Hey, I've just started doing Schwarzbein this week. I'm hypothyroid, right now on 1 mcg of levoxyl.

I've found so far that I feel better, that my blood sugar remains more stable when I eat more fat. This might help me to eat less just because I won't have that exhaustion, hunger, and drive to eat.

Have any other hypo folks been doing this for longer than a week? What experiences are you having? Any successful weight loss?

First of all you are not a hippo! How tall are you? I'm also hypothyroid and have been for over 10 years. I have been averaging about a pound a week, it has been slow, but I don't feel like I am on a diet and I can make this a way of life. Be sure and get the exercising in that she recommends for whatever type you are.

Piano

Piano,

Thanks for the feedback. I'm glad to hear that something is working for one of my hypo sisters.

I guess I'm not a hippo. I'm 5'5" and about 177 right now. That's a lot more than the 135 I was at before becoming hypo 4 years ago and adopting a low-fat diet. ! But, I'm starting to realize that, while I want to be healthy, I don't have to _judge_ myself on my body.

Uh -- I haven't seen TSP2, so I'm not sure what you meant by 'exercise recommended for your type.' If you had a chance, could you fill me in on the 'default' exercise?

books

Books, I have only read about the exercises for my body type. I am Insulin Resistant with a healthy adrenal gland. She recommends calming exercises like Pilates or Yoga as often as you want. Resistance exercises like lifting weights - work your way up to 3 days a week 45 minutes each. Cardio - work your way up to 2 days a week, 20 minutes each no more that 80% maximum heart rate. If I recall correctly, she recommends that you don't do cardio if you have burned out adrenal glands, until you begin to heal.

hi bg99 - i am hypothyorid taking 1.00 mcg synthroid for over 3 yrs. i started tsp (only had book 1) and since april 8th have lost 8 pounds so far. i do think i have adrenal fatigue--but not sure yet, i seem to have many symptoms. i used to think i was insulin resistant, but i am waiting to get tsp II.

i have heard that people gain - but i, like piano, have not gained at all. but i eat alot of fat and vegetables, with moderate amts of proteins and carbs. not sure if this is why. my carb grms for the day avg 70-80.

good luck to you - ally

Hi! I am a SP newbie! I am reading SP II right now. I am hypo, and I have determined that I might be insulin sensitive with burned out adrenals.

Can't report any success since I am just starting, but I am hopeful about this plan!

-Denise

I have been diagnosed as hypo for 4-5 years. I have taken 50 mcg. of synthroid for that amount of time. I tried for most of those years to find a doc that would let me try Armour (natural) unsuccessfully. After TSPII came out and I read that Dr.S doesn't recommend Armour as she feels it is too packaged and not individualized enough.(my translation). I do find I feel my best now that a modern thinking endo that I started going to added 5-10 mcg. of cytomel (t3) to my daily dose and I started feeling at my peak and even lost a few more lbs. This is also what I understand Dr. S wrote about in TSPII for some Hashimoto patients.

I started about a year after diagnosis and being medicated searching for a way to lose weight to improve my health all the way around. I tried the Atkin's induction and lost the 'complimentary' 5 lbs., but continuing on it I started having the worst bought of energy loss I had ever had and trouble with constipation . So I tried calorie counting again and hated the 'writing down every little thing' , but found my energy level improved a little more, especially when making the selection of whole healthy foods.

I then went to Suzanne Somers somersizing and lost at least 15 + lbs. in about 3-4 months -- I continued with somersizing for about 3 more months and didn't lose any more , but did start having hair loss(I feel her level 1 was too restrictive for long term /health). I then decided I needed a little more balance and did not need to 'food combine'. Suzanne Somers had recommended that her readers read TSP, so I did and it made so much sense . I then started incorporating her ideas (Dr.S's) more and more. About a year ago I started using TSP as closely as I can ( I am not a saint) and lost a few more pounds and have kept it off.

As my energy levels increased over the years I have found that I am capable and even eager to engage in consistent almost daily(my body needs a day or so off) exercise. Something I couldn't possibly have done when first diagnosed and not eating a healthy, wholesome diet.

I think with hypo it may take a little longer and be a more intricate journey to lose weight and feel well (optimized meds from a good dr. are important), but it is possible, and I personally feel TSP I & II are very helpful in figuring it all out.

rosarugosa,



I completely agree! Today I went to the gym for my usual weightlifting routine. I noticed tht I felt a _lot_ better than I usually do. _AND_ I'm looking forward to biking later today.

It can be really hard to be hypo, _plus_ eating the wrong foods to lose weight. It's great having energy and feeling like I'm in my 20's (which I am) again.

books

Glad you started this thread Bookgurl!

I've been hypo for about 1.5 years. Started on 75mcg on Synthroid and was increased last fall to 100.

Rosarugosa ~ I thought the same thing about Armour; everyone tells you it's better and then I read TSP and thought, whew, good thing I didn't switch! How did you determine that you needed the T3? I have an appt w/my endo next month and may mention it to her.

Have any of you ever wondered if you can ever go OFF the thyroid meds? While reading TSP, Schwarzbein mentions that many people are misdiagnosed with hypo-t because of bad eating habits, etc. So if we start to eat better and heal our bodies, will our thyroids bounce back? Just wondering if any of you have thought about that.

I am glad that Schwarbein threads are so much busier lately; I'm learning alot. Welcome to all newbies! Rose

Say,

did the cytomel help with your memory or attention span? though i am only 27, i am having bouts of out-of-it-ifness that can't be explained any way than the hypothyroidism. my m.d. disagrees with using t3 therapy, but i'm tempted to make an appt. with a dr. who is more open-minded to it.

p.s. did you know you can go to the armour website to look up docs who are willing to be referred through armour -- sort of lets you know who's open to it in your community.

You know, when I was originally dx'd, my dr. thought I just had trouble converting t4 to t3. (edited to clarify-05/07/03 This is because your body requires certain nutrients to convert t4 to t3, and I had been a long-term vegetarian. She told me to take Selenium (to help with conversion), and suggested that I might be able to get off thyroid meds.

However, about a year later, I was dx'd with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which means that I actually have anti-thyroid antibodies in my bloodstream. So, they harm the thyroid and prevent it from doing it's great job! This is an autoimmune condition.

From my understanding -- while some autoimmune conditions can be reversed, and some very few people claim to have reversed their Hashimoto's thyroiditis -- if you have the autoimmune version of it, you are likely to be on thyroid meds for life.

I think the goal in that case is to get the best meds. The New England Journal of Medicine recently published a study showing that thyroid patients experienced better memories, concentration, mood, and quality of life on T3 therapy. (Armour or cytomel.)

Hi everyone,

I take .125 mcg of Levoxyl and about 2 years ago started taking Cytomel too. I take half of a .25 each day, and I feel a lot more energy.

About Schwarzbein; she does mention that she tries to get people off Cytomel in the first book. I love the way of eating but have probably been eating a few too many carbs; I have not lost any weight on this eating plan.


Sandy

I saw that, too, but does the 2nd book mention anything about t3 or cytomel for us girls with hashimoto's?

Was it hard to balance the t3 with everything else? I'm tempted to go get some.

Bookgurl ~ thanks for your explanation. How are you determined to have Hashimoto's? Does it show up in regular thyroid lab testing? Thank you for your explanation! I'm going to print it out and bring it to my endo next month.

Sandy ~ Where have you been my dear? It was so nice to see you post here. What's going on w/Schwarzbein? Maybe you're not eating enough and having cravings? I truly think that's my problem more often than not. Are you journaling your food at all? I took a quick look at your journal and couldn't find any food logs, but it sure looks like fun, LOL! Rose

bookgurl, the endo mentioned that study to me at my 1rst appointment (I must say it impressed me , as the other doctors I had went to seemed very old school and not very 'up' on treatment of thyroid disease). He even said he treats patients not just lab results ( ahem--maybe he also reads Mary Shommon's books? ) Of course I was already aware of it from the about.com forum.

The way I found this Dr. was round-about via the Armour website. His associates were on the list as those who may prescribe Armour and the Dr. I made an appointment with was recommended by my(trusted) gyno who has td also. He occasionally will prescribe Armour if all else fails, but wanted me to try a little Cytomel first. He prescibed 5 -10 mcg. per day, and I noticed improvement after about a week of 5mcg.

I am 51, and have noticed improvement in the mind fog area along with other problems over the years since my diagnosis ,medication, & improvements in diet which all resulted in having more energy to have a life--exercise, start the day before noon, have a paart time job, move about etc.--you know what I mean --all the things that make for a better working metabolism also. I am certain that medication is vital for me personally, I would never wish my life to return to what it was before being medicated!

the only mention I have found in TSPII of Cytomel is on page 81 in the checklist titled "Do you have a High Adrenaline Lifestyle?" the box to check reads "Do you take cytomel in levels that cause your blood T3 to be higher than the normal range?" So I guess one's Dr. and lab results would aid in this decision.

Also on page 106 in the info titled "On Your Way to Becoming Insulin - Resistant" a lot of what is described as symptoms ( and a Dr. told me I may become insulin resistant) when I first started looking at my diet . I have found over the last few years as I improved my diet and lost some of the fat around my mid-section that many of these symptoms have improved, including fuzzy brain and fatigue.

I have an appointment soon with the endo and plan to ask more about what makes a diagnosis of Hashi's.