Thyroid Problems After Quitting Smoking

Readers Respond: Thyroid Patients and Cigarette Smoking
Thyroid Problems After Quitting Smoking
My husband and I quit smoking 5 years ago. Within that first year, we were both diagnosed with severe hypothyroidism and put on Synthroid. Now, my 25 year old son who quit smoking 6 months ago was just diagnosed with sever hypothyroidism just yesterday. We have all had thyroid bloodwork done in the past, so this definitely happened after quitting smoking. I'm glad to see this has happened to others.
—Guest wendy maietta


I gave up smoking in December and put on weight shortly after. I felt like crap and experienced aches and pains, stiff joints, tiredness, etc. I stopped going out and socializing. I stopped doing my hobbies and had difficulty in finishing a day's work. I nearly lost my job and felt really, really low. I started vaping on e-cigs and immediately seemed to have more energy. I lost half a stone in weight without trying! I am on levothyroxine but had been on that for a year and my symptoms didnt get better, probably worse until I started vaping. I guess the nicotine speeds up your thyroid and it can also make your heart beat faster. I've noticed my circulation seems to be better and I don't feel as cold as before so this could be down to the extremities getting more blood due to improved circulation. I thought I'd post my experiences as it may very well help if you are like me. If you've had problems getting through the day and had pain getting up in the morning then it is well worth a try.
—Guest Now vaping

Quit Smoking 10 weeks ago and WOW!!
I was diagnosed as severely hyper two years ago when an incident of Thyroid Storm hit (that was FUN). I've been controlled naturally since but have smoked for almost 20 years. They rag you and rag you to quit, so I did (two months ago+). Now I am SO GROGGY all the time... I have gained a substantial amount of weight and my thyroid seems to be doing NOTHING these days. I have come off my natural supplements all together in hopes of it 'waking' back up at least a little, but nothing. I can handle some weight, that's not near as hard to address is the smoking habits were. I just can't believe that stopping the nicotine has tipped the scales on this thyroid thing so quickly. For those of you wanting to try a natural approach, Google the impact of iodine deficiency on BOTH hyper and hypothyroidisms. The science is there if you'll do the reading. Iodoral is the best so far and most affordable. You can buy it through Amazon. Good luck to you all!! Happy quitting!
—Guest Hyper in Texas

Quitting smoking and Going Hypothyroid
I smoked for 41 years until I couldn't breathe properly. I quit when my nurse said if i didn't I would be on oxygen. I put on 2 stone in the first month, then within six weeks of quitting my neck felt as if I was being strangled. Test showed under active thyroid. I had put on another two stone and have not lost any since taking levothyroxine for ten years. I read for an underactive person wanting to lose weight is like a healthy man expecting to drag a boulder up a mountain. So, no chance. I put on weight but cannot lose it. Look like an ball with legs or at least that's how I feel. I think underactive also causes depression definitely tiredness and lack of motivation and energy.
—Guest Chris Davies
[link to thyroid.about.com]
My husband and I quit smoking 5 years ago. Within that first year, we were both diagnosed with severe hypothyroidism and put on Synthroid. Now, my 25 year old son who quit smoking 6 months ago was just diagnosed with sever hypothyroidism just yesterday. We have all had thyroid bloodwork done in the past, so this definitely happened after quitting smoking. I'm glad to see this has happened to others.
—Guest wendy maietta
[link to thyroid.about.com]