HOW DO I EAT?? wen Im hypo

[SweetLoren]

My throid is very slow im taking 30 grains of armour and cant loose,.....can someone thats experienced tell me what I should eat, how many calories...and all that other info i need 2 loos weight plz!! thank you !!....
*~LORENA*~

[shaz]

Hi Lorena,
Im not experienced with low carbing but I do have experience of being hypo, and I noticed that you never got any other replies to your post.

I was having a fairly good response from doing Atkins - 4 pounds first week then 2 the second and another 1 the third, but then things went downhill for me when I came down with some bugs and stopped doing it for a while.

People who are hypo are supposed to do really badly with carbs, so plans like Atkins are meant to be good for us - certainly I had better success with it than any other method, but it will be much slower going than for people without thyroid problems.

I also don't have any experience with Armour - they don't do it in the UK as far as I am aware. I am on 100mg Thyroxin (synthroid) and we are supposed to follow a specific routine to get the most out of the dosage:

Don't eat within 1 hour of taking medication.
Don't take iron supplements or fortified orange juice or calcium within 2 hours of taking thyroid meds.

This means that I usually take the meds as soon as I get up, have breakfast an hour later and a cup of tea an hour after that.

You might want to check if there are similar recommendations for Armour.

How are things going with you?

Shaz

[SweetLoren]

THank you very Much 4 repline 2 me.....Im not doing good at all.......Cant loose no weight gaining with medication.......and very confused how much 2 eat!!.....how many calories and all this other stuff.....I need exprienced ppl......2 give me adcice.....and tell me there experiances.....I WOULD APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH!!....thank you.......all u lcers :)
Much Love ~1~
~*LORENA*~

[shaz]

Lorena, I think you will need to go to one of the main support sites for the food advice - I can't remember which plan you're following, but they will be able to point you in the right direction.

I think you are going to have a harder time until you get your meds right. I know that I'm not at the right level yet, and until I am I guess the weight will continue to creep up unless I am very strict with exercise to maintain it.

You might also want to check out the following site for more info:

http://thyroid.about.com

Good luck

Shaz

[SlimShAdY]

Originally posted by SweetLoren
My throid is very slow im taking 30 grains of armour and cant loose,.....can someone thats experienced tell me what I should eat, how many calories...and all that other info i need 2 loos weight plz!! thank you !!....
*~LORENA*~



Your on armour and you can't lose weight??? Wow. I'm suprised because I'm on shythroid and I and alot of other people can't lose on that for nothing, but everyone I've ever talked to that is on Armour is losing... :confused:

Dunno what else to tell you, I'm no expert...except to go to the dr and have your blood tested, and as for dieting and exercise, same as any regular person, you just can't lose as fast..sucks.

[pjaye]

Also not good to take calcium at the same time you take your meds. I take meds in am and iron & calcuium in pm. Those daily pill holders are great. Also keep meds refrigerated except for those set out for the week. You know with the sometimes brain fog it's easy to forget meds. unless you track the. Being hypo (due to originally being hyper and having radiation, will be on meds for life) the only thing that is working is low-carb. The more I read the more this is proven out. There are also some great sites for thyroid problems. Just start with a search engine. Good luck, keep trying because with hypo if you not gaining weight your still ahead of the game.

[funnyguy]

I just found out yesterday that I'm hypo after many years (over 10) of going to doctors and never even hearing about Thyroid (except once, the doctor only did a physical test of certain pressure points and no blood test) and finally, I moved to Korea with my wife (Korean) where my doctor did a test and found that I am just below normal. I'm not heavy but no matter what I eat I stay the same.
He has assumed that I was initially hyper and have now gone hypo but suggests only keeping away from foods high in iodine or iodides and to have atleast 50% carbs in each meal....no meds. (I feel extremely fortunate)
Then I found this forum. Hmm...Low carbs, eh?
I'm confused.
Paul

[MammaC]

Hi,
I am also hypothyroid, but do have to take medication and have for around 30 years. The low carb WOE(way of eating) is working great for me. I am losing weight and have more energy than I have had in years.

[SharonInKC]

Hey there people!
I am hypo, by the way doesn't it suck. Anyway, I am just on 100mg of levoroxine (sp?) and since that never worked for me, I brought it upon myself to add some T3 cytomel 25mcg daily. Wondering if there is anyone on this same dosage, and quite honestly I haven't lost any weight being on here and also, do you think cytomel would make someone GAIN weight, because I heard that it's somewhat like a steroid?
Correct me if I'm wrong please?
Shar

[CharlieMac]

Hey everyone, I am almost 20 and am hypo. It is an awful thing to have to deal with in ones life, believe me. I am currently on 250mg of synthroid, 0.25mg of rocaltorl(2 a day), 500mg of magonate (2 a day), oscal supplements (12 ,somethimes more a day), and 10 calciem chews a day. I tell you one thing you are not going to lose on synthroid, I went from a size 7 to almost a size 16 but have worked down to a size 12/14. If you ever suffer from hypo in your life, you can forget having a normal life and never watching what you eat because it is a must. Now I can not eat anything at all and gain 5 pounds just like that due to my throid. But I do suggest Atkins, that is if you do not need alot of calcium intake daily. I was on it and my doctor took me off because my calcium levels were flat lining they were so low.
Charlie B. :wave:

[trw1966]

I am starting my 4th week of Cytomel after being diagnosed with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. I was never told to watch my carbs, in fact, my Dr. never said a thing to me about watching what I eat. She just said it would take 2-3 months to see any difference with anything.

My neighbor was also diagnosed with hypothroidism last March and was started on Cytomel by the same Dr. and she did not watch what she ate and lost 50+ pounds by October. She is still losing. She also did not exercise due to being so busy at work. Now she says she feels like a million bucks.

On the other hand--I am having a terrible time as far as gaining weight. Just since I started this Cytomel I have already gained 6-8 pounds. My next appointment is next week and I WILL be asking just what I'm supposed to be eating. I can see gaining some over Christmas---but THAT much? Yesterday I was up 1 pound, and today I'm up 2. Everyday I just keep on gaining and gaining.

Ugh, I hate to even write this.....I'm going to walk on my treadmill. :) Not that it will do any good.

[wcollier]

Hi trw1966:

Can I ask why you are only on Cytomel? Is your doctor doing Wilson's protocol?

My first thought is to get both your Free T3 and Free T4 levels checked. You won't feel better until both those levels are brought up to a level that's right for you. Maybe if you are only having problems converting T4 to T3, then Cytomel only would help. But if you have trouble making T4, you aren't going to improve.

Wanda

[trw1966]

Well, I'd love to be able to answer you--but all I was told was that I have Hashimoto's. I did have my Free T3 and Free T4 checked, but I am unable to quote you any numbers at this time because I was in shock when she told me there was something wrong with my thyroid. All I can remember is that one number was 96 and it was supposed to be like 43 or something like that. I have another appointment next week and I plan on finding out just what my numbers were and why I'm only being treated with Cytomel and nothing else.
I will get copies of my bloodwork.

She told me that my thyroid is allergic to itself and therefore isn't working correctly--which I guess is what's called Hashimoto's. Am I supposed to be on something else???

I have no clue as to what my numbers are supposed to be---is there a link somewhere for that also? In between the holidays here I've been picking up bits and pieces of thyroid info on the net, but haven't had a real chance to sit down and study. So if anybody can help me out, I'd appreciate that.

[wcollier]

Hi Trw1966:

If you have Hashimoto's, no wonder you aren't feeling well. Definately get your past blood tests from your doctor and post them here (in a separate thread), and include the lab ranges.


I have no clue as to what my numbers are supposed to be---is there a link somewhere for that also? In between the holidays here I've been picking up bits and pieces of thyroid info on the net, but haven't had a real chance to sit down and study. So if anybody can help me out, I'd appreciate that.
You may find this link helpful. http://www.mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/treatment.htm

I'm in the 2/3 upper range of normal, and I'm still not there yet. It's individual, but most women do best with FT3 and FT4 in the upper 2/3 range of normal. Exceptions are elderly or people with heart disease.

It's impossible to get your FT4 levels up on Cytomel. In fact, all that T3 is probably driving down your FT4 levels, which for me, caused huge sleep problems.

You'll need to ask for Armour or a combination of Cytomel with a T4 like Synthroid. Armour's a good option b/c it includes ALL the thyroid hormones, not just T3 and T4. I take a combination of Armour/Thyroid and Synthroid.

Keep us posted (in a separate thread so others will read it)

Wanda

[wcollier]

Also, what kind of doctor do you see?

I tried to PM you with some info, but you don't accept PMs. :)

Wanda

[trw1966]

I've seen four endocrinologists that have done NOTHING for me and I have to say I will never visit another one if I can help it. All 4 looked at my TSH and said I don't have a thyroid problem. In fact, over the past 15 years I've seen probably 20+ Drs and ALL of them said there was nothing wrong with my thyroid. Even though I had tons of symptoms AND my mother and grandmother have thyroid problems.

I'm seeing an ENT (ear, nose throat) Dr. that specializes in Allergies, Thyroid Disorders and Environmental Medicine. He is listed as the number one Thyroid Dr. in PA

I will check out the link you sent me--thank you so much.

I could be wrong, but I think my T4 levels were ok, it was the T3 that was the problem---is that why I was only prescribed one medication?

And OMGoodness!!! My complaint about this Cytomel is that I can't sleep at night at all. I might get 2 hours, wake up for a couple, then get a few more. My heart doesn't race---but it definitely goes faster at night and is more noticeable.

Maybe they were just starting me on the T3 to see how I could tolerate it before adding T4? I started at 5mcg's and am now taking 20mcgs. I have no idea, but I sure do plan on finding out next week. I was also told I have Epstein Barr Virus, does that change why I was prescribed what I was prescribed?

I would have never thought I'd gain weight like this and so fast. If I wasn't depressed before, I sure am now. I was already chubby, and it's only getting worse. I have been battling weight loss for years and nothing is working at all. If I eat right and exercise my butt off, I still might only lose a couple pounds and that's it. One year on Atkins and I only lost 7 pounds. WW I only lost 5 in 3 months. Lotsa money down the drain. This was my last hope and now I'm scared that I've chosen the wrong road because it seems like it's not working now also.

I wonder how my neighbor lost all that weight just on Cytomel and nothing else?? I might have to get with her too. I know she said it took awhile, but she didn't tell me she gained weight fast in the beginning.

Thanks again. :)

[wcollier]

It sounds like you've done everything you need to do. If your doc is a top thyroid doc, then I would discuss this with him and ask him to change your dosage. Also get another blood test so you can see for yourself where your FT4 levels are.

I looked on the website and I can guess which guy he is b/c it's noted that he treats with Cytomel. Is it Dr. Kerry? If so, I noticed on another site that he treats Wilson's Syndrome, which would explain the T3 only.

I'm pretty convinced that your FT4 levels are too low FOR YOU. Those sleep symptoms you describe are exactly what happened to me when my T4 levels dropped.

Wanda

[trw1966]

I am very anxious to get back to the Dr to get a copy of the results that I had done a month ago. I wished when I got home that I would have gotten them then---that would maybe help me in understanding just what I'm being treated for.

Is Wilson's the overload of copper disease? I was tested for that before (years ago) and I actually had a high number instead of low--I guess low means you have the disease. So I don't think I have that.

Yes, Dr. Kerry and he's WONDERFUL. He has patients come in from all over the states to see him. I guess I shouldn't be too pessimistic (sp) yet, because I do feel he will help me get to the bottom of what's going on with my body.

My whole concern is losing weight---I can live with all the other ailments I have, but I want to be thin while dealing with them. And I guess seeing the scale go up so much and so fast just put me into a panic here. Another week and I'll find out what's going on.

I bet once he hears that I'm not sleeping, he'll add T4. I am SO glad to know that I'm not the only one that has had that happen. It sure made for a pretty miserable holiday season--being so tired at night AND during the day, but unable to sleep.

I'll post back next week when I find out my numbers, etc. Thanks for writing back and listening. :)

[wcollier]

If you're really curious, you can call their office and have them fax your results to you. It's not a biggy for them to do that.

I think what you're talking about is Wilson's Disease, characterized by disordered copper metabolism.

Wilson's Syndrome is noted when you can't convert T4 to T3 b/c the T4 is converted to Reverse T3 instead. Normally T3 alone is prescribed. It's a pretty controversial treatment and some doctors will treat this way if lab values are so called "normal". But if he's a thyroid doctor, I can't imagine that he'd only treat for Wilson's. It sounds like you like this guy a lot so I'm going to guess that he's pretty open minded about all this stuff. Good luck!

Wanda

[podengo13]

He suggests only keeping away from foods high in iodine or iodides and to have atleast 50% carbs in each meal....no meds. (I feel extremely fortunate)
Then I found this forum. Hmm...Low carbs, eh?
I'm confused.
Paul



Hey Paul. Funny thing, I'm also so confused, where is it proven that hypos need to be on a low carb?? (what are the reasons behind this, i've been asking the same question, but still to no real avail). I definetely say Ban all the refined carbs, but good carbs such as whole grains etc. one can definetely benefit from. So what's with all the low carb talk??

p.s: why did he advise you to be low on iodine?