled by the Carbimazole and at this point in time it is more important to find an AT dose that stabilises your thyroid function which will allow you to function, though be it a reduced level until the AT drug stops the T3 and T4 thyroid hormones rising higher and higher.

The NHS generally allocate a treatment window with an AT drug of around 15-18 months during which time you will have regular blood tests every 6-8 weeks to monitor the TSH + T3/T4 levels and as this phase of immune system malfunction passes - the AT drug is reduced down with the hope being that your thyroid reverts to ' normal ' function without the need for any drugs.

If the Carbimazole dos not suit you - there is an alternative - Propylthiouracil - PTU - for short - and a beta blocker is prescribed - usually Propranolol - if your heart has becomes involved in this immune system attack on your body.

Your whole body has been on a roller coaster ride of symptoms - and when metabolism isn't sitting just right - the body struggles to extract key nutrients through food no matter how well and clean you eat - so please get your ferritin, folate, B12 and vitamin D levels run as if these are not maintained at optimal levels - which we will advise on - your health issues can be unnecessarily - compounded further.

Please share with forum members your initial blood test readings and ranges and which antibodies were found positive and over range in your blood - which is the medical evidence of diagnosis and generally needed before drugs or a treatment plan are discussed.

We do now have some research that you may like to have :-

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/338...

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/306...

I found the most well rounded of all I researched that of Elaine Moore - books and now website - elaine-moore.com

[bikebabe in reply to pennyannie]

PennyAnnie - That is such a good, comprehensive, and considered reply.

[pennyannie in reply to bikebabe]

Unfortunately - I seem to be having a lot of practice :

[helvella Administrator]

helvella - Splitting Carbimazole Doses

A short discussion about Carbimazole primarily focussed on splitting doses but containing some other information.

Last updated 14/09/2024

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