Anyone struggle with THYROID??

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agiles894
agiles894 Posts: 5 Member
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! Ever since I had my first child 5 years ago i have struggled with not only baby weight but mostly getting my thyroid under control! It's so bad the pounds have just kept creeping up! I am finally ready to take this on head first and get myself healthy active and down about 50lbs. My question is if anyone out there has delt or is dealing with this same struggle if so please help! I have had thyroid disease for 5 years but most of the time I have choosen to ignore it, I realize i can't anymore. Any advice or encouragement is appreciated! Thanks so much!!

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  • trvshm
    trvshm Posts: 79 Member
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    Are you taking a thyroid hormone? Have you seen your primary care doc about it?
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    agiles894 wrote: »
    Hi everyone! Ever since I had my first child 5 years ago i have struggled with not only baby weight but mostly getting my thyroid under control! It's so bad the pounds have just kept creeping up! I am finally ready to take this on head first and get myself healthy active and down about 50lbs. My question is if anyone out there has delt or is dealing with this same struggle if so please help! I have had thyroid disease for 5 years but most of the time I have choosen to ignore it, I realize i can't anymore. Any advice or encouragement is appreciated! Thanks so much!!

    You need to treat your thyroid disease. Once your levels are stable, you will be able to lose weight just like anyone else (from my personal experience)
  • agiles894
    agiles894 Posts: 5 Member
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    Yes I have seen my doc, and I am now taking my thyroid med, although it's such a struggle because it takes months just to see if the dosages are even correct and working. It's exhausting and frustrating
  • bethanie0825
    bethanie0825 Posts: 1,474 Member
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    Same thing I was going to ask. If you and your primary care Dr have been working this long on controlling it, why not ask to be referred to an endocrinologist?
  • Angel0298
    Angel0298 Posts: 25 Member
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    You do need to see your PCP and have your thyroid levels checked. I'd ask for more than just the basic TSH. Why haven't you treated it if you've known about it for 5 years? You'll feel so much better once your levels are normal.
  • agiles894
    agiles894 Posts: 5 Member
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    I'm not sure I guess I was in denial and I have had insurance and not had insurance off and on through the last 5 years too, so that has made a difference too in how often I am able to go to the doctor
  • bethanie0825
    bethanie0825 Posts: 1,474 Member
    edited December 2015
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    How often is you PCP doing bloodwoork? I'm in the office every six weeks for mine.
  • artchocolate
    artchocolate Posts: 2 Member
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    I totally understand. I just sent a message in my graves disease discussion group but it my not have shown up
  • lindsaybracelen
    lindsaybracelen Posts: 3 Member
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    I suffer from thyroid, and when they couldn't get mine under control, I had to wait longer then the 30 minutes before I ate, and I had to take it at the same time every morning. I now wait at least an hour, don't take vitamins with it, and drink lots of water! My problem is how tired I feel all the time. Anyone else have that problem?
  • agiles894
    agiles894 Posts: 5 Member
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    Yes fatigue sucks, and my docs office only has me in every 3 months for it to be checked that's why it takes forever to get right and sometimes I forget and it's just a mess but this time I'm doing it right, I will never lose any weight if I don't commit to this. Anyone else get their thyroid correct and see weight come off?
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    lindsaybracelen wrote: »
    I suffer from thyroid, and when they couldn't get mine under control, I had to wait longer then the 30 minutes before I ate, and I had to take it at the same time every morning. I now wait at least an hour, don't take vitamins with it, and drink lots of water! My problem is how tired I feel all the time. Anyone else have that problem?

    It is standard that you are supposed to take your thyroid medication first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, and wait at least one hour before having any food, and preferably 2 hours before having any dairy. Unfortunately, pharmacies can be inconsistent conveying this message.
  • lindsaybracelen
    lindsaybracelen Posts: 3 Member
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    If you miss a pill, my endocrinologist says I can double up the next day. I am almost 31, and my weight has just been increasing the last 3 years. I have gone up a dress size every year! I am finally ready to take control of my craving for sugar, which I have heard is a thyroid thing?? The need for sweets and sleep is killing me! I keep going to the dr, but they say everything is normal, but I don't feel normal
  • tans3352
    tans3352 Posts: 57 Member
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    Hey,
    I have had thyroid issues for over 2 years now and my levels and fatigue are just stabilising now.
    All I can say is with the weightloss, I have put it to the back of my mind. I don't think about it. I face this journey one day at a time and I have lost nearly 40pounds/18kg in the last 3 months with diet and exercise and making sure I take my tabs everyday.
    It can be done with thyroid problems definitely
    It does take a long time for the tabs to work correctly, which is why they only check every 3 months, although my doc does it 6 weeks after she changes the dose.
  • lindsaybracelen
    lindsaybracelen Posts: 3 Member
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    It is hard to know if my fatigue is thyroid or seasonal depression. I just ordered a therapy light to help get some UV rays, since I don't see the sun during the winter here in Washington. I have heard of supplements that help, anyone taking supplements that help them?
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,442 Member
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    agiles894 wrote: »
    Yes fatigue sucks, and my docs office only has me in every 3 months for it to be checked that's why it takes forever to get right and sometimes I forget and it's just a mess but this time I'm doing it right, I will never lose any weight if I don't commit to this. Anyone else get their thyroid correct and see weight come off?

    Yes. Well, not "come off" automagically, but I've been able to get it off by making sure CI < CO at a sustainable deficit.

    I've been hypothyroid for around 15 years. Nowadays, my blood is tested every 6 months, or more frequently if I have symptoms that lead me to believe it's changed. (I was tested every 6 weeks or so at first, until we found a dosage that returned my tests to the normal range. Since then, the dosage has needed increases - I forget - at least 2, maybe 3 times.)

    With my thyroid hormone levels under good control, I've lost 57 pounds since mid-April of this year (SW 4/17/15 183, CW 125.8.) In addition to being hypothyroid, I'm old (60) and have long been menopausal, two other conditions that some people say make weight loss difficult for them.

    So, I think that once your get your thyroid levels where they need to be, there's every reason to believe you can lose weight, if you're disciplined about it. If you're working on stabilizing the thyroid hormones, you're on the right path.
  • agiles894
    agiles894 Posts: 5 Member
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    Thank you for those that have replied about having thyroid issues, it's nice to hear I'm not alone and nice to know that eventually I could possibly get this under control! :)
  • klkuhlmann
    klkuhlmann Posts: 1 Member
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    I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism after the birth of my second child, four years ago. I take my RX daily at the same time with only water. It can not be taken with anything else, food, vitamin, etc. I have struggled with gaining weight since diagnosed. Working to find a better me and to feel good about myself.
  • trublutopaz
    trublutopaz Posts: 70 Member
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    I was very sick with thyroid problems. I had a strong family history-both my mother and grandmother had hypothyroidism and my daughter and youngest son also were diagnosed as adults. Although I had every single symptom, my lab work would show up as normal. It wasn't until a pronounce nodule presented that I was referred to an endocrinologist specializing in thyroid issues. The ultrasound showed I had virtually no thyroid tissue remaining and that what is called a "toxic thyroid nodule" had virtually taken over the entire space of my thyroid and was encroaching on my trachea, esophagus and making breathing and swallowing hard. I had my thyroid removed. The doctor sent me a photo, which I will spare you, but it was 12 times the size of a normal thyroid. It completely surrounded my throat and reached nearly to my aorta (heart). My doctor explained that a toxic nodule can mimic normal thyroid function. She also said I should have had this surgery five or more years ago. When I think how many times I brought this up to different doctors over the last 20 years, it makes me crazy. What is more, many children and adults diagnosed as ADHD actually have this condition. They don't test males for it-my brother nearly ended up in a Psychiatric ward after losing several good jobs because of his mood swings, brain fogs and lethargy. People you have to get aggressive about it with your doctors. I wish I had been more forceful earlier. As it is, I am on thyroid meds which we are still balancing. Also high cholesterol and related high blood pressure can be a biproduct of thyroid issues. Please take this seriously. I am going to start 2016 with a big goal. I need to lose at least 65 pounds to get to a healthy weight. But now that a doctor has listened and helped, I feel more compelled and more able to do this. Contact me if you have questions. The surgery was day surgery and the recovery was about 3 to 4 days.

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