hypothyroidism - obstacle or excuse?

cpldjski

I have family history of Thyroid disorders, both hyper and hypo, on both sides. My mother had Grave's disease and had her Thyroid removed. Two years ago I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's. I have been focused on losing weight now for almost a year, and have lost 72 pounds. In the past two months I have changed from hypo to hyper. No idea why, but my doctor and I are working on my meds to get it back under control. Anyways, long story short, I used to use it as an excuse. Anytime weight was brought up I would say, but I have thyroid issues. No I see that it is an excuse. I have lost weight. A lot of weight. Even with thyroid problems. I have seen many people on the site doing the same thing. It can be done. I know in addition to my pure Synthroid, I also take B12 supplements with is supposed to help with metabolism and calcium supplements as well.

Good luck to you.

grannygethealthy1111

Your doctor is simply incorrect. He obviously is not using the new guidelines. For some people, even if the TSH level is normal, or even in some bases, low normal, there may still be a situation where one is functionally hypothyroid, due to the body's inability to move convert circulating T4 thyroid hormone into the active T3 hormone at the cellular level, inadequate T3 hormone levels in general, or other factors. You absolutely must have the T3 tested to determine if you have hypothyroidism. A TSH alone is not enough.

See a specialist.

meggoos

I would suggest seeing an endocrinologist. Uncontrolled hypothyroid can lead to health complications down the road. Just had my first blood tests in about 8 months and my TSH came back at over 6! This is despite being on 75mcg of sythroid. Shocking too was my cholesterol was high. I have always had very low cholesterol and was in low-normal range a year and a half ago when I last got tested. The doctor explained that under active thyroid can raise your cholesterol and cause early heart disease as well. I hadn't known that.

gammybarb

Only the medication will help you. I am the only one in my peer family who has it but one of my children has Hashimoto's. and just went on meds a week ago after she was diagnosed. Radiation for throat cancer messed up my thyroid. My general P put me on Synthroid 5 years ago. Without it I am wet toast
Glad to hear you are going to another doctor. I hope it turns out well for you.

Vermilla

Your doctor is simply incorrect. He obviously is not using the new guidelines. For some people, even if the TSH level is normal, or even in some bases, low normal, there may still be a situation where one is functionally hypothyroid, due to the body's inability to move convert circulating T4 thyroid hormone into the active T3 hormone at the cellular level, inadequate T3 hormone levels in general, or other factors. You absolutely must have the T3 tested to determine if you have hypothyroidism. A TSH alone is not enough.

See a specialist.

I absolutely agree. I HAD liked my doctor until this point. I can't believe - with how kind and understanding he's always been - that he'd literally laughed when I asked for an explaination. I was so shocked that I forgot what I was saying and hung up. He didn't listen to a word I said about how I physically felt nor did he order the T3 like I very specifically asked. I just can't believe it. Now I have to wait a really long time to see a specialist because nobody has any appointments open and available so it'll take a while. By the time I get an appointment, I'll be out of state.

km47

All three of my kids are hypothyroid and all five of my sisters are hypothyroid, if you are hypothyroid, you get meds. Not only is it related to your metabolism, it is related to regulating your heart rate, your response to stress, your nervous system. It must mean that he is watching your thyroid levels but you are NOT hypthyroid right now. There is a healthy range that once you fall out of, they treat. Your resistance to weight loss is not related to your hypthyroid at the moment, it might be insulin resistance or cortisol levels. If you have sleep apnea, or snore a lot at night, it causes chronic sleep deprivation which then can lead to elevated coritisol levels which then can promote weight gain.

Vermilla

All three of my kids are hypothyroid and all five of my sisters are hypothyroid, if you are hypothyroid, you get meds. Not only is it related to your metabolism, it is related to regulating your heart rate, your response to stress, your nervous system. It must mean that he is watching your thyroid levels but you are NOT hypthyroid right now. There is a healthy range that once you fall out of, they treat. Your resistance to weight loss is not related to your hypthyroid at the moment, it might be insulin resistance or cortisol levels. If you have sleep apnea, or snore a lot at night, it causes chronic sleep deprivation which then can lead to elevated coritisol levels which then can promote weight gain.

Sleep? I don't sleep. I nap for 2 hours at the most. I haven't slept more than that in over a decade. I often go days without sleep. I've had to be put out before at a hospital because I couldn't sleep. :laugh:

This doesn't actually bother me, just so it's known. I keep forgetting that it's not "normal" but it is for me.

healthorhighwater

if your thyroid is bad enough to *affect ur weight*, you would be put on meds for it! if you're not on medication for it, it's obviously not slow enough to affect ur weight. I have hypothyroidism and when from 145lbs to 110lbs and I'm a busy junior in college. Hate to break it to you, but it's an excuse

servilia

if your thyroid is bad enough to *affect ur weight*, you would be put on meds for it! if you're not on medication for it, it's obviously not slow enough to affect ur weight.

This is simply untrue and faulty logic.

livinginwoods

I have it and my Dr. monitors it every 3 months. Last time I was normal and my pills stayed the same and I do feel better. I know when I need an up on my meds because my hair will start falling out and I will feel extremely tired. The new dosage seems to do the trick for me for now. But it is not an excuse not to eat right.

Vermilla

if your thyroid is bad enough to *affect ur weight*, you would be put on meds for it! if you're not on medication for it, it's obviously not slow enough to affect ur weight.

This is simply untrue and faulty logic.

I agree. It's entirely untrue. It controls more than just your weight. And I highly doubt with my diet and my exercise that there's absoluetely nothing wrong that I don't lose weight, among the depression, the constant coldness even when temperatures are 70F or higher, and numerous other symptoms I'm not going to rename here. Also, to be frank, if you can't even take the time to spell out a word, you obviously don't have the intellect to know what you're talking about.

fiberartist219

My doctor (general practice, not a specialist) says my THS is 2.8 and my free T4 is .5. He said the normal ranges were .3 - 5 for the THS and .5 - 8 for the free T4 but my mom's specialist says the normal ranges are .5 - 3 for the THS and .7 - 5 for the free T4. My doctor says mine is just barely in the range but my mom's specialist says the T4 is too low and the THS is a bit high, almost to the borderline and that it may be subclinical. The specialist asked for my T3 but my doctor didn't do a T3. Now I'm utterly confused on what's right because my doctor literally LAUGHED at me when I asked for an explination and said to come back in 3 months. I'm confused and not sure what to do

Go see the specialist. You really need a second opinion. The T3 is one of the MOST IMPORTANT levels in hypothyroidism. You absolutely need to have that tested. TSH is an indicator, but it doesn't really tell you anything about how you are metabolizing. T4 is converted in to T3, but T3 is what your body actually uses for cell function.

You need to have this checked, and the bloodwork is not that expensive.

I was subclinical when I first got treated, but my thyroid conditioned worsened, and I feel like utter crap when my levels are off. I finally feel like I am at a good dosage of meds, and I feel like anything is possible when I am on the right level of hormone. When I am running low on thyroid hormones, I feel like crap and I can't function. I literally sleep half my life away and it doesn't matter if I'm gaining weight or not because I'm too asleep to care.

Seriously, don't be afraid to get a second opinion and get this taken care of.

Getting on too much of a thyroid hormone dosage can be dangerous too if you have any heart conditions, but when I got on too much of a dosage, I just had some interesting bathroom experiences and got jittery, and once we reduced it just a tad, I felt amazing.

As far as your original question: is it an obstacle or excuse? It's both really. It is a huge obstacle, but that does not mean you should give up. Once your condition is treated, it becomes an excuse, but if you are not at the right levels, it is an obstacle.

fiberartist219

PS. if you can't find a specialist, go see another regular general practitioner. I have never been to an endocrinologist because my family doctor seems to have this under control. Just find the help you need when and where you can find it. Testing will not hurt, and it is inexpensive, so there is no reason why they can't test you.

StatutoryGrape

I haven't read the whole thread, but I want to point out that if you are still having symptoms, it doesn't matter if your levels are normal--get a second opinion. I had to push and push and push for my GP to order the T3 and T4 tests because she believes TSH is the only thing that matters. She said my weight gain was "normal" because I'm "getting older and filling out" (I'm 22, and 25 pounds in a year is not normal growing-up weight gain), but once she talked to an endocrinologist about that plus my other symptoms, what he said was "Get her in here ASAP."

I take levothyroxine currently and am also taking a B vitamin complex to help with my energy levels. It helps a little, but I'm still going to see the doctor in a couple of weeks. You can't ignore your symptoms with hypothyroidism--you need to keep pushing until you find someone who's willing to look at the ENTIRE picture, not just labs.

Vermilla

I haven't read the whole thread, but I want to point out that if you are still having symptoms, it doesn't matter if your levels are normal--get a second opinion. I had to push and push and push for my GP to order the T3 and T4 tests because she believes TSH is the only thing that matters. She said my weight gain was "normal" because I'm "getting older and filling out" (I'm 22, and 25 pounds in a year is not normal growing-up weight gain), but once she talked to an endocrinologist about that plus my other symptoms, what he said was "Get her in here ASAP."

I take levothyroxine currently and am also taking a B vitamin complex to help with my energy levels. It helps a little, but I'm still going to see the doctor in a couple of weeks. You can't ignore your symptoms with hypothyroidism--you need to keep pushing until you find someone who's willing to look at the ENTIRE picture, not just labs.

Aye I agree. My friends know how serious my symptoms are because of the mere fact that I AM going to see a doctor. I'm one of those who doesn't ever go. I've passed out before due to refusal to see doctors (totally different story). I suppose part of my fear is that the specialist won't listen to a word I say either. They obviously deal with this kind of thing a lot more than a general practioner but I've never been to one and fear they won't listen to me either or else they'll use the "old system" or some other BS. It's not the fear of the test/blood work, but rather the fear of those with a medical degree acting like the rest of the world is made up of idiots. I have no idea how much it costs (hopefully not too much) because I've already set an appointment in 2 weeks!

P.S. Gaining 35 pounds in three months while dieting (but not exercising at that point in time minus all the "exercise" a single mom gets) is also not "normal" like I've been told. I'm STILL working on getting it off, and it's been over a year!

StatutoryGrape

Aye I agree. My friends know how serious my symptoms are because of the mere fact that I AM going to see a doctor. I'm one of those who doesn't ever go. I've passed out before due to refusal to see doctors (totally different story). I suppose part of my fear is that the specialist won't listen to a word I say either. They obviously deal with this kind of thing a lot more than a general practioner but I've never been to one and fear they won't listen to me either or else they'll use the "old system" or some other BS. It's not the fear of the test/blood work, but rather the fear of those with a medical degree acting like the rest of the world is made up of idiots. I have no idea how much it costs (hopefully not too much) because I've already set an appointment in 2 weeks!

P.S. Gaining 35 pounds in three months while dieting (but not exercising at that point in time minus all the "exercise" a single mom gets) is also not "normal" like I've been told. I'm STILL working on getting it off, and it's been over a year!

It takes some work to find a good doctor. Even my previous endocrinologist wasn't concerned about the fact that the pounds were just sneaking on, despite the fact that I had been a very slender girl only a few months before he removed half my thyroid. Don't be afraid to tell the doctor what's what--if you're not feeling well, there is no reason for you to accept some half-assed response. The bloodwork shouldn't cost much--I looked on my insurance carrier's website before I made my appointment, and even without any insurance, it looked like each test was only $10 or so.

It's incredible what doctors will tell us. Even without exercise, I shouldn't have gained that weight because I simply don't eat enough extra calories to justify that much weight. A few pounds, yes. 25? Hell no. When you add the fact that losing weight is HARD when you have a bum thyroid, it's just depressing to be told "That's the way it is!" Keep pressing for answers. Good luck!

WifeNMama

My sisters take kelp supplements, and ingestible iodine. Not the kind you can use on cuts. One of my sisters didn't know there was a difference and would have poisoned herself eventually if the kind pharmacist hadn't asked her what all the iodine was for. :-P
It helps the mood swings and irritability, not sure what else.

blairsselme

Hypertension (HTN) or high blood pressure is a cardiac chronic medical condition in which the systemic arterial blood pressure is elevated. What that means is that the heart is having to work harder than it should to pump the blood around the body. Blood pressure involves two measurements, systolic and diastolic. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 mm/Hg. [1] The first figure is the systolic blood pressure, the pressure there is in the arteries when your heart is contracting. The second, or lower figure, is the diastolic blood pressure, which is the pressure in your arteries between heart beats. High blood pressure is anything above 140/90 mm/Hg. Hypertension is the opposite of hypotension. Hypertension is classified as either primary (essential) hypertension or secondary hypertension; about 90–95% of cases are categorized as "primary hypertension," which means high blood pressure with no obvious medical cause.[2] The remaining 5–10% of cases (Secondary hypertension) are caused by other conditions that affect the kidneys, arteries, heart or endocrine system.

Persistent hypertension is one of the risk factors for stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure and arterial aneurysm, and is a leading cause of chronic kidney failure. Moderate elevation of arterial blood pressure leads to shortened life expectancy. Dietary and lifestyle changes can improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of associated health complications, although drug treatment may prove necessary in patients for whom lifestyle changes prove ineffective or insufficient.

LosingWeight2012

I have Hypothyroidism. i was diagnosed due to having heart palpitations. Apparently hypo can cause that. once i started on the levothyroxine my heart went back to normal. i have lost and gained weight. it usually depends on what i put into it. here recently i'm struggling with low vitamin d levels due to my thyroid. i have trouble absorbing it. it makes working out very painful. i twitch and have muscle cramps every day. low thyroid and low vitamin d is depressing.

LosingWeight2012

sorry let me clarify. they gave me a blood test due to the heart palpitations. after that it showed my levels were too low. explained why i slept all day too. i feel ur pain and wish you better health.