Hypothyroid Club

Hi!

  I'm new here and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's a year ago.   I know it makes it harder to lose weight, but that it's not impossible.    I also know there's a lot of debate (even among physicians) as to how much extra weight can be attributed to a hypothyroid.

  Just want to see if anyone else has faced this challenge and has some tips, encouragement, articles, etc for us.

 Thanks!

Sierra

skinnywannabe Apr 03 2007 09:25 can you loose weight if you try to?

Yes, though it takes a bit longer than 1-2 lbs. per week.

it took me about 5 weeks to lose 3 lbs., but I DID lose the pounds. I also have to factor in that I had just started out, so there may have been some fat/muscle exchange going on that I didn't see in the scale.

but it IS possible. it just takes more work when our glands don't cooperate.

OK....I heard several comments about not taking other medications and vitamins at the same time with the thyroid medication. What should I not be taking with my thyroid medicine? Maybe I should change from taking it in the morning to taking it at night? Hmmm?

There's quite a lot that interferes with absorption if you take it at the same time as your thyroid medication. My prescription comes with a list of information, which is where I found out about it.

I avoid the whole thing by taking my thyroid medication at night, at LEAST 2.5 hours after I've eaten anything, and take everything else in the morning (vitamins, etc.).


(you definitely shouldn't take any sort of antacid, vitamin, or calcium supplements along with or right after your thyroid medication)

what the hell is the zig zag method?

I gained 20 pounds in 14 months  being on prozac along with my synthroid.  then I got prego - got off the prozac and only gained 18 pounds during pregnancy.  Since then I have lost 33 pounds - but still need 10 more gone - Just had blood work done and see the dr. on the 10th.  I havent' gone back on the prozac - although at times I really want to - but I need to lose this weight first before he switches my blue pill to see if it does the same thing. I work out hard core and eat barley nothing,  and yes before you say you have to eat in order to loose well I tried that too.  It dosen't work!

I hear you skinnywannabe! I believed everyone too and upped my calories and gained 10 pounds back....that of which I'm still struggling to lose after 4 months! I had my thyroid test today after I increased my thyroid medicine myself. I called my Dr. and told him I did this because of the severe symptoms I am having. Did you know that low thyroid causes you to LOOSE YOUR EYEBROWS???? Well.....I don't have any! Go figure! You would think the Dr. would see this symptom! Grrr! Yup! Never have to pluck away anymore! I'd give anything for bushy eyebrows so I could shape them and pluck them again! My skin is so dry and cracked but I can't use much of anything because of sensitive skin too. I drink plenty of water. Never sweat either! Even working out I never break a sweat!

Since I increased my thyroid medicine on my own I feel much better after one week. I don't need to take naps in the afternoon and my skin is not so dry. Hopefully I will start to sweat some while I work out and maybe I won't need to take my diuretic anymore! I hope my Dr. keeps it this level. I feel almost normal! What ever that feels like!

Thank you so much for this club! Sometimes it helps to rant a little! Thanks for hearing me out!

Happy Easter everyone!

im a hypo, have been since i was 7 years old (im 20 now)

my highest weight was a size 16 uk.

im now a size 10 uk.  inches are 36c-27.5-34.5  My aim is 34c-25-33

I take a multivitamin tablet, and avoid brocolli/rutabaga/soy/watercress/kale/turnips /cabbage/califlower in large doses or raw as these affect thyriod.

Im on 125mg of thyroxin.

• free T4  should be 10 to 22
• TSH (thyriod Stimulating Hormone) should be  0.4 to 4
• REMEMBER to get your bloods checked every 6 months, and INSIST IT IS DONE.
• Remember that high colestrol is common in hypos, so eat low colestrol foods
• exercise in evening if possible, as thats when us hypos tend to find our energy.

i lost my weight by..

I use my running machine, cross trainer and weights 4 times a week. I walk as much as possible and eat no more than 2,000 calories, normaly 1600 to 1800 a day. Im aiming for a flatter stoamch and have started abs work. I have had gained weight since december due to stress - cortisol shot up so im destressing and the weight is dropping off. I drink up to 6 pints of water a day.  This approch, over a period of 2 years has helped me shed around 3 stone (42 pounds) but not steady weight loss, its been a pound one week and then 2 a few weeks after, with periods of no weightloss for weeks.

My advice is follow no diets, just you own. Eat when hungry, Steer clear of saturated fats and excess sugar - exercise 4 times a week and you will lose weight. I have found it no harder to lose weight than a normal person once im on the right amount of thyroxin. So keep at it, and your get there!!

I sure hope my levels gets right pretty soon! It feels great to be able to lose weight when your levels are good....but....when they are not it's a real bad time! So much endurance! Yup.....us hypo's have the most!

I hope everyone is healthy and happy after Easter!

Bunny1986,

  Are you in the UK?   The standards for normal TSH in the US have changed.

  As of 2003 the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists started recommending that the normal range should be .3 - 3.0 versus the former range of .5 - 5.5.    Above 3.0 could be considered high.

My doc diagnosed me as hypo at 3.5 and then tested for Hashimoto's, which was positive.     I was so exausted, cold and constipated that I could hardly function.    He prefers between  1-2.  Although I feel much better, but am still a little tired.  I have a hard time exercising due to lack of steam.

Sierra

im in the UK yes, i dont think ours have changed but thanks fort the US infomation! :) i forgot it would be differnt on the otherside of the pond.

I have hypothyroidism.  I take 0.2 mg levothyroxine daily.

Would anyone here know if there is any co-relation between smoking and thyroid problems?  I am curious if anyone else here has gone through this.

I quit smoking about 4 weeks ago and just in the last couple days I have been experiencing strange symptoms - numb face and hands, confusion, "spacy feeling", intermittently very tired, sweats - that's all I can think of.

I have an appt with my doctor to get some bloodwork done this week.

lornajean,

  I have never heard of a correlation between smoking and thyroid problems, although smoking is never good for any health problem.

Since you've already been through the physical nicotine withdrawal I wonder if the nicotine was interacting with your medication.   Maybe you need to have it readjusted now.

Your symptoms can all be symptoms of hypothyroid.    Your doctor should be able to help you.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

Sierra

Hi Everyone! I got my thyroid level back and it 0.63. Is that OK? They said it was on the low side of normal. Should I ask them to raise my level again? Still feel sluggish but it could be the sinus infection I have right now.

Another question....Does anyone know if my eyebrows will grow back since I have a better level with my thyroid now?

Coffeelover,

     If you feel best with your TSH at that number and your doctor is good with it, then it's okay.   Everyone is different and needs to work with their doctor to experiment with it.     

   Losing eyebrows and hair is common.   I'm not sure about eyebrows growing back but I do know that hair loss can reverse when properly medicated - as will brittle nails with ridges and dry skin.  

    Overmedication can also make you sluggish - but then so can a sinus infection.     I've found that whenever I'm sick or under extra stress I end up being exhausted.    Maybe it's due to the autoimmune response.    If Hashimoto's is the cause of hypothyroidism the disease is progressive and is prone to flares. Physical or emotional stress can impact the immune system.

Sierra

Count me in! I'm hypothyroid as well. I was diagnosed when I was 10. Fourteen years later, I'm still on my 75mg's of synthroid and am doing well. I get my blood tested every 6 months and it's always been within normal limits. When I first went on it, I shot up an inch and a half, my teeth became whiter, my feet grew a little, I got sick a lot less, not to mention I had more energy which was the whole reason I went to the doctor in the first place!

My doctor told me that the amount of hypothyridic you are can dictate your ability to gain/lose weight. But since you can treat hypothyroid conditions with medication, you can normalize the ability to gain/lose.

For the comments concerning taking synthroid with other medications, my doc also said that taking it with your average vitamins or supplements isn't a big deal. If you are frequently tested and your levels are normal, then stick to whatever you're doing. I take my synthroid with my multivitamin and other supplements in the morning everyday, and my levels are right where they should be... but everyone is different. If you keep changing your medication and your tests aren't improving, then I suggest taking it as perscribed (with no food or or any other medcations an hour before or two hours after).

Hi Kitty,

   You are very fortunate to have been dx'd at age 10 and properly treated.    I'm 55, but when I was in high school the doc put me on thyroid meds for fatigue (that was a loooong time ago! ha!)   Unfortunately, I only took the meds briefly and went on with my life.     My energy was never quite normal and at 36 I developed  severe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was totally bedridden for several years.      I got better after 10 years but became exhausted again about a year ago.  This time they discovered the Hashi's.      Now, I'm wondering if all those years of suffering could have been avoided if I had stayed on thyroid medication.

  I think a lot of people are either misdiagnosed or else develop other conditions from being chronically run down from an undiagnosed  hypothyroid.     And, then there's that continual uphill battle with our weight!!

   Glad to hear that they figured you out while you're still young!:)

Sierra

p.s. I'm curious, what TSH levels are you at that you feel so good?

Glad to have you here kitty! Thank you for the info sierra. I still feel sluggish but I think I'll wait until the sinus infection is gone. I am noticing my RLS symptoms returning since the increase of thyroid but I'm hoping this will go away as my body adjusts.

I've been "diagnosed hypo" for about 4 years now, steadily gaining weight until at the start of this year, I weighed in at an amazing 244!  I'm 5'6" and I also have fibromyalgia.  The FM prevents me from doing any real exercise.  I sit at a desk all day and even walking around while on a vacation somewhere causes intense pain in my muscles and joints.  For me to lose any weight at all, I have to basically starve myself with under 1100 daily.  Have often thought about yoga, but am afraid to join anything in case I can't do it dur to the FM and end up being out the join-up fee.  I'm sounding awfully sorry for myself, huh?

Well, further to yesterday's post, I've been to the doctor and, so far, the news is quite interesting.  I will be having blood tests tomorrow but the doctor has told me that smoking for so long and then suddenly quitting will have definitely messed with the thyroid function - not to mention that 33 years of nicotine intake could possibly even have interfered with how quickly and how thoroughly my body is able to digest foods!  Now that there is no more nicotine, my body will be undergoing many withdrawals - some of which are news to me!  This definitely explains the plateau I've been sitting on for the last few weeks.  I will keep everyone posted.

Rent or take some easy yoga videos out from the library and see what you can do.  Low financial investment:)  Good opportunity to see what you can tolerate.