Hypothyroidism
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lin7604
Posts: 3,019 Member
Hi, I know many of you also suffer from this as well. I have been through this weight loss / fitness journey before a few years back and know how hard and slow it is to lose weight when you are hypo. This past year presented me with a lot of road blocks and my thyroid was no help! Of course I've gained and o have been trying hard to get back into a good routine and eat healthy but my weight just keeps going up! I'm frustrated now. I want to give up but I know I won't as I am determined to see the scale go back down. I stepped on the scale for the first time since being back in routine and was shocked as I'm at the highest I've been in years! Any of you have a trick that seemed to work well for you? How do u lose or continue to lose if it's your thyroid stopping u? I should find out my numbers from blood work I had on Monday next week which I am assuming they are going to say I'm fine... as normal! Then what!
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Replies
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Once my numbers got to the right place, I was able to lose as MFP said I would based on how many calories I was having. Are you weighing your food and counting everything you eat? Either you're eating more than you think, or your doctor needs to investigate further. I'm not a doctor and I don't know specifically what to look for, but I know it can be more complicated to treat a thyroid problem than it was for me. I hope other people reply with their experience, because I think there are people here who have had a harder time getting their thyroid problem adequately treated.4
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I had to come to these realizations: I have accepted that hypothyroidism is just one part of my life but I don't let it define me. I have accepted that I have to work TWICE as hard as those lucky people that have normal thyroids to get HALF the gains that they would, no matter how well the meds work, it's not the same as having a healthy gland. Diet is for weightloss and exercise is for metabolism! Dietwise I stay as close to whole minimally processed foods as I can and as far away from added refined sugars as possible, and no soy unless it's fermented. Exercisewise I workout as much as I can, I enjoy running and hiking the most. Exercise is so important for us hypos! It helps my mood, energy levels and I don't feel cold all the time. Also have your vitamin/mineral levels checked by your doctor. I found out I was extremely deficient in iron and vit D and getting my levels up have helped me feel better too, and it's all connected to the thyroid in some way as all our bodily systems surely are. 4 years ago I embarked on my health journey and lost 20% of my body weight and I've maintained a healthy BMI since then. I've accepted it's going to be a constant battle, but definitely one worth fighting
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you should be able to lose weight just like anyone else once your #s are in check... are you medicated? i have hypothyroidism and PCOS and have lost almost 30lbs just this year (almost 60 total over the past 4 years) with proper dosage of meds in combination with my nutrition and exercise regiment.6
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If your numers are fine, then your dr is right, you are using this as an excuse
(sorry to sound harsh, but hormonal issues are always good excuses, for all of us).
If your numbers are not really fine, but borderline or completely off and your dr ignroes you, then you need a new dr. And not just because of weight loss troubles.4 -
There really is not trick other than sticking to a routine you can live with. This is why I recommend against drastic changes. Just implement small changes that have dramatic impact over time.
It is extremely helpful to state current weight, goal weight, etc. Are you trying to lose 10 lbs or 100 lbs?
The other issue with thyroid or any hormonal balance is that simply being overweight will inhibit your bodies ability to self regulate, so accurate logging is paramount.
After a total thyroidectomy I put on ~70lbs over 14 years due to not tracking my intake and not working out. Since I discovered MFP I lost 60 lbs. I put ~30 back on since last year - again, due to not tracking my intake and not maintaining my workouts, but down 10lbs in the past month since I started logging and working out again.2 -
^ This +10If your numers are fine, then your dr is right, you are using this as an excuse
(sorry to sound harsh, but hormonal issues are always good excuses, for all of us).
If your numbers are not really fine, but borderline or completely off and your dr ignroes you, then you need a new dr. And not just because of weight loss troubles.
Presuming your doctor has actually diagnosed a thyroid problem and it is being properly treated then you are making excuses.
I know of 3 people IRL who have said they had trouble losing weight because of their thyroid.
Not one of them had been diagnosed or treated for any sort of thyroid issue at the time.
Maybe you have but you don't seem to make this clear.
Regardless -with treatment- the rules don't change unless your doctor says otherwise:
Log everything.
Eat less than you need.
Exercise more than you are.
Do more weight lifting than you do cardio.
Cardio is always after weight lifting or on days when you don't lift.
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I have not had a thyroid gland for over 20 years. Without meds, I am severely hypothyroid. As long as I take my medication and my TSH stays below 3.0, I'm completely normal with weight loss.5
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Ok first off yes I have been hypo thyroid for 18 years! Yes I am medicated but no my numbers are never fine! I have gone through 5-6 doctors and it has made no difference, even 2 endo dr's! I had blood work done in march and never got a call! I was beyond exhausted with all classic symptoms! I called and asked and they said well it's ok nothing to worry about. I asked them for the numbers. I was pooling. Yes my tsh was still in the normal zone but high for me , my t3 and t4 were wY out if whack! How is that fine? Normal? I then asked to see a new endo dr. I seen her in August and all she did was bump my meds up and said well re test late oct and see if your tsh is optimal. So I went Monday for the blood work. Since my upped dose I have gained another 7 lbs! I'm 2 month! With eating healthy and exercising!
The last time my dose was upped it wS night and day. The weight started to slide off and I felt like a million bucks! Not this time! Believe me it's not a excuse! I never had it easy last time when I lost my weight, it took 1.5 years to lose 20 lbs! It was hard, but I did it but only because I finally was optimal! That only lasted a year, since then my numbers are not where I like them to be and the weight creeps on no matter what I do! I know what I did last time to lose it and doing it again but it doesn't matter at all if it's all thyroid related!1 -
What are your macros at? How many calories do you eat in a day? A week?
I cannot see your food log. Are you logging consistently?
What is your height, weight, and body fat? Age?
How much weight training do you do in a week? What program?
How much cardio do you do? What type?
How many weeks are you on a program before you "try something else" or "fall off the wagon"?
*edit: just saw you said my numbers are never fine...1 -
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Ok first off yes I have been hypo thyroid for 18 years! Yes I am medicated but no my numbers are never fine! I have gone through 5-6 doctors and it has made no difference, even 2 endo dr's! I had blood work done in march and never got a call! I was beyond exhausted with all classic symptoms! I called and asked and they said well it's ok nothing to worry about. I asked them for the numbers. I was pooling. Yes my tsh was still in the normal zone but high for me , my t3 and t4 were wY out if whack! How is that fine? Normal? I then asked to see a new endo dr. I seen her in August and all she did was bump my meds up and said well re test late oct and see if your tsh is optimal. So I went Monday for the blood work. Since my upped dose I have gained another 7 lbs! I'm 2 month! With eating healthy and exercising!
The last time my dose was upped it wS night and day. The weight started to slide off and I felt like a million bucks! Not this time! Believe me it's not a excuse! I never had it easy last time when I lost my weight, it took 1.5 years to lose 20 lbs! It was hard, but I did it but only because I finally was optimal! That only lasted a year, since then my numbers are not where I like them to be and the weight creeps on no matter what I do! I know what I did last time to lose it and doing it again but it doesn't matter at all if it's all thyroid related!
if your numbers are never "fine" then your dosage is still incorrect. it does take some time to find the optimal dose and even then requires constant monitoring through bloodwork. i hate to say it, but you need to find a better endocrinologist.
also - i had an experience where my PCP wrote me the generic for synthroid and did not tell me the correct way to take my meds. when i started with my current endocrinologist, she put me on the brand name (makes a difference for some). simply taking the synthroid correctly made a difference - take upon waking on an empty stomach, no food or caffeine for 1 hour of taking, do not take any other medication you may take at the same time (i.e. i take meds for anxiety and take them an hour later), no vitamins for X hours within taking (forget the actual number, but i usually wait til 2PM, i take my synthroid at 6AM - which i know is longer than the suggested). i'm actually on a lower dose now than i was when i first started seeing my new doctor.2 -
First fix your medication issue.
Once your medical issue is properly treated, start here: Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body (Michael Matthews)
Notice how most of the replies are prefaced by you having a medical problem which is properly treated?
Even if I was a doctor, I'm not your doctor.1 -
I am also having more or less same problem. I m doing yoga and brisk walk and always remain under my calorie intake. But still my weight is stuck to 75 kg which increases if I stop controlling my weight but never go down below it. I am having issue of pcos and thyroid as well. But unfortunately finding no way out of this vicious circle. I hope to find some solution to our problem!1
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Being hypo myself, I have learned that I get enough salt through foods( meat, veggies, fruit) that I do not need to add it. I also found out that eliminating added salts and salty foods( take out, chips,etc) my water retention isn't as bad. I may go up a lb from time to time , but it isn't 7 lbs anymore. I also learned that refined carbs for me causes water retention. Through some research and a Dr i found out that refined carbs in excess can hinder your body from absorbing 100% of thyroid medication. I also found out that it is vital to have your blood work checked after every 15-20lbs as your dose may need adjusting.
Not everyone will suffer the way I have. Everyone is different and not everyone will have all the symptoms of hypo as someone else.
Talk to your Dr. Get a full thyroid panel done. Including vitamin D and B12. Monitor how your body reacts to foods. Remember it takes time for your body to adjust to new doses of meds and it will take time for your body to get use to eating healthier and exercise.
Don't quit on your goals just because things aren't moving. They will. Trust the process. If you see no change in: scale, inches, or energy after 6-8 weeks talk to your Dr.
Remember exercise can cause water weight. Water weight can be just as hard to get rid of as fat weight. It's that way for me and many others.
Stay positive and push on. You've got this.1 -
Ok first off yes I have been hypo thyroid for 18 years! Yes I am medicated but no my numbers are never fine! I have gone through 5-6 doctors and it has made no difference, even 2 endo dr's! I had blood work done in march and never got a call! I was beyond exhausted with all classic symptoms! I called and asked and they said well it's ok nothing to worry about. I asked them for the numbers. I was pooling. Yes my tsh was still in the normal zone but high for me , my t3 and t4 were wY out if whack! How is that fine? Normal? I then asked to see a new endo dr. I seen her in August and all she did was bump my meds up and said well re test late oct and see if your tsh is optimal. So I went Monday for the blood work. Since my upped dose I have gained another 7 lbs! I'm 2 month! With eating healthy and exercising!
The last time my dose was upped it wS night and day. The weight started to slide off and I felt like a million bucks! Not this time! Believe me it's not a excuse! I never had it easy last time when I lost my weight, it took 1.5 years to lose 20 lbs! It was hard, but I did it but only because I finally was optimal! That only lasted a year, since then my numbers are not where I like them to be and the weight creeps on no matter what I do! I know what I did last time to lose it and doing it again but it doesn't matter at all if it's all thyroid related!
if your numbers are never "fine" then your dosage is still incorrect. it does take some time to find the optimal dose and even then requires constant monitoring through bloodwork. i hate to say it, but you need to find a better endocrinologist.
also - i had an experience where my PCP wrote me the generic for synthroid and did not tell me the correct way to take my meds. when i started with my current endocrinologist, she put me on the brand name (makes a difference for some). simply taking the synthroid correctly made a difference - take upon waking on an empty stomach, no food or caffeine for 1 hour of taking, do not take any other medication you may take at the same time (i.e. i take meds for anxiety and take them an hour later), no vitamins for X hours within taking (forget the actual number, but i usually wait til 2PM, i take my synthroid at 6AM - which i know is longer than the suggested). i'm actually on a lower dose now than i was when i first started seeing my new doctor.
Yes I always take them at 7 am every day! Don't eat till after 8 and I don't take any other supplements till evening. I have tried to get new drs as I said I've been to 6 and 2 endo's. All must of came from the same school and graduated at the same time as I get the same response from all of them! It was when I went to a quick care clinic to get my b12 shot that she started telling me stuff as she deals with the same. I demanded another endo like she suggested and I wS brushed off st my appt ! I was in and out in less then 10 min! All of them just go by tsh and don't look at t3 or t4. The quick care dr noticed my t3 and t4 too bad she can't help me! She's the only one who knew anything. All they can do is recommend u to go to your family dr. Which mine now retired in June! So I have no one but this new endo !
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First fix your medication issue.
Once your medical issue is properly treated, start here: Thinner Leaner Stronger: The Simple Science of Building the Ultimate Female Body (Michael Matthews)
Notice how most of the replies are prefaced by you having a medical problem which is properly treated?
Even if I was a doctor, I'm not your doctor.
What do u think I've been trying to for 18 years! Do u think I like feeling like crap? I argue with drs and get no where, what else can I do?0 -
Thank you for your positivity! I had my blood work done Monday and called today. They had it but of course they wouldn't tell me what my numbers were as the dr is out of town till Monday. So I have to sit patiently till then. As hard as that is. I have had my vit d done and do take 2000 a day plus I get b12 shots every 3 weeks. As for the other tests I get tsh, free t3 and freet4 done and that's it, I have fought hard to get other tests done and it was hard! My first endo dr I had did a whole range of tests and just told me to wear a sweater! Gain weight so I won't be do cold! I was shocked! Really, I had worked my *kitten* off for 2 years to drop 20 lbs and I wS just as cold then as I was at that time!!! The only one I ever got my way with was my family dr but she retired in June , so now at a loss!hypodonthaveme wrote: »Being hypo myself, I have learned that I get enough salt through foods( meat, veggies, fruit) that I do not need to add it. I also found out that eliminating added salts and salty foods( take out, chips,etc) my water retention isn't as bad. I may go up a lb from time to time , but it isn't 7 lbs anymore. I also learned that refined carbs for me causes water retention. Through some research and a Dr i found out that refined carbs in excess can hinder your body from absorbing 100% of thyroid medication. I also found out that it is vital to have your blood work checked after every 15-20lbs as your dose may need adjusting.
Not everyone will suffer the way I have. Everyone is different and not everyone will have all the symptoms of hypo as someone else.
Talk to your Dr. Get a full thyroid panel done. Including vitamin D and B12. Monitor how your body reacts to foods. Remember it takes time for your body to adjust to new doses of meds and it will take time for your body to get use to eating healthier and exercise.
Don't quit on your goals just because things aren't moving. They will. Trust the process. If you see no change in: scale, inches, or energy after 6-8 weeks talk to your Dr.
Remember exercise can cause water weight. Water weight can be just as hard to get rid of as fat weight. It's that way for me and many others.
Stay positive and push on. You've got this.
1 -
What are your macros at? How many calories do you eat in a day? A week?
I cannot see your food log. Are you logging consistently?
What is your height, weight, and body fat? Age?
How much weight training do you do in a week? What program?
How much cardio do you do? What type?
How many weeks are you on a program before you "try something else" or "fall off the wagon"?
*edit: just saw you said my numbers are never fine...
As far as your questions, not to be rude but what does my height and weight body fat, etc have to do with anything? The fact is I'm not happy and have gained weight....17 lbs in a year and a half! Gained 1/2 of what I lost back. Which took me 2 years to lose! The fact I'm doing everything I did before and know what I need to do to lose it and I'm not and just gaining more.....,
The fact that I have done this before I should have a good idea on what to do and how to do it... I know what my calorie brackets are to lose, maintain and gain. I know what my macros should be etc. I had them professionally done before.
I don't drink pop, don't drink in general. I hardly ever eat snack food like chips etc. I drink my shake every day, I eat eggs, cheese and yogurt every day to get my protein level up, even add extra powder to my yogurt if I need to. I don't eat a lot of bread and rice maybe once or twice a week and it's measured etc.
Yes I will admit I don't get enough water in and I am trying hard to drink more daily but that's not going to make a huge difference with my weigh loss. Especially because it's my thyroid that is stopping me from losing!
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Ok first off yes I have been hypo thyroid for 18 years! Yes I am medicated but no my numbers are never fine! I have gone through 5-6 doctors and it has made no difference, even 2 endo dr's! I had blood work done in march and never got a call! I was beyond exhausted with all classic symptoms! I called and asked and they said well it's ok nothing to worry about. I asked them for the numbers. I was pooling. Yes my tsh was still in the normal zone but high for me , my t3 and t4 were wY out if whack! How is that fine? Normal? I then asked to see a new endo dr. I seen her in August and all she did was bump my meds up and said well re test late oct and see if your tsh is optimal. So I went Monday for the blood work. Since my upped dose I have gained another 7 lbs! I'm 2 month! With eating healthy and exercising!
The last time my dose was upped it wS night and day. The weight started to slide off and I felt like a million bucks! Not this time! Believe me it's not a excuse! I never had it easy last time when I lost my weight, it took 1.5 years to lose 20 lbs! It was hard, but I did it but only because I finally was optimal! That only lasted a year, since then my numbers are not where I like them to be and the weight creeps on no matter what I do! I know what I did last time to lose it and doing it again but it doesn't matter at all if it's all thyroid related!
if your numbers are never "fine" then your dosage is still incorrect. it does take some time to find the optimal dose and even then requires constant monitoring through bloodwork. i hate to say it, but you need to find a better endocrinologist.
also - i had an experience where my PCP wrote me the generic for synthroid and did not tell me the correct way to take my meds. when i started with my current endocrinologist, she put me on the brand name (makes a difference for some). simply taking the synthroid correctly made a difference - take upon waking on an empty stomach, no food or caffeine for 1 hour of taking, do not take any other medication you may take at the same time (i.e. i take meds for anxiety and take them an hour later), no vitamins for X hours within taking (forget the actual number, but i usually wait til 2PM, i take my synthroid at 6AM - which i know is longer than the suggested). i'm actually on a lower dose now than i was when i first started seeing my new doctor.
Yes I always take them at 7 am every day! Don't eat till after 8 and I don't take any other supplements till evening. I have tried to get new drs as I said I've been to 6 and 2 endo's. All must of came from the same school and graduated at the same time as I get the same response from all of them! It was when I went to a quick care clinic to get my b12 shot that she started telling me stuff as she deals with the same. I demanded another endo like she suggested and I wS brushed off st my appt ! I was in and out in less then 10 min! All of them just go by tsh and don't look at t3 or t4. The quick care dr noticed my t3 and t4 too bad she can't help me! She's the only one who knew anything. All they can do is recommend u to go to your family dr. Which mine now retired in June! So I have no one but this new endo !
i'm sorry that you're dealing with that - i understand how frustrating it can be. maybe you can get a recommendation from a friend or do some research online to find a better doctor? i found my current endo through a friend who works for a hospital doing admin work.1 -
also where do you live? if by any chance you live in NY, i could give you my doctor's information.0
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