Wellness

[Bird mama]

@Yesyesyes568

Hi Maggie, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism due to Hashimotos (an auto immune condition) in the fall of 2013.  My hair never fell out, I never gained weight.  I was just exhausted. 

I gained 15 pounds within 5 months of taking brand name synthroid.  I'm tall and have always been slender so 15 pounds was no real whoop.  Except it was primarily belly fat.  That alone almost made me stop taking Synthroid.

I'm bringing this up in the event you notice an increase in belly fat after taking your thyroid meds.

What fixed it for me was taking my synthroid at night, before bed, instead of first thing in the morning.  

[violann]

This is just my opinion, but I would be VERY cautious taking anything that is supposed to  do anything with/for thyroid issues UNLESS. Your thyroid care physician has seen it and approved.

Also, if you aren't feeling as though you're feeling better after a couple months of thyroid supplement with Synthroid or ANY thyroid REPLACEMENT, ask your prescribing doctor about trying a different kind of replacement, for example "natural" instead of "synthetic" or "synthetic" instead of "natural"

SOME hypothyroid patients, especially those with modular thyroid conditions, DO have fluctuating needs in terms of the amount of thyroid hormone needed, but the goal is NOT to stop taking the prescribed thyroid supplement. The goal is to be sure that your level of thyroid hormone is such that your body is working at maximum efficiency and that you feel your best.

[Yesyesyes568]

Hey birdmama,

thanks for that, like that ya told me your experience. Just may need it. I just took blood work and my tests show that the pills aren't working yet. Hope the dr gives me stronger dose. We'll see. 

[Trinity11]

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@Bird mama wrote:

@Yesyesyes568

Hi Maggie, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism due to Hashimotos (an auto immune condition) in the fall of 2013.  My hair never fell out, I never gained weight.  I was just exhausted. 

I gained 15 pounds within 5 months of taking brand name synthroid.  I'm tall and have always been slender so 15 pounds was no real whoop.  Except it was primarily belly fat.  That alone almost made me stop taking Synthroid.

I'm bringing this up in the event you notice an increase in belly fat after taking your thyroid meds.

What fixed it for me was taking my synthroid at night, before bed, instead of first thing in the morning.  

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@Bird mamaThank you so much for sharing this. Like yourself I am tall and started noticing weight gain since I started taking Synthroid. I always thought you were supposed to lose weight with treated Hashimoto's. I was slim when I started and in three months have gained about ten pounds. I am calling my endocrinologist tomorrow and pose this to her. Just wanted to thank you for your post. I googled and apparantly a lot of people gain when they take Synthroid in the morning.

[Bird mama]

@Trinity11

Hope you have better luck with your endocrinologist than I did with mine.  I dealt with the beer belly, lol, until September of that year, when I saw my endocrinologist.  I barely got the question out when she said, no, no, that doesn't cause belly fat.  That woman wasn't hearing any of it.  So, the brat in me suggested pig thyroid (Armor).  When her head stopped spinning, it was so hard not to laugh at her reaction, I decided that I was a grown woman and made the executive decision to start taking it at night - that night.

My blood work remained stable, the 15 pounds fell off and I finally feel like me.

[Trinity11]

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@Bird mama wrote:

@Trinity11

Hope you have better luck with your endocrinologist than I did with mine.  I dealt with the beer belly, lol, until September of that year, when I saw my endocrinologist.  I barely got the question out when she said, no, no, that doesn't cause belly fat.  That woman wasn't hearing any of it.  So, the brat in me suggested pig thyroid (Armor).  When her head stopped spinning, it was so hard not to laugh at her reaction, I decided that I was a grown woman and made the executive decision to start taking it at night - that night.

My blood work remained stable, the 15 pounds fell off and I finally feel like me.

Good to read that you lost the weight!!!

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I know what you mean.....I complained to my endo that I was gaining weight and she said it was the beta blocker that I have to take for my heart. I am not buying it....I always thought it was the Synthroid because it seems to affect a lot of Hashimoto's patients that way.

I am going to switch to at night after I speak to my cardiologist....just need to be careful because I take Plavix, aspirin and meds for my heart. I just need to make sure I can take Synthroid at the same time in the evening.

[Bird mama]

@Trinity11

There ya go.  As long as your cardiologist is on board, you know what you can try now.

Just so you know, I read about a study in the JAMA, December 2010, about taking Synthroid at night which is what prompted me to ask about it. I think it was a Danish or some kind of Norwegian study (can't remember exactly who did it).

My concern was, increase of belly fat, higher risk of diabetes.  I only see this women because she is a surgeon and if I need something removed off the thryroid, I'd rather have her already.  I only see her once a year, I can handle it :-)

[Bird mama]

http://archinte.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=776486

The JAMA article

[Trinity11]

Thanks so much, birdmama! Any extra weight around the middle is bad for my heart so I am very appreciative of your posts.

[tedEbear]

@Yesyesyes568---Your first step is being examined by an ENDOCRINOLOGIST FIRST AND FOREMOST.  There are so many tests to take and med flucuations, during the testing time.  After that doctor has determined the correct dosage for YOU, then your regular doctor can take over.  The Thyroid is not something to mess with or to re adjust medications yourself.

    Again ENDOCRINOLOGIST  first step.-----------tedEbear