Adrenal / Thyroid Issues

TLCEsq

Has anyone here been successful with weight loss while dealing with adrenal insufficiency and/or thyroid issues? I was diagnosed hypothyroid in 2008 but I still lost weight after that. I made it through four years of law school while losing 50 pounds and then ended up gaining 20 pounds during study for the bar exam (I passed though, yay!). I wasn't really over eating but was very stressed and probably ate more junk than I should have. That was in July and my doctor did a bunch of cortisol testing... Turns out I have low cortisol and my adrenals are totally pooped. I weigh more than I have in two years and after three months it isn't budging. I'm trying to eat more right now instead of less (averaging 1700-1800 a day, but daily intake varies) and typically my exercise is 40 minutes metabolic weight circuits 3x per week, 30-60 minute brisk walks with the dog 5x per week, and 30 minutes of miscellaneous cardio 2x per week - I change it up. I know I need to eliminate processed sugar, I'm working on that. If anyone has any experience with this or any suggestions I'd appreciate it. I can't expect much while in the initial adrenal healing stage but it helps to get this out!

magdamccraven

I have a mildly hypothyroid issue. I take a prescription med. called Levothyroxin and it helps me with burning calories. I have to keep my calories really low to lose though.

houzkat

I'm hypothyroid and I know there are lots of us (and plenty of folks with other health speed bumps) on here. We can totally be successful! I think some people may just have to be a little more strict that others to see the results they want. This is the best place to find motivation and support from people on the same path. Good luck!

mumof5

hi, i have had the same problem for the last 20 years, since i was 18. I have been the perfect weight for most of my life until i started having kids then i put on a bit but i have never been obese. i try not to dwell on it as i find if i do then i start using it as an excuse! i have a no excuses policy and i know that i am my own worst enemy but i dont want to end up like my mother who is unwell, very overweight and blames it all on her thyroid and other health issues. maybe they would not be as bad if she looked after her body. if your eating well, exercising and are generally healthy then your next step is to accept what ever you have no control over! good luck with your journey

latinahada

I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about a year and a half ago...It has been a mess for me, that's a whole diff. story. Anyway, my issue is I like to eat. I eat when I'm stressed, I eat when I'm happy, I eat just to eat...Sure, the thyroid issue does play a factor in the big picture but more than anything the crap I was putting in my mouth and the amount paired with little to no exercise was the real problem. I still have a long way to go but am finally dedicated...Good luck to you!!

Lindz2323

I have hypothyroidism. I was diagnosed about 3 years ago. It did make it harder for me to lose weight at first but following MFP's guidelines I've lost 53 lbs since May 9th. I workout a lot and feel great!!! I still have a lot to lose but I'm working on it. Dont give up hope, you can definitely do this too! I'm on 75mcgs of Levothyroxine and it seems to help keep me from being tired and sluggish. I've had to up my dose since I started working out a lot in May though from 50 to 75mcgs. I try to go at least once every 2 months and get bloodwork done to see if anythings changed just in case I need to change my meds. So far I'm doing alright. Best of luck!!!

saffir27

I'm sub-clinical for hypothyroid. I have been successful losing weight. I found the key is not letting my level of activity drop when I feel more tiered. Once my activity levels drop my eating gets worse and weight comes back almost immediately. I think the key is make sure you track, stay active, and make sure your placed on thyroid hormone replacement therapy.

WifeNMama

I read somewhere that certain vegetables like broccoli can exacerbate thyroid problems. Maybe Google it. Also kelp supplements are supposed to help with the moodiness and irritability that comes with hypothyroidism. Ask your doctor about it. Two of my sisters and my mom have it so I have to keep an eye on it myself.

michelledruss

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroid a year ago this past august and I finally have it regulated to the point where I feel "normal". I take synthroid daily and also cytomel (t3) because even though my TSH rebounded from the synthroid by T3 was still low and I believe what was causing the lack of energy, pain, headaches etc. I have started to eat a non processed food diet about two months ago and have never felt better. When I am tired it's because I should be and I hardly struggle from fatigue. I keep it clean and feel that the sugars were causing such negative effects on my body so I got rid of them. My suggestion is to read information from Dr. Teitelbaum. His work is mostly in thryoid, chronic fatigue and fibromylagia and the negative effects of sugar. I also take D-Ribose as a supplement and I would reccomend that for cellular energy and depleted adrenal glands.

TLCEsq

Thanks gals! I know I am not alone and it helps to hear it! My thyroid mess have been increased every year, and I'm still symptomatic. Sometimes my body temp is in the 95's and I have a host of other problems that I found out are caused by the adrenals, and if that isn't functioning properly then no amount of thyroid meds will even help. I actually lost 30 lbs while hypothyroid before I was diagnosed.... I think all the chronic stress really did a number on me because I maintained for two years then blew up in two months. I guess I just have to stay focused and not give up... And not stress about it either! Haha.

hausofnichele

Do you have Addison's?? I am very interested in hearing your story if you don't mind. I also have a hypothyroid issue but I'm not on any medication for it right now. I have also been testing all year for Cushings Syndrome but all of my cortisol tests came back low earlier this year when they were done. My ACTH was 82 (ref range 5-27) - so it was in the 'abnormal high' area when it was tested in June. My doctors have all basically blown it off because my health has just been falling apart so rapidly this year. It's been nonstop doctor's appointments all year long and I'm very drained from it.

I'm really curious to meet other people who have adrenal problems here and I'd love to learn more.

As far as weight goes I am also borderline type II diabetic so I have cut way down on my carbs. So far I have lost a little over 14 lbs in 2 weeks. Hopefully my weight loss will continue. I wish I could offer some sort of advice for you as far as your weight goes but like I said, I would totally love to learn more about your experience with adrenal burnout.

Nichele

TLCEsq

I also have an autoimmune disease which comes with water retention, swelling and fatigue along with other not-fun stuff like fevers and flu symptoms.... I've read that the adrenals can actually exacerbate or may even cause autoimmune diseases if they're malfunctioning. I take synthroid and cytomel also but felt best when I was on armour. Then they had an armour shortage so I switched to synthetic. I'm going to check out the resources you guys suggested too!

MIMITIME

I was diagnosed with a thyroid problem over five years ago. Unfortunately, I developed a lot of other health issues before it was diagnosed. I have gained 45 pounds in the last five years and nothing that had worked before worked on losing the weight. A friend told me about this site and so far so good. I do lose weight a lot slower though. Some weeks I lose a pound but most weeks I am lucky to lose a half pound. I keep at it because at least I am not gaining like I was before. I do take thyroid meds every day. Good Luck

Congrats on passing the bar!!!!!!

TLCEsq

Nichele, I don't have full blown Addison's but adrenal insufficiency which is a precursor. Thank goodness I finally found a doctor who will listen. She did the saliva corrtisol testing, and found my adrenals are not producing enough hormones due to all the chronic stress - I didn't know what I was getting into when I wanted to become a lawyer lol. Sweets are my problem and I need to cut back on carbs too.... I'll do well for a few days and then give in again!

hausofnichele

Oh my goodness... I've been testing for autoimmune diseases all year long too. Very interesting!! Earlier this year my doctor was asking me if I had ever been tested for HIV before and my heart sank in my chest. My WBC's are always high. My body's been falling apart. I couldn't even walk most of this year. I swelled up, my heart changed rhythm, high BP - the list goes on. I have PCOS, Fibro, Osteoarthritis... kind of overwhelming to name everything but I feel where you are coming from!

TLCEsq

First they thought I had RA, then it was mixed connective tissue disease, now they dont really know. I have Sjogrens syndrome for sure along with Raynauds, and lupus symptoms like joint swelling, fever, photosensitivity, rashes, swollen lymph nodes, etc. The flu-like stuff keeps happening but that just started this year and it's like I have a virus or something but all the blood tests and strep tests are normal. Those episodes last 2-3 days. I also have bone erosion in my right hand and bone loss in my spine and hip joints. The adrenal issues have given me terrible moodswings, panic attacks, extreme tiredness... The list goes on lol.

StevLL

It is not impossible, but it takes watching how clean you eat. I can go up really easy if I don't watch closely. I'm on 50mcg. Levothyroxin, which I don't believe is a high dose, but it gets my numbers in the low normal range so it seems to be working. I got an interestiong side effect. Each time they increase my Levothyroxin my BP dropped and I got off another med. So apparently there is a link between low thyroid and high blood pressure. You can do this, just stay the course and start to reconcile what your eating to how it affects you and you'll find your groove. Good luck.

hausofnichele

Yup. I was tested twice by two different doctors for RA and Lupus. I have every symptom of RA and some Lupus symptoms (my aunt has lupus though and we are like twins). Both times my ANA tests came back negative so I don't have either "yet" apparently. In the meantime I have been sucking it up and dealing with it.

Interesting stuff about the link between thyroid function and blood pressure.

I get the flu-like symptoms too Constant pain all day every day. Well, I'm looking forward to talking with you more! Hopefully we can lose some weight

TLCEsq

Thank you all so much for sharing, it really helps to hear the experiences of others and to get suggestions and encouragement :-)

Mjolner

I was diagnosed 2.5 years ago with hypothyroidism and a cholesterol in balance, the latter which I had suspected and have under control. I was put on Synthroid (levothyroxin) and in realizing that I had hypothyroidism, I immediately changed my lifestyle and eating habits. I have never been an emotional eater, never succumbed to a junk food diet, don’t drink soft drinks etc. my only real vice where large amounts of coffee and going 100% decaf is still something I fail on from time to time. Though changing diet alone did practically nothing. Thinking that it had to be in my diet, I went to a dietitian who told me three things that made me take a double take and start looking on the wall for a diploma:
1. I wasn’t eating enough.
2. I wasn’t eating often enough.
3. I was eating too much fruit.
Beyond that the dietitian said that I was eating a well balanced diet and should be loosing the weight. Being 6’4” and 315 lbs at the time the one that really surprised me was the third one. Again I made some lifestyle changes, but also realized that I was not going to loose weight at all without exercise.
Over the following year I created an exercise routine that I stuck to, working out 4-5 times a week and 2-3 hours at the time. It was a major commitment of my time. But it resulted in 70lbs that I lost. After that first full year of exercise, I stopped loosing weight. And actually gained a few lbs back despite doing all the right things.
I have been stuck at my current weight for 10 months, and it irritates me as the math doesn’t make any sense. :-) But I am committed to the fitness journey I have embarked on and I have invested far too much time to give up. My BMR should be somewhere between 2000 and 2200 calories, and I seldom consume more than that in a day. I expend between 1000-1500 calories when I work out 4-5 times a week. So technically the lbs should just fall off, which obviously they are not, but I know that is rooted in my hormone imbalance.
We are working on trying to correct the TSH levels which were at 13 (should be .45-4.5) and completely out of control and my dose increased of Synthroid increased to 200mcg a month ago, but I have yet to see an effect on my weight loss (still got 35lbs to go to be in a good place in terms of BMI). But I have also arrived at the conclusion that I will for the rest of my life have to work twice or three times as hard or long as anyone without a thyroid condition, I have to be strictly on a carefully lean and planned diet (a lot of raw foods, veggies and fruit, fish is a primary protein source) and can no longer take part in casual or social eating. I no longer eat real meals, for the most part, I just snack on stuff 2 hours apart from mid day through out the afternoon.
All this might seem depressing but it is really not, and despite the lack of weight loss to match my efforts there are other things that I now value more; I feel great most days, I am probably in better condition than I have been in 20 years, my blood pressure and resting pulse is so low that the nurse does a double take, I am stronger than I was in my 20’s and have an effective way of releasing my many stressors and exercise has become meditation.

mumof5

I read somewhere that certain vegetables like broccoli can exacerbate thyroid problems. Maybe Google it. Also kelp supplements are supposed to help with the moodiness and irritability that comes with hypothyroidism. Ask your doctor about it. Two of my sisters and my mom have it so I have to keep an eye on it myself.

i have researched this well in the years since my diagnosis, the only vegetable that i know of is raw cabbage. maybe things have changed since i last looked...

shakybabe

My thyroid has never worked from birth I've always been on high dose.. I never had weight issues when I was young and active, until I started with mobility problems in my early thirties and become housebound.

Highest I reached was 16st (I'm only 5ft 3 and half) got down to 11st 7 a few years back but then piled a stone back on after been put on meds to control some involuntary muscle movement, I couldn't shift the weight for over a year the fatigue effect from the drugs was crippling so came off them and used exercise and physio to re-learn how to control my body and lost 19lbs so far.

I've still got about 25lbs to go to be back to where I was. At the moment cos I've lost nearly one and half stone, and I'm still on the same dose (haven't told doctor I've lost so much) I'm losing quite steadily... the dose of thyroxine is determined from your body weight too. ... hoping to get away with until after xmas to give me chance to get in the 10st range, then I'm only about a stone off (14lbs) before they lower my meds!

calliope_music

i have no idea, but i just wanted to say that i think there's something wacky going on with my endocrine system too...i'm going to see an endocrinologist in December (and i made the appointment in OCTOBER, yikes) so hopefully some light will be shed then.

TLCEsq

Wow Tordronn, I feel awful when my TSH is above 1.5, let alone how high yours was! I become VERY symptomatic when I'm above 3. I still have low T3 as well, my new doctor thinks everything is related to the adrenals.

There are some determined people here, it makes me feel even more confident! Endocrine disorders are so common with the high stress of today's world.... We gotta just keep on keeping on in our journeys to health!

Lekkie84

I'm waiting on test results, but my doctor is certain that I have an adrenal problem which is causing subclinical hypothyroidism. She's already suggested I go on a completely Paleo style diet - limit carbs and no dairy. However, in the meantime I get to sit and wait for my tests results.

For me I used to be highly active - climbing and hiking up mountains, cycling twice a week, boxing. Now it's hard to go for a run or even get to yoga. It has caused a high level of depression over the last few months.

I'm just glad I've found a doctor who will listen to me. The first GP i saw thought I was just depressed and put me on antidepressants. So, so wrong!

TLCEsq

Lekkie I'm glad you have a good doctor now! I had low cortisol at midday and low DHEA so I am now on hormone therapy, I already feel better! She increased my Synthroid because my TSH was up again and also ordered Spectracell nutrient testing. I have a few deficiencies. I'm taking so many supplements now it is crazy!

Lekkie84

Lekkie I'm glad you have a good doctor now! I had low cortisol at midday and low DHEA so I am now on hormone therapy, I already feel better! She increased my Synthroid because my TSH was up again and also ordered Spectracell nutrient testing. I have a few deficiencies. I'm taking so many supplements now it is crazy!

My TSH is sky high too. And all I want to do is sleep at lunch so sounds like we're very similar!

Looking forward to what comes next. Can't wait to get back on my bike!!

What kind of supplements are you taking?