No thyroid successful weight loss anyone?

loveskinny27 · April 2016

Hiya all
I have had a total thyroidectomy in January this year followed by radioactive iodine treatment in March, for thyroid cancer I'm really struggling to lose weight , I have chronic fatigue and can't always muster the energy to workout plus it takes me a week to recover from an hours intense workout, I eat generally well and mostly clean I eat a paleoish diet I'd say 70-89% paleo with the other 20-30% I add in things like pasta and bread and non paleo items such as chocolate etc.
I'd really like to start losing some weight but am finding in near impossible no matter how much I restrict.
I'm on 150mcg a day of Levo thyroxine and 1600iui vitamin d. And a vitamin b complex also. I also take pain meds as required.
Is there anyone out there that is thyroid less and successful at loosing weight of ideally like to lose 2-3 stone but would be happy with 1 to start. It's getting me down and I'd just like some advices from Pelops in the same boat and what's worked for others as its became apparent that what used to work for me no longer does

gbebedoll570 · April 2016

I take 150mcg levothyroxine as well. I had my iodine treatment in 2009. Since then my weight gain has been continuous. I was able to lose 30 pounds a couple of years ago by dieting and exercise. Then I got pregnant..

Now I am back on track (well at least trying) so far I've lost 22 pounds. I started watching what I ate and walking 30 minutes a day in February. But since end of March, I started doing 1200 calories a day.

dv3177 · April 2016

Yep. TT in July 2014 for papillary thyroid cancer. High of 265, lost 30 in 2013 then started back up in January 2015 and have lost another 78 since. 44 yo 5'7" still 20-30 to go. I do keep my protein at minimum 100grams/day then fill in the rest of my day's calories with carbs and fat. I eat all things in moderation and notice no difference between low carb or high carb other than low carb makes me tired and cranky. I do not eat clean by any definition out there. Small sweets everyday because I can stop at just one. Find that while I can still lose (albeit verrrry slowly) with calorie restriction alone, getting even 30 minutes a day of walking makes a difference in how quickly it comes off. Walking is my exercise of choice. No intense workouts here. Good luck it's definitely possible after thyroid removal.

ETA I see you are still very close to when you had surgery and treatment. I was a tired hypo wreck for 6 months after and then swung to hyper symptoms for 4 months. Once stabilized is when I started making real progress on my weight. Your body is still adjusting to your new, without a thyroid state and you might see little progress despite even with aggressive efforts. Try and be patient with yourself.

Pickleheadgirl · April 2016

Hi Folks! I am new here but I have been a thyroid patient forever - had two thyroid surgeries but still have some thyroid tissue so who knows - my body is probably all over the map. Anyway - would love to have some thyroidless friends to support each other. Will send friend requests to all of you... thanks!

lovetolose20 · April 2016

Had my thyroid removed Nov 2015 due to papillary thyroid cancer. I have to have radioactive iodine treatment in June. I'm taking 137mg levothyrixine. It has been hard to lose weight. Very hard. Like dv3177 said, it takes some time for your body to recover and get your levels stable. I've lost 25 pounds since the middle of January. I have MFP set to lose 2 pounds a week and I'm eating 1,350 calories a day. I exercise about 4 days a week, walking and lifting weights. I eat whatever I want, I eat some chocolate everyday, but I stay within calories. If I restricted myself from any kinds of food, this wouldn't work for me. I'm chosing to just eat ALL foods in moderation because I know I can eat like that for the rest of my life. I really started to see weight loss when I started exercising, I don't enjoy exercising, but I do it because it really does help.
Good luck. You can do this. It's hard, but it's worth the extra effort to be healthier. You got this!!

amyvanblaricom · April 2016

My mom has graves disease and has had radioactive iodine treatment. Her weight has been a huge problem since. For the longest time the only diet she saw and success with was a high protein low carb diet. He problem is she LOVES bread so she reverts. She has lost 45 pounds focusing on eating lots of salads and vegetables. She will even throw crackers in for her love of bread.

mommy404 · April 2016

I was recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism and currently take 112 mg of synthroid. I have been finding it really difficult to lose weight and was recently diagnosed with asymptomatic lymphocytic colitis which has lead my dr's to suspect celiac's disease (waiting on test results). Once I eliminated gluten from my diet a lot of my hypo symptoms have lessened, more energy and the beginning of some weight loss. There is a growing body of research showing that there is a strong relationship between thyroid issues and gluten intolerance. You may find that eliminating gluten from your diet may help. My mother also is living without a thyroid and is trying a gluten free lifestyle and finds that it is helping her feel better.

BethE36 · April 2016

I am so happy to see this question as I've been curious about this too. For example, do people notice they are only losing about 1/2 of the pounds they have their goal set for each week (so, if you have MFP set to lose 2lbs a week, are you finding as a TT patient you only lose 1lb per week at that setting?)

I had my thyroid removed for pappillary thyroid cancer when I was 17 weeks pregnant with my first. I declined radioactive iodine, so my dr keeps my levels just barely in hyper zone to suppress any remaining tissue.

I currently take 250mcg of levothyroxine a day.

I did MFP starting at 6 weeks post partum with my and I was able to get within 10lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight after about 6months (I think that was a loss of about 20lbs total.)

With my second child, I lost all the baby weight so fast and was below my pre-pregnancy weight within 1.5 months, but then something happened with my dosage and my levels skyrocketed to over 10tsh and I gained it all back within 6 months (to where I was heavier 6 months post partum than when I delivered at 194lbs.)

So, a year later I am finally buckeling down to get all of that off again. I am 5'6.5 and have lost about 10lbs between New Years and 6 weeks ago by just watching my portions (no MFP during that time.)

I started MFP again about 6 weeks ago in combination with doing the 30 day shred almost every day and 3-4 days a week at the gym. I've lost 6lbs in 6 weeks doing that, so not losing close to what my 2lb a week goal is with 1200 calories, which is hard to keep within everyday. But, I can tell I'm stronger and more toned from the gym, and that I have waaaay more energy than 6 weeks ago.

So, I just keep telling myself that it will be harder for me than others to lose the weight because of my thyroid, but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try. I feel like I'm not in a hurry to get it off because of that - if it takes me a year to do something others could do in 6months, that's okay, at least I am showing up and doing what I can. But, I am super curious as to how much harder it may be based on other TTers experiences.

Fuzzipeg · April 2016

There is a hyperthyroid and hypothyroid group on here. I for one am very sad for those of you who have had part or all of your thyroid gland removed. I wish all persons with thyroid related problems were treated as if their predicament matters. I have found the website, Stop the Thyroid Madness very useful even though the list of doctors they suggest as being helpful to thyroid problems is US based. Most other countries have their support sites too. These sites keep to the cutting edge of thyroid science and encourage or try to empower patients to achieve the best treatment for themselves. I recommend reading as much as you can from authoritative medical sites as well.

More recent observations suggest that 16% of persons on levothyroxine alone will not do well. It seems there can be a genetic issue which indicates when a person has a problem in the system which changes t4 to t3 the treatment suggestion is that these people would benefit from t3 supplementation. Sometimes poor t4 conversion can be caused by inadequate vitamins and or minerals. Unfortunately most medical systems are not able/required to keep abreast with modern understanding and achieving anything different from the t4 levothyroxine and similar products is very difficult.

In Britain it is virtually impossible to achieve t3 support or natural thyroid products which contain all the thyroid hormones t'1,2,3,4, because it is animal based. NDT products were used for many years until the '70's or so but since the big pharmaceutical companies started to produce synthetic t4 the use of NDT has been frowned on yet many find relief on these products if they can obtain a prescription.

Please look into what I have written and discover all you can about what ails so many of us, one site says there are 300 possible thyroid illness symptoms and when we only have our selected few in our personal bundle it is essential we try to help ourselves.

burtisfamily7 · April 2016

Hi!
I have Hashimotos, the autoimmune Thyroid disease, My thyroid is damaged and 1/2 there. I didnt start feeling human, lose weight and feel hope until i got off the stupid Levo. T4 only drugs, Once i started NDT (naturally dissected thyroid) which has T3 AND T4, then I came out of a fog. Ive been been in Nursing along time, and have seen so many pts struggle on T4 alone, those tend to be people with Hashis vs pregnancy related Hypo Thyroid. And as you do not have a Thyroid, Being on T4 alone isnt ok. You need t3. Some people have issues with NDT. Mostly Drs. AS the synthetics pay more and Pharmacy has control. Taking levo and cytomel (t3) for synthetics is ok too.

I was 1/2 dead, i couldn't even lift my arms to brush my teeth, I was puffy, dry, depressed, brain fog, no eye brows, thinning hair, joint aches, no sex drive, and i felt lost and 50 lbs heavier. I have 5 kids! It was so hard to navigate them to sports, school etc etc etc. All on Levo. I started Armour Thyroid? And I feel like a Woman, strong, healthy, me! Im baaack! We are all so different, so what works for one, will not work for another. Some people LOVE Levo. But probably because they can convert T4 to T3. So great! Most feel like death on it. Please dont give up, have a convo with dr about adding T3. There is hope! It can happen!

Also, what are your Vit D and B12 levels? Most people who have had and do have Thyroid disease or cancer are deficient in these vitamins. And drs dont just test for them. You have to ask. Please check these out!

burtisfamily7 · April 2016

And once adding T3 you can adjust to the level you feel best on. I dotn feel Optimal unless levels are .2 to 1.0. That is my sweet spot. I feel horrible when It creeps up to 2 and up. If I miss a dose or what. Its like instant Hypo feeling. Sometimes you have to Dr shop to find one who will really listen to you and your symptoms vs just a lab report.

** Sorry, I just reread where you take a B complex and Vit D.

MamaTashy · April 2016

I still have my thyroid but I have Hypothyroidism. My levels will be in check for a while and then I have crazy symptoms and need my medication adjusted. I am monitored yearly to check the growth of goiters in my thyroid but so far they are benign and the size is slow growing. I started May 2nd with Weight watchers and to date have lost 2lbs a week for a total of 97lbs. I started using MFP to track my macro nutrients when my weight loss started slowing down. So I up'd the protein and reduced the carbs and sugar. So far it's working. Now I see many people on MFP who have lost more than 100lbs in the same time frame. But I am happy with this pace. I have another 99lbs to lose so slow and steady.

ErinPo · April 2016

Like many people on this thread, I had a total thyroidectomy due to papillary cancer. This was back in 2011 and once I got started on my daily 200mcg dose of levothyroxine, I've been fine. I haven't noticed that it makes weight loss harder for me. When I ate clean, I lost the weight pretty steadily.

What DID make it harder for me was having a total hysterectomy in 2013 because of uterine cancer. That put me into instant menopause and now I'm losing weight about half as quickly as before. Bummer. But at least I'm still losing, so I can't complain.

Fuzzipeg · April 2016

ErinPo, if one also has ovaries removed with the hysterectomy, (its the preferred option so you can't have ovarian cancer), the other functions of the ovaries are lost. Reproduction is not the ovaries only function they impact on libido too. No consideration is given to the ovaries contributing to thyroid function in that they may be part of the t4/t3 recovery system, our bodies are designed to recycle what they can if it is difficult to find. Ovaries produce t2, science still does not know the function of this hormone or t1, so these forms of thyroid hormones are disregarded.

If one's body is "pining" for t's 1 and 2, NDT may help you because this is a full profile hormone, t's 1,2,3, and 4 replacement unlike synthetic t4 or t3. It may be next to impossible to obtain a prescription for this in most countries. Some endocrinologists consider it has too high a t3 balance.

PeterBrodie · May 2016

I've just been diagnosed as having no thyroid function. Have started to build up my daily medicine dose, and hope to start exercising in a few weeks. Will keep you updated on my progress if it would help?

socajam · May 2016

I had my thyroid removed over 20 years ago - papillary thyroid cancer.
It is extremely difficult to lose weight let no one tell you differently, but it can be done, we have to be consistent - meaning exercising daily, whether its walking etc.
For me what I have found works it to do calorie cycling - www.freedieting.com to work out your calorie intake for the week. Then I make sure that I have at least a 3500 calorie deficit, I do not eat back my exercise calories. Last week I walked practically every day and was surprised when I got on the scale it went straight to my current weight (and that was before I went to the bathroom).

Regarding medication, I now take Vitamin D (2000 iu) per my endocrinologist as my levels were extremely low and a multi vitamin. I always wondered why I was feeling so down, very emotionally etc. Once I started taking Vitamin D it was like the fog had being removed from my brain and I could finally see clearly - I take the plant based version.

My thyroid medication - I stopped taking the generic and take Synthroid - someone people says there is no difference but for me I have noticed the difference between the generic and non-generic - and I am prepared to pay the extra in price, by giving up something that is not as important in my life.

My food - no meat/chicken/sea food - this had nothing to do with my thyroid - I just stopped liking meat and decided why not add chicken to the mix. I only eat salt water fish - no freshwater whatsoever.

Other things I use to eat and gave up - soy/white flour/white sugar. I may eat some products on occasion like bread etc but that is very limited, all my cereal are soy free.

It is hard without a thyroid, but this is something you are going to have to work on for yourself, but finding time to exercise and eat healthy - learn to read food labels - and it can be done.

My diary is open you can have a look - there are some gaps.

loveskinny27 · May 2016

Thank you all for your amazing replys it's great to have a view that I'm no alone. I'm currently a low carb high fat/protein diet to see if will work for me I've tried most other things so this has to be the one for me x

mrs_kurz · May 2016

Hi everyone, I'm waiting on test results regarding my thyroid (I have a huge family history of Hashimoto's, people born without a thyroid etc...) and get them on the 17th May. I've had my thyroid tested a few times throughout my life and it's always come back on the lower end of normal so no ones ever done anything. however, in the last year I've gained 20lbs without really changing anything in the way I eat, I feel tired, down a lot of the time and have a few other symptoms. In a weird way I actually HOPE they find something on my bloodwork this time, because I just want to start feeling like me again. I'm also trying to lose weight at the moment, I've been eating 1200-1500 cals a day, doing insanity for 3 weeks and I've lost ONE pound... that's not normal, right?

No thyroid successful weight loss anyone?

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