Excuse the long intro, but I the more info the better when it comes to asking for advice.
I am a 36 year old male and was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism just over 2 years ago now. After looking at various forums, this one seems to be one of the more active ones where you can get advice and support on this subject.
At the beginning, I could barely walk 10ft without feeling so drained, I used to almost fall asleep at the wheel driving from Manchester to Coventry a few times a week, and in general just felt rubbish all of the time. I put on 3 stone in weight in approx 5 weeks. My MD at work who we see once a month said I was looking ill and very pale and a bit chunkier!!, and suggested that I was possibly anemic and should get checked out at the doctors. My wife had been nagging (nicely) for me to go to the doctors for quite a few weeks, so eventually I did.
Instantly he was 95% sure it was an under-active thyroid, and prescribed me 50mcg Levothyroxine and booked me in for blood tests a few days later. He also told me that I should take time off work as I was struggling badly.
I was signed off for 4 weeks, and when my 1st bloods came back, he moved my dosage up to 75mcg. My results were off the scale, TSH was 1000 and T4 was 1.2 He didnt want to jump me up to a bigger dose straight away, so it was a gradual process. I had an ultrasound which came back clear.
2 months down the line and my TSH level was down to 28, my dose was then upped to 150mcg.
The following month it was upped again to 175mcg and my TSH came back as 1.7
I stayed on 175mcg for about 4 months but had to go back for another blood test as something was just not right. I was getting angry at the slightest thing that annoyed me, no patience, and adrenaline was to the max. It was horrible and just not me. I was re-tested and then dropped to 150mcg and this seemed to be fine until about 2 months ago, I started to get the same sensations in my body that I got when I was on 175mcg a day.
My tests were done again, and told that I was slightly on the high side, so the dose was dropped to 125mcg, and so far so good, I feel like I used too before my thyroid issue.
Once my levels were stable, I started to go on a calorie controlled diet, and to date have lost 2 stone in about 18 months.
Only recently I have started exercising every 2 days in an attempt to lose more, but no matter what I have been doing, I seem to be stuck at the same weight. I have lost a bit of flab as my clothes fit better, but is gets me down that no matter how hard I am trying, I am getting nowhere.
I use MyFitnessPal to document my calorie intake, so I know that I am consuming about 1800 Calories a day, which is a deficit of about 500 calories from what I should be eating, so that I can lose weight. I seem to be on or just above the 19st mark, going up and down by 2lbs every other week, I wonder if this is water retention?
If I could just get under this 19st mark, then it would give me hope for the next landmark
Advice/comments are welcome
Many Thanks
HI there Manc - Welcome to Healthypages :wave:
Thanks for all the info. It's always interesting to get a reasonably full story because everyone is different, although some features may be similar. Unfortunately we have lost one or two of our main contributors to the discussions on thyroid matters, but I can point you in the direction of where to find some answers.
I'd want to look at why this problem has occurred in the first place. Is it auto-immune? What was your diet like before this started? Have you had a number of infections that needed treating with antibiotics, upsetting your gut microbes, which in turn can inflame the gut wall by their toxins and allow foreign molecules into your system, setting the stage for autoimmune reactions? Has there been damage to your throat thus damaging the thyroid? Have you been under considerable stress which has depleted your adrenal glands, unbalancing your whole system? Have you been in contact with chemicals that damage thyroid function? - in fact the questions can go on and on. I'm not actually asking for answers but posing them for you to find out for yourself.
It is not particularly common for someone of your age and sex to become so hypothyroid. There must have been some predisposing factors. One of the best books to read to find out for yourself about this in Dr Durrant-Peatfield's - it goes into all sorts of why's and wherefores and how to sort things out. It might take more than one reading to start to get to grips with it all, but it's definitely well worth persevering - you may even know more about the thyroid than your doctor in the end. I think this is a vastly important study to do - it is your thyroid gland and you need to know how to look after it and understand when you need help. Unfortunately it is unlikely to recover and, like me, you're stuck with it to the end.
As part of your hormone system, the thyroid gland is one of the key players and your whole body stuggles when it is not working - particularly energy levels and weight loss issues.
As far as excercise is concerned - that is excellent to help get your metabolism going again. It seems that 20 mins half an hour a day is better than big sessions 3 times a week, but it is whatever you can manage - and doing things like walking up stairs instead of taking the lift, getting off the bus a couple of stops early and walking the rest all contribute to helping to raise your metabolic level. Once your muscles are functioning better, they will start to burn the fat more efficiently, and the more muscle the more fat you'll burn.
About your diet - it seems you need to look at trying to help support muscle growth - for example, though I'd go easy on the carbs which will convert to energy first before burning fats. Unfortunately when the thyroid malfunctions the body turns to sugars (carbs) for energy, when it should be looking to using stored fats, so it is best to reduce carbs except as part of vegetable intake.
Once you have read the book then I'm willing to try and help you with some answers, but more in the way of suggesting where you might get some more help. I can't diagnose here.
Wishing you all the best
Thanks for the great reply
To answer a couple of questions, I was told by the doctor that it is an Auto-Immune problem.
I was a heavy smoker from the age of 15 until about a year before my Thyroid issue, and managed to stop smoking with the aid of Champix, which did all sorts of weird things to me.
Thanks for the links to the various resources, I shall have a good read later
Thyroxine is one of the easier drugs to control...although I have a strong suspicion the official limits for upper and lower levels don't work for some people. (And yes this is despite me also being a pharmacist with a conventional medical background !!!)
Blood tests every 3 months is about right. It takes about 6 weeks for a change in dose to have its full effect.
I agree you are very young to have this sort of problem. If you have an auto immune disease you may well find could attack other organs. So I urge you to do all you can to keep yourself as healthy as possible.
Regarding your weight loss plans , many of the illnesses linked with obesity are more to do with lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet - being overweight is a symptom NOT a cause It is possible to be over weight - but healthy.. So focus on being healthy - and eventually the weight will come off. But given your situation health my advice is to make health your priority
Good luck
Underactive Thyroid and Levothyroxin
I would like to respond to someone who posted a question about Generic Levothyroxin.
I have used Eltroxin for many years due to a Radioactive capsule treatment to control a Hyperactive Thyroid (which almost drove my family and I mental), my doctor explained that 99.9% of these treatments will cause a Hypoactive thyroid.
Eltroxin was (supposedly) no longer made and I was then given Levothyroxin for 9 years, I picked up weight became more lethargic and tired yet when I went to bed I could not sleep.
I spoke with my DR and explained the problem and what could be done to help me, he suggested I try Eltroxin and after much discussion he now has put on my prescription ELTROXIN ONLY.
My pharmacy supplied me with it until there was a shortage and then gave me Levothyroxin. I fortunately always check my meds before leaving the pharmacy and refused to accept the Levothyroxin. The pharmacist actually phoned my Dr who told him that I have strange side effects and I must have Eltroxin, the pharmacy asked how many I had and said they would phone the supplier and see if they had any, I said that if they did not I would visit boots as I have gotten my prescription there before.
The following day the pharmacy phoned to say that they had my Eltroxin and have supplied me with it ever since.
So do speak to your DR and explain that you have heard from other's that they do get side effects from some generic Levothyroxin and that you want to have the one that suits your bodies/thyroids needs.
Also contact the NHS and explain the problem, unfortunately not enough people "Stand up to be counted" so pharmacy's get away with it.
Stick to your guns and insist that you want the meds that are best suited to you.
Good Luck
Levothyroxine is the generic name. Eltorxin USED to be the major brand. I have no idea if it still exists or not. I have had generic thyroxin ever since i was put on it in March 2011 - and I have had no problems at all. One major generic manufacture had to withdraw at leats one of its strengths from the market about 6 months ago because of bio availability issues. The tablets were not releasing the some amount of thyroxine as other brands of the same strength. But that is a very unusual problem to occur .
Different makers may well use different excipients which can be responsible for different side effect profiles in some individuals - but generally any side effects will be due to under or overdosing with resulting high or low levels of thyroid