Thyroid Issues?

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Mick2929
Mick2929 Posts: 6 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I was diagnosed this past October with 2 types of thyroid cancer. I had surgery to remove my thyroid and have been cancer free for 3 months now. I'm eating right, but my motivation to work out is dwindling. My doctor says it's going to take time to get my hormone levels back to the right range, and that the hormone imbalance can play a very big part of weight gain and motivation to stay in shape. Anyone else dealing with the struggles of thyroid issues?
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  • lisarfrank
    lisarfrank Posts: 31
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    I have been dealing with thyroid issues my whole life and just did not know that is what it was until I was pregnant and my OBGYN asked if I have ever noticed a thickness in the lower part of my neck. I said, "uh yeah, I am 8 months pregnant and thickness is everywhere". lol Well since 2010 I have had Ultrasounds every 6 months, my lab work leans toward Hyper and the thyroid is enlarged with 2 cold nodules and this last scan showed a mass behind my thyroid. Good thing is there is no blood flow and they seem to believe it is benign. I see my Dr on the 18th and we are scheduling a CT with contrast. My whole life I have stuggled with anxiety and depression, heat intolerance, hair falling out, trouble swallowing and that is just to name a few of the bothersome issues I have had. I just always wrote it off on anxiety and depression. I have been on and off medication since high school. I am currently taking Lexapro and combined with running everyday I feel the best I have in a long time. I just hope that one day I can have my thyroid functioning properly and I can be off medication.

    Since you are hypo, once your medication is at the right dose, you will have no issue losing weight and having motivation. It just takes time. I know 2 people who do not have a thyroid and are in good shape. You cannot fall off the wagon though. It is all or nothing.
  • lisarfrank
    lisarfrank Posts: 31
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    Glad to hear you are cancer free as well! You are too younger, girl! :bigsmile:
  • Mick2929
    Mick2929 Posts: 6 Member
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    Well thank you! It was definitely a shock. I found a nodule on my neck when I was on vacation (and was a little intoxicated too so I freaked! lol). I feel good most days, but there are some days when my hormones are so out of whack that my husband is like, "wtf is wrong with you?" I'm currently on Levothyroxine, and where I live it's starting to get warm again so I've been walking with my daughter after I get off work and that seems to be helping as well as getting some exercise in. I see my doctor again on the 1st for an ultrasound and blood work to make sure everything is going back to normal. I'll be anxious to hear what the results are of your appointment on the 18th. Seems like you have been going through a lot for most of your life. Glad to know other people deal with this!
  • lisarfrank
    lisarfrank Posts: 31
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    You know, it honestly was just who I thought I was and just really blew it off and did not think I had a problem. I just cannot believe that I have had this my whole life almost and no one ever caught it. So we will see what the CT says in a couple weeks. I am not on anything as of yet, but I am thinking I will be as of the 18th. Did your meds not make you lose weight when you first started taking them? The Dr told me that was a side effect (side effect???Hell I would have been popping those bad boys a long time ago if I knew that).
  • GottaHavePav
    GottaHavePav Posts: 22 Member
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    Glad to hear that you are cancer free. I've been on medication for a year for thyroid issues and I'm not sure I feel any better since I began taking the stuff. And no, I didn't lose any weight!!
  • lisarfrank
    lisarfrank Posts: 31
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    You may want to talk with your Dr on your dose. =)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    It will take a while to sort out your dosage. And even then, it will be an ongoing thing. Thankfully you were diagnosed and treated effectively.

    In the meantime, clean up your diet as much as you can. Read as much as you can about food and thyroid (or lack of). There is a lot you can do to improve your treatment and your life enjoyment in general.

    Keep your spirits up. Exercise is a terrific mood booster! Good luck.
  • skinnyme47
    skinnyme47 Posts: 805 Member
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    There is a group here that may be of some help to you. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/753-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism
  • Cassierocksalot
    Cassierocksalot Posts: 266 Member
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    Congrats on being cancer free!! But please do not believe that "once you get on your right dosage you'll be able to lose weight just fine". I've been hypothyroid for over 10 years now and that's rarely the case. Keep in contact with your doctor and keep having your levels checked. My dosage gets adjusted at least once a year because of fluxuating thyroid hormone levels. We're women. Our hormones don't stay at a steady/constant and so our medication shouldn't either.

    Also, check out this group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism

    There are a lot of women going through what you're going through right now and the motivation can really get you through sometimes. Good luck with everything!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    Just to add....I've been on levothyroxine for 25 years. The best thing I did was to clean up my diet and eliminate unnecessary sugars and carbohydrates. It made a huge difference in how I feel and in my weight loss and thyroid levels. I was able to drop my dosage by quite a bit by losing weight and changing my diet and adding moderate exercise.
  • Cassierocksalot
    Cassierocksalot Posts: 266 Member
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    I also noticed a huge difference not just cutting down on carbs but gluten specifically. It has made a HUGE difference for me.
  • Mick2929
    Mick2929 Posts: 6 Member
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    If weight loss was a side effect I would have been taken as many pills a day that I could, but unfortunately, no, I feel that it has made it harder to lose. At the same time, I don't work out as near as much as I should. I definitely think that would help, just need to get back into that motivational mindset.
  • sbbhbm
    sbbhbm Posts: 1,312 Member
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    I have nothing near as serious as you went through, but I do have Hashimoto's disease. It took a while to find the right dose for my meds, but I'd say that on the whole, now that it's all figured out, I do feel better. The mental fog has lifted, which to me was the biggest issue. I was so bad, my speech was even randomly slurring. My boss thought I was drunk one day.
  • lisarfrank
    lisarfrank Posts: 31
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    I think it is harder for you now because you do not have a thyroid gland at all. Was it functioning at all before the cancer was found? Read about alkalining your body. It is all about eating very clean and cancer cells cannot live in an alkalined environment. My aunt did it when she was given a 10% chance of living after being diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer and she beat it and is doing well now!

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alkaline_diet
  • sbbhbm
    sbbhbm Posts: 1,312 Member
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    Congrats on being cancer free!! But please do not believe that "once you get on your right dosage you'll be able to lose weight just fine". I've been hypothyroid for over 10 years now and that's rarely the case. Keep in contact with your doctor and keep having your levels checked. My dosage gets adjusted at least once a year because of fluxuating thyroid hormone levels. We're women. Our hormones don't stay at a steady/constant and so our medication shouldn't either.

    Also, check out this group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism

    There are a lot of women going through what you're going through right now and the motivation can really get you through sometimes. Good luck with everything!

    If you've had your thyroid removed however, you do not need to worry about fluxuating. Your medication is your sole source of thyroid hormone.
  • LoriPar56
    LoriPar56 Posts: 1
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    I was diagnosed with hypo thyroid 16 years ago. For 12 years I was taking Synthyroid medication never feeling that it was enough. Four years ago I switched medication from Synthroid to Armour Thyroid. Armour Thyroid has made all the difference for me. Lori
  • Mick2929
    Mick2929 Posts: 6 Member
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    As far as I know, it was functioning before. The doctor did tell me that the nodules were growing rapidly because I was pregnant and like most of us ladies on here know, when you're pregnant, your hormones are crazy! But like you, I had foginess, forgetfulness and mood swings and just thought that's how I was. Looking back on it now, the nodules could have been playing a big part of my symptoms for who knows how long. I'll be anxious to hear about my blood results after my first check up post surgery, cause maybe my levels do need some adjusting.
  • allie491
    allie491 Posts: 91 Member
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    It takes a WHILE to get your thyroid regulated. I'm not going to sugar coat, it can take years. But there is hope. I was diagnosed 14 years ago. I have had two healthy pregnancies and two beautifully babies. I have been successfully at weight loss 2 times (25-30 lbs) once in my twenties and RIGHT NOW! I'm no spring chicken, so if I can do it at 35 after birthing an almost 10 lb child, you can too!
  • allie491
    allie491 Posts: 91 Member
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    Congrats on being cancer free!! But please do not believe that "once you get on your right dosage you'll be able to lose weight just fine". I've been hypothyroid for over 10 years now and that's rarely the case. Keep in contact with your doctor and keep having your levels checked. My dosage gets adjusted at least once a year because of fluxuating thyroid hormone levels. We're women. Our hormones don't stay at a steady/constant and so our medication shouldn't either.

    Also, check out this group:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism

    There are a lot of women going through what you're going through right now and the motivation can really get you through sometimes. Good luck with everything!

    If you've had your thyroid removed however, you do not need to worry about fluxuating. Your medication is your sole source of thyroid hormone.

    This is incorrect. Your medication will be your sole source of thyroid hormone, but your levels will still fluctuate and should be checked every six months. You levels can fluctuate do to weight change, pregnancy, hormones. etc....I have had mine adjusted many times
  • islandmonkey
    islandmonkey Posts: 546 Member
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    If you've had your thyroid removed however, you do not need to worry about fluxuating. Your medication is your sole source of thyroid hormone.

    This is incorrect. Your medication will be your sole source of thyroid hormone, but your levels will still fluctuate and should be checked every six months. You levels can fluctuate do to weight change, pregnancy, hormones. etc....I have had mine adjusted many times
    [/quote]

    Both of these are correct, each in their own way. It's true that your meds are your sole source of thyroid hormones - but it's also true that your requirements might change (pregnancy, weight changes etc)

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