Does anyone here have an underactive thyroid?

dazzle21

Naively i had this belief that the drugs would mean the excess weight would go quite easily with a little extra exercise! doh!

lrr_2

Just been for my check-up today and thyroid was fine (forgot to get actual results), however I now have to deal with high blood pressure and high cholestrol! :eek:

I put it down to all the weight I have put on. Have to go back next week about that now.

Does it never end???????

AussieLass

I thought that would be unusual Irr. When I first got blood tests as well as my thyroid being underactive my chol was through the roof. But once my thyroid was under control my chol went down. I didn't really change my diet either as I don't eat much high chol foods.

But high blood pressure & high chol isn't good. Maybe they will put you on medication for that for a while until you reach good results.

dazzle21

hello.. well it's 6 weeks since i started the thyroxine, and at first i felt so much better! But over the last 2/3 weeks i have started to gain weight (being very careful with diet and portions) my skin is awful - which it wasn't before, and i am still exhausted. I've found myself getting really forgetful,and having trouble holding a conversation, almost like i'm drunk!! I feel awful. Is this normal? I'm going to call and make an appointment for another blood test and Dr appointment but i wanted some reassurance that this is all potentially part of the thyroid issue and can be resolved!

TomsMom

Dazzle, you are about the same age as I was when I was diagnosed with an underactive thyroid and my problem started after the birth of my second child.

Your GP will have started you on a low dose of thyroxine, to be built up gradually until your blood results and your symptoms have stabilised. Blood tests are normally done about every 8 weeks or so to begin with. I expect he started you on about 50mcg thyroxine?????????? You wont see any great change yet, it takes time and patience - sometimes up to a year (sorry, you didn't want to hear that but in some cases it does take that long). They can't whop you with, say, a dose of 150mcg to start with, your body has to get used to the thyroxine so it's gradually built up.

Make that appointment for a re-test and get the results. As mentioned previously in this thread, keep a record - date of test-current dose of thyroxine-symptoms still noticeable-symptoms cleared up-etc. You can then use this information when you go back to discuss things with your GP.

If you haven't already done so I suggest you try to read all of this thread, there is a lot of useful information buried in it, also some reassurance!

gingababe

A quick question for tomsmom, if you can help me I would be very grateful, I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid after the birth of my first child, I am wondering in another pregnancy this time taking thyroxine would it be ok with the baby & secondly as I struggle with my weight would I not pile on the lbs & balloon???

Many thanks for your help
Ginga

TomsMom

gingababe wrote: »

I was diagnosed with an under active thyroid after the birth of my first child, I am wondering in another pregnancy this time taking thyroxine would it be ok with the baby & secondly as I struggle with my weight would I not pile on the lbs & balloon???

Hi Gingababe

It's absolutely fine. When you have an underactive thyroid your body is not making it's own natural thyroid hormones for whatever reason. By taking thyroxine all you are doing is giving your body a synthetic version of the hormone you are missing. Without it you would become very ill. With it your body functions normally again (when you are on the right dose).

It's not like taking the contraceptive pill, i.e. where you are introducing a hormone which alters the natural state of your body's own hormones to prevent pregnancy. Think of it more like having diabetes. If you had diabetes you take insulin to replace what your body is not producing naturally. It's the same with thyroxine.

If you become pregnant then obviously any concerns need to be discussed with your GP, who will probably be monitoring your thyroid on a regular basis anyway. Any changes in your blood test which may concern your doctor, i.e. taking you above or below the normal reference range, would result in him tweaking your meds to allow for this. By the way, in case you didn't know, all new born babies are tested for thyroid hormone levels as a matter of course.

With regards to your weight - people have different experiences. People without thyroid problems can struggle with their weight, it's just how some of us are made. If weight gain was a symptom of hypothyroidism originally then once stabilised on thyroxine then weight should stabilise too. Sometimes, if weight doesn't reduce after all other symptoms disappear it's worth doing a stock check of exactly how we eat. My weight did return to normal eventually but I know that I'm the sort of person who piles on the pounds if I eat all the naughty but nice things (chocs, sweets, biscuits, cakes, puddings) - I just can't get away with it so I just don't have them and my weight is fairly stable. A healthy diet is the way to go, but make sure it really is healthy and if you like burgers, chips and chocs then save them for just an occasional treat.

So basically, if you are stable on thyroxine then there's no problem during pregnancy, expect a normal "baby weight gain" and expect it to disappear within the normal amount of time.

If you haven't already got it then a good little book to help you understand more about hypothyroidism is "Thyroid Disorders" in the Family Doctor series available from pharmacies, costs £4 - £5ish and well worth it. And don't forget to ask your GP for your test results and keep a note of them as I mentioned in the post above yours.

Hope that helps.

dazzle21

Thanks TomsMum, and gingababe i was wondering the same thing so i'm glad you asked! (1st baby is 6months)Will stay positive, and yes i am only on 50mcg which she did say would probably not do much but i guess it's better they increase it slowly! Right, at 2pm i shall make appointment and dig out a note book to start record of whats been going on. Thanks so much for the advice, it's hard to explain to someone who doesn't have the problem as they just think you're being daft or lazy! xx

gingababe

Tomsmom, thanks for that, very reassuring, will have to pop to the pharmacy for that book. I can look at a cream cake & see the scales go up but I have always been the same so I know that I have to be sensible & watch what I am doing. Just one more question, I need to take iron tablets, due to my iron levels being low, does it matter when I take the iron tablet in relation to my thyroxine tablet? Sorry if this is a silly question.

Thanks again
Gingababe

TomsMom

gingababe wrote: »

Just one more question, I need to take iron tablets, due to my iron levels being low, does it matter when I take the iron tablet in relation to my thyroxine tablet? Sorry if this is a silly question.

Thanks again
Gingababe

I always take any supplements an hour or so away from thyroxine, just to be on the safe side. In fact, I put my thyroxine ready on my bedside table with a glass of water when I go to bed. When I first wake up I take my thyroxine then nod off again so it's always an hour or two before I take anything else. Also, it gives an hour before food.

If you don't already know of ThyroidUK (a charity) it's an interesting and informative site. If you go to "Treatment" and from the drop down menu click on "Problem drugs and food" you will learn quite a lot. The whole site is very good so when you've got time have a look-see.