Any people here who lost weight while having hypothyridsm?

mymy1997
mymy1997 Posts: 3 Member
edited November 15 in Getting Started
Please if you have hypothyroidism and you have lost weight please share your success story because I need it, and lots of other people will appreciate it as well. Thank you in advance
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Replies

  • Woodmouse1
    Woodmouse1 Posts: 15 Member
    I was diagnosed hypothyroid last year and found myself at the time gaining weight and feeling very tired. I started using the FAST diet 5:2 to lose weight. After 4 months I have lost 7kilos and I am hoping to lose 6 kilos in the next few months Make sure you get your medication right with after blood tests the necessary added vitamins and minerals .Try and exercise. I only do Qi Gong and long walks 5- 10 miles but exercise will help any thyroid condition. Try and cut down on sugar, processed foods, gluten and alcohol and don t overdo any foods that affect your thyroid function such as soya, sweet potatoes, and certain green vegetables.I feel much much better, slimmer more cheerful, able to cope and with much more energy for life. Good luck you can do it too
  • oliviaviccellio
    oliviaviccellio Posts: 1 Member
    I was diagnosed in 2013 with hypothyroidism. I have lost weight before (last spring) but it was not coming off easily by any means and was not a lot. I am on levothyroxine and after getting my wisdom teeth out this past summer I stopped eating healthy and exercising....since then I have gained 27 pounds. So needless to say I am trying to lose that weight that I gained since then. I am on week 4 of P90X3 and have been eating healthy 90% of the time so hoping for "normal" weight loss results!
  • sewiggle
    sewiggle Posts: 50 Member
    I have been on Levothyroxine for about 18 months now and it is still stabilising, I'm currently on 75 but have a suspicion it will rise to 100 in a couple of months if history is anything to go by. I started the gym last week and started eating healthy, with a calorie goal of 1350 and so far I have lost around 5 pounds and my body fat percentage has dropped by nearly 1 percent.
  • haviegirl
    haviegirl Posts: 230 Member
    edited January 2017
    I have been hypothyroid for 30 years, and have taken levothyroxine all along. I lost 35 pounds last year simply by using MFP and a fitness tracker. I also use a food scale when I am home, so that my logging is accurate. I started at 175 pounds, 141 today. I feel marvelous now, am much more energetic, and I look terrific in my clothes. I'm also much less self conscious without my clothes!
  • mymy1997
    mymy1997 Posts: 3 Member
    Thank you so much guys for taking time to reply to my question it means the world to me. The thing is that I am only 19 years old and as you probably know it's a challenging age. I started noticing the symptoms when I was 17 years old and it's not only about weight gain ( I have gained almost 30 kg, and I am 85 kg currently) , it's about chronic fatigue, depression, feeling sluggish all day and wanting to pass out 2 hours after waking up from 15-hour-long sleep , insomnia, cold feet and hands, muscle ache..... And the hardest parr is that people think you are exaggerating when you show how uncomfortable you are because of these symptoms and you end up keeping it all for yourself.
    I have been taking Levothyroxine for +1 months now and I have noticed improvement in my daily life in general , but the weight and chronic fatigue are the hardest to overcome.
    Thank you so much for sharing your experiences , and good luck ^_^
  • HG210
    HG210 Posts: 103 Member
    Thank you for asking the question. I needed the feedback as well. You all are awesome
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    I have no-thyroid-ism (removed due to cancer) but was diagnosed with hashimoto's at the same time. Been on levo for 3+ years now, started at 100 and slowly worked up to 137 (in different combos and dosages every day). when my levels are good, my weight starts going on, if it starts slowly creeping back up, then I know its time for blood work and maybe a tweak. having a good doctor who listens to you helps
  • 44to44
    44to44 Posts: 896 Member
    mymy1997 wrote: »
    Thank you so much guys for taking time to reply to my question it means the world to me. The thing is that I am only 19 years old and as you probably know it's a challenging age. I started noticing the symptoms when I was 17 years old and it's not only about weight gain ( I have gained almost 30 kg, and I am 85 kg currently) , it's about chronic fatigue, depression, feeling sluggish all day and wanting to pass out 2 hours after waking up from 15-hour-long sleep , insomnia, cold feet and hands, muscle ache..... And the hardest parr is that people think you are exaggerating when you show how uncomfortable you are because of these symptoms and you end up keeping it all for yourself.
    I have been taking Levothyroxine for +1 months now and I have noticed improvement in my daily life in general , but the weight and chronic fatigue are the hardest to overcome.
    Thank you so much for sharing your experiences , and good luck ^_^

    Give it some time. The fatigue was the worst for me, and it took several months and bump ups in medication before that got better, but it eventually did. They have to move slow with the dosage because if you swing too much in the opposite direction (and become hyperthyroid), it can be dangerous. My doctor was testing me every 8 weeks or so, and adjusting up a bit, until it got to a normal level.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    mymy1997 wrote: »
    Thank you so much guys for taking time to reply to my question it means the world to me. The thing is that I am only 19 years old and as you probably know it's a challenging age. I started noticing the symptoms when I was 17 years old and it's not only about weight gain ( I have gained almost 30 kg, and I am 85 kg currently) , it's about chronic fatigue, depression, feeling sluggish all day and wanting to pass out 2 hours after waking up from 15-hour-long sleep , insomnia, cold feet and hands, muscle ache..... And the hardest parr is that people think you are exaggerating when you show how uncomfortable you are because of these symptoms and you end up keeping it all for yourself.
    I have been taking Levothyroxine for +1 months now and I have noticed improvement in my daily life in general , but the weight and chronic fatigue are the hardest to overcome.
    Thank you so much for sharing your experiences , and good luck ^_^

    It can take several months for the medication to level your symptoms out. You may also require the meds to be bumped up a bit. Has your doctor already scheduled you for repeat blood work? If not, you might want to discuss the timing of that with him or her. :)
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    I'm 30 and have had hypothyroidism for about three years now. As long as your medication is correct, you'll be able to get back on track. I actually lost weight before medication because I was pretty dedicated and didn't know there was a problem, but weight gain is obviously a pretty common occurrence. Like you listed above, depression and being sluggish were my worst symptoms.

    It was actually kind of amazing to find out I was hypo (gynecologist found out in my yearly blood tests) because there was a simple solution to my problems. It did take awhile to get things right. First my meds were too low (not much improvement), then they were too high (my hair started falling out because it made me hyperthyroid). So after only one month of meds, don't be too hard on yourself or expect too much. Just do your best and your doctor will know when you go back for a blood test. The battle will end eventually when your Levothyroxine dosage is correct.
  • haviegirl
    haviegirl Posts: 230 Member
    mymy1997 wrote: »
    Thank you so much guys for taking time to reply to my question it means the world to me. The thing is that I am only 19 years old and as you probably know it's a challenging age. I started noticing the symptoms when I was 17 years old and it's not only about weight gain ( I have gained almost 30 kg, and I am 85 kg currently) , it's about chronic fatigue, depression, feeling sluggish all day and wanting to pass out 2 hours after waking up from 15-hour-long sleep , insomnia, cold feet and hands, muscle ache..... And the hardest parr is that people think you are exaggerating when you show how uncomfortable you are because of these symptoms and you end up keeping it all for yourself.
    I have been taking Levothyroxine for +1 months now and I have noticed improvement in my daily life in general , but the weight and chronic fatigue are the hardest to overcome.
    Thank you so much for sharing your experiences , and good luck ^_^

    I'm glad things are starting to get better. It will probably take several weeks yet to fine tune your medication. Be patient and take your meds as prescribed. You'll likely need adjustments to dosage from time to time and that's normal.

    I know the fatigue is difficult, but try to get moving. Most of my exercise was simply walking--LOTS of walking. Eat nutritious foods while staying in calorie deficit, and the weight will start to come off. Things just keep getting better, but not without consistent, persistent effort. You can do this!
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Yes, I lost 85 pounds with hypothyroid along with a myriad of other mid life hormone issues. Here's the thing; even when we get our medicine from the doctor it's that pesky calorie deficit that we have to embark on. The medicine is good for getting the hormones a bit better back in balance, but the rolling up the sleeves and doing the food portion control which feels so unfair still has to be done. The medicine is not a magic pill after all. It's hard, and when you have a lot of weight to lose it's a bit of a catch 22 at first because you are tired and stressed from the burden on the body of the excess fat, which you won't feel better until you get it off. So the only choice towards success is to not let the condition be the excuse and just roll up your sleeves and do it. Little steps every day, one step at a time, one meal at a time, one day at a time.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,989 Member
    My DW has it after having half her thyroid taken out in her 20's. She lost over 40lbs in the last 4 years. But she upped her activity to do it (ballroom dancing).


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  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    I'm 23, been on medication for hypo for almost 10 years.
    A few years ago I lost over 60 lbs through diet and exercise - tracking my calories (I wasn't using MFP at the time, but a very similar app).
    I ended up gaining the weight back, which I attribute entirely to my diet and sedentary lifestyle. I got into a bad habit of binge eating almost daily, and then found myself at my heaviest of 215 lbs.
    Since then I've been working on changing my habits and being more active, and I am down to 185.
    Any time I've committed to losing weight I have been able to. This is the hardest part for me. I think this is common for many people who are overweight though, not just those who are hypo.
    After I gained the weight back I spent a long time feeling sorry for myself and blaming my thyroid. Now that I've gotten past that mentality I'm doing much better. I enjoy lifting weights and will be competing in a powerlifting meet in a few weeks. After taking a few months off from weightloss I am starting up again and plan to lose 10-15 lbs and then possibly take another break to maintain.
    I had to stop letting myself believe I couldn't do things. Managing weight is hard for many people, I have to put in the work to learn how to make it work for myself.
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    I'm 46 and hypo due to thyroid cancer. I had a total thyroidectomy in 2000 and put on ~70lbs over the next 14 years...nothing to do with hypothyroid. I transitioned from a high active physical job in the military to a cushy civilian academic life. I had no clue on the amount I was eating and rarely worked out. In 2014 I joined MFP as my wife had used this site to get back into shape after having our three kids and was very successful. Once I started logging and getting back into the groove I lost 60 lbs over a year. I'm currently on Synthroid 175/200 mcg alternating daily.

    Your thyroid will impact your BMR/REE at ~5%. What some people experience is a change in their satiety and feel constantly hungry, which is why using a tracking tool like MFP is so critical to your success.

    Some things that helped me: Routine, hydration, and exercise - I get up at 5am to take my Synthroid. I have a water routine, an eating routine, and exercise routine and plan out my day everyday. You don't need to kill yourself, but even 30 mins of walking daily will help you along.

    A critical point that is rarely mentioned is that hormones are free cycling - these just meander around your body looking for a receptor site. If you are overweight this makes it incredibly difficult to maintain any sort of balance. The best thing you can do is lose weight in a slow, long term, responsible manner.

  • gryphonwind
    gryphonwind Posts: 3 Member
    I have be hypo for about 5 years and my weight has been slowly but steadily increasing - and I have had no luck losing through exercise - even running everyday. I have not been faithful to dieting so perhaps a low calorie diet might have helped. I am currently on a low-carb diet and have lost 4 pounds. This is the most weight I have lost in years, so I am hoping to keep going and keep it off.
  • 92_sweetheart
    92_sweetheart Posts: 131 Member
    edited January 2017
    I'm 24. I have/had Grave's (hyperthyroidism). I had the radioactive iodine treatment which made me go hypothyroid. I've been on Levothyroxine 137 for about a year now. My dosage gets changed constantly from 150 to 125. Immediately as I went hypothyroid I went from maintaining at about 175 to 205 in a matter of months after my treatment. When I got on Levothyroxine I went down to about 185-190 without changing habits or exercising (this was before deciding to lose weight and such). I have successfully so far lost 30lbs in the last 4 months (20 more to go) while being hypothyroid and on Levothyroxine. Make sure you taking your medication EVERY DAY or as directed. I was told by my endocrinologist that missing 1 day or dosage basically will sabotage all efforts you put forth.
  • kmomof3
    kmomof3 Posts: 2 Member
    I'm hypothyroid with hashimotos on 100mcg of levothyroxine. Diagnosed end of Aug 2016. Just starting out on trying to lose weight. The previous posts are encouraging.
  • scotthva5
    scotthva5 Posts: 9 Member
    I had been mildly hypo for for about 10 years before my doctor, my wife (she got tired of me moaning about muscle cramps) and dramatic weight increase -50 pounds in 2 years- forced me to start on levo about 3 years ago. Took about a year to get it just right -125mcg- but the weight stayed on. Since then I've lost about 30 pounds in the past 6 months by religiously documenting the food diary and a minimum of 30 minutes a day of stair stepper cardio and light weight training twice a week. It works! Eat less, exercise more and have a realistic attitude toward weight loss and fitness; it will not happen nearly as fast as you want it to. BTW, my doc says that hypothyroidism is one of the most underdiagnosed conditions in men today since a full thyroid workup is not routine for men.
  • Chatwidow
    Chatwidow Posts: 1 Member
    edited January 2017
    I have been borderline hypo for 5 years with a lifelong weight problem. I had gastric bypass surgery 4.5 years ago and lost 100 pounds and kept it off until the past year. About a year ago I started on synthroid and now thyroxine as my GP felt I had been borderline too long. I have gained 20 lbs while maintaining my food log and exercise regimen. Part of me feels better but part feels bloated and crappy. I have been working with an excellent endocrinologist but can't take the continuing weight gain. I am about to just stop the Meds for 3 months to see if the weight comes off. If it does then I'll know it's the thyroxine.
  • scotthva5
    scotthva5 Posts: 9 Member
    Chatwidow wrote: »
    ... I am about to just stop the Meds for 3 months to see if the weight comes off. If it does then I'll know it's the thyroxine.

    Please don't stop taking your meds without a serious consult with your endocrinologist or primary care. If they say "no deal" then listen to them. I know this from experience as my first experience with levo did not go well and quit on my own. Big mistake!
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Chatwidow wrote: »
    I have been borderline hypo for 5 years with a lifelong weight problem. I had gastric bypass surgery 4.5 years ago and lost 100 pounds and kept it off until the past year. About a year ago I started on synthroid and now thyroxine as my GP felt I had been borderline too long. I have gained 20 lbs while maintaining my food log and exercise regimen. Part of me feels better but part feels bloated and crappy. I have been working with an excellent endocrinologist but can't take the continuing weight gain. I am about to just stop the Meds for 3 months to see if the weight comes off. If it does then I'll know it's the thyroxine.

    As @scotthva5 stated absolutely do not go off your routine unless you've discussed this with your physician. Levothyroxine is not a weight loss drug. This regulates output of your pituitary gland and can have major problems if you are making dramatic changes.

    Are you sticking to your enzyme regimen?

    Success in any hormone related issue lies in two major issues - weight management and establishing a routine. Hormones are free cycling and cannot maintain balance if you are overweight. If you have a gland not operating correctly you need to build up a routine and stick to this.
  • ginasfs67
    ginasfs67 Posts: 4 Member
    I lost almost 100 lbs in a year after a serious struggle with losing weight. I was 260 when I started and 165 at my lowest. My "secret" was a lifestyle change and some serious dedication. It wasn't easy by any means and there were times I wanted to give up, but I am so much happier now. It helps to have a good support system to keep you motivated. It's almost impossible to do it entirely on your own (at least that's how it was for me). I've gained some of it back through bad habits and a change in career, but I'm working on getting back down again.
  • Mary_Anastasia
    Mary_Anastasia Posts: 267 Member
    Hashimotos disease here, I was diagnosed 12 years ago when I was 19. I successfully lost 56lbs in my 20s through diet and exercise- I ate a ton of soy and was on armour. Now I've lost 42lbs much more slowly, but only through dieting, haven't been to a gym yet- honestly, I think your happiness and quality of life has the biggest impact on metabolism and such- I used to work out 4 days a week and couldn't lose weight. But when I'm happy it falls off. I'm on naturthroid now, it really doesn't perform any better than armour IMO, but they are both better than synthroid, I had bad reactions to that.
  • beth4100
    beth4100 Posts: 14 Member
    I was diagnosed when I was only 15 days old. I was actually born without a thyroid. For years I struggled with my weight. When I was about 16 I reached my heaviest: 220lbs. I hated myself! I always tried to go on a diet but it never worked for me. When I was about 17 my aunt turned me on to weight watchers and it worked! I lost my for 80 lbs after a year and a half. I kept losing after that because I was now familiar with portion control. I stopped using weight watchers but when I went to college in 2011 I was determined to lose more weight. By that time I was 153 and at the end of 2012 I reached my lowest weight, 132!!! I couldn't have been happier.
    Unfortunately now some of that weight has come back and I'm back at 155. I'm doing what I can (but not my best) to go back down to 132.
    If I can do it, anyone can!
  • kaitybabez
    kaitybabez Posts: 2 Member
    I have no thyroid now. After getting it removed my weight went from 143lbs to 178lbs in the space of just a few months. 1.5 years on and I'm down to 156lbs so it was definitely possible for me!
  • Sunna_W
    Sunna_W Posts: 744 Member
    Check out the website: stopthethyroidmadness.com it has some really great advice on hypothyroidism. Women who have found a doc that will work with them (and not just medicate according to the blood tests) find that they seem to do much better and far more quickly. Natural desiccated thyroid (I am more fond of Acella / NP thyroid than Armour) seems to work better for me; Also, 7-keto DHEA helps me. I also take L-tyrosine. Finally, don't discount adrenal supplementation. There are many websites out there that sell desiccated adrenal / adrenal cortex. Both adrenal / adrenal cortex act on very different parts of your body - one acts on the hormones and the other acts on neurotransmitters. You have to start the desiccated thyroid very slowly - I found that one capsule (pure encaps) the first day was like a boat load of coffee and I was wired for almost 24 hours. The next day the symptoms were far less and by day 4 I was handling one capsule just fine and it seems to have really helped my mood and my cravings are less. One additional benefit is that I am backing off my HRT a little b/c with the adrenal supplementation, things are so much better.
  • Bubbelss
    Bubbelss Posts: 3 Member
    I was diagnosed with hypothyroidsm 6 years ago (was 22 atm). Since then, I've been taking L-tyrosine and Bisoprolol to control my blood pressure.
    After knee surgery a year and a half later (october) and obligated rest, I gained almost 8kilo's in 2 months...
    Next august, I was whining to my boyfriend that much about being "fat" (1m58, 68kg) that he said I should stop nagging and do something about it. Sounds cruel, but it was exactly what I needed!
    I started writing down everything I ate and got on the hometrainer 5 times a week for 60-90minutes per session.
    Lost the 8kilo's in half a year!

    Recently I've changed my job to a 100% desk job. My biggest fear is to gain all that weight again, so I go to the gym 3-4 a week (got really sick of looking at the same wall on my hometrainer lol). Since last week I combine this with one weekly spinning session.
    I still wright down everything I eat. On thursday evening I make a menu for the week that's coming up and I really try to stick to it. I do sin in the weekends, otherwise I'd never be able to hold on to it.

    So I'm at 57kg now (yay!!) and I totally freak out when I start to reach 60kg.
    I know I'll never be really thin (though 57kg sounds like it's not a lot, if you're only 1m58 you're still chubby :)) but I don't really care anymore.
    So yes, it's possible to lose weight! You just have to do a little more effort than people with a normal thyroid gland...
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