Thyroid condition and weight gain

Angelq2
Angelq2 Posts: 6
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone,
I suffered from Hypothyroidism for last 12 years and gradually gained about 40 lbs since. Tried couple of fad diets but always ended up gaining back the weight lost shortly after. Would love to get some motivation from all the members who had great success despite all obstacles.

I'm also looking for some non-judgemental friends 'n motivators :)

Thanks.

Eliza

Replies

  • Patsgirl217
    Patsgirl217 Posts: 1
    Hey Eliza,
    I feel your pain I found out I had problems with my thyroid in 2009, since that time I put on over 50 pounds
    and my weight fluctuates crazy amounts on a daily basis. I've been dieting and exercising like crazy for two months.
    Haven't lost a lot but I'm getting very toned. It's really frusterating when you're doing everything right and not getting
    the desired results. Let's keep in touch and pass along any useful info we discover!
  • kgillis87
    kgillis87 Posts: 43 Member
    I'm right there with you! Shiny new hashimotos thyroiditis diagnosis (after years of treating for depression, which was likely more or less due to hypothyroidism in the first place... Which is frustrating, but a story for another thread).

    I think keeping up with your medication, and support the thyroid in a lot of other ways is probably the most helpful. For support I'm talking like, vitamin D to help with the autoimmune part (if you're also hashimoto), and making sure tour getting enough protein and iodine so your body has what it needs to make thyroid hormone. Do some research and find out what exactly is going on with your body, and then figure out ways to help it get what it needs :) and keep positive - it might be a little slower going, but you'll get there!
  • Angelq2
    Angelq2 Posts: 6
    Thanks... slow results are a killer ... but I'm positive. this time it'll be different.
  • skinnyme47
    skinnyme47 Posts: 793 Member
    There is a group here called Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism that you can join. I am hypothyroid due to having a total thyroidectomy last year. It is a lot harder to lose the weight now, but I can do this. Good Luck.:smile:
  • jfsears
    jfsears Posts: 47 Member
    I haven,t Lost much weight only about 5 pounds since my diagnosis last year but all my hard work had helped me become more toned and I haven't put on more weight. I'm finding a combination of cardio, weights a some yoga or Pilates is the key for me it's just been in the last few weeks that I have started to lose.
  • Angelq2
    Angelq2 Posts: 6
    There is a group here called Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism that you can join. I am hypothyroid due to having a total thyroidectomy last year. It is a lot harder to lose the weight now, but I can do this. Good Luck.:smile:


    Thanks, I joined the group :)
  • bean332005
    bean332005 Posts: 3
    Hello,
    I have had Hashimoto for the last 6 years. Diagnosed when I was 20...Interesting thing was, I was working out, watching what I was eating, running about 2 miles every morning and still gaining weight. Kind of makes you scratch your head and think...what am I doing wrong? Hashimoto played a big role in me gaining weight over the years. I find if I take my vitamins during lunch (extra B, helps give me a boost to fight off the normal fatigue I feel) eat healthy, try to limit the white carbs, and work out I am slowly losing weight. Good luck on your journey and know you are not alone! :smile:
  • eugeniavlasova
    eugeniavlasova Posts: 3
    Hi Eliza,
    I have had Hashimoto for the last 6 or 7 years. I know exactly how you feel - eating normally and even somewhat healthy, working out regularly and still gaining weight. My motivation not to give up is that without my workouts I would be gaining weight much faster. I was surprised to learn how many people are struggling with the same problem.
    This is my first week here on MFP, and I hope I'll start losing my weight now. Good luck to us all!
  • pammee44
    pammee44 Posts: 49 Member
    I am right there with you, Hypo here and the weight loss is null and I ran my butt off in the fall training for a half marathon. I am taking Thyroid medicine and still NOTHING! So frustrating. I'm going to find that Thyroid group and join too.

    Good luck to you all!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    I'm on combined therapy and feeling good, but my metabolism still seems to be slower than average/MFP's estimate. So I have to eat less than someone else might to lose weight. That's the only secret, really. Find out how much you have to cut before you lose weight. Too much, in my opinion, but that's life!
  • beautifulctb
    beautifulctb Posts: 100
    Hello,

    I have hypothyroids. Over the last 2.5 years I have gained over 133 pounds, but since February 2013, we have gotten my medicine right and I have lost almost 30 pounds. It's not going to be easy, but you can do it! Feel free to add me!!! :-)
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member
    Okay people...here's how I've handled it for 20+years. KNOW YOUR TSH LEVELS!! when you feel good, no issues (memory loss, exhaustion, cracked heels, moodiness, weight gain) get your tsh checked and KNOW THAT NUMBER. Don't let any doctor or lab tell you what is normal. There is a normal for YOU! Labs will tell you anywhere from 0.3 to 7.5 tsh is normal. I can tell you I need to keep my tsh around 0.5 to function. If it gets over 1.0 I have trouble functioning. ALWAYS KNOW YOUR NUMBER and manage that number. If you aren't having any problems you should have your TSH checked every 6 months. If you are adjusting your meds, every month no longer than 2 months. And if you are pregnant every week in your first trimester...at least that is how I had to do it.

    Now, for weight maintenance...what I had to do was eliminate overly processed grains and sugar. Keep your carbs down and protein up (similiar to a Zone Diet). Also be aware that your TDEE will probably be lower than what any online calculator will give you. It just is. Being hypothyroid will make it difficult to lose weight, but not impossible.

    Exercise WILL positive effect your thyroid, at least it did in my case. When I started lifting and building muscle my body actually went hyper, because I was still on the same thyroid med dose, which was too much. So build that muscle.

    I hope this helps, this is based solely on my own experience and the help of my physician and reproductive endocrinologist (I had three pregnancy losses, my RE specialized in migraine/hypothyroid/insulin resistance based losses).

    feel free to ask any questions that I didn't answer.
  • colapopmusic
    colapopmusic Posts: 50
    Great information!!!! Thank you for posting :)
  • BeeDucky
    BeeDucky Posts: 4 Member
    I'm Hypo too. Have been for many years. And yes, it's a little tougher to lose weight and keep it off. But it is doable. Like everyone else who wants to lose weight, we have to eat healthy and exercise. No trick to it. And above all else, we can't allow ourselves to use our thyroid condition as an excuse. I lost 50 pounds several years ago to get to goal weight and kept it off for three years without problems. Then they discontinued the thyroid meds I was taking. In two weeks, I gained eight pounds and couldn't take it off. It took almost 10 years to stabilize my thyroid again. In that amount of time, I've put on all most all of the weight I had lost previously. I can blame the gain on the thyroid problems, but to be honest, I'm not eating and exercising like I had been when I lost the weight and kept it off for three years.

    So be good to yourself, eat right, and exercise. That's the key. Expect setbacks, plateaus, and even a slower loss than some other dieters, but do Not give up. And let's remind ourselves daily that we can do this despite our thyroid conditions. Others have done it. And so can we.
  • BayleyBear512
    BayleyBear512 Posts: 67 Member
    I know how you feel!! I always felt like the fat kid when I was growing up, and when I was in 7th grade I was diagnosed with low thyroid. It runs in my family but everyone else was diagnosed when they at least were adults. I went up to 210 pounds when I was only 14. But ever since then I vowed to lose weight, and wouldn't let some stupid condition get the best of me. I've lost around 35 pounds so far, and am 18 now. I'm working on the last 20ish pounds and am determined to do it!!!!
  • Angelq2
    Angelq2 Posts: 6
    Okay people...here's how I've handled it for 20+years. KNOW YOUR TSH LEVELS!! when you feel good, no issues (memory loss, exhaustion, cracked heels, moodiness, weight gain) get your tsh checked and KNOW THAT NUMBER. Don't let any doctor or lab tell you what is normal. There is a normal for YOU! Labs will tell you anywhere from 0.3 to 7.5 tsh is normal. I can tell you I need to keep my tsh around 0.5 to function. If it gets over 1.0 I have trouble functioning. ALWAYS KNOW YOUR NUMBER and manage that number. If you aren't having any problems you should have your TSH checked every 6 months. If you are adjusting your meds, every month no longer than 2 months. And if you are pregnant every week in your first trimester...at least that is how I had to do it.

    Now, for weight maintenance...what I had to do was eliminate overly processed grains and sugar. Keep your carbs down and protein up (similiar to a Zone Diet). Also be aware that your TDEE will probably be lower than what any online calculator will give you. It just is. Being hypothyroid will make it difficult to lose weight, but not impossible.

    Exercise WILL positive effect your thyroid, at least it did in my case. When I started lifting and building muscle my body actually went hyper, because I was still on the same thyroid med dose, which was too much. So build that muscle.

    I hope this helps, this is based solely on my own experience and the help of my physician and reproductive endocrinologist (I had three pregnancy losses, my RE specialized in migraine/hypothyroid/insulin resistance based losses).

    feel free to ask any questions that I didn't answer.

    Thank you for taking the time to share that info :) I started working out two weeks ago 'n already noticing a major "mood lift" 'n muscle strength.
    n thank you on that pointer on TSH level...doctors keep telling me it's normal but I know for a fact it's not!


    Thanks everyone!
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member

    Thank you for taking the time to share that info :) I started working out two weeks ago 'n already noticing a major "mood lift" 'n muscle strength.
    n thank you on that pointer on TSH level...doctors keep telling me it's normal but I know for a fact it's not!


    Thanks everyone!

    Don't let them tell you its normal if you don't feel well. I just got in to it with the NP that was filling in for my Dr. She doesn't "buy into" the thyroid stuff...if you Dr doesn't either, change doctors to find one who is willing to let you be part of your own care.
  • Joyfullmonk
    Joyfullmonk Posts: 4
    Just want to start by introducing myself since I am new on this site. My name is Draupadi Ishaya and I believe I have an undiagnosed hypo thyroid condition. It doesn't really show up on blood tests except for my free t3 being a little on the high side and I have a nodule on my thyroid which is not cancerous. I also have all the classic symptoms and can not loose wt. unless I go under 500 calories a day. I've had difficultly with this for the last 8 years. I am a former Personal Trainer for about 17 years so trust me when I say I know what I am doing..., I have tried everything. More exercise, more and less calories, I am very consistent with dieting when I'm on a wt lose diet. I know what it takes for my body to loose wt. as before I started having difficultly I was able to loose wt. on a 1200 to 1500cal. diet without any issues. I have done my own research into hypo thyroid and am treating it with natural hormones (porcine thyroid) and taking other supplements to support it. I have recently lost 18 lbs started back in November. It's been a struggle and I've literally had to drop below 500 cal a day. I tired of not being able to eat a normal wt lose diet and am now trying the only thing that I haven't tried. Adding more fat through the Atkins diet. I'm not sure if this will work either if I have low thyroid function??? Any input would be great..
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    There is a group here called Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism that you can join.
    Here's a link to the Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism group: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism

    I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease) and take 88mcg Synthroid. I lost more slowly than most MFPers, but I did lose. I ate at a reasonable deficit and did not avoid any foods (on the advice of my endocrinologist).
  • Joyfullmonk
    Joyfullmonk Posts: 4
    Thanks so much for the tip. I will check it out

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