From an Anonymous Reader
I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism and have also been gaining weight lately. My Doctor prescribed me Synthroid which I have been taking as directed. The only thing that it is doing for me is causing me to gain weight. I get a decent amount of exercise walking to classes and eat pretty good.
My doctor upped my dosage a couple of times and still my hormone levels are coming up low.
I want to lose weight! I am only 25 years old and weigh in at almost 170 lbs and only 5’4. Within the past two years I have put on about 40 lbs. Not to mention I feel like crap most of the time.
Has anyone else you have heard about have any problems with weight gain on Synthroid?
Any weight loss plan that works with hypothyroidism disease?
Thanks
If its been over a year with adjustments to your Synthoid prescription, its time to consider changing your medication.
Maybe a prescription of Levoxyl…
In a lot of cases drugs are required. However, in some they may not be. So you have to ask yourself, “Do I want to take hypothyroidism medication if I don’t have to?”
Avoid the foods: cabbage, mustard, spinach, peanuts, soybeans and peaches. They have been known to interfere with thydroid hormone production.
Do not avoid foods with high iodine content like: fish, shellfish, and seaweed.
Make sure to take your multivitamin daily. Vitamins A, B2, B3, B6, E, and zinc are needed for normal thyroid hormone production.
Strengthen thyroid function with thyroid preparations sold at local food stores. They are used to treat mild hypothyroidism only. Available products include thyroid extracts, iodine, zinc or tyrosine. Most Americans may not need iodine supplements as the daily requirement can easily be met by eating iodine-rich foods or using iodized salt. On the other hand, consuming more than 600 mcg of iodine per day may result in toxicity.
Herbal remedies to improve thyroid function and relieve thyroid symptoms include Siberian ginseng (for treatment of fatigue), Panax ginseng, and bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus), which can be taken in capsule form or as a tea.
Homeopathic remedies
Homeopathic treatments may gradually reduce the need for supplemental thyroid hormone in some patients.
Homeopathic remedies for hypothyroidism include homeopathic thyroid as well as others based on the patient’s individualized symptoms.
Exercise
Exercise improves thyroid function by stimulating more production of thyroid hormone and making body tissues more responsive to the effects of thyroid hormone. It also increases the metabolic rate and helps hypothyroid patients lose weight.
Allopathic treatment
Natural or synthetic thyroid hormones are used to restore normal (euthyroid) thyroid hormone levels. Synthroid, or synthetic T4, is easy to take and works for about 80% of patients. In addition, some patients need additional T3. Synthetic hormones are more effective than natural substances, but it may take several months to determine the correct dosage. Patients start to feel better within 48 hours, but symptoms will return if they stop taking the medication.
Most doctors prescribe levothyroxine sodium tablets, and most people with hypothyroidism will take the medication for the rest of their lives. Aging, other medications, and changes in weight and general health can affect how much replacement hormone a patient needs, and regular TSH tests are used to monitor hormone levels. Patients should not switch from one brand of thyroid hormone to another without a doctor’s permission.
Possible side effects of too much T4 or T3 include osteoporosis (after long-term use), occasional anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, and occasional episodes of mania.
Regular exercise and a high fiber diet can help maintain thyroid function and prevent constipation.
Expected results
Thyroid hormone replacement therapy generally maintains normal thyroid hormone levels unless treatment is interrupted or discontinued.
Prevention
Primary hypothyroidism can’t be prevented, but routine screening of adults can detect the disease in its early stages and prevent complications.