Hi C! Don't be scared! I think everything's going to be just fine for you.
I can tell you about my experiences with weight loss after I was diagnosed, but your doc can probably give you some ideas too
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I was diagnosed about nine years ago and went through the initial phase of finding the correct level of medication, which took close to six months (try one dose, wait six weeks and test TSH, tweak dose, wait six more weeks, re-test etc). All during this time I was around 250 pounds and my weight didn't change -- of course, my bad habits didn't change either! So for me, the medication by itself didn't do anything for weight loss. I ate too much and didn't exercise enough and stayed fat.
BUT .... when I got serious about losing weight in 2001 and started exercising and eating right, I was able to lose without any problem. I lost 122 pounds in a little less than a year, which is about as fast as a "normal" person could lose, I think. All along my doc had been telling me that if my TSH levels were medicated to be in the normal range, then I should be able to lose normally -- and she was right (and I had really liked blaming my weight on my metabolism, darn it!
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I suspect that you'll find the same thing to be true for you -- after finding the correct level of medication to correct your hypothyroidism, your body will respond to your exercise and healthy eating and let go of those 30 extra pounds. You may have to be patient for a little bit while your doctor is finding out exactly what level of medication is right for you (it's different for everyone), but keep up those healthy habits -- they'll pay off for you very soon!
Good luck!
PS -- I don't know anything about carpal tunnel, so can't help you there.