People on Synthroid,is it possible to still lose weight?

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workoutgirl23
workoutgirl23 Posts: 267
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey. please some one give some some encouragement and motivation. i'm scared and nervous. briefly my story is. i have always been a really small, skinny person, and then 6 months ago i had my thyroid removed. and since then, i packed on the weight. gained about 60 pounds total. and i am so devastated. and feel so depressed and self conscious. i want to go back to the way i used to look, when i felt better about myself. any way. i am on the synthroid hormone to replace my thyroid hormones. and my doctor says they are now back in normal range, so he says there is no reason i shouldn't be able to lose weight just like any other person, if i diet and exercise. My fear is that even if i strictly diet and exercise a lot, no matter what i do i still won't be able to lose any weight. i have a lot of people out there friends and family who tell me stories about knowing people that had their thyroid removed, and were never able to ever lose weight again. and it freaks me out. that can't be true can it? i guess i'm looking to hear stories and experiences from people who are hypo or had their thyroid removed and take Synthroid. have you been able to lose weight? if so how much. thank you. i just want to know that there is hope and its possible if i put in the work. thank you.

Replies

  • cavia
    cavia Posts: 457 Member
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    I packed on the weight when my thyroid failed on me. It took me 3 years to get to an optimal Synthroid dosage (this past January). Once I started weighing everything that went into my mouth (February) the weight has started to drop faster and easier than I ever imagined possible. I lift heavy with a trainer 2x a week. I eat 1700-1800 calories on non lifting days and 2400-2500 on the days that I lift. 11.5lbs lost to date and I have hope for the first time in a loooooong time that I will get my pre-hypothyroid body back.
  • Selunca
    Selunca Posts: 208 Member
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    Yes yes yes. You just need to stay on top of your medication and get tested regularly to make sure its on the right level. In January I hit a standstill with my weight loss, and it took me till March to go get my levels tested. They were low. As soon as I got on my higher dosage, within a week the weight started coming off again.

    It takes a good doctor, patience, and determination on your part to take your care into your hands and demand to be tested when you want to be tested. You know your body better then any doctor, and you need to communicate that to them.

    15 years Hypothyroid here, just in case your curious :)
  • emmalousmom1
    emmalousmom1 Posts: 121 Member
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    Yes yes yes. You just need to stay on top of your medication and get tested regularly to make sure its on the right level. In January I hit a standstill with my weight loss, and it took me till March to go get my levels tested. They were low. As soon as I got on my higher dosage, within a week the weight started coming off again.

    It takes a good doctor, patience, and determination on your part to take your care into your hands and demand to be tested when you want to be tested. You know your body better then any doctor, and you need to communicate that to them.

    15 years Hypothyroid here, just in case your curious :)
    Where do they keep your free t4 ad free t5 level at?
    Louise
  • emmalousmom1
    emmalousmom1 Posts: 121 Member
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    I had a total thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer almost 2 years ago, I have lost 20lb but it has taken me since the beginning of december, which really isn't bad, I thought my thyroid was running too fast as my tsh was suppressed and I didn't feel good so I lowered my dose for a month, and gained a pound, now that I look at my free t3 and free t4, they are both at the lower end of normal, so really I think my symptoms are hypo, I put my dose back to the dose I was before I lowered it and have lost 2lbs, but not recording them here till I weigh again tomorrow to make sure it is a real loss, lol. I go to see the doctor tuesday and am going to go for increasing my dose, am scared of the feelings of anxiety and such, but now realize these were hypo symptoms when my adrenaline kicked in:( If you would like to add me, we could talk more:)
  • sunnyhlw77
    sunnyhlw77 Posts: 204 Member
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    yes you can lose weight on synthroid as long as you have been regulated properly by your doctor. I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease (I was extremely hyper) in 2009. After my RAI I turned hypo. I get tested every 3 months to make sure my levels are good. I've lost 23 lbs. Also my husband had thyoid cancer back in 2007, a year after we were married. He had both sides of his thyroid removed and part of his parathyroid before having an RAI to eliminate any thyroid at the cellular level. He has been successful in losing about 30 lbs after gaining about 40. Because he has no thyroid whatsoever, he only gets tested by our doctor once a year and has been steady in his levels (in our experience its easier to regulate levels if there isn't a thyroid present). Anyway, I hope this helps you with your question. I should stress that ever person is different but I think it is possible with proper with diet and exercise.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    You most definitely can. Before I found out I was hypothyroid, I was successfully losing weight with a very hypoactive thyroid. Synthroid should only make it easier to lose.
  • mrsna
    mrsna Posts: 195 Member
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    Yes! I have lost about 50 lbs. Got a few more to lose but you can do it with hard work and determination!
  • Selunca
    Selunca Posts: 208 Member
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    Yes yes yes. You just need to stay on top of your medication and get tested regularly to make sure its on the right level. In January I hit a standstill with my weight loss, and it took me till March to go get my levels tested. They were low. As soon as I got on my higher dosage, within a week the weight started coming off again.

    It takes a good doctor, patience, and determination on your part to take your care into your hands and demand to be tested when you want to be tested. You know your body better then any doctor, and you need to communicate that to them.

    15 years Hypothyroid here, just in case your curious :)
    Where do they keep your free t4 ad free t5 level at?
    Louise

    I'm not 100% sure what you mean. They only test T4 I believe in America. (I think.). I just get my blood tested frequently at my doctors office.
  • treenuh_x
    treenuh_x Posts: 94 Member
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    It is completely possible. I take 100mcg of Levothyroxine (Synthroid) a day and I have lost 20 pounds since I started taking it. Before taking it, it was horribly difficult for me to lose weight.
  • sszbarber
    sszbarber Posts: 45 Member
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    Bump for later reading.
  • emcdonie
    emcdonie Posts: 190 Member
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    I have lost 64 pounds so far of the 210 I am trying to drop....all of it while on synthroid. It is VERY possible to lose while taking it.
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
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    I have been hypothyroid for 15 years and am now on 200 micrograms a day of replacement. I want to tell you, along with all these other successful people, that you can do it! :drinker:
  • Dort68
    Dort68 Posts: 36 Member
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    I've been hypo for 15 years now and I am very anti-Synthroid. I found Synthroid to be not a good match for me and I use the very much old-school Armour Thyroid. My insurance won't even cover it (costs me $22/month OOP), and it's worth it.

    I gained on Synthroid, it was hard to regulate my levels and it was just an all-around rotten experience.

    On the Armour now for a good 12 years and I like my levels in the low-normal range. I have successfully lost (and then put it back on) with no issues.
  • sszbarber
    sszbarber Posts: 45 Member
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    Yes yes yes. You just need to stay on top of your medication and get tested regularly to make sure its on the right level. In January I hit a standstill with my weight loss, and it took me till March to go get my levels tested. They were low. As soon as I got on my higher dosage, within a week the weight started coming off again.

    It takes a good doctor, patience, and determination on your part to take your care into your hands and demand to be tested when you want to be tested. You know your body better then any doctor, and you need to communicate that to them.

    15 years Hypothyroid here, just in case your curious :)
    Where do they keep your free t4 ad free t5 level at?
    Louise

    I'm not 100% sure what you mean. They only test T4 I believe in America. (I think.). I just get my blood tested frequently at my doctors office.

    Hi! I live in America and get my T3, T4, TSH and thyroglobulin tested.

    I had my thyroid removed in December (27th) I initially gained 30 lbs before I got it under control. I started really watching what I eat and counting the calories. I do not exercise regularly because I am extremely fatigued most of the time. I just get by with what I have to do. Currently by TSH is in the 90's so I am very hypo right now, however I have lost about 10-15 of the weight that I gained after surgery, it is just pretty difficult to lose. I will get my levels taken again next week! Yeah, I have been waiting for 6 weeks to be tested again to see if my levels have leveled off or not. If not they will increase my Synthroid. Taking 137 mcg currently. Please, feel free to add me if you would like. I will try to support you in anyway I can. I know this is a difficult time you are going through and hope your endo will get your meds figured out. If not you have to be an advocate for yourself. This is so hard for me to do, to speak up and complain that I do not feel well and can't lose weight. I want to feel like I did before surgery.........I will be thinking of you and keep up the hard work!

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