Hi everyone
Is anyone else trying to lose weight with no thyroid? My thyroid was removed in october, and I'm on thyroid replacement now. I've been told that once they get my thyroid replacement levels where they want them I should lose weight with out a lot of problems, but I am guessing it won't be that easy.
Can anyone give me any advise on which diets work best, and how to get the energy to exercize? I get home from work and mostly just want to take a nap, and getting up early isn't working either. It's getting better, but i still feel like a big lazy blob.

Hi Bette,
I just sent you a pm with a link to a thyroid website (www.stopthethyroidmadness.com) that might be of great help to you. hope the info helps!
Cathy

Thank you Cathy, but I don't think I will ever be able to use the Armour medication because it contains the hormone that is used to check for my cancer reoccurance. So far I'm doing ok on the synthetic.

Hey Bette,

Sorry I guess I misunderstood bec the first thought I had was that you weren't doing so well on synthetic thyroid meds bec of the lack of energy you mentioned and the fact that you want to take a nap when you get home from work.

I know it takes awhile to get a person straight on their thyroid meds, and I hope the synthetic T4 works for you BUT if you continue to have no energy or start noticing other problems, you might want to be aware that they can add synthetic T3 to your synthetic T4 med. It is called Cytomel.

Just wanted to mention it in case you find you need it.

take care,
Cathy

Hi my name is Angi. Just a little background... I had my thyroid removed in November due to cancer. Ive been (supposedly) regulated to 150 synthroid. When I first started getting tested for thyroid problems, due to a lump in my throat, my blood work came back in the normal range. Then I had the FNA on the lumps and they couldnt tell if it was cancerous or not. They recommended complete thyroidectomy, and it turned out to be cancerous. They also said I had Hashimoto's. I am now more tired, depressed and gaining weight on top of what I already had. I am hoping to find someone who has had some success with thyroid problems and weight loss, and who'd be willing to share any info. I haven't started any program as of yet.

I have Hoshimoto's myself. I'm on 250mcg Synthroid daily. I go to Curves and follow their diet plan. Exercise will give you energy, not make you more tired. A diet rich in complex carbs, protein with every meal and snack, and fruits and vegetables with a little good fat each day and sufficient calories - 1400-1600 will help with the weight loss. Eating too little makes the thyroid even more sluggish.

A good website is www.thyroid.about.com.

You may need to have your meds tweaked. I have my TSH test every 6 months. If a change in medication is needed, it is repeated in 6 weeks after the increase.

I'm on 175 mcg of thyroid hormone, an while I'm at the right supression dose, I am finding it hard to lose weight. Angibo, I think we have the same story, only my surgery was in Oct. The dr told me after the surgery that I had Hashimoto's too. I'm not gaining weight, just finding it hard to lose. I did well at first then leveled out. I spent a week camping and doing a lot of walking and hard labor and did lose 2 lbs, I guess I just need to work harder.

I had my thyroid removed due to graves disease that was out of control and an allergy to the thyroid suppressents. I have since gained about 30 lbs and am always tired and moody also. I am on 125 mcgs of sythroid currently. My thyroid is apparently regulated (2.0-3.7 tsh range), though it doesn't feel that way. I am also having a very hard time losing weight. My heart is still not up to par from having graves for so long and so severe, so strenuous excersize is hard to pull off. I hope to find some answers also!

Hey Emily - your TSH is way too high. I'm so sorry that you are feeling so bad - I certainly understand tho.

Please check out the info at www.stopthethyroidmadness.com and let me knoiw if I can help with any of it at all.

take care,
Cathy

Thanks Cathy. I've been battling with my Endo for what seems like months. He says my levels are normal no matter how much I tell him I don't feel normal. He told me I am just trying to micro-manage my symptoms and acts like I am a crazy person...pretty irritating! Maybe I'll call his office tomorrow and see if I can get on Armour (which I have been researching for over a year but have yet to be prescribed). I feel a lot of the symptoms listed and continue to gain weight even after whole heartedly TRYING to excersize (to no avail...my heart races, my arms are dead and I cannot breathe). It's pretty frustrating for me because I was a ballerina for 20 years and never weighed more than 118 lbs and now I can barely move and I weigh over 150.

Hey Emily - I was just thinking about you and wondering how you are feeling? I feel awful knowing that you feel so bad and that there is proper treatment out there for what you are dealing with. Have you thought about maybe shopping for a new doc that will listen to your problems and treat your symptoms?
I'm simply concerned about you.
hugs,
Cathy

Emily - I have just seen my endocronologist last week so I had a copy of my report. I was curious what my TSH number was, compared with yours. Mine was 0.30 which is considered low. This is why (as I posted in another thread) I get a call from my family doctor when he saw the results, saying that my medication is too high. I go see the specialist and thankfully she diagnoses based on the numbers of all the thyroid tests and based on how I feel. This is key so I would consider possibly looking around for another doctor. I experienced what you are experiencing for a long time...until I found the right person.

Good luck.

Living with no thyroid is not easy. I had half of mine removed about 18 years ago, which was not to bad, but I had the rest removed 2 years ago. I had some major complications after the second surgery, ended up being in the hospital for several days. I have gained a lot of weight, and to make matters worse I gained even more weight going on diets. I have finally found a doctor that will listen to me and has change my medication which has made a world of difference in my attitude...I am still having trouble getting the right dosage but I can tell a BIG difference. I had read that sometimes it can take months for your body to adjust to all of the changes, well I am pushing 24 months 3 doctors later and finally feel human again, still fat but human. I have learned that you must fight for yourself and look for a doctor that will listen to you..many doctors want to just push us off as lazy or having poor eating habits. My new doc has suggested that I do the low carb approach to eating, So this week I started on a low carb diet and I am having good results so far..I weigh in on Monday..

Just keep fighting for yourself, because no one else will.!!

Good Luck to all!
Terry

I agree with the low carb thing....I have my thyroid still but I have been hypo for 4-5 years. I kept going to the Dr before I was diagnosed and telling him I was gaining like 5lbs per month and every one of them that I talked to said it was because of what I was eating.....I knew it wasnt...

I kept a general food log for 1 month, I weighed at the first of the month and then at the end, took that to my dr and showed him then he finally listened more. I was only averaging 1500-1800 calories per day, there was NO WAY I should have GAINED weight....he even said so finally. So they finally ran some tests and guess what...my thyroid was so bad it has become a goiter.

I have fought with my new DR for almost 2 years and he is finally letting me try armour I have been on it for just over a week now and I can tell the difference but I am definately not 100%, but it is a BIG improvement.

I have to stick to low carb/low fat to get any weight to budge. It is like it is super-glued to me...I hate that!

Just checking back in. My most recent TSH number (taken last week) was 0.22. Turns out I was feeling extra crappy because I was bordering hyper. My doc is going to keep me on this doseage for a while though to prevent me from going hypo again. He said no to the armour, and said it wouldn't wokr so well for me. He told me to try the south beach or zone diet because I am also hypoglycemic and it would help to have 6 small meals a day with more protein and good carbs. I'm going to give that a try and we'll see how well it works.

Thanks for all of the advice. I'd change doctors, but there are only 3 endocrinologists in town and I am on #2....I met with #3 and she was terrible...so I'll stick with the lesser of the evils!