Hunger and Synthroid

[babsie439]

What can I do to avoid or alleviate the extreme hunger I feel since taking thyroid medication?

[magpieannie]

My daughter was born without a thyroid gland and always VERY hungry the last few years she was on Synthroid. Her free t4 was kept very high in the range then, and her free t3 was very low when this was occuring (conversion issue). She has been on desiccated porcine thyroid hormone replacement (Nature-Throid brand) for 1 year now, which has t3 in it as well as t4. Her t3 is kept higher in the range now and her t4 is close to it (slightly under but above mid range) (more closely balanced then before when on Synthroid). I have also begun watching her diet better with limits on processed high carb. foods. Gluten, peanuts, artificial sweeteners, regular milk (use almond milk) (I have also found a local dairy/farm that carries fresh goats milk and cows milk, so we are giving the goats milk a try which is high in protein and tast great with no hormones or preservatives) and sugar are avoided as much as possible (fungal and blood sugar issues with these). Eat REAL food with high protein as much as possible. Cereal and breads off limits (unless gluten free  or spelt bread from a bakery on rare occasions) Instead, we eat gluten free oats or farm fresh eggs for breakfast! I have seen a HUGE change in my daughter's appetite and cravings since we have made these changes in her life. It does take a little work, but it is also very gratifying to know that we are making better choices. She even told me the other day that she was not really that hungry anymore and that is a definite confirmation that we are finally on the right path to controling the unnatural "hunger monster" that has roared its ugly head for too long in her life. I think its a combination of thyroid hormonal balance which effect seritonan levels in brain, and diet which effects blood sugar levels within the body. The endocrin system is all interconnected, so if one thing is out of wack it affects the other systems in a negative way. It's all related! Also, organic and non toxic is best as the liver plays a huge role in thyroid hormone conversion! The less burden that this organ has placed on it, the better job it can do with the t4 (storage hormone) conversion into t3 (the active thyroid hormone that the body uses for proper function at the cellular level). I hope our journey will be of some help to you. Good luck and God Bless!

[redheadaussie]

I know what you mean, I am like that too since I started my medication about 3 years ago now. I just try to make sure I have at least one portion of protein a day to stave off the hungries! Bit of chicken or tuna, works well for me.  Very easy to pig out on snacks, bt filling up on oats for brekky or similar (except if you have a gluten intolerance then have rice porridge) Having the protein in the middle of the day works best for me, then I find I am not searching the cupboards at 3pm!
Cheers!

[LazyMoose]

If synthroid is working for you, your digestive metabolism might have sped up to the correct 'speed'.   If you were hypo for a long time, you were most likely digesting improperly and very slow, but you got use to it.  So now things might be working better, thus your hungry.

When I'm hypo I eat less, when hyper, I eat more Its very noticeable to me.

[Galsal59]

When did you begin taking the medication?  Have you perceived a pattern of this hunger, like the time of day or activity or triggers?