Thyroid or Adrenal Deficiency

barefootminis
barefootminis Posts: 11
edited November 8 in Health and Weight Loss
Have you been diagnosed with a thyroid or adrenal insufficiency? What have you done to help yourself lose weight and feel better? I'm going to see an endocrinologist for the first time in a week and I am anticipating. I'm most afraid that nothing will be found wrong so that I will hit another dead end. For so long I've felt like a horse chasing a carrot just out of reach. I thought that diet and exercise was all I need, but my body is telling me otherwise. I'm missing something. There has to be something wrong that despite all of my efforts I am not getting results. Thank you in advance for advice, success stories, and encouragement!

Replies

  • esjones12
    esjones12 Posts: 1,363 Member
    I went to the doctors over the summer for a physical and blood workup. I was having trouble shedding pounds and was bruising. Turned out I was perfectly healthy. I was eating more than I thought I was and the doctor told me to stop playing soccer and doing mud runs if I didn't want to have bruises all the time, haha! Started MFP religiously and am happily watching the scale drop consistently.

    Best of luck! Whatever the outcome is, the more you know the better equipped you are to reach your goals. You CAN do it :)
  • barefootminis
    barefootminis Posts: 11
    I've been doing mfp since April 22. Lost 20 pounds in the first mos and then came to a grinding halt. Took it down 100 more calories and raised my exercise levels. Still nothing. My mom has been on it for the same length of time has lost 30 pounds. I'm half her age. According to her I have a higher activity level. She's on the lowest activity level and I'm on lightly active. I have two boys, horses, and I have been very good and consistent with exercise since my last post. Both of my parents are hypothyroid. Mom is on armour and Dad is on synthroid. My TSH is normal even though I have every hypothyroid symptom in the book. It is really puzzling. Hoping I find answers! Thanks!
  • MelanieRBrace
    MelanieRBrace Posts: 245 Member
    I'm glad to hear that you have a medical ppointment. I went undiagnosed for months, maybe even a year. I bottomed out and gained 70 pounds. I have been on medication and now I have been able to slowly lose the weight again - 19 pounds so far. There is light at the end of the tunnel, just perservere. You can do it. Let us know how you make out next week.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    They took my ginormous thyroid out and started me on the Synthroid and I began being able to lose weight. It's the greatest thing. I work HARD for it. I eat less then most people and I exercise. I'm not saying the pills do the work! But the pills make it possible, so they get the most credit.

    There is no reason to cross bridges before you get to them, though. You don't even know if you have a problem! So don't freak out. :)
  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
    I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, the most common category of hypothyroidism, actually. It's autoimmune (many people who read this almost certainly already know this, but not everyone will, so I'm sticking it in there), which means how I feel can vary GREATLY day to day. It makes sense - the body may be more under attack one day than the next without any clear reason why, that can be the case with autoimmune issues; plus, it's progressive.

    It took me two years to find the correct dosage of Synthroid (well, Levo-, the generic brand) and now I am at least standing upright, :D but I do get very tired. What I try to do is, when I have some energy, I grab it! I do something physical and fun with my kids - like yesterday, we went to the park and all practice soccer drills and baseball hitting/catching. When I'm having a very tired, sluggish day, I work in spurts. As I get a bit of energy, I get up and do the dishes...sit back down...do my writing for a bit (I freelance), rest for another 5 minutes...and so on. Somehow, it all gets done.

    As for eating, I DO try to eat on the lower end when I'm feeling sluggish, simply because I'm not moving around as much, and because I am fully aware that on those days, eating more will NOT give me more energy, so that part is useless anyway. And yes, when I'm having a sluggish spat of a week or two, I can guarantee I'm going to gain weight if I am not VERY STRICT with my diet.

    It sucks, but there are worse things in life. I often tell myself: Okay, so I got diagnosed with Hashi's. Two years ago, my friend got diagnosed with breast cancer. There are people who are diagnosed with worse autoimmune issues than this one. There are people who are blind, there are people who can't walk. I have Hashi's, everybody deals with something or other.
  • XxAAmandaxX
    XxAAmandaxX Posts: 3 Member
    I have both hypothyroidism, and PCOS. I manage to lose by simply cutting my caloric intake and regular exercise.
  • barefootminis
    barefootminis Posts: 11
    My appointment is tomorrow. I sure hope I will find answers! Of course I pray that nothing serious is wrong, but there has to be an explanation. I have been struggling with this weight issue since I was 10. Not just weight, but other discouraging symptoms. I have always been active, there just has to be more to the story. It seems so strange that the harder I work out the larger I seem to swell and expand. It seems to have the opposite effect.

    I'm sorry to hear about some of your different struggles. Your underactive thyroid and struggles with hashimotos! (I really think that there is a correlation between hashimotos or hypothyroidism and pcos.) I'm sure you know what it's like to work really hard, gain weight and have doctors and nurses think you just need to "work harder" at it, or have people look at you like you're a hypochondriac, even when you have evidence of a problem. Keep listening to your bodies and getting answers even when there are roadblocks.
  • barefootminis
    barefootminis Posts: 11
    It's time for an update. My doctor found I was deficient in D, and confirmed my previous diagnosis of PCOS, and while my labs didn't reflect severe hypothyroidism, my doctor thankfully (I will be thankful forever) has put me on armour. It is only a therapeutic dose to start but it has reduced my symptoms of muscle pain by at least half.

    She put me on a med for the PCOS symptoms, also a tiny dose, and that is helping me sleep and reducing symptoms. My adrenals weren't underactive, they are overactive. She may increase my dosage of armour in the near future.

    Doctors are extremely hesitant to use armour. I had to search long and hard for someone who would at least try. I feel so much better already, I wish they would have put me on it years ago when I started having problems. My mom knew best. She knew I needed it then, but they tested me and said I was fine. She knew all along. Listen to your mom! :)
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