Exercise

In order to answer your question properly, it helps to know your most recent thyroid lab tests, i.e. TSH, Free T3 and Free T4 and antibody levels if you have that along with the normal levels for your lab. Always get them and learn what they mean. You should be able to get a printed copy of them and keep your own file so you can see your progress. My hyperthyroidism was caught fairly early and I was started on 10 mg of Methimazole. Many others aren't so lucky and as a result, their labs are more out of range and their medication dosages are quite high, i.e. 30 or 40 mg. I was diagnosed with Graves disease and 10 mg was the correct dose to get my Free T3 and T4 levels into the middle of the range, however, in two years my TSH remained essentially at less than 0.001 until I did my research and added supplements to my prescribed medications. This was based on a research paper I read about the benefits of hyperthyroid patients taking 3,000 to 4,000 mg of Regular L-Carnitine. I took 3,000 mg and my TSH rose for the first time in 2 years to 0.12. This was still below normal so I experimented with different types of Carnitine and the one that had the most impact was Acetyl-L-Carnitine. I tried initially 1,000 mg of Regular L-Carnitine and 1,000 mg of Acetyl-L-carnitine and got my TSH up to 0.70. in the normal range. Then I couldn't get the Acetyl-L-Carnitine for a year and my TSH fell to 0.12 again. A year later when I was able to get it again I took only the Acetyl-L-Carnitine along with my now much lower dose of Methimazole (5 mg). The Acetyl-L-carnitine is very potent and requires more frequent lab testing and adjustments of meds and Acetyl dosage. My doc worked well with me. He adjusted the meds dosage and I adjusted the Acetyl dosage. The reason Acetyl works so well is because the Acetyl carries the carnitine and meds across the blood-brain barrier. It acts to double the effect of the meds without having the potential harm from it and requiring a much lower dose of meds, and gets them where they are needed. The only problem with it is that it is so sensitive that you can't just take a dose of Acetyl-L-Carnitine and forget about it and keep taking it. You really have to adjust it a lot, even stop it at times. My antibodies became non-detectable and my last meds dosage was 2.5 mg every other day (4 days a week). I stopped everything a year ago and had only one problem during a stressful time when my TSH fell from 1.5 down to 0.70, still in the normal range but my doc told me to go back on the Carnitine alone and not meds and I did and my TSH is back up to 1.0. I will get tested again in July and see my Endo in August. While most Endos do not know about supplements, my Endo was very good in cooperating once he saw the results I was getting and he even read up on it in more medical papers. The other important supplements are vitamin D, most important for good thyroid functioning, and Magnesium. Before I started on any supplement, I got tested for my levels. My Total and Free Carnitine initially was below normal, my Vitamin D level was low and so was Magnesium. That is because hyperthyroid patients lose a lot of vitamins, minerals and amino acids while their bodies are running hyper. Again doctors do not focus on this or note its importance. You have to normalize your levels in order to function back to normal. I will always be susceptible to relapses if I am stressed so I have to address that as well but I was diagnosed in 2007 and have essentially been in remission since I started the meds and really more recovered once I added supplements 2 years later so 12 years now altogether. So glad I found my way through this.

I believe that once your heart rate is back to normal and hormones are in range you will be able to exercise. It took me almost 6 months to get my energy back but I got sick post partum. However, I haven't really been able to exercise like I used to before.