Underactive thyroid and weight issues

deetox68
deetox68 Posts: 9 Member
edited June 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
its very hard to lose weight with an underactive thyroid, even though on medications, but I still keep trying even though not much drops off, and then a few days later it comes back again. I dont want to be this size, I was slim when I was younger, I suffer from chronic long term pain as well. But I guess it is what is it. This is me just saying how I feel out loudly. I am only 5.1 as well so any weight gain shows more. Doctors tell you to lose weight but they dont give you any support to do so and no weight programmes seem to be available on the nhs. They dont even suggest anything, so people end up paying out lots of money go join some weight company team to lose weight. What works for one person may not work for another. We all want to be healthy and a good weight but some times its not always possible. I am also coming up to menopause times as well. With underactive thyroid you can go swim and gym and exercise and cut back, but the weight still dont drop off much. Sometimes I wonder to myself and think. well whether I like it or not, this is what it is, get used to it and get on with it. Accept now that this is your weight and its not going to drop much. No matter what you do. Because it seems to be going that way.
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Replies

  • mstargal
    mstargal Posts: 1 Member
    I have hypo thyroid and menopausal .having great success with my fitbit linked with this app!!
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    hypo thyroid also. I found exercise to be the key to success. I think my body just needs at least a 15 minute warm up in the morning to function better throughout the day. Don't give up it can be done.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    Another with hypo here.
    5'1'', been on meds for almost 10 years.

    A few years ago I lost 60+ lbs (unfortunately gained it back because of binge eating, not related to my thyroid. Although I wasted entirely too much time telling myself it was because of my thyroid. When in reality I was eating thousands of calories every day and not exercising at all, not that I could've exercised enough to negate how much I was eating anyway... Of course I felt terrible and gained tons of weight.)

    I'm currently down 40 lbs again from my heaviest.
    I don't think weight loss is easy for anyone. Maintenance is hard too. I totally agree that doctors are usually less than helpful.
    What has worked for me is to log my food, use a food scale to ensure accurate logging. Try to get some exercise a few days a week (exercise helps me sleep better as well). And being CONSISTENT. One huge day of eating can be enough to wipe out your weekly deficit.
  • Pearlsss
    Pearlsss Posts: 10 Member
    Another hypo here, & was actually 98lbs my entire life, even after 2 C-sections, but then came menopause, followed by a terrible auto wreck, now I am obese:( . . . not too far into the obese category, but yeah, it sucks & I hate it!!! If I exercise hard, it sets off pain, so I can only exercise gently ... talk about a no-win situation. And the older one gets, the stress of exercising on the joints is problematic. I do have a Concept2 rower, which I like a lot, am trying to do 10 minutes a day, along w/ walking, etc ... so glad I found this wonderful site, community, group, thread ... wishing everyone the Best of Success~
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,740 Member
    I'm 60 and have been on thyroid meds for about 15 years. Once I was on the right dosage, my slow thyroid made no difference in my weight loss or gains, nor did menopause. I gain weight when I eat badly (I love sweets) and lose it when I eat less and exercise more.

    If you haven't done so, you might ask for a complete thyroid panel. Most of the time they just look at TSH but your T3 and T4 levels can be really off without your TSH showing it. That could make a difference in the meds that you take.
  • TheJourneyToFabulous
    TheJourneyToFabulous Posts: 381 Member
    I have been on thyroid meds for years. Lost 40lbs so far this year calorie counting and exercise. If you are properly medicated shouldn't be an issue
  • Nawarti
    Nawarti Posts: 34 Member
    All of this is great advice, but where is OP?
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,272 Member
    I am 53 years old, female, short. Am on thryoxine supplements after having hemithyroidectomy due to a tumour.

    I lost weight and have since maintained for nearly 4 years.

    Yes, Untreated hypothyroidism will make weight loss difficult - but once you are on adequate supplementation CICO will apply to you just as to everyone else.
    Treated thyroid issues do not interfere with weight loss - and that is everyone, since treatment is cheap and straightforward.

    or even treated if your numbers aren't right - there is a HUGE range for thyroid bloodwork for "normal" but its about knowing your body - working with my doc, we know to keep mine at the TSH low end (TSH .8) and T4 higher because I function better - but it took a while for doctors to understand that, because when I was at 3.2 (still in the normal range) I felt like crap

    Yes, agreed, it can take some tweaking to get the supplementation level right - but not enough to really stop anyone losing weight.

    Which totally untreated hypothyroidism could.

  • TorrizzleWillSizzle
    TorrizzleWillSizzle Posts: 119 Member
    edited June 2017
    Nawarti wrote: »
    All of this is great advice, but where is OP?

    My thoughts exactly! I was hypothyroid for near 10 yrs up until March when I had a total thyroidectomy due to cancer. I am working on getting my levels where they need to be and have an RAI therapy upcoming (can't wait for that low idoine diet<< insert sarcasm here) but I am in no way going to let that stop me from at least trying to lose weight! Every one in this thread had really given me some hope that it can be done! I'm very fresh into my journey (yet again) but I feel this time I have a grip on it! Keep up the great work everyone and don't let excuses run your life OP!!
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Nawarti wrote: »
    All of this is great advice, but where is OP?

    My thoughts exactly! I was hypothyroid for near 10 yrs up until March when I had a total thyroidectomy due to cancer. I am working on getting my levels where they need to be and have an RAI therapy upcoming (can't wait for that low idoine diet<< insert sarcasm here) but I am in no way going to let that stop me from at least trying to lose weight! Every one in this thread had really given me some hope that it can be done! I'm very fresh into my journey (yet again) but I feel this time I have a grip on it! Keep up the great work everyone and don't let excuses run your life OP!!

    I'm not going to downplay it RAI just plain sucks. Drink tons of water and try to stay active, even if it's just walking. The low iodine isn't horrible, there are quite a few low iodine options out there. This is very much a mental game because you will feel exhausted. You have to force your brain to stay active and interested in everything.

    I doubled up on courses when I did this to force myself to keep active. Actually came out of this a much better listener which helped tremendously.
  • TorrizzleWillSizzle
    TorrizzleWillSizzle Posts: 119 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »

    I'm not going to downplay it RAI just plain sucks. Drink tons of water and try to stay active, even if it's just walking. The low iodine isn't horrible, there are quite a few low iodine options out there. This is very much a mental game because you will feel exhausted. You have to force your brain to stay active and interested in everything.

    I doubled up on courses when I did this to force myself to keep active. Actually came out of this a much better listener which helped tremendously.

    What do you mean doubled up on courses? What courses? I have a huge list of questions for the Endo & Nuc Med Drs.
  • jacquih2981
    jacquih2981 Posts: 120 Member
    edited June 2017
    Been hypothyroid for decades, now on the right tablets for me and finally discovered I was lactose intolerant last year. Also have spinal arthritis. I started on MFP on 1 May and now 16 pounds down, I record everything and if I have a meal out I record the one with the most calories (even though I am tempted to record the least). Oh and I weigh everything!

    I tire easily and recover slowly so walk briskly every day and do cardio once a week

    What works for me might not work for you but log everything, keep a calorie deficit and fit exercise into your lifestyle and it will work
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »

    I'm not going to downplay it RAI just plain sucks. Drink tons of water and try to stay active, even if it's just walking. The low iodine isn't horrible, there are quite a few low iodine options out there. This is very much a mental game because you will feel exhausted. You have to force your brain to stay active and interested in everything.

    I doubled up on courses when I did this to force myself to keep active. Actually came out of this a much better listener which helped tremendously.

    What do you mean doubled up on courses? What courses? I have a huge list of questions for the Endo & Nuc Med Drs.

    Sorry - college courses. I was entering into grad school at the time and took multiple additional courses.

    Bring data along with the questions - I would even bring excerpts from your MFP diary. Just know that most physicians have less knowledge about nutrition and weight management than your experience MFP user.
  • TorrizzleWillSizzle
    TorrizzleWillSizzle Posts: 119 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Sorry - college courses. I was entering into grad school at the time and took multiple additional courses.

    Bring data along with the questions - I would even bring excerpts from your MFP diary. Just know that most physicians have less knowledge about nutrition and weight management than your experience MFP user.

    Ohhh!! Thank you! I'm trying to figure out how to stay isolated for however long I need to be! I have 2 young kids, no family or friends here (without kids or animals anyways) and a full time job so isolation will be a bit of a challenge LOL can't wait << again insert sarcasm here
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    Nawarti wrote: »
    All of this is great advice, but where is OP?

    My thoughts exactly! I was hypothyroid for near 10 yrs up until March when I had a total thyroidectomy due to cancer. I am working on getting my levels where they need to be and have an RAI therapy upcoming (can't wait for that low idoine diet<< insert sarcasm here) but I am in no way going to let that stop me from at least trying to lose weight! Every one in this thread had really given me some hope that it can be done! I'm very fresh into my journey (yet again) but I feel this time I have a grip on it! Keep up the great work everyone and don't let excuses run your life OP!!

    concur with @CSARdiver - RAI sucks! I did a full round 4 months after surgery and then a year later a tracer to see if I needed to do another one - the cookbook I got from the hospital had some good recipes (the bread was surprisingly good) - the big bad was no cheese or chocolate!! because of the dairy component

    are they going to do thyrogen shots, or just wean you off your meds to raise your TSH?
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Sorry - college courses. I was entering into grad school at the time and took multiple additional courses.

    Bring data along with the questions - I would even bring excerpts from your MFP diary. Just know that most physicians have less knowledge about nutrition and weight management than your experience MFP user.

    Ohhh!! Thank you! I'm trying to figure out how to stay isolated for however long I need to be! I have 2 young kids, no family or friends here (without kids or animals anyways) and a full time job so isolation will be a bit of a challenge LOL can't wait << again insert sarcasm here

    with kids the isolation is going to be hard - do you have any family who could take them for a week? (that was how long I had to be in isolation or limited contact?) I worked with my company to be able to telework for the week that I was in isolation - I only did part-time hours, but it kept my mind engaged while I felt like crud
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    I was isolated for 5 days. I was lucky and wasn't married/didn't have kids at the time and informed my classmates and teachers while going through this. The more you push the fluids the better off you will be. Also highly recommend taking multiple showers as well.

    Also didn't do the thyrogen, which really sucked. I think this is standard process now though.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Also didn't do the thyrogen, which really sucked. I think this is standard process now though.

    I felt sicker from the thyrogen than I did from the RAI itself - had several mad dashes to puke
  • Big_YEET
    Big_YEET Posts: 152 Member
    A lot of people on here are going to try to downplay your struggles because they like to push this narrative that everyone has an equal shot, and no one has any "excuses" to be fat. Even though that's not the case. Some people are 6'3", have a fast metabolism and have to eat 2,500 calories a day to lose. Some people are 5'0", hypothyroid, physically disabled and have to basically starve for months on end to lose 1 lb a month. Some people have totally normal healthy bodies and some people have brain cancer. Life isn't fair. But because we're talking about weight, which some people have linked to character, you won't get as much sympathy.
  • cqbkaju
    cqbkaju Posts: 1,011 Member
    edited June 2017
    Several people are on MFP with the same (or worse) issues than you face.
    @GottaBurnEmAll @CSARdiver and @TresaAswegan come to mind.

    A few have already replied.

    Your post seems very negative and comes across as you feeling sorry for yourself.

    In short:
    1) You aren't that special or different; your thyroid issues make a little harder than it is for some people
    2) Work harder in your exercise program and do it more. Hit the weight room or something. You aren't working hard enough.
    3) Be more precise with controlling your calorie intake. You are just eating too much. Period.
    4) Accept that it is not easy and stop feeling sorry for yourself. Hold yourself accountable for what you choose to eat.
    5) Rinse and repeat

    How much does your thyroid issue affect weight loss? Maybe 5% per @CSARdiver
    So your TDEE might be 1425 if mine was 1500.

    Even if it was 10% harder that would still only be 1350 vs 1500 calories.
    Harder but in no way impossible.

    Stop making excuses and feeling sorry for yourself.

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