young, angry, and scared- please lend me some advice?
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kaitlucy
Posts: 2
Hi, I am a 21 year old female starting my last year of university and I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's. I am looking for some advice and support from others like myself because I'm really scared that I will not be able to lose this weight or have children and be happy again. I just hope I can find some friends who have had positive experiences that can share because googling can really terrify a girl.
A little about me- I grew up playing competitive sports, and even played D1 softball my first year in college. I was always on a diet plan and workout regimine from the time I was 12 and my recruiting prospects were hot. As soon as I quit playing 2 years ago to focus on my studies and research, I gained a lot of weight very rapidly. I've had some major changes in my life that came out of left field since I graduated high school, so my family and friends thought I was majorly depressed, and rightfully so. Recently, things have turned around and I have really come out of my funk, but the mental slowness, lack of energy, depressive fog, and inexplicable weight gain had persisted. I went to a doctor and was diagnosed with hashimoto's.
At first, I was very angry. As I've mentioned, I haven't had an easy go of it for the past few years. I was finally in the sun again and excited about life and my future and everything I had been worrying about day and night for years had been handled. I felt as though I had been "too happy and this was the universe taking me back down a notch" and went down a very negative path that involved a lot of soda, chips, and ice cream.
During this time, I took to google and properly terrified myself with what I read. My main concerns are the inability to lose weight, because I am a very painfully self conscious person who enjoys being fit and playing sports but am crippled with social anxiety from my weight. Also, all I want is to have a happy family in the future, as mine imploded. I am absolutely terrified that I won't be able to have children- I watched my mother go through years of ivf and numerous miscarriages and it devasted her, and she has no thyroid issues. This is a long way off for me, but it keeps me up at night.
I have an appointment with an endocrinologist who will hopefully tell me more than just a diagnosis, but as I am on student health insurance and have very few options for covered practices, it is taking a while to secure an appointment.
I am sorry this was so long winded, but I don't really have anyone to talk to about this, as I am usually the rock for my mom and suffer in personal silence type- but that's not healthy. Please help me find the light in this situation because I am really motivated to get my personal life back on track and start living and feeling healthier again!!
A little about me- I grew up playing competitive sports, and even played D1 softball my first year in college. I was always on a diet plan and workout regimine from the time I was 12 and my recruiting prospects were hot. As soon as I quit playing 2 years ago to focus on my studies and research, I gained a lot of weight very rapidly. I've had some major changes in my life that came out of left field since I graduated high school, so my family and friends thought I was majorly depressed, and rightfully so. Recently, things have turned around and I have really come out of my funk, but the mental slowness, lack of energy, depressive fog, and inexplicable weight gain had persisted. I went to a doctor and was diagnosed with hashimoto's.
At first, I was very angry. As I've mentioned, I haven't had an easy go of it for the past few years. I was finally in the sun again and excited about life and my future and everything I had been worrying about day and night for years had been handled. I felt as though I had been "too happy and this was the universe taking me back down a notch" and went down a very negative path that involved a lot of soda, chips, and ice cream.
During this time, I took to google and properly terrified myself with what I read. My main concerns are the inability to lose weight, because I am a very painfully self conscious person who enjoys being fit and playing sports but am crippled with social anxiety from my weight. Also, all I want is to have a happy family in the future, as mine imploded. I am absolutely terrified that I won't be able to have children- I watched my mother go through years of ivf and numerous miscarriages and it devasted her, and she has no thyroid issues. This is a long way off for me, but it keeps me up at night.
I have an appointment with an endocrinologist who will hopefully tell me more than just a diagnosis, but as I am on student health insurance and have very few options for covered practices, it is taking a while to secure an appointment.
I am sorry this was so long winded, but I don't really have anyone to talk to about this, as I am usually the rock for my mom and suffer in personal silence type- but that's not healthy. Please help me find the light in this situation because I am really motivated to get my personal life back on track and start living and feeling healthier again!!
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Replies
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Hi there
I know its scary at first later it will just be annoying 
I was athletic in my youth as well. I was catcher and short playing softball for bout 8 years and on the swim team. I too gained a lot of weight with hashimotos 
But its not impossible to have children or lose weight with them I am a mother and I recently lost 70 pounds naturally ( no surgery) Its just harder to lose the weight especially with the lack of motivation and energy, muscle weakness ect. you just need the willpower.
When you see your endocrinologist if they are worth a lick they will help you through everything ( even conception when the time comes, I have polycystic ovarian syndrome as well and mine worked with me) Also ask your endo for a referral to a nutritionist that can help you set up a diet guideline tailored to your medical condition. I think that was the most important step to my weight loss. Learning how to eat healthy (with hypo we usually have a lower calorie limit but with the help of the nutritionist you really do get to eat a lot when you learn alternatives to cut calories
Feel free to msg me if you have any questions ( Sorry i just woke up and a little groggy so if my response is a little bit huh wth? lol sorry hehe)0 -
I have Hashimoto's, and take Synthroid (T4) & Cytomel (T3). The meds reduce my fatigue, so I'm more active. But even on the meds I kept gaining until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly.
I think Hashi's has messed up my hunger cues, because I'm hungry all the time. Once I got honest with my logging, I saw I was eating way too much. I've found I'm less hungry when I use MFP's protein & fiber goals as minimums, and ignore fat & carbs. It will take trial & error to find what works for you.
The advice in the Sexypants post worked for me: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
And MFP has a Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism forum: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/770-hypothyroidism-and-hyperthyroidism0 -
Hashimotos here too!
I have been dealing this for 14 months now and honestly it is still a struggle. In the beginning, it was actually recommended that I not exercise much at all. I limited my activity to just walking most days. Try to be patient with yourself, take some downtime and look at the weight gain as just a temporary side effect to this disease! Once you get some blood levels stabilized then try to work on the weight loss.
Stop the Thyroid Maddness has been very helpful.
Eliminating soy was challenging. It is an added ingredient to many items. I have also added hemp protein and think it has really helped with my energy levels. I nutritionist I saw made several recommendations but also said small steady changes are to way to go.
Kinda odd, I used to be crazy active a busy too. Played tennis and softball for years then switched to running after kids and also started a crazy workout gym schedule. I wonder if there is a connection to extreme exercise, competitiveness, and that leading to hashimotos?0 -
Hashimoto's is an autoimmune disease. Your body is making antibodies to attack & destroy your thyroid. Supposedly stress of any kind can cause it.
My endocrinologist told me to eat whatever I want, so I eat gluten, soy & all the vegetables. (My diary is public.) Everybody's different, so it will take trial & error to find what works for you.
My meds reduce the fatigue, so I can be more active. But only logging everything I eat accurately & honestly had any effect on my weight. Logging works.0 -
Wow, I went on vacation and just got back to this amazing support. Thank you so much to you all! I just scheduled my endo appointment for the 17th so it is awesome to have this advice going in. I especially like the great suggestion of a nutritionist- I had not even thought of that, but that would really help! Also, it would help to plan because I too am inexplicably hungry all the time.
I have read preliminary articles about the gluten connection but have heard mixed reviews. The rest of my family is paleo, so I was considering trying - has anyone done that?
Thank you all so much for the advice... I appreciate it so much to know there are others who can be so helpful and positive!0 -
I too was diagnosed very young… at the time I felt like my world was ending. So this is my life in a nutshell, I hope that it helps you to not feel alone in this
I was only 20 when diagnosed… newlywed... and had recently moved to Germany from Texas. I very quickly gained over 60 pounds and lost my marriage. In that time my mom and brother had both lost a lot of weight so I was feeling extremely insecure. I hadn't always been heavy but this hypoactive thyroid business is no joke! When my marriage ended 4 years later I decided I needed to take control of my life. I set a plan to go to graduate school to become an Occupational Therapist and in that process I met my best friend who eventually became my boyfriend and introduced 20 more pounds to my already angrily heavy body.
Fast forward 3 long years of school, studying for my boards, and getting my first job as an OT and I finally feel like I am in control of my body. When I stopped living behind the excuse of my thyroid I became successful. I've lost 24lbs in about 6 weeks by eliminating most gluten/artificial sugar, eating fresh healthy food, daily vitamin/supplement regimen, and exercising a lot more. Yes, I deal with the tiredness, sometimes insomnia, dry skin, achy joints, BUT I am alive, and other than this super minor "disease" I am healthy. My doctors have said since I monitor my thyroid and am pro-active, having kids shouldn't be a issue. My sister got diagnosed when she was pregnant and her baby boy is happy and healthy. After living with it for over 8 years and watching the people I am closest to lose their mothers way too early and within 6 months of each other to incurable diseases I realized that it could always be worse. So I have to take a pill every morning, and I have a rather close relationship with my doctor and the lady who takes my blood, at least I know that I can personally control some aspects of my situation. For me, its been more mind over matter. Hope this helps, good luck with everything. Feel free to add me or message me if you have any questions 0 -
How have you been doing lately?0
