Why would thyroid issues cause weight gain?
trjjoy
Posts: 666 Member
I don't understand this. All bodily processes and cells require fuel aka calories. Someone who weighs a certain weight and who has a certain activity level will require x number of calories.
What, exactly, is it that a thyroid issue does to supposedly make people gain weight?
What, exactly, is it that a thyroid issue does to supposedly make people gain weight?
2
Replies
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In itself, hypothyroidism doesn't really cause weight gain. Ok, there might be a small 'slowing of metabolism' about 4% of your normal calorie needs. Most weight gain is due to feeling not well, being less active, eating more due to being hungry, being not happy and all sorts of other reasons, water weight. Oh, and less fidgetting. Fidgetting burns calories as well, and if your body tells you to preserve energy you fidget less.11
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having thyroid/endocrine issues can and do reduce one's metabolism meaning one probably uses up fewer calories than an otherwise, "healthy" person.
Much depends on how far off one's system is, what support, if any you are able to achieve. You may find reading from "Stop the thyroid Madness", the website helpful, it does come in book form too. I find "Hypothyroid mom", another site useful. One site, I can't remember which, gives 300 possible symptoms associated with thyroid issues, weight gain is only one, though others, our personal ones, will probably have entrenched themselves before we start to gain weight. Weight gain is probably the most frequently mentioned symptom from patients and the one Doctors pick up on, circulatory, respiratory, cellular even reproductive issues can all be laid against the general term of "thyroid issues" though it is more likely the lack of balance in the relationship between the other endocrine glands which is causing this disparity.
Finding a doctor who actually listens, my system, UK =NHS, is only permitted to test tsh, and t4, occasionally we do have our thyroid antibodies tested. Ultimately I ended up looking for private support to address my issues, I stumbled upon the British, BANT Nutritionists, trained in the science of a good functioning body. For those without this option the best option is to look for a functional practitioner who looks more in depth than the General Medic is able, permitted to, and will address one's personal issues by diet, supplementations and may be a form of medication putting the personal needs first.
Those who have thyroid issues often get trapped in the "thyroid numbers game" which has its problems. Members of the general public often see "thyroid issues" as an excuse used by those who over eat and have nothing wrong with them, rather than a substantive reason for so many health issues.
I hope this helps, I'm not sure I have addressed your question, all the very best.11 -
Like I said, the reduction in metabolic rate is 4% max, one time. There's quite a bit of research done on that. It also doesn't seem to recover. Meaning if you eat as before you'll slowly gain a bit of weight until you've reached a new equilibrium, provided you don't eat more.
Btw, I do have hashimotos, and was untreated when losing weight on here.4 -
"Using up fewer calories than an otherwise, "healthy" person" implies that someone would struggle to gain weight, @Fuzzipeg
No it means their TDEE would be less than a person of their stats. That said I would guess (as I've not suffered it but have suffered with other things) that it's mostly down to changes in appetite and activity level. It's not impossible for someone with thyroid problems to manage their weight, indeed if you look in the Success Stories there are many who have overcome it and lost weight.
But bearing in mind how much of as struggle it can be to lose weight for many people without health problems, thyroid issues can also interfere with:- menstrual cycle
- cardiac function
- bowel function
- sensitivity to heat/cold
- sleep
- muscle strength
- mental health
If you're battling any or all of the above, then unless you're logging your food intake accurately, it would be quite easy to overeat, even by a small amount and over time it adds up.6 -
I think as long as you have the issue in check (using the medication right) and are excercising regularly...it will work itself out...I mean I have started to take my medication first thing before I eat or drink anything (other than water to wash the levythyroxine down) as prior to my last testing I was just taking all my tablets together...and it was suggested to me that taking them as instructed (at least 30 minutes before eating or drinking anything but water) would be beneficial...so I have been doing that for a while and I think that coupled with the regular exercise routine I have going, my weight is coming down...but I also think that it would come down quicker if I didn't have the thyroid issue...so yes the issue slows down the process and indeed can also stunt muscle mass growth as well...I am not concerned with bulking up just yet...but it may prove difficult to do so because of the thyroid problems...
It all boils down to whether you become inactive because of the thyroid problems...and yes all the other issues that may accompany it...such as water retention, etc. that will contribute to weight gain...2 -
untreated hypothyroidism will certainly cause weight gain (unless you eat much less) - metabolism will be slower, person will move less, sleep more, get constipated.
is still CICO - the calories out side is much lower.
However hypothyroidism is very easy to check and very easy to treat.
Once you are on adequate replacement, your equation is same as everyone else's
My personal n=1.
Lost weight to goal in 2013. maintained since
In 2016 developed thyroid tumour - half my thyroid was then surgically removed and I was started on replacement therapy.
I maintained afterwards on exactly same calorie level as before the surgery.
7 -
Fluid retention and constipation are major issues in untreated/unmanaged hypo. And to add a bonus layer of fun, it’s not fluid retention that can be managed through diuretics or sodium reduction.
It’s not all about eating. Unmanaged or untreated hypo is hell on wheels.7 -
Having a low thyroid did not make me fat. Food and I did. BUT it made me tired with a host of other problems. Once I was diagnosed and medicated I didn't lose any weight until I got on track with what I was eating. I also had to learn to move more. But the constant headaches and the constipation were resolved as well as that feeling of being bone weary tired. So I guess it's fair to say in addition to the small reduction in metabolism the side effects of low thyroid make it easier to get fat.6
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I've been under treatment for hypothyroid for decades. I lose and gain weight predictably because I'm treated effectively with medication.
When I was untreated I was depressed, lethargic, slept all the time. I instinctively ate more trying to gain energy to get through my basic life tasks. It's a never ending cycle and I didn't feel well until I was treated.8 -
paperpudding wrote: »untreated hypothyroidism will certainly cause weight gain (unless you eat much less) - metabolism will be slower, person will move less, sleep more, get constipated.
is still CICO - the calories out side is much lower.
Why would CO be much lower? A body consists of cells that need calories/energy. A body with hypothyroidism doesn't lose limbs or organs so that body would still need a certain amount of calories to function because it still has all those cells and bodily processes to maintain.3 -
the malfunction in the thyroid endocrine system means everything happens more slowly. Being slowed, the person being less physically active - lacking energy means the body uses fewer calories because it is doing less. Frequently everything is happening less well- breathing - circulation - cell reproduction- muscle activity -digestion/elimination=constipation - mental functioning is slowed and so much more in many people so the body uses fewer calories. Our bodies have their individual ways in which they express our personal version.
Often the medical profession refuse to test our t3 levels even when they do it is usual to assume total t3 is correct even though it is known without the correct balance of minerals the t3 can be made incorectly, making our three pin plugs the wrong way round - negative where the positive should be so these reverse t3 will never fit into a cell and float about doing absolutly nothing except confuse the doctors.
Most important is the thyroid gland being central to the endocrine system can eventually fail because another gland is running slow or fast. Again the medical profession does not recognise this fact.
Most of us who are hypothyroid never have our antibodies tested, antibodies show the presence of autoimmunity which needs a specialist approach to reduce the antibodies which in general medicine does not happen.
in order to function properly the endocrine system needs iodien, selenium, and more minerals it also needs a full compliment of vitamins e, d and the like. I have heard on some radio programms, here in the UK, nutritionists saying the daily recomended daily allowance is way too low. Where a person is in defficit they need higher levels to bring them back to what is looked on as "normal". Normal for one is greater or lesser than for another. We are individuals.
May be to answer your question more precisely - the body does not loose limbs - it looses the ability to make the limbs and other essential functions work effectively.4 -
paperpudding wrote: »untreated hypothyroidism will certainly cause weight gain (unless you eat much less) - metabolism will be slower, person will move less, sleep more, get constipated.
is still CICO - the calories out side is much lower.
Why would CO be much lower? A body consists of cells that need calories/energy. A body with hypothyroidism doesn't lose limbs or organs so that body would still need a certain amount of calories to function because it still has all those cells and bodily processes to maintain.
You have less energy so move less. The less you move (including fidgeting) the less you burn.4 -
paperpudding wrote: »untreated hypothyroidism will certainly cause weight gain (unless you eat much less) - metabolism will be slower, person will move less, sleep more, get constipated.
is still CICO - the calories out side is much lower.
Why would CO be much lower? A body consists of cells that need calories/energy. A body with hypothyroidism doesn't lose limbs or organs so that body would still need a certain amount of calories to function because it still has all those cells and bodily processes to maintain.
If you feel terrible will you go for a 5 mile run? No. Probably not. That’s less CO. Your just talking about BMR, the body at zero movement aka coma, which is nearly the same as anyone else the same age gender and size minus that 4% untreated.
Again it’s the activity level becuase you feel like crap that’s reduced
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paperpudding wrote: »untreated hypothyroidism will certainly cause weight gain (unless you eat much less) - metabolism will be slower, person will move less, sleep more, get constipated.
is still CICO - the calories out side is much lower.
Why would CO be much lower? A body consists of cells that need calories/energy. A body with hypothyroidism doesn't lose limbs or organs so that body would still need a certain amount of calories to function because it still has all those cells and bodily processes to maintain.
Because hypothyroidism does make you more sloth like - you sleep more, move less, get constipated
Just like, even more extreme example of reduction in CO - person in a coma is not going to require as many calories as person of same size not in a coma, even a very sedentary but non comatose person - because they will burn far less.
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The biggest mistake in your thinking is that you are presuming that hypothyroidism is just "my thyroid doesn't work right, but everything else does". Instead the thyroid affects all other systems in the body. Look at some of the lists of symptoms in the above posts. Your body is not functioning at optimal levels. That causes your 'calories out' to be a little bit lower than most people.
If you take a look at the difference between hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism it is actually clearer to see than just looking at it vs a normal, healthy body.
Hypothyroidism causes
constipation
sensitivity to cold (feeling too cold a lot of the time)
depression
heavy and irregular periods
weight gain
Hyperthyroidism causes
frequent bowel movements or diarrhea
sensitivity to heat (feeling too hot a lot of the time)
nervousness/anxiety
short or even missed periods
weight loss
Obviously, it won't stop you from losing weight altogether, but your body is not firing on all cylinders with hypo and is in overdrive with hyper. this means that with the fact that a typical recommended weight loss deficit is usually pretty small, a slight lessening or increase of metabolism is enough to throw people off when they are following the calories listed for them on the various weight loss apps and websites. And any further reduction in calories can make it kind of hard to fit in enough meals to not be hungry. Not that it can't be done, but it takes more careful planning.
And again, as some people have noted, there can be depression involved, which makes it harder to be motivated, especially when a lot of people are emotional eaters. there is also fatigue involved, which makes it harder to balance out the reduced metabolism with exercise.
I know some parts of this are perhaps oversimplified a bit, but I hope it helps clarify the issue.5 -
I have treated my thyroid disease. Even with treatment I find that I burn 200-300 calories less than any calculator has estimated. I also retain fluids easily and bloat up regularly, sometimes by as much as 10lb over night. Add to that the fatigue and joint pain that can get in the way of activities and yes you can absolutely gain weight.
You can also just as easily lose weight though when you understand these things. I don’t worry about the sudden fluctuations anymore because I know what they are. I adjusted my calorie intake accordingly and was able to reach a healthy weight again.3 -
I have treated my thyroid disease. Even with treatment I find that I burn 200-300 calories less than any calculator has estimated. I also retain fluids easily and bloat up regularly, sometimes by as much as 10lb over night. Add to that the fatigue and joint pain that can get in the way of activities and yes you can absolutely gain weight.
Me too. Sigh2 -
I have treated my thyroid disease. Even with treatment I find that I burn 200-300 calories less than any calculator has estimated. I also retain fluids easily and bloat up regularly, sometimes by as much as 10lb over night. Add to that the fatigue and joint pain that can get in the way of activities and yes you can absolutely gain weight.
You can also just as easily lose weight though when you understand these things. I don’t worry about the sudden fluctuations anymore because I know what they are. I adjusted my calorie intake accordingly and was able to reach a healthy weight again.
Oddly enough, I have treated my severe hypothyroidism, and find that I burn several hundred calories more daily than MFP and some other calculators estimate (not to mention my Garmin Fitness tracker which similarly underestimates). MFP and the tracker run about 25-30% below the calorie burn I've seen over 3+ years of careful logging. I actually lost weight too fast before I realized this, and had to adjust intake sharply upward to maintain energy and strength. I still lost at a good rate, 50 pounds in less than a year.
There is variation in calorie requirements among individuals, including healthy individuals. Reasons are not fully/clearly understood in all cases. The estimates aren't gospel for anyone (though they're close for most people, off for relatively few - that's the nature of this kind of statistical estimate, because it has a small standard deviation). It's hard to say whether a difference observed in a treated hypothyroid person is because of the hypothyroidism, or something else.
I agree that untreated hypothyroidism tends to result in a lower TDEE (all day calorie burn), through a variety of mechanisms, including fatigue, stiffness, depression, and more.
I'd speculate that people who can't understand how those would lead to weight gain has not had much experience with that kind of symptom set, sometimes all at once; and especially has not experienced a pervasive, bone-wearying fatigue.
But I also have read that research suggests the maximum "metabolic" down-regulation is 5% or less in untreated people (I'm using the term "metabolic" very loosely: What I mean is that hypothyroidism-fostered depression, for example, could lead to a bigger calorie-expenditure down-regulation if it resulted in the person wanting to sleep all the time, say.)
I was diagnosed as hypothyroid about 6 months or so after completing 6 months of chemotherapy (for breast cancer). Chemotherapy, depending on the drugs needed, can have some of those same side effects (mine did). After chemo finished, I slowly began recovering energy as expected . . . then I hit a wall. I was dragging through life. I thought I would never feel strong, energetic, or normal again.
While the fatigue was not as severe as during chemo, it was very impairing and dispiriting. That was almost 19 years ago. My hypothyroidism got diagnosed and properly treated (levothyroxine works for me). I'm now a more than averagely energetic 63-year old woman, feeling stronger and better than I did before chemo at age 44, despite the age increase.
I'd add that not everyone experiences the same severity of hypothyroidism, nor the same manifestation of side effects. One would do well not to judge others; we don't know how it feels on the inside, to be them.9 -
and, adding to the n = 1's - I suddenly lost thyroid function - after surgery to remove half my thyroid due to a tumour.
This made absolutely no difference to my maitenance - I maintained on exactly same calories as before the surgery.
But obviously that is because I was commenced on adequate thyroxine replacement
UNTREATED hypothyroidism will certainly lead to weight gain.
Of course it depends on the degree too - somebody with a slightly underfunctioning thyroid may not notice much difference - somebody with a severely underfunctioning untreated one certainly would2 -
I have treated my thyroid disease. Even with treatment I find that I burn 200-300 calories less than any calculator has estimated. I also retain fluids easily and bloat up regularly, sometimes by as much as 10lb over night. Add to that the fatigue and joint pain that can get in the way of activities and yes you can absolutely gain weight.
You can also just as easily lose weight though when you understand these things. I don’t worry about the sudden fluctuations anymore because I know what they are. I adjusted my calorie intake accordingly and was able to reach a healthy weight again.
Oddly enough, I have treated my severe hypothyroidism, and find that I burn several hundred calories more daily than MFP and some other calculators estimate (not to mention my Garmin Fitness tracker which similarly underestimates). MFP and the tracker run about 25-30% below the calorie burn I've seen over 3+ years of careful logging. I actually lost weight too fast before I realized this, and had to adjust intake sharply upward to maintain energy and strength. I still lost at a good rate, 50 pounds in less than a year.
There is variation in calorie requirements among individuals, including healthy individuals. Reasons are not fully/clearly understood in all cases. The estimates aren't gospel for anyone (though they're close for most people, off for relatively few - that's the nature of this kind of statistical estimate, because it has a small standard deviation). It's hard to say whether a difference observed in a treated hypothyroid person is because of the hypothyroidism, or something else.
I agree that untreated hypothyroidism tends to result in a lower TDEE (all day calorie burn), through a variety of mechanisms, including fatigue, stiffness, depression, and more.
I'd speculate that people who can't understand how those would lead to weight gain has not had much experience with that kind of symptom set, sometimes all at once; and especially has not experienced a pervasive, bone-wearying fatigue.
But I also have read that research suggests the maximum "metabolic" down-regulation is 5% or less in untreated people (I'm using the term "metabolic" very loosely: What I mean is that hypothyroidism-fostered depression, for example, could lead to a bigger calorie-expenditure down-regulation if it resulted in the person wanting to sleep all the time, say.)
I was diagnosed as hypothyroid about 6 months or so after completing 6 months of chemotherapy (for breast cancer). Chemotherapy, depending on the drugs needed, can have some of those same side effects (mine did). After chemo finished, I slowly began recovering energy as expected . . . then I hit a wall. I was dragging through life. I thought I would never feel strong, energetic, or normal again.
While the fatigue was not as severe as during chemo, it was very impairing and dispiriting. That was almost 19 years ago. My hypothyroidism got diagnosed and properly treated (levothyroxine works for me). I'm now a more than averagely energetic 63-year old woman, feeling stronger and better than I did before chemo at age 44, despite the age increase.
I'd add that not everyone experiences the same severity of hypothyroidism, nor the same manifestation of side effects. One would do well not to judge others; we don't know how it feels on the inside, to be them.
I’m happy that treatment worked so well for you. To be clear though I wasn’t judging anyone. I was sharing my experience.
For me I still have to eat less than other women my age, height, and activity level despite treatment. It’s not substantially less but enough that I’m aware. That isn’t good or bad - just my reality that once I accepted I was able to work with and reach my goals.2 -
paperpudding wrote: »However hypothyroidism is very easy to check and very easy to treat.
Once you are on adequate replacement, your equation is same as everyone else's
No it isn't always easy to check and it isn't always easy to treat. Sometimes it is very, very difficult. Your thyroid might have been easy to treat, but not everyone's is.
4 -
paperpudding wrote: »However hypothyroidism is very easy to check and very easy to treat.
Once you are on adequate replacement, your equation is same as everyone else's
No it isn't always easy to check and it isn't always easy to treat. Sometimes it is very, very difficult. Your thyroid might have been easy to treat, but not everyone's is.
My comment wasn't based on my own personal experience.
Most thyroid under /over functioning is easily detected by blood tests and easily corrected.
It is usually not a difficult diagnosis or treatment.
6 -
Paperpudding - I'm thrilled you had such good treatment regrettably many others including me have lifetimes of thyroid troubles which accumulate and cause a domino effect within our bodies.
I totally agree with the modern thyroid testing everyone should have access to perfect treatment. I heard an interview with the doctor who researched for the first testing system. He stated the tests are being used incorrectly in the majority of health systems. Those of us with hypothyroid symptoms prior to the 1940's war or a little later to the 60's may be, would have been given animal thyroid tissue until the symptoms ceased, the people thrived. In the intervening years following the concept of testing big pharma hit on the idea of synthetic iodine and so levothyroxine was born and became the medicine of choice - it being cheep and only mostly for women.
I do wonder if a comprehensive mineral and vitamin supplement would work as well if not better, designed to promote conversion t4 to t3 as long as the manufacturers were mindful of the fillers/binders. This is doubtful to help those who are genetically restricted or unable to convert t4 to t3, it happens, even in later life.
I find it difficult to compute - our metabolism is only diminished by 5% when the symptoms can go on increasing year on year because the tests are not applied properly.
Endocrine problems are not always straightforward in their treatment. To repeat myself Many including me react to the cheep treatment Levothyroxine.
When low t3 - underlie many cancers because one of its rolls is to remove non regular cells.
- underpin many respiratory conditions necessitating less appropriate treatment.
- reduce growth hormone causing, arthritis and other stature related health issues
- contribute to PCOS because t3 is tied into insulin production/use
- be involved in diabetes similar to above
- be involved in cholesterol production and elimination
- have an essential role in immunity
- underpins, infertility, reproduction
- contributes to anorexia,
- effects the brain as it uses more t3 than any other organ
With 300 symptoms according to one site the list will go on and on. So while I rejoice for you, that your thyroid problems are resolved, my system screams for those who go untreated, inappropriately treated, who's symptoms are dismissed as - your female its what you should expect. Arthritis is often diagnosed 10/15 years before a diagnosed before hypothyroidism is diagnosed. Human growth hormone is the other effective thyroid hormone and lacking or being low in it is a contributory cause in arthritis.
I really wish men had as many health related problems as women can with their endocrine systems if they did more research would have been carried out. It was said men had more heart issues than women but the range of heart medications available in Casualty will probably do nothing for a woman even if her different presentation of heart condition symptoms are recognised.
So those who have early diagnosis, please celebrate and please do not berate others who have not been as fortunate as yourselves as being in someway lesser deserving beings as if the interpretation of our tests is laid at our doors.
I was virtually house bound when I turned to alternative support to regain my health. I am healthier in my 70 year than I was at 50. I still do not breath deeply enough, muscle function needs to grow, breathing deeply, normally needs working on, it underpins all.
4 -
I have treated my thyroid disease. Even with treatment I find that I burn 200-300 calories less than any calculator has estimated. I also retain fluids easily and bloat up regularly, sometimes by as much as 10lb over night. Add to that the fatigue and joint pain that can get in the way of activities and yes you can absolutely gain weight.
You can also just as easily lose weight though when you understand these things. I don’t worry about the sudden fluctuations anymore because I know what they are. I adjusted my calorie intake accordingly and was able to reach a healthy weight again.
Oddly enough, I have treated my severe hypothyroidism, and find that I burn several hundred calories more daily than MFP and some other calculators estimate (not to mention my Garmin Fitness tracker which similarly underestimates). MFP and the tracker run about 25-30% below the calorie burn I've seen over 3+ years of careful logging. I actually lost weight too fast before I realized this, and had to adjust intake sharply upward to maintain energy and strength. I still lost at a good rate, 50 pounds in less than a year.
There is variation in calorie requirements among individuals, including healthy individuals. Reasons are not fully/clearly understood in all cases. The estimates aren't gospel for anyone (though they're close for most people, off for relatively few - that's the nature of this kind of statistical estimate, because it has a small standard deviation). It's hard to say whether a difference observed in a treated hypothyroid person is because of the hypothyroidism, or something else.
I agree that untreated hypothyroidism tends to result in a lower TDEE (all day calorie burn), through a variety of mechanisms, including fatigue, stiffness, depression, and more.
I'd speculate that people who can't understand how those would lead to weight gain has not had much experience with that kind of symptom set, sometimes all at once; and especially has not experienced a pervasive, bone-wearying fatigue.
But I also have read that research suggests the maximum "metabolic" down-regulation is 5% or less in untreated people (I'm using the term "metabolic" very loosely: What I mean is that hypothyroidism-fostered depression, for example, could lead to a bigger calorie-expenditure down-regulation if it resulted in the person wanting to sleep all the time, say.)
I was diagnosed as hypothyroid about 6 months or so after completing 6 months of chemotherapy (for breast cancer). Chemotherapy, depending on the drugs needed, can have some of those same side effects (mine did). After chemo finished, I slowly began recovering energy as expected . . . then I hit a wall. I was dragging through life. I thought I would never feel strong, energetic, or normal again.
While the fatigue was not as severe as during chemo, it was very impairing and dispiriting. That was almost 19 years ago. My hypothyroidism got diagnosed and properly treated (levothyroxine works for me). I'm now a more than averagely energetic 63-year old woman, feeling stronger and better than I did before chemo at age 44, despite the age increase.
I'd add that not everyone experiences the same severity of hypothyroidism, nor the same manifestation of side effects. One would do well not to judge others; we don't know how it feels on the inside, to be them.
I’m happy that treatment worked so well for you. To be clear though I wasn’t judging anyone. I was sharing my experience.
For me I still have to eat less than other women my age, height, and activity level despite treatment. It’s not substantially less but enough that I’m aware. That isn’t good or bad - just my reality that once I accepted I was able to work with and reach my goals.
Apologies: I was unclear. I didn't mean to suggest you were judging, in that last paragraph, though I understand why it seemed so. I also meant to be sharing my experience, to show that results differ widely. The part starting "I'd speculate . . ." including the last paragraph was intended as a comment in response to the OP's seeming skepticism about how CO would be lower, not directly in reponse to your experience. I'm sorry.5 -
I have hypothyroid and I haven't gained weight and I've maintained. When it was at its peek I was eating loads of maintain my weight. Different for everyone1
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Seeing I've found a group of knowledgeable people, here's a question...
I've been hypoththyroid for 8 years and always been stable on levothyroxine. Recently, I've developed tremors in my hands and sometimes heart palpitations (both only occasionally, but especially when skipping meals) I suspect I may be hypoglycemic and Dr Google me this is quite common with hypothyroidism. I feel totally fine and full of energy besides for that. I will obviously get checked out (although may take awhile to get an appointment- NHS!) but I'm curious if any of you have experienced this...1 -
And forgot to add, I've been on MFP for about 6 months. Lost 20lbs the first 3 months but very little since then. Don't think that's related to any medical issues as I'm struggling to stay on plan. But who knows, maybe my hunger/energy/metabolism is affected...(thinking if excuses
) 1 -
Seeing I've found a group of knowledgeable people, here's a question...
I've been hypoththyroid for 8 years and always been stable on levothyroxine. Recently, I've developed tremors in my hands and sometimes heart palpitations (both only occasionally, but especially when skipping meals) I suspect I may be hypoglycemic and Dr Google me this is quite common with hypothyroidism. I feel totally fine and full of energy besides for that. I will obviously get checked out (although may take awhile to get an appointment- NHS!) but I'm curious if any of you have experienced this...
When was your last thyroid blood test? Those can be hyperthyroid symptoms, too. Levo dosage sometimes needs adjustment, and weight loss triggers that need for some.7 -
For me, being unable to lose weight was my main symptom of hypothyroid, aside from thinning hair and no eyebrows. I mentioned it to my doctor and was told, "You're over 40, what do you expect?" It took about 3 years before a doctor paid attention and asked about my family history. My mother was also hypothyroid and on meds. I got tested, started meds, adjusted meds, adjusted meds again, and eventually got to the point where I could lose weight. At this point, my metabolism is, if anything, a bit higher than most women my age. But I also do more exercise than most. Afterburn is real.2
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