Cancer Survivor, Thyroid Problems and Weight Loss

Birder150

I too have thyroid cancer and am dealing with TSH suppression therapy. I am very close to hyper at 0.1 (up from 0.03) six months ago, and yet I can't lose weight and I am tired all the time. I read that a small percentage can actually GAIN while being hyperthyroid. FANTASTIC! I did Jenny Craig and followed it perfectly, exactly 1200 calories a day and given that I am very heavy, you would think the weight would fall of me. NOPE! Spent a ton and lost little. It's so hard...

I'm currently hyperthyroid and not having a good time of it at all. Not with the weight loss ... I seem to be ok there.
But with how I feel. Very anxious, headaches, panic attacks, heart palpitations, inability to sleep but very tired, a bit manic as well.
My body feels like it's buzzing.

I found that eating a clean diet without processed foods and no grains is helping me be able to lose weight.

We have to be careful having cancer that we don't stress our bodies with severe calorie deficits. It isn't safe to do so according to my surgeon. She was horrified to hear I was trying to keep to a 1200 calorie diet.

I wish you all the best in beating your cancer and can find a balance with your eating and weight loss. :flowerforyou:

SingSmileLaugh

I can empathize with the fuzzy feeling but also lethargic. It's a roller coaster ...

kimiel51

I too have thyroid cancer and am dealing with TSH suppression therapy. I am very close to hyper at 0.1 (up from 0.03) six months ago, and yet I can't lose weight and I am tired all the time. I read that a small percentage can actually GAIN while being hyperthyroid. FANTASTIC! I did Jenny Craig and followed it perfectly, exactly 1200 calories a day and given that I am very heavy, you would think the weight would fall of me. NOPE! Spent a ton and lost little. It's so hard...

I'm currently hyperthyroid and not having a good time of it at all. Not with the weight loss ... I seem to be ok there.
But with how I feel. Very anxious, headaches, panic attacks, heart palpitations, inability to sleep but very tired, a bit manic as well.
My body feels like it's buzzing.

I found that eating a clean diet without processed foods and no grains is helping me be able to lose weight.

We have to be careful having cancer that we don't stress our bodies with severe calorie deficits. It isn't safe to do so according to my surgeon. She was horrified to hear I was trying to keep to a 1200 calorie diet.

I wish you all the best in beating your cancer and can find a balance with your eating and weight loss. :flowerforyou:

This was me! I felt panicky in the mornings right after i took my pill and had a lot of heart palpitations. That's interesting about what your surgeon said about the calorie deficits.I've never heard that!

kimiel51

I had a total thyroidectomy in 2006. It will be 5 years on November the 15th. What type was yours, if you don't mind me asking? Mine was papillary. The doctor had to keep my levels high also, until I had two clean scans. I have my next appt. on Nov. 1 to check my levels. I am an odd ball I think, because when the endo lowered my meds I had an easier time dropping some weight, however I'm kind of stuck right now!

I have papillary as well.
I hope your appt. goes well. :flowerforyou:

Thank you and Good luck to you!

aimeelouwhite

my thyroid is underactive - nearly not working at all... I am on whole thyroid here in nz (which is derived from Pig thyroid) and I seem a lot better than ever on that compared to synthetic stuff - been on it for 4 years now. Since I cleaned up my diet and started exercising I've been able to lose weight but wonder if my meds will need adjusting with that loss?

kimiel51

my thyroid is underactive - nearly not working at all... I am on whole thyroid here in nz (which is derived from Pig thyroid) and I seem a lot better than ever on that compared to synthetic stuff - been on it for 4 years now. Since I cleaned up my diet and started exercising I've been able to lose weight but wonder if my meds will need adjusting with that loss?

My weight has been steady since starting Levothyroxine, so I can't answer that question. I guess the only way to know would be to call your doctor and see if you can just go to the lab and get your levels checked. I have an appt. coming up and my doctor will check my levels then!

UABUncleSam

Regardless if you are losing weight or not it is still a good idea to get thyroid blood work accomplished every six months to see where you stand. It takes six weeks for your body to adjust to the medication and another six weeks to start seeing results. This is what my doc has said. It is something you want to keep up on because one day you might require a larger dose and it might take a lot longer to recoupe from no doctor checkup as opposed to going and getting checked out at the six month mark.

If you stay on it and the meds need to be adjusted within that period you'll be less likely to have weight gain/unwarranted weight loss and all the other side effects that come from having a ineffective thyroid.

kel101477

I am new to this whole thyriod problem. I had two surgeries this past october. And radiation in November. I am so frustrated with the weight gain. I feel very bipolar...one minute I am fine and want to be healthy and workout and the next I just want to be overweight. I don't have the engery to go to the gym all the time. I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old and try to make healthier meals for them. I just don't know what else to do. My synthriod has been adjusted 3 times so far. I am only on .137. If there is any advice anyone could give me on weight loss and sanity I would appreciate it. Thanks