Thyroid problems/hypothyroidism

BlackPantherChick123

All I know is that the nurse told me my results and I told her that my symptoms are getting worse and she said she will tell my dr and will get back to me. They didn't test my T3 or T4 although I wish they did.

Fitnessgirl0913

I would push to have a full thyroid panel done (T3 and T4). I would also ask to get your iron and ferritin checked. If your iron is too low you could be anemic. You could have enough iron but if your ferritin is low your body does not have access to the iron causing the fatigue and brain fog. I would also have your vitamin D checked, if it is too low you would have fatigue and such but it can also be too high causing similar symptoms as well. I think others may have said that already but to be honest I have not combed through and read all the responses. I sincerely hope things start improving for you.

CMNVA

A TSH of 1.8 is really good. I also do wish they had checked your T3 and T4 but I will say that statistically, it would be unusual (but not unheard of) for your T3 and T4 to not be aligned with your TSH. In a small percentage of individuals, that is the case. For instance, I can have a TSH of, say, 1.0, but my T4 can be much higher making me feel HYPERthyroid when the TSH test says otherwise. But according to my endocrinologist who is very good and very open minded, *most* people fall within normal T3 and T4 ranges that tie back to the TSH.

That said, I think should really need to look at other issues that are making you feel poorly. I know that the *media* and other people that want to sell you something will have you heading down the "bad thyroid" road, and that's a shame. I think we have a whole legion of people chalking every problem them have up to the thyroid gland, when it's something else. I know that I did that for YEARS. As I said upthread, it was my iron and it made me feel awful and borderline mentally ill.

CSARdiver

BlackPantherChick123 wrote: »

All I know is that the nurse told me my results and I told her that my symptoms are getting worse and she said she will tell my dr and will get back to me. They didn't test my T3 or T4 although I wish they did.

TSH is typically the first step. A full thyroid panel is taken after if TSH shows up normal, as in your case. Keep communications with the office and ensure they know how critical this is.

As the other posters pointed out it is important to not get so focused on a diagnosis that you miss a critical issue. Control that which you have control over. As for the diet and exercise do what you can for now and share data, even your MFP data, with your treating physician.

fittocycle

For those that have hypothyroidism I have a quick question. Do you take your thyroid meds before you have labs done? I'm on Armour and have been told that it's ok to take the morning I have my labs done, which is different from when I was on Synthyroid. Thanks!

Puppy_love_81

Hi blackpantherchick123,
I had hyperthyroid, now it's hypothyroid. I struggled with my weight, and still do. My weight just kept going up. I went on a trip with my family and wanted to lose weight so bad. I started doing nutrisystem, and that helped me a lot. It helped me with portion control(I measure my food )and helped me get back on track. I feel like I'm doing better now. I admit, I've gained a little bit of weight back, but, I'm really trying to focus on portion control and exercise.

twinkles4

fittocycle wrote: »

For those that have hypothyroidism I have a quick question. Do you take your thyroid meds before you have labs done? I'm on Armour and have been told that it's ok to take the morning I have my labs done, which is different from when I was on Synthyroid. Thanks!

I'm on synthroid but you should always take your morning med. The only time I didn't was the day of my gallbladder surgery.

baoyaoren

Fitnessgirl0913 wrote: »

Your metabolism isn't as slow as you think it is, research is showing the amount your metabolism slows while hypothyroid is next to nothing.

That doesn't really help when your body also doesn't respond to exercise, other than making you more exhausted.
When I jogged the first weeks on thyroid replacement hormones, I was awfully surprised that I actually got used to the training impulse and could go faster and further after a few weeks, despite not feeling as horrible as I used to.

NeverSawAWildThingFeelSorry

fittocycle wrote: »

For those that have hypothyroidism I have a quick question. Do you take your thyroid meds before you have labs done? I'm on Armour and have been told that it's ok to take the morning I have my labs done, which is different from when I was on Synthyroid. Thanks!

The half life of T4 is roughly 7 days, meaning it will take roughly 5 weeks for any change in dose (or taking vs not taking your meds on a particular day) to have any effect. Long story short, take it as usual.

Psychgrrl

BlackPantherChick123 wrote: »

They say I'm 1.8 and suggest taking a multivitamin.

I supplement a T3 in addition to the T4. In line with the studies, it had little impact on my TSH, however, also in line with the studies, it greatly impacted how I felt (quality of life).

There are other nutritional things that could be causing your symptoms in addition to any thyroid issues. Ask for a full iron panel as well as a vitamin D and a B vitamin test. How’s your protein intake? Protein and iron are essential to your hair, but if you’re not getting enough, your hair will never see it. Vitamin d greatly affects energy levels as does b vitamins. I supplement all and am tested regularly.

Psychgrrl

fittocycle wrote: »

For those that have hypothyroidism I have a quick question. Do you take your thyroid meds before you have labs done? I'm on Armour and have been told that it's ok to take the morning I have my labs done, which is different from when I was on Synthyroid. Thanks!

I would think you need to our your labs wouldn’t be accurate. I did back when I was on armour. I’m guessing it’s the T3 part of that package.

I do know the synthetic T4 (synthroid, levoxyl) needs to build up in your system—hence the waiting 8 weeks for a retest. However, the T3 is an “in and out quick” kind of drug and missing a dose could mean tests are out of whack. Once, when I slacked off and let my prescription run out for cytomel (T3) my doctor cancelled my labs and rescheduled them for a week later when she found out I hadn’t taken the cytomel in 2 Days.

With all the endos I’ve seen, I’ve never been told to not take the T4 the morning of my labs.

Noreenmarie1234

Get your T3/T4 checked. I had perfect tsh but SUPER low T4 and T3.

paperpudding

Paperpudding's N = 1 experience.

Lost weight to goal in 2013, maintained since
In June 2016 had Hemithryoidectomy - (one side of thyroid removed) due to what turned out to be benign tumour.
So, sudden loss of thyroid function - have taken thyroxine supplementation ever since - has made zero difference to my ability to maintain my weight - I maintain it as same level as before and have continued stable weight for last 15 months since my surgery and taking medication.

changeconsumeme

It took THREE doctor trips in two years to diagnose me with hypothyroid. I knew something was wrong with me and the doctors I went to before my current one disregarded me...and only ONE thought to test my thyroid antibodies!

I'm doing very well now. It's coming up on one year since my initial diagnosis of Hoshimoto's and hypothyroid. I feel that I'm one of the lucky ones because I responded so well to Synthroid and anxiety medication!

deannalfisher

thyroid-less here (removed due to cancer), but was diagnosed with Hashi's before it was removed

i'm lucky in that i've responded well to my levo dosages when they have had to change them - but they keep my TSH on the low side because of my cancer and its where i feel normal (between .6 and .8) - my last test i went in because i felt "funky" - TSH was 3.5 - thankfully, finding a good doctor who listens has helped me - we did an adjustment to my daily meds (upped my dose to 150 4x a week and 137 3x a week) - if i don't feel better in 3 weeks, doc has told me to increase to 150 daily.

listening to your body is key - for me the three signs my numbers may need to be tweaked - BP is high, weight starts creeping up and hair gets really brittle/falling out

CSARdiver

fittocycle wrote: »

For those that have hypothyroidism I have a quick question. Do you take your thyroid meds before you have labs done? I'm on Armour and have been told that it's ok to take the morning I have my labs done, which is different from when I was on Synthyroid. Thanks!

This depends on what your physician is looking for. Ultimately you should always take medicine as prescribed and follow the plan you developed with your treating physician. Any shift in this plan needs to be communicated.

Hormones have a very slow action time on the body, so a shift in the morning routine is not likely to have any impact on that day's testing.

DietingMommy2008

I have been dealing with Hypothyroidism for 16 years (I am 31 now) and it will always be a struggle with all of those symptoms. Even previously being on a strict 1200 calorie diet and working my *kitten* off it took me 3-6 to lose about 30lbs. There are a lot of foods that you should not be eating, do some research! Being pregnant with my youngest I was also diagnosed with Hashimotos so my thyroid issues only get worst from here, that is why I have opted for the weight loss surgery.

Don't let it get you down, losing weight is possible its just going to be the most challenging thing ever. I hope you get your meds in order and things figured out. Inbox me if you ever have any questions.

Grimmerick

Something else that can help, make sure you are getting lots of protein, it can help with energy levels, hair and nails, some people don't realize that while they may be getting enough protein not to have negative consequences they are not actually eating it at optimum levels. I personally was not getting enough at all, I eat around 100 grams a day now, and my energy is way up and hair is getting thicker. I was also told I might end up with thyroid problems, but through diet and proper nutrition my levels are back to normal.

elphie754

I'm going to be brutally honest, your issues could very well be due to your disordered eat and not a thyroid issue. Numerous previous posts point to under eating and eating disorders. You have even admitted to recovering from anorexia as well as not sticking to numerous crash diets.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10352324/weight-and-eating-struggle-from-anorexia-recovery

sunnirae2016

stretchmarksaretigerstripes wrote: »

It took THREE doctor trips in two years to diagnose me with hypothyroid. I knew something was wrong with me and the doctors I went to before my current one disregarded me...and only ONE thought to test my thyroid antibodies!

I'm doing very well now. It's coming up on one year since my initial diagnosis of Hoshimoto's and hypothyroid. I feel that I'm one of the lucky ones because I responded so well to Synthroid and anxiety medication!

sunnirae2016

i also have dealing with weight and thyroid disease. its a tough road to follow especially when no-one believes you

BlackPantherChick123

I'll try to fight through it. I just want things to get better, especially mentally.

CSARdiver

BlackPantherChick123 wrote: »

I'll try to fight through it. I just want things to get better, especially mentally.

Do not attempt this alone or without professional help. Online support certainly helps, but you need someone with specific experience and resources to help you through this.

cbelc2

I take thyroid medication. My doctor said it just happens to some people. Gaining weight is really easy! I feel like I have to double my efforts between menopause and hypothyroidism. But I work hard at being healthy. I hate to think of the results if I didn't.

deannalfisher

DietingMommy2008 wrote: »

I have been dealing with Hypothyroidism for 16 years (I am 31 now) and it will always be a struggle with all of those symptoms. Even previously being on a strict 1200 calorie diet and working my *kitten* off it took me 3-6 to lose about 30lbs. There are a lot of foods that you should not be eating, do some research! Being pregnant with my youngest I was also diagnosed with Hashimotos so my thyroid issues only get worst from here, that is why I have opted for the weight loss surgery.

Don't let it get you down, losing weight is possible its just going to be the most challenging thing ever. I hope you get your meds in order and things figured out. Inbox me if you ever have any questions.

ummm no, there is very little scientifically validated research on foods you shouldn't eat...

150poundsofme

You mentioned you just went to the doctor. What did they say about ..."but my thighs r so big that the skin is started to split and clear water like fluid is coming out. It's gross and painful."
Are you still taking the two diet pills?

steeezzo

You should also ask to have your thyroid antibodies tested.. your symptoms sound very similar to mine and I was diagnosed with hashimotos 3 years ago (doctors tend to rely only on the basic thyroid panel and ignore the antibodies which are necessary for a hashimotos diagnosis) My TSH always falls in the "normal" range yet tends to bounce from high to low. When a new endocrinologist suspected hashimotos and tested my antibodies they were extremely high.. so now I know I'm not dealing with basic low thyroid but an autoimmune problem. I wish I had better advice for the weight loss end of it because I still struggle myself to lose any meaningful amount of weight due to my symptoms sabotaging my will power and energy levels. Having a good doctor who listens to you is super important though so don't be afraid to get another opinion !

paperpudding

deannalfisher wrote: »

DietingMommy2008 wrote: »

I have been dealing with Hypothyroidism for 16 years (I am 31 now) and it will always be a struggle with all of those symptoms. Even previously being on a strict 1200 calorie diet and working my *kitten* off it took me 3-6 to lose about 30lbs. There are a lot of foods that you should not be eating, do some research! Being pregnant with my youngest I was also diagnosed with Hashimotos so my thyroid issues only get worst from here, that is why I have opted for the weight loss surgery.

Don't let it get you down, losing weight is possible its just going to be the most challenging thing ever. I hope you get your meds in order and things figured out. Inbox me if you ever have any questions.

ummm no, there is very little scientifically validated research on foods you shouldn't eat...

As mentioned above I am on thryoxine supplementation after removal of half my thyroid due to a tumour.

Despite seeing several doctors, one an endocrinology specialist, both before my surgery and when following up my levels since - not once has any of the doctors suggested I avoid any particular foods.

I made zero difference to my before tumour/surgery/ treatment diet and have noticed zero difference in my ability to maintain my weight at healthy BMI since then.

Of course, this is dependant on having adequate thryoxine replacement levels - like everyone on thyroxine this is monitored via blood tests and adjusted accordingly.

Psychgrrl

DietingMommy2008 wrote: »

I have been dealing with Hypothyroidism for 16 years (I am 31 now) and it will always be a struggle with all of those symptoms. Even previously being on a strict 1200 calorie diet and working my *kitten* off it took me 3-6 to lose about 30lbs. There are a lot of foods that you should not be eating, do some research! Being pregnant with my youngest I was also diagnosed with Hashimotos so my thyroid issues only get worst from here, that is why I have opted for the weight loss surgery.

Don't let it get you down, losing weight is possible its just going to be the most challenging thing ever. I hope you get your meds in order and things figured out. Inbox me if you ever have any questions.

I will say at first I followed the advice of “foods not to eat” which included stone fruits like peaches and strawberries, goitrous veggies like broccoli and Brussel sprouts and anything soy.

I think the food thing is highly individual, if it exists. I eat soy every day and tons of broccoli, Brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Lots of strawberries, too. No problem.

If you think a food is affecting you, work with you doctor and sync eliminating the food with your labs once your levels are stable.

Once my levels were stable. I was able to lose the weight (about 117 pounds) and at 46 am in better shape (lower body fat and lower weight) than I was pre-thyroid at 31.

It’s totally possible to lose the weight without starving and extremes. Just make sure the medical part is fixed first.

CMNVA

To the question about taking your thyroid meds prior to lab testing: I've had two endocrinologists tell me not to take them if you are having a morning blood draw. There is a period of time where after you take the T4, it "surges" into the blood stream. I think it's about a 2 hour window. So to be safe, they tell me that if I am having an 8AM blood draw, just wait to take the pill. It can falsely elevate your T4 results on a blood test (but not affect the the TSH).

I normally have my blood draws at around 3PM, so it's never an issue for me.