Hypothyroid AND Pcos?
04-09-2010, 02:20 PM
#1
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: North Texas
Posts: 27
Hypothyroid AND Pcos?
Is anyone else Hypothyroid AND pcos? If so, having any luck losing weight fairly quickly and how? Im on metformin and spironolactone for the PCOS and it DRAINS my energy. The thyroid meds help very little with energy. I used to take armour thyroid but it stopped working. Now i take levothyroxine which works okay. still not great tho. Ive heard about iodine and tried to read up on it but no one ever gives you the doses you should use or anything. Im taking chromium to try to help get my blood sugars stabalized so i can drop some on the Metformin (im taking 875mg 2x daily). My insulin wasnt that high so I dont know why in the world my doc has me taking so much. I think she thinks that the more the better to try to help lose weight but my goodness. Im just frustrated with my energy....or lack thereof. I have been exercising alot lately and doing south beach but with both hypothyroid and pcos it comes off SO VERY SLOWLY. I also find that while South Beach makes me lose weight the fastest...I can only do the maintenence diet portion and not the first 2 weeks or I cant get out of bed. Since I work and have a 6 and 7 year old that is not an option. I know HOW to lose weight. Its just frustratingly slow. Anyone else with the same issues?
04-11-2010, 05:18 PM
#2
FitDay Member
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 5
This is frustrating. I wrote you a long reply before and some web-error happened and it didn't post. This ones going to be short and to the point, sorry. I just wanted to check with a couple things with regard to your medical conditions.
Thyroid hormone level testing: Do you get it done? Maybe your levothyroxine dose is too low. (leading to low energy and slowed metabolism - hence hard to lose weight)
Tips for Levothyoxine dosing: take with or without food consistently. If you took it with food initially then always take it with food. Food changes how much levothyroxine you absorb.
Calcium containing foods/supplements may decrease the levothryroxine absorbed (dairy, fortified orange juice, dark green veggies, almonds, salmon) so be more aware to be consistent with these things
IMPORTANT: Chromium interacts with levothyroxine and can decrease the amount of levothyroxine you absorb by as much as 17%! is your doctor/pharmacist aware you are taking chronium? Are your thyroid hormone levels being monitored? Also chromium can disturb sleep (side effect).
Chromium also interacts with a group of drugs called NSAIDs which includes Aleve (naproxen), Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen), Aspirin/ASA and indomethacin. NSAIDs increase the chromium you absorb and can lead to harm/toxicity. Avoid NSAIDs. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is safe--- unless you have liver problems too.....
PS/ In addition to helping with blood sugar levels by allowing your body to better use the glucose in your blood, Metformin is also shown to reduce appetite. Perhaps that is why your doctor is so keen on it... but you can always discuss the issue with her - perhaps why you are not so keen on metformin and together you can find a better solution.
PPS/ if you ask your pharmacist about the iodine he/she should be able to look up the dose for you and give you more information on whether it will be safe and effective for you given your other conditions and medications. -- haha. you're not going to like me... I just looked up iodine in Natural Medicine Database that I have access to via my place of work. It interacts with your spironolactone. It can lead to hyperkalemia or excessively high levels of potassium in your body. This may present as nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, tingling sensations and SOMETIMES if severe can lead to heart arrhythmias (bad!). Maybe best to ask the doctor/pharmacist. Additionally, iodine is not indicated to be used for HYPOthyroidism. It is shown to be used in HYPERthyroidism. And has been shown to make hypothyroidism worse.
Okay - I hope this post works. You're probably aware of lots of this but I hope it helps a little. These things just popped out to me when I was reading your post. You sound so frustrated with you lack of energy, I wanted to help make sure your medical conditions aren't standing in your way. Best of luck!
Thyroid hormone level testing: Do you get it done? Maybe your levothyroxine dose is too low. (leading to low energy and slowed metabolism - hence hard to lose weight)
Tips for Levothyoxine dosing: take with or without food consistently. If you took it with food initially then always take it with food. Food changes how much levothyroxine you absorb.
Calcium containing foods/supplements may decrease the levothryroxine absorbed (dairy, fortified orange juice, dark green veggies, almonds, salmon) so be more aware to be consistent with these things
IMPORTANT: Chromium interacts with levothyroxine and can decrease the amount of levothyroxine you absorb by as much as 17%! is your doctor/pharmacist aware you are taking chronium? Are your thyroid hormone levels being monitored? Also chromium can disturb sleep (side effect).
Chromium also interacts with a group of drugs called NSAIDs which includes Aleve (naproxen), Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen), Aspirin/ASA and indomethacin. NSAIDs increase the chromium you absorb and can lead to harm/toxicity. Avoid NSAIDs. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is safe--- unless you have liver problems too.....
PS/ In addition to helping with blood sugar levels by allowing your body to better use the glucose in your blood, Metformin is also shown to reduce appetite. Perhaps that is why your doctor is so keen on it... but you can always discuss the issue with her - perhaps why you are not so keen on metformin and together you can find a better solution.
PPS/ if you ask your pharmacist about the iodine he/she should be able to look up the dose for you and give you more information on whether it will be safe and effective for you given your other conditions and medications. -- haha. you're not going to like me... I just looked up iodine in Natural Medicine Database that I have access to via my place of work. It interacts with your spironolactone. It can lead to hyperkalemia or excessively high levels of potassium in your body. This may present as nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness, tingling sensations and SOMETIMES if severe can lead to heart arrhythmias (bad!). Maybe best to ask the doctor/pharmacist. Additionally, iodine is not indicated to be used for HYPOthyroidism. It is shown to be used in HYPERthyroidism. And has been shown to make hypothyroidism worse.
Okay - I hope this post works. You're probably aware of lots of this but I hope it helps a little. These things just popped out to me when I was reading your post. You sound so frustrated with you lack of energy, I wanted to help make sure your medical conditions aren't standing in your way. Best of luck!
Last edited by RockyMntsGurl; 04-11-2010 at 05:48 PM.
04-11-2010, 05:25 PM
#3
FitDay Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: North Texas
Posts: 27
Thank you!
I always take my thyroid meds 2 hours before i eat anything in the morning. I get my thyroid checked every 4 months. I had NO IDEA that chromium interacted with my thyroid meds! thank you! that actually makes so much sense now! I work for the doctor i see so i will ask her what her suggestions are tomorrow. Thank you so much because i think that little tidbit with the chromium/levothyroxine info you gave may have fixed my problem. Its nice to have that glimmer of hope anyways....
04-12-2010, 01:49 PM
#4
FitDay Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 2
I have the same things. I make sure I take my medication everyday, drink lots of water and take vitamins. I get my thyroid checked every 6 weeks. I also found that taking green tea pills really helped with energy! My doctor suggested them and I love them!
04-16-2010, 03:00 AM
#5
FitDay Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 3
wow day one on this site and I already learned something new! I've been taking my thyroid meds since 2005 and rarely take vitamins regularly and since starting my diet last week I've been trying so hard to. I had my levels checked Tuesday (get results Monday) which was prior to me starting my vitamins. All vitamins have chromium in them, so should I be concerned? I take my vitamin after dinner. I take my thyroid med between 2am and 6am (I started wonderslim which is high in soy and they recommend that you take it 2-4 hours before consuming soy so I pop it when I wake up in the middle of the night. It's nice not to have to wait an hour before eating too). My Dr. will be testing me again in 6 weeks I assume because of the soy so I guess that'll give me an idea on the chromium in my vitamin!
06-04-2010, 02:11 AM
#6
FitDay Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: beautiful british columbia
Posts: 8
I'm only 20 and i have hashimotos thyroiditis, which is basically just a really low thyroid hormone level. I've had it ever since i was 13, and i started to pack on the pounds. I'm constantly tired, even on days when i feel most rested, I'm still physically and mentally exhausted. I take synthroid, and I try my best to take it every morning around the same time, but I do miss days on occasion.
Over the last 4 years, I've put on nearly 50 pounds, but apparently I hold my weight well, so it's not too unsightly. Nonetheless, I still feel like a whale!
We will ALL get down to our goal weights, thyroid disease or not!
good luck all, xo
Over the last 4 years, I've put on nearly 50 pounds, but apparently I hold my weight well, so it's not too unsightly. Nonetheless, I still feel like a whale!
We will ALL get down to our goal weights, thyroid disease or not!
good luck all, xo
06-07-2010, 03:23 AM
#7
FitDay Member
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 5
Pcos
Hi, I have PCOS as well, but no thyroid problems. My mom has both PCOS and Hasimodo.
I have to start by emphasizing how important it is to keep your hormone levels in balance. To do this, you must be 100% upfront and honest with your doctor about all supplements you take. The easiest thing to do is to bring the bottles with you when you go see her. You must also be tested regularly to make sure your hormones are level, and in the range they should be. When a person with hormone issues begins a new diet or workout regimen, that can have a drastic affect on your hormone levels, so the dosage you need today might be different than the dosage you will need in the coming months.
I was formerly on metformin, but through diet and excercise, have been able to get off of all meds. I haven't seen any improvement in my acne or hair issues, but I have been able to get more frequent periods, and my blood sugar/insulin levels are nearly normal.
I am really struggling with the weight loss issue. I am down to an average of 1600 calories, and burning an average of 2100 calories per day. So far, the weight hasn't really come off at all. It's so frustrating for us girls with PCOS because our bodies want to hang on to every last ounce of fat no matter what's going on. I'm dealing with it by not dwelling on it. I only weigh myself once a week and I try not to think about why my clothes aren't fitting any better. Instead, I focus on the fact that I have so much more energy, and I am proud of myself for getting stronger. I am also proud of myself for taking control of my health instead of letting this syndrome keep me on the couch feeling sorry for myself. It also helps to know that even if I can't lose all the weight, by getting to the gym and by watching my calories, I am improving my chances of living a healthy, prosperous life rather than succumbing to heart disease or diabetes.
I have to start by emphasizing how important it is to keep your hormone levels in balance. To do this, you must be 100% upfront and honest with your doctor about all supplements you take. The easiest thing to do is to bring the bottles with you when you go see her. You must also be tested regularly to make sure your hormones are level, and in the range they should be. When a person with hormone issues begins a new diet or workout regimen, that can have a drastic affect on your hormone levels, so the dosage you need today might be different than the dosage you will need in the coming months.
I was formerly on metformin, but through diet and excercise, have been able to get off of all meds. I haven't seen any improvement in my acne or hair issues, but I have been able to get more frequent periods, and my blood sugar/insulin levels are nearly normal.
I am really struggling with the weight loss issue. I am down to an average of 1600 calories, and burning an average of 2100 calories per day. So far, the weight hasn't really come off at all. It's so frustrating for us girls with PCOS because our bodies want to hang on to every last ounce of fat no matter what's going on. I'm dealing with it by not dwelling on it. I only weigh myself once a week and I try not to think about why my clothes aren't fitting any better. Instead, I focus on the fact that I have so much more energy, and I am proud of myself for getting stronger. I am also proud of myself for taking control of my health instead of letting this syndrome keep me on the couch feeling sorry for myself. It also helps to know that even if I can't lose all the weight, by getting to the gym and by watching my calories, I am improving my chances of living a healthy, prosperous life rather than succumbing to heart disease or diabetes.
