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What Causes Excessive Weight Gain While On Levothyroxine?
Question: I have been taking levothryoxin for 25 years .... dosage reduced from 125 mg to 100 many, many years ago.
I have been functioning just fine, having yearly, at least, blood tests to watch TSH. on 3/14/17 TSH was 0.142. I was feeling great, weight being maintained. Today I weighed 132 lbs, want to be at 124 lbs, I am 5'5" and am 74 yrs old (female)My internist changed my 100 mcg Rx to 88 mcg. Six months later TSH was 1.220. Several lb weight gain during those 3 months (7 -8 lbs). I rigidly watch my weight, lifetime habit, and I feel the Rx change may be contributing. I FEEL DESPERATE, WAKE UP EVERY DAY CHECKING MY WEIGHT FIRST THING. POSSIBLE that the weight change is related to Rx change?
Just got s call back from my internist with results of my TSH blood test today. 12/5/17, Reading is now .06, which he said is too low, quite a bit out of range. Forgot to tell you that after 6/7/17 blood test he had agreed to try 100 mcg again, but in light of today's result of .06 he is putting me back to 88 mcg. My theory of weight loss with resuming 100 mcg didn't happen, so I guess can't blame it on the dosage. Comment ?
I have been functioning just fine, having yearly, at least, blood tests to watch TSH. on 3/14/17 TSH was 0.142. I was feeling great, weight being maintained. Today I weighed 132 lbs, want to be at 124 lbs, I am 5'5" and am 74 yrs old (female)My internist changed my 100 mcg Rx to 88 mcg. Six months later TSH was 1.220. Several lb weight gain during those 3 months (7 -8 lbs). I rigidly watch my weight, lifetime habit, and I feel the Rx change may be contributing. I FEEL DESPERATE, WAKE UP EVERY DAY CHECKING MY WEIGHT FIRST THING. POSSIBLE that the weight change is related to Rx change?
Just got s call back from my internist with results of my TSH blood test today. 12/5/17, Reading is now .06, which he said is too low, quite a bit out of range. Forgot to tell you that after 6/7/17 blood test he had agreed to try 100 mcg again, but in light of today's result of .06 he is putting me back to 88 mcg. My theory of weight loss with resuming 100 mcg didn't happen, so I guess can't blame it on the dosage. Comment ?
Brief Answer:
Continue with 88 mcg:
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for asking!
I have gone carefully through your detailed concern.
No, the weight gain is not related to the dose of levothyroxine.
For your age a low TSH would have side effects such increased heart rate or atrial fibrillation as well as osteoporosis, so it would be better to keep within the normal ranges.
Such a low difference of the dose ( 12 mcg) would not cause significant weight changes. As you have verified, increasing the dose didn't help in loosing weight.
So, i do agree with your treating physician to continue with 88 mcg.
Kind regards,
Dr.Mirjeta
Continue with 88 mcg:
Detailed Answer:
Hello and thank you for asking!
I have gone carefully through your detailed concern.
No, the weight gain is not related to the dose of levothyroxine.
For your age a low TSH would have side effects such increased heart rate or atrial fibrillation as well as osteoporosis, so it would be better to keep within the normal ranges.
Such a low difference of the dose ( 12 mcg) would not cause significant weight changes. As you have verified, increasing the dose didn't help in loosing weight.
So, i do agree with your treating physician to continue with 88 mcg.
Kind regards,
Dr.Mirjeta
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
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