on synthroid and gaining weight

i have been on synthroid for 30 yrs & am on 88mcg now. in the last 2 years i feel extremely BLOATED, UNCONTROLABLE WEIGHT GAIN & tired. i recently had bloodwork and it was within normal limits. i recently ran out of my perscription and couldn't pick it up, so i went a week without synthroid and some of the bloating has gone down and i don't have that uncomfortable feeling in my abdomen. i feel like i lost a few pounds by not even trying. i was gaining steadly despite rigorous exercise, watching my diet and eating healthy. i am however concerned that it will catch up with me and then i'll really have thyroid isssues. i tried the Armour thryoid med without any benefits also. please let me know if you have had the same problems. Dr. told me to watch what i eat. ha ha. i do and nothing helps. :-)

My thyroid was removed a year ago and my weight problem has been a yo-yo ever since. I take 100 MCG at 4:30 AM and 75 MCG at 10AM. This is because the 175 MCG was giving me lots of problems (imbalance, dizziness, tingling).

You mentioned above that synthroid (t4) is the cheapest hormone, so which one is the one I should use to stabilize my weight problem?

I was on Synthroid for decades for hypothyroidism and Hashimoto's
Thyroiditis. My weight has been a constant struggle the entire time.
I recently learned that Synthroid only contains T4, which your body
is supposed to convert to T3, both of which your system needs.
However, most people with Hashimoto's have trouble converting the
T4 in Synthroid to T3, and are therefore lacking an essential thyroid
hormone. An alternative medication to this is Armour Thyroid, which
is what has been around for about 100 yrs and what was given to all
patients who had underactive thyroids before the "MIRACLE" synthetic
drugs were invented in the 1960's. The drug companies push these
on your doctors as more effective, when in fact, Armour contains
T4, T3, and traces of T2 & T1. I switched to Armour a few weeks ago
and even though I'm not yet on my optimal dose, I'm already finding
it easier to lose weight. The reason more doctors don't prescribe
Armour is that it's made from dessicated pig thyroids, made in a
carefully controlled lab with strict quality control standards, but the
Synthroid salesmen have them brainwashed into thinking that there
are variations from from batch to batch(NOT), or that it's being taken
off the market(NOT). So if you want to learn about a Synthroid
alternative check out the websites below and do some research
about Armour Thyroid. You might be glad you did.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/
altsupportthyroid.org/treatment/hypomedcomp.php
mercola.com/article/hypothyroid/treatment.htm
mercola.com/1999/archive/armour_thyroid.htm


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I have been taking synthroid for about four years, I started at 100 and now on 112mg. I didn't realize before reading through this site that those levels are not the beginners. Until my late twenties, I was energetic, thin, and exercised (via skiing, bladeing etc mostly). then, life happened and I then was gaining weight at more than five pounds per Week. I was dieting and exercising in such a way (still healthy) that in the past - I have never been so disciplined and I should have been losing like crazy - but I just stopped gaining at five or more pounds a week to 2-3 pounds per week. I was getting my blood checked, but finally told my Doctore he had to find something before I totally lost my mind, my thyroid levels were so crazy he was surprised I wasn't over three houndred pounds - I was 180pds, and used to being 125-135. And still gaining.

I have learned that if I don't take my thyroid pill at the same time every day, then the third day of being off (by two hours) I have gained at least one pound. If I forget to take my pill and go more than twelve hours past the regular time - I am quarateed a 3-5 pound weight increase with no longer the ability to just cut back on all junk, walk a bit more and harder for a few days and then poof those extra couple of pounds are gone - now I am in constant struggle, and the weight does Not come off - I can only make it stop going up (temporary). I would really like some help. My doctor insists that because my tsh levels are normal now - I should be totally back to normal - ok, so no help there.

Hello everyone. I am so glad I found this blog-thanks to everyone who has written.

In a nutshell-here are my issues: undiagnosed hypothyroidism from 22-28 (went from a skinny girl to a bloated one overnight-then told I was "overeating and lazy" by more than one doctor, while actually working out and not eating).

Finally diagnosed and put on .50 synthroid-it worked for 2 years with no issues until gynie put me on pill. Weight went up (most water I think though) and drugs finally normalized at 1.00 syntroid and 10 cytomel. Weight came off and I was back in my "normal" weight range.

I work out hard 6 days a week and eat too "little" (am working on that with a nutritionist). I run and weight train and live in a city so I walk a lot too.

About 10 months ago, my MD bumped up my synthroid to 1.25/day (no blood work was done!). Up until that point, I had been taking 1.00 one day and 1.25 the next (due to only having 1.00 pills) but my periods got wacky so he thought I needed more synthroid. I have gained 15 pounds-all the while working out HARDER and watching my diet to the extreme. I am bloated and feel just terrible about it. My beautiful wardrobe no longer fits and I am just beside myself. If I were sitting around and eating all day maybe I would not feel so bad about it!

My recent blood work came back and he now wants me to lower my synthroid to 1.00. I will keep taking the cytomel. I have an appointment with an endocrinologist in 10 days. I have started taking the 1.00 pill as of 2 days ago.

Does taking too much synthroid cause weight GAIN? Have I been on it too long? I am looking for any advice!

Thanks so much for reading this!

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I too just recently upped my synthroid to 112 from 100 and am quickly gaining weight. I'm not sure that's what caused it, but I've changed nothing else. I'm also experiencing serious dizziness, mostly in the mornings. Has anyone else had this experience? I'm due to go get my blood work redone and am hoping my Endo can give me some information!

I have read SOOOOOO many of all my symptoms that people are experiencing, word for word!!! I am GAINING & CHANGED NOTHING ABOUT MY EATING OR LIFESTYLE....ONLY ADDED SYNTHROID! I GOT OFF A FEW MONTHS & DROPPED ALL THE WEIGHT PUT ON IN 6 MOS. THEN STARTED BACK ON IT DUE TO GUILT & FEAR, & PUT ON EVERY BIT OF WEIGHT FROM BEFORE...IN LESS TIME, ONLY 3 MOS.!!! I AM QUITTING IT BECAUSE I WILL TRY ALL NATURAL & BE A HEALTHY SIZE & HAPPIER!!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE BLOATED & MISERABL....& BIGGER SIZE CLOTHES!!!!!!!!

This is exactly what I have been dealing with, but nobody in the medical profession and no pharmacist will ever open their very closed minds that this is actually happening. My weight was stable at 108 pounds for years. I went through menopause and several years after with no gain. Then I was given synthroid and began immediately to pack on the pounds. I kept telling my doctor, and he would say I should work out more. He would say my blood tests were normal, so I was taking the right medication. I got my other doctor to give me levothroid which made me feel worse, but no change in weight. (I went up 3 sizes in 8 months.) I did change pharmacies and I believe I started getting real Synthroid (brand), not generic substitute and I lost about 5 pounds but no more have come off. I am still bloated. Neither doctor will prescribe Armour. I do feel better, and less depressed on the medication, so I don't want to stop taking it. But they are just refusing to hear us when we are saying it causes weight gain. It is the most frustrating experience.

Hi. I have been on synthroid for about a month and have seen a huge weight gain. Mostly in the stomach area and I am soo upset about it. I have taken myself off of the medication. I actually did not even feel better. I was more tired and gained weight. I will not take this medication ever again. I was hoping it would help with all these problems and now I feel worse and fat..

I wish I could present a solution instead of merely sharing the same experiences everyone else seems to have. Sorry.

I had my thyroid removed and have been on Synthroid for 2+ years. I have been taking high levels of Synthroid to make me hyperthyroid so the thyroid & cancer are less likely to grow back. I have gained 20 pounds, which for a 5'2" woman is a lot. My stomach always feels and looks bloated. I tried adding Cytomel for a long while and it helped me feel less tired but didn't help my weight. I am not willing to try Armour because it comes from pigs. I have read that soy interferes with thyroid hormones but I don't trust the sources of those findings. I do eat a lot of soy, I should try to cut back and see if that helps. I drink a lot of water, always have. I think I should pay more attention to my sleep habits. I feel tired a lot but that may be because I wake up many times at night. Being hyperthyroid- I can fall asleep easily but I also wake too easily.

I too have had weight gain ever since I was put on thyroid medicine.
The doctors will not listen, they just think it's something else. I had never
had weight problems and eat everything and then some. Now I am more
disciplined and exercise constantly. I continue to gain weight. I am on
synthyroid and cyomtel. I would love to find a cure and then tell the doctors they have been closed minded and need to rethink this issue.
Please let me know if you have any alternative medications. I was on
Armour and liked it a lot more than synthyroidl I gained weight but not as
much and my stomach did not look so large. I think I am going back to it.

You probably need a stronger dose of the Synthroid. 25mcg will have a very minimal effect. "Sluggish metabolism" is a symptom of your disease state and Synthroid should get your metabolism functioning correctly & make you feel like yourself again. However, if your Dr. does a TSH test and you are in normal range on the 25mcg it's not the Synthroid or your hypothyroidism that is making you gain weight. If your TSH level is still off and you are still presenting with symptoms you probably just need to bump up the dose. Also, make sure the pharmacy is actually giving you Synthroid brand rather than generics. Generic levothyroxine can be produced by a different manufacturer every month and because of the narrow therapeutic index, this makes a big difference when it comes to TSH levels and keeping treatment consistent.

I am a 57 yr old woman. 10 years ago after 2 years of anti thyroid treatment for hyperthyroid disease my dr gave me radiation to kill my thyroid. I have gradually gained weight for the last 4 years. My thyroid gland was storing hormone. After radiation it shrank to green pea size. Now it is completely gone. That I feel is when I started gaining weight. A new dr upped my dosage after my last bloodwork from 100MCG's to 125MCG's. Seems like I am gaining weight faster now. I am depressed a lot (all the time really) and feel there is nothing I can do about this. I wish I had never taken the radiation treatment and stayed on anti thyroid medication. But then of course I had rapid heartbeat that I do not have now. Is a generic replacement just as good. A person I know takes a generic and can lose weight if he needs to. Is this male female dofferences. I work in home building construction so I am active all day 5 days a week. Sometimes 6. Any info would be great. Thank You

i am a 20 yr old female and a recent thyroid screening found my TSH levels to be 8.9, which is in the subclinical range (5-10) or prehypothyroidism-- i was really relieved at first to hear this-- here is the answer to all my probelms! i thought, no wonder i gained weight post-mononucleosis (my doctor said that couldve been the cause) my senior year of high school! i'm also ADD and have been taking 20-30mg of adderall xr daily for the past 6 years. reading the symptoms for hypothyroid, i found pretty much all of them applied to me, and many of them were things i was taking adderall to combat-- especially the sluggishness--w/o adderall i was very tired and sluggish (with it i can stay up til 4am no problem)..

my doctor said since my levels were elevated but subclinical that it was my choice to go on medication, and since i was experiencing symptoms and expecting a miracle, i readily agreed and was prescribed 25mcg levothyroxine (generic synthyroid) -- ok so here's the kicker, at the same time i was diagnosed, i also began a vegan diet -- MUCH healthier than i was eating before, and lost about 5lbs. i am currently 5'8'' 155lbs. i was 153 when i went on the synthyroid, i have since gained those 2lbs, despite a very healthy (though not perfect) vegan diet and increased levels of exercise. furthermore, i am hungrier, feel constantly bloated, my stomach looks gross, AND my SKIN is suddenly terrible!!! has anyone else experienced this?? i've always been lucky with my skin-- occasional pimples that would clear up within days-- now my face looks awful-- zits sprout up and dont disappear no matter what i do!!! after reading all the posts on this site and having these terrible experiences, i am going to stop taking the thyroid medication immediately, esp. since i am still subclinical.

what i thought was going to be the miraculous answer to my problems is in fact making it worse, and it infuriates me that no doctor ever mentioned these possible side effects--most told me i would lose weight, not to mention the doctor who prescribed me failed to give me much info at all. my recent decision to go vegan was the result of a lot of independent research and reading, including "eat to live" by dr joel fuhrman. fuhrman is a nutrition specialist and makes the point that most physicians dont even know all that much about nutrition, and with a combination of that and my own experiences, iam beginning to lose faith in the medical community and their ability to respond honestly to patients issues. this is BS. goodbye synthroid.

ps. according to fuhrman's book, which i HIGHLY reccommend, a vegan diet made up of 90% plants is THE way to lose weight-- i was well on my way to transforming my diet to this when i learned about synthroid and figured "oh well! now i can eat whatever i want and my higher metabolism will do the work for me!" but now i have learned my lesson the hard way. back to vegan life for me. in fact, fuhrman says this diet, while allowing one to lose extreme amounts of weight in short amounts of time in a completely healhty way (heres the real miracle!), this diet actually manages to LOWER your metabolism, which makes you healthier in the end because it slows the aging process. those with slower metabolisms (though i dont know to what degree) are actually at an advantage! i'm going to try to use this diet to feel healthy this way, and if my levels reach above the subclinical level in the future, i am going to look into the natural remedies mentioned above. thank you all so much (especially if you managed to read this whole rambling message!)

I am a 42 year old female. I have been on 25mcg of levothroxine for 3 month. I am gaining 3 lbs on the average a month. I am scared and not really knowing what to do from here. My doctor says..it is not the medication, but I'm sure it is. My weight gain is primarily in my stomach area..like may of yours. Previous to the doctor prescribed med...I tried taking herbs to strengthen the thyroid...I actually improved my levels...but not quite enough. Is there anyone out there that knows of herbs or natural diet plans to replace the prescribed meds. Also, I am very concerned that my thyroid...will eventually not function due to the doctors meds which will cause other issues later.