Underactive Thyroid & Weight Loss

You can definitely do this! I think many of us were initially in the same boat - thinking the magic thyroid hormone pill was going to help us lose weight. Unfortunately, you're right in that the only way to really make a difference is for each of us to work hard. I'm glad there's a group of us on here to commiserate - it does make it easier when others understand!

Is your thyroid level well regulated? Mine requires frequent adjustment (last year I think my dosage changed 4 times). The last adjustment (increase) was after my annual physical when I shared my MFP experience with my MD--months of 1200-1500 calories, regular exercise, etc., and maybe a pound lost every 2 months. She looked at my last test and that it was just barely within the "normal" range, and increased the dosage. It's been 6 weeks and it's definitely helping--lost 2 pounds!

In any event, good luck! And the great thing about MFP is that honest tracking can be a great way to help point to whether you're cheating or if maybe your levels are out of whack again.

My thyroid story is a little different. It was inevitable that I would get the issue as every female on the maternal side of my family, as well as my paternal grandmother had hypoactive thyroid issues. My levels always hovered around 3.0 (which is typically the high end of the acceptable range). I actually lost weight while I was in the high end of the acceptable range (around 50 lbs) without medication, but using this website, counting calories and working out. Then I got pregnant, and my numbers drastically changed I went from around 3.0 to 5.5, which is definitely outside of the okay range (sloooooooow). So I had to start medication. My numbers now are around 1.7 while I'm taking 50mcg levothyroxine. I was at 2.7 also, which most doctors wont change your med levels on, so it's still within the good range. I have to get my blood work done right now about every 2 months since I'm still pregnant and it's vital to me and baby that my thyroid levels are within normal range. They will ultimately change again when I'm am no longer pregnant and my dosage may change at that point.

The one thing I can say affected my levels when they went from 1.7 up to 2.7 and back to 1.7 again, I had been being careless and taking my vitamin at the same time as my levothyroxine which ended up blocking some of my levothyroxine absorbtion and cause my numbers to spike for that period so I made sure to take them hours apart and the numbers leveled down again. I would definitely be wary of your doctors warnings when it comes to mixing other medications with your thyroid meds.

Good luck with your numbers, and never hesitate to ask your physician for copies of your bloodwork or to have them explain them to you, it's your right to know, it's your body!