Hyperthyroidism just diagnosed!

[Thecharlady38]

Is there anyone out there who could give me some reassurance about an Overactive Thyroid? I had noticed intense itching for several weeks and when I looked up possible causes, there were a few quite serious ones so I decided to check it out. And so the diagnosis was made. I don’t have too many of the usual symptoms - itching, a slight hand tremor, a very fast heart rate, and weight loss. But generally I feel well. I have to say though, sorry if it sounds rather shallow in comparison to health issues many people have (especially now!), my main worry after reading up on it, is the weight gain with treatment! My GP put me on a small dose of Carbimazole, and Propanalol 3 times a day. I am awaiting an appointment with an Endo. I assume they will decide what your long term dosage will be. Out of all the info I have read, both personal stories and some medical articles, 9 out of 10 people gain weight, sometimes lots of it! Can anyone tell me their experiences? Is it absolutely a given? Do you always put more weight on than you lost? Might it be that you gain more weight than ever before? Or could it be just a few pounds? I usually hang around the 9st mark (2/3 pounds over at times). I’m currently down to 8st 11. Which is quite nice but I realise that is due to the OT! I am a cleaner so have an active job, and I eat in the 5.2 way, which works well for me. I am concerned that I may go way up and have trouble with my weight for ever more! Any experiences, good or bad, would be very welcome! I always like to be forewarned!

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. It must be a worry knowing that one of the only ‘benefits’ of an illness is going to be taken away if you’re properly treated! Unfortunately weight gain is one of the more visible and measurable side effects of your thyroid function decreasing. If your thyroid levels decrease too much there may also be hundreds of other effects on energy, mood, skin, hair, vision, hearing, digestion, healing, brain function etc. The weight gain really is the least of it. That being said, I would decline the option to have your thyroid partially destroyed or removed as a way to permanently lower your levels. I know many people who had radiation treatment and went the other way, and now bitterly regret it, as under active thyroid is just as shit, if not worse than, overactive.

OP, I've had Hyperthyroidism and was put on the same medication as you, but also a dose of thyroxine (block and replace I think they called the treatment). I didn't gain any weight at all on the treatment.

In the end I had to have my thyroid removed (in 2003) and have been taking thyroxine ever since. Whilst I did gain a little weight then, it was welcome as I was painfully thin. Some say I'm underweight now (I'm 6'1" and weigh 11 stone), but at 48 I think that's pretty good and I feel I look ok for my age.

It's not a given you'll put on weight and any you put on, may well be welcome.

Thank you to both of you for replying, I appreciate it 🙂. I am concerned about the risk of becoming Hypo through treatment as I’ve read several stories of that happening, leading to lifelong medication & weight problems. Not knowing when it started is frustrating too, I don’t know whether there is any way of knowing that? The thought of living in permanent worry about my weight is very depressing, I’m 52 and have always been reasonably slim, other than one or two occasions over the decades. Does anyone have a story where they have managed to lose any excess weight after treatment has ended? Or will it for ever more be an issue?

OP, don't worry about lifelong medication for this. As I'm now without a thyroid, I have to take thyroxine every day, I just pop down two tablets and that's it. I've been doing that now since my operation, the dose has only ever changed once and my blood tests show my levels are all good. There has been a silver lining. As I'm on thyroxine, I get a medical exemption card and get free prescriptions and have done for years now.

It's been a real bonus, as I now have Rheumatoid Arthritis and have to take a tonne of different drugs, so having the medical exemption has taken the worry off the cost.