What Causes Weight Gain When Suffering From Hypothyroidism?

Question: I hope Dr XXXXXXX is available, because I have had some very good answers to my questions, from him. If not, I am willing to wait a little bit, until he becomes available. My question concerns the importance of TSH, and my inability to lose weight. Over the course of a year, my doctor kept raising my Armour Thyroid, starting at 120mg all the way the 240mg. I was continuing to gain weight, not losing weight, and my TSH dropped all the way to .009. When I went to an Endocrinologist, she put me on Synthroid, and said I was not losing weight because I was on too much thyroid medication, and the medication could not do its job because my TSH was too low. Synthroid was not the answer for me. After 6 weeks on Synthroid, my eyes swelled up, and I gained another 8 pounds. My TSH did rise slighty to .1. She said I needed more time on Synthroid, but I did not listen, and went back on Armour Thryoid. During the time I was previously on different doses of Armour Thryroid, my T4 was around the 6.5 range, and despite the increase in the Armour, it never really went above that. I started back on Armour about 10 weeks ago, first 90mg. and now 120. I have lost about 3 or 4 pounds, but I can't seem to lose more than that.I am currently being monitored by a Cardiologist to make sure, my water weight gain in not heart related. There is no way I should be at my current weight of 165 pounds. I have been around 140 pounds almost my entire adult life. Do you think I should try adding more Armour again? It is when I went from 90 to 120 that I lost the 3 or 4 pounds.

Hello Again, Dr. XXXXXXX

I walk 15-20 miles a week, and I am careful about everything I eat. I am only retaining water in my abdominal area, not in my feet, or ankles. My urine output is very low compared to the amount of water and unsweetened herbal teas, I drink, about 8 cups per day. I had blood work done, on XXXXXXX 3rd, by my Cardiologist/Internist on XXXXXXX 3rd, but I won't have the results until next Thursday, July 10th. I'm having an echocardiogram done, tomorrow, so the Dr. wanted to discuss all my test results at once. I have an appointment with a new Endocrinologist, but he is supposed to be so good, and he is so booked, that I had to wait until October 6th, for an appointment with him. As I mentioned, I saw another Endocrinologist in February and March of this year, but she is the one that insisted I take Synthroid. I'm just so frustrated, regarding my weight. I am tired of walking around like this, and I can't stand looking at myself in the mirror, because as I mentioned previously, I have never looked like this my whole life. I know I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, but I need to start feeling better about myself, and that is not going to happen until I start losing a significant amount of weight.lso, I am only taking Armour Thyroid and Microzide, no other medications, at this time.

Thank you, Dr. XXXXXXX I plan to continue Armour Thyroid, and I will never go back to Synthroid. I understand that it may be good for most people, but 7 years on it proved it was not good for me. I'll try to remain positive, and I hope my Cardiologist/Internist can get me started on the right track, until I see the Endocrinologist in October. I know from the past, he is an outstanding Cardiologist, who also now specializes, in Integrative medicine. I know I have no choice, but to be patient, it's just that it's very hard, when I've been waiting so long! As I said, I will know my current thyroid levels on July 10th, so i will write to you again at that time. In the meantime, thank you so much for letting me vent to you. It helps to know that someone can relate to how I'm feeling. I am crying as I'm writing to you right now, but maybe that's a good thing, because I am not keeping my feelings bottled up inside.