Weight gain of nearly a stone in two weeks...why!!!
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi, I have underactive thyroid and take 150mg of Levothyroxine...I used to be on 175mg a couple of years ago but Doctors reduced it. I have had thyroid problems for over 13+ years. I weighed myself today (28/4/17) and scales are telling me I've put nearly a stone on in nearly two weeks. Granted I don't do a lot of exercise at all...can only walk so far and I suffer from pains in the back of my legs lower down, out of breath...since I stopped work in August 2012 with depression and other health problems I have put about 2.5stone on...I drink a lot of tea (about 40-45 cups a week as I count my tea bags lol) I smoke roll ups about 6 a day, I don't drink alcohol at all (maybe a glass or two of Port and lemon at Christmas) I do drink water...but maybe not as much as I should...the weight has gone on around my middle and I have spare tyres where I never use to lol...I'm 52 live on my own with my cats....I don't sleep well on a night but often fall asleep during the day and don't always have a lot of energy, need to pee a lot especially during the night, I've just done a test online for type 2 diabetes it says moderate...it also says my BMI is 35 going by weight and waist measurement (will make an appt at docs next week)...could I be holding water...my ankles are still slim but have lots of broken veins which seemed to appear after I finished my job where I was always active...any advice would be appreciated thankyou
0 likes, 15 replies
MtViewCatherine Mysticprincess
Posted
Hi MysticPrincess, I had a similar experience where I blew up like a balloon on the levo. Looking back, I should have been taken off the medication immediately. The levo has horrible side effects including serious liver and kidney problems. Of course the liver and kidney problems lead to a whole bunch of other issues. I found a lot of case studies showing levothyroxin causes liver disease in even very low doses over a short period of time. Liver and kidney problems can certainly cause massive weight gain and water retention.
My my thought in your case is that either your body has reached some sort of threshold, or the formulation may have changned. I found with the thyroid meds change formulations frequently. You could argue that it's just as likely to have an unrelated cause, but since the thyroid controls every function of the body, saying it's completely unrelated is a tough argument.
Mysticprincess MtViewCatherine
Posted
Thanks for the reply Catherine...actually my levothyroxine has changed in the past 8/9 days...its by a different company from what I'm used to and even the size of the tablets have changed...I will mention it to the Doctor next week thankyou
Neldog Mysticprincess
Posted
Its recently been re introduced and reformulated. There seems to be a lot of people reporting adverse effects.
Mysticprincess Neldog
Posted
Hi, thankyou for replying, after reading it I went and checked the brand/company name and yes it is Teva...I normally just take the tablets and never check the make so thankyou for that...what is the yellow card scheme please I've not heard of it before and how would I go about doing it, thankyou
Neldog Mysticprincess
Posted
If enough people report adverse effects of a medication, then it can be investigated. Here is the link. https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk
MtViewCatherine Neldog
Posted
WDebs Neldog
Posted
hi,
I was really interested to read this as my brand of Levothyroxine was also changed? to Teva a couple of months ago and I
feel? quite unwell, have doc's appt next week to then hopefully get a blood test check. Problems include Weight? gain and nausea, palpitations.
I didn't think of this until I read your message so, Thanks.
It might explain a few things.
sarah23847 Mysticprincess
Posted
hi,
its always a goood idea to keep an eye out for which brands of levothyroxine you are given. there is a new formulation of the TEVA brand i am yet to try it next month.
the yellow card scheme aims to hear from people who take medication and suffer from side effects that are listed as uncommon or rare or new side effects that are occurring when you take it. They are able to inform patients of sideeffects through people to take them and report them.
https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk as mentioned below if more people report then there can be investigations taken place
Mysticprincess sarah23847
Posted
Hi Sarah, its the new brand I had been given but wasn't aware of anything about it until I made this post. Thankyou for letting me know what the yellowcard scheme means
karen37298 Mysticprincess
Posted
Hi,
I've been on levothyroxine for 5 years. I've gained so much weight. I exercise every day and eat pretty much meat/fish veg and salad. I hardly have any sugar as I'm diabetic. I've felt worse and worse over the years. I look pregnant! I'm on 75mg levothyroxine but on Saturday I decided to stop it. I've no idea how quickly I should feel any health changes. I feel less depressed, less dizzy, my memory is better. I was exhausted before and I'm not quite as tired. I don't know how long it will take before I lose any weight. I've ordered some thyroid glandular but it's not arrived yet. I don't even know if I should go on this or just see how I go with nothing?
MtViewCatherine karen37298
Posted
Hi Karen, I'm in the same boat. Gained 50 pounds on the levo. The levo nearly killed me. I don't think I'm particularly unique in the side effects. I've read many c are studies that this drug causes autoimmune liver disease even at the lowest dose for only one month. After my experience and what I've read, I believe this drug should not be used ever.
i was able to get off the meds with amino acid therapy.
i found large doses of essential amino acids plus extra phenylalanine to help enormously. I also have the help of an acupuncturist and TCM.
Words of caution: when you go off the levo, the thyroid gland starts working again and is loaded with toxins. Turmeric, liquid chlorophyll and activated charcoal all help with the detox symptoms.
Also, be careful with the amino acids. The levo causes horrible autoimmune disease as well as kidney and liver problems. This weakens the system and with the added strain of amino acids, can worsen kidney problems.
Good luck. I've been off a year and a half now. Was on a glandular until 6 months ago. Feel much better now that I'm off everything. Haven't lost weight yet though.
karen37298 MtViewCatherine
Posted
Thank you for your reply. It's awful! Surely, it should be illegal. I guess it's already having an effect because my insulin doses have come down. So the toxins will cause inflammation? I eat turmeric every day anyway. I feel like my meals are just platefuls of herbs and spices!
Did you find the glandular help? I'm trying to understand more but is glandular the same as natural dessicated thyroid?
karen37298
Posted
The other thing is they've found my cortisol levels are high so I'm currently being investigated for Cushing's syndrome which has really similar symptoms to levo but my consultant so far doesn't think I've got cushing's. He told me that Friday. I'm so confused so thought I'll stop the levo and see if anything changes
MtViewCatherine karen37298
Posted
It causes major bone loss, dumping massive amounts of bone material into the blood stream and out of the body through the kidneys. So you get low kidney function due to all the crystallized minerals jamming up the kidneys. So you get tons of water retention and high blood pressure. Kidneys affect adrenals... But of course funky ratios of thyroxin also mess up the adrenals.
You also get every form of arthritis, plus severe autoimmune disease of various sorts: fibromialgya, autoimmune hepatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, etc.
What you get from this medication is total system failure.
Mysticprincess
Posted
I've managed to get an appointment at the doctors to see the Nurse to get my bloods done to check my thyroid levels and also to check for diabetes. I called in to see my pharmacist to discuss the TEVA brand of levothyroxine I had been given it turns out other people have complained of side effects so she is going to look into them but kindly gave me a strip of each dosage to replace the TEVA ones. So just wait and see what my levels are like.