Is it impossible to lose weight with a thyroid problem??

You will likely have a very narrow margin for error and still have success.

Where a standard healthy but overweight person could take a deficit of X calories and not cause their metabolism to lower or to lose muscle mass as part of the diet, up until they have a lot less to lose.

You are basically starting at that point likely with a thyroid problem.

So where everyone says the last 5 or 10 lbs to lose is the hardest, and you must do everything right, you get that right up front usually.

More difficult, but not impossible.

Eat at reasonable deficit from whatever you really burn each day, not too big or it'll backfire quicker on ya.
Gotta weigh food so you really know how much is going in to keep a reasonable deficit.
Gotta exercise reasonably, too much will just be stress hormones that will fight fat and weight loss.
Gotta estimate those burns decently so they don't create too big a deficit.

I agree with the post above me.

I just got my bloodwork back today and I have thyroid problems too

I will be having an ultrasound this week.

In 2009 I woke up in the middle of the night and my throat was closed up, I couldn't breathe. I went to the ER and they had an allergy test and an ENT look down my throat with a camera. He said my thyroid was enlarged and I need to follow up, I also had come back positive for an allergy to cats (which I had two cats at the time).
I shrugged it off because I thought it was from the cats.

Last week I was fed up with gaining weight even with diet and exercise! They drew blood and sure enough! My thyroid levels are very low.

I cried all the way home because if I would have just taken the advice in 2009, I could have been on the right treatment by now and everything would be back to "normal".

Please get to a doctor SOON!!

This can lead to thyroid cancer, bone disease, and heart problems. The Thyroid is the motherboard for EVER hormone and cell in your body!

If you care enough about your weight, then the thyroid should be just as important!

I hope you get answers.

I have a thyroid problem..and PCOS too. With the right meds for your thyroid issue weight loss should be totally doable. I won't let it stop me Good luck!

Oh my… I overlooked the part of your post where you said that you haven’t had your levels checked by your doctor. I strongly, strongly encourage you to find a way to get that done. You can go to your local urgent care and have it done at low or no cost if you are low-income. You must have your thyroid levels correct as it really does affect every part of your body. You could get seriously ill from having untreated thyroid problems. You could even have thyroid cancer which is very easily treatable but obviously can cause a heck of a lot of damage if left unchecked. We shouldn’t have to tell you this, though. Obviously if you don’t feel well and you suspect it’s your thyroid, it’s your responsibility to have it taken care of. I can tell you thought that it would be next to impossible to lose weight if I were not taking my thyroid replacement medication.

Oh my… I overlooked the part of your post where you said that you haven’t had your levels checked by your doctor. I strongly, strongly encourage you to find a way to get that done. You can go to your local urgent care and have it done at low or no cost if you are low-income. You must have your thyroid levels correct as it really does affect every part of your body. You could get seriously ill from having untreated thyroid problems. You could even have thyroid cancer which is very easily treatable but obviously can cause a heck of a lot of damage if left unchecked. We shouldn’t have to tell you this, though. Obviously if you don’t feel well and you suspect it’s your thyroid, it’s your responsibility to have it taken care of. I can tell you thought that it would be next to impossible to lose weight if I were not taking my thyroid replacement medication.

^^ This.

Please go get your thyroid properly checked, especially since it was enlarged.

No. I have an under-active thyroid and PCOS. Both of which can contribute to weight gain and make weight loss harder. But I'm losing weight. Getting on meds to get your levels regulated is a must. You might have to work harder at losing weight, but it can absolutely be done.

You need to find the capability to see a doctor. The thyroid controls the body's thermostat. It can cause a LOT of problems if it isn't functioning properly, and can even cause severe illness if left untreated. It's also one of the SIMPLEST things to treat.

Your health is more important than weight loss, isn't it? PLEASE see a doctor.

Completely agree.

I have struggled with my weight for years, and I have hypothyroidism. I am sure you can lose without medication, but it will be very slow and very difficult. At my worst, my quality of life was effected. I slept like crap, I was irritable, hungry all the time, headaches.. It was bad. A simple blood test will give you the answers, and generic synthroid is on the $4 med list at Walmart. With insurance I pay 60cents. 60 cents a month to have my quality of life back and take away one more thing that was holding my weight loss back is totally worth it.

If you are taking medication to regulate it, you would lose weight just like anyone else.

I COULD NOT lose weight until my medication was at the correct dosage. I am hypothyroid and take 100 mcg of Levothyroxine, it's only $4 a month at Kroger. It took almost two years before I found the proper dosage, and despite exercise and watching my diet I couldn't lose. Since then, I've managed to slowly lose 33 lbs in about a year.

I COULD NOT lose weight until my medication was at the correct dosage. I am hypothyroid and take 100 mcg of Levothyroxine, it's only $4 a month at Kroger. It took almost two years before I found the proper dosage, and despite exercise and watching my diet I couldn't lose. Since then, I've managed to slowly lose 33 lbs in about a year.

Jumping off of this to highlight the importance of getting your thyroid checked out (why did the doctor mention it was enlarged and you never followed up, if that was awhile ago?). Thyroid medication is, thankfully, very cheap. Synthroid, Levothyroxine, even Armour, are all very affordable; if you can manage to work out some sort of plan with an endo's office, I go with everyone that you NEED to get it checked out.

And no, it's not impossible to lose the weight. It's also not necessarily something you need to be "stricter" about; it's recommended to limit carbs below 180g, and to watch goitrogens, and to watch intake of calcium, vitamin D, and iron (among others) within a certain time of taking medication (though you don't need to worry about that right now x_x).

As someone who hasn't had a thyroid for over ten years, with a huge host of problems, yes... losing weight can become incredibly difficult when thyroid isn't treated. Conversely, untreated thyroid can cause other endocrine problems that can contribute to weight gain regardless of diet and exercise. So, ultimately, get your thyroid checked. Keep at it with calories in vs. calories out, I personally recommend starting weight lifting (there's science out there that has shown hormone levels become more regulated with weight lifting, including calcitonin/T3) for body fat % reduction + joint/muscle strength (especially important if you eventually go on thyroid medication, as high dose thyroid medication does effect calcium and bone density in the long run), and you should hopefully fend off any complications with weight and thyroid.

But for heaven's sake, get it checked out!

Put the cable on hold, put the cell phone on hold, don't go to restaurants...do whatever you have to do to go get your thyroid checked and get on the medication you need. This is not something you can ignore forever if you want to live a healthy life. Talk to your doc's office and see if they will let you pay over time. GET YOURSELF HEALTHY.

I caught the Dr Oz show a couple of weeks ago ... reverse effects of hypothyroidism.

If your imbalance isn't much, then you can treat the SYMPTOMS of hypothyroidism (IE: lower stress, exercise more, drink coffee, etc.), but it is definitely not recommended to try to TREAT or try anything to CURE hypothyroidism on your own. VERY dangerous to not work with your doctor.

I URGE you to find a way to get your thyroid checked.

You know all those disclaimers that say "Don't change your diet/exercise routine without seeing your doctor"? Well, if you have thryroid problems, then that applies to you even more. Applies to you, like, 10x more! Dieting while suffering from an uncontrolled metabolic/nutrient processing disorder can lead to permanent health problems. And if it's actually your pituitary acting up... then that's even potentially worse news. Please find a way to get your bloodwork done.

this!

T3 effects the metabolic activity of every single cell in your body.
If you are deficiient, youf body will be struggling in many ways, some that are very important to your long term health.

If you need it, there's help available with getting many meds, and I'd bet synthroid is one of them/