Can someone explain to me???

PrincessLaundry
PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I would love information from others here on thyroid problems and weight loss.

I know I'm totally clueless on the difficulty a person has if they have thyroid issues. I have a husband with a thyroid problem from his cancer treatment. He isn't looking to lose much weight at all, less than 10 pounds. But I always hear people talk about their "thyroid problem" and it causing them to have a harder time losing weight. I thought that is why a person takes medicine? Doesn't it regulate things moving your system back to normal?

I would love some help understanding...and no he isn't making excuses, but I told him I would ask here to find out more.

::DISCUSS!::

:wink:

Replies

  • PrincessLaundry
    PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
    I would love information from others here on thyroid problems and weight loss.

    I know I'm totally clueless on the difficulty a person has if they have thyroid issues. I have a husband with a thyroid problem from his cancer treatment. He isn't looking to lose much weight at all, less than 10 pounds. But I always hear people talk about their "thyroid problem" and it causing them to have a harder time losing weight. I thought that is why a person takes medicine? Doesn't it regulate things moving your system back to normal?

    I would love some help understanding...and no he isn't making excuses, but I told him I would ask here to find out more.

    ::DISCUSS!::

    :wink:
  • BrenNew
    BrenNew Posts: 3,420 Member
    I've had a thyroid condition for a good 2 or 3 years now. My Dr. said I had the kind that made it pretty impossible to lose weight. (My cat had a thyroid problem that made it so that she couldn't keep weight on, and kept losing! I sure wanted to trade conditions, that's for sure! But, I couldn't!)
    I started taking medicine, and thought that I'd start losing all kinds of weight. But, I didn't! When I went back to the Dr. I figured he'd up my dosage, but, instead, he up and lowered it! Geez! And then the next time I went back, he put it back to what I had in the beginning, which is what it's been now for years. I even went to a specialist, after another year of gaining, but she couldn't find anything causing it either. I just kept gaining alittle every year, UNTIL I found this site! Now I know that it was the food choices I was making, and a real lack of exercise. I discovered that I had a major problem with protein. I was WAY over what I should be having each day. So now that I'm watching my numbers, and walking and dancing to fast oldies in my living room for exercise, I'm steadily losing!
    Maybe that's the way it'll be for your husband too, if his thyroid condition is anything like mine.
  • Marla64
    Marla64 Posts: 23,120 Member
    Hey-- what a great idea-- dancing in the living room!! That's a great idea-- and I could incorporate the exercise with fun with my little ones-- woo hooooo-- that solves a problem now and then when my "exercise" time out running takes away from the kids. Wooo hoooooo--

    As for thyroid, I'm somewhat convinced I have some issues. I have a lot of weight around the middle, my hair is totally whacking out and I have some skin issues. I was ready to head to the doctor because I was getting really fat with no change in my eating. But, I also had to realize my nursing infant was cutting back thus taking fewer calories. I'm also getting older and am sedentary due to a home typing job, and my "normal" eating certainly wasn't conducive to losing weight.

    Last ditch effort, I started SlimFast, then found this site and I'm losing. So, in my case, I don't think thyroid is causing problems weight wise.

    But, truly-- I had to post somewhere this morning so I could see my ticker-- I lost another pound-- hip hip hurray! Have a great day one and all--
  • PrincessLaundry
    PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
    I've had a thyroid condition for a good 2 or 3 years now. My Dr. said I had the kind that made it pretty impossible to lose weight. (My cat had a thyroid problem that made it so that she couldn't keep weight on, and kept losing! I sure wanted to trade conditions, that's for sure! But, I couldn't!)
    I started taking medicine, and thought that I'd start losing all kinds of weight. But, I didn't! When I went back to the Dr. I figured he'd up my dosage, but, instead, he up and lowered it! Geez! And then the next time I went back, he put it back to what I had in the beginning, which is what it's been now for years. I even went to a specialist, after another year of gaining, but she couldn't find anything causing it either. I just kept gaining alittle every year, UNTIL I found this site! Now I know that it was the food choices I was making, and a real lack of exercise. I discovered that I had a major problem with protein. I was WAY over what I should be having each day. So now that I'm watching my numbers, and walking and dancing to fast oldies in my living room for exercise, I'm steadily losing!
    Maybe that's the way it'll be for your husband too, if his thyroid condition is anything like mine.

    So are you saying, that once you had your meds corrected, you found it was lack of food control and working out which was causing your weight issues? So the meds are meant to "put you back to normal." Right? I seriously have no clue about this so I appreciate your input.

    I hear people say they are heavy due to their thyroid even though they are on meds. We just don't want to expect too little or too much. We don't want to push to hard or not enough. Ya know?

    Thank you so much for the information thus far!
  • PrincessLaundry
    PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
    But, truly-- I had to post somewhere this morning so I could see my ticker-- I lost another pound-- hip hip hurray! Have a great day one and all--

    LOL Congrats on the pound!
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
    I have benign cysts on my thyroid. While on the process to find out if it was cancer or not I had some tests done to see if my thyroid was functioning properly. The doctor said that it is common for the thyroid to slow down a bit with age but at a certain rate. He said mine was a little slower than it should be but I did not need medication to stabilize at this time. So to answer your question if a person has hypothyroidism (a slow thyroid which in turn slows your metabolism and makes you gain weight) medication will help it function correctly. I do not want to offend anyone but I hear so many people who are overweight or obese say that they have thyroid problems and that cause their weight gain. To me that is an excuse. If they do have a thyroid problem, they are treated correctly, eat right and exercise they would lose the weight. I am no expert, I learned this because of my condition. :flowerforyou:
  • bricker06
    bricker06 Posts: 316
    I have hypothyroidism. This is a disease that will have you taking medication for the rest of your life. I am 34 and have had this disease since i was 26. I have gained a significant amount of weight over the years. Even with medication the weight is hard to come off. It is a very slow process. And according to my Dr. this is normal because the medication is a synthetic hormone. It does not react inside your body the same way your natural hormone would. Also it is very important to get regular blood draws to check your levels. In some people like myself it is very difficult to control the levels. My meds seem to be good for 6-8 weeks and then they need to be adjusted. Sometimes i do go 3-4 months on hte same does, but that is rare. At this point .137 is not enough but .150 is too much. And since they dont have an inbetween does I have to swap the dose everyother day. You could goggle hypothyroidism to see what it brings up. I have been using MFP since Dec. and lost 42. I have much more to lose but the summer has been difficult. The kids and husband are home for the summer and we had alot of weddings, graduation, birthdays, and camping trips. So my routine has been completely off. I have been able to maintain within 5 pounds though. And only 27 days till scholl starts and I can have my life and routine back. Stick with it, its a long process but worth it. Good luck.
  • runawaybride
    runawaybride Posts: 400 Member
    Medication only helps when you actually get on the "right " dosage. And to get to that point takes months and then it can change I have found the "right" dosage had a baby and boom it is all out of whack again and the "right" dosage isn't 'right" anymore. So it can affect weight loss because basically your thyroid is your thermometer for your body and it regulates more things than you know and one of them includes your metabolism. See I use to work out 4 hours a day, eat pretty good, and hardly lose weight and so I went to the doctor and was told I had an under active thyroid and it would slow the process but it was still possible to lose but not at the same pace of most people.

    But I DON'T use it as an excuse. Think of it this way if you had lots to lose and you start eating great and exercising a lot more and have this great mind set and only lose maybe a couple pounds a month would you feel discouraged and defeated by this condition ......most of us that have it do and maybe it is easier to tell ourselves this so we can either keep going at a snail's pace or just give up. BUT I believe it is worth trying and slowly succeeding than not at all.
  • runawaybride
    runawaybride Posts: 400 Member
    Another thing.......

    We all use excuses I think at some point in our life regarding weight loss. Whether it is baby weight or moving or stress or medical we have all done it and we use that card as often as we can pull it out.

    Seriously my little one is now 6 months old and I still use it and I do have an under active thyroid so that is just icing on the cake but the thing is deep down I know it is not entirely these issues that are preventing me. I don't try as hard as I can and if I were to I am sure the weight would come off.

    So I guess to answer your question I think that once your husband is on his right dosage and as long as he eats healthy and exercises he will lose weight.




    *This is just my opinion and do not mean any harm!!!!:wink:
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    I have had Hypothyroidism for almost 4 years now. It took until last spring to get my medication adjusted so I was normal. After going through 3 docs who either wouldn't treat the disease properly or wouldn't treat me as a human - like I was trash or something. I found one who is outstanding!! I can lose weight now pretty well - lost a total of 15 lbs from Jan 1 - end of March. Stalled out due to stress, etc., since then. I think the main thing is because it is a synthetic hormone our bodies react stronger to influences like hormones and stress and such, making it nearly impossible to lose weight during those kinds of times.

    Check out the book "Hypothyroidism for Dummies" and there is one something like "everything you need to know about Hypothyroidism" They are excellent resources - I got them at the library but saw them at Barnes & Noble first. They will give you a lot of info - the second is by docs with input from patients I believe. I haven't looked at it in a long time.

    Hypothyroidism is difficult, but not impossible. You have to have a good doctor who will make sure your levels are down where they need to be. If they are not, it is not even possible to lose weight. I use the example that I went from being pretty sedentary to cutting firewood with dh in Jan 07. 1 month hiking around the mountains in the snow and lifting logs and loading them, splitting them, reloading them and delivering them and not 1 lb lost in that time. I went to a different doc, explained it to her she said obviously not right!!! More meds - can lose weight now!! YAY - it's still work, and it should be - but at least it's possible. Sorry so long - pm me if you want to talk or need more info. Blessings - Kim
  • PedalHound
    PedalHound Posts: 1,625 Member
    The big point to remember with hypothyroidism (which I have - diagnosed 5 years ago) is that it encourages your body to gain and although getting on the right dosage usually helps stop that process, you then still have to work your butt off (double time!) to shed the weight and keep it off. I, too, thought that at first when I was diagnosed and the Dr. (a new one for me) said that THIS would be why I kept going to my old doc asking about confusing and significant weight gain, I assumed it would just start coming off. But at least it's POSSIBLE for me now to lose the weight!
  • PrincessLaundry
    PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
    Another thing.......

    We all use excuses I think at some point in our life regarding weight loss. Whether it is baby weight or moving or stress or medical we have all done it and we use that card as often as we can pull it out.

    Ya I'm trying to still lose that extra baby fat I gained from my son...He's 11! :laugh: :tongue:
  • PrincessLaundry
    PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
    I am loving this information! Thank you! Silly me, I have no clue even what his thyroid issue is at this point??? We went to the doctor well after his treatments as they told us to because this was going to happen. We went, they gave him meds for life, we came home, he takes his meds, we move on.

    We were starting to get curious about how this would affect him once his body was more fit, what to expect. So thank you all and keep the information coming! Your different situations are very helpful!

    ::DISCUSS!::

    :laugh:
  • Sarandipity
    Sarandipity Posts: 1,560
    My experience has been that it has taken over 3 years to get my dosage correct. When I was first diagnosed with Hypothyroidism my doctor was very surprised at how low my metabloism was (the TH factor that they measure in your blood should be below 5 and mine was at 160!). At the time I felt so tired all I wanted to do was curl up in bed, I was a walking zombie with no energy at all.

    After a year of getting tested and visiting specialists to make sure it wasn't caused by cancer or some other factor I was finally put on medication at which point I actually started having energy again. When I started on the medication I acutally started getting some of my energy back which in turn allowed me to start getting more active. It has only been in the last few months that my medication has remained at the same level (an amazingly high dose of 175). The medication will help you get more energy but you still have to have the motivation to get more active. It can be tricky as my doctor put it because as you loose weight your body needs less of the medication to regulate your metabolism so you have to get tested regularly to make sure you are at the correct levels.
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    My experience has been that it has taken over 3 years to get my dosage correct. When I was first diagnosed with Hypothyroidism my doctor was very surprised at how low my metabloism was (the TH factor that they measure in your blood should be below 5 and mine was at 160!). At the time I felt so tired all I wanted to do was curl up in bed, I was a walking zombie with no energy at all.

    After a year of getting tested and visiting specialists to make sure it wasn't caused by cancer or some other factor I was finally put on medication at which point I actually started having energy again. When I started on the medication I acutally started getting some of my energy back which in turn allowed me to start getting more active. It has only been in the last few months that my medication has remained at the same level (an amazingly high dose of 175). The medication will help you get more energy but you still have to have the motivation to get more active. It can be tricky as my doctor put it because as you loose weight your body needs less of the medication to regulate your metabolism so you have to get tested regularly to make sure you are at the correct levels.

    Wow - we have similar stories. Except i didn't visit specialists, etc., they just started me on meds right away. My tsh was 189 and currently I take 200mcg. So much fun to think we get to do this everyday for the rest of our lives, but when I know the consequence of not doing it I find that it is more than worth it to take that little pill 1 hour before eating anything!!! Gosh and we even joined MFP in the same month!! lol - too funny.
  • Nana27
    Nana27 Posts: 77
    I have had hyperthyroidism for over 10 years (my mother had it before me). I have to take 225 daily in two pills to control it. When you have this disease it is impossible to lose weight without medication. It can also cause:
    depression
    bone weary tiredness
    mind problems such as forgetfullness, remembering the right words to use, ect.
    and a myrid of other problems you normally would not think of.

    When you team that with other medical problems, the list gets longer. It can take a long time to get the correct dosage, please don't give up. And as others have said here, even with the correct dosage, it is still harder to lose weight at times. Stress can be a real problem in messing with your dosage.

    Just wanted to tell of my experience and let you know it can be dealt with and you can lose weight if you try hard enough.:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:

    Linda

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  • BrenNew
    BrenNew Posts: 3,420 Member
    Aww, congrats on your weight loss! AND, I'm glad you liked my dancing suggestion! I LOVE it, cuz I can do it no matter what the weather. I've got a fan in case I get too hot, and I've also got my tv, so I'm not bored at all either!
  • BrenNew
    BrenNew Posts: 3,420 Member
    It can be tricky as my doctor put it because as you loose weight your body needs less of the medication to regulate your metabolism so you have to get tested regularly to make sure you are at the correct levels.
    [/quote]

    Hmmm, I didn't realize that! I guess I should see the Dr. again soon, since I've lost 27 pounds, and it's also been a good year since they last tested my blood. (I HATE going to Drs. and dentists!)
  • BrenNew
    BrenNew Posts: 3,420 Member
    So are you saying, that once you had your meds corrected, you found it was lack of food control and working out which was causing your weight issues? So the meds are meant to "put you back to normal." Right? I seriously have no clue about this so I appreciate your input.

    I hear people say they are heavy due to their thyroid even though they are on meds. We just don't want to expect too little or too much. We don't want to push to hard or not enough. Ya know?

    Thank you so much for the information thus far!

    Yes, Princess L, I AM saying that once the got my blood levels right, the medicine was doing what it was supposed to, and that WASN'T why I kept gaining. It wasn't until I came to MFP and started logging everything I ate, and seeing my numbers were WAY too high, that I started watching what I ate, and exercising, and I've been losing ever since!
    Originally, before MFP, I DID blame my weight on my thyroid, but, since finding MFP, NOW I know different!
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
    I have a hypothyroid (if that is the correct terminology) which means is it too slow and helps me gain. Or so I have been told.....hyper would be the opposit, making it difficult to gain. Sure everyone is different but I really don't see how it affects me. I have gained weight since high school (who hasn't) but not such an insane amount that I could blame it on my thyroid. And while it has always been a little difficult for me to lose, it was also pretty slow for me to gain, which is the complete opposit of what I have always heard of the disease. Looking back on the foods I ate and lack of exercise before I found MFP, it's pretty shocking to me that I wasn't 400 pounds. Not that I ate THAT badly, probably pretty average for someone who didn't count calories, but I made very poor choices and my idea of a serving was pretty far off....but I never binged or did anything like that......oh and I often skipped meals so that also accounts for not being able to lose.

    So anyway, I seriously don't feel much different when I am on the meds. Doctors tell me I will lose weight easier and have more energy, but if I do I haven't noticed that big of a difference. I have been surprised at how consistently I have been losing lately which is a new concept for me, but then again I am doing things differently, I have never been this dedicated to counting calories, making better choices, getting regular exercise, doing regular weigh-ins, etc. My doctor did switch me to a different kind of thyroid pill the last time I was in around May, but late April is also when I started MFP. So is my recent weight loss the result of MFP alone, the thyroid pill alone, or a combination of both? Who knows!

    All I do know is that my doctor yells at me when I tell her I stopped taking my pills, so she takes some blood, adjusts the dosage and I vow to take them everyday so she won't yell at me. Whether it is making a difference or not is unknown to me.
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    I have a hypothyroid (if that is the correct terminology) which means is it too slow and helps me gain. Or so I have been told.....hyper would be the opposit, making it difficult to gain. Sure everyone is different but I really don't see how it affects me. I have gained weight since high school (who hasn't) but not such an insane amount that I could blame it on my thyroid. And while it has always been a little difficult for me to lose, it was also pretty slow for me to gain, which is the complete opposit of what I have always heard of the disease. Looking back on the foods I ate and lack of exercise before I found MFP, it's pretty shocking to me that I wasn't 400 pounds. Not that I ate THAT badly, probably pretty average for someone who didn't count calories, but I made very poor choices and my idea of a serving was pretty far off....but I never binged or did anything like that......oh and I often skipped meals so that also accounts for not being able to lose.

    So anyway, I seriously don't feel much different when I am on the meds. Doctors tell me I will lose weight easier and have more energy, but if I do I haven't noticed that big of a difference. I have been surprised at how consistently I have been losing lately which is a new concept for me, but then again I am doing things differently, I have never been this dedicated to counting calories, making better choices, getting regular exercise, doing regular weigh-ins, etc. My doctor did switch me to a different kind of thyroid pill the last time I was in around May, but late April is also when I started MFP. So is my recent weight loss the result of MFP alone, the thyroid pill alone, or a combination of both? Who knows!

    All I do know is that my doctor yells at me when I tell her I stopped taking my pills, so she takes some blood, adjusts the dosage and I vow to take them everyday so she won't yell at me. Whether it is making a difference or not is unknown to me.

    Please make sure you take your pills everyday. Hypothyroidism has serious side-effects if left unchecked including goiter, symptoms similar to paranoid scizophrenia (sp?) and even possibly death. Sounds like yours got caught pretty early before major symptoms. Keep on truckin' and you'll be fine. Oh - and take your pills!!!!! Every morning at least 1 hour before consuming food. We wouldn't want you to gain 15 lbs in a few weeks, then go nuts or die on us :heart:
  • runawaybride
    runawaybride Posts: 400 Member
    OH by the way a little bit of useless info mixed with some humor......

    Did you hear about that 44 lb cat .....seriously they had the vet on and he said the cat had an underactive thyroid .......so if that helps!!! :laugh:
  • PrincessLaundry
    PrincessLaundry Posts: 2,758 Member
    OH by the way a little bit of useless info mixed with some humor......

    Did you hear about that 44 lb cat .....seriously they had the vet on and he said the cat had an underactive thyroid .......so if that helps!!! :laugh:

    OMG the white one on the news alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll over right now? How sad. LOL
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