Anybody with Hypothyroid have a success story they can link or share with me?

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L0vAnj
L0vAnj Posts: 45 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have hypothyroidism and need some help i'm out of t3 and been having problems controlling my over eating habits any advice? or perhaps a link to someone who has got through it?
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  • Erika0040
    Erika0040 Posts: 1 Member
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    You can check out my story via my website: www.warfit.net Go to the FAQ section and read our about section. Its there in detail.

    I had Graves Disease - then removal of the thyriod - hypothyroid battles daily
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
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    You should be on thyroid medication if you have hypothyroidism. It's very possible to lose weight with this condition if treated properly. I have hypothyroidism and lost around 140 lbs. My success story: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1392044-hit-my-weight-loss-goal-pics?page=1
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and I feel so much better when I take my Cytomel (liothyronine), which is synthetic T3. It's a hormone your thyroid is not producing, just as a person with Type 1 diabetes takes insulin because their pancreas can't produce it.

    Please get your prescription refilled. It will help with the fatigue and the brain fog and everything else.

    As far as weight loss, I lost the weight and have maintained for a year by following the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
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    First you need to get an anti-TPO test done - which checks whether your hypothyroid condition is auto-immune (Hashimoto's) or not. There is a whole regime to treat Hashimoto's. As far as I know, it is a chronic conditon, like Lyme disease or Crohn's disease or Type 1 diabetes. It has to be managed.

    In my case, I did not have Hashimoto's. I changed my diet significantly and started to exercise and my TSH came down from 6.67 to 2.35. I didn't lose weight (or rather I don't know if I did because I wasn't tracking it then). But I am exercising more vigorously and regularly now as well as doing my Tai Chi. It's only been 20 days at this, so let's see.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    vasumodi wrote: »
    First you need to get an anti-TPO test done - which checks whether your hypothyroid condition is auto-immune (Hashimoto's) or not. There is a whole regime to treat Hashimoto's. As far as I know, it is a chronic conditon, like Lyme disease or Crohn's disease or Type 1 diabetes. It has to be managed.

    The treatment for Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease) is the same as for hypothyroidism: Synthroid, Synthroid + Cytomel, or Armour.

    The difference is that your body can respond to the antibodies by producing too much hormones or not enough. So your endocrinologist should be testing your levels regularly and adjusting your meds accordingly.
  • paranormalwasteland
    paranormalwasteland Posts: 6 Member
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and I feel so much better when I take my Cytomel (liothyronine), which is synthetic T3. It's a hormone your thyroid is not producing, just as a person with Type 1 diabetes takes insulin because their pancreas can't produce it.

    Please get your prescription refilled. It will help with the fatigue and the brain fog and everything else.

    As far as weight loss, I lost the weight and have maintained for a year by following the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1


    I have a question for you...I had thyroid cancer. Therefore I no longer have a thyroid and I am on synthyroid. (T4) Is there a reason why I wouldn't be on the same med as you also for T3? Until I read your post I just assumed a med for that didn't exist?!
  • paranormalwasteland
    paranormalwasteland Posts: 6 Member
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    Also since my thyroid cancer cancer diagnosis I haven't been able to lose one pound. I've done everything the right way. 2 hours of cardio & 45 mins weight training 5 days a week. 1200 cals a day. High fiber, lean protien, low carbs. Still nothing. I had two doctors tell me that it simply wouldn't happen. That gastric was probably my only option. After my first year of killing myself with no results I actually met a lady at my work that had thyroid cancer, was told she wouldn't ever lose weight, and did gastric. She was very happy. But for me I just didn't want another surgery. I mean 5 surgeries by the age of 27 is a bit much!

    It's been 4 years...and due to lots of stress I stopped eating almost completely. It wasn't to lose weight. I was just so upset I couldn't keep food down so I stopped trying. But the weight has finally started to move. I am back to eating again. But I top out around 300-600 cals most days. And never more than 975. 30 pounds in 6 weeks!!!! Maybe not the most healthy way but I'm glad to finally see that number get smaller.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    paranormalwasteland wrote: »
    I had thyroid cancer. Therefore I no longer have a thyroid and I am on synthyroid. (T4) Is there a reason why I wouldn't be on the same med as you also for T3? Until I read your post I just assumed a med for that didn't exist?!

    You have three treatment options:
    • Synthroid (levothyroxine), which is synthetic T4,
    • Synthroid + Cytomel (liothyronine), which is synthetic T3, or
    • desiccated pig (or pig + cow) thyroid glands.

    My endocrinologist only told me about Synthroid. It took me a year & a half to persuade him to add Cytomel—even though my T3 was extremely low.

    It's really important to educate yourself and advocate for yourself.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Doctor kept telling me the key to weight loss was diet and exercise. I kept saying I couldn't lose. He sent me to an obnoxious dietitian who said that if I was telling the truth I should be losing weight, which I already knew. When I complained about constipation, he suggested exercise. When I got really low on energy and couldn't do anything, he said exercise would give me energy. When I insisted on having blood work done, he said he ran a panel, but he only ran the TSH, which came back normal.

    At the end, my thyroid was so large it had grown down into my chest and was crushing my lungs. It had also pushed my windpipe over and that was starting to close off.

    My doctor was lazy, not me. He just assumed a fat person must be fat because they're lazy, eating too much and not exercising. Because of his bias, he didn't do his dang job and I suffered for it.

    Anyway, I finally got a good doctor who diagnosed me simply by looking at me, lol. He felt it, sent me to the endo who sent me to the surgeon who took that ginormous beast out of me. Surgeon said it was very hard work for him, lol. I felt kind of bad.

    Then I began the pills.

    Since the new doctor found other things, as well, I was instructed to eat a special diet. That diet wasn't fewer calories than I'd tried to eat in the past, but the weight began coming off.

    I was just trying to eat a healthy diet and the pounds, they were a-leavin. :)

    I lose slowly. I lose much slower than most people here, with their half-a-pound and pound-a-week losses. But I lose. I was never able to lose before, so losing, even slowly, is like a dream come true.

    I'm down 85 pounds and still going. Thirty or forty more and I'll be done.

    I'm not one of those, "If I can lose then everyone can lose" people. I know I am lucky to be able to lose. I didn't post this as an "I'm so awesome! Try to be like me!" thing. I post it in case it gives anyone else hope that they can lose...and to get a second opinion...and a third and a fourth, if need be.

    Always trust yourself. If you know someone thing is wrong, don't let lazy doctors talk you into thinking it's you.
  • ecoshopaholic
    ecoshopaholic Posts: 4 Member
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    I've been on Synthroid for the last five or six years. In the past, I've been bad about taking my medication. Not a good idea. I ended up tired, depressed, losing hair, and gaining weight. It's really important to take the meds properly and not let your hormones get too far out of whack.

    My thyroid was damaged from radiation I underwent for the treatment of Hodgkin's Lymphoma when I was younger. Now that I'm hypo and on meds, I find if I restrict my calories too much, it is hard for me to lose weight. Eating 1200 calories and working out every day does not work for me. When I upped my calories to 1350 per day, and focused on getting lots of protein, I had much better results. With the extra calories, I was less likely to cheat because I didn't feel starved. The number of calories to consume each day will be different for everyone based on how much they weigh and how physically active they are.

    I also found success by keeping better foods in the house, so there was no junk for me to snack on when my will power was low. If I had a snacky moment, oh well... so I had an extra greek yogurt. Not the end of the world. Better than a bag of potato chips! Try keeping lots of heaIthy snacks in the house. Apple with peanut butter is my go to if I feel like something sweet. I like celery with hot sauce if I want salty/crunchy. There are lots of healthy snacks that can really hit the spot. It does take some planning ahead, though. I find that, if I leave food decisions to the last minute, I always make bad ones. If I plan ahead (writing a menu each week, making a grocery list for those items, and sticking to it) it takes a lot of the stress out of making daily food decisions, and I tend to have an easier time staying on track with my diet.

    I just had to have my thyroid removed last week because they found some suspicious nodules. My doc will be upping my dose of Synthroid. I'm afraid of the possible weight gain I've heard other people have experienced, especially because I am getting married in October 2016, and I want to be in the best shape of my life for that! Does anyone know of a diet specifically for hypo? I've heard low carb and no gluten are good, but I'm always hesitant to cut out any one key part of a balance diet. I've had great results with the 21 day fix. I used their calorie calculator to arrive at the 1350 per day, which seems to work week for me. The plan took the guesswork out of what to eat and how much of it to eat. Once I'm healed from the surgery, I will likely be starting that again.
  • fulltimelife
    fulltimelife Posts: 125 Member
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    I was diagnosed, and have been on meds for hypothyroidism since I was a teen. Now pushing 40, I look back on all the times I have gained and lost weight, and never once contributed it to my thyroid. Hypothyroidism participates in the challenge, but it does not restrict me from edging towards goals. I've allowed other things to get in the way of that, heh. So without providing any direct links, or story, I will just say that in my experience removing weight has been all about calories in vs calories out, and all the other tricks of the trade that seem to help. I haven't eliminated any foods, but have found reducing refined sugar/flours help to keep my insane cravings in check.
  • kge0891
    kge0891 Posts: 276 Member
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    paranormalwasteland wrote: »
    editorgrrl wrote: »
    I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and I feel so much better when I take my Cytomel (liothyronine), which is synthetic T3. It's a hormone your thyroid is not producing, just as a person with Type 1 diabetes takes insulin because their pancreas can't produce it.

    Please get your prescription refilled. It will help with the fatigue and the brain fog and everything else.

    As far as weight loss, I lost the weight and have maintained for a year by following the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1


    I have a question for you...I had thyroid cancer. Therefore I no longer have a thyroid and I am on synthyroid. (T4) Is there a reason why I wouldn't be on the same med as you also for T3? Until I read your post I just assumed a med for that didn't exist?!


    T3 and T4 are made in the thyroid, but T4 is also converted to T3 in the periphery. T3 is the active form of thyroid hormone, but once active it is used very quickly, so having T4 around acts as a reserve. I've had hypothyroidism caused by Hashimoto's for about 10 years and am completely managed by Synthroid alone (T4 only). Depending on how your body responds to the T4, additional T3 may not be necessary. My thyroid hormone levels have been consistently within normal range on T4 alone. Hope this helps!
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
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    Don't let your prescriptions for this lapse. Untreated hypothyroidism can kill you.
  • TheHealthyStippel
    TheHealthyStippel Posts: 8 Member
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    I have hypothyroidism as well. Please don't just stop taking your medicine without asking a doctor first! The first thing that will enable you to be successful with weight loss is getting your thyroid levels right.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    ecoshopaholic wrote: »
    I just had to have my thyroid removed last week because they found some suspicious nodules. My doc will be upping my dose of Synthroid. I'm afraid of the possible weight gain I've heard other people have experienced, especially because I am getting married in October 2016, and I want to be in the best shape of my life for that!

    Does anyone know of a diet specifically for hypo?

    Having your thyroid removed and/or increasing your Synthroid dosage will not make you gain weight—eating more calories than you burn will.

    According to the Mayo Clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypothyroidism/expert-answers/hypothyroidism-diet/faq-20058554
    Generally, there's no hypothyroidism diet. Although claims about hypothyroidism diets abound, there's no evidence that eating or avoiding certain foods will improve thyroid function in people with hypothyroidism.

    If you want to lose weight, learn to log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Logging works! As I said above, the advice in the Sexypants post worked for me: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    But happy NSV (non-scale victory) for allowing yourself enough time to lose weight for your wedding. You can do this.
  • klmnumbers
    klmnumbers Posts: 213 Member
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    Make sure your meds are right and keep at it. Sometimes it can be a little slower/tougher for us, but it still works. I was diagnosed with Graves senior year of high school. I had my thyroid irradiated, and now I'm on levothyroxine for life (and recently found I have Hashimoto's antibodies, too). It's a lifelong struggle, and you have to keep things up with a doctor to check your levels.

    I was on the same dosage for three years and just had to have it reduced last month.
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I agree with the others who say make sure your meds are proper. If you're being medicated correctly for it, you should be able to lose weight like anyone else.
  • lorim68
    lorim68 Posts: 16 Member
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    I tried to read through all the posts to see if this was covered, but there's a good chance that you are insulin resistant. One poster mentioned about refined sugar, which is very true. A diet like South Beach can also help. It starts as just protein and vegetables. Even fruit gets reintroduced slowly. However, no diet treats hypothyroidism without medicine. I agree--get some medicine!
  • vasumodi
    vasumodi Posts: 23 Member
    edited July 2015
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    editorgrrl wrote: »
    vasumodi wrote: »
    First you need to get an anti-TPO test done - which checks whether your hypothyroid condition is auto-immune (Hashimoto's) or not. There is a whole regime to treat Hashimoto's. As far as I know, it is a chronic conditon, like Lyme disease or Crohn's disease or Type 1 diabetes. It has to be managed.

    The treatment for Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease) is the same as for hypothyroidism: Synthroid, Synthroid + Cytomel, or Armour.

    The difference is that your body can respond to the antibodies by producing too much hormones or not enough. So your endocrinologist should be testing your levels regularly and adjusting your meds accordingly.

    Well in my case there were no antibodies. Just high TSH, though normal free T3 and free T4. No hair loss, but sudden weight gain, yes. I no longer have high TSH, thankfully. Didn't go to an endocrinologist because I did not want to take lifelong medication and wanted to see if diet and exercise would bring the levels back down. Well, they have come back down, so let's see.
  • ecoshopaholic
    ecoshopaholic Posts: 4 Member
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    I am relieved to read that many are able to lose weight with no thyroid/on hormones just as they would if they had regular thyroid function. I have read all sorts of horror stories online about people supposedly doing all the right things and still having problems. Eek! I don't have a lot of weight to lose (about 10-15 lbs and toning up), but I was more worried about the possible weight gain I've read that others have had.

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