Can someone please help??

I am so confused.
I keep reading contradictory things and my family Dr. keeps telling me opposite things too.
Recently I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis and I was prescribed Levoxyl. I have recently lost TWENTY pounds on a soy based diet. My TS blood level was I guess 6.0
I am afraid to take the medicine because I keep reading that people gain weight?? My Dr. said I would not gain any weight???  
I only have three of the symptoms: Fatigue, extreme coldness, and muscle aches.
What should I do? Should I go to a Endrocrinologist? My Dr. said this is not necessary that she knows how to treat this. She is starting me on a low 25 mg dosage of the medication to begin with and has given me samples that will expire in December so I can try it for two months before my next blood test. I am too chicken to take it because of the weight gain and other things I am reading on the internet? Do you have any advice?? Please help if you can? I am pretty afraid.

[GravesLady]

I didn't gain weight!

Being hypo can cause weight gain and when you don' takes meds you will become hypo, the more hypo you are, the more weight gained. If its in your genes you are going to gain weight, eventually.

I guess you would have to weigh the pro and con, and they would be, a skinny corps or possibly
heavy and alive.

One thing you should worry about is soy, which interferes with the absorption of thyroid hormone medication, among other health issues.

Your choice, a dead chicken or alive chicken.

[Applecore]

I think that weight gain is the least of your worries.  If you donot treat the Hashimoto I think your symptoms could be worse.  I am taking levothyroxin (levothyroxine) 37.5 mcg.  I lost 50 lbs. about 5 years ago and have gained recently 20 lbs. back.  I am struggeling with my weight but it isn't as bad as the symptoms from the thyroid.  I have read on this forum and other web sites that not everybody gains weight.  Some lose weight.  I don't know if this is from the medication or from just the condition of the thyroid.  I hope I am not confusing you more but I know you have to treat the thyroid.  lol linda

[ChitChatNine]

Great advice above .... welcome to the board!  Cheryl

[LJ414]

Thanks so much for your help and advice!! I am going to treat this! I am not THAT stupid  : 0) However, I am bummed about the weight since I worked so hard to lose it.GravesLady, did  you not gain weight when you first had hypo or after you went on meds or both?? Also, does anyone know if a soy diet could have caused or made it show/worse the hypo and if I redid blood tests would they be better since I am off soy now?? I still don't know if I should go to a endrio specialist or just do what my nice family Dr. tells me?? Also, does everyone pretty much like the Levoxyl or think it works? Thanks AGAIN!!!

[GravesLady]

First I want to congratulate you on the 20 lb weight loss.  Its a great feat as far as I
am concerned. Weight is a big issue for a lot of us and you must be proud of your accomplishment.  However, we must consider our total health verses just the weight. It just up sets me that people would rather put their weight first above their health or other health conditions. Nevertheless, you should be proud.

No, I didn't gain weight other than 1/2 of what I  lost from my thyroid disease, which was the reason I was treated for in the first place. I have always had weight issues, but never had problems in losing the weight once on the right diet and my mind set.  Definitely the thyroid meds. did not effect my weight either way and neither did quit smoking nor menopause. I do watch what I eat, except sweets are my weakness since thyroid.

If soy did effect your thyroid, the damage is probably already done. I have read where people swear that they got cancer, breast cancer from soy products, however this is not scientifically confirmed, so please don't let it scare you.

Your TSH of 6 is actually not considered a treatable level, which  above 10  is,  if all else is fine.  Stop the soy for 3 months then go back for a retest. The soy may or may not correct your situation but you will never know until you give it a try. Then there is always the possibiliy that there was an error someplace in the first test.

Your present doctor probably can handle your thyroid needs for now.  When an issue comes up where the doctor can't, I am sure the doctor would recommend you going to a thyroid specialist.

I take levoxyl, it has no sugar, meat (bi) products (I'm a vegetarian) and less ingredients for us to have issues with.

There are other diets I am sure you will do just as good on.  But please keep your health the first priority.

Good luck with your weight and your thyroid.

[kitcurious]

This is not meant to be in any way disrespectful but I must, under my present circumstances, tell you my honest initial response to your post. I was in the car parked waiting for my son and reading it on my Blackberry.
I was ROTFLAO !!!

No no no no no Levoxyl most definitely does NOT cause weight gain .
I'm sorry, but my dose has been too high for a few months and my TSH plummeted  and today I got on a scale and weighed only 100 pounds.
I feel awful.

My internist is now  ignoring my endocrinologist and is calling me in for weigh-ins :-/

Thyroid problems ( and other endocrine diseases like diabetes) can cause fluid retention in yuor tissues and this increase can amount to between about 10-15 % above your regular  body weight.

One way to avoid that is to avoid getting to be hypo in the first place.  You can do that by taking your Levoxyl.

They even have to warn people off of abusing thyroid meds for weight-loss on the label.

People who gain a lot of weight like to place the blame on the thyroid exclusively, but that is generally not the case. Apparently some have even now palced it on the levothyroxine (Levxoyl and friends). Not so.
Being hypo can make you extrenely fatigued and less likely to up and about burning calories.
Hyper can do that too. I had to drag myself out to exercise this morning. I am so fatigued from being hyper. When I was less hyper I felt good but now it's really tanked to rock bottom and so have I.

You technically don't need meds yet, but if you go hypo you will feel sluggish, have less energy probably become more sedentary, possibly retain 10to 20 pounds of fluid and bloat, have your cholesterol increase etc etc.

25 mcg is a small amount and good to start with. You have a good doc that she is starting you on a small dose as a trial to try to help you avoid trouble from this in future.

If you take it, make sure they monitor you regularly until you are stable, and that they don't dose you too high. That will make your TSH go too low.
If that happens, you too will know how it feels to be the size of an Olsen twin ( not good).

I am telling you straight and not arguing with or judging your motives. You worked hard to lose that weight.
Also, as far as the soy goes... I think you would have to consume it in lab rat levels to have it hurt your thyroid mcuh.
Just don't eat soy  (especially Soy milk)  within  4 hours of your med, it, along with antacids/calcium supplements and high bran products can interfere with absorption of the med. After 4 hours you are are okay.

Take your pill 1/2 to 1 hour before eating.
Good luck and sorry I laughed, but, hey, I weigh 100 pounds on this stuff.

[kitcurious]

Correction they warn people off of using thyroid meds for weight loss on the prescribing info/insert.
They have no room left with all the stickers on the bottle LOL

[LJ414]

You guys are great! I like hearing it straight even with the Laughing out Loud!!
Up to now I could not get anyone to talk with me about any of this. It all seemed so vague and out there! I didn't want to harass my poor Doc. So, thanks again and any other info. I will LISTEN TOO!!!