Thyroid RANT

Matilda_Swan

I am really tired of the endless "hypothyroid" posts. "I cant lose weight because of my hypothyroid...."

Geuss what, YOU CAN! I did and SO CAN YOU

Does it make you feel tired, more hungry and lethargic when you thyroid is off? YES IT DOES

Having a hypothyroid is not a free pass into laziville, it just means you have to dig deep and WORK HARDER than other people, it does not make your fitness goals IMPOSSIBLE

SO STOP BLAMING YOUR THYROID!


-End Rant-

LAT1963

Your personal experience doesn't negate that of others. Medical literature backs up their claims.

Just because the disease affected you in a particular way doesn't mean it affects everyone that way. Of the symptoms, each person suffers a slightly different subset. Your subset just didn't happen to include weight gain.

Also relevant--severity of disease, treated vs. untreated, length of untreated disease, adequacy of treatment.

editorgrrl

I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease). I lost way more slowly than most MFPers, but I did it just like everybody else—by logging everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly.

The advice in this post worked for me: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants

MFP has two thyroid groups:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/51427-butterfly-chasers

srlittin

I agree. Thyoid has put my hair and nails to test, but after loosing 70 pounds with my TSA level reaching 34 I'd have where there's a will there's a way.

williams969

It IS harder, but NOT impossible. I have confirmed thyroid issues (enlargement, thyroid nodules, stupid hormone numbers--not enough for meds & I HATE meds--irrational fear of meds, for me), but I will never let it be my excuse to give up.

So what? I WANT so badly to be the person who loses eating 1700 cals a day (many on my FL can with similar stats and activity levels). But, I must eat a wee bit less (nothing drastic, just 100 less than calculators say--I know, since my BMR has been tested), and I must burn harder during my workouts to get the edge on my deficit.

All it means (for me, YMMV) is that I must incorporate a little harder cardio and eventually will work on building muscle mass (once I'm done losing) to raise my effective BMR and TDEE to be able to "eat like a normal person" and maintain. Even so, that's not much different than others' healthy goals--HIIT cardio and heavy lifting while on a reasonable deficit.

SLLRunner

It really is easy to make excuses. I don't have hypothyroidism, but my tests have shown that I lean toward a hyperthyroid, and I have certainly experienced eating more than my MFP cohorts to lose weight and to maintain. It's a real reminder to me of how much I was eating when I put on 30 pounds over a five year period- and I was eating ALOT.

It doesn't matter what medical issues we have, we just have to find the calorie balance that is correct for us.

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RUNNING_AMOK_1958

Bravo!

broox80

We have to work at it harder than the average person, but as per my ticker it can be done!! I think getting your levels right is the first step, kicking *kitten* and takin names is the next!!! \m/

QuietBloom

<---- Has Hashimoto's.

If you have Hashimoto's and are being successfully treated, it will NOT effect your ability to lose weight.

Again - if you blood work is now normal, you can lose weight just as easily (or with the same amount of work) as someone who does not have Hashimoto's.

I see that used an an excuse over and over again, and it just isn't a valid one.

editorgrrl

If you blood work is now normal, you can lose weight just as easily (or with the same amount of work) as someone who does not have Hashimoto's.

I lost long before my levels were normal. Meds relieve the fatigue, so I can be more active. But logging everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly was the key to losing weight. I thought I was gaining "for no good reason," but logging showed me I was eating way too much. (I think Hashimoto's has messed up my hunger cues.)

LAT1963

<---- Has Hashimoto's.

If you have Hashimoto's and are being successfully treated, it will NOT effect your ability to lose weight.

Again - if you blood work is now normal, you can lose weight just as easily (or with the same amount of work) as someone who does not have Hashimoto's.

I see that used an an excuse over and over again, and it just isn't a valid one.

Yes, if you are adequately treated then you should lose or gain weight exactly as you would have done if you did not have thyroid disease.

However, there are a lot of people out there who have undiagnosed thyroid disorders, or who are under-treated for them. In addition, the guidelines for treatment recommended by the Endocrinologists are much stricter than those used by Family Practice Doctors, who haven't updated their guideline numbers in *decades* and leave many people untreated who the Endocrinologists and Internists (whose guidelines are also stale but not as bad as the FP docs) would treat.

So because it is under-identified and often under-treated, a lot of people with thyroid disease really do have a harder time losing weight (or gaining it, if hyperthyroid).

Inspiration365

I agree! I have a thyroid problem and I have lost over 40 pounds in 5 month pushing myself as hard as I can!!!! it can be done!!!

Grumpsandwich

<-- Hashimoto's hypothyroid AND polycystic ovarian syndrome -70lbs in 11 months but was on prescribed taboo 1200 calorie diet via doctor lol

williams969

I agree! I have a thyroid problem and I have lost over 40 pounds in 5 month pushing myself as hard as I can!!!! it can be done!!!

Oh, YEAH!!!! I just want to interrupt the thread and say you have done WELL!! :drinker: BRAVO! Look at that figure, so inspiring!

kdeaux1959

When we are faced with adversity, we have a choice to make... Make a way or make excuses.

We can choose to make a way by facing the challenge set before us and overcoming it or we can make excuses and rest in our pity party and those who enable us by attending.

It is July 4. Think back. What great President did not face adversity? They all did -- Lincoln, FDR, Truman, Reagan, Kennedy, Washington... It was not the adversity that defined their presidency but rather how they faced that challenge that defined their presidency.

It is the same with our road to health... We may face adversity, but it is what we do with it that counts.

georgiagreeneyes

Amen! Before I had my car accident and gained back weight, I was at my perfect goal weight and fitness level. It definitely can be done as many others can attest. I haven't been this heavy in a long time, but I know that with diet I can lose weight albeit slower than average (I also have adrenal problems and due to my car accident I went into adrenal crisis... I was placed on really high dose steroids for a lengthy period and ballooned up). I'm optimistic that once I'm cleared for physical activity (still on bed rest from surgeries correcting orthopedic injuries) I will have even greater success in shedding the pounds!

SLLRunner

GUESS WHAT! Your not like everybody else. If you were we would all be like you. So calm down grow some compassion or shut up.

Wow. This is rude.

Who are you directing this at?

Therealobi1

I guess people do make excuses but if you have been successful help show them the way. No ranting needed. Well done on your success

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BigT555

GUESS WHAT! Your not like everybody else. If you were we would all be like you. So calm down grow some compassion or shut up.

coming from a slytherin thats not surprising to hear. filthy little mudblood :grumble:

honestly i thought there would be a bit more blowback from this post, but kudos OP, hopefully some people with these issues will see this and it will help motivate them

Kalikel

You are very lucky that you were able to lose weight with a non-functioning thyroid.

Not everyone is so lucky.

I spent many years trying to tell doctors I didn't eat too much and did exercise, but couldn't lose weight. I saw the looks on people's faces that I'm sure you have when they tell you that. People did not believe me. It was frustrating and depressing.

When my miracle happened and I was diagnosed, it was to the doctor, to the endo, to the cardiologist (I had trouble breathing, so needed cardiac clearance), and surgery. All of them saw me (as a new patient!) very quickly, because each office called the next and said, "She needs this surgery now." It was less than a month - I think it was 18 days total from the possibility of a diagnosis to surgery.

I couldn't exercise because I couldn't breathe well enough because my thyroid was strangling me. I couldn't even get up a flight of stairs without a break.

I was choking all the time. I had coughing fits that would lead to a total inability to breathe. Scared the hell out of my family. I'd wake up at night, panicked because I couldn't breathe.

I ate a LOT of carbs toward the end there, because if had NO energy and I craved them like a starving person craves food.

I'm happy for you that you're able to lose weight. I really am, very much am happy for you and everyone else who succeeds, especially those whose weight loss journey is extra difficult due to being hypo.

But do remember that other people might have different and even bigger problems than you do before you start yelling about them and how lazy they are.

Kalikel

I am really tired of the endless "hypothyroid" posts. "I cant lose weight because of my hypothyroid...."

Geuss what, YOU CAN! I did and SO CAN YOU

Does it make you feel tired, more hungry and lethargic when you thyroid is off? YES IT DOES

Having a hypothyroid is not a free pass into laziville, it just means you have to dig deep and WORK HARDER than other people, it does not make your fitness goals IMPOSSIBLE

SO STOP BLAMING YOUR THYROID!


-End Rant-

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Therealobi1

What would be helpful is if you could provide more specifics in what they should do to help themselves. I can't believe none of them are trying.

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Therealobi1

What would be helpful is if you could provide more specifics in what they should do to help themselves. I can't believe none of them are trying.

make a commitment and follow through on a diet and excersize routine even when we feel tired and results are slow, stick it out.

And they dont try cuz its harder then regular people, we are always tired, aching, hungry. Like most people when results arenet instant or as quick as others, we give up.

The advice is dont give up or use it as an excuse, eat at a defecit and it WILL happen.

Ta. So much nicer than how u started the post.

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Therealobi1

What would be helpful is if you could provide more specifics in what they should do to help themselves. I can't believe none of them are trying.

make a commitment and follow through on a diet and excersize routine even when we feel tired and results are slow, stick it out.

And they dont try cuz its harder then regular people, we are always tired, aching, hungry. Like most people when results arenet instant or as quick as others, we give up.

The advice is dont give up or use it as an excuse, eat at a defecit and it WILL happen.

Ta. So much nicer than how u started the post.

It wasnt ment to be "nice" or helpful, hence the capitolized "RANT" title

Yep I get it. But what's the point

Kalikel

Thank you, as a hypothyroid sufferer I get real testy when told someone cant lose weight because of their thyroid, yeah gimme another excuse please............

My hair sucks, I am tired, lethargic, blah blah

when my hair gets dry and my skin gets dry and it is tough to get out of bed that means thyroid check time..... Dr just recently upped my meds after 2 years as thyroid levels had increased again

but it is never an excuse to say something CANT be done, IN FACT when I was in my 20's and early 30s I was able to go medication free for years simply by maintaining a healthy weight, diet, and excersize.

That only lasts so long though as I got older I had to control it through meds, but just proves that it can be done f you want it.

dry hair isn't the problem. Dry hair is just dry.

Your hair falls out. Lots of it. Tons of it. Your eyebrows, too. I had 2/3 of an eyebrow. Even my stylist was suggesting thyroid problems, but my incompetent doctor said No.

The doctors said they didn't know if it would grow it might grow back. The stylist was very encouraging and said she's seen people whose hair comes back after they get fixed. I got a little back, but not most. I walk around looking like a woman with very little hair on the front part of her head. It's depressing.

Your experience is not like everyone's.

Now, I am sick of hearing people who don't know what the hell they're talking about lecturing others.

I am tired of you using your easy experience to trash people who had much more difficulty and tell them to be more like you. They can't be like you because their problems are bigger than your tiny one.

It's not an excuse for some people.

For some people, it CAN'T be done.

Have the humility to know that you don't know everything and that some people have it harder than you do. Geez.