Is Hypothyroidism an Excuse?

JenniferLynWhatx · January 2015

Hi everyone,

I'm Jen - I'm 23 and this past year I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. I am approximately 150lbs overweight...with 50lbs of that coming on in the last year or so.

I guess what I'm wondering is...will this really slow down my weight loss given how big I am? I know I was eating bad this past year so I don't blame hypothyroidism for my gain...but should I blame it on slow losses? Or should I be adjusting what I'm doing.

I'm not always the greatest logger...this past week I've been doing better...but technically I started the 1st of January (sorry for the cliche). My goal is 1500...which is about 500 below my BMR and 900 below my TDEE. I guess I'm just seeing a lot of threads that are like "Because of my hypothyroidism..." or "With hypothyroidism I gained...." and I'm just not sure how much I buy it. Obviously I'm not tiny...but I've been big my whole life...I blame myself for the 50lb gain...and if I can't take it all off...I'm more apt to blame myself for that as well...as opposed to the disease.

Unknown · January 2015

This content has been removed.

TheVirgoddess · January 2015

It's only going to be an excuse if you let it be.

It might make it a little harder, but that's no reason to stop, or not try your hardest.

You can do it!

cwolfman13 · January 2015

It depends on whether or not you make it an excuse. You can lose weight, but it will be more difficult than it would be for someone who doesn't have hypothyroidism...it is a medical disorder that really jacks around your hormones...these hormones are responsible for a number of bodily functions, including your metabolism. People with hypothyroidism don't have optimally functioning metabolisms...basically, their basal rate is lower than someone of similar stats without that condition.

You can do it, get up for the challenge and do it.

Danilynn1975 · January 2015

people without it will tell you it is all your fault.

people with it, if they are correctly medicated, still might tell you the same.

All I know is for me, I'd like to have my eyelashes back. I have no eyelashes left on the bottom part and precious few left on the top lid.

I'm just starting the journey to finding out what mine is, so far my doc (endocrinologist) knows I have a 2.1 cm growth on the right lobe and a diffuse enlarged thyroid nearly double the normal size it should be.

I struggled for 18 months believing my inability to lose the last 15 pounds and gaining a few back was my fault. It wasn't until I found I had no voice, eyelashes, body hair is mostly gone from all over my body, including my arms and Fainted at work that I began to realize something might be wrong. The day I fainted I came too in a puddle of shattered volumetric cylinder and beaker that was mercifully not acid. I hadn't gotten that into the water I was getting ready to jar test for treatment.

Even then I am not sure how long I was passed out on the lab floor. I was alone at the plant that day. That night I found a swollen knot in my throat. I thought I maybe hit the counter when I passed out. I watched it for a few days, it didn't go away. I went to a doctor. Then I went to another. I hope to have answers soon.

I have nothing to offer you except the wish for peace and happiness.

crestwoodmike · January 2015

JenniferLynWhatx wrote: »

Hi everyone,

I'm Jen - I'm 23 and this past year I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism. I am approximately 150lbs overweight...with 50lbs of that coming on in the last year or so.

I guess what I'm wondering is...will this really slow down my weight loss given how big I am? I know I was eating bad this past year so I don't blame hypothyroidism for my gain...but should I blame it on slow losses? Or should I be adjusting what I'm doing.

I'm not always the greatest logger...this past week I've been doing better...but technically I started the 1st of January (sorry for the cliche). My goal is 1500...which is about 500 below my BMR and 900 below my TDEE. I guess I'm just seeing a lot of threads that are like "Because of my hypothyroidism..." or "With hypothyroidism I gained...." and I'm just not sure how much I buy it. Obviously I'm not tiny...but I've been big my whole life...I blame myself for the 50lb gain...and if I can't take it all off...I'm more apt to blame myself for that as well...as opposed to the disease.

juggernaut1974 · January 2015

TheVirgoddess wrote: »

It's only going to be an excuse if you let it be.

It might make it a little harder, but that's no reason to stop, or not try your hardest.

You can do it!

^^ This

crestwoodmike · January 2015

Jen, as you probably know low thyroid does reduce your metabolism making weight gain a problem; it also can make you lethargic/tired so you just don't want to do anything except sit/sleep.

I have had low thyroid for several years. In my case it has been easy to control with synthetic thyroid prescription. If you have confirmed low thyroid by blood tests and are not on proper level of medications, you need to be. It does impact your entire quality of life. Once your dose is established, you will be amazed at how much better you feel and that you will be able to start or maintain an active life style including setting and meeting weight reduction goals. This is a life long issue - take your meds every day and have TSH levels checked as needed (at least 2x year) once you are stable so your doc can react to any changes. FYI - at least for me, i have had no side effects from the prescription and it is relatively low cost as a maint. med.

SergeantSausage · January 2015

Yes.

Kamikazeflutterby · January 2015

Just in to quadruple the best advice--get on your meds, track your calories, and kick some *kitten*.

It is a reason you will have slower weight loss, but it doesn't have to be an excuse keeping you from your goals.

JenniferLynWhatx · January 2015

I'm on Levothyroxine...I just don't feel any different and I only lost 4 lbs in my first month...I guess I was just curious if, at my size, that was a "you need to change your strategy" or a "you're doing good, it's just because of your thyroid" type of a loss...

SLLRunner · January 2015

MrM27 wrote: »

You go get the proper medication.
You track properly.
You exercise to the best of your ability.

If you don't do those things then yes you would be using Hypothyroidism as an excuse. You can lose weight even though you have that issue. But if you don't address it properly then you might as well play the victim.

This.

TheVirgoddess · January 2015

JenniferLynWhatx wrote: »

I'm on Levothyroxine...I just don't feel any different and I only lost 4 lbs in my first month...I guess I was just curious if, at my size, that was a "you need to change your strategy" or a "you're doing good, it's just because of your thyroid" type of a loss...

Four pounds is fantastic! You should feel really proud of yourself.

IMO, it's good progress - keep going.

Danilynn1975 · January 2015

JenniferLynWhatx wrote: »

I'm on Levothyroxine...I just don't feel any different and I only lost 4 lbs in my first month...I guess I was just curious if, at my size, that was a "you need to change your strategy" or a "you're doing good, it's just because of your thyroid" type of a loss...

what does your Endocrinologist say? His or her advice is a good place to start.

Mech9 · January 2015

Getting properly medicated for your health issues is invaluable, to not only your weight loss, but your health for the rest of your life.

Weight loss is slower for those of us with health problems that affect metabolism, but it's do-able and also necessary. You just need to work with a doctor to make a plan that fits your body's needs.

How I feel after being diagnosed with PCOS is that I'll never give up again, no matter how long it takes. I only have one body to have, one life to live, and I'm not going to squander it away. It's not about looks, it's about staying alive long enough to enjoy your life.

turtle0022 · January 2015

Hi Jen. While I have 30+ years on you, I have been diagnosed with hypothyroidism too. As mentioned in posts above, address it with your physician, get the proper medication to bring your thyroid level to where it needs to be and don't use low thyroid as a crutch in your weight loss efforts. While my thyroid level was too low, I felt very sluggish and had no energy - that's much improved. Now, with the proper medication and having my thyroid level monitored periodically, it's stabilized and it's quite noticeable in how much better I feel. Now, with my anticipated weight loss, I should feel even better! With that, my doctor reminds me "calories in/calories out." While I wish there was a magic "something" to drop the pounds, there isn't so I'm working the plan too and, together, we can accomplish our goals. Talk with your doctor.
~ Debbie

auntchellebelle · January 2015

I wish I could blame something else for me being overweight. I have no one and nothing to blame but myself. I see on here everyday that people blame everything and everyone else. Its like they believe that people sit around and make plans to "sabotage" them.

auntchellebelle · January 2015

My Mom struggled to lose weight for a long time. She was recently put on medication for her thyroid and is down 6 lbs in 2 weeks after being on the medication for a month.

azulvioleta6 · January 2015

It's an excuse for 20 pounds, maybe...but not 150.

As long as you are properly medicated and somewhat active, you should be able to lose weight.

linux40 · January 2015

I`ve got hypothyroidism too, and actually yes, it IS a struggle to lose weight for us..but I wouldn`t use it as an excuse....People tend to think we`re complaining,though, but we`re not...try being in our shoes for a while

It IS hard, but not impossible. You can do this. Your will to do this will take you there, even though it might take a bit longer for you (and me) than many others...
Great to hear you`re on medication and that you`re fully aware that your bad eating made you where you are. You`re going to turn this, and you`re a winner, I`m sure. Good luck to you from someone in the same kind of boat

vmsolko · January 2015

I have hypothyroidism too. I've had it for 12 years, along with Type 1 diabetes. Honestly, I am not sure how well I'd lose weight WITHOUT hypothyroidism, so I can't really blame it. Because I was diagnosed at age 18, I'd never tried to lose weight pre-hypothyroidism.

I can say that when I was severely under-medicated, I was tired constantly. But after a week of the correct dosage, I was like a new person. So I am of the opinion that as long as you are on the right dosage and your levels are within normal limits, hypothyroidism shouldn't play a big role in your lack of weight loss. I would look more closely at other factors that could be a cause (secondary to hypothyroidism) of a slow weight loss: are you too tired and phoning in your workouts, are you needing to tweak your food and calories consumed, are you logging accurately?

MaggieLoo79 · January 2015

The assumption is that it is easy to get medicated and then "voila!" problem solved. Sometimes it is that easy, but not always. You'll need to be tested periodically and your medication levels will get adjusted. Also, there is a lot of controversy about thyroid ranges - different doctors subscribe to different ranges. Many doctors will get you into a normal range and decide that is good enough, but you may still be having symptoms. For example, you may feel better lower in the range instead of higher. Then you'll need to find a different doctor that will let you adjust your medications until you find your "normal." If that makes sense? All of it can take years and be very frustrating.

linux40 · February 2015

MaggieLoo79 wrote: »

The assumption is that it is easy to get medicated and then "voila!" problem solved. Sometimes it is that easy, but not always. You'll need to be tested periodically and your medication levels will get adjusted. Also, there is a lot of controversy about thyroid ranges - different doctors subscribe to different ranges. Many doctors will get you into a normal range and decide that is good enough, but you may still be having symptoms. For example, you may feel better lower in the range instead of higher. Then you'll need to find a different doctor that will let you adjust your medications until you find your "normal." If that makes sense? All of it can take years and be very frustrating.

Hear, hear. I was happy when I finally was diagnosed and I got some levaxine. Thought my "troubles" were over, but no....I didn´t respond to the medication at all, and there started years with frustration and finally, some good doctor, adviced me to try another, quite alternative, medication - and finally, I`m happy and in better shape than ever. But you`re so right, there`s hardly ever a quick-fix to this, unfortunately...Takes time to figure out the right medication and the right daily dose...

sukanya88 · February 2015

Yes, I am myself a Hypothyroid patient and I take medication. I have been able to lose and maintain my weight. I did fall off the wagon last summer and put on few more pounds but I'm working out and eating clean now to lose the excess weight. All I can say is that you have to be patient and consistent. I have seen results and I am sure other with hypothyroidism can too!

Liftng4Lis · February 2015

You lost a pound a week, that's fantastic. You have already proven, with work, this can be done. Go get it!

NJGamerChick · February 2015

I've had hypothyroidism for over 10 years. It took 3 years to diagnose me (all the symptoms but perfect numbers, go figure). I got to the point where I was gaining upwards of 30 pounds a month if I really didn't cut calories drastically. (I had some really terrible doctors who didn't understand what was going on and would refuse refilling my meds, too.)

My advice? Log, exercise, keep trying. DON'T beat yourself up for it being slow losses. Worry about getting your meds right and at the right level first. Make sure your Vitamin D3 levels and your B12 levels are good, too, especially because being lethargic and tired all the time is the pits.

And remember: Weight gain didn't happen overnight. Weight loss won't happen that quickly either.

MrGonzo05 · February 2015

Untreated it has a minor impact on tdee, a couple hundred calories or so.

PeachyCarol · February 2015

I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease 24 years ago. Hashi's will sometimes cause the normally even keel I've found with medication to hit a roadblock, and the pounds will pack on, but this just means that I need to have a medication adjustment. It's frustrating, but that's just life with Hashi's. It's not an excuse, and last year, I let 30 pounds pack on. I'm not letting that happen ever again.

With medication and a good endocrinologist and paying attention to your symptoms and tracking your intake, there's no excuse for someone with hypothyroidism to not lose weight if they eat at a caloric deficit.

In a similar vein to someone above, I'd really like my eyebrows back, though.

sylviedrozz · February 2015

i have hypothyroidism too. i believe that once your thyroid is regulated it's no longer an excuse. but unregulated - for me it was like trying to swim against a tsunami

DawnieB1977 · February 2015

I've got a friend with Hashimotos. It took ages for her to be diagnosed...the NHS aren't always the quickest to deal with things like that...and she kept gaining weight and feeling ill and tired. Yeah, her diet could've probably been better, but nothing that should've caused that weight gain.

Once she was properly diagnosed and given medication, she started to feel better and started going to the gym lots. She did slimming world for a while, then just healthy eating, and she lost loads, I guess about 80lbs and she looks amazing now.

Obviously she wouldn't have lost as much if she hadn't focused on healthy eating and exercising, she still had to put a lot of effort in, but I don't think the thyroid issues meant she had to try harder than anyone else. As far as I'm aware I don't have thyroid issues, and I don't lose any faster than she did.

sarieth05 · February 2015

I also got diagnosed with hypothyroidism, got on medicine, and have had pretty much 0 problems losing weight. However, I got diagnosed a few months after I had started losing weight and had no trouble losing up to that point so maybe I'm just lucky. But I'm a pretty diligent logger to the best of my abilities. Everyone's offering you great advice! Best of luck to you.

Is Hypothyroidism an Excuse?

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