Hashimoto's Thyroiditis & weight loss

I was just wondering if there was anyone with Hashimoto's out there that can share their experience with losing weight. I have it and I'm not sure if it affects weight loss at all,
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Replies

  • JaceyMarieS
    JaceyMarieS Posts: 692 Member
    I have it. I don't believe it has affected my weight loss at this point.
  • I have it and found out a couple years ago that my thyroid was basically not functioning. I stay on my meds and have lost 67 pounds, so no issues for me.
  • kmkel0
    kmkel0 Posts: 8 Member
    My thyroid levels are ok through medication but I find it hard to lose weight on calorie restriction alone. I need to do about an hour of exercise a day ( most of it brisk walking) otherwise I don't achieve weight loss, but that could be my metabolism.
  • LavaDoll
    LavaDoll Posts: 595 Member
    i have it and have been on the synthroid for over a decade.
    i am seeing a new endo next week to see about getting a change in meds - i am tired of being tired and there has been much progress on treatment plans since a decade ago.

    weight loss, i have found possible, but for me, i must incorporate much exercise, as i don't seem to lose anything at all just by changing diet.
  • MariettaDelene
    MariettaDelene Posts: 82 Member
    I was diagnosed with it just a few years ago. I'd put on around 40 pounds over the course of two years without much explanation and was feeling very lethargic, so I decided to have my blood tested. I'm currently on 125mcg of Levothyroxine. The docs told me to stay gluten-free, sugar-free and starch-free. I did that for a year and saw minimal weight loss. I then switched to the tried-and-true method - calorie counting and exercise. I completely ditched being gluten-free, though I do keep my carbs low and my protein high. I'm down 16 pounds from the 40 I'd like to lose.

    It's doable! Don't let the docs tell you otherwise.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    i don't have hashis but i have hypothyroidism and sky-high TSH when unmedicated. i lost 27 kg last time, and i'm 8kg into repeating that.

    If you believe that your thyroid will stop you it will. But in reality if your meds are right and your lifestyle is healthy, your thyroid will balance and your body will behave as 'normal'.

    I support my thyroid by eating/taking kelp and coconut oil on top of the levo, but the healthy food and excercise are the biggest support
  • elisabej
    elisabej Posts: 30 Member
    I've actually added iodine to my regimen and have noticed a marked difference in my attitude, energy and weight loss ability. Taking too much iodine can be bad for you but I currently take 12mg and I don't eat salt and the daily limit for iodine is 150mg and so far I am monitoring myself for any side effects and haven't had any yet. I'm on Synthroid and without my iodine I was suffering from depression and had hit a major reverse in my weight loss, so unless something comes up I'm sticking with my iodine.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    I've actually added iodine to my regimen and have noticed a marked difference in my attitude, energy and weight loss ability. Taking too much iodine can be bad for you but I currently take 12mg and I don't eat salt and the daily limit for iodine is 150mg and so far I am monitoring myself for any side effects and haven't had any yet. I'm on Synthroid and without my iodine I was suffering from depression and had hit a major reverse in my weight loss, so unless something comes up I'm sticking with my iodine.

    thats why i take kelp - full of natural iodine. When i lived in japan i was reed thin (borderline underweight). Japanese people are almost never diagnosed with underactive thyroids because they eat so much seaweed and other iodine rich food. You're so right - it has the best effects :)
  • Heather1899
    Heather1899 Posts: 179 Member
    Me.
    I started at 312 and was about 240s when I got sick with a cold. It just wouldn't go away. Went to the doctors and in addition to some antibitoics she tooks some blood. She must have tested my thyroid, then tested it again and said I had Hashimotos and hypothyroidism.
    I was started on meds and feared that I would stop losing weight or even gain it all back. But...now I am 185 pounds. I wanted to get to 150 and that hasn't happened...but it might just be that this is the right weight for my body. I maintain 185 with no problems.
    I don't even count calories anymore, just focus on eating about the same stuff each day-which I like. Sometimes splurging on the weekend. Exercise 30-60 minutes 6 days a week.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    oh... just ate a packet of seaweed and thought i'd recommend it to thyroid ppl...

    You get it in Asian shops or the asian part of the supermarket, it comes in strips, they're usually roasted and lightly seasoned. a pack is 10 calories and consuming seaweed boosts thyroid function
  • charleschip
    charleschip Posts: 31 Member
    I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's over the Holidays. Since then I've cut out red meat and cut back on most dairy and processed foods. I eat a lot of vegs, fruits, nuts, tofu, whole foods and some organic chicken and more mild fish. I've lost 14 lbs in a month but have seemed to plateaued a bit. I am not on any thyroid meds yet but this may change soon.

    For those who have lost a lot of weight and in general do ya'll find the synthetic thyroid has helped with weight loss, energy to work out etc? Thanks!
  • I do! I was diagnosed in 2010, after being absolutely exhausted and gaining almost 50 pounds in one year. I was put on Synthroid, which I do not feel has helped me in my weight loss, and honestly, I'm not so sure it helped me with my symptoms either! The biggest thing that has helped me is my diet...I eat very few processed foods or sugar, and three weeks ago decided to try to go gluten-free to see if I can push through my weight loss plateau. I work out four days a week, strength training/cardio HIIT, but think I need to bump it up a little, since I have only lost three pounds in several months. I do not eat a lot of red meat or starches, but love chicken, homemade soups, and veggies. Good luck!
  • loraine123
    loraine123 Posts: 2 Member
    I lose weight on 1,000 or less per day, following Dr. Karazian's diet recommendations, in general and I am vegetarian. Difficut though. I take Thyrostim - 2 pills twice a day. I also take the pills he recommends. Read THE THYROID BOOK.
  • So I am very new to my Hashimoto's I just got diagnosed a couple months ago after dealing with it for over 5 years. To my understanding Hashimoto's is different person to person. I noticed even when I was on a strict diet for the past 3 months eating high protein and little carbs and going to the gym every day, doing intense strength training and a hour of cardio! I was struggling to lose weight. Now since I got off the diet, I have gained 7 pounds like nothing in the past 2 weeks!
    Does anyone have any advice to give me, diet wise and overall about Hashimotos. I'm on levothyroxine 100mcg, and just started a T3 starting with a L can't think of it's name. Doctor is still playing around with the medication since I had just got diagnosed with it.
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    I want to invite you guys to the Butterfly Chasers group, we all have Hashi's in there. :flowerforyou:
  • RozayJones
    RozayJones Posts: 409 Member
    oh... just ate a packet of seaweed and thought i'd recommend it to thyroid ppl...

    You get it in Asian shops or the asian part of the supermarket, it comes in strips, they're usually roasted and lightly seasoned. a pack is 10 calories and consuming seaweed boosts thyroid function

    Worth a try :)
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    oh... just ate a packet of seaweed and thought i'd recommend it to thyroid ppl...

    You get it in Asian shops or the asian part of the supermarket, it comes in strips, they're usually roasted and lightly seasoned. a pack is 10 calories and consuming seaweed boosts thyroid function

    Worth a try :)

    All I know is when I'm in Japan I have zero symptoms because of the iodine (mostly seaweed) in the diet... and I lose a lot of weight regardless of what I eat. I eat seaweed here and take kelp (reminds me: should go back on it) and try and recreate it a little. I'm always at my healthiest in Japan though, physically.
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
    I have it - just had an ultrasound and Endo appt. My thyroid is dead and non functioning. I am on high dosage of Synthroid (.175). The only thing I have noticed is that it is slower to lose but I am going for it while my levels are in check (before it goes haywire again lol).
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    if you have autoimmune thyroid disease eating seaweed or iodine supplements can be like throwing gasoline on a fire fyi.
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
    if you have autoimmune thyroid disease eating seaweed or iodine supplements can be like throwing gasoline on a fire fyi.

    :wink: I wasn't going to say anything...
  • calliekitten9
    calliekitten9 Posts: 148 Member
    Honestly...I think it hasn't impacted my weight...I think I just wasn't paying attention to what I was eating before.
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    if you have autoimmune thyroid disease eating seaweed or iodine supplements can be like throwing gasoline on a fire fyi.

    whatevs, works for me. People need to hear both sides of an argument. I have hypothyroidism and at my worst my immune system was not at all functional and iodine in the form of kelp supplements and eating plenty of Japanese food definitely help me.

    I think most people are smart enough to realise that advice on a forum is anecdotal. Where is your information from ?
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I have it. By the time I was diagnosed, I had slowly put on 5lbs, despite being very very active and watching what I ate. I've been on synthroid for 15 years now, and it's fixed all that ailed me. I don't feel it is at all a hindrance to my losing weight. Putting too much food into my mouth is what does that.
  • LFDBabs
    LFDBabs Posts: 297 Member
    I have it. Weight loss is a struggle, but not impossible. I also found out I was quite deficient in Vitamin D. Since starting a rapid repletion vitamin, my energy level is much improved and that has helped give me the extra energy to stay moving! I've started losing weight again since being on the Vitamin D. Not sure if one has anything to do with the other.
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    if you have autoimmune thyroid disease eating seaweed or iodine supplements can be like throwing gasoline on a fire fyi.

    whatevs, works for me. People need to hear both sides of an argument. I have hypothyroidism and at my worst my immune system was not at all functional and iodine in the form of kelp supplements and eating plenty of Japanese food definitely help me.

    I think most people are smart enough to realise that advice on a forum is anecdotal. Where is your information from ?

    lmao...wow ok, first of all my comment wasn't directed solely at YOU alone. Secondly, if eveyrone is smart enough to know that information in a forum is anecdotal, who are you to ask me where I got my info from? Let's get all mad over an opposing piece of advice from someone on the internet shall we?

    I have Hashi's, I've experience the Hashi flare from too much iodine. Just because it works for you doesn't make it ok to tell everyone to go eat iodine. I wasn't bashing you for eating it or telling you not to eat it. Just throwing a warning out there for people.

    ETA - if everyone needs to hear both sides, chill out and let other people talk about the negatives of iodine and seaweed. -_-
  • pinklemonayde530
    pinklemonayde530 Posts: 29 Member
    I have had it for about 3 years now. When I was first diagnosed my dr said she had never seen TSH levels that high (348.2 on the blood test results) I figured out later that I was gaining about 10lbs a month before i got on medication for it. I have been on .175 mcg for a while now and just got upped to .200mcg. I think now that it's regulated it's been easier to lose weight for me. So far Iv'e lost 40lbs since I have been on the medication. It's been slow but it doesn't seem so impossible now.
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    if you have autoimmune thyroid disease eating seaweed or iodine supplements can be like throwing gasoline on a fire fyi.

    :wink: I wasn't going to say anything...

    :flowerforyou:
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    I have it. By the time I was diagnosed, I had slowly put on 5lbs, despite being very very active and watching what I ate. I've been on synthroid for 15 years now, and it's fixed all that ailed me. I don't feel it is at all a hindrance to my losing weight. Putting too much food into my mouth is what does that.

    this, too. I'm currently smack bang in ideal weight ranges after losing 27kg this year. I've lost weight twice with hypo. I put it on in between because of depression, injury, and eating too much junk and not enough good. Hypo can be a barrier... the lethargy and fatigue are the things though. If your meds are right, you can function normally. if your meds aren't right is here the struggles come in. My doc jokes about having me be the poster child for how to be hypothyroid and not use it as an excuse....
  • trudijoy
    trudijoy Posts: 1,685 Member
    if you have autoimmune thyroid disease eating seaweed or iodine supplements can be like throwing gasoline on a fire fyi.

    whatevs, works for me. People need to hear both sides of an argument. I have hypothyroidism and at my worst my immune system was not at all functional and iodine in the form of kelp supplements and eating plenty of Japanese food definitely help me.

    I think most people are smart enough to realise that advice on a forum is anecdotal. Where is your information from ?

    lmao...wow ok, first of all my comment wasn't directed solely at YOU alone. Secondly, if eveyrone is smart enough to know that information in a forum is anecdotal, who are you to ask me where I got my info from? Let's get all mad over an opposing piece of advice from someone on the internet shall we?

    I have Hashi's, I've experience the Hashi flare from too much iodine. Just because it works for you doesn't make it ok to tell everyone to go eat iodine. I wasn't bashing you for eating it or telling you not to eat it. Just throwing a warning out there for people.

    my mistake, I was taking the condescending 'fyi' at the end to mean that you were positive that you were the most right. i was asking where your info was from out of interest because I'd never heard of that reaction before and it would potentially cause me to add a warning to my 'it works for me' story.

    I pretty clearly said that people need both sides of the story. I'm not arguing with you, though your tone in both posts is pretty abrupt, borderline rude really.

    No point fighting about things, just present things from both sides. You gave no detail in your original post. After reading the second, it's clearer.
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
    if you have autoimmune thyroid disease eating seaweed or iodine supplements can be like throwing gasoline on a fire fyi.

    whatevs, works for me. People need to hear both sides of an argument. I have hypothyroidism and at my worst my immune system was not at all functional and iodine in the form of kelp supplements and eating plenty of Japanese food definitely help me.

    I think most people are smart enough to realise that advice on a forum is anecdotal. Where is your information from ?

    lmao...wow ok, first of all my comment wasn't directed solely at YOU alone. Secondly, if eveyrone is smart enough to know that information in a forum is anecdotal, who are you to ask me where I got my info from? Let's get all mad over an opposing piece of advice from someone on the internet shall we?

    I have Hashi's, I've experience the Hashi flare from too much iodine. Just because it works for you doesn't make it ok to tell everyone to go eat iodine. I wasn't bashing you for eating it or telling you not to eat it. Just throwing a warning out there for people.

    my mistake, I was taking the condescending 'fyi' at the end to mean that you were positive that you were the most right. i was asking where your info was from out of interest because I'd never heard of that reaction before and it would potentially cause me to add a warning to my 'it works for me' story.

    I pretty clearly said that people need both sides of the story. I'm not arguing with you, though your tone in both posts is pretty abrupt, borderline rude really.

    No point fighting about things, just present things from both sides. You gave no detail in your original post. After reading the second, it's clearer.

    no problemo, and no rudeness implied at all. :flowerforyou: I am just a to the point type of person, no fluff when it comes to stuff like this. I've been around the block with hashi's and know my stuff as well.

    Just to toss it out there since you never heard of that type of reaction, for some with AI thyroid disease ingesting iodine can cause a severe AI reaction on the thyroid and really worsen the disease causing thyroid inflammation and pain, along with the tons of other symptoms that we all deal with.