HYPOTHYROIDISM

mom12868

I was diagnosed 6 years ago with Hypothyroidism and since taking the med's have been packing on the lbs.. For the past 2 years I have joined a gym (not that I wasn't excersising before) and have been weight training and cardio 3-4 times a week. I keep my calories around the 1200 and if I excersise I will eat those calories also. My issue is I have yet to loose any weight.. I fluctuate 2lbs all the time but have not seen any real weight loss. This is quite depressing for me because I have gained over 40 lbs since being diagnosed. I did not have a weight issue before the meds but can not come off of them now that I started. Every 6 months they have upped my meds because they cannot get my levels to stay where they should be. If someone has gone thru this please let me know I'm so upset that I try and try and cannot seem to loose

JustDoIt1973

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism in 1997 after having gained 50lbs in 8 months (with going to the gym everyday). They put me on synthroid and I lost 15lbs from that alone. I have gained up and down since (due to stress and laziness) but do take my meds everyday (levoxyl). Maybe the Dr. should double check your meds and dosage? I know with me they checked me every 3 months for a while to get them right. I will say that having hypo does make losing weight difficult even with meds. I feel I have to work twice as hard for any of it to come off. Call your Dr and explain whats going on and see if they cant change the meds and dosage. ((hugs)) I know its terribly frustrating.

RiverWild

I started with Graves' disease and my thyroid was ablated about 5 or 6 years ago now. I gained a total of 40 pounds after the ablation and have never lost more than 10 of it. I too fluctuate. My thyroid medication needs are getting close to stable, I'm still going through minor adjustments. It is frustrating but I think patience is the only answer, unfortunately trying to fix thyroid levels is like trying to steer a barge. The response time is very slow, it takes 2 months for any adjustment to be stable in the blood work. I believe that if I don't get too frustrated and keep at it that I will eventually work it off. I try to keep in mind that because I'm working at it I'm in better shape than I have been in years and I try to keep that as my focus.

stovall73

My heart goes out to everybody with this deffieiciency! I have been struggling for 3-4 years myself. You need to be checked every 3 months until your levels are stable. I have read a lot and experienced a lot with this. I think the most difficult/frustrating thing other than weight gain is the LOW ENERGY! Is there anyone out there who has overcome this? HOW?

CORTNEY5

I was just diagnosed with this 2 months ago so I want in on all this info!

SHBoss1673

Way more than people with healthy glandular function, people with metabolic conditions really should go to a lab (at least) once a year and have their RMR and TDEE checked. Considering that you have a diagnosed condtion, this may be (probably is) covered by most health insurance plans. If not, there are a lot of university programs that are willing to accept people for testing, you can check that out. Otherwise it's a few hundred dollars to have it checked (well worth it IMHO if you have the money to do it), this can let you know what your body really burns in an average day, and thus can allow you to actually plan your nutrition accordingly.

stovall73

I spellend deficiency wrong! Sorry! Stutter fingers!

stovall73

I spelled spell wrong! I give up!

farmgirlh

I was diagnosed in 2002, I would say find a new doctor. The one you have doesn't seem to be taking care of you properly. Also get a full thyroid test run, now they are probably just checking your tsh and you need to have your T4 and T3 checked to make sure it is all working properly. Your TSH levels should be around the 1.0 mark if they aren't then they need to adjust your meds. It took me 18 months to find a doctor who knew what she was talking about. She also helped me figure out how to lose the weight I had gained. I am always here if you need anything else. Good luck!!

mom12868

I do go every 3 months and they keep increasing my dosage. Yes I'm so tired I could take a nap right now and its 9am... after I slept 8 straight hours. I also got these lovely (sarcasim) things on my arms called Granuloma Annulairs that look like ring worm but are caused by the Thyroid... so not only do I look like crap because of the weight but people think I have a skin disease. My husband is great and said if I wanted Lypo he'd pay but I've told him they could suck it out but it would come right back because my thyroid is out of control. I do feel better because I'm at the gym and I've told my doctor how depressed this is and she just keeps saying give it time... Thanks for all the feed back I just wish I could put a sign on me that says I don't eat unhealthy its my Thyroid so people would stop looking at me like I'm a lazy blob.

mom12868

What is RMR and TDEE?

mzenzer

I was diagnosed under two years ago after years of that fatigue feeling. I did gain weight but could lose here and there if I ate right and exercised. Dr.'s could not figure out what was wrong with me, because I was just under what you would call clinical hypothyroid. Basically, their testing methods are dated and they blamed my fatigue on everything else except what it was. I opted for a natural solution called GTA from Doctor's Nutrition. Problem is, besides being more expensive, is you can only get it from a Doctor, Holistic or otherwise. It's not prescription it's just the company doesn't deal directly with the public. It's made of dessicated pig thyroid. This is what has been used to treat hypothyroid since the late 1800's. Synthroid was developed in the 50s and hasn't changed, and it only addresses T4. Research now shows that all other T levels, especially T3, are important. For an option besides GTA and synthroid, you can try armour thyroid. It is a prescription, but addresses all T levels.

This book helped me a lot. http://www.amazon.com/Stop-Thyroid-Madness-Revolution-Treatment/dp/0615144314/ref=sr_1_24?ie=UTF8&qid=1290175838&sr=8-24

I highly recommend it it's very enlightening. FYI I'm about 8-10 pounds from my goal weight now after losing about 35 pounds.

Edited to add: When I first started taking GTA, I felt high for lack of a better way of putting it. Turns out that's what normal people with actual energy feel like lol!! Sublingual B12 helps a lot too.

SHBoss1673

I do go every 3 months and they keep increasing my dosage. Yes I'm so tired I could take a nap right now and its 9am... after I slept 8 straight hours. I also got these lovely (sarcasim) things on my arms called Granuloma Annulairs that look like ring worm but are caused by the Thyroid... so not only do I look like crap because of the weight but people think I have a skin disease. My husband is great and said if I wanted Lypo he'd pay but I've told him they could suck it out but it would come right back because my thyroid is out of control. I do feel better because I'm at the gym and I've told my doctor how depressed this is and she just keeps saying give it time... Thanks for all the feed back I just wish I could put a sign on me that says I don't eat unhealthy its my Thyroid so people would stop looking at me like I'm a lazy blob.

Resting metabolic rate and Total Daily Energy Expendature.

These are taken via Indirect calorimetry testing (they make you breath though a tube and record the oxygen burn, which directly correlates to how many calories you burn).

If you've had this done, can you post the results? It would be a huge help.

wife2mikejh

I haven't been officially diagnosed but I feel like I have a thyroid problem as well. I have great difficulty losing weight even when exercising and eating healthy. I read about taking pure iodine to help with the thyroid. I am currently taking it for two weeks now and have lost 2 lbs. I don't know if it is that or the exercising I've been doing, but I am going to keep taking it for a while to see.

CORTNEY5

I haven't been officially diagnosed but I feel like I have a thyroid problem as well. I have great difficulty losing weight even when exercising and eating healthy. I read about taking pure iodine to help with the thyroid. I am currently taking it for two weeks now and have lost 2 lbs. I don't know if it is that or the exercising I've been doing, but I am going to keep taking it for a while to see.

Your best bet would be to get to a doc and get some bloodwork done and see if your thyroid is low. If it's not it may be some other underlying condition that you don't want to overlook.

stovall73

I used to take Armour Thyroid! I loved it and it worked. Now I am told it is discontinued, and I am back on Levothyroxine. Not the best at all. Thank you for the idea on the other stuff. I go back for a checkup in a month, and cannot wait to talk to my Dr. about it!

sharper43

I used to take Armour Thyroid! I loved it and it worked. Now I am told it is discontinued, and I am back on Levothyroxine. Not the best at all. Thank you for the idea on the other stuff. I go back for a checkup in a month, and cannot wait to talk to my Dr. about it!

Armour is NOT discontinued! Last year, they temporarily ran out and it took a while to replenish the supply. I started taking Armour last summer and still taking it. It's much more widely available now. Please look into it again if it worked for you.

I used to take Synthroid. I'm SOOO glad I'm on Armour. Even though I'm not having any luck on weight loss, I feel so much better now than I did when I was on Synthroid.

mankymay

I am also on Synthroid and was wondering how much of being hypo effected my energy level and weight gain. I also was just diagnosed with Anemia and am having Iron injections weekly until I stabelize. I hope that my energy picks up so I can focus on exercising. Sometimes it is all I have to make it through a day. I hope that starting to eat better will also help give me more energy.

NikkiJ17

I used to take Armour Thyroid! I loved it and it worked. Now I am told it is discontinued, and I am back on Levothyroxine. Not the best at all. Thank you for the idea on the other stuff. I go back for a checkup in a month, and cannot wait to talk to my Dr. about it!

Armour is NOT discontinued! Last year, they temporarily ran out and it took a while to replenish the supply. I started taking Armour last summer and still taking it. It's much more widely available now. Please look into it again if it worked for you.

I used to take Synthroid. I'm SOOO glad I'm on Armour. Even though I'm not having any luck on weight loss, I feel so much better now than I did when I was on Synthroid.

I take Armour. Yes they did run out last year but I haven't had any problem getting it for at least the last 6 months.

2bfitforever

Way more than people with healthy glandular function, people with metabolic conditions really should go to a lab (at least) once a year and have their RMR and TDEE checked. Considering that you have a diagnosed condtion, this may be (probably is) covered by most health insurance plans. If not, there are a lot of university programs that are willing to accept people for testing, you can check that out. Otherwise it's a few hundred dollars to have it checked (well worth it IMHO if you have the money to do it), this can let you know what your body really burns in an average day, and thus can allow you to actually plan your nutrition accordingly.

How can you find a lab that checks RMR and TDEE? I live in Virginia. Thanks!

2bfitforever

I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto's Thyroidism when I was 22ish. My levels were out of wack after my son was born so I went on medication. While I was pregnant with my daughter, I was borderline hyper so I went off the meds. My numbers have been normal since (nine yrs). I was able to lose weight after she was born but I was working out 2 /12 hours at the gym. Boring story as to why I quit working out but I have gained 40 lbs over the last 7 yrs. I don't really think it is my thyriod but I do know that it takes a lot for me to lose the lbs. -- like working out 2 1/2 hours a day and eating a low calorie diet. My thyroid is enlarged and has nodules so my endogrinologis wants to remove it soon but I am putting it off until I lose some of this weight.

NikkisNewStart

I also have Hashimoto's and have zero thyroid function because of it. I was diagnosed 9 years ago and have been on Synthroid ever since. As you can tell from my ticker- it is possible to lose weight with work and determination (which it takes that with anyone). You should do these things concurrently... number 1: find a new doctor- an endocrinologist. I have never heard of a doctor spacing out appointments 6 months, especially when trying to regulate your levels. When I have had my levels abnormal- I was seen monthly for bloodwork until I went at least 2 months in a normal level. I still return every 3 months. See an endocrinologist and not a family physician or other type doctor.

While you are getting that worked out- start exercising if you aren't already. I know all about low energy levels trust me. A normal thyroid fluctuates based on your body's needs... when your hormone is delivered in a set amount in pill form- sometimes it can be not enough and sometimes it can be too much... I have my 'off' days where I know I am not getting enough but it all comes out in the wash when I check out in a 'normal' range. It is just something that is what it is for me. Exercising will tremendously help your metabolism.

In addition- what types of food are you eating? It has taken me years to realize and accept that my body just does not process certain foods the same ways as others. I have accepted this fact and realized that if I wanted to lose the weight- I had to find the foods that worked for me and avoid the ones that didn't. Mary J. Shomon has a book called The Thyroid Diet that helped me as a starting off point. She also has tons of information on the internet. Please check out her stuff and hopefully it will get you started in the right direction with food choices.

As you can see- I have met my goal weight and I have zero thyroid function. My thyroid will never work again and I am dependent on Synthroid every day. I exercise, eat clean foods (and the right foods for me), drink water, and see my endocrinologist often... this combination has allowed me to lose 82 lbs despite my health obstacles! It can be done! Good luck!

ShaHawth

Hi i have had this problem for 15 years and about 8 years ago lost 3.5 stone with weight watchers so its possible.. i must say i have since put the weight back on ... not saying that is the answer I cant seem to get motivated to do that again.... recently on holiday i lost 12lbs without trying in 10 days.. just by eating healthy swiming and walking a little more so it is possible to lose weight, but easy to fall back into using car and snacking on the wrong things... eating more fish seems to help me with the energy levels a bit . i also believe having a thyroid issue you need to eat slighty less anyway.. sorry this doesnt sound much help

cheriefes

I have been on synthroid since I was a teenager. I am soon to be 48. I changed to taking T3, which helped me, not be dizzy, when you bend down for something and come up, my feet and hands were a bit warmer. I changed again however because of the cost, it was $50 out of pocket each month vs the $5 copay for synthroid. I am now on Armour Thyroid, which is covered by insurance, I have not noticed any physical difference, I can't tell, I live in Minnesota and my hands and feet have been a bit cold, but it's been very cold here!

I know it is very hard to lose weight, I need to workout and eat right. This website is great for keeping you focused on the reality of what you are eating! Don't get discouraged, try to make good choices, but always give yourself a treat now and again to keep you on course! Hang in there.

cheriefes

I take Armour thyroid, I get it through the mail.

rpmtnbkr

Wow... This explains a lot. tere is another thread about this same topic:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/841810-thryoid-problems-need-help?page=1#posts-12652590

I had posted this there last night:

I too have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Frustrating for sure. This time last year as usual I had made the effort to get back in shape after the holidays. After 2.5 months of tracking calories and exercising 1-2 hours a day I ended up with a 1 pound loss and no decrease in body fat%.

After researching symptoms of fatigue and low sexual desire along with the results I wasn't getting I thought I might be suffering from low T. I discussed things with my doctor when I went for routine blood work. After results came back Testosterone was fine but thyroid levels were low. Oh joy another pill.... after researching that the symptoms were basically the same. After a week or two, I began to have a little more pep in my step, along with desire and some weight loss.

Things remained steady through out the summer until fall came. I noticed I had started to get a little sluggish again, along with some weight gain, despite working out. So during my normal yearly physical tests it came out thyroid levels were low again. Increase your dose. Energy levels came back up as well as weight.

The 1st of December I jumped in with both feet on the exercise wagon along with tracking calories. I'm currently exactly the same weight as I was on the 1st of December, although body fat actually had come down the last couple of days until this morning.

Hopefully something will break soon....

After reading the posts here that fills in the blanks and explains quite a bit. Maybe now I can keep my frustration in check...

Carol_L

I spent years undiagnosed, mostly because doctors didn't think to look at thyroid problems in women below a certain age, and certainly not one who had never been pregnant. I was constantly cold, had really low blood pressure, and could walk by a picture of a cupcake and gain 10 lbs. It was honestly a relief to find out what the problem finally was.

Dealing with low thyroid is frustrating, that's true, but it can be dealt with and you can be successful at losing weight and keeping it off. It does take time, effort, and sometimes being your own advocate when dealing with your doctor. PubMed can be your friend when it comes to following research related to the condition. I know researching came in handy when my doctor wanted to put me on cholesterol medication when my levels were above what he felt comfortable with. If I had not been aware of the relationship between T3/T4 levels and cholesterol, and had not inquired about where I was sitting on the scale at the time (it turned out I was on the low end of 'normal'), I would have ended up on another pill instead of just getting my dosage revised upwards. On my follow up visit 3 months later, surprise, my cholesterol levels were down to where they should be.

For myself, I've been finding that exercises that build muscle mass have helped me to lose weight and keep it off. The thing with muscle is that having more of it will raise your metabolism, because it takes more energy to maintain. The process has been slow, but I have manged to maintain my losses through the holidays and while on vacation.

ejrambo0804

I have had Hypothyroidism for a few years now. I originally realized I had it because I was eating right and working out six to seven times a week and still gaining weight, I gained fifty pounds. Somehow, still unbeknownst to me, I lost twenty pounds from August to November of 2012. I was still determined to lose the other thirty. So a friend and I set up a fitness challenge. In this challenge we helped each other reach the goals we had set.

From January until May:

I used myfitnesspal - to keep track of my calories and nutrition
I ate chicken, fruits, vegetables, granola, yogurt, and if I did eat carbs (which was rare) I would eat whole grains
I only allowed myself one cheat meal a week
I also worked out three to six times a week.

I was able to lose fifteen more pounds. I then slipped off of the healthy wagon and fluctuated five pounds. The last few weeks I have decided to get back on board and I have lost the five I fluctuated and an additional few. So as long as you're eating the right foods and exercising you will get back to where you were. By no means is this an easy task, I get frustrated all the time. It comes down to how bad you want it.

Oh, one more thing; make sure you do your follow up with your doctor, my doctor changed my medicine four times before it worked. Good luck.

luckyFairy81

I was also diagnosed with Hypo thyroidsm 2.5 months ago
and on levo 50mcg from past 3 months.

my doctor said my TSH level was 7.2 something. Before i was diagnosed i packed on 25 pounds and all my blood work was mess. cholesterol ,prediabitic.

for sure i can say this happened within a year ,as my last year blood was normal

I started this collection, after I was diagnosed with Hypothryroid.

Symptoms I experienced
Frequent sore throat
Dullness
Fatigue
Headaches
Muscle pains(neck/arms and back)
Thin hair
Weight gain
Restless legs(esp at night) ,when i try to sleep)
Sinus
not able to sleep . I used to sleep like baby before.. now if i get up night to pee ,its very difficult to go back to sleep)

After that I started researching why I was having this thyroid issues and what should I do to overcome that.

1. Vitamin D deficiency ( yes this is serious ,and people in northern parts esp in winter... take Vitamin D) ,spend atleast 15-45 mins in sun,without sunscreen. mornings are best

2. Iron deficiency: no need to explain ,but hypothyroid effects your body absorption of these minerals

BOOST YOUR THYROID FUNCTION:
1. Eat more of these great sources of iodine to enhance thyroid function:
• Low fat cheese
• Cow’s milk
• Eggs
• Low fat ice cream
• Low fat yogurt
• Seaweed (including kelp, dulce, nori)
• Soy sauce
2. Eat less of these foods; they slow your thyroid because they block your thyroid and your medication from producing thyroid hormone properly, especially when eaten raw. Cooking these foods inactivates their anti-thyroid properties. These foods are called goitrogens, which are chemicals that lower thyroid function. Eat these foods sparingly or only once every four days:
• Almonds
• Cauliflower (Any vegetable that falls into the broccoli family is a goitrogen and shouldn’t be eaten more than twice a week if you have hypothyroidism.)
• Millet
• Pears
• Turnips
• Brussels sprouts
• Corn
• Mustard
• Pine nuts
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Peaches
• Soy (Isoflavones block iodine)
• Canola oil
• Peanuts
• Spinach
3. Workout every day. All you need is a pair of sneakers and a watch, and you’re ready to go. For optimal thyroid function, you must exercise at least three days a week for 40 minutes per workout.

Enhance your thyroid with supplements. Take thyroid-enhancing supplements daily to gently and safely keep your thyroid working optimally for life. The best way to treat anything is to prevent it! Supplementing is the best way to keep your thyroid running at an optimal rate and to keep your weight under control. Start your supplement regime first by using a very strong, high quality multivitamin

WHAT CAN WE DO
These are needed depending on which symptoms

• B12 with folate (not folic acid) try one with hydroxocobalamin or Methylcobalamin : this fights insomnia ,Depression.
• Magnesium,Zinc,Selenium (nuts like brazil Nuts ,walnuts ,not too much) :These also help with restless leg syndromes
• Vitamin D (go out in Sun ,if not able to in winters try to take vitamin d supplements.)
• Vitamin C ( not absorbic acid)
• IRON ( make sure you have enough Iron)
• For gut health try Triphala or taking lemon+warmwater with empty stomach
• For lowering Stress : Aswagandha ,holy tulasi leaves
• Your body should have Optimal Stomach acid to absorb nutrients. (google stomach acid)
Use coconut oil for cooking. This helps a lot and has many benefits. Say no to corn /vegetable oil. If you have to try canola.
Avoid processed cheeses ,use fresh /organic ones

I was able to loose 7 pounds these past 2 months by following above and keepng my limit to 1200-1400 cals

IMPORTANT : do not do Diet(restrict calories ) or high intensity exercise without addressing HypoThyroid. You will just pack pounds . Trust me i had that. Your body will reduce its BMR(metobolic rate) due to bad adernal function and keeps storing Fat. Try low intensity like walking etc ,till you feel good ,no aches. Then try high intensity ones

luckyFairy81

Avoid Soy. Most protein powder contain that.

also check if you have any gluten intolerance . this is number 1 culprit as you may have developed inflammation.

tracking foods and also in notes you can add next day any symptoms you had experienced. If bad ,try to see which foods you ate caused that.

I used to eat lot of strawberries ,and i was fine.

but recently ,post hypThyroid whenever i ate that ,my symptoms began worse. so eliminated that. I guess i can reintroduce that after sometime

editorgrrl

I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease). I lost weight 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