Anyone with an underactive thyroid

[Nojudgments]

Just looking for some more information as my gp hasn't really said much. Just that my thyroid function is slightly low, so I've been started on 50mg thyroxine. My main symptoms are terrible thinning hair, feeling so cold to the point it hurts and I can't bare it, and not being able to loose weight no matter what I actually do despite having a busy job and no car so walk everywhere I'm still stuck at 15 stones and it just won't go down just keeps creeping up, does the medication help with this at all, I'm not expectibg a magic fix but now feel I may not have just been going mad all this time 🙄. Any experience would be greatly appreciated

It was magic for me and I am on the same dose. I had all your symptoms but was heavier. I lost half a stone without trying and immediately had more energy and could get out of bed without needing a cattle prod.
If might take a couple of weeks to properly kick in but it should really help. Do you have repeat bloods booked in, you may need a higher dose so they should be monitoring you.
Just make sure you take it correctly, so at least 30 minutes before food or caffeine. I have it on my bedside table to take as soon as I wake. That way by the time I get up dresses etc the 30 minutes are up.

Wow thanks for the fast reply, sorry to be cheeky but was your weight anywhere as near as bad as mine, its really getting me down, I kept coming back as borderline for years despite it creeping up the only way I could loose weight was on 500 cals a day before my wedding strictly using my fitness pal, I don't eat carbs everyday maybe 2 times a week every meal I bulk the plate with brocoli, yes I'm booked in for next month. To too take it first thing then have a coffee at work x

Sorry just seen you said u were around my weight thanks for your help

I lost 10kg with IF after starting on 50mg. Came of reasonably easily. Now gained some back and struggling to shift, but that's more having lost the will to live in lock down 3 /stress and possible PCOS to boot.

Thanks for the positive comments, I understand with lockdown luckily I'm still Working and it's keeping my sanity going, and dp and I are trying to conceive another reason I really am. Worried about weight, and don't be hard on yourself everyone I've spoken to are finding it hard in lockdown 👍

Following this thread as my 12 year old son was diagnosed with under active thyroid 3 weeks ago. So pleased we have the diagnosis and Thyroxine tablets for tge past weeks as for the past 2 years the docs have told him he has growing pains in his arms and legs and needs to loose weight, eat healthier and get more active. He was devestated to have to give up football with our local grassroots team but an hr and 1/2 training or match game left him in so much pain and fatigue that he couldn't walk properly for days after!!

I’ve just been diagnosed and started on 50mg about 5 weeks ago now. I initially felt some weight loss while my body got used to the medication but it seems to have settled. Had my bloods checked last week so will see if the medication dose needs to be adjusted. I’ve been looking into foods to eat/avoid and came across this fitness trainer who has hypothyroid and talks about what foods can cause more issues when it comes to hypo and she also demonstrates some strength training exercises that people with hypo can do and not feel fatigued by. That’s one of my biggest issues - feeling so exhausted after exercise that I couldn’t get out of bed the next day and not being able to loose weight. Plus the usual dry skin, feeling cold and thin hair etc. There’s lots of advice out there but I think it may take a while to find what works for you - medication, exercise and diet-wise.

This is the video I mentioned earlier: m.youtube.com/watch?v=5Z8bP1wC6U0

I’ve had hypothyroidism for years and am currently on 100mcg Levo , I also have Addison’s disease so take replacement steroids . I cannot lose weight , I barely eat , go on two active dog walks a day, do 20 minutes on a vibrating plate ( exercising whilst I’m on it ) and do Pilates and I’m still lucky if I come out the end of the week without having gained a pound . Fortunately I’m not that overweight but ideally I’d like to lose at least a stone . I think maybe cardio type exercise may help but I have emphysema so can’t do that .

I take 125 mcgs levothyroxine. I feel absolutely exhausted if I haven't had my meds, I basically crawl round the house and live with a brain fog. On my meds I am a different human being

I’m on 150mg ( thyroid doesn’t work at all really 😂) and experienced the fatigue and thinning hair before I started taking it-initially 50 mg but gradually bumped up over the years. It hasn’t really affected my weight, tbh, but the major difference was my increased energy levels so I could do more strenuous exercise, IYSWIM. I’m in my 40’s and walking just isn’t enough to lose weight as my metabolism has slowed down.

I know you can’t do something like that right away, but as the Levothyroxine takes effect, you’ll find your energy levels rising and you’ll be able to exercise more strenuously. Try and find something you enjoy- pre-pandemic I did lap swimming and that worked well for me.

Thanks for the input, I'm just really really fed up that I can't loose weight it's really getting me down I'm so hungry and miserable but too scared to eat anything as I seem to just be stuck at the same weight either way 😩

I've been diagnosed for 10 years and currently take 75mg and the weight just creeps on
I eat healthily so I'm really struggling to know what I can do

I’m on 75mg but barely ever remember to take them due to having unmediated ADHD.

When I did go through a spell of taking them they definitely helped me lose weight.

From the scientific literature: 5-10 pounds of body weight may be attributable to the thyroid, depending on the severity of the hypothyroidism.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but I’ve been on thyroxine for years, currently 100mcg Monday to Friday and 200mcg Saturday and Sunday. My energy levels have been vastly improved and I no longer fall asleep all the time. But I still feel the cold terribly and still struggle to lose weight. I really wish bring medicated would make the weight drop off but even when I am dieting and sticking to it I hit a certain weight and then just gain and lose the same lb. I’m not starving myself to lose more, it’s just not worth it, life is too short to never enjoy food!

I’m on 50 mcg thyroxine

I’ve not noticed the thyroxine making a huge difference re weight but then I’ve never been very overweight

However OP - I got pregnant 6 weeks after starting on thyroxine having been TTC for a year! So fingers crossed it helps you in that way too.

For TTC you need your T4 to be lower than 2.5, normal range is supposedly less than 4.5 but you need it lower for TTC and if you do get pg you may need to up your dose as the body needs more in pregnancy

Do get tested 6 weeks after you start as you may need dose adjusted

A lot of years ago now but my thyroid gland packed up after pregnancy. I know this sounds weird and unlikely but I had c section and put on 6 lbs after the birth when I went back for my 6 weeks post birth check up. I told hospital I felt tired all of the time, had put on weight, felt achey, cold, constipated and felt unwell. They told me all new Mums were tired and to wear more clothing and drink more water for constipation. No blood test and no sympathy. It was end of October and I had a jumper on. I left it another 3 weeks then rang my GP. I got appointment and GP said I sounded depressed. I told GP I was not depressed but felt I'll. I was sent away and told if not feeling better in a month.comr back. By this time I had put on a further 8 lbs from when I was weighed at hospital. Constipation was awful and I kept falling asleep during the day. Went back to GP after the month, they weighed me and I had put on a further 7 lbs. I burst into years and GP sent me for blood test for just about everything. Blood test showed my thyroid was not working at all, completely packed up. They started me on 25mg then had to go back a month later for new blood test, put up to 50mg but I had put on a further 7 lbs. Then went back up to 75mg but had put on 6 more lb. Then back a month later and put on to 100mg but had put on 4 more lb. In total I put on about 3 stone. I have never lost it and went from a size 12 to a size 16. I was stable on 100mg for many years. I did not put on more weight but I did not lose any either even when.on low callery diet. When I went through menopause hormones went haywire and I started to put on 4 lbs every month, feeling sluggish and cold and had dry eyes. After 3 months I went to my to GP had more bloods and told needed a higher thyroxin dose. Put on 125 mg but still put on 2-3 lbs each month after another 3 months had another blood test put up to 150mg. That stopped weight gain but I never lost what i had put on. Went up to size 18. I don't eat large meals, don't like sweet things and no matter how much I diet I can't lose weight. Through lockdown can no longer go to gym 3 times a week or swim, so put on another 11lbs. Now up to size 20. I kind of think ofy life in 2 parts before thyroid problems and after. I am now going to see endocrinologist to see if they can sort it out. I have heard some people do not do well on just Levothyroxine, which is what I have. I think I must be one of them. The bit I hate most apart from weight gain is lack of energy and tiredness.

Hi,

Also started off on 50MG Levothyroxine but that has now been increased to 100MG. At the lower dosage, no I didn’t really lose any weight until I radically changed my diet. The weight had been creeping on for a couple years prior without me understanding why, to an extent. It all became crystal clear when I was diagnosed with this. All the fatigue, weight gain (from a size 8 to a size 16), all the low moods/borderline depression.

Like others have said it takes a few weeks but follow the guidelines on packet, try to take it at a similar time in the morning if at all possible. Also take a vitamin supplement and increase walking. I’ve lost 17 kilos doing the above. It’s harder but not impossible! Don’t allow it to be your excuse - I did for a year and the weight just kept creeping on. Be understanding to your medical reason, but research the disease and find something that works for you, so you can lose weight too. :)
Also, write down when your reviews are due in case they forget to contact you for another blood sample. 50MG is the starting dose, very often it needs to be increased.

Good luck!

@minipie

I’m on 50 mcg thyroxine

I’ve not noticed the thyroxine making a huge difference re weight but then I’ve never been very overweight

However OP - I got pregnant 6 weeks after starting on thyroxine having been TTC for a year! So fingers crossed it helps you in that way too.

For TTC you need your T4 to be lower than 2.5, normal range is supposedly less than 4.5 but you need it lower for TTC and if you do get pg you may need to up your dose as the body needs more in pregnancy

Do get tested 6 weeks after you start as you may need dose adjusted

Also, I couldn't breastfeed because of hypothyroid. I had no idea and had not enough supply. I did manage to feed DD2 with a lot of support and medication, fed for 6 months but in retrospect wish I hadn't as it made us all miserable.

But something to bear in mind

It’s great to read all the experience on here - thanks for sharing! I was diagnosed about 6 years ago when TTC. My medication has been upped slowly over the years and I’m currently on 75 mcg. At my last blood test the GP said it looked like it needed increasing, but that if I felt well (which I did) then we could keep the medication the same. That was in the summer and since then my weight has been creeping up.

I kind of feel reluctant to go up to 100 mcg as I wonder where it will end - will it just keep going up? I really want to try and get it under control naturally. Has anybody had good results with diet and exercise? The info on the Internet is so varied that it’s hard to know what to rely on.

I have been on medication for about 10 years. I'm currently on 150mg. I actually went up to 175mg and became hyper rather than hypo.

I personally don't notice any difference but obviously there must be as I'm on such a high dose. When I forget to take my medicine for a long time my fiance says I go a bit ditzy and weird. I do remember getting super tired but that's as about it. I don't seem to get any of the other symptoms. Also I'm just chunky. I've been on medication so long, I can't really blame the thyroid now lol!

I take 100mcg thyroxine and have done for years now.
Never felt it helped with weight loss unfortunately.
Interestingly I saw an Endocrinologist as my parathyroid had to be removed. He told me that even though my bloods indicated I should be on 75mcg to stay on 100mcg and that most people benefit from medication being slightly higher than nhs guidelines.

It’s good to hear your energy levels do eventually increase when your on the correct dose - I’m looking forward to not feeling like a walking zombie and being able to do exercise again :)