HYPOTHYROIDISM...need a little support and tips please!

Just like clairdelune said. Seek treatment, and once you're on the proper dosage, you shouldn't have any more trouble than any other people.

It turns out I've had a hypoactive thyroid for over a year and have still managed to lose ten pounds (twice!). I only gained it back because I was eating way too much.

I struggle with weight fan from exercise with my thyroid, I did diet first then exercise. I find if I push too hard it messes with my thyroid and I take a few months to get back into balance. It can be done.

^ I agree with this comment 100%.

How do you know your thyroid is 'slow'? Do you see an endocrinologist? If so, aren't you on thyroid meds to increase the levels? If you are and your levels are stable, you should be like anyone else and just have to watch what you eat and exercise.

You don't have to go to an endocrinologist to find out if you have a thyroid problem. Although that is a good place to go to but it's not necessary. Your family doctor can order blood tests which will tell them. It's just like being diagnosed with diabetes. You don't go to a specialist to know for sure. It's through tests.

I have been on medication for my hypothyroidism for 10 years and it wasn't until 2 years ago that they were able to find the correct dosage for me. When I had the correct dosage I was able to lose weight with healthy eating (I don't call it dieting) and exercise. I lost 40lbs in 2 months. Then I got pregnant and now I'm a stay at home mom and gained all that weight back not to mention because of the hormone changes from the pregnancy I'm back to square one of trying to regulate my dosage.

So it's not all the easy, it's not like when you get on medicine you're "all better" you have to make sure you don't miss a pill or if you get pregnant then it's starting over again.

You can't eat everything that a "normal" person could if they were dieting. Some food absorptions will interact with the thyroid medicine which will not help with the weight loss. My suggestion is to do a little research online about hypothyroid diets and foods to eat and avoid. Exercising for a person with an under active thyroid has to be longer. So for someone who would exercise for 30 mins a day, you will have to do an hour. That's probably how I lost 20 lbs a month.

Go to your local book retailer or even library and look in the fitness section for a book on the ZONE diet. That's made for hypothyroidism. It's very good to know what you should and shouldn't eat.

It could be something you eat a lot of that would help you lose weight but doesn't seem to help you. Everyone loses weight differently. It's a matter of determination and motivation.

You can add me for support. I need it right back.

Hope I helped.

Totally agree with everything Claredulune said.

On a similar note, about gluten: I honestly don't know all the things that contain gluten but I guess it's carbs, mostly bread? My entire family are bread eaters (I'm talking every single meal, and outside meals too) and I've never heard of the gluten issue until I looked at American forums.... Carbs have always been my main source of nutrition and I feel terrible when I cut them out, not when I eat them. I would imagine the gluten intolerance is most likely related to some other disorder or perhaps a mix of a few things. No harm in experimenting on yourself and seeing how you feel, for me I feel better having it.

People with autoimmune thyroid issues are more likely to have other autoimmune diseases, and celiac seems to tie in closely with hashimoto's. Most theories revolve around the thyroid antibodies - that somehow the gluten issues stir up the antibodies and create further thyroid issues.

I think it's more noticable on American forums because Americas tend to consume far more breads than do Europeans. Yes, it's included in many European (using the term very loosely, I know) diets, but the proportions appear to be very different.