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Hypothyroidism and trying to lose weight

Posted , 4 users are following.

kelli04340
kelli04340

I need someones help.

I have an underactive thyroid and was disgnosed in Feb 14. My levels are currently TSH - 2.5 and T4 - 13. They are the only results i was presented with from my last bloods.  I am taking 250mcg Levo and i am absolutely shattered.  I have no energy or anything and am alwasy tired.  Today i have bought myself sleep hypnosis tape, sleeping aid and multi vitamins and am hoping with these i can get a good night sleep and make me feel like i have more energy.  Its got to the point where i have no energy to do my housework all in one go and have to stagger it which annoys me as im usually so house proud.

I am thinking to myself that maybe if i lose weight ill have more energy but its a vicious cycle as i havent the energy to exercise.  Just wondering if anyone has any diet plans ie sw or something that has helped that and try and give me the motivation i need. TIA

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Carolannfud
    Carolannfud kelli04340

    Posted

    Hi Keli, you need to get your T3 levels tested too because if the T4 isn't converting to T3 you will feel really bad. Could it also be there is something else awry as well as under active thyroid? 
  • barbara98940
    barbara98940 kelli04340

    Posted

    Hi Kelli, can you post the range written next to each result e.g. T4 is often (9-19). For your information, I feel best when my TSH = 0 (the result is written as <0.01, range on my test is (0.4-4.9)) and my t4=19. i read somewhere (telegrapgh newspaper?) that patients on long term thyroxine tend to fell better if their t4 dose is in the upper quadrant of the range (i.e. 15-19). having said this, you are already on a very high dose of thyroxine (t4), so it looks like there is something else going on e.g. your body isn't converting t4 to t3 (liothyronine), or your cells have got a problem using the t3. ask to be referred to sn encrinologist and keep researching so that you can have an intelligent conversation with the encrinologist when you speak to them. point out that on 250mcg of thyroxine you would have expected the t4 result to be much higher and out of range. tell them you've heard that some people have problems with their cells using the thyroxine they are getting. be ready to quote your source and make sure it's a research paper. i think i git this information from the uk thyroid patient advocacy website. good luck and let us know how you get on. range="" on="" my="" test="" is="" (0.4-4.9))="" and="" my="" t4="19." i="" read="" somewhere="" (telegrapgh="" newspaper?)="" that="" patients="" on="" long="" term="" thyroxine="" tend="" to="" fell="" better="" if="" their="" t4="" dose="" is="" in="" the="" upper="" quadrant="" of="" the="" range="" (i.e.="" 15-19).="" having="" said="" this,="" you="" are="" already="" on="" a="" very="" high="" dose="" of="" thyroxine="" (t4),="" so="" it="" looks="" like="" there="" is="" something="" else="" going="" on="" e.g.="" your="" body="" isn't="" converting="" t4="" to="" t3="" (liothyronine),="" or="" your="" cells="" have="" got="" a="" problem="" using="" the="" t3.="" ask="" to="" be="" referred="" to="" sn="" encrinologist="" and="" keep="" researching="" so="" that="" you="" can="" have="" an="" intelligent="" conversation="" with="" the="" encrinologist="" when="" you="" speak="" to="" them.="" point="" out="" that="" on="" 250mcg="" of="" thyroxine="" you="" would="" have="" expected="" the="" t4="" result="" to="" be="" much="" higher="" and="" out="" of="" range.="" tell="" them="" you've="" heard="" that="" some="" people="" have="" problems="" with="" their="" cells="" using="" the="" thyroxine="" they="" are="" getting.="" be="" ready="" to="" quote="" your="" source="" and="" make="" sure="" it's="" a="" research="" paper.="" i="" think="" i="" git="" this="" information="" from="" the="" uk="" thyroid="" patient="" advocacy="" website.="" good="" luck="" and="" let="" us="" know="" how="" you="" get="">
  • barbara98940
    barbara98940 kelli04340

    Posted

    What's your Ferritin level? I was told by a encrinologist it needs to be above 50. Other people have been told 80.
    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 Carolannfud

      Posted

      Hi Carolann, I'm no expert, but I'll try and answer your question from what I've worked out over the last 24 years of having autoimmune hypothyroidism. If you read the posts on this forum you will see a common theme. Hypothyroidism affects your metabolism down to a cellular level. It can mean that you are deficient in other vitamins and minerals. The major one is Ferritin (to be able to use the Iron in your diet your body has to convert it to Ferritin). It is possible to have a normal or high Iron count and a low Ferritin count simulaneously. I did. My consultant told me that I needed a Ferritin level of 50 to be able to metabolise thyroxine correctly (another person on this forum says 80). So I was technically anaemic though an initial look at my Iron count said I wasn't. Anaemia makes one debilitatingly tired (just like hypothyroidism) - have a look at the symptoms.

      Also, Vit B12, Vit D, Magnesium - a deficiency in any of these can make you feel awful. Other people have suggested that Potassium and Calcium also need to be checked (hopefully you will get further replies to add to this list if I've missed any).

      If you want to find out more about hypothyroidism, look up the UK site Thyroid Patient Advocacy under the section Resources. They also have an article on being newly diagnosed with Hypothyroidism which is very informative. 

    • kelli04340
      kelli04340 barbara98940

      Posted

      Doctor called today and has confirmed I have an iron deficiency as well and prescribed folic acid. Will I ever get better
    • Carolannfud
      Carolannfud barbara98940

      Posted

      Thanks Barbara. I will have a look at that site and also ask the doctor to check for those minerals when doing next blood test. Maybe I am anaemic, could explain why I feel a bit better but not 100% better. Thanks for responding. smile 
    • barbara98940
      barbara98940 kelli04340

      Posted

      Anyone with an iron deficiency feels rough. And that's without the complication of not metabolising the thyroxine properly. So the chances are you'll feel loads better once this is fixed.
    • Carolannfud
      Carolannfud barbara98940

      Posted

      Thanks Barbara. I looked at the site you recommended and now have more questions for the doctor when I see him this afternoon. Many thanks. 
  • traceyw1968
    traceyw1968 kelli04340

    Posted

    Hi Kelli, sorry to hear that you're feeling unnwell, it's miserable isn't?

    I gained 2 stone after my hemithyroidectomy & have really struggled to lose any weight. I've tried various things like counting calories and cutting out fat, but nothing worked until I gave up gluten and sugar and totally changed the way I eat. Inside of 3 meals a day, I eat smaller portions and have healthy snacks inbetween. After 4 months I've lost 1 stone, it was and still is hard work but it is worth it. I feel stronger, have more energy and my IBS is much better. Understand though that my symptoms haven't gone away; I'm in better shape to manage them if that makes sense?

    With the housework, I now manage it weekly rather than stressing daily about what I've not finished. On Sunday's I write a list of what I need to do by the end of the week. So during the week after work, I tackle one room at a time giving myself a time limit of 15 minutes. That way I feel like I'm doing some thing, and at the same time I'm not totally exhausting myself.

    Hope that helps you on your way to better health. 

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