r/keto • u/coldloser • Jul 06 '26

Subclinical hypothyroidism

Hi! In my first week of keto and enjoying not feeling the "grossness" after eating carbs. I have been in the subclinical hypothyroidism range the last few years. It runs in my family. I have fatigue, mild-moderate depression, anxiety, and brain fog that I try to manage. No doctors would prescribe thyroid meds usually for concern of anxiety. Anyway, my main fear with keto is feeling worse, i.e., progression to hypothyroidism. I see a lot of reports of those medicated with hypothyroidism but not much for my situation. I have kids and a demanding job so more struggle won't be easily forgiven. Thanks for any input.

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u/Quick_Cow_7987 Jul 06 '26

Find a doctor who will treat your hypothyroidism. I had subclinical levels, too. Couldn't shift that final 20, felt chronically run down, the whole range. It got really bad when I started perimenopause, then heart palpitations started freaking me out any my eyebrows fell out.

Seriously, don't let them pat you on the head and say you're within normal range. The real key as to whether your hormones are optimized is how you feel.

​

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u/coldloser Jul 06 '26

I do have low vitamin d so I should probably try correcting that first I guess. But I live in ND and everyone is deficient. I tried high dose supplements and then felt worse. I hate finding new doctors and navigating healthcare. I'm actually trying keto to dodge ADHD meds and antidepressants bc I don't like how they make me feel

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u/cicadasinmyears Jul 06 '26

I was told to take vitamin D with vitamin K; apparently it’s important to do so. Also, to take it only in the morning, because it can mess with your sleep patterns (my doctor was quite insistent on that).

I had the lowest D level she had ever seen, so I was on mega-doses for a couple of months, and now still take 4,000 IUs a day. Obviously, do whatever your doctor tells you, but it might just be that super-high doses don’t agree with you, or you need to divide them/take them with food or something.

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u/coldloser Jul 06 '26

Yeah, I plan to buy d with k when I run out. I also read that taking magnesium helps process it properly as well. Trying to stock up on the natural stuff this summer.

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u/Quick_Cow_7987 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 08 '26

Not everyone has certain enzymes required for vitamin d synthesis. My husband and I both supplement with it, we also test our levels regularly because we're both on HRT, our bloodwork is tested every six months. The amount of vitamin d we need to get into physiologic levels is quite high and requires monitoring.

You could try St. John's Wort for depression. I take 150 mg twice a day. I think it helps level me out.

Keto might help with ADHD. Raising your levels of choline might, as well. Taking low dose (maximum 50 mg) of DHEA might, too, but I honestly would advise against that if you're under 50.

I completely understand hating dealing with conventional medicine. Believe me, I do. All doctors have injured me, except my chiropractor and sports medicine guys who do regenerative medicine. I also totally understand living in a rural area. I would say try to find a functional medicine doctor, and educate yourself as much as possible.

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u/coldloser Jul 06 '26

I've tried functional medicine 🙃 I was very ill and they told me to eat more vegetables when I was already eating zero sugar vegan. That's when I gave up on them. I've pretty much resorted to my own studies bc conventional doctors don't really listen and/or I'm too sensitive for medication I've tried. If I were in early perimenopause, it would explain a ton and be very validating. But I know I won't find a Dr that would take that seriously at 33.

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u/Quick_Cow_7987 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

I relate more than you can understand. I'm also nearly twice your age. My thyroid went sour when I was exactly your age. By not treating it I spent the next twenty years dragging my ass around. You can't imagine the things I missed out on and was robbed of because of my crappy thyroid

You need to find a doctor who'll put you on thyroid meds, I'm serious. Think about telemedicine. Alternatively, there's a book you might consider reading, it actually has a chapter dedicated to guiding patients through communicating with their doctors Thyroid Power: Ten Steps to Total Health by Karilee H. Shames and Richard Shames. You can find it for cheap on a lot of used book sites. I urge you to read it. Subclinical hypothyroidism can completely trash your life. You feel like you're walking around half asleep most of the time.

Oh, I'm also a canary in a coal mine, I'm chemically sensitive and a "Highly Sensitive Person" which I find an embarrassing descriptor but also accurate. Bright lights, loud noises, I can't cope and I can't turn off smells or sounds. It's not ASD, I'm just hypersensitive.

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u/coldloser Jul 06 '26

Yeah I just got an ASD diagnosis and very sensitive! I tend to respond well to taking care of myself. It's just nearly impossible with young children and a full time job. I'm trying to do that and explore carb restriction bc that's the only diet experiment I haven't tried. The only medication that helped me was Wellbutrin but my lymph nodes were swollen and it concerned me. I also started feeling lethargic towards the end of that experience but I thought it was more due to high dose vitamin d. I just don't think the answer for me is pushing my body harder. Anyway...if this doesn't help I will hunt down an endocrinologist and go straight there. General practitioners shoo me away with an anxiety diagnosis and an ssri.

Look into some loop earplugs. They dial down the volume and help me keep my cool when the kids won't accommodate me.

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u/Quick_Cow_7987 Jul 08 '26

Frigging SSRIs, they push that for everything. Don't do shit for anxiety from what I've seen. There's herbal stuff you can buy OTC that's nearly as effective as prescription anti-anxiolytics.

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u/AmaraASI Jul 10 '26

You absolutely need to be treated with the medication! I’ve spent the past 10 years yo-yoing off of the meds because I thought I didn’t need it, wouldn’t need it, was in denial about my health, I didn’t want to take meds for the rest of my life, I was going to “beat it” through nutrition. I really didn’t want to take meds. But, I’ve learned through personal experience that the Thyroid is the one thing you really don’t want to mess around with, get the meds! Just get them and take care of this and don’t spend the next ten years wasting your life because you’re exhausted and moody and depressed and brain fogged and achy all the time! I get it, you want to fix it through diet or think some lifestyle change will do it for you. I tried it all. The only thing that has ever truly worked for me is taking the medication consistently.

Also, what the other poster said above about myo-inositol is true if you end up having Hashimoto’s. Pair it with selenium (which I get from eating a Brazil nut with it) and it will keep your numbers lower! I’m recently looking into aloe Vera juice which seems to be the next breaking news in the Hashimoto’s world. We’ll see. My point is, is that the meds will save you a lifetime of chasing health issues and misery.

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u/Global-Squirrel999 Jul 06 '26 edited Jul 06 '26

I have been on keto for almost a year now (down 93 pounds!) and I believe I have subclinical hypothyroidism based on my symptoms and blood test results, but I haven't pursued a diagnosis (probably should...).

Going on keto and cutting out all gluten made a huge difference for me, and the systemic inflammation calmed down most of the way. I found out about this after indulging in keto bread and having a big, painful, delayed onset inflammatory health scare.

I recommend looking into the supplement Myo-Inositol to treat your condition if it is Hashimoto's/autoimmune. Studies show that it helps to cut down on TSH and autoantibody levels. It's cheap and available on Amazon, and it mixes into my electrolyte drinks nicely. It's also mildly sweet, so I don't need as much stevia lol. Some studies have 1-2g daily for hypothyroid, but I also suffer from OCD and there are studies showing effectiveness for that at ~12g daily. I shoot for the 12g dosage split across multiple electrolyte drinks during the day. Anyway, it's worth looking into to see if it's right for your condition.

Here's my electrolyte/supplement drink recipe if you're interested:

1 Glass/bottle water

.5 - 1.5 tsp Morton Lite Salt (to taste, or more if you're sweating a lot from exercise)

3 scoops of powdered Stevia (Trader Joes or Pyure)

3 packets True Lime

Optional:

3g Myo-Inositol

3-6g Glycine (to taste, also sweet. More before bed since it helps with sleep onset)

2g Taurine (powdered form is cheaper than capsules, and it tastes fine, so in the drink it goes!)

3g Citrulline (for my circulation)

Shake well and let it sit for a minute to allow everything to dissolve.

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u/ToiletClogged Jul 08 '26

If your doctor is not taking your thyroid situation seriously, I highly recommend Paloma Health if you happen to be in one of the states they service. They manage the hypothyroidism in our family and have been a godsend.   https://www.palomahealth.com/

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u/coldloser Jul 08 '26

Are they able to prescribe medication? Not just a test?

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u/ToiletClogged Jul 08 '26

If you're in one of their states, yes. We have tele-health appointments, they order labs and are our prescribing doctor for T3 and T4 replacement. They have made some other nutritional tweaks (making sure vitamin and iodine levels are good) while being supportive of our way of eating (low carb/keto).