Underactive thyroid and weight issues
Replies
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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 work4 -
TorrizzleWillSizzle 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.0 -
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 here1 -
TorrizzleWillSizzle 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?1 -
TorrizzleWillSizzle 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 crud1 -
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.0 -
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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.4
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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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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.
I have already responded to this thread, but let me spell some things out for you to illustrate the position of one of the people who is encouraging the OP:- I have a benign brain tumor which somewhat impairs my cognitive functioning (my posts on here often reflect this)
- I have chronic daily migraines. Most are minor. Some aren't.
- I have celiac disease.
- I have degenerative disc disease which has led to scoliosis.
- I have osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
- I have Hashimoto's disease.
- I am post-menopausal (I will be 55 in a couple of months).
You know what made all of this worse? Being fat and inactive and doing nothing about it. You know what else makes it all worse? Feeling like a victim to all of it.
So I don't choose to be.
I have to live with it, but I don't have to let any of it define me. Neither do you or anyone else. Why would you want to?
If you or anyone else wants their limits to define their view of themselves, I think that's a pretty sad way of looking at things.
You can choose, instead, to focus on what you can do. So what if you only lose a pound a month -- and as for that, a properly medicated thyroid patient in menopause will lose weight just like everyone else does, saying otherwise is in almost all cases relying on faulty data to back up your claim -- in other words, you're not eating as little as you think you are or burning as much as you think you are when you claim to be losing weight abnormally slowly.
Victim or victor? What will you be? Focus on what you can do or what you can't do?
Knowledge is power. If weight loss isn't working right, it's not that you're a victim of anything but a lack of knowledge about how it works. Your math is wrong.
The hardest thing I had to learn about losing weight was how to be accurate in accounting for food intake and energy output. I fooled myself for a long time about both and thought I was a special case for whom weight loss was "hard".
It really wasn't hard once I learned more. It's funny how that same scenario seems to play out over and over again for successful people here on MFP13 -
@GottaBurnEmAll:GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »You know what made all of this worse? Being fat and inactive and doing nothing about it. You know what else makes it all worse? Feeling like a victim to all of it.
You are The Man.
Breastesses notwithstanding
So many people want to feel sorry for themselves...
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We are all human beings and our biological processes are not fundamentally different.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.
Therefore it is true: "everyone has an equal shot" at not eating more food than their body requires.
Your thyroid does not make you consume unnecessary calories.
You make a choice to do so. Period.0 -
@GottaBurnEmAll:GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »You know what made all of this worse? Being fat and inactive and doing nothing about it. You know what else makes it all worse? Feeling like a victim to all of it.
You are The Man.
Breastesses notwithstanding
So many people want to feel sorry for themselves...
Thank you.
There is a part of any chronic illness that's like a grieving process that does involve feeling sorry for yourself, and it's normal and okay.
Once you're chronic, your life does change, and you do have to get used to a new normal.
I get that. So it's okay to have some time during the transition to feel sorry for yourself.
The trick is to not stay stuck there. And therein lies the rub. A lot of people seem to want to stay stuck there or can't seem to see their way clear to the other side.
I can only say that sheer bull-headedness saw me through.
As a survivor of sexual assault, I know what it's like to get to a point where you're done being a victim and want to claim your life back. It's scary, but you just get on with it because the alternative isn't doing you any favors.
For someone else, some other means of pulling them out will be the motivation they need.
Look at it this way... anyone reading this who has thrown in the towel on themselves or feels a victim:
How old are you? Do you want to feel a victim of circumstance the rest of your life? You can flip your experience on its head just by redefining a new normal for yourself.3 -
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.
I certainly cannot respond any better than @GottaBurnEmAll already has, but I'll take a different angle on the topic of dealing with adversity.
When I was first diagnosed I did a lot of research into cancer survivors and found an unusually high number of elite level athletes, academics, professionals from all walks of life who were diagnosed early on. These events serve as girding moments. You have equal opportunity to wallow in misery or make the most of it, but your response is yours alone - own it.
To clear some misinformation you seem to have - we all have about the same basal metabolic rate. The only meaningful difference being the amount of lean muscle mass. Your primary concern should be caloric intake followed by caloric output (exercise).
No one has to starve to lose weight - this is hyperbolic and not helpful. Neither is making a defacing assumptions on the intent of others.4 -
^ This. Always this, no exceptions.GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »Your math is wrong.
The hardest thing I had to learn about losing weight was how to be accurate in accounting for food intake and energy output. I fooled myself for a long time about both and thought I was a special case for whom weight loss was "hard".
It really wasn't hard once I learned more. It's funny how that same scenario seems to play out over and over again for successful people here on MFP0 -
I think you guys have basically covered all the bases, so I won't add much.
(My hypo is likely caused by Lyme disease btw, which will only cause more problems for me in the future. I attempted treatment last year.)
Many of the posters expressed how they could relate to the OP at some point, but eventually overcame those negative feelings, lost the weight, and feel significantly better.
(And I'm sure any doctor will tell you that you are much better off being at a healthy weight. While I'm still hypo and probably always will be, my meds have gone down since losing weight, my doctor and I both feel that my body functions much better without carrying significant extra weight.)
No one is saying that it isn't hard, or that there aren't people with more challenges than others.
Instead of moping because *so and so has it easier than me* why not just focus on yourself? Why spend time feeling sorry for yourself at all? No good comes out of that. I had to gain 80+ lbs back before I figured that out. Hypo is not a death sentence. I will always encourage people to keep working.4 -
I'd like to add my two cents, if no one cares.
I do totally understand. I have so many issues with my thyroid, and the doctors are still trying to figure out how to get it under control. I take prednisone because I've had a kidney transplant, and I still have a chronic kidney disease. I have ehlers danlos hypermobility type, with makes exercise very difficult. (Doesn't do favors for digestion either, but that's another story.)
For so long, I found I was trapped under all these issues. The doctors would tell I needed to lose weight, and I know that I did, but I felt helpless. I felt alone and simply stuck.
I finally had to come to the realization that, while I did have hindrances, I still had control. I might have to work a little harder or be a little more careful with what I ate, but I was the one in control. I can do this. I just need to be persistent.
As of today, I've lost 39lbs. When I saw the doctor the other day, he complimented my weight loss and is even looking into taking me off the medicine for my blood pressure as it's now running much better.
The point of all this is that it can be done. It might be harder for some than others, and no one can know precisely what another person is going through, but it still can be done.4 -
ruqayyahsmum wrote: »I have hypothyroidism, pcos, several autoimmune conditions that have me constantly in pain and ive lost 145lb
Honestly hun you need to stop the excuses. Yes the CO part of the equation is slightly less with hypothyroidism but its less than 5% difference
When you joined and input your data mfp gave you a daily calorie number based on the rate of loss
Find foods you want to eat that fit into this number and weigh your foods and measure liquids
Then find an activity you enjoy and can stick with
The nhs is on its *kitten*. Sorry but the weight loss programmes they used to run appear to have been stopped. You could always ask the gp if you can see a dietitian
No need to buy expensive pills and potions
No need to join a diet company if public weigh ins arnt your thing
Check recipies online or other peoples weight loss blogs for menu ideas
[quote="ruqayyahsmum
@ruqayyahsmum Also as you mentioned in another post, weight loss surgery helped you on lose weight, besides what you've mentioned. So each person have their own struggles.1 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »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.
I have already responded to this thread, but let me spell some things out for you to illustrate the position of one of the people who is encouraging the OP:- I have a benign brain tumor which somewhat impairs my cognitive functioning (my posts on here often reflect this)
- I have chronic daily migraines. Most are minor. Some aren't.
- I have celiac disease.
- I have degenerative disc disease which has led to scoliosis.
- I have osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
- I have Hashimoto's disease.
- I am post-menopausal (I will be 55 in a couple of months).
You know what made all of this worse? Being fat and inactive and doing nothing about it. You know what else makes it all worse? Feeling like a victim to all of it.
So I don't choose to be.
I have to live with it, but I don't have to let any of it define me. Neither do you or anyone else. Why would you want to?
If you or anyone else wants their limits to define their view of themselves, I think that's a pretty sad way of looking at things.
You can choose, instead, to focus on what you can do. So what if you only lose a pound a month -- and as for that, a properly medicated thyroid patient in menopause will lose weight just like everyone else does, saying otherwise is in almost all cases relying on faulty data to back up your claim -- in other words, you're not eating as little as you think you are or burning as much as you think you are when you claim to be losing weight abnormally slowly.
Victim or victor? What will you be? Focus on what you can do or what you can't do?
Knowledge is power. If weight loss isn't working right, it's not that you're a victim of anything but a lack of knowledge about how it works. Your math is wrong.
The hardest thing I had to learn about losing weight was how to be accurate in accounting for food intake and energy output. I fooled myself for a long time about both and thought I was a special case for whom weight loss was "hard".
It really wasn't hard once I learned more. It's funny how that same scenario seems to play out over and over again for successful people here on MFP
Okay but being a victim isn't a choice. If someone comes up to you and punches you in the face, you are an assault victim. If you have a heart attack you are a heart attack victim. You can also be a survivor, but that doesn't make you... NOT a victim.
I never said OP had to let anything "define" her. Acknowledging that things exist isn't the same thing as letting them define you.
Of course they'll lose weight. Just like everybody else who doesn't have the same medical condition as them? Maybe, maybe not.
Weight loss wasn't hard for me. I don't have any medical conditions. I've lost 70 pounds and kept it off. That doesn't mean it's not hard for some people. I have a family member who has PCOS, and other medical conditions that make it hard for her to lose weight. Sometimes people just need to vent about their struggles. Saying "you know what, that kinda sucks", and "I understand your frustration about this" vs "pull yourself up by your bootstraps! No excuses!" nonsense that doesn't really help.0 -
GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »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.
I have already responded to this thread, but let me spell some things out for you to illustrate the position of one of the people who is encouraging the OP:- I have a benign brain tumor which somewhat impairs my cognitive functioning (my posts on here often reflect this)
- I have chronic daily migraines. Most are minor. Some aren't.
- I have celiac disease.
- I have degenerative disc disease which has led to scoliosis.
- I have osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis.
- I have Hashimoto's disease.
- I am post-menopausal (I will be 55 in a couple of months).
You know what made all of this worse? Being fat and inactive and doing nothing about it. You know what else makes it all worse? Feeling like a victim to all of it.
So I don't choose to be.
I have to live with it, but I don't have to let any of it define me. Neither do you or anyone else. Why would you want to?
If you or anyone else wants their limits to define their view of themselves, I think that's a pretty sad way of looking at things.
You can choose, instead, to focus on what you can do. So what if you only lose a pound a month -- and as for that, a properly medicated thyroid patient in menopause will lose weight just like everyone else does, saying otherwise is in almost all cases relying on faulty data to back up your claim -- in other words, you're not eating as little as you think you are or burning as much as you think you are when you claim to be losing weight abnormally slowly.
Victim or victor? What will you be? Focus on what you can do or what you can't do?
Knowledge is power. If weight loss isn't working right, it's not that you're a victim of anything but a lack of knowledge about how it works. Your math is wrong.
The hardest thing I had to learn about losing weight was how to be accurate in accounting for food intake and energy output. I fooled myself for a long time about both and thought I was a special case for whom weight loss was "hard".
It really wasn't hard once I learned more. It's funny how that same scenario seems to play out over and over again for successful people here on MFP
Okay but being a victim isn't a choice. If someone comes up to you and punches you in the face, you are an assault victim. If you have a heart attack you are a heart attack victim. You can also be a survivor, but that doesn't make you... NOT a victim.
I never said OP had to let anything "define" her. Acknowledging that things exist isn't the same thing as letting them define you.
Of course they'll lose weight. Just like everybody else who doesn't have the same medical condition as them? Maybe, maybe not.
Weight loss wasn't hard for me. I don't have any medical conditions. I've lost 70 pounds and kept it off. That doesn't mean it's not hard for some people. I have a family member who has PCOS, and other medical conditions that make it hard for her to lose weight. Sometimes people just need to vent about their struggles. Saying "you know what, that kinda sucks", and "I understand your frustration about this" vs "pull yourself up by your bootstraps! No excuses!" nonsense that doesn't really help.
Are you actually tone policing this thread? I can't even.
I don't find your approach is helpful, so I choose to respond in a different way when i see threads like the OP's.
You obviously have a different approach. That's the internet for you. Something for everyone.
FTR, did you see upthread where I stated that I'd been through a sexual assault? It's rather silly of you to try to explain "victimhood" to me.
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