Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 The weight, oh yes Dee, I can tell you that it was the MAIN thing that I wanted to disappear and I wanted to know that if I was eating properly and taking my meds would I lose the weight - having been very slim all my life I could not and still cannot bear being fat! What you are in fact saying here is that people are eating wrongly and getting fat because of it and now want to take thyroid meds to lose that weight - if you read all their posts you would find that simply was not the case diagnosis or not. You may now feel better for getting it off your chest but in my opinion you will have made a lot of people feel worse for it. Every avenue is been explored and people are told to get a private blood test done to show the truth and I really cannot believe that anyone would be so stupid as to spend all that money on Armour to use just as a slimming pill no matter how large they got. There are plenty of cheaper options out there that are a lot safer. Obesity is not the only symptom that people who come to this forum have, they are at the end of their tether and can see their lives ending with them in wheelchairs and the like and you are not giving anyone of those without a diagnosis the credit for using their brains. Sorry but I also had to get that off my chest and I apologise to anyone who it may have offended. nne What is also worrying me is the amount of people who come on here andthere main question is "will I lose weight", it worries me that somepeople with no diagnoses of hypot are just trying Armour as a slimmingpill.Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum Iwouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given.Luv Dee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I think you are wrong here Dee, sorry but I know that people who come to this group are 99.9% at the end of their tether with the NHS, they have been like me, years trying to get a diagnosis - it took me 10 years, 5 years of those going to my GP every 6 - 9 months asking for something to be done and being told every time that I was 'fine'. I should imagine that only the stupidest person would not realise that taking a medication that is taken for an ailment that we don't have is extremely dangerous and would not do it. I certainly wouldn't even though I went from being 7st 3 from age 15 to 38 to at my very worst being 13.3 and being asked by the GP if I would like to see a dietician - yeah right, I gained 5 stone of that 6 stone in just 6 months and you think I need to see a dietician - tell me if you know anyone who could gain that weight by eating the wrong foods, it just cannot be done. You know what, some people need and deserve a lot of encouragement and that is what the group is for - I too wanted to feel better the day following my starting on meds and it took me almost 2 long years to feel anything like I was getting anywheref, the group helped me through a lot of that and gave me the encouragement to carry on - it does not mean they are not giving the thyroxine a chance. If you go to the GP he will tell you as mine did, take this pill every morning and in no time you will be your old self again and it just does not happen like that. Sorry Dee but I do think that you can stop people from coming here asking questions and wanting encouragement if you start saying things like, you don't need thyroid meds and they are not diet pills, get a diagnosis first - had I known this group existed before my diagnosis, I may well have been up and running a whole lot faster, as it was it helped me get onto armour due to my inability to cope with the synthetic meds. nne Hi nne, I too have a really bad weight problem and do use awheelchair, having been 9st and then suddenly going to 15st isfrightening.I didn't mean that anyone was eating wrongly and wanting to take medsto lose it, (but yes I think some people would do this), I just wantedto say how some people come on here that aren't diagnosed and saystraight away in their first post, will this make me lose weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Well almost the same thing happened to me Ali, how strange - I quit smoking to better my health and that was when the problems started, they put everything down to my stopping smoking and not my thyroid though. nne Ironically, i was diagnosed because i quit smoking to better my health )AliX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I am just grateful that I managed to give it up because I swear that I would be dead now as the smoking was keeping most of my symptoms at bay. nne Funny you should say that because both my husband and my self gave upsmoking then had thyroid problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Weight gain only happens when you give up smoking if you eat more than you did as a smoker, I know lots who stopped smoking and didn't gain weight, seems to be leading to another pattern of how hypot comes about. nne Interesting. My mum's hypot symptoms started when she stopped smoking, having been a heavy smoker from her teens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I agree with you Dee, and we do tell new people who come here that they should first go to their doctors to try and get diagnosed. We also tell people over and over again that if they have been offered thyroxine that they should try this first and that it takes at least six weeks before it starts to kick in. We have told people that although some people have found thyroid medication helps them to lose some of their excess weight it does not work for everyone. I can vouch for that. If you take thyroid medication and you do not need it, you will become hyper and if you look at the symptoms of being hyper, I do not think they will want to stay on the medication for any length of time, especially when they find that the weight is not dropping off as they had anticipated. In fact, some hyper people have complained that they have actually put on weight. We do not encourage people to be irresponsible, and hope they will listen. At the bottom of every message sent out is put:- Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. If you (or anyone) have any suggestions as to what else could be done, perhaps you would write to the owners of the list privately with these to see if they are practical and can be implemented. Lilian Patience Hi all,Sorry to be a killjoy, but it's worry me why are so many on here arenot giving Levothyroxine at least a fighting chance. It's not amiracle pill that as soon as you swallow one, whey hey I'm well again,it takes a while to become ill and it takes a while to get somewherenear normal again.I've been on Thyroxine now for coming up to 3 years, I'm still notright but still having blood tests and my thyroxine is beingincreased. I find it worrying that people who've only been on it acouple of months or less are saying it's not working and deciding totry Armour, with self medication, when if they gave thyroxine afighting chance it could work for them.I know Armour is good and if I eventually find thyroxine doesn't workfor me, I will probably go down that route but asking my Dr if we cantry it as thyroxine doesn't work "after giving it a good try". What is also worrying me is the amount of people who come on here andthere main question is "will I lose weight", it worries me that somepeople with no diagnoses of hypot are just trying Armour as a slimmingpill.Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum Iwouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given.Luv Dee------------------------------------Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hi nne, I too have a really bad weight problem and do use a wheelchair, having been 9st and then suddenly going to 15st is frightening. I didn't mean that anyone was eating wrongly and wanting to take meds to lose it, (but yes I think some people would do this), I just wanted to say how some people come on here that aren't diagnosed and say straight away in their first post, will this make me lose weight. I'm sorry this is coming out as I want it to, my brain still doesn't work. LOL I just want people to realise that taking meds like these to lose weight is extremely dangerous, and I didn't want people saying this site is condoning this. I know people may need these days to take their health into their own hands, but at least give the Dr's a chance with the levothyroxine. I've seen a couple of posts saying " I've been on 25mgs thyroxine for a couple of weeks and it's not doing me any good " all I was saying was it doesn't work that quickly. Sorry if this is coming out all wrong and very confusing. Luv Dee, who is so obese. > > > The weight, oh yes Dee, I can tell you that it was the MAIN thing that I > wanted to disappear and I wanted to know that if I was eating properly and > taking my meds would I lose the weight - having been very slim all my life I could > not and still cannot bear being fat! > > What you are in fact saying here is that people are eating wrongly and > getting fat because of it and now want to take thyroid meds to lose that weight - > if you read all their posts you would find that simply was not the case > diagnosis or not. You may now feel better for getting it off your chest but in my > opinion you will have made a lot of people feel worse for it. > > Every avenue is been explored and people are told to get a private blood > test done to show the truth and I really cannot believe that anyone would be so > stupid as to spend all that money on Armour to use just as a slimming pill no > matter how large they got. There are plenty of cheaper options out there > that are a lot safer. Obesity is not the only symptom that people who come to > this forum have, they are at the end of their tether and can see their lives > ending with them in wheelchairs and the like and you are not giving anyone of > those without a diagnosis the credit for using their brains. > > Sorry but I also had to get that off my chest and I apologise to anyone who > it may have offended. > > nne > > What is also worrying me is the amount of people who come on here and > there main question is " will I lose weight " , it worries me that some > people with no diagnoses of hypot are just trying Armour as a slimming > pill. > > Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum I > wouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given. > > Luv Dee > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hi I don't think for one minute that anyone in this group does not take their health very seriously. The reasons that we have searched and even found these groups is to extend our knowledge of a condition that is new to us and changes us from the people we used to be. It is only natural that we want our health restored as quickly as possible. How long is a peice of string? How long before we make the decision that something is not working for us. If you choose to take the long term option that is your choice.You sound as though you have an understanding GP. Some of us have to fight even to get an increase in Thyroxine. It should'nt be such a battle. For me it is enough that my docter tells me my tests are normal, and wants to label me with an untreatable condition such as CFS or Fybromyalgia. That is an easy option for them, they need do no more for me. I know the person i used to be, I know how I feel, I don't need to look at a blood test result, i didn't before and i don't now. I don't need to accept that this is the best its going to get and from now on i need to plan things very carefully so as not to run out of " Spoons " . I will try every option and only then will i accept this condition has altered me forever. Ironically, i was diagnosed because i quit smoking to better my health ) Ali X > > Hi all, > > Sorry to be a killjoy, but it's worry me why are so many on here are > not giving Levothyroxine at least a fighting chance. It's not a > miracle pill that as soon as you swallow one, whey hey I'm well again, > it takes a while to become ill and it takes a while to get somewhere > near normal again. > > I've been on Thyroxine now for coming up to 3 years, I'm still not > right but still having blood tests and my thyroxine is being > increased. I find it worrying that people who've only been on it a > couple of months or less are saying it's not working and deciding to > try Armour, with self medication, when if they gave thyroxine a > fighting chance it could work for them. > > I know Armour is good and if I eventually find thyroxine doesn't work > for me, I will probably go down that route but asking my Dr if we can > try it as thyroxine doesn't work " after giving it a good try " . > > What is also worrying me is the amount of people who come on here and > there main question is " will I lose weight " , it worries me that some > people with no diagnoses of hypot are just trying Armour as a slimming > pill. > > Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum I > wouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given. > > Luv Dee > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hi Dee, I agree with you. I think that is part of the problem- Armour being seen as a slimming pill instead of a thyroid replacement. Yes I know I lost weight when on Armour which I didn't when on T4. BUT as you say, it takes time- I was told a year on diagnosis. BUT for those who suit T4 it does work and I know a couple of slim folk on T4 as well as some fat ones. Subject: Patience Hi all, Sorry to be a killjoy, but it's worry me why are so many on here are not giving Levothyroxine at least a fighting chance. It's not a miracle pill that as soon as you swallow one, whey hey I'm well again, it takes a while to become ill and it takes a while to get somewhere near normal again. Luv Dee ------------------------------------ Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 HI Dee The people who are not doing well on thyroxine and wanting Armour Thyroid is because they either are unable to convert the inactive hormone thyroxine(T4) into the active hormone triiodothyronine (T3) - or - they are allergic to the fillers that are in L-thyroxine and these are Lactose and Maize. What we are trying to do is to give our members information they are not getting from their NHS doctors, and how they can help themselves to help their doctors give them a diagnosis so they CAN start on thyroxine. As you say, thyroxine is great for a number of people, but not for others. I don't think there are very many here who only want to use Armour as a slimming pill - Armour is NOT a slimming pill, but yes, once people have the thyroid hormone their body needs, then weight often does fall off naturally. There is evidence (and I put put this in my response to the bTA Statements) that thyroxine actually can cause weight increase. A slow metabolism does cause weight gain, we cannot burn off the calories, and yes, many of our members do ask the question "will I lose weight" - in the same way as they ask "will I grow my hair back again". Our weight and condition of hair is something the majority of women worry about, so that is a very natural question. There is no doubt about it that medications containing a combination of T4 and T3 whether synthetic or natural ARE the best form of hypothyroid therapy. Luv - Sheila Hi all,Sorry to be a killjoy, but it's worry me why are so many on here arenot giving Levothyroxine at least a fighting chance. It's not amiracle pill that as soon as you swallow one, whey hey I'm well again,it takes a while to become ill and it takes a while to get somewherenear normal again.I've been on Thyroxine now for coming up to 3 years, I'm still notright but still having blood tests and my thyroxine is beingincreased. I find it worrying that people who've only been on it acouple of months or less are saying it's not working and deciding totry Armour, with self medication, when if they gave thyroxine afighting chance it could work for them.I know Armour is good and if I eventually find thyroxine doesn't workfor me, I will probably go down that route but asking my Dr if we cantry it as thyroxine doesn't work "after giving it a good try". What is also worrying me is the amount of people who come on here andthere main question is "will I lose weight", it worries me that somepeople with no diagnoses of hypot are just trying Armour as a slimmingpill.Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum Iwouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given.Luv Dee No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.518 / Virus Database: 269.21.7/1327 - Release Date: 12/03/2008 13:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Funny you should say that because both my husband and my self gave up smoking then had thyroid problems. Luv Dee, who is awfully sorry if she's up set anyone > > > > Well almost the same thing happened to me Ali, how strange - I quit smoking > to better my health and that was when the problems started, they put > everything down to my stopping smoking and not my thyroid though. > > nne > > Ironically, i was diagnosed because i quit smoking to > better my health ) > > Ali > X > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 HI Dee The problem for us all is that none of us knew that you would have to wait for several months probably before we started to feel better on thyroxine. I didn't know a thing when I first started coming to message boards and I had to learn slowly. There are always bound to be new members who have taken their thyroxine and expected to feel something different, I know I did, so when new members do come on, you will also have seen that we respond explaining to them why they will not feel better so quickly and answer their "will I lose weight ?" with an explanation of this too. It is the American forums where members write that they want to use Armour just to lose weight. All I tell people is that in the two years after I started using Armour, my weight dropped by 2 stone without dieting or anything. My metabolism was working, and it just came off. Luv - Sheila Re: Patience Hi nne, I too have a really bad weight problem and do use awheelchair, having been 9st and then suddenly going to 15st isfrightening.I didn't mean that anyone was eating wrongly and wanting to take medsto lose it, (but yes I think some people would do this), I just wantedto say how some people come on here that aren't diagnosed and saystraight away in their first post, will this make me lose weight.I'm sorry this is coming out as I want it to, my brain still doesn'twork. LOLI just want people to realise that taking meds like these to loseweight is extremely dangerous, and I didn't want people saying thissite is condoning this. I know people may need these days to take their health into their ownhands, but at least give the Dr's a chance with the levothyroxine.I've seen a couple of posts saying "I've been on 25mgs thyroxine for acouple of weeks and it's not doing me any good" all I was saying wasit doesn't work that quickly.Sorry if this is coming out all wrong and very confusing.Luv Dee, who is so obese.>> > The weight, oh yes Dee, I can tell you that it was the MAIN thingthat I > wanted to disappear and I wanted to know that if I was eatingproperly and > taking my meds would I lose the weight - having been very slim allmy life I could > not and still cannot bear being fat!> > What you are in fact saying here is that people are eating wrongly and > getting fat because of it and now want to take thyroid meds to losethat weight - > if you read all their posts you would find that simply was not thecase > diagnosis or not. You may now feel better for getting it off yourchest but in my > opinion you will have made a lot of people feel worse for it.> > Every avenue is been explored and people are told to get a private blood > test done to show the truth and I really cannot believe that anyonewould be so > stupid as to spend all that money on Armour to use just as aslimming pill no > matter how large they got. There are plenty of cheaper options outthere > that are a lot safer. Obesity is not the only symptom that peoplewho come to > this forum have, they are at the end of their tether and can seetheir lives > ending with them in wheelchairs and the like and you are not givinganyone of > those without a diagnosis the credit for using their brains.> > Sorry but I also had to get that off my chest and I apologise toanyone who > it may have offended.> > nne> > What is also worrying me is the amount of people who come on here and> there main question is "will I lose weight", it worries me that some> people with no diagnoses of hypot are just trying Armour as a slimming> pill.> > Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum I> wouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given.> > Luv Dee> No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.518 / Virus Database: 269.21.7/1327 - Release Date: 12/03/2008 13:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Life is so unfair!! I am sure no one is upset Dee. Ali X > > > > > > > > Well almost the same thing happened to me Ali, how strange - I quit > smoking > > to better my health and that was when the problems started, they put > > everything down to my stopping smoking and not my thyroid though. > > > > nne > > > > Ironically, i was diagnosed because i quit smoking to > > better my health ) > > > > Ali > > X > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I don't dispute that some do take thyroid meds to reduce their weight, I would just not contribute that to anyone on this group and feel that people who come here are genuinely hypot and want help. I am so sorry that you are having to fight so hard Tracey, unfortunately I too still have problems due to the lack of knowledge in the medical profession. nne You are correct to state that some people do use thyroid meds purely to lose weight. I was mortified to stumble across another internet forum where slimmers without thyroid or other health problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hey Dee - this is VERY strange as gave up smoking and became hypothyroid. Luv - Sheila Funny you should say that because both my husband and my self gave upsmoking then had thyroid problems. Luv Dee, who is awfully sorry if she's up set anyone>> > > Well almost the same thing happened to me Ali, how strange - I quitsmoking > to better my health and that was when the problems started, they put > everything down to my stopping smoking and not my thyroid though.> > nne> > Ironically, i was diagnosed because i quit smoking to > better my health )> > Ali> X> No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.518 / Virus Database: 269.21.7/1327 - Release Date: 12/03/2008 13:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I gave levothyroxine 7 years, with constant visits to doctor and endos who refused to even listen to me, I was ill, I was in incredible pain day and night, I was ignored. I found an endo who realised that not everyone does well on synthetic thyroxine, he gave me armour. Within tw weeks of taking it, starting on a low dose and building up I fel so much better it was like magic! I'm up to 2 grains a day now and while I still have problems they are slight and improving all the time. I wonder why there is a synthetic drug being prescribed for Hypo when there is a safe, well established natural one readily available! I would not have become so ill if my doctor had listened to me. Levothyroxine might not be a miracle pill but Armour is!! > Sorry to be a killjoy, but it's worry me why are so many on here are > not giving Levothyroxine at least a fighting chance. It's not a > miracle pill that as soon as you swallow one, whey hey I'm well again, > it takes a while to become ill and it takes a while to get somewhere > near normal again. > Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum I > wouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given. > > Luv Dee > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 We don't get upset when people want to make a point about something they feel strongly about Dee - some of us know exactly where you are coming from and we also need to make our own point, and that way, everybody knows what we are about and our views about such things, and that way, our members get a reminder (does that make sense?) I ain't upset luv ;o) Luv - Sheila Re: Patience Life is so unfair!! I am sure no one is upset Dee.AliX> >> > > > > > Well almost the same thing happened to me Ali, how strange - I quit> smoking > > to better my health and that was when the problems started, they put > > everything down to my stopping smoking and not my thyroid though.> > > > nne> > > > Ironically, i was diagnosed because i quit smoking to > > better my health )> > > > Ali> > X> >> No virus found in this incoming message.Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.518 / Virus Database: 269.21.7/1327 - Release Date: 12/03/2008 13:27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Interesting. My mum's hypot symptoms started when she stopped smoking, having been a heavy smoker from her teens. She put on a huge amount of weight in spite of continuing to eat normally but her GP at the time said that weight-gain often happens when people stop smoking. I wonder why? Tracey > > Funny you should say that because both my husband and my self gave up > smoking then had thyroid problems. > > Luv Dee, who is awfully sorry if she's up set anyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 I Stopped smoking last year in Jan and didn't gain weight until June/July.I was eating healthier too and going to the gym. Then Crash bang wallop! Ali X > > > Weight gain only happens when you give up smoking if you eat more than you > did as a smoker, I know lots who stopped smoking and didn't gain weight, seems > to be leading to another pattern of how hypot comes about. > > nne > > Interesting. My mum's hypot symptoms started when she stopped smoking, > having been a heavy smoker from her teens. > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Very tricky subject Dee and very brave of you to post on it! Weight is such an emotive issue in a society where people are judged and condemned, even denied medical treatment, on the basis of their physical appearance! Heavy people get saddled with carrying a burden of blame and being treated as less-worthy human beings. You are correct to state that some people do use thyroid meds purely to lose weight. I was mortified to stumble across another internet forum where slimmers without thyroid or other health problems were discussing ways to lose weight and many WERE taking levothyroxine to do so. I was shocked that they had managed to aquire the drug so easily when so many of us thyroid-sufferers have such an ordeal to get diagnosed, let alone prescribed. Even worse, those slimmers even get good results and boasted about it - Grrr! I think people who develop weight problems as a result of an underlying health issue, such as hypot, begin to see the excess weight as a physical manifestation of their ill-health. I know I do. Everytime I get iller, it has ALWAYS coincided with a steep inexplicable weight gain. Of course seeking medical help invariably results in all the other symptoms being ignored, while the medics focus instead on the " you are fat, you are doing it to yourself " tack. So the message becomes simplified and subverted to " Lose weight, get well " ! Not surprisingly people do get desparate. People who have the luxury of good health can misinterpret my moan about my weight as a vanity thing. It isn't. I feel absolutely floored by carrying all this unjust extra weight, and it is literally like being hit with a sack of concrete overnight. I was a 10st3lb person with a very active lifestyle and model healthy diet. I'm currently 14st4lb though did hit 16st a few years back. Some days I find it very difficult to walk or propel myself on my bicycle as my legs just stop working. At the moment I'm finding it difficult to hold my arms up long enough to put things up onto the higher shelves in the kitchen. My back and knees are increasingly playing up and limiting my mobility. Every lb weight gain indicates my ability to do basic daily activity is being further compromised. I get quite frightened about it as there is no telling how rapid the gain will be or if/when it will stop. Recently I've had to fend off puzzled comments from friends who don't understand that my few weeks of 50mcg of levothyroxine have apparently had little effect so far. Realistically it WOULD have to be a miracle pill to reverse 10 years of untreated hypot ;o) Personally, I'm going to hang in there with the levothyroxine as all the other women in my family with hypot are doing OK on it. What has caught me on the hop is that I had an erroneous expectation that once I started treatment, I wouldn't get any worse. I wasn't expecting to improve straight away but I'm very disappointed that the hypot symptoms are unchanged - it is as if I am not taking anything. Fighting for 10 years to get this far has built up my expectations out of proportion. How come I can't even muster up a placebo effect!!?? Tracey ps- out of desperation I did once consider taking up smoking having watched my mum go hypot after she gave up. Had her years of chain smoking simply delayed the onset of her thyroid problems, I mused? Trouble is I get asthma in smoky atmospheres so I never got the chance to do the foolhardy human-guineapig thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Smoking increases the metabolism of an average smoker by about 400 calories a day. Therefore when giving up smoking, and keeping the same food consumption weight will go up. However a lot of people tend to eat more after giving up so the weight gain is even greater. It could be that the increased metabolism that smoking does, actually hides the fact that ones's real metabolism is slowing down. 3,500 calories equal one pound in weight, so 400 calories a day equal 2,800 calories, so the gain would be just under a pound a week gained. Lilian Re: Patience Interesting. My mum's hypot symptoms started when she stopped smoking, having been a heavy smoker from her teens. She put on a huge amount of weight in spite of continuing to eat normally but her GP at the time said that weight-gain often happens when people stop smoking. I wonder why?Tracey>> Funny you should say that because both my husband and my self gave up> smoking then had thyroid problems. > > Luv Dee, who is awfully sorry if she's up set anyone------------------------------------Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Oh dear, so my teenage daughter and her smoking friends were right all along! I am interested in the smoking connection as my daughter (now 19)is at risk of developing thyroid problems hereslf in the future. Much to my chagrin, she has become much more lively and vital and has lost loads of weight since she sneakily took up smoking last year. Now I'm beginning to wonder whether HER weight gain and exhaustion, far from being a typical teen-thing, was actually an early sign of the thyroid problems to come. In which case the smoking habit could be her way of unconsciously self-medicating. I also have a horrid suspicion she tried amphetamines before that, so the smoking could be the lesser of many evils. Tracey > > Smoking increases the metabolism of an average smoker by about 400 calories a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hi Sheila, do you think we have made a discovery and if so will they call it after us? Luv Dee > > > > > > > > Well almost the same thing happened to me Ali, how strange - I quit > smoking > > to better my health and that was when the problems started, they put > > everything down to my stopping smoking and not my thyroid though. > > > > nne > > > > Ironically, i was diagnosed because i quit smoking to > > better my health ) > > > > Ali > > X > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.518 / Virus Database: 269.21.7/1327 - Release Date: 12/03/2008 13:27 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 Hi Tracey, I know it's frustrating not to feel an improvement- I was diagnosed 23 years ago so this is ancient history and I seem to vaguely recall not feeling any improvement for months- until I was nearing optimum dose- no body except my lovely OH seemed to accept I was still very ill. So I didn't discuss what was wrong with me, but just said 'I have a serious illness- you can't expect miracle cures' this seemed to be accepted less judgementally. I put on 4 stone while I was on T4- I had only put on 7 lbs before diagnosis as I was diagnosed quickly because my mother told me of the family history and got a spectacularly high TSH almost immediately. It's these silly people ( taking T4 to lose weight) who may end up truly hypo who give us genuine sufferers a bad name. I recall challenging my GP to survive on what I ate ( a healthy small diet) when she complained about my weight. Even after over 20 years being hypo fat I still get a shock if I catch sight of myself in a window as I still feel inside the 9st I always was before hypo not the 12 st I am now. Unfortunately our fat is visible, but our often inadequately medicated thyroids are not. ----- Subject: Re: Patience What has caught me on the hop is that I had an erroneous expectation that once I started treatment, I wouldn't get any worse. I wasn't expecting to improve straight away but I'm very disappointed that the hypot symptoms are unchanged - it is as if I am not taking anything. Fighting for 10 years to get this far has built up my expectations out of proportion. How come I can't even muster up a placebo effect!!?? Tracey ------------------------------------ Messages are not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a suitably qualified practitioner before changing medication. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 14, 2008 Report Share Posted March 14, 2008 nne and Dee - I do agree with nne - I was always slim and could eat what I like and having gained weight through the hypothryoidism - I dont overeate, in fact some people have told me I need to eat more to boost my metabolism! But clapping weight on when you are used to being slim is a big issue for people with hypothyroidism - and its one of the symptoms that is very hard to resolve. Please dont interpret this as the same as some of the forums for body builders who use T3 JUST to achieve the weight loss, but it can be one of the considerations that people (whose doctors are failing to diagnose them with hypothyroidism, where its blatantly obvious to them and likely to us, that this is their illness) want an answer to - becoming 'fat' after being slim and seeing no reason in your diet or personal habits its very hard, ones whole body image is affected, which affects confidence and personal relationships. It is therefore not surprising that this is a key concern to many members! I know its one of my main issues, harder in some ways than the pains - because I dont look or feel like the person Ive always been! Dee - you may be one of the lucky ones who hasnt gained weight due to hypothyroidism - believe me you are lucky and in the minority! Gill The weight, oh yes Dee, I can tell you that it was the MAIN thing that I wanted to disappear and I wanted to know that if I was eating properly and taking my meds would I lose the weight - having been very slim all my life I could not and still cannot bear being fat! What you are in fact saying here is that people are eating wrongly and getting fat because of it and now want to take thyroid meds to lose that weight - if you read all their posts you would find that simply was not the case diagnosis or not. You may now feel better for getting it off your chest but in my opinion you will have made a lot of people feel worse for it. Every avenue is been explored and people are told to get a private blood test done to show the truth and I really cannot believe that anyone would be so stupid as to spend all that money on Armour to use just as a slimming pill no matter how large they got. There are plenty of cheaper options out there that are a lot safer. Obesity is not the only symptom that people who come to this forum have, they are at the end of their tether and can see their lives ending with them in wheelchairs and the like and you are not giving anyone of those without a diagnosis the credit for using their brains. Sorry but I also had to get that off my chest and I apologise to anyone who it may have offended. nne What is also worrying me is the amount of people who come on here andthere main question is "will I lose weight", it worries me that somepeople with no diagnoses of hypot are just trying Armour as a slimmingpill.Just needed to get that off my chest as this is such a good forum Iwouldn't want people saying that bad information etc. was being given.Luv Dee Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.17.6/1192 - Release Date: 21/12/07 13:17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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