Friendship & Intro Thread

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  • annie2go
    annie2go Posts: 4
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    I have been Hyper Thyroid most of my life. I know people think because its Hyper and not Hypo that I should be skinny, but I am not. I went off my medication a couple of years ago and I just ballooned up to 190 pounds. I am back on Medication now and want to lose weight, which is difficult to do when you have Thyroid issues. Are there any success stories? I have lost 4 pound since going back on the medication and starting this diet a week ago. But I feel that I may be fighting a losing battle.
  • irleshay
    irleshay Posts: 102 Member
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    Hi everyone, I just discovered this group. I've been hypo for about 10 years, originally also with hyperprolactinemia and a pituitary gland growth, but the latter two have been resolved. I take Synthroid, and have been overweight to a lesser or greater degree since graduating college, until I started MFP last year. It's been life-changing, and I was happy to reach my goal last year. I get awful fatigue in the winters, I think a direct correlation to lesser sun exposure. I've complained about it before, but the endos refuse to change my dosage and say it's right. I will admit that one endo reluctantly once said I could take an extra half-pill every third day for more energy, but I abused that and think I went into hyper territory -- trouble breathing and heart palpitations. Yikes. So now I take my pill as directed. I wish you all luck in your weight goals and thyroid maintenance!
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I started MFP last year. It's been life-changing, and I was happy to reach my goal last year. I get awful fatigue in the winters, I think a direct correlation to lesser sun exposure. I've complained about it before, but the endos refuse to change my dosage and say it's right.
    Congratulations on your loss!

    Do you take Vitamin D supplements?
  • irleshay
    irleshay Posts: 102 Member
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    I started MFP last year. It's been life-changing, and I was happy to reach my goal last year. I get awful fatigue in the winters, I think a direct correlation to lesser sun exposure. I've complained about it before, but the endos refuse to change my dosage and say it's right.
    Congratulations on your loss!

    Do you take Vitamin D supplements?

    Sorry, only saw this reply now. I did take them. Once years ago I was prescribed Rx-strength D, and last fall I was told to just take extra D over the counter. When I called back the doctor's office, the nurse even suggested I take double what was recommended, so I took 2,000 IUs plus whatever was in my multi (I think 400 IUs). Around May I cut it back to 1,000 IUs, and now I take just the multi. I wouldn't say it made me feel energetic in the winter, but it made me feel closer to normal compared with previous winters.

    I find my energy spikes in summer and really, really plummets in the winter. As in, sleep for 10 hours and still require a nap during the day. It's frustrating because I accomplish less in my day, and I feel drained and blue. I think the better eating has helped, and exercise definitely helps. So unless there's a blizzard in the winter, I will peel myself off the couch and go to my regular Zumba and kickboxing classes. Never fails to help!
  • kimekakes28
    kimekakes28 Posts: 103 Member
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    Hi my name is Kim and I was diagnosed with Grave's Disease back in 2008. The medication leveled things out and I've been off it since 2010. My doctor told me to cut out all processed foods and to exercise. I started eating only fruits, veggies, lean meats and whole grains. no sodas or artifical sweetners. I lost 40 pounds but with Grave's disease, its a very delicate balance to keep your thyroid in "neutral". I've managed to maintain a weight of 145-150 for over a year, but since I am slipping into the hypothyroidism range, I have to watch everything I eat and exercise almost daily just to maintain. I take a mulit vitamin, vitamin D supplments, and B vitamin supplements to keep my energy levels up. It is a daily struggle, but I know staying positive and keeping my body moving will help keep my Grave's Disease in check.
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    I started MFP last year. It's been life-changing, and I was happy to reach my goal last year. I get awful fatigue in the winters, I think a direct correlation to lesser sun exposure. I've complained about it before, but the endos refuse to change my dosage and say it's right.
    Congratulations on your loss!

    Do you take Vitamin D supplements?

    Sorry, only saw this reply now. I did take them. Once years ago I was prescribed Rx-strength D, and last fall I was told to just take extra D over the counter. When I called back the doctor's office, the nurse even suggested I take double what was recommended, so I took 2,000 IUs plus whatever was in my multi (I think 400 IUs). Around May I cut it back to 1,000 IUs, and now I take just the multi. I wouldn't say it made me feel energetic in the winter, but it made me feel closer to normal compared with previous winters.

    I find my energy spikes in summer and really, really plummets in the winter. As in, sleep for 10 hours and still require a nap during the day. It's frustrating because I accomplish less in my day, and I feel drained and blue. I think the better eating has helped, and exercise definitely helps. So unless there's a blizzard in the winter, I will peel myself off the couch and go to my regular Zumba and kickboxing classes. Never fails to help!

    Maybe the winter/summer thing is Seasonal Affective Disorder, not thyroid-related at all. You might also have winter allergies to indoor things like dust mites that gets worse in the winter because people don't open their windows for ventilation--maybe even to the point of having sleep apnea in the winter but not in summer.

    Talk to your primary care doc. It might not be an endocrinology problem.
  • irleshay
    irleshay Posts: 102 Member
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    Maybe the winter/summer thing is Seasonal Affective Disorder, not thyroid-related at all. You might also have winter allergies to indoor things like dust mites that gets worse in the winter because people don't open their windows for ventilation--maybe even to the point of having sleep apnea in the winter but not in summer.

    Talk to your primary care doc. It might not be an endocrinology problem.

    I thought it might be SAD, and I even bought that Happy Light. lol I'm not sure it does anything. I've told both my new primary care doc, and the one who preceded her for several years. All they suggested was the Vitamin D and getting extra sunlight, something that's hard to do in a Boston winter working a later shift.

    The allergy idea is interesting. Does one take allergy meds, or open all the windows mid-winter to air out the house?
  • WLPAwake
    WLPAwake Posts: 3
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    Hello everyone! I'm new to MFP and have just started to really track my food and exercise. I'm 43 years old, married mom to 3. I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism since 2009 and take Synthroid (tried Armour for a few months- did not work as well for me). I'm 5'6 and weighed 194 when I started MFP and lost 6 pounds in the last 3 weeks bringing me to 188 today. I'm about 40 pounds overweight. I've lost 6 pounds in the last 3 weeks which feels like so little for the effort but it's at least a weight loss. It's been very depressing and a bit shocking but I take complete ownership. I'm not the type to overeat or indulge everyday but even once in a while shows up drastically on the scale. I'm afraid to eat my 1200 calories a day since I feel like everything I eat makes me gain weight. Anyone else feel this way? Logically I know I need enough calories to exercise and burn off weight but it's a struggle for me. My goal is to lose 45 lbs total. Love to hear success stories and look forward to reading tips and tricks.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I'm about 40 pounds overweight. I've lost 6 pounds in the last 3 weeks which feels like so little for the effort but it's at least a weight loss. It's been very depressing and a bit shocking but I take complete ownership. I'm not the type to overeat or indulge everyday but even once in a while shows up drastically on the scale. I'm afraid to eat my 1200 calories a day since I feel like everything I eat makes me gain weight. Anyone else feel this way?
    A healthy loss at your size is no more than 1 lb. per week—which is way more than 1,200 calories.

    Please, read the Sexypants post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • WLPAwake
    WLPAwake Posts: 3
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    Thank you for the link- I've seen it before and the information is just too confusing for me. I went out to the TDE site recommended and according to that site for my goal weight of 148 lbs I should be eating 1401 BMR calories and 759 Activity calories for a total of 2160 per day. Trouble is I've only been tracking for 3 weeks (and feel like I should have lost a lot more based on my numbers!). Maybe I'm just misunderstanding the math... I just want to lose weight and I have so much to lose and my sluggish metabolism makes things really hard. Like I said, I'm scared to eat any more than I have been.

    Anyone else increase their caloric intake with exercise and lose weight??
  • irleshay
    irleshay Posts: 102 Member
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    Thank you for the link- I've seen it before and the information is just too confusing for me. I went out to the TDE site recommended and according to that site for my goal weight of 148 lbs I should be eating 1401 BMR calories and 759 Activity calories for a total of 2160 per day. Trouble is I've only been tracking for 3 weeks (and feel like I should have lost a lot more based on my numbers!). Maybe I'm just misunderstanding the math... I just want to lose weight and I have so much to lose and my sluggish metabolism makes things really hard. Like I said, I'm scared to eat any more than I have been.

    Anyone else increase their caloric intake with exercise and lose weight??

    I see the TDEE sites and calculators mentioned a lot, but I just went by the MFP-given numbers. That said, I did eat back exercise calories, so when I was losing I ate 1400 calories a day, but some days I ended up eating 2000+ total because I ate back exercise calories burned. And I did lose, and have been maintaining for many months. In my opinion, you need food to fuel your exercise. Any loss is progress and more will come! Good luck.
  • jzsunshine61
    jzsunshine61 Posts: 5 Member
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    I am female, 53 and 5'2". I have hypothyroid. I discovered myfitnesspal several months ago and convinced my husband to join me in losing weight. I have lost about 7 pounds in 3 months - he has lost 20. I consider myself lightly active but I can spend long hours doing heavy work in the garden and household projects. My latest was moving 3 rooms in our house around. I carried boxes of sewing supplies and other things up and down two flights of stairs for 6 hours yesterday. I don't eat back my exercise calories. The first two months, even though I was very active getting my vegetable garden started, digging up about a 1000 square feet of earth with a shovel and pulling weeds for hours at a time while eating the 1300 or so suggested calories, I really didn't lose a pound. I did a search and found boards on this site that suggested switching to Armor thyroid - which I did a little over a month ago. I've lost around 4-5 pounds since. I did drop my calories to 1200 - mostly because the site said I should eat 1300 or so but I've read that hypothyroidism reduces your metabolism by 200 calories a day. I was completely stalled at the former #. I sometimes eat around 1100 calories a day just in case I go over a little one day a week. I am not hungry at this amount of calories and I think it's because of my height. I don't agree with the no less than 1200 calorie rule for short women. I am determined to keep going even though the weight loss has been slow. I'm looking forward to this group and hoping I can learn more about losing weight with hypothyroidism.
  • jzsunshine61
    jzsunshine61 Posts: 5 Member
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    I should say that I am 172 pounds now. My goal is 110-115 pounds according to the BMI. I figure I will see how I look as I lose and settle at the weight I feel and look best at.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
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    Hi, I'm Sara. Looking forward to meeting everyone!
  • vyckie72
    vyckie72 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi, I'm Vyckie. I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism in 2007 when we began our IVF journey. It was never caught before than with my primary care Dr's. So I have been on levothyroxin ever since then. After I had my twins 5 years ago I was losing weight and feeling good. Than slowly over the last few years my weight has started creeping back up. I am working with my Dr to help me lose weight but we are also at the same time trying to find a dosage of the levo that will help too. I had a look at my last 3 TSH levels and I've noticed over the last year that my levels are creeping up, not maintaining or going down. I have also noticed lately a feeling of pressure in the lower part of my throat. It doesn't hurt, but sometimes it makes it hard to swallow. I mentioned it to the Dr. last time I was there but she never checked it. Does it sound like something I should be worried about? Should I make another appointment with my Dr. specifically for that? Thanks in advance. Looking forward to getting to know you.

    Vyckie
  • kaly89
    kaly89 Posts: 1
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    Hello everyone! My name is Caroline and I live in Vieques PR. I was diagnosed with Hashis and Hypothyroid February this year and just recently in June I was started on synthroid... It has been a very depressing situation for me specially since I gained over 30 pounds in 6months :explode: :sad: I had managed to loose weight and feel amazing but oh well :ohwell: I decided to try myfitnesspal again about a week ago in hopes to get healthy and find/ give support to others that are suffering like me. Nice to meet everyone!
  • WLPAwake
    WLPAwake Posts: 3
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    Thank you! I really appreciate you sharing with me. :smile: It helps to hear about what others are doing.
  • OhDD65
    OhDD65 Posts: 180 Member
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    Hello everyone....

    I too have hyperthyroidism, which I have had since I was a child. I have gone the whole gamut from being treated for that, told I no longer had the problem so was taken off of it for years, suffered with all of the symptoms for years with no meds and then had a dr tell me I had it again. I was treated and then was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Now I am regulated and doing very well. I found a dr that would let me go on Armour Thyroid and after establishing the right dosage, eating a diet with mainly chicken, fish, turkey, fruits and veggies with very few carbs and no processed foods I have lost 26 lbs and I have 8 to go to reach my goal. Due to my size I only eat 1200 cals a day and I also exercise mainly walking for 30 min 5 days a week. I am feeling better than I have felt my whole life and finally have control of my wt issues, which I have fought with my whole life. So ladies it can be done. I took the advice of someone else on here and it has worked for me once my Rx got regulated. Now if I can stop my hair loss I will be a happy camper :grumble: Hang in there cause it sure feels good to win this battle.
  • OhDD65
    OhDD65 Posts: 180 Member
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    Correction...started with hypothyroidism
  • steviecooke1985
    steviecooke1985 Posts: 68 Member
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    Hello! I'm looking for some new thyroid friends! I'm UK based but happy to have friends from anywhere. :smile: Ideally I want people who use myfitnesspal regularly and have their diaries open for friends as I find this the most useful and motivating. Thanks! :drinker: