Hypothyroid: Crazy or what?

[Jamie]

Hi All

I've been diagnosed with thyroid since I was 15 (I'm now 29). Started off as hyperthyroid and then I went for radioactive iodine treatment when I was 22 and have had my levels maintained for the past 7 years with thyroxine (150mcg).

For the last 7 years, my weight ballooned from 75kgs to 93kgs at my peak. So early this year, I decided I've had enough. I hired a personal trainer, worked out everyday at the gym, ate like a rabbit and some say cat (i.e. a lot of greens, fish and protein-based food) and have since lost 12kgs to date. 3 months back, when I went for my checkup, I told the doctor that I've lost 10kgs in 6 months, so my medication was reduced from 150mcg daily to 125mcg on weekdays and 25mcg on weekends. Ever since then, I've not lost a single pound (fluctuate should be a better word), I feel extremely cold most of the time, muscle aches a lot and usually feel really tired. I never noticed all this until my lab results today(i.e. 3 months later)- which may explain why I've plateau in my weight loss:

Free T4: 10.4 [8.8 - 14.4 PMOL/L]
TSH, serum: 32.4 HH [0.65 - 3.70 MU/L]

My doc was shocked and asked if I've been eating a lot of fibre based food and soy products. I answered that I haven't changed my diet much since I started my diet programme and haven't been stuffing myself with fibres/soy-products. So I was told to change my dosage immediately to 125mcg on weekdays and 150mcg on weekends.

She said the change would help me lose some weight. Has anyone had such experience? weird how change in your dosage throws everything off completely?

[Maria]

Did the doc change your meds only because you lost weight? That's odd - changes in meds should be based on TSH results, not in weight change. A change in weight may or may not require a change in meds.

[Jamie]

maria yeah that was one reason (was losing weight a bit too fast) and also my result was normal back then, so she tohught best to cut back on the dosage

[Maria]

If your results were normal, your dosage shouldn't have been changed.