The FastDay Forum

I have been fasting since October 2013 and after routine blood work my doctor has reduced my thyroid meds. I see that this has happened to a few people on this site and was wondering if the lower dose is going to effect my weight loss and make it even harder to lose weight. Right now I am averaging .5 lbs. a week and quite happy with that. Just wondering what experiences others have had when their thyroid meds were lowered.

I began 5:2 a year ago. I had my thyroid checked in Feb last year and in Feb this year and my 125mcg levothyroxine has not been changed. (Lots of other things changed though!)

I was on 125mg (thyroid removed) of meds until Jan when I had my routine blood test. My thyroid result came back a bit high so it was reduced to 100mg and doc thinks it will need reducing again.

Problem is, it takes 8 weeks for the dosage to kick in, so prob be little while until I am stable. Next blood test is in a couple of weeks.

Blood test was right on reaching maintenance so I haven't fasted since mid Jan as I kept loosing too much (fasts & maintaining). I am about 4-5 pounds under target currently but sitting it out until I can return to fasting for maintenance ! I tried to eat a bit more but my system didn't like it and don't want my body to get used to 'more food'

Weight is stable at this lower target, no violent swings or anything. Dosage is weight related which is something I didn't know.

I can't quite answer your question but suggest you have blood tests along your journey to monitor it

It sounds like the lower dose hasn't been to drastic for you then. Sounds like it may level out and not cause too much problems. Thank you as you have given me hope that I can continue to lose.

I'll report back once I level out and re introduce the fasts

Ive been on Levothyroxine for a few years now. My nurse tells me that when you are on the tablets the body 'thinks' that the thyroid is functioning correctly as the tablets are substituting for the thyroids' function.

Sometimes I think we blame our thyroid when other factors have also contributed to our weight gain - I certainly have! The depression I had prior to diagnosis resulted in over eating and drinking too much wine and hence a 2 stone increase!

Your dosage is dependant on your body weight, so I read on my tablet packet instructions. So if your weight goes down so will your dosage.

Prior to 5.2 I was still drinking and eating too much so I never lost any weight. Im new to 5.2 still on the thyroid medication and I am finally losing weight. I think the main reason for the weight loss is the reduction in carbohydrates, no sugar and a great reduction in the wine! Hurray!

I have had part of my thyroid removed and unfortunately they took too much away. I have been on meds since but the doctor did not listen to me in the beginning and it took months to even begin with Levothyroxine and then it took ages to get the dose high enough. Hence I put on a shed load!.
I ended up at 125 but after a while I did agree to reduce down to 112.5 but I will not reduce it further until my weight is completely under control and I remain stable (which has not happened for the last couple of years but I am very hopeful with fasting)
My doctor realises that being overweight is worse for my health then reducing the Levothyroxine so is supporting me in this (I also think he felt guilty that I put on so much weight before getting the dosage right (it took 18 months!)
I would talk with your doctor as with me even a little change in the dose seems to have a high impact on my weight. Maybe you could negotiate that they will support you on your original dose until you reach a realistic weight target and then you can reduce your meds slowly to make sure you maintain your weight?
I really hope it all goes well for you.

[Tracieknits]

I have a thyroid disorder, but I have Grave's disease rather than low thyroid/Hashimoto's. It's an up and down rollercoaster for me, and fasting definitely enabled me to continually decrease my thyroid medications last year until I was off them completely. But a recent bad bout of seasosnal allergies made my thyroid go crazy again (it's an autoimmune disorder and apparently seasonal allergies can reactivate it).

I do sincerely believe that fasting helps the thyroid get healthier.

This is an earlier, interesting thread about how fasting affects thyroid levels. It might mean that something like 16:8 is less likely to affect your thyroid levels than doing what I do - about 22 hours without eating. medical-conditions-f30/topic2318-45.html?hilit=thyroid%20fasting