maria_postbox

Hi to you all,

For about three weeks now I've diligently been doing the Atkins Diet.
Lost about 10 pounds so far, very happy about it.
The downside is this lump-in-the-throat-feeling that appeared a few
days after starting the diet.

Does anyone here have a similar experience?

What in the blazes could be causing this?

Only last month did the GP do a thorough bloodtest for thyroid
malfunction and absolutely nothing came up!

Please help!

(I've also posted this message in the low-carb forum.)

Maria

jan

I doubt the diet caused it.

Did your doctor do a full Thyroid panel or just TSH? Did the doctor test
for antibodies?
Jan

amethystivy

There's been a lot of people on Atkins who became hypo. While I think
redsucing carbs is great for us. I think Atkins can be too low with the carbs.

jan

I agree, I think lower carbs are a good idea and I don't disagree with he
may go a little far on the no carbs in the beginning of his diet (never did
it but heard it's strict in the beginning), but I can't imagine it causing
hypothyroidism. That just sounds a little far out to me.
Jan

hobie

Hi,

If you are eating a lot more meat, you could be taking in all kinds of
hormones.

maria_postbox

Jan,

Thanks for your reply.
Yes the doctor tested everything, including the antibodies and even
ACTH (he drew about 12 tubes of blood) and it was all beautifully
within range. I asked for this extended test because priliminary tests
all show up negative eventhough I kept on feeling freezing. So when
the major test showed no 'positive' results I thought: "I well, then I
can't be HYPOthyroid afterall!".
But to my surprise, the Atkins diet gives me goiter!

In an effort the increase the carbs, I've progressed to phase two
where more veggies are allowed, but the goiter remains.

I'm wondering if I'm the only one...

Maria

srmammy

Do you have Dr. Atkin's book? I believe he talks about the connection
between low carb and lowered T3. I believe it has something to do with
our bodies believing we're in starvation mode and so the T3 lowers in
a protection mode.
We need at least 50 grams of carbs per day. I'm sorry that I can't be
more specific but hopefully you can get ahold of his book.
Did your doctor test for Free T3 and Free T4? Those aren't always
tested even with a thorough thyroid panel...but they are VITAL to know
how your thyroid is actally functioning.
When I had a goiter my Free T3 was below the normal range...once those
numbers came up it disappeared. A T4/T3 med can help that process.

maria_postbox

Katie (and all other posters),

Thanks for your replies, they are very helpful.

Katie, I think you are right about the Free T3. When I did the test a
month ago, my T3 was just above the lowest point, but still within
range, so the dr made no mention of it.
Thankfully I asked for a copy of the results so now I am able to check
the levels.

I now presume the Free T3 has dropped even lower due to the low carb
diet. I actually have read the chapter about thyroid, but Atkins never
mentions developping goiter due do his diet. (In order not to scare
people off?!).

If the theory about the T3 is correct, I'm faced with having to choose
the lesser of three 'evils'.
a) Either continue the diet and put up with the goiter until I
progress to more than 50 carbs a day (which could be weeks away),
b) OR: aks my GP for thyroid meds, which from what I've heard, being
on these meds isn't always so pleasurable.
c) OR: quit the diet and put up with the weight gain.

H'mmmm. I'll have to think about it.

Thanks anyway!

Take care, Maria

nora grøndal

Hi the way the body reacts in starvation times and eating disorders too,
is to deoidinize T4 to RT3 with the inner-ring deiodinizing enzyme
instead of the normal outer-ring enzyme.
The mechanism is explained in http://www.thyroidmanager.org I think in chapter
3.
This isof interest in NTI, non-thyroid illness which is gaining more
interest amongst doctors.
You can ask the doctor to run a reverse T3 test.
The reverse T3 will interfere with other tests showing up as T3, and
will lower TSH as the hypothalamus will register it as thyroid hormone.
nora

srmammy

Perhaps if you post all the lab numbers with their ranges we can
better see what is going on with your thyroid.
If and when my Free T3 is barely in the normal range I gain weight and
cannot lose it at all. I need my Free T3 in the upper part of the
normal range to feel well and lose weight. I low carb too and have for
over 2 1/2 years.
I never did Atkins but Suzanne Somers...hers is less
restrictive...there's never any counting carbs. When my thryoid is
optimized I lose weight with no problem eating her way as I'm able to
always have fruit and vegetables.
Thyroid meds when they are given in the right amount and the right
type for your situation are life savers.
Without knowing all your thyroid ranges it's hard to say...but in my
opinion just with your lower T3 I would say you need to be on thyroid
meds.
This is what happened for me...before being dx'd I had began gaining
weight and having many hypo symptoms...this was after losing the 27lbs
needed on Suzanne Somers way of eating. I researched hypothyroidism
very well before chosing a doctor...had this doc test my thyroid (TSH,
Free T3/T4) but told her before the blood work results that I wanted
to bed treated as a human being and not a lab slip...anyway, TSH
normal, Free T4 normal, Free T3 just below normal...she gave me Armour
and within 6 weeks I went from 128lbs to 108lbs staying on the low
carb. Felt great too....no hyper symptoms...the Armour raised my Free
T3 and was able to lose weight and feel great again.
Has your doctor offered to give you meds? With the right thyroid med
your goiter should disappear as well...mine did. With low T3 you may
need a med with T3 in it such as Armour.