I just meant that Atkins does promote a mixed diet-not just high protein or no carbs-but veggies as well.

Unfortunately, if I go above 50 g a day consistently, I gain weight. Which is one reason that my doc suggested that I will never get above that. He tracked my thryoid levels pretty closely the first year I was on Atkins (he is hypothryoid and on Atkins too) and it didn't seem to cause problems. Of course this is anectodal evidence and not scientific.

What did he track, just your TSH and T4? Unfortunately, that wouldn't reveal the sort of thyroid issues you're likely to have.

Nope, I have everything. I made sure I got copies of the tests.

Just curious, do you take T4 only?

Yeah, I am on synthroid. 112 mcg.

I am also on natural replacements and have been for 5 years. I have been on Atkins for 3.5 years. The 1st year, on induction, I lost 50 pounds. Then it stopped. I stayed with induction for another year and just seesawed between 180 and 184. So in February of this year, I decided I needed to exercise as well and I should be able to get rid of more poundage. But, alas, I added muscle bulk but gained weight AND inches! So I joined a circuit cardio/fitness gym and went everyday for 2 mos. Gained more weight, more inches, more muscle mass - started feeling a bit hypo or hyper (I gained weight in both instances at the onset of Graves - I have all the same symptoms with both). Started gaining weight, a total of 8 pounds so far, gained inches in my bust, waist and arms but lost in my thighs and calves.
So I figured it must be a thyroid thing. Went to my endo and he lowered my replacement from 180 to 120, told me to stay on Atkins, but cut more calories and to exercise 30 minutes EVERYDAY not just 3 or 4 days a week.
He also prescribed DHEA. He also said he feels that my thyroid may be growing back as well.
It has been a week on the 120mg dosage and my throat feels like it is swollen. I am definitely not as hungry as I was a week ago. I feel just as energetic. No muscle cramps or aches. Hair is falling out and growing back at its normal rate. But NOT losing any weight!!!!

I took selenium a year ago but stopped. Think I should try it again? Any other advice? I especially want to hear what you have to say, Nancy, since we are probably on the same replacements.

Thanks!

cindy

I started taking selenium today. What size doses should one take? Mine are 200 mg(?).

I think 200 mg is the recommended dose.

Interesting, I gained weight with Graves too. Oy, what a body I have.

I found DHEA really made an enormous difference in how I felt. I was taking 15 mg and I recently doubled it to 30 and all of a sudden I started feeling much more alert. I backed off my thyroid meds a bit since my FT3/FT4 levels were fine, FT3 a bit high. But it was the DHEA that made a big difference for me. I'm hoping it will charge up my metabolism a bit too. I have lost 1.5 pounds since I increased it... but I'm dieting pretty hard at the moment too.

But you know, Atkins just stopped working for me and I had to move onto something else with fewer calories. I wish it had continued to work, but it just didn't.

Ctreiki, do you have any blood work you can post? In particular the FT3/FT4 test.

Selinium might help if you're deficient in it. My multivitamin has 200mcg of selenium.

Lessara,

I'd suggest you ask your pharmacist what the maximum allowable dose of selenium is. I take 50 mcg per day, to help ensure my cels have enough selenium to produce T3 from T4.

Karen Morris
Organizer
"Thyroid Patients Canada"
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/grou...PatientsCanada/

Kassie, you can safely take 490 mcgs of selenium a day. It used to be 200mcgs, but this has been adjusted upwards. I take 420mcgs split throughout the day.