Is Hypothalamic Obesity Disorder Causing your Thyroid Symptoms?

Is Hypothalamic Obesity Disorder Causing your Thyroid Symptoms?

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Evidence-Based

Are you undergoing thyroid treatment but not getting better?

Do you have ALL of the symptoms of hypothyroidism but normal “thyroid labs”?

Is T4 making your symptoms WORSE or are you gaining weight while taking this medication?

If so, hypothalamic obesity disorder may be the underlying cause of your symptoms. 

This condition mimics hypothyroid-like symptoms but the treatment is completely different, and what’s worse is that thyroid treatment may make this condition worse. 

What is Hypothalamic Obesity Disorder?

New research has shed light on yet another reason that not only causes weight gain but also makes weight loss almost impossible if not treated. 

The condition is known as hypothalamic obesity disorder (1).

But what is it?

This condition is unrelated to your thyroid, but it tends to present with the exact same symptoms as hypothyroidism leading patients to believe that they have hypothyroidism when they really don’t. 

Why?

Because they have EVERY symptom of hypothyroidism but they have “normal” labs.

This leads them to believe it MUST be a thyroid problem so they bounce around from Doctor to Doctor until they can get treatment.

The main problem is that patients with this condition also tend to be unresponsive to thyroid treatment – meaning their symptoms do NOT go away with proper thyroid treatment. 

What’s worse is that taking thyroid medication, if you have this condition, may make your weight gain worse.

This is true even when taking NDT and/or T3-containing medications like Cytomel.

Because of this, it’s really important to understand what this condition is and how to actually treat it…

Your hypothalamus helps control several important factors as it relates to your current weight including your basal body temperature, your resting metabolic rate, how much heat you produce, your appetite, and finally your daily rhythms. 

The hypothalamus is normally supposed to “sense” through hormones like leptin when the body has extra fat.

Signals are then sent to your fat cells to increase fat oxidation, burn extra fat and increase your metabolism to keep normal homeostasis and reduce body weight. 

With hypothalamic obesity disorder, this regulatory process becomes dysregulated.

Essentially your neurological system and hypothalamus do not sense the normal regulatory factors and they wrongly assume that your body is in a state of starvation.

This results in changes in the hypothalamus which slows down your metabolism, increases your appetite, lowers your body temperature, reduces heat production and energy production, and causes the body to constantly store calories as fat – even in the presence of calorie restriction. 

This condition is well known by obesity Doctors but it’s usually only a problem after severe trauma to the brain. 

Newer studies now indicate that this condition can be caused by other environmental and lifestyle factors – meaning you don’t need some sort of trauma to cause the condition.

So what causes hypothalamic obesity disorder?

We don’t have all of the answers, but the following behaviors tend to increase your risk of developing this condition:

  • Recurrent yo-yo dieting and calorie-restricted diets
  • Untreated hypothyroidism
  • Binge eating or eating disorders
  • Leptin resistance
  • Chronic stress
  • Constant and persistent lack of sleep

As research continues we will likely have a better understanding of this condition and what causes it, but for now, it’s best to completely AVOID these behaviors if at all possible. 

If you have the risk factors listed above AND you also haven’t felt better while taking thyroid medication, then hypothalamic obesity disorder should be considered.

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Symptoms of Hypothalamic Obesity Disorder

While I’ve suspected that this condition is much more common than most physicians think it is, there hasn’t been any research to confirm how common it actually is.

Recently, however, researchers tested the prevalence of hypothalamic obesity disorder (2)…

To do this they studied 50 people who presented with typical “hypothyroid” like symptoms.

Some patients were previously treated with thyroid medication to “optimal” blood levels but still remained symptomatic.

The researchers then deemed hypothalamic dysfunction was “likely” if patients exhibited three or more symptoms (listed below) and “definite” if they had four or more symptoms. 

The most common symptoms of hypothalamic obesity disorder include:

  • Fatigue (76%)
  • Temperature dysregulation (68%)
  • Weight change (88%) –> constant weight gain despite changing your diet and exercising and/or inability to lose weight
  • Changes in sleep (70%)
  • Pain (72%)
  • Mood disorders 80%)
  • Libido issues (38%)
  • Sympathetic or parasympathetic complaints (74%) –> dizziness, lightheadedness, inability to exercise, etc. 

Of these 50 patients 68% were determined to have hypothalamic dysfunction (meaning they had 4+ symptoms) and 22% were considered to “likely” have hypothalamic dysfunction (meaning they had 3 symptoms). 

That totals 90% of patients referred to this study! Making this condition far more common than previously thought. 

The problem with these numbers is that MOST of the patients who fall into this category tend to be labeled by the medical community as those who try to “game” the system (malingering), or those who have mood disorders (borderline personality disorder/depression/anxiety, etc.). 

When in reality these patients have a real condition that is poorly understood by physicians and the medical community in general. 

This makes it VERY important for you to have an understanding of this condition and understand the symptoms so you can advocate for yourself if necessary.

Fortunately, the diagnosis of this condition is very easy:

This study supports the idea that hypothalamic obesity disorder can be easily diagnosed clinically (meaning based on symptoms) and is the MOST common in patients who present with the typical hypothyroid symptoms but do NOT improve with thyroid hormone replacement. 

How to diagnose hypothalamic obesity disorder:

  • Hypothalamic obesity disorder is present if you have 4+ of the symptoms listed above (which has implications for your treatment)
  • Hypothalamic obesity disorder is VERY likely if you have 3 symptoms (listed above)
  • Hypothalamic obesity is likely to present if your hypothyroid symptoms do NOT improve after taking thyroid medication

Treatments for Hypothalamic Obesity Disorder

While knowing you have this condition IS important, it’s really just the beginning.

You will NEED to get the proper treatment.

Because of the reasons discussed above (and the fact that most physicians don’t understand this condition), you may have difficulty getting the proper treatment from your primary care physician or endocrinologist. 

In addition, the treatments for this condition are less conventional than traditional “weight loss” therapies which means your physician will need to read up on newer medications and studies to understand the treatment. 

The presence of hypothalamic obesity disorder usually indicates that significant damage has been done to your metabolic and hormone systems over time.

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This means that you will likely have to be aggressive in terms of treatment.

Many of the treatments for this condition will require a physician, and for best results, I recommend layering these therapies on top of each other. 

You can learn more about the various treatments for hypothalamic obesity disorder below: 

#1. Injectable diabetes medications

I’ve discussed the value of these medications in previous posts, but it’s worth spending some time here as well. 

The injectable medications I am referring to here directly help to lower both insulin and leptin – both hormones which tend to be dysregulated in hypothalamic obesity disorder.

In addition, they also help in the following ways:

  • By reducing appetite
  • By increasing beta cell proliferation
  • By reducing insulin resistance
  • By reducing gastric emptying and reducing sugar cravings
a figure showing the beneficial and adverse effects on different parts of the body.

These medications have been shown in multiple studies to directly help with weight loss (even if used in non-diabetic patients).

The problem with using them is that they are currently only FDA-approved for the treatment of type II diabetes and not for hypothalamic obesity disorder.

For this reason, it can be difficult to get your Doctor to prescribe them for you and for insurance to cover the medication.

In my weight loss guide, I discuss how to use these medications, how to titrate them correctly, and how to get them for the best possible price. 

As an example of how effective this medication can be I’ve included an image below:

graph showing the effect of liraglutide vs placebo on weight loss over a period of time in those with prediabetes vs those with normoglycemia.

This graph represents a study that showed that people taking Saxenda lost almost 10% of their body weight (3) over several months. 

Before you use this medication remember this:

These medications will NOT work unless they are coupled with other therapies. 

#2. Low dose naltrexone +/- Wellbutrin

Remember that hypothalamic obesity disorder is a problem in your brain. 

That means you need medications (and therapies) designed to balance your brain to help normalize your appetite and hormones.

Buproprion and Wellbutrin do just this.

The combination of these medications is known as Contrave (which I’ve discussed previously), but they can be used by themselves or in conjunction with one another to help treat hypothalamic obesity disorder.

graph showing the effect of buproprion and naltrexone on weight loss over time compared to placebo.

These medications work by modulating neurotransmitter levels and by normalizing both your appetite and metabolism. 

I’ve discussed the benefits of using LDN for autoimmune disease and inflammation in previous posts, but it also helps directly reduce weight loss

Wellbutrin, on the other hand, has been shown in studies to help modulate appetite and reduce both cravings and binge eating (4).

#3. Mediterranean style diet

People tend to get this one wrong frequently:

While diet is important if you are trying to lose weight it is NOT the most important factor. 

You have to realize that there is no “perfect” diet that will magically make you lose weight.

Instead, you need to consider that your diet should be adapted to your current situation.

This means that you need to manage your macromolecule ratios and the type and quality of your food depending on what is going on in your body.

When it comes to hypothalamic obesity disorder the best diet tends to be a Mediterranean-style diet.

a food pyramid of the mediterranean diet to graphically show how much of each type of food you should consume while on this diet.

This diet is naturally high in fruits, vegetables, fish, and healthy carbohydrates – which might be confusing to many people. 

Another important factor is that it is low in meats and proteins in general. 

This style of diet (including macromolecule ratios) tends to work better for people with leptin resistance and can actually lead to weight loss in these individuals. 

The Mediterranean diet has also been shown to help with weight loss by itself (5) (but again, it should be coupled with other therapies). 

#4. Anti-depressants (see Wellbutrin above)

I’m generally not a fan of using anti-depressants unless they are absolutely necessary and hypothalamic obesity disorder is one of those situations. 

One of the big problems with this disorder is that it takes over your appetite and your cravings which can make sticking to a healthy diet very difficult.

Using certain anti-depressants (specifically Wellbutrin) can help “normalize” these cravings.

This allows you to match your caloric intake to your appetite.

Without this medication, your brain might be telling your body to constantly eat more than you should which may result in excessive caloric consumption and therefore weight gain over time.

Taking Wellbutrin has been shown to normalize your caloric intake, reduce cravings, reduce binge eating, and therefore help with weight loss.

two graphs showing the effect of Wellbutrin on weight loss over an 8 week period.

#5. HCG

I need to be clear:

I am NOT talking about the HCG diet, but instead, I am talking about using the hormone HCG to boost weight loss.

The HCG diet is a harmful diet that ultimately results in the very condition of hypothalamic obesity disorder.

I see patients all the time who present with high reverse T3 levels, damaged thyroid function and a damaged metabolism as a result of the HCG diet:

list of patient lab test results with an abnormal reverse T3 of 41.1 highlighted.

But you need to realize that this damage occurs because of the DIET component and NOT the HCG injections. 

HCG by itself (if used as a hormone) can enhance weight loss results if used with a healthy diet.

HCG has been shown to improve thyroid function by increasing T3 levels and helps regulate sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone.

HCG is a powerful tool to help with weight loss but it MUST be used correctly and in the right setting and with the right type of diet. 

I discuss how to use HCG effectively for long-lasting weight loss in my weight loss guide. 

#6. Phentermine

Phentermine is another medication that is misused by most people

Most physicians and patients use phentermine to suppress appetite and cause temporary weight loss that always comes back after they stop the medication.

But you can use phentermine in unique ways to help with long-lasting weight loss.

Phentermine can be useful in reducing sugar cravings and appetite and can be combined with HCG to enhance weight loss, but it must be used episodically and periodically.

#7. Daily Exercise to Tolerance

Exercising should ALWAYS be a part of a weight loss program, but it is especially important in hypothalamic obesity disorder.

Patients with this condition tend to have debilitating fatigue, but they still must exercise in order to lose weight and paradoxically increase their energy.

Exercising to tolerance means that you exercise to whatever your current limit is.

I recommend using a combination of low-intensity exercise with resistance training. 

#8. Thyroid Treatment with T3 (May be temporary)

I mentioned previously that patients with hypothalamic obesity disorder tend to do worse with thyroid medication but that isn’t the whole truth. 

Usually, these patients tend to not tolerate T4-only medications very well, but they often do need some element of T3 medication in order to improve long term. 

While T3-containing medications can be helpful (medications like Cytomel, WP thyroid, Armour thyroid, etc.) they won’t completely reverse the condition by themselves. 

It may also be necessary to temporarily use supraphysiologic doses of T3 medications to help “flush” the system, especially in the presence of thyroid resistance and high levels of reverse T3.

It’s important to realize that this condition is NOT primarily a thyroid problem, but that thyroid medication needs to be part of the solution. 

This concept can be confusing for patients because the systems mimic hypothyroidism exactly. 

Instead of laser focusing on your thyroid make sure you focus on all of the other treatments and aspects listed above. 

Back to you

Over time I think we will find that hypothalamic obesity disorder is much more common than we previously thought. 

While this condition can be very difficult to treat it is not impossible to treat.

But it does require a comprehensive treatment plan with multiple therapies.

Most of these therapies are unconventional and may require an open-minded physician to get them all. 

Bottom line?

Don’t give up! There is hope for weight loss even in the most difficult patients.

I’ve successfully been able to help patients with this condition lose weight and feel better, but it does take time (sometimes 9+ months of consistent therapy).

But now I want to hear from you:

Do you think you are suffering from hypothalamic obesity disorder?

Are your thyroid labs “normal” on thyroid medication and yet you still have symptoms?

Do you have questions about the treatment?

Leave your questions and comments below!

#1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20233310

#2. https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/aace/45787

#3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5358074/

#4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23656848

#5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20973675

how hypothalamic obesity disorder causes thyroid problems pinterest image.

picture of westin childs D.O. standing

About Dr. Westin Childs

Hey! I'm Westin Childs D.O. (former Osteopathic Physician). I don't practice medicine anymore and instead specialize in helping people like YOU who have thyroid problems, hormone imbalances, and weight loss resistance. I love to write and share what I've learned over the years. I also happen to formulate the best supplements on the market (well, at least in my opinion!) and I'm proud to say that over 80,000+ people have used them over the last 7 years. You can read more about my own personal health journey and why I am so passionate about what I do.

P.S. Here are 4 ways you can get more help right now:

#1. Get my free thyroid downloads, resources, and PDFs here.

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49 thoughts on “Is Hypothalamic Obesity Disorder Causing your Thyroid Symptoms?”

  1. Hi, Dr. Childs!
    I love your website, but this article bugs me a little. You usually give natural solutions, but here, you talk about mostly medication.
    What about organotherapy? Standard process has a hypothalamus PMG for example. Other brands include hypothalamus in the brain. What about using those to restore hypothalamic function? And also homéopathy?
    Many people are hypersensitive and develop sensitivities to medication. So they are not an option to everybody. Appart from diet and exercice, what can be done to address hypothalamic dysfunction? What is also the relations between the hypothalamus produced polypeptide Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide and this hypothalamic dysregulation?

    Reply
    • Hi Sonia,

      I’ve never seen anyone dramatically improve with natural therapies when they have hypothalamic dysfunction as discussed here. Most patients come to me once the therapies you’ve listed have failed.

      Reply
      • Yes! I wholeheartedly agree! I had a TBI in 2001. I had to learn to walk again and conquer word finding but I thought once I got through that, I was all good! Fast forward to 2017, I suddenly gained 200+ lbs and I went to every doctor and tried everything under the sun to no avail. No one could explain that with diet and exercise I continued to gain 15+ lbs a month for two years straight!!! This is while trying to lose weight! Then in 2018, I was Dx with secondary adrenal insufficiency (there is no natural way to deal with this and live. The only solution is Hydrocortisone orally for the rest of my life). The crazy thing is that most people with SAI LOSE weight so how was I the “lucky” one to gain all of this weight!!!?? I mean most ppl with this are anorexic skinny… how am I the exact opposite?! Hypothalamic obesity I am 99% sure. And trust me, I have tried everything natural to lose weight to no avail. I don’t know how I could have three endo’s in the last year (one a professor here in FL) who I have begged to find out why I have gained all of this weight and not ONE has mentioned hypothalamic obesity?! Is this like “adrenal fatigue” where the “medical” folks are resistant to Dx this or?!?

        Reply
        • Hi Tricia,

          I think hypothalamic obesity disorder is probably in the same ballpark as adrenal fatigue as far as conventional medicine is concerned but it’s not exactly the same. It’s just a newer disease so not many people are aware that the syndrome exists but it has certainly been mentioned and outlined in the literature under various names.

          Reply
      • Thank you very much for the great info. My 8 year old daughter has HO. I am struggling to find a doctor that understands and that can help us. Any Physician recommendations in Colorado?

        Reply
  2. Dear Dr. Westin, this sounds so much like me and I have all the symptoms. I feel like I’m dying at this point. I have had so much lab work and Wednesday June 28, 2017 I have an ultra sound liver biopsy scheduled. I’ve been diagnosed with Hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes high blood pressure fibermyalgia IBSD high cholesterol u name it and that’s me and NOTHING helps me. I just want to get well!!! On Synthroid.75 tried T3 Cythomy but made my hair start falling out really bad so I stopped it. I can’t get my sugar out of the two hundreds. This liver specialist suggested I stop all bread which I did and sugar and no processed food. No weight loss. I did have a car accident in 2004 and I had sever whiplash. To this day my head still feels parted in the middle with tingling on my right side. That is when I started going downhill and all these things have happened to me. I fear I will not live much longer if SOMETHING is done soon. I am desperate for someone to take me seriously and help me. I have never heard of this “disease” and would like to have something to show my PCP or this liver specialist. Anything u have to print out easily? I live in NC. Anyone u can recommend me to? Thank u for anything u can do.

    Reply
    • Hi Deborah,

      Unfortunately I don’t know anyone in that area. You can print out the guide and take it to your physician, however.

      Reply
  3. No one has been able to get my Hashimoto under-wraps. NEED HELP BAD! I’m in PA and I don’t have much money because I’m Caregiver to my husband who is a Wounded Warrior. How do I get help???

    Reply
    • Hi Lauren,

      To get this type of treatment you will have to search to find a physician willing to work with you, sometimes that means looking outside of the insurance model.

      Reply
    • Just go gluten free. I never would have believed it, but my son is a different person and his Hashimotos is gone. He doesn’t even require meds anymore. Just stick with potatoes and rice to keep the cost down. Aldi has reasonably priced gluten free products too.

      Reply
    • Hi Sharon,

      Some of these therapies are new and were previously not well understood. The science is always evolving when it comes to weight loss.

      Reply
  4. I have a majority of the symptoms and have had for years. Although I push through the pain and fatigue it keeps getting worse. How does pain play a part in this disease? I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia years ago but now my muscles are extremely painful and after resting for a few minutes I seem to seize up and can hardly move. It’s embarrassing in public and I’m quite frustrated. Muscle relaxers seem to help. Is the type of doctor I am looking for called a Functional Doctor? What is their specialty? Thank you for the article.

    Reply
    • Hi Nancy,

      You might have some success with a functional medicine Doctor but there isn’t a specific specialty that focuses on what I discuss here. You will have to find someone who has this knowledge and understands the treatments necessary. Pain from fibromyalgia is multifactorial but can be secondary to tissue level hypothyroidism, mitochondrial dysfunction and other nutrient deficiencies.

      Reply
  5. Oh wow! This sounds exactly like me! I have all those symptoms except add menopause so I get hot from the waist up ( often dripping with sweat and flushed) while below the waist I am freezing and my legs and feet constantly ache with cold. Doesn’t matter what I do, I cannot lose weight. A orthmolecur naturopath put me on the hCG diet and it was the first thing that ever worked. I lost 16kgs but packed it all back on and then some. I am in Australia so not sure if we can get the same medications as recommended but I will take this my GP and see what he says.
    Dr Child’s, What should I start with? Thank you so much for this post!

    Reply
  6. The diet info above is different to the diet info I’ve gotten from you before. I don’t know what to do at the moment. Being in Australia I don’t know where to get help. So many questions to ask but know idea how to ask.

    Reply
    • Hi Tanya,

      Diet info will always change based on hormone imbalances and the needs of the patient. As a result there is no one size fits all diet and instead it must be adapted to the individual patient. For this reason (and many others) it is very useful to find a physician willing to work with you who understands what I discuss here. My weight loss guide discusses how to adapt your diet to fit your needs. The diet mentioned here is just one option of many that may work for this specific disorder, but isn’t necessary unless you have it. Hopefully that clarifies things for you at least a little bit.

      Reply
  7. I am disappointed that you are charging $97 for a hormone and weight loss guide. I was thinking finally someone who cares about these issues only to come across a fee. 🙁

    Reply
    • Hi Sheila,

      About 99% of information on this website is accessible free of charge, I would recommend that you carefully read through the other blog posts which have tons of helpful information.

      Reply
  8. Definitely feel I have this disorder. I have given up hope of losing weight. I have tried all these therapies but not together. I suffered STEMI and cardiac arrest 1-1/2 years ago at age 46. My doctor feelsContrave would not be safe for me. Victoza gave my awful heartburn, bloating and belching. Suffering severe anxiety as I cannot lose weight and afraid I will suffer another heart attack 🙁

    Reply
  9. Dr. Child’s,
    My son developed Hypothalamic Obesity after having brain surgery. We had been seeing a pediatric endocrinologist to which he kept talking diet and exercise, which was unsuccessful. He had put him on Metformin for about 2 years which reduced the monthly weight gain but he still continued to gain about 5 lbs a month. I had shown the endocrin Dr articles about studies that had been done to treat with Octreotide but he wouldn’t prescribe it. Should I discuss your treatment plan with his PCP?

    Reply
    • Hi Jennifer,

      I don’t know of the efficacy or safety of these therapies in the pediatric population so I can’t say for sure.

      Reply
  10. Hi there! Was in tears when I read this. Been fighting these symptoms forever! Every doctor I’ve ever been to must of thought I was crazy because they all gave me antidepressants! Was didn’t help. The unfortunate thing is I’ve sworn off doctors. I have nowhere to go for treatment. It is nice to know that for some there may be relief. Thank you Dr. Weston!

    Reply
  11. Hi Dr Childs
    I read this with interest – I have many/most of the symptoms as well as heavy sweating when I’m cold. I am diagnosed with Fibro and going through the menopause so hard to separate what is what at the moment. I’ve had no thyroid treatment because all my thyroids are in normal range although my reverse t3 came out high in a private test (plus ratio between that and t3 was less than 0.2). I’m in the UK though, and so a lot of your treatments aren’t available even if I was successfully referred to an endocrinologist. My appetite is not particularly voracious though not having quite passed through the menopause the hormonal changes have caused hunger cravings at times – the females in my family have also tended to bloat around this time of life. I eat a lot of fish and no meat, though I do have a sweet tooth. I am also on anti-depressants anyway for other symptoms, only a small dose, but the equivalent of what you call Paxil over there, and it’s one of the a/d’s that causes the most weight gain. I know some people have had Low Dose Naltrexone prescribed with Fibro so that is available over here. I am nervous about self-mediationg on t3, even if I could get it, (though it has been advised online) but I have also been told it can be dangerous. My t3 is low but within range. Thanks

    Reply
    • Hi Jaki,

      I would recommend against self dosing of T3 as it can certainly be dangerous if used incorrectly. LDN, however, would be a reasonable approach given the right circumstances.

      Reply
  12. Hi,

    I have many of the symptoms mentioned above.

    I also bought the weight loss guide from you which doesn’t have many fruits and grains as well as dairy found within a common Mediterranean diet. So I am confused what to do. Do you have a link where an example Mediterranean diet can be found?

    Reply
    • Hi Julie,

      It’s important to identify that you have hypothalamic obesity disorder prior to undertaking the treatment for it. Before you take these recommendations I would recommend you get officially diagnosed by someone knowledgeable.

      Reply
  13. I was diagnosed with a prolactinoma & hashimoto’s 6 years ago after a lifelong battle with weight issues. I had weight loss surgery & i only lost weight with phentermine & going to the gym 4 or 5 times a week. After aboutn2 years, the weight loss stopped completely. The phentermine no longer worked & no amount of working out helped. My testosterone is low. My estrogen & prolactin levels are higher than they should be. I take 100 MCG synthroid & it does nothing. I’m always tired but sleep is irregular. I’m at my wit’s end. I’ve been through 2 endocrinologists & weight loss surgery & have gained all my weight back. I need help.

    Reply
  14. Your article is like a light bulb illuminating a very dark place for me.

    I have been on 175mg thyroxine for 26 years now. That said I cannot loose weight.

    Before I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism I weighed 7st 11 lbs and was a uk size 8. I don’t weigh myself anymore and I’m a uk size 18-20.

    I’ve tried all diets: Slimming World, Atkins diet, Cambridge diet, Herbalife

    None have helped. At the same time I was going to the gym 4 times a week (even though I hate exercise and was glad it didn’t work). All the time I kept putting weight on.

    I have all of the symptoms in the list above. I take Fluoxitine, 150mg daily, for depression and have done for approx 30 years.

    However, I am scared to approach my GP and ask to be tested for HOD. I recently lost my only son and he puts everything down to this. Probably my own fault as I never go to the doctor but I had to have a short course of sleeping tablets when my son died.

    As I have had all of the above symptoms for years, is there any way of being tested privately in the UK? Is there any way to self medicate?

    Reply
  15. Hi Dr Childs,
    Is it possible to take type II diabetes medication in pill form?
    Victoza and Saxenda are pretty expensive where I live. Can you suggest another type 2 dibetes medication?
    Thanks
    Sarah

    Reply
  16. I recently purchased your 60 day reset program. Will your program also combat with this?
    Sounds very similar to insulin/leptin resistance to me. If not what would be a proper protocol or treatment?
    Thank you for all your continued knowledge.
    I keep up with all your posts and videos religiously.

    Reply
  17. hi Dr Childs,

    I am writing to you for my daughter she is 20. she is seeing an endocrinologist and takes metformin and Synthroid for hypothyroid and PCOS. when she originally had labwork drawn her DHEA, prolactin and I believe testosterone levels were elevated. within 6 months of starting metformin she lost about 22 pounds but has now gained that and more back and is unable to lose weight. it is so hard to see her go through this. her current endocrinologist is not going to investigate any deeper and I really don’t know where to turn to help her. Do you have any suggestions. she eats very healthy and exercises 4-5 days a week. example day is egg whites with spinach and 1/4 cup of oatmeal with 1/2 teaspoon of coconut sugar, she eats chicken or turkey burger and vegetables sweet potato fries. If you can please help us.

    Reply
  18. Hi
    Are your recommendations the same for Hashimoto’s? I’ve been on NP thyroid med (60mg) for about 3 months and have continued to gain weight and feel awful 🙁

    Reply
    • Hi Jessica,

      Therapies have more to do with the status of thyroid function in your body as opposed to the presence or absence of a specific disease. For instance, Hashimoto’s often leads to hypothyroidism which requires treatment the same as hypothyroidism from other causes.

      Reply
  19. Hello,
    Thank you for the help you offer through your blog. It has been a true Godsend for me and I’m very grateful. Quick question…I see that you mention Saxenda/Victoza for treating several conditions, but I’ve read several studies (attached one below) that indicate this drug causes cancer and thyroid tumors in rats. Wouldn’t that make it potentially harmful for humans as well?
    https://www.ccjm.org/content/82/3/142

    Thank you and have a blessed day.

    Reply

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