Thyroid/losing weight

[fatpatsthong]

Sorry for another weight one but posting for traffic.

Recent blood tests have shown that my tsh is a bit above nhs limits (it's 5) but my t4 is the lower end of normal. From what I've gathered, this shows it's struggling but not totally fucked. However I do have a few symptoms (cold, dry, depressed) and weight wise I have found it very very hard to lose and hideously easy to gain.

I have follow up in 3 months but in the meantime I'm finding the excess weight really miserable. I know it will hideous and slow but how have others managed this? Looking online I can see some real conflicting advice. I'm not keen on doing a huge calorie drop as I've done before and a bit worried I'll mess my metabolism even further. Similarly not ultra keen on no carbs either

Is it borderline sub clinical hypothyroidism? I had the same symptoms, and my tsh was 9, showed in 2 blood tests and I’ve just started on a really low dose of thyroxine 25mg. I’ve been taking it three weeks now and feel much better in myself, and have lost 3lbs but not changed diet/exercised more. 😊

Before the meds though I worked out my BMR and stuck to that each day, so I was creating a calorie deficit each day. Tracked everything on MyFitnessPal - I can’t stick to diets like keto/low carb. I also went to the g 3 times a week.

Are you on any thyroid meds? Take a look at health unlocked thyroid or TPA Uk websites for advice on thyroid treatment.

Thank you - not in meds' til the next set of tests which are end of March (and even then may not qualify under nhs guidance)

I have been tracking cals vs my tdee but do still appear to be gaining so might need to reduce to my bmr which sucks as I'm short.

Just bouncing again as I weighed myself again today and yet more weight has gone on. I understand not losing at 1350 ish per day but gaining is just shit and I'm v blue.

Apparently my bmr should be around 1360 and my tdee 1575 but clearly not

You really need to get meds sorted before anything else really please try to look at web sites and consider self treating many woman have to in order to be more healthy. The lower end of normal is terrible for Thyroid hormones it should be in upper third the range Is too wide for normal metabolism. Good luck but I feel till you take your thyroid health in your own hands your problems may continue , you will get plenty of good advice on websites and can then take it to your next medical appointment to push for a trial of thyroxine.

Thyroxine isn’t a magical cure either though, but definitely make sure you’re up to date on all information regarding hypothyroidism and it’s trratment. The weight gain is awful, and yes it’s harder to budge with thyroid issues but not impossible. I do exercise/low sugar and small portions getting there but it’s sticking a bit at 12 stone but have lost almost 2 stone. I have congenital hypothyroidism and have no thyroid at all, so been on levothyroxine my whole life.

Hope you get some answers/treatment soon and don’t let the drs fob you off

Mine is similar nhs won't treat in my area. Don't rule out low carb. I actually think all this stuff is interrelated. I've been on the blood sugar diet since the new year. I've lost a stone and feel better than I have in literally years.

I'd look into sorting out your thyroid first. As PP has said, thyroxine is not a magical cure-all but I'd approach your GP to see if they'd consider prescribing it to you.

Also TSH and T4 alone are not very good indicators of in-depth thyroid health. Thyroiduk or the hypothyroidmum are 2 sites that I have found very informative.

I have noticed that elsewhere in Europe, the range for a healthy thyroid is much smaller. My thyroid was 3.9 when I went to see an endo in Norway and I was put on levothyroxine straight away. I'm now just shy of 1.5 and I feel like a completely different woman. I'm aware my case is probably very straightforward but it's amazing what this little pill has done! My mum is French Polynesian and they have a lot of thyroid issues there and her French endo would also have considered 3.9 far too high given the accompanying symptoms.

Good luck to you, and good luck to all of you dealing with thyroid issues.

Oh and I also follow an adapted version of the automobile diet and I think it's helped too. I say "adapted" because I found it very restrictive but it allowed me to pinpoint which food was having a negative impact of my energy levels. It's not designed to help you lose weight but helps avoiding triggering food.

Thank you all. I guess I'm stuck a little until my next set of bloods - gp won't do anything til then in any case but I have already had a good read of some of those suggestions. I have private healthcare through work but I doubt they will do anything either as I need to kick start it with a gp referral.

So I guess all I can do is try! I am happy to go lower carb and watch portions more. I had been doing 16:8 but did some reading yesterday that suggested this wasn't great for those with high cortisol and whilst I've not been tested, I am receiving anxiety treatment and have all the signs so I've switched back to 3 meals a day.

Roll on March!