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

HI there

I was put on Levo when I was first diagnosed with Hashimoto's in 2014.  I was 165 pounds and gained 7 pounds in 9 days and then went up from there to 203. I was aghast! I found a naturopath cause the Endo I went to told me she would not take me off of Levo. So I was upset about that. She told me that most endo's have contracts with the company that puts out the Levo and so they have to push that one. It was at her advice that I sought out a naturalistic doctor. I found one that put me on Armour and I lost 10 pounds and then they changed their structure. I went back up to 193. I also was always gaining like 4 to 5 pounds of water on top of that. Not to mention the constipation. So I decided to change to naturethroid. That was so much worse on me. I was bloated all the time and the water retention got up 7 to 10 pounds and the constipation got so much worse too. So I went to a different natural doctor. I discussed trying Cytomel. I had a problem with reverse T3. It would go too high at times. So she began starting me on a small dose and now I am up to 20 mcg a day and doing so much better. I have lost all my reverse T3 which you do not need in your body anyway. My constipation has gotten so much better. I at least go more than twice in 15 days. That is how bad it got with naturethroid. I also have lost some significant weight. I am now 179 in the mornings and with water retention I go to up to about 183. I do not think the amount is correct yet and i am going to ask to go up 5 more mcg. But we are just figuring out my dose as of yet. I still have constipation with this but not as much. She also put me on 200 mg of progesterone and I take no estrogen cause I am 58 and do not need it for one and your fat makes estrogen and plastics and foods also give estrogen . I am beginning to feel like my ole self again. Like I did before I ever was diagnosed. It is important to get your hormones with progesterone in check cause your body quits making it and the body needs it. Hypothyroidism is caused also by low progesterone. I am also thinking of getting 50 more on top of my 200 mcg cause I am just not quite right yet but on the right track thank God. I had thought I was dying before. Also my doctor told me Armour contains aluminum in it. Most doctors are so hesitant to put anyone on Cytomel but if you are fortunate enough to get one that will let you try it then please ask for it. It is easy to take and i do not have any side effects from it. You can figure the dosage by the Armour dosage or whatever you take. I was on 130 tab of naturethroid and it contains about 18 mcg of T3 and now I am taking 20 mcg of Cytomel. I take no T4 at all cause my body does not convert that great anyway. But I am so much better after my 5 year ordeal with this and I still am not right but getting there slowly. My prayers are being answered. I can see the changes. I just wanted to comment here to all of you who are struggling just like me. I feel for each and every one of you. My prayers go out to all of you. 

Hi there,

I have Hashimoto's and took Levo for the first med. I was 165 pounds. I ballooned up to 203. I also retained massive water retention of up to 7 to 9 pounds on top of that. I thought I was dying. Literally. I was thinking about my will. I asked the Endo to please take me off of Levo and she refused to. She told me that she cannot due to contractual restrictions with the manufacturer of Levo. She told me to seek out a natural doctor if I want a change. So I did. I tried Armour next and lost 10 pounds. But it was still not correct so I switched to WP throid and was on that for about 6 months and it did nothing for me at all. My water retention was getting worse with this med. So I asked to be put on a T3 only med cause i had a problem with converting and so my reverse T3 was to high at times. Or on the high end of normal. My natural doctor put me on Cytomel and I am now down to 180. I have a minimum of a 4 pound water retention on top of that. Not too bad but i lost from 203 to 180 in a year and a half. That is so good for me. But I also had a ratio where my estrogen was too high over my progesterone. So my doctor also put me on 200 mg of progesterone. I can tell that the 200 is not enough and so will ask for about a 50 mg increase. I was estrogen dominant and that causes weight gain as well as water retention. So I finally now am getting everything in check with just a T3 only med cause your body does not need reverse T3 to function and I take no T4 with this. And then I take my progesterone with no estrogen but the estriol. Estriol is the protective estrogen. Estradial is the one that will make you put on the weight if is it is not the correct ratio to progesterone. I had so much study for hours finding all I could about this disease and the hormones. With all of this together I am finally feeling like I did before I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I of course am not there yet but so much closer than I ever have been. 

The reason that woman told you it was not the med is because she probably does not take it.  But that aside Levo has side effects and not everyone can take it. It is a T4 only med that relies on your body to convert the T4 to the active needed T3 for the body to function. If your body does not convert well like mine then that med is a big problem. Did the doctor check you reverse T3 and also your antibodies and your estriol estrone and estradial and also you progesterone level. Your ratio of Estrogen to Progesterone needs to be in balance or you will retain water and also weight. Even if the thyroid is normal with meds the hormones need to be balanced.

I wish you so much luck in your steps to wellness. 

Thank you,

Cameron

Hi

One more thing I forgot is I wanted to tell you that fat makes estrogen and that is why I take NO estrogen. plus you get estrogen from different foods. If you are taking estrogen on top of all that then you are going to perhaps overload your body with it and become estrogen dominant. Do read up on the symptoms of estrogen dominance and low progesterone levels. Also what high estrogen levels will do to your body.

Good luck

Cameron

I am facing same issue,don't know how to handle this

Yes Levothyroxin is useless when it comes to weight gain, the main symptoms of under active thyroid are weight gain and fatigue, the most common side effects from Levothyroxin are weight gain and fatigue, no matter what we do we can't lose weight while on this drug. There are severe problems with Levothyroxin which aren't being addressed by the NHS as they haven't got an alternative to Levothyroxin and NICE won't licence NDT. We are being ignored by the NHS as if they admit there is a problem with Levothyroxin they have to do something about it and that will cost money which is why NICE aren't licensing NDT, even though it's not that dear Levothyroxin is very, very cheap.

100% im a painter & decorator, for 23 years ive been up n down ladders, eating healthy etc.

started taking thyroxine about 2 years ago, i ve gained over a stone, im shattered, things now feel really heavy, face is swollen, struggle to get the lid off a coffee jar now, its a joke, my blood test come back fine "wow put up the bunting" no good to me though as still feel dreadful most days.