Aloha, and thank you for being here! I had a thyroidectomy last July and have had the hardest time getting back to normal.. My weight has gone crazy, my energy levels are all over the place and I have changed medications at least 4 times. I think sometimes I was better off with the goiter than I am now. I am trying desperately to get back to being active, but it is a struggle. Anyone lese have this experience? Others I know who have had the surgery have not had experiences similar to mine and I just at a loss.

Hi Ladies, :happy:

I am a new resident of Red Deer Alberta, looking for good Doctor! If anyone out there knows of safe natural supplements or foods that help with Hypothyroid issues I would love to hear about them. I am trying to get pregnant and don't want to risk taking medications unless absolutely necessary.

If you are interested read on here is my story: I am 31 years old and was thin and active all of my life until I hit 24 years of age. At that point I developed a host of food intolerances and digestive issues. My weight has gradually crept up since then despite eating fairly well and exercising three times a week. After getting frustrated and asking my doctor to order a barrage of tests it was discovered I have a large number of recurring ovarian cysts, but not severe enough to be considered PCOS(Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), and Hypothyroiditis, (enlargement of the thyroid, possibly caused by an unknown infection)The most irritating part of all the testing was to be told there is no treatment . I was told I had to wait it out. Now that tests have confirmed my Hyperthyroid state is passing I was informed that it is 30-70% likely I will go into a hypothyroid state, which is already happening!!!

Like other members here I never lost weight in my Hyperthyroid state, instead I craved salty fatty foods, had irregular menstrual cycles, dry skin, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing and rarely slept. Now I seem to be fluctuating into a hypothyroid state. I want to eat all the time, feel depressed and tired. I am forcing myself to exercise but it is frustrating, My weight through all of these health issues has stayed at 145 pounds (for three years straight). It won't budge! I am only 5,3. I am just starting to change my diet and exercise habits so hopefully I will see a change for the positive.

I am glad there is a group like this! Thyroid issues are terribly frustrating as many General Practitioners have no idea what to do and are very slow to test free T3 and T4 levels. Many only look at TSH levels and are very slow to refer you to an endocrinologist. Be your own champion ladies make sure you push for whatever health care you need! If one doctor ignores you find another. Don't take "Oh it's just PMS" for an answer(My former Doctor actually said that statement). If you are new to Thyroid issues read "The Idiot's Guide to Thyroid Disease". I found it very up to date and helpful when trying to understand the nuances of thyroid conditions.

Good luck everyone!

Hello, all! I have had thyroid problems for most of my life. It started out as hyperparathyroidism that wasn't found for a while, then became hypothyroidism after I had one of my parathyroids removed. Before, and right after, my surgery, I was about 270, and my weight as steadily increased since then. I've finally gotten my meds straight so that my levels are normal, and am taking the necessary steps to develop better eating and exercise habits!

Hi Everyone, Shenzie here. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about two months ago and I am already sick of life. I have just gained about 10kgs for no reason. I work out and I have a strict low card diet. how long does it take for the meds to start working. I don't think I have ever been this depressed in my life. I don't even feel like going to work in the morning. I don't even bother about how I look anymore. I used to be someone who was sooo concerned about maintaining the right weight and looking and feeling good. I feel like I don't even know myself anymore.

I guess there are people with bigger probs out there. but for me it feels like the end of the world.

I have thyroid condition 4 yrs now, haven't been able to lose weight no matter what i try and believe me i have tried everything, doc says not to worry about it but i do. I weigh 204 and should weigh 125-140...I am soooo frustrated

hi I don't know if you've looked into other hormones that are out of wack. My cousin has struggled all of her life with weight issues. She just found out now at age of 32 her ovaries were causing the problem.

Hi my name is Karen. I've been dealing with Hypothyroidism since 2011. Struggling to lose weight. Just got a new Endo who suggested I follow an 800 calorie/day diet and exercise. Been doing that for 4 days now. Not too bad, just load up on fruits and veggies and have fish or chicken twice a day for protein. Keeping my fingers crossed that I can make my goal weight in a year and level out on 1200 calories a day. Currently 220 lbs and would like to be 140-159 lbs.

Hi, my name is Kelly & I am new to the site and just recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I have struggled with my weight my whole life. I am 40 years old and a mom to a wonderful 4 year old. I gained to my highest weight while I was pregnant with my daughter and have yet to lose more that 5 lbs. I am hopeful that now that I have been diagnosed that I will finally be able to get the weight off. Having my daughter has made me more aware of my health and well-being. Any advice or tips with dealing with this condition would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to getting to know everyone.

My name is Jennifer and I just started using myfitnesspal again. I have been a member on and off for about 2 years. I have Hashimotos and doing very well with it for now. Although, the medicine does not seem to affect my weight loss....just when it is off I gain weight. :grumble: And that is very discouraging (probably when I am not a great user of myfitnesspal).

Hi everyone. I was diagnosed with hashimoto / hypo thyroiditis just coming up to a year ago. I have been on levothyroxine (started on 25mg now up too 100mg).

Being in the UK the GP's here do not have a clue and there seems to be no way to see a specialist unless you go private.

Would love to keep in touch with people who have this condition and share what does and doesn't work for everyone. Feel free to add me as a friend.

Hi all. I have been on MFP for a couple of months but have just found this group. I was diagnosed with autoimmune hypothyroidism around 6 weeks ago. Explained quite a bit for me - extreme tiredness, always cold, dry skin patches. I am on a starting dose of 25mcg Levothyroxine and am to go back for repeat bloods after the first 3 months. Pretty sure that the dose will have to go up as I have not noticed any change in the symptoms yet. On a positive note, I am getting the weight off by sticking to the MFP targets coupled with getting back to my running routines that had been neglected for a few years. It will be good to share experiences and support with you all on here. I would particularly like to get in touch with any other runners out there with similar problems.

I am in the same boat!! I empathize with you!! I was diagnosed 4 years ago as well, after gaining 30 lbs over 2 years. By the time, I realized it wasn't just normal weight gain bc I didn't exercise enough, or because I wasn't counting calories, and age related slower metabolism it was late in the game. My husband is active duty military so we move around every 2-3 years, so I didn't have a physician that knew what I was like before. The first few visits I was shamed into believing it was my fault, and I needed to try harder to lose weight. Finally because of an accident and some other health problems I have, which cause fatigue and arthritis, it was discovered, but I was started on only 25mcg of levothyroxine, and I continued to gain weight. A year later, increased to 50mcg and with strict 1200 calorie diet, and exercise I can somewhat maintain my weight, but still not successful at losing. It is an uphill battle isn't it? I recently heard about trying a gluten/dairy free diet, and its worth a try. I will post my results,wish me luck!

Hello! I am 27 years old, and have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism for 3 years. However, 3 months ago was the first time I did not have to increase my dosage in the entire time I've been taking synthroid. My weight and energy levels are the biggest indication for how my thyroid is holding up. Now that my levels have been stable for the last 2 tests, I am ready to start getting my butt in gear and really losing weight.

Hey there allybee!!
I can understand your fears, it sounds like you have had a rough go of it. Quite honestly, I was terrified to learn that I would be "stuck" with this for the rest of my life. From my experiences, and looking into it, your symptoms sound familiar... although there are many things that mirror the same symptoms. The best indication would be through bloodwork, to check your TSH and T4 (if I'm remembering them correctly) levels. It takes a long time (longer than I would have liked) to get to a good balance with the medications, so I would definitely recommend talking to your doctors as soon as possible. And ALSO, if possible, I would consider finding a family doctor you like and respect... no one should go through a nightmare getting diagnosed. But be aware, that doctors are not magicians and will probably want to rule out a variety of options before settling on any one diagnose. I forget all of the other things they ruled out for me.

Best of luck!!!

Hi everyone, Here's my saga. I was diagnosed hypo about 18 months ago. I was immediately put on Synthroid. I gained 25 pounds, was moody, exhaused and frustrated. My fluxuatine lab results made my doctor switch doses every 6 weeks for over a year. I found a website www.stopthethyroidmaddness.com. I began doing research on Natural Desiccated Thyroid options and took my information to the doc. She refused to switch my medications until I told her if she didn't switch me to Armour I would find a doctor who would. She reluctently agreed and I switched to Armour. Within a week I was a different person. I was happier and more energized. My mood swings disappeared and I even got my sex drive back. Both of those were especially appreciated by my husband! Oh and I also lost 15 pounds in 3 months! I still have some to go but seeing the scale go down was great progress. I ordered the Stop The Thyroid Maddess book and read it from cover to cover. If I could go back in time I would read that book before I see the doctor. It lists alternative tests that can provide additional information to discuss with your doctor and breaks down suppliments/vitamin information. The most challenging part I found was getting my doctor to listen to me. (She has since changed other patients to Armour). Once I had her on board things started moving. Best advice I have is get educated and be an active participant in your treatment.

New to mfp, diagnosed with Graves 5 yrs ago, had RAI and am no hypothyroid. I have gained 70 lbs since the RAI. I have never taken the same dose of meds for more than 3 months . It has been a very frustrating few years,hoping to turn it around.