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Unfortunately, it is possible that your thyroxine dose is now too low.
One effect of fasting is that it reduces the conversion of T4 to T3 in tissues. In those with a normal thyroid function this doesn’t cause any problems and T4 production is subsequently reduced too in response to increased TSH.
In the hypothyroid patient, there isn’t a mechanism to reduce T4 as that’s the medicine you are taking. In fact, as less T4 is being converted to the active T3, T4 levels will increase above what they normally would be. This causes a drop in TSH which your doctor interpreted as a sign that you needed to reduce your dose of levothyroxine (T4). Because of the decreased conversion to T3, your T3 levels are now likely to be on the low side.
The TSH test is a very blunt tool and without measurement of T4 and T3 can lead to incorrect dose recommendations or a complete misdiagnosis.
After starting 5:2, my T4 went right up and my TSH down but as I was not showing any clinical signs or symptoms of hyperthyroidism (given the reduced conversion to T3 I wouldn’t have expected to) my endocrinologist is happy to leave me at the original dose of levothyroxine.
See my previous post on the subject at http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/weight-fluctuations-gaining-weight/
Good luck!
Sarah
You might also like to look at my first post on the thread at http://thefastdiet.co.uk/forums/topic/thyroid-level-change-and-52/ which shows the changes in my own T4 and TSH levels.
Sarah
Hi Chris, even with higher FT4 and lower TSH levels, your FT3 is at no stage high so there isn’t a hugely compelling reason to reduce thyroxine medication in my opinion. All your doctor is doing is shuffling FT3 down within the normal range.
If you weren’t experiencing any physical effects indicating hyperthyroidism it seems he was treating the test and not the patient. This is not uncommon!
What were your levels like before you started 5:2?
Sarah
Beavergong, apart from the weightloss, or lack of it, how do you feel in yourself?
In the ‘good old days’ before the tests became available, thyroid patients were treated until they felt optimally well. I have a permanent battle with my doctors because I feel well running right at the top end of the T4/T3 range.
Interestingly I also have a hypothyroid dog. Vets make sure that dogs on thyroxine are at the top end of the T4 range, because “the synthetic stuff doesn’t seem to work the same way, and most dogs need more”.
Hi everyone. I’ve just joined, having read a few posts regarding hypothyroidism. I started taking thyroxine about 10 years ago when my weight ballooned by three dress sizes. At that time I also had a cholesterol test (double figures!). I have familial hyperchoesterolaemia so I’m also taking statins.
I used to be a size 10 but weight started fluctuating then I suddenly went up to a size 16. After a few goes we settled on 100mg of thyroxine and 80mg of statins.
I kept looking for diets and discovered a great one which involves changing your the way you eat by grazing. I divided calorific intake into 8 small healthy meals. This was to give my thyroid a kick-start every couple of hours. It worked and I lost nearly 3 stones. However, I’m back to gaining weight and finding it a struggle so I’m considering the 5-2. I’m now 58 (59 in August) and I want to be thin again, and stay thin.
I don’t know how much I weigh but I’ll be happy with a size 12!
Hi everyone
I am new to this site, have researched what to do on the 5:2 diet on this site, have to say after 12 days I have lost 5lbs, which for me as a hypothyroid patient sufferer for over 20 yrs is absolutely amazing !
Am highly delighted with it, am calorie counting for the 5 days, lots of exercise, 2 fast days including an omelette, mushrooms & one slice of wholemeal toast for breakfast, then a low cal cereal bar in the afternoon as a snack, for lunch & dinner its a (50 cal per portion) of homemade low cal/fat vegetable soup which is delicious.
I am really enjoying this, not only is it working fast, work colleagues are commenting on the rapid loss and my changing shape, I have a stone to go, so hopefully won’t need to be on this too long if it continues to drop off at this rate. Am going to buy the book when I get around to it. Long may it continue, nothing else has worked in the past apart from Atkins due to no carbs which my body seems to do well on, but can’t stay on it longer than 5 weeks as it is so restrictive.
Hope this gives hope to other fellow hypothyroid bods, wish I had tried it when I first heard about it. Will keep updating as I go along.
Angela
Hi Jo
Sorry to hear you been diagnosed too & it has made you put weight on, but good on ya for looking into this. I’ve now lost another 2lbs, ordered the book yesterday which I will get tomorrow. If you would like the soup recipe, just let me know & I can send you the link. The first week is the hardest, but persevere and you will be fine, it does get easier.
Where in the UK are you ?
Hope you decide to do it, I wished I’d done it 2 yrs ago !
Angela
Hi again
Great that you decided to try it hope you have the same success, I do my fasting days on Sundays & Thursdays as I think that is helping my metabolism by having them spread out & not close together. Here is the link, I don’t put the parsley in & the 6 cups of veggie stock is the equiv of 3 stock cubes or 1500 ml of made up stock, I blend it all into liquid as I aren’t mad about chunky soups. It is so easy, only takes about 50 mins to make & you can freeze it too. A portion is 50 cals and is 250ml – I had to measure this all out on my first week, so I done the calculating for you, on Thursdays I take it to work in a flask.
http://lowfatcooking.about.com/od/lowfatsoups/r/veggiesoup.htm
It does work best though to keep to your daily calorie intake on the 5 eating days, I kept a diary for the first week, I have a treat day on a Saturday, I like a curry & a small low fat naan, so that way I don’t feel deprived.
Anyway good luck with it, let me know how you get on. Been trying lower size jeans on this morning, it is helping to motivate me and feel I am getting somewhere, I also took my measurements when I started to help with the motivation too.
Ang
Hi Jo
Fab news, was that a fasting day or not ? You decided which days you are fasting during your 7 ? I do Sundays & Thursdays as seems to work for me. Can’t believe how well I feel & not to mention alert.
Its a bad water retention week for me this week only lost another half a pound since the weekend, so closely monitoring calories intake & weight this week in particular, will only be able to tell for sure how successful it has been when I have been on it a full month, so that is up on 11th Feb. You made the soup yet ?
Hope all good with you, keep me posted how you are doing – I’m from the edge of Leeds by the way, so not a million miles away from you.
Ang
Hi fellow thyroxine takers!
I’m 58 and I have been on 5:2 for a year now, and during that time, I’ve had my thyroxine reduced from 175 mg to 75mg. I did go through a plateau for about 6 weeks after 7 months or so, but have managed to lose 42lbs altogether.
I’d had Graves’ disease many years ago, then got sorted, had stopped all medicines, and then diagnosed with Hashimotos about 3 years ago. I blamed my weight gain on tablets etc,., but in all honesty, with the tablets, I shouldn’t have been eating as much as I was……..
Anyway, for those of you feeling that you’re not losing…keep at it, it will start to drop again. Don’t forget, even if the scales are not moving, the body is changing shape!
Good luck to all.
Hi all,
Just spotted this thread and found it really interesting as I’ve had weight issues after a change of thyroxine dose. I had been happily taking 125mcg for years until my old GP made me drop it to 100mcg about 3 years ago as apparently it could affect my heart. I have put on 2 stone (surely that would affect my heart more!)and have been fighting my GP ever since to put it back up. Now I’ve got a new GP and she’s finally agreed to put it back up pending tests in 3 months. I hoping that that, plus starting this diet will help me get the weight off and make me much healthier at the same time.
Today is my second fast day and it was much easier than the first. I’ve not really felt hungry at all and didn’t even bat an eyelid when my boss brought in the left-overs from the board’s buffet. I’ve also lost 1.5 lbs since Sunday but think that’s just beginners luck.
Hi all – I’ve been on 5:2 for a year and now I do 6:1 to maintain the weight. I’ve only been diagnosed hypothyroid for a month and been taking the pills 50mg/day. I changed doctor’s and they did a blood test – I don’t have any symptoms I’ve read about and I’ve lost weight and reached BMI normal easily on the diet. I’ll be interested to see if the pills actually make me put on weight!!
Good luck to everyone. Monday is my fast day and I can have breakfast in about 15 minutes!
Jane
Hi, I’m brand new to the forum today. This is so helpful to me I can’t tell you! I. In my third week of 5:2 and feeling good. I’ve been taking thyroxine for 13 years. I was 40 last year and have tried to lose weight for a while now. I feel confident that this is for me. What’s lovely is my husband is doing it with me. Any advice and fasting buddies are welcome.
Becky.
Welcome to all the newcomers!
The 5:2 doesn’t give lightning quick results, but that’s not necessarily a healthy thing to aim for. Keep with it and weight loss (and shape change) will be steady.
You also won’t feel like you’re really dieting. I have found that since starting the 5:2 diet my appetite has decreased. After a fast day I don’t feel like eating excessive amounts of food to compensate. I certainly can’t eat the portion sizes I used to be able to.
I am finding that 5:2 is more effective than my previous diet of 1500kcal a day, every day, and much easier to stick to.
I’m also sure the standard calorie restriction diet had far less of a beneficial effect on my cholesterol.
Good luck with thyroixine levels and weight loss.
Sarah
@beavergong listen to your doctor!
I would love to stop taking statins altogether, I am now on a reduced dose, but I have familial hypercholesterolaemia (in a fairly mild form thankfully) and, no matter how good my eating habits are, without statins my reading will be higher than normal.
Is there a history of high cholesterol in your family? If so then perhaps, as in my case, only statins will keep the level down.
xx
Thanks coffeegal for the insights; my doctor recently reduced my thyroxine from 150 to 125 even though I am feeling well and additionally, my weight loss started to plateau at 13lbs and has now crept back to a net loss of 9lbs (although I have lost 7 3/4 inches and been doing much more exercise so I am thinking some might be increased muscle mass).
I’m now going to go back through my diary and see when I started the reduced dose of thyroxine and see how that compares to when my weight started to plateau and see if it tallies. I’m now grateful I write down my thyroxine dose every day (partly as a note to myself whether I’ve taken it or not)!
I was really interested to find this thread. I am 67 have been seriously obese all my life; 5’2” and at my heaviest 215lbs. I have been on 150 thyroxine for about six or seven years. Anyway I started the 5:2 after seeing Michael’s television programme in January 2013 and have now lost 33lbs, the most I have ever lost on any diet and have come down two dress sizes. I had a blood test four months ago and as a result the doctor cut my thyroxine to 125 and two months later to 100. She doesn’t seem to see any connection between the fasting and the thyroid. After the reduction in dosage I didn’t seem to loose any more weight for a couple of months but in the last week or two it has started to slowly come off again.
The wonderful thing is that I find the diet so easy that I just accept that it is my future way of life and look forward to being a size ten by the time I am 80!!!
Hi everyone. I’ve just joined this site – I got so fed up with the Cambridge diet and needed to eat real food although Cambridge will be good for fast days. I’ve been trying to get my husband to join me in losing weight and he said he would definitely give 5:2 a go, so here I am. I’ve also got Hashimoto’s (I’ve had it for 20 years – I’m 58) and I’ve been fighting my weight ever since. I was fine on 150mg but the doc dropped it to 100mg. Since then I’ve put more weight on and I get very tired. I’m also 5ft 2in and I weigh 11st 5lbs. Don’t think I’ll ever get back to a size 10 :). I know it probably sounds silly but I’m pleased to find someone else with Hashimoto’s ;P
Hi guys, this has been invaluable! I was diagnosed as hypothyroid in June, after I pestered my Dr about extreme fatigue, lethargy (virging on depression) and over a stone and a half weight gain (mainly around my middle). I am on Levothyroxine 100mcg, a statin, diuretic and hypertension medication. I still don’t feel great and the weight gain is really getting me down. I am definitely going to try the 5:2 to see if I can drop some weight. I am 5’2 and was always a size 10 before I put the weight on.
Hi.
Not been on here for several months, but decided to update after receiving the above addition yesterday. Still on fasting, I lost just over 2 stones (30 lbs)in 4 months, my doctor is to say the least amazed ! My doc recommends this diet to her overweight patients & was so pleased to hear how well it worked for a hypothyroid patient too. This has stayed off 5 months later, only wish I’d done it 2 yrs ago when I first heard about it, its been life changing, I am between a size 10 & 12.
Thyroid dose hasn’t changed surprisingly and I have never felt so well or so fit. I run a lot too as is so good for speeding up the metabolism, but power-walking is great if you can’t run. Best of luck all new to 5:2, get past the first 2 weeks when you can get some initial hunger and appetite adjusting and you are laughing and well on your way, stick with it, its worth it !! 🙂 Ang.
Hi all
My thyroid started playing up when I was pregnant with my last child 12 years ago. My weight went from 60kg to 80kg.I started taking Thryroxine 75mg 3 years ago.
In July 2013 my doctor said that I shouldn’t have any problem losing weight as the medication had stabilized my thyroid. I had been trying to lose weight for a year previously but to no avail.
So with renewed enthusiasm I watched my diet and I lost 5kg in one year and I was proud!
In September 2014 I saw Dr Moseley s program on TV in Australia. What a wake up call.
I am on week 6 now of the 5:2 diet. I initially lost 1 kg in the first 2 weeks. Then nothing until week 5.
To date I have lost 4kg in 6 weeks. I have relied on my weekly measurements and the downsizing of my clothes to tell me that this is working. Plus my overall health and wellbeing.
To all Thyroid people keep going…. it is worth it!
I was scared that I wouldn’t get enough food at the beginning as I suffered from hyperglycemia. But I have found that has disappeared. I can go for hours without any food, without getting the shakes now. I think I have become more choosy in what I eat now. Picking organic veg and fruits,grains etc. ( I am vegetarian)
Have a great weekend! From the land down under.VM
Hello all my hypothyroid friends. Reading through this thread again, there seems to be a general theme of doctors reducing meds on the strength of the tests, and not the symptoms. Sadly it seems to be a bit of a common thread. If you are struggling, you may want to talk to some fellow sufferers on the ThyroidUK group on HealthUnlocked.
Sadly, I have spent rather a lot of time on there recently, and none here!
Hello all
After 10 years of dieting with an underactive thyroid, i am optimistic after reading this thread. Im not much of a foody and lack an appetite but my weight just piles on. I have joined slimming clubs, but even when i stick to a diet rigidly, nothing seems to happen and i end up embarrassed because i know the class consultant thinks im not being truthful on my diet sheet. I have even stuck to diets and put weight on, and i know i can’t lose weight on 1200 calories.
Anyway, day 1 of fasting is done, its been easy because i never feel hungry anyway.
I really hope this is the one that gets me back to a normal weight.
Have been on Thyroxine over 20 years, now on 150mcg. Had radioactive iodine, been on proplythiouracil and all manner of thyroid drugs. I now have an irregular heartbeat due to being on 200mcg for a couple of years (my levels were unchecked). I switched to taking my thyroxine at night and found that I no longer feel disorientated in the morning – feel a lot better too. It’s like your thyroid is already working when you wake up, and that’s the way it should be – worth a try!! Tried every other diet going and will be starting this one tomorrow, but my husband is very skeptical but will go along with it as it doesn’t involve any unnecessary expense on his part.
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