HORROR! My doc wants to SLOW DOWN my metabolism????

aubrie · March 6, 2008

I put most of this on another thread, and wanted to start a new one specifically about this issue, so I could get specific feedback. So I apologize if you're reading about this again. I went for a fill yesterday and immediately afterward went to my family physician for my "other stuff". He had gotten back some lab work, and my thyroid levels were somewhat high and he wanted to cut back on my dose. I was MORTIFIED!!! :eek:I actually started to panic. I thought, "Crap, it took me years to finally get my metabolism to work and work with me, and now he wants to lower my metabolism?" I was shocked and felt like this would sabotage my weight loss efforts and slow down my metabolism, when I worked so hard to get it going. I see this as a step backwards. If I slow down my metabolism, I will also slow down my weight loss. I spent thousands on Lapband surgery to go forward and now I'm supposed to readily turn around and head backwards?????? :thumbup::cursing: I have been taking .125 mcg of thyroxin for about 10 years. I've lost 39 pounds and the doc wants to slowly bring my thyroid levels down by changing me initially to .112 mcg. while I realize, it's not a lot, I'm delighted my metabolism is working at all, and and thrilled that I finally got it going. I want to enjoy it for a while. Does this make sense? I need some medical advice with this. Any doctors out there? I'm frantic about this. should I call my Bariatric surgeon and run this by him?

Cerrin · March 6, 2008

I have thyroid issues also.

An over active thyroid is BAD. It can cause many medical problems.Just because your doctor wants to cut it back a tad is not a bad thing he is helping you.

travelgirl · March 6, 2008

My cousin had an overactive thyroid, and she would faint at the drop of a hat. She'd be sitting, walking, DRIVING, whatever, and just faint away! This was one of MANY symptoms she had, but this one was scariest, because she had no warning whatsoever.

Your doctor is doing the right thing by trying to keep your thyroid levels within a normal range. Go with it, and keep doing what you're doing! If you're convinced he is wrong, by all means, go get a second opinion, but it sounds to me like he's doing what's best for you.

Twilight · March 6, 2008

I have a underactive thyroid and have been on thyroxine for years. I too thought I wanted to go to the other side when they started me on meds. When my levels got to just barely normal, I wanted them to continue to increase my dose so that I could sway the other way. Well...then I looked at some side effects to having a hyperactive thyroid. These are a few of the symptoms....

feeling nervous, irritable or emotional
tremor (shaking)
sleeping poorly
being intolerant of heat and sweating more than usual
losing weight despite increased appetite (10% of people gain weight)
feeling tired and having weak muscles
increased heart rate or palpitations
having infrequent periods or problems with fertility
having more frequent bowl movements or diarrhoea
shortness of breath, especially when exercising
loss of hair or finer hair than usual
swelling of the thyroid gland in the neck - a goitre

Now...I know it sounds like a good thing when we first hear of it. Afterall, it was one of the reasons my dr. gave me for gaining weight....so lets go the other way and get rid of these thighs!!!! But the down side for me was not acceptable.

Did you express these concerns with you GP? Did you say, "hey, wait, we don't seem to be on the same page!!!" Maybe they could put it in terms that make sense to you....and if you don't like what they have to say, seek a second opinion.

Good luck!!

aubrie · March 6, 2008

Stephanie,

I have an email in to my surgeon to see what he thinks. I do indeed have a few of those symptoms, but I had them when I was getting normal readings on my thyroid tests. What's so different now? At one time I actually needed more thyroxin than I currently take, but I wasn't able to take any higher of a dose because it was affecting my heart. It was flopping around in my chest like a fish, so they lowered the dose. If it's high now, it's puzzling, because I'm not having those same heart problems,. Thanks for responding. I just don't know what to think.

gkeyt · March 7, 2008

Your requirements for thyroid medications are going down because you have lost 39 lbs. This is a good thing! I know it is scary to think you might have to go back to the effects of having a low thyroid. But the thyroid hormones are complex things, and just a little bit too much or too little can have big effects, especially now that you weigh significantly less. As other posters have mentioned, you really don't want to have too much synthroid on board, that can be just as bad. You'll probably have to change your dose a few times while you lose weight. Just try to work with it and let the doc know if it feels like things are going too far the other way. If it were safe to lose weight by just taking too much synthroid, we'd all have gone on that instead of getting banded. :blink:

Congratulations for losing so much weight and being able to decrease your medication dose! This is actually a good thing, and you're reaping the benefits of the lap band!

aubrie · March 12, 2008

Well, my surgeon agreed with my family doc, so I guess I go fill my new prescription. this really scares me. I just don't want to derail my efforts...thank you all so much for your support!

Kat817 · March 12, 2008

I have taken synthroid for years.....

Back in HS my thyroid was overactive, then they did nothing---went on to have a child, and wham, it bottomed out, and I have been on varying doses since the. That is 27 years!

Last fall, I got sick, had sore throat etc. Feeling my glands, I felt where I usually had a hollow in my throat it was swollen. Cold went away, lump was still there. So off I go to the Dr. My thyroid has a tumor. We did multiple tests, and biopsies, but in the end it had to come out. So last November they removed the entire left lobe, and the isthmus---the center. Your thyroid is shaped sort of like a bow tie. The tumor was huge--between an orange and a grapefruit. Since the removal, I am actually requiring less hormone than I was pre surgery. My weight loss has stalled, but it has been going in spurts for some time, the closer I get to goal.

As my needs changed so have my dosages through the years. Now I am waiting----I have another blood draw in 2 weeks to see if we need to go even lower on the dosage. Less than half a gland---and it works better than the whole one that was sick!

When you get your Rx--call and have them set you up for a blood draw in 6 weeks----so you can stay on top of it. I would imagine you will not feel any different, with the weight loss, you are just using less.....it is a good thing!!! Too much is scary...

Kat

Marimaru · March 13, 2008

Think of it more that your doctor wants your thyroid organ working normally, not that he's intentionally slowing down your metabolism. Your doc just wants your body to work right! :smile2: