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Any GOOD stories? Need a bit of positivity

Posted , 14 users are following.

evergreen
evergreen

I have just been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and prescribed carbimazole. At first I was delighted that finally I had an answer to why I was depressed, couldn't sleep, shaky, losing weight, anxious, and felt like I had the flu I was so achey and tired. But that has turned to anguish after reading all the stories of huge weight gain and failure to reslove the condition. I don't mind gaining a few pounds as I'm skinny right now, but no more than half a stone. Anyone NOT gain too much weight on this?

2 likes, 25 replies

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  • joannagof
    joannagof evergreen

    Posted

    i dont think is the carbimazole that causes weight gain.

    what carbimazole does is that it helps to control the thyroxine in the blood so the body gets the right amount of thyroxine to work properly.

    Uf course you will gain weight.

    I was 49-50 kilograms for 2 years now though i was eating too much after one and a half month of carbimazole i gained 2 kilograms and i feel better.

    Though i eat less than before.

     

    • evergreen
      evergreen joannagof

      Posted

      That makes absolute sense to me, and is what I thought would happen but I keep reading about people keeping their calories right down and working out but still gaining stones of weight. I am unusual in that I presented with anorexia when first becoming hyperthyroid. The GP diagnosed me with depression and I was put on mirtazapine which masked my symptoms for two and a half years until the hyper was so bad, the mirt could no longer cover it up and I relapsed into insomnia, depression shakiness and anxiety. When I came off the mirt, thinking it had stopped working I went into full blown hyper again and stopped eating. The doc was completely surprised I was hyper because of my anorexia. So naturally I have dropped weight, but am still around 19 BMI. I need to stay light to back small horses so don't want to put on more than half a stone or I couldn't do my job. But I don't want to feel like this anymore. From what you say, so long as I don't eat more calories than I should do for my height and weigh, I shouldn't put on too much weight?
  • Nonita
    Nonita evergreen

    Posted

    Hi evergreen.Have they told you why you are hyperthyroid? Is it nodules on the thyroid or Graves disease.The carbimazole will reduce the symptoms and make you feel better but you have to be careful that you don't become hypothyroid which could lead to weight gain.You need to have regular blood tests especially if you find you are gaining weight rapidly.I have been on carbimazole for three years as I have refused to have RAI and still remain hyperthyroid so I haven't put weight on and my symptoms are at a reasonable level.I am also on propranolol for the palpitations.Hope this helps. Best of luck
    • evergreen
      evergreen Nonita

      Posted

      Thanks, Nonita. Doctor said Graves, but he didn't test me for it so I think he's just guessing. No nodules can be felt and no goitre.
    • lucy51252
      lucy51252 Nonita

      Posted

      Hi Nonita

      Has the carbimaole helped with the palpitations at all/

      How often do you have to have blood tests?

      Have you got any nodules?

      Thanks in advance.

       

    • Nonita
      Nonita lucy51252

      Posted

      Hi Lucy.I suffered a thyroid storm three years ago and my heart rate went up to 170 a minute which left me with atrial fibrillation and palpitations.I was put on 160 mgs of propranalol slow release once a day and 20mgs carbimazole daily.Since then the dose of Carbimazole has been changed up and down depending on blood test results.I am on 15mgs daily at the moment.I still get a few palpitations but not many.I think my main problem is the constant tiredness.I have Graves' disease and nodules.I really don't want RAI so I asked my GP if I could stay on the Carbimazole.He said as long as I have regular blood tests and check the liver I should be fine.I have blood tests every 2 to 3 months.I hope this is helpful to you.Let me know if you need to know anything else. Best wishes x
    • karen30256
      karen30256 Nonita

      Posted

      Hi I am new to this forum so please bear with me. Is carbimazole recommended in people with cardiac arrhythmias? thanks.
  • usch
    usch evergreen

    Posted

    I only re-gained most of the weight I lost when I was hyper after starting to take Carbimazole. I think it was the adjustment to start eating less after my thyroid had calmed down. I was eating too much before and could not adjust fast enough. That is my explanation.
    • evergreen
      evergreen usch

      Posted

      Thank you. I'm not eating very much as I have a rubbish appetite. Feel physically hungry all the time but too wired to eat much. I have to force food down except for my evening meal which I seem to enjoy, but can't eat anywhere near the volume I used to eat. My stomach must have shrunk.
  • aussie1501
    aussie1501 evergreen

    Posted

    Hi there, I have been on carbimazole for 6weeks and it's not that bad. My lab results didn't change yet but I find that my symptoms are getting better - no more hand tremors, no excessive sweating ( it's getting colder in Australia so might be why!), I am less anxious and irritable, sleeping is better but still ups and downs sometimes & not depressed anymore....and I haven't put on weight!! Mind due, I exercice a lot and I eat pretty healthy (I tried to cut down on alchool too) so that is probably helping... But no sign of weight gain - if anything I am probably still loosing a bit...

    Hope that makes you feel better. It will take a while to resolve the condition but I think exercicing and eating healthy can't hurt!!

    Good luck with the treatment

    Laura

    • lucy51252
      lucy51252 aussie1501

      Posted

      Hi Aussie

      I was just wondering what your blood results were? Is it possible to send them please?

      Thanks

       

  • patricia27802
    patricia27802 evergreen

    Posted

    Hi Evergreen I used to have an overactive thyroid mine was very severe. I took Carbimazole but I was very underweight by the time it was prescribed. I had all they symptoms you have was really depressed as well. I didn't gain weight on Carbimazole. It is difficult to resolve this condition. In my case Carbimazole didn't work. I had Radio iodide but again brought the level down but nowhere near enough. I asked if it could be done again and was told I had to wait another year. I couldn't do that as by then I really needed a solution. I ended up having a Total Thyroidectomy which I would not advise as I ended up with weight gain and the nerves in my jaw got damaged during surgery. If I could go back in time I would have just sought out a less drastic solution. Also the surgery can bring about Fibroids in the womb which is really bad. Whatever you decide good luck.
    • evergreen
      evergreen patricia27802

      Posted

      OMG you have been through so much! I am so sorry you have had such a bad journey. I hope that it can get better for you somehow x
  • truecolors
    truecolors evergreen

    Posted

    Hi~ I have hyperthyroidism for around a year and a few months now... I made sure to do all the tests and scans and figured it was graves. It's important to figure out the illness so you can tackle it better.. Prior to the diagnosis, I was also suffering from anxiety, shakiness and A LOT of perspiration. I remember not being able to stand properly in the trains, not being able to hold my spoon for 3 seconds without spilling some soup, and also leaving sweat stains on the bus seats and stuff.Not fun at all... And I was becoming underweight as well and had no strength to exercise and all I wanted to do was stay home. 

    It was definitely a relief to know I wasn't going crazy or had Parkinson's or something... So I started with 10 mg of carbimazole and went for monthly blood tests to keep track until a few months later I kind of slacked off since the results seemed pretty good. Like I was back to normal.. That was when I turned hypo.. I didn't know at first until friends were telling me I gained weight so I quickly went back for a blood test and found that out.

    The doctor quickly reduced my carb intake to 2.5 mg daily (like half a pill which I needed the pill cutter to prepare every day) and slowly I got back to normal again and now I still take 2.5 mg a day and hopefully I'll get better by end of the year which is when I'll be due to stop medication. Fingers crossed. 

    Now I'm exercising regularly, like three times a week and having a normal social life again. Of course, I can still feel the anxiety once in a while and don't sleep as well as I do like before. I personally think it's the stress from work that is causing all these and try to relax and destress and not take life too seriously. Hopefully I'll get healthy again and continue to maintain it as much as possible.

    Take care you guys...

    • evergreen
      evergreen truecolors

      Posted

      Thanks, truecolors. Sounds like you are getting there. Thanks for your story, it really does help.
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