Exercise and a diet that limits simple carbs and includes plenty of protein, similar to South Beach or Sugarbusters helps with the weight loss and also symptoms like sugar cravings and feeling tired. Eating too little is as bad as eating too much - it slows your metabolism even more.

hi nightengaleShane,

My body temperature was always low also. It ran about 97.2 most of the time, and the docs would also just shrug their shoulders - some blamed it on birth control pills. I had a long list of symptoms that could be hypo related but they would just run the TSH and my low thyroid problem was missed for more than 20 years. There are more accurate thyroid tests that can be run, but a lot of docs don't run them unless they are asked specifically to do so.

I am finally being treated properly with Armour Thyroid and I am soooooooooooo much better. Oh and my temperature now is usually 98.6. or 98.4 so it definitely made a difference for me. It WAS my thyroid as I'm still on birth control pills.

Also I know some women that are hypothyroid and are thin and they've never really had a weight problem. A thyroid problem can affect each of us in so many different ways.

I would have your doc run these thyroid tests:

FREE T3
FREE T4
TSH
THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODIES
and THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES

I would like to encourage you to check out the info at www.stopthethyroidmadness.com

I really think the info there will help you! and of course, I would be glad to help in any way that I can.

take care,
Cathy

To What degree does hypothyroidism affect your body and weight gain? Do OTC supplements help? I recently have a number of symptoms listed, but maybe my case is so slight it won't be recognised? I get this wierd little flutter at the base of my throat, i cough to get rid of it...

I ordered a supplement called Natro Bio thyroid supplements from Drugstore blank comma, but wonder if its a waste of $$.

Marble, if you're hypo, that means that your body isn't producing enough thyroid hormone on its own and so you need to supplement with synthetic or natural thyroid hormone. I'm not familiar with OTC products but I don't think thyroid hormone can be sold without a prescription.

If you suspect you may have a thyroid problem (and it's common!), why not talk to your doctor and check it out with a blood test? If you do indeed have hypothyroidism, you need to be on a carefully calibrated dose of the correct drug and be medically monitored. It's better than guessing and self-medicating, really!

Good luck!

thank you Meg, I do have an appt. pending and am going to ask for the rec. testing to be done, but i'm apprehensive about the meds as well, there seems to be a plethera (sp) of what works for different people....

i've just recently started feeling exceptionally crappy, cold, lethargic and even though i work out4-6X a week i don't feel *myself*, i'm exhausted and irritated by everything (my students are running for cover, where i used to be the mommy figure)....

of course its over 2 weeks waiting for an appt. because doc. is on vacation, so my head is working overtime.

Marble, I'm so happy you have an appointment scheduled, though I know it's hard to wait. At least it only takes a day or so to get test results. So I hope you get your answers ASAP!

As to what meds work, there's really only synthetic thyroid hormone, such as Levoxyl and Synthroid, and natural thyroid hormone, like Armour Thyroid, which is dessicated pig thyroid. You'll read about the pros and cons of natural versus synthetic, but I think the majority of people do just fine with the synthetic supplement (it's what I take).

If you test hypo, your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of Synthroid or Levoxyl and check your TSH levels every six weeks until you're properly regulated. Unfortunately, feeling better doesn't happen overnight, so you have to be patient and know that things will get better.

One off the wall question -- you say you work out 4 - 6 days a week -- is there any chance you could be overtraining and that your body needs a break? Overtraining can cause some of those same symptoms that you're describing. Just a thought.

Overtraining? Me? i'm so flattered! (my butt should be at the gym now instead of pattering around the forum). for cardio I do the cybex ARC-trainer and 2 different ellipticals, so there isn't much chance of joint strain. weight training is done with a trainer 2X a week, the guy knows my limitations (fractured shoulder 18 mos. ago).

i burn about 4-500 calories through the cardio and do 2-3 machines inbetween my trainer sessions..... and it's taken me 4 months to lose 6 lbs. between the exercise, eating properly, and the fact that my body won't give up the weight (and I have low basal temp of 95-8-96.2-97.4), made me think it's time to check for hypothyroid....the alternative was to start cutting off body parts to lose weight.....I need to change my ticker, i'v egained since last Oct.....it's enough to make me cry in frustration!

I'm glad that Cathy already posted what I came here to say.

Make sure that you get all of those tests done. Many doctors just look at TSH and this is not enough. I've been on medication for over 20 years and it took a great endocronologist to get it just right. Many family doctors will look at only one test and consider you "normal", but my specialist explained to me how all of the tests give a bigger picture.

Every time I go to my family doctor he tells me that my medication is too high but I trust my specialist and she explained to me why he would say that but also why she thinks my results look good.

A good doctor and a little information is key.

Good luck and keep us posted.

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Katrina - do you happen to now what thyroid tests they are running on you? and what the results were?

do you happen to have copies of your labwork?

I definitely had to delve deeper then the "regular thyroid tests" that most docs run - actually those tests missed my thyroid problem for over 20 years.

Hey Cathy, hope you are having a nice weekend......have you ever had any experience or spoken to others regarding Nutri-Meds?

(can you tell how desperate I feel today)? I couldn't drag myself out of bed and be semi-alive until NOONTIME! I'm drowning in housework and cathair and too exhausted to tackle it after 12 hours of sleep? I feel like poop. and there is no reason for it....I'm not sick, just tired.

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Meg, You mentioned to Marble that she may be working out too much. I started working with a trainer 2.5 weeks ago ( 65-75 min. - m/w/f) doing Pilates and working with weights. On three of my off days I'm just speed walking 3 miles, stretching and doing a few strengthening exercises. Since starting, I have not had a day when I did not feel my muscles (mild to medium pain). Since I am just starting to work on my body, I presumed this is probably a good thing and that it's what I must do to start building muscle and speed up my metabolism. Although the workouts are very intense, I have not injured my knees or ankle (usually a problem for me). I take Armour Thyroid and have always had trouble loosing, so thought it would take a major change to kick things off. Does it sound like I'm on the right track?

elmuyloco5, I have a goiter also and it sounds as though you are going through H***! I know what you are talking about. It really plays with your emotional health when you know there is "something" and the dr's only want to see a fat person who is to lazy to lose weight looking for a magic cure. I can completely sympathize with you. I was barely eating 1500 calories per day and gaining 5lbs per month, they finally discovered my thyroid and now it is endless adjustments, and labs. I go through months where I am good and can lose weight and then BAM I will put on 10-20lbs in weeks. I go back in the Dr assumes I am eating like crazy and that it isnt my thyroid going out again. I know when the meds are not working correctly I can FEEL it.

But Dr's tend to see lazy fat people who want an overnight cure for overeating...not a person struggling with a crappy thyroid that wont budgefor them when they do try. It really affects every part of your day/life. I would find a DR who will listen to you there is NO reason to have a GOITER with a normal functioning thyroid gland.

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