Thyroid Issues

 Well just found out that my thyroid is deffective.  Because I'm having the leg numbness they ran a full panel on me to make sure it isn't caused by any difficiencies.  And my thyroid is in the ****ter.  I guess on the good side, I'm alreayd losing 3-4 lbs a week with a crappy thyroid, imagine what will happen when it's working right!  

I really know nothing about this though but I figured this is probably a pretty common thing on this board.  So is synthroid a bad drug?  Horrible side effects?  Anything I can do to naturally boost my thyroid?  

Also found out my B1 (or thiamin) is super low. . . Trying to figure out what to do about that as I'm already taking 1600% of the daily recommended dose.  But my B12 and protein are both looking fab.

I have been on Thyroid medication for over ten years now and can state no sideaffects for me.

My 2 month labs also showed my thyroid abnormal.  It has always been normal before VSG.  Although I am not having any symptoms, and they say it does happen with rapid weight loss and when the weight loss slows down (4 to 6 months) it normally straightens itself out.  I didnt start meds yet, I was instructed to watch for symptoms.  Mine was just slightly elevated though.

I have no thyroid function. I've been taking Levothyroxine (the generic name for synthroid) for nearly 20 years.  The drug itself has no side effects; however, being improperly medicated does.  I have struggled with my thyroid levels for the last 6 months or so. 

I have plenty of T4 but my T3 is now chronically low.  T4 is the inactive hormone primarily produced by the thyroid. Levothyroxine (synthroid, levoxyl, etc) is synthetic Thyroxine (T4).  Your liver strips away an iodine ion and  converts it to T3, or the active hormone that's actually used by the cells.  In rapid weight-loss, that conversion is impaired in the liver. That's one of the things that slows your metabolism down as you lose weight.  Iron deficiency can also impair that conversion.  

 Did they give you your actual test results? TSH? fT3? fT4? 

They did and I forgot to write them down. They are calling back about what they want me to do for the thiamin deficiency and I will ask. If it's a known problem with radios weight loss I may just ask to hold off on meds until I'm done losing weight.

If your TSH is high, and your Free T3 (fT3) and Free T4 (fT4) are low, it's an actual thyroid issue not a diet related T3 thing.  

Suppression of T3 is the 'Starvation effect' of dieting.  It may or may not recover on it's own once you are no longer in a calorie deficit. 

With thyroid issues, you have to be your own advocate. Doctors suck at treating them.

I take Levothyroxin as well, i don't have any side effects at all. However, last week I ran out and didn't get to pick up my refill so i didn't take it for a week and let me tell you, it was not pretty! My mood changed and i didn't lose a single pound that week.

I've been on Synthroid for 20+ years since I had my son.  I don't think it has affected anything in a negative way and my labs have been normal since I started using it.