Gain Weight With Thyroid Medication

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I have been on 50 mcg of levothyroxine for 5 months and I have gained 15 pounds. My doctor tells me that it should be the opposite and that I should loose weight. Is this possible? Have any of you taking this drug has experienced the same?

68 Replies (4 Pages)

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1

I was on 50mg for about 2 weeks and noticed I had gained 10 pounds. So I stopped taking it and gained another 15lbs. now my test showed me to be 5.9 and my new doctor put me on 15mg. She said this will help me loose weight that the 50mg wasn't strong enough to help me not gain the weight.

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2

I have gained 15 pounds on synthroid. It made me edgy and caused gastrointestinal problems.

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3

I also was on Levothyroxine 50 for a few months and gained 10 pounds and had severe constipation. My doctor told me not diet and take Metamucil. I felt sure it was the medicine working opposite because maybe it wasn't strong enough. Either way, I stopped it and my constipation has gone away, but still have the extra weight.

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4

I have been on levothyroxine 75mcg for 4 years and have gained 130 lbs. My docs don't seem to care. They keep telling me to go on a diet and even prescribed me phentermine. No weight loss to date.

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5

I have been on 50 mcg of this same med. For 9 days and gained 15 pounds:( I don't know what to do!!!!

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6

i am at logger heads with my doctor she has changed my med 4 times in 7 months and i have put 2 stone on i am now on 100 got terrible joint pain very emotional i used to run 4 miles 4 times a week now i struggle to get upstairs

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7

I have gone from 25 to150 ,gained weight,joint pain wakes me up and my bobes 'hurt'I get burning sensation in my feet,but my levels are still not right and I am being tested for rheumatoid arthritis as well!

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8

my bones hurt not bobes!
I am thirsty and get low at times does anyone else experience bone and joint aching?

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9

I had a thyroid surgery four years ago, starting taking levothyroxine 80mcg and I gained 25 lbs, until I started adjusting my diet and doing excercises around a year ago, I have lost 25 lbs already and I am being able to maintain my weight, but keeping the diet and exercises.

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10

I was in pain all the time. Hips, back, feet, fingers, toes, neck. Once I started the thyroid medication the pain literally went away BUT my left shoulder has been in excrutiating(?) pain and I have a throbbing in the left side of my neck. Getting that checked out now. I

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11

Yes I have been on the same medication for 6 weeks and I have gained 5 pounds

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12

Yes I was working out eating well and my doctor said that my thyroid was low so she gave me the 25 or 50 mg the lowest one and I took it for 5 days and on w my weigh in day I show I gained 4 pounds which put me back mentally and emotionally because I just started on my loss weight journey. Do not take them !

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13

I have been taking levothyroxine for 6 months and I continue to gain weight - my dosage is 88 mcg currently. I cant help but think it is the medication causing this -over 10lbs (approximately) in the last 6 months. I am devastated - why is this happening? I am exercsing, eating well, nothing is making a difference - the scale keeps creeping up !! and up !! I am going for bloodwork this week again.

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14

I also have been on levothyroxine for almost a year now and continue to gain weight.I am at 88 mcg currently and this past summer I put on 10 pounds between June and September. Since I was diganosed as hypo and put on medication I have gained 30 pounds. Sometimes wonder if I was better off without the medication, at least I was 30 pounds lighter 2 years ago!

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15

I have been on the medication for 4 months and lost 13 lbs in the first 2 months. Now the weight is slowly starting to creep back on and the doctor states that my numbers are good. I even started exercising more and my diet is no different than before I started the medication.

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16

I just started taking 25mcg 3 weeks ago and have gained 6lbs even though I've been exercising and following a diet. I'm so depressed.

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17

Sometimes when I get up in the morning my legs hurt a great deal and I walk like I am 80 years old and I am only 48. The doctor said it could be the onset of arthritis.

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18

I exercise daily with a day off, every so often. Have been on Levothyroxix 50 MCG for 3 months and have noticed a 5lb weight gain, I feel bloated and gassy, and have a drop in energy during the mid-day. This is very depressing as I feel I have a very active healthy lifestyle. I am now looking to modify my diet and see if that helps. If I continue to see a weight gain I may ask to stop taking this. I was also Hypo, but feel like my symptoms were more Hyper, and asked my doctor if I could modify my diet rather than be on a medication. I don't like to hear that a "pill" is the answer.

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19

Sweetie, I'm hoping that your putting mg and not mcg is a typo because thyroid medication is in micrograms (mcg) and not milligrams (mg). MAJOR difference. Also, if I were you, I would RUN, not walk, to another doctor as soon as possible. If you were on 50mcg and the doctor dropped you to 15mcg because your other dose of 50mcg wasn't strong enough, that is a HUGE HUGE red flag that your doctor has no clue how to properly treat thyroid disease. It's not uncommon to gain weight when put on thyroid meds. Reason being is that even though you were given meds, you will probably continue going further into hypo until your dosage is at the right strength. Most regular GP's and even many Endocrinologists do not know how to properly treat thyroid disease. Many base everything on labs alone instead of listening to their patients. Everyone's perfect levels are different and most drs don't realize that and go strictly by way out of range "normal ranges." Find another dr and also have them check kidney function (GFR). and complete metabolic panel (CMP) shows sodium, potassium etc. Renal problems are common in thyroid patients, especially when their drs prolonged the actual diagnosis. Sometimes the weight gain is more water weight than fat accumulation. If you're levels are right, you shouldn't gain or lose it unless you're trying. Best of luck to you.

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20

I began taking thyroid meds 3-4 years ago (mostly Tyrosint) and I found it even harder to lose weight and my weight did creep up, despite a lot of exercise and an (at times) very low calorie diet. If I went over 1200 calls a day, I would either not lose weight or gain weight. Could not lose a pound no matter how hard I tried or how much I exercised and dieted (and I am good at both). I probably gained about 15 pounds all told. About 6 weeks ago, I decided to stop the meds and see what happened and how I felt, I did so in between appointments, as I wanted to see what my unmediated bloodworm was. I dropped 10 pounds so fast it made my head spin! Still losing and no longer gaining weight by looking at food! Not sure what is up with this. I have tried to Google and Get answers, but really have not found any, but, not sure I will take them again...

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68

I want to gain weight. Is it dangerous to take thyroid medication even though I don't have thyroid problems?

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67

Yes my thyroid is hyperctive. And keep gaining wieght. Sore mouth. My body hurts to the bone. Seeing my Dr. Next week.

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66

Re: DB (# 27) Expand Referenced Message

Would cutting the Levothyroxine in half and taking twice a day help?

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65

What test is necessary to determine the correct dosage of Euthyrox if you start of taking 25 micrograms and change to .1mg and still gain weight after total ablation of thyroid? I also suffer from severe hair loss and muscle weakness.

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64

Poppy hey sorry to hear. No the 1 grain was too much and I am only on T3 now I stopped T4 not everyone gains. I'm on hcg shots w 600 Calories and lost 12 lbs 25 days no exercise only crap that works. I'll never touch T4 again I felt the gain as soon as the dose was increased. My new blood work shows .8 which is right on hypo the last number. I'm glad I'm on hcg again and doing it 60 days total will be slim again and screw T4 for me.

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63

It's too low, your probably still hypo.
Thyroid issues is a nightmare
I have Graves and went from too thin to gaining 95 lbs in 6 months
My thyroid bounced to hypo and the Dr's didn't catch it
Took me going to nutritionist and paying a ton of money to lose 66 after
I finally was put on Levox. .137. to .125 to .112 and now that it's back to a little high, .100mcg
Now that I'm on .100mcg I gained back 9 lbs.
I'm F 5 feet 10.5inch Current weight 200 on the dot
My top weight was 257
My goal 165
Going to start gym and eat better
I also found out lots of foods are bad for thyroid.
I'm vegetarian and soy is one!
Going to use low cal protein shakes
Being fat is not for me, neither I'd being too skinny!!!
Thyroid issues is a nightmare!!

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62

So go on peptide company websites, buy B12 and Mic shots. I lived 8 yrs like that prior to that Bonnie with Phentermine but they have a new one you can take for life called Qsylim or something like that. If you Google it, it will come up. My endo from NY wants me on that but I'd rather do HCG by itself first as it does work 150% for the worst metabolism, but it's not vegetarian. You can try 800 calories with the shots. It really melts fat at all ages. My friend that is 69 just did hers, she had cushings. Well Bonnie, being honest with you I got off armour and immediately gained 5lbs. I could not take it off with Muay Thai taekondo cardio circuit training. I even bought a 300 sauna bag with plastic wraps and it's not water taking hydrochloride so I jumped on naturethroid and just did it for 3 weeks. I gained 2lbs but not sure if armour just screwed me up. I really hope what you are reading is true that they are loosing weight as what I'm reading is they are not but I'm doing the diet that is guaranteed right now. What do you think about cytomel? I started 1.5 weeks ago on 10mcg and wondering if it's a weight gainer at this point as I don't trust anything.....oh try guarana pills for natural energy and I know this sounds corny but I was given adrenovive from orthomolecular products. At $50 per bottle it calms me while giving me a bit of energy. I got it from big time naturepath for my cortisol but it gives me some natural energy; but I inj. liptropics aka mic rotating b12 just to wake up. Pathetic isn't this.

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61

I've been a vegetarian for years and just today I emailed my doctor and told him I was going off all thyroid medication. I keep reading people who went off it started taking off the weight they gain when starting thyroid medication which is when I started the rapid weight gain. I had started on WP when they reformulated Armour and from there back to synthetic. Nothing is helping at all. I've been on just about every thyroid medication they make..... nothing helps.

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60

You know what it's not even the doctors it's these pharmaceutical companies not making this crap correctly combo drugs for thyroid is bs and generic is bs. I remember when I use to compete synthroid use to fly under table before hgh and I never seen people shred fat off synthroid just Racing heart beats I never took it but all of us as I was key word was body builder would now I have muscle wasting due to low carb 20yrs hypo u can't eat any carbs u can do carb cycling twice a week 100 grams as us being hypo we can't tolerate too much

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59

Bonnie, 450 your damaging metabolism more I damaged mine. btw doing 1100 low carbs higher fats with fighting. I'm also a Muay Thai coach. This is insane. These doctors don't know wtf they are doing. My endo gave me phentermine 37.5. I'm not taking it yet. What I did was just start hcg shots 20 units 650 calories x2 months colon cleansers, no exercise and fat burner liptropic shots. I will loose this s*** ass weight over armour and it wasn't just weight, 3 inches all around breast, under breast, belly, like I look like a short f***ing balloon. So now I'm on T3 only n skeptical of that. Did they check your night cortisol? Mine is to the roof. When I work out I gain weight too. Freaking ridiculous. I'm so vain. I'm 41. I don't need this bs. Do me a favor get off that 450, do the hcg at 800 calories, the shots, not drops. I promise it will shed off that hormone. It's worth the money. Then go vegetarian to keep weight off. I might do shakes too for the rest of my life after this. No more pills. I'll buy guarana or pop phen phen before I ever take thyroid again. Do u think cytomel is a fat gainer too?

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