Hi I started to take levothyroxine last August for hypot...

Hi...I was 165 lbs and gained 9 pounds in seven days...not water weight...two doctors told me the body does not work that way. Oh yes it does!!!!!

Timeline is 11/10/2013.....165....gaines 9 pounds.....Could not lose it.....January 1 2014.....weight is 175 lbs....not water weight....in march of 2014 I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and told that back in November my thyroid was a 5.93 which showed I had hypothyroidism then. When I gained the nine pounds. I had no idea what was wrong with me or why I had gained weight that fast. I had never done that before in my life. So the doctor put me on Levothyroxine and I gained another 10 to 15 pounds. I began to have terrible depression and body aches...such that I could barely get out of bed.I could not do any housework due to joint pain. Every time I ate a meal I would gain 6 to 7 pounds of water. then lose it the next day for about 6 hours until I ate another meal. It was an ungodly nightmare. 

I had told my doctor I wanted off this med it was doing no good. She told me she does not know enough about hypothyroidism so she sent me to an endocrinologist who saw me 15 minutes and told me to stay on this med for another two months and then we will see how I feel. I had been on this med for seven months at this time and told her of the symptoms which she contributed to menopause and told me that i just better get used to the weight gain and how I feel cause it is not going to change. I was furious......she totally would not listen to my symptoms. i decided to take the initiative and go totallt off my meds all of them I could not even take my diabetic med because of shooting back pains. I went off my medicine one by one with the last one being Levothyroxine and low and behold that was it. 

My doctors never liked that but I did find a naturopathic understanding doctor and he is putting me on both t3 and t4 cause he told me my t3 was too low. So that means the 88 mcg that I was taking of Levothyroxine was not doing me any good. It lowered my tsh but my body was not converting the t4 to the much needed t3....so both doctors were wrong. I am off my meds now and feel so much better. I noticed right away the devastating effects of levothyroxine on my body. I was being poisoned and I had told my doctors at that time. That med would have killed me I am sure of it. After three days I was up and moving and doing my chores around the house...no longer bed ridden.....

now I am waiting for my new doctor to give me new medicine and i will report on this later....I undersyand all your dilema with this drug and it needs to be taken off the market but how...we need a class action suit flled....for sure.....

Thanks...

Hi cameronita,  I have also been on levothyroxine for a long time and all of a sudden have been experiencing hot sweats and since being on it have high glucose boardering on diabetes.  I would be interested in what  your readings were for tsh t3 and t4,  I had my tsh done which was .08 and t4 was .18.  They said that's normal but cut my levo down to 50 a day.  Been to two doctors both contradict each other, one says 100 is right the other says 50 is right. Any info would help.

ne says 50 is too low the other says 100 is the right dose. 

Hi Fay....My tsh was a .18 and they told me that was too low....and they had not checked my t4...That is why I changed the endocrinologist to a naturopathic doctor. I was not getting a straight answer. I was on a higher dose and they cut me back to 88 mcg. So actually I believe a .08 is too low and that is why they cut you back. That is low. which means you were taking too much levothyroxine. 

I am doing ok at the moment started armour and taking a supplemental hormonal package of estrogen and progesterone. 

I hope you get all your answers....I hate having these problems.....as I am sure you do too...

Good luck....

Cameron

Tsh levels

Tsh levels

hi Cameron just got my readings back tsh is now 2.15,  t3 is 3.8 and t4 is 12.0.  Can anyone shed some light on these readings, are they in the normal range?

 

hi cameronita:  I totally agree with you. been on it for years and was always really skinny it runs in our family, but soon after i have gained and gained weight.  ive been doing a lot of research and your nat doc is right about adding t3 to t4. all my doc does is up my dose im now up to 1.12 so i read an article about natural products to take.  Kelp which has iodine in it is great to regulate it.  i stopped taking the med and im waiting to see a difference.  theres also natural products at the health food store like sprouts. its a great store that has great prices and fresh produce and foods. if you dont have one close to you check them out on line.  one product they also sell is raw thyroid a lot of people like it they cant keep it on the shelf you can special order it but before the kelp or raw thyroid or anything else talk with you nat doc.  Please let me know I cant keep going on this way. besides the weight gain and no sleep im turning into a zombie.  take care J.T.

hi cameron: i will look up armour but what is the hormonal package besides estrogen and progesterone.  Is the estrogene and pro all natural.  Know any good nat doc. here in the states. im in san diego calif. your right there should be a class action suit but usually the attorneys get most of the money and the top main people who file the suit in the first place get a good chunk.  Let me know Im in. these western docs have to start looking at everything and all your symptoms and put them together.  the problem is that they do one thing at one time and may miss something vitally important. take care jt

I am on armour right now and it takes about two months to get in my system but my nat doc told me that since I have Hashimotos...Iodine is not good for me....so I have quit taking it. I had the one with kelp in it. He prescribed for me pure fish oil.....he said i am in bad need of it.  So if you have Hashimotos iodine with kelp is not good.....do some resewarch if you have hashimotos....I am on a strict diet now cause i also have diabetes. So processed sugars are poison to me. But I am looking forward to recovery soon.....I will post again in two months after my meds take affect....Good luck with your weight  and your meds.....But we do need t3 with t4.....Usually endocrinologsts will prescribe only levothyroxine cause it is a large phamecutical and the company pays the doctors to prescribe only their medication....that is why we all search out naturalistic doctors who are not paid by the large companies....I am so thrilled I found one. They will listen to you....I will tell you that when I went to one conventional endo and she told me when I told her that my body was not converting the t4 to t3 correctly...All she told me was well perhaps you need to go to a naturalistic doctor cause he can prescribe medicine that I cannot......bingo she opened up a revelation to me.....the large companies are putting chemicals in our food and our medicines that are harmful to our bodies and its all for money.....so be careful....you need another med if you are gaining weight. I have stopped gaining weight since I went off of levothyroxine. I now only have like a 5 pound water gain that goes back to my now normal 185 pounds. I have learned a lot since all this has attacked my body last year....so good luck.....my best wishes to you.....

My hormonal package is all natural done at a compound pharmacy. I have been on it for three days and so it needs time to work in my system...but I will keep all posted. I am hoping with the armour that I can get back to normal. My doctor told me I should begin to feel better after two weeks. I am in Washington state and there are two that i found that are good . I am going to one that also is a chiropractor he is wonderful.....I wish I had found him earlier. I am on medicaid so it was hard to find one that accepts that . Two I found here. But it is worth looking. He has filled me in on why all endos give all levothyroxine and only that. That med is a slow killer.......I already have felt better off that med and have regained strength and lessened pain....with no more weight gain.....but it has been a large lesson learned with lasting damage to my system.....good luck to you.....

Also medicaid is covering my Armour...That is a blessing......

I also live in Washington State and have been having issues of late

with my levothyroxine and how it is impacting my body.  I am seeing many

of the issues I am experiencing in several of the posts I have read here today.  I would be interested in knowing where to find these two good doctors you mention. This is my first time posting so I am not sure how to proceed.   

Hi there....I am Hashimotos and so I cannot take only T4.....the t3 and t4 med is working better for me even after a month I notice abit more energy. I take my med at night. If you are menopausal like me then a hormonal imbalance also is contributing to the weight gain.  I am on estrogen and progesterone and also DHEAS....read up on symptoms when you are low on all of these. I had a full metobolic panel and my doc is giving me everything I am low on. Also be sure to take all vitamins and minerals. I am taking another one I just found out is good, I just ordered it but cannot remember the name of it offhand...I will give you a list of what I take and the combo does make me feel better and also with my thyroid med. I am going to try the raw adrenal cortex. I have been reading on it and think it may help my adrenals. They also play a big part in this..make sure and get your adrenals checked also....good luck...

Cameronita

Hi there....I have found two only in the state of Washington that will accept medicaid. I am on SSI so I needed to find one that would accept my medical. I see Dr Roman Krupa in puyallup Wa.... He is such a wonderful doctor. If you are thinking of contacting him I will get the info for you if you live close to him. He also does weight management and much more. He is a blessing to me. I tell him all the time I know God has sent me to him. I do get a discount on items if I refer someone....so please mention my name Cameron Collins if you decide to see him....but you will love going to a natural doctor. He took me off of levothyroxine immediately and put me on armour thyroid.....I needed the t3 and t4 combo cause my body was not converting the t4 to the t3 correctly. Also my adrenals were so low and he also put me on hormones to correct things that are wrong with me. i hope this all helps....I wish I knew to go to a natural doc before this all started......

Good luck

Cameronita

Also......medicaid pays for my gas to go see him because I live in Longview Wa....so it is a drive a bit.....but that is so fortunate for me and it is a blessing that medicaid pays for the gas so I can see a good doctor...there is also another in Monroe Wa.....but I would have to get that info for you.....I do have it....hope this all helps....

Cameronita

My TSh is <0.03 so is too low and is called surpressed.  i have reduced my intake of levothyroxine (t4) but still take the same amount of t3.  they will check and see if this has increased my tsh.  the normal range is 0.35mu/l -5.00mu/l.  yours sound low so you need to reduce your levothyroxine to increase it.  t4 normal ranges are 9.00 - 24.00 pmol/l so your reading looks ok on that.  you haven't said from what quantity they cut you down to.  i was on 150mcg a day now on 125mcg and will see if this has made an effect to raise my tsh, and if not it may be cut down to 100.  i would reccomend going on t3 as well as t4 ad i have felt better on it over the years but still get some aches and pains but we are getting older each day so maybe down to that.  unfortunately having an underactive thyroid one gains weight, i eat healthyly but still put weight on and taking more t4 or t3 does not make a difference.  it is better to stick to the amount the health professionals tell you to take as they obtain your results from your blood tests. like i said you never stated what quantity you were on before, so to lower it by 25mcg to start with and have a blood test then reduce it down again by another 25mcg to see if that helps.  so="" is="" too="" low="" and="" is="" called="" surpressed.=""  i="" have="" reduced="" my="" intake="" of="" levothyroxine="" (t4)="" but="" still="" take="" the="" same="" amount="" of="" t3.=""  they="" will="" check="" and="" see="" if="" this="" has="" increased="" my="" tsh.=""  the="" normal="" range="" is="" 0.35mu/l="" -5.00mu/l.=""  yours="" sound="" low="" so="" you="" need="" to="" reduce="" your="" levothyroxine="" to="" increase="" it.=""  t4="" normal="" ranges="" are="" 9.00="" -="" 24.00="" pmol/l="" so="" your="" reading="" looks="" ok="" on="" that.=""  you="" haven't="" said="" from="" what="" quantity="" they="" cut="" you="" down="" to.=""  i="" was="" on="" 150mcg="" a="" day="" now="" on="" 125mcg="" and="" will="" see="" if="" this="" has="" made="" an="" effect="" to="" raise="" my="" tsh,="" and="" if="" not="" it="" may="" be="" cut="" down="" to="" 100.=""  i="" would="" reccomend="" going="" on="" t3="" as="" well="" as="" t4="" ad="" i="" have="" felt="" better="" on="" it="" over="" the="" years="" but="" still="" get="" some="" aches="" and="" pains="" but="" we="" are="" getting="" older="" each="" day="" so="" maybe="" down="" to="" that.=""  unfortunately="" having="" an="" underactive="" thyroid="" one="" gains="" weight,="" i="" eat="" healthyly="" but="" still="" put="" weight="" on="" and="" taking="" more="" t4="" or="" t3="" does="" not="" make="" a="" difference.=""  it="" is="" better="" to="" stick="" to="" the="" amount="" the="" health="" professionals="" tell="" you="" to="" take="" as="" they="" obtain="" your="" results="" from="" your="" blood="" tests.="" like="" i="" said="" you="" never="" stated="" what="" quantity="" you="" were="" on="" before,="" so="" to="" lower="" it="" by="" 25mcg="" to="" start="" with="" and="" have="" a="" blood="" test="" then="" reduce="" it="" down="" again="" by="" another="" 25mcg="" to="" see="" if="" that="">

hello there. i have an underactive thyroid and it seems the doctor will put me in levothyroxine. But I am not keen. From everything I have read I will get awful side effects very similar to how I feel now. Whenever I take any medication for anything, even an asparin or an antihistamine I get bad side effects worse than the problem. Please tell me what the supplement estrogen thing is you take and how you are getting o with your armour. Thanks.

I have much the same problem having been prescribed Thyroxin some 18 years ago and all was fine then it was changed to Levothyroxin and with no change at all to my life stile my weight started piling on, I am now close on 3 stone heavier and the doctor says I look fine! The extra weight is making me tired and affecting my skeletal structure making me ache all over and the doctor just tells me age does not come alone! I am 67. I am fed up with being fobbed off and it now appears used as a guinnie pig I have no faith in my doctor or the NHS, it's true when they say it's a doctors Practice! They 'practise' on us and one day they might just get it right if they don't kill us first!

Hi   I too feel like I am being poisioned, I had a routine blood test to do with menopause, it came back I had under active thyroid, I was put on Levothyroxine and the dose was increased to 175mg over time, I feel terrible, I was fine before I took the levo,  apart from being a little tired thats was it, I am so tempted to just stop taking the levo it makes me feel yuk constantly, I was quite a social butterfly before, now all I want to do is stay indoors, I would be very grateful for any advice you could give me after you stopped your meds, did you go back to feeling normal again? Thankyou in advance

hi I'm wondering if you are still off levo and how it's working for you?  I've had problems with weight gain, high cholestoral, joint pain ever since I got on it

that's how I feel..no symptoms before but now joint pain, bloating, high cholestoral how..how are you doing now..

I live in Louisiana and I'm on Medicaid. I only took the levothyroxine for about a week and a half. It worked-I did get clearer thoughts, better sleep, way better sex, and oh the wonderful energy

And oh the pain in my breasts so horribly bad I could hardly breathe!

So I've been off 2 weeks and they still hurt some. Did taking Armour prevent this? Does anyone know, could it?

I really loved what it did for me, but that's just unreasonable amounts of pain to live with. I'd shut down. I'm seeing my Dr again next Friday.

I meant to say also my TSH was 4.35. I was put on levothyroxine 25mcg (Lannet)

I have the same problem, my stomach has tripled in size & have such terrible pains, tenderness in my gut, I have just had enough as the dr will not do anything for me. I cannot eat a meal & haven’t done for years. This week it has been so bad I eat 2 rich tea for lunch & dinner one day then the next I have 2 rich tea at lunch & cup-a-soup & yogurt for dinner. Now I have stopped levothyroxine today to try & solve this myself.