Tumor on thyroid was benign , now what?? Lost some inches, no weight
Diggergirl1996
Posts: 29 Member
I'm getting frustrated by this losing inches, losing no weight argument. I have been working out 5 times a week, and watching calories, but no budge in the weight. Last year, I swam 5 times a week and lost 30 lbs in 3 months. I have been swimming now since February, and have only lost 10. I'm at a loss . I am so discouraged.
I've also undergone a biopsy of my thyroid after finding a goiter that was 3.5 cm. The endocrinologist is convinced there's nothing wrong. I found out that the tumor was benign, so yay, but what in the world would have caused this? The cells found in the goiter match up to Hashimotos, but he says no. Even if you have normal TSH, T3, and T4, you can still have this disease. The doctors have no answers. Honestly, I was hoping to blame my thyroid for these issues.
When dieting and exercise don't work, what really is the best answer? Has anyone experienced anything similar?
I've also undergone a biopsy of my thyroid after finding a goiter that was 3.5 cm. The endocrinologist is convinced there's nothing wrong. I found out that the tumor was benign, so yay, but what in the world would have caused this? The cells found in the goiter match up to Hashimotos, but he says no. Even if you have normal TSH, T3, and T4, you can still have this disease. The doctors have no answers. Honestly, I was hoping to blame my thyroid for these issues.
When dieting and exercise don't work, what really is the best answer? Has anyone experienced anything similar?
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Replies
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http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com
Dont let your Dr blow you off. Read up and educate yourself on thyroid health.0 -
I agree with Arb037. Don't let them push you away. Ask questions and keep going. I know it's hard but it could be worth it.
The other thing could be that you've reached your 'level'. What I mean is last year you weighed more so it took more effort to loose weight. Now you've lost some it could be you're doing enough to maintain that weight. Maybe try adding something new, mixing things up or pushing yourself a little harder? For instance if you could do 5 laps of the pool in 10 mins try going for 6 laps. I know from my own experience you can get to a place where things 'settle' and its so frustrating!! I've 'settled' for 4 years! Now I'm determined to push harder and loose more.
Good luck0 -
I have Hashi's and it was only diagnosed by testing my antibodies. Like other's have said, don't let you dr blow you off. Get another opinion if you still don't feel 100%. My thyroid was removed in February and it is a challenge to drop pounds. I find that for me, it is better to do a little less cardio and more strength training. Good luck on your journey!0
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I agree with Arb037. Don't let them push you away. Ask questions and keep going. I know it's hard but it could be worth it.
The other thing could be that you've reached your 'level'. What I mean is last year you weighed more so it took more effort to loose weight. Now you've lost some it could be you're doing enough to maintain that weight. Maybe try adding something new, mixing things up or pushing yourself a little harder? For instance if you could do 5 laps of the pool in 10 mins try going for 6 laps. I know from my own experience you can get to a place where things 'settle' and its so frustrating!! I've 'settled' for 4 years! Now I'm determined to push harder and loose more.
Good luck
I plan to go to another physician to recheck all of my tests. My sister has Hashimotos and I have the same symptoms as she did. Unfortunately, she had to have the thyroid removed, and like others mentioned, it's quite a challenge to lose without working out 2 hours a day. If that's something I need I do, then I think I'm just going to have to do it. You are right though, I have to push myself even further.
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TriBecca_14 wrote: »I have Hashi's and it was only diagnosed by testing my antibodies. Like other's have said, don't let you dr blow you off. Get another opinion if you still don't feel 100%. My thyroid was removed in February and it is a challenge to drop pounds. I find that for me, it is better to do a little less cardio and more strength training. Good luck on your journey!
Did you happen to go to an endocrinologist or just a general physician about testing the antibodies?
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http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com
Dont let your Dr blow you off. Read up and educate yourself on thyroid health.
Thank you for that. I have been reading all kinds of articles about natural supplements. The one thing my doctor told me is that he didn't want to put me on a thyroid med to replace hormones, otherwise, he would have never been able to take me off of it. Since my TSH, and T3/T4 levels are normal, that makes sense, but with HM, sometimes the levels are normal.
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Diggergirl1996 wrote: »TriBecca_14 wrote: »I have Hashi's and it was only diagnosed by testing my antibodies. Like other's have said, don't let you dr blow you off. Get another opinion if you still don't feel 100%. My thyroid was removed in February and it is a challenge to drop pounds. I find that for me, it is better to do a little less cardio and more strength training. Good luck on your journey!
Did you happen to go to an endocrinologist or just a general physician about testing the antibodies?
My GP tested first and then sent me to the Endo. I had three nodules that were tested and came back as unknown for cancer cells. My thyroid was huge which indicated I had Hashi for sometime and never really knew it. The final biopsy came back clean-good news! I even have to push my Endo for tests sometimes; it is an ongoing struggle. Im finding that exercise is a small part of the overall plan. Eating clean is very important when you have hashi's-some have even had great success going gluten free. Keep asking questions of your doctor and read up as much as you can. A lot of info out there! Good luck!!0 -
Yup hypo and hashi here as well. Weight loss is possible once meds are regulated. Make these Drs figure it out0
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Diggergirl1996 wrote: »Honestly, I was hoping to blame my thyroid for these issues.
When dieting and exercise don't work, what really is the best answer?
Open your diary for personalized advice, but are you logging everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly? Exercise for fitness; log to lose weight.
I have Hashimoto's (autoimmune thyroid disease), and logging worked for me—long before my thyroid levels entered the "normal" range. I followed the advice in the Sexypants post: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p10 -
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Diggergirl1996 wrote: »May I ask what types of meds you were prescribed?
There are three treatment options for hypothyroidism:
• Synthroid (synthetic T4),
• Synthroid + Cytomel (synthetic T3), or
• Armour (desiccated pig—or pig + cow—thyroid glands)
Meds reduce my fatigue, so I can be more active. But they had zero impact on my weight. I still kept gaining & gaining until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly.0 -
Synthroid aka levothyroxine intially.
The body needs more than just T4.
I switched to Armour Desiccated thyroid.
Also take these supplements
Thyroid complex
Panax ginseng
B100 complex
B5
Adrenal extract.
I take more but these are mainly for thyroid and adrenals.
Adrenals and thyroid work in unison, think of a balance beam, if one is up the other is down. So if your thyroid is down your adrenals are ramped up (cortisol) ie stress.
Bloodwork will tell the story. My Dr pulled cortisol in the Am and PM to check diff levels at diff times0 -
Alot of Drs so not like to prescribe Desicated thyroid meds for what ever reason ( no legit reason). You can find bovine and povine thyroid online without a script. You can just order it online its considered a supplement.0
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I've been losing weight since I started tracking carefully and exercising, but last year I was hyperparathyroid and had a parathyroid adenoma removed, along with a thyroid nodule. Now I am suspecting I'm hypothyroid and I need to convince my doctor to order the full thyroid panel and/or refer me to an endocrinologist. I don't know why it seems so hard to convince drs. on this but it really does seem like my dr. looks for any other answer but that one just because the TSH level has been normal.
I would keep pushing with your thyroid issues - have you read the website Stop the Thyroid Madness?0 -
editorgrrl wrote: »Diggergirl1996 wrote: »May I ask what types of meds you were prescribed?
There are three treatment options for hypothyroidism:
• Synthroid (synthetic T4),
• Synthroid + Cytomel (synthetic T3), or
• Armour (desiccated pig—or pig + cow—thyroid glands)
Meds reduce my fatigue, so I can be more active. But they had zero impact on my weight. I still kept gaining & gaining until I learned to log everything I eat & drink accurately & honestly.
Yes, the doctor said if I was expecting these drugs to help with the weight loss, then I should think of a different route. Thank you for that feedback.0 -
Synthroid aka levothyroxine intially.
The body needs more than just T4.
I switched to Armour Desiccated thyroid.
Also take these supplements
Thyroid complex
Panax ginseng
B100 complex
B5
Adrenal extract.
I take more but these are mainly for thyroid and adrenals.
Adrenals and thyroid work in unison, think of a balance beam, if one is up the other is down. So if your thyroid is down your adrenals are ramped up (cortisol) ie stress.
Bloodwork will tell the story. My Dr pulled cortisol in the Am and PM to check diff levels at diff times
I did do the morning cortisol test, and it was normal, however my episodes of fatigue typically happen during the afternoons. I will follow up about retesting at a different time. All of my tests have one thing in common, they were all completed in the am.
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Alot of Drs so not like to prescribe Desicated thyroid meds for what ever reason ( no legit reason). You can find bovine and povine thyroid online without a script. You can just order it online its considered a supplement.
I will look into that as another option if needed. Thank you!0 -
I'm a weird Hashi person. I've had it since I was 11 and I'm now 33. I've been able to lose weight even when my numbers are crazy. I was losing weight with a TSH of 28 (yeah, and that was WITH meds) and am still losing with a 13 (again, increased meds). I have a blood test this week and hopefully I'm down around 2.
One thing that made the big difference for me was cutting carbs.
I also have a multi-nodular goiter and periodically do a biopsy. I feel your pain with that one. Best wishes!0 -
katharmonic wrote: »I've been losing weight since I started tracking carefully and exercising, but last year I was hyperparathyroid and had a parathyroid adenoma removed, along with a thyroid nodule. Now I am suspecting I'm hypothyroid and I need to convince my doctor to order the full thyroid panel and/or refer me to an endocrinologist. I don't know why it seems so hard to convince drs. on this but it really does seem like my dr. looks for any other answer but that one just because the TSH level has been normal.
I would keep pushing with your thyroid issues - have you read the website Stop the Thyroid Madness?
This frustrates me to no end. I realize the levels war normal, but to have such a large growth, and for them to just say, I don't know what cause it", is just unacceptable. I was thinking about seeing this Austrian doctor that hooks you up to some machine and it senses all of the elements in your body. I don't really want to be another science experiment for her, but what do I have to lose?
I've never been to that website. Thanks for that resource. I already started reading some of the information. So helpful!
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Hello! I'm 1 year into a diagnosis of hypothyroid, two nodules and Hashimotos. It is incredibly difficult to get into an endo here ... 6 month wait list. While I waited, I gained 8 inches in my abdomen and 20 pounds in the 2 months after going on synthroid. I had a full battery of tests given these symptoms and wound up with no diagnosis. When i finally saw the first endo, he said it was all in my head despite not ordering a single lab. I was furious. After getting on a second doctor's waiting list, I decided to do something drastic ... something that I'd never attempted before despite having lost 50 pounds three years ago ... I gave up refined sugar and white flour. This had never been necessary at any other point in my life ... but the results were immediate. I'm down 20+ pounds in less than 8 weeks. I am constantly full with lots of protein, fruits and veggies. I also eat corn tortillas. Now that I'm back to 60 minute workouts I'm reintroducing complex carbs and am still seeing results ... even though it's much slower than ever before in my life given my level of effort!!
Take heart ... for what it is worth you are not alone!!!! Keep putting one foot in front of the other ... feel free to friend me for motivation.
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Diggergirl1996 wrote: »Yes, the doctor said if I was expecting these drugs to help with the weight loss, then I should think of a different route.
I gained a lot of weight before my Hashi's diagnosis, and I continued to gain on Synthroid. I honestly thought it was for no reason—until I learned to log everything I eat and drink accurately and honestly. What a wake-up call!
My theory is that Hashimoto's messed up my hunger cues. Logging showed me so was eating way too much, but I was hungry all the time. Waiting an hour after my meds until I could eat was torture.
I'm less hungry when I use MFP's fiber and protein goals as minimums, and ignore fat & carbs. It'll take trial & error to find what works for you. Do not give up!0 -
ks_mommaof5 wrote: »Hello! I'm 1 year into a diagnosis of hypothyroid, two nodules and Hashimotos. It is incredibly difficult to get into an endo here ... 6 month wait list. While I waited, I gained 8 inches in my abdomen and 20 pounds in the 2 months after going on synthroid. I had a full battery of tests given these symptoms and wound up with no diagnosis. When i finally saw the first endo, he said it was all in my head despite not ordering a single lab. I was furious. After getting on a second doctor's waiting list, I decided to do something drastic ... something that I'd never attempted before despite having lost 50 pounds three years ago ... I gave up refined sugar and white flour. This had never been necessary at any other point in my life ... but the results were immediate. I'm down 20+ pounds in less than 8 weeks. I am constantly full with lots of protein, fruits and veggies. I also eat corn tortillas. Now that I'm back to 60 minute workouts I'm reintroducing complex carbs and am still seeing results ... even though it's much slower than ever before in my life given my level of effort!!
Take heart ... for what it is worth you are not alone!!!! Keep putting one foot in front of the other ... feel free to friend me for motivation.
I appreciate you kind words, and I did follow you. I just woke this morning and felt even more upset than before. I gained again, even with logging and exercise. However, I'm still not pushing myself as much as I could. I'll be honest, I used to do Taebo 5 days a week in my 20s, and while it was near impossible at my size (size 14/16 then), the weight fell off.
I'm trying to integrate it back in as I know for certain I always feel better when I do it. Drastic measures like you said. I'm not willing to pump my body full of diet p[ills. I just won't. I know I can do this, I just have to push more and train my mind to think thin.
I've been thinking of going vegetarian, not vegan, and I've been making gradual changes. I'm going to try to cut out complex carbs for a week and see what happens. I watch out for refined sugars. I typically use Agave syrup, splenda, and trivia.0 -
editorgrrl wrote: »Diggergirl1996 wrote: »Yes, the doctor said if I was expecting these drugs to help with the weight loss, then I should think of a different route.
I gained a lot of weight before my Hashi's diagnosis, and I continued to gain on Synthroid. I honestly thought it was for no reason—until I learned to log everything I eat and drink accurately and honestly. What a wake-up call!
My theory is that Hashimoto's messed up my hunger cues. Logging showed me so was eating way too much, but I was hungry all the time. Waiting an hour after my meds until I could eat was torture.
I'm less hungry when I use MFP's fiber and protein goals as minimums, and ignore fat & carbs. It'll take trial & error to find what works for you. Do not give up!
Thank you. I'm willing to try multiple approaches to get the job done. I think carbs are the first thing to go ; (
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(((hugs)))
It's a long, expensive road filled with lots of blood work and frustration. I hope you find answers, help and a fabulous doctor.0 -
Diggergirl1996 wrote: »I'm getting frustrated by this losing inches, losing no weight argument. I have been working out 5 times a week, and watching calories, but no budge in the weight. Last year, I swam 5 times a week and lost 30 lbs in 3 months. I have been swimming now since February, and have only lost 10. I'm at a loss . I am so discouraged.
I've also undergone a biopsy of my thyroid after finding a goiter that was 3.5 cm. The endocrinologist is convinced there's nothing wrong. I found out that the tumor was benign, so yay, but what in the world would have caused this? The cells found in the goiter match up to Hashimotos, but he says no. Even if you have normal TSH, T3, and T4, you can still have this disease. The doctors have no answers. Honestly, I was hoping to blame my thyroid for these issues.
When dieting and exercise don't work, what really is the best answer? Has anyone experienced anything similar?
I suspect you will not like the answer, but diet and exercise always work. And you cannot gain weight because of your thyroid or other hormonal issues, with hormone levels being normal, sorry.
It is very easy, however, to overeat, to have the wrong idea about the portions sizes you are eating or to overestimate what you burn by exercising. Have you tried counting calories? If yes, how long have you been doing this and how are you measuring, using a scale or not?0 -
Danilynn1975 wrote: »(((hugs)))
It's a long, expensive road filled with lots of blood work and frustration. I hope you find answers, help and a fabulous doctor.
I appreciate that. I have already begun looking for other doctors.
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Diggergirl1996 wrote: »I'm getting frustrated by this losing inches, losing no weight argument. I have been working out 5 times a week, and watching calories, but no budge in the weight. Last year, I swam 5 times a week and lost 30 lbs in 3 months. I have been swimming now since February, and have only lost 10. I'm at a loss . I am so discouraged.
I've also undergone a biopsy of my thyroid after finding a goiter that was 3.5 cm. The endocrinologist is convinced there's nothing wrong. I found out that the tumor was benign, so yay, but what in the world would have caused this? The cells found in the goiter match up to Hashimotos, but he says no. Even if you have normal TSH, T3, and T4, you can still have this disease. The doctors have no answers. Honestly, I was hoping to blame my thyroid for these issues.
When dieting and exercise don't work, what really is the best answer? Has anyone experienced anything similar?
I suspect you will not like the answer, but diet and exercise always work. And you cannot gain weight because of your thyroid or other hormonal issues, with hormone levels being normal, sorry.
It is very easy, however, to overeat, to have the wrong idea about the portions sizes you are eating or to overestimate what you burn by exercising. Have you tried counting calories? If yes, how long have you been doing this and how are you measuring, using a scale or not?
I would have to respectfully disagree with you. My sister had thyroid issues, normal TSH, T3, and T4 values, and she gained 60 lbs. She's a vegetarian and works out 2 hours a day. It was determined that her thyroid was to blame, and she's now being treated with hormone replacement. She was diagnosed with Hashimotos. Your thyroid controls metabolism, and several diseases associated with the thyroid, including Hashimotos, can affect metabolism and lead to obesity.
I have been counting calories. In fact, even before I was using myfitnesspal, I was doing wight watchers, and I was weighing food. I also exercise 5 days a week, quite vigorously actually.
To have a growth on your thyroid at this size is just not normal. Plus, I didn't have tests in the afternoons to measure my T level, which at this time, typically the T-levels can vary. These tests are some of most inaccurate tests for thyroid levels. These tests are half the reason so many people go undiagnosed.
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I just had a mass and half my thyroid removed two weeks ago. After a lot of online research and discussions with my doctor I believe that soy cause my thyroid problem and weight gain. Just something you may want to look into.0
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I had half my thyroid removed due to a 4.5cm adenoma caused by unknown reasons (soy? not enough iodine? who knows), haven't had issues before or since losing weight when I track my calories accurately and haven't needed replacement meds yet. Just because your sister has Hashi, doesn't mean you do. But definitely get a second opinion.0
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Too many variables in what causes benign tumors. The cells simply don't die as programmed. Who made the diagnosis that the tumor cells match up to Hashimoto's?
If you have a thyroid disorder or any metabolic disorder, this doesn't cause one to gain weight (other than the initial ~10lbs from cellular uptake) - eating more than you burn does. Your metabolism may decrease, but only to a marginal degree and on a macro scale. Bottom line if you are gaining weight you are eating more than your body needs.
You will also have a problem balancing your hormones simply by being overweight - signal hormones get overproduced in serum due to increased mass and this creates a terminal cascade.
Look to your logging first - this is what you have immediate control over. Continue pushing your doctor - or find a new one willing to work with you. Present them with data and peer reviewed articles. Show them your MFP diet and activity log. Doctors don't deal well with relative data, so help them in your diagnosis and provide objective evidence and start eliminating the variables.
I've been diagnosed since 2000 and put on ~75 lbs over the last 15 years. Once I started logging last year and aware of my intake/output I lost >50 lbs.0
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