I have Hypothyroidism. I have had either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism for over 18 years. I have been with the same doctor for both hyper and hypo for the same amount of time.
I am currently on Synthroid 125 mcg a day. I have been on much higher doses as well....
I am so tired....tired of losing weight, then regaining weight... I feel like I have been on a diet FOREVER!!!!
I tell my doctor all this and he is no help, he just tells me to eat right and exercise... Really, what does he think I have been doing for the past 20 years....
I have done NutriSystem, lost 50 pounds, gained it back!
I have done Weight Watchers, several times!!! Currently doing it now...
I have done Medifast, lost 40 pounds, put 30 back!!
I have done diet centers...
I have done it all!!
I have bought supplements, done crazy exercising, done the couch to 5K training program....
Is anyone out there who is Hypothyroid, is following a diet and keeping weight off? Are you taking supplements, diet pills, anything?
HELP!!!! I am so ready to just throw my hands up and give up.....
Please any helpful advice would be appreciated....
I take a multivitamin and supplements. Some years ago, I discovered on my own I had magnesium deficiency. When I dont have enough I get moody also my bp is worse. I take the supplement and my mag levels are normal. Now I am wondering if I have iodide deficiency because my metabolism is super super slow and I do feel cold all the time before. I pretty much have every symptom of it too. I got my high blood pressure during pregnancy and about 5 years ago when I started watching my sodium intake and all that my hubby picked up this huge bottle of sea salt and was like, this is supposed to be better than regular salt. And everywhere they were saying the sea salt is better, organic, natural. This week I was doing some research on it. Since processed and fast food dont really use iodized salt, that means not using table salt for 5 years. I virtually NEVER got any iodine except when I ate fish, which was hardly ever and very little to even get the daily reccomended dosage which they now say should be much higher.
I tried adding salt to my food this week. Hoping to get in some iodine and maybe kik start my metabolism bak into working better again. The problem is after NOT using salt hardly ever trying to keep my salt down with the BP for the last few years. Using the reccommended dosage of 1/4 teaspoon even in a whole day is almost impossible to me. Synthroid I guess from what I read is a hormone therapy that is supposed to treat the gland. Im going to the doc tomorrow and have her check everything so that will be one of the things Ill be wanting her to look at as far as blood work goes. She did that test for me a few years back too and it came bak borderline but Im really interested to see what my iodine levels will be. I dont believe I will take the prescription stuff but Im definately gonna take a supplement since Ill never get what I need from just food or salt alone since I dont really like it on my food. I see a few posts about thyroidism but I dont really see any mention of iodine. Its really strange how they put just enough in our table salt so that the symptoms (the bloated neck) disapear but not enough to really correct the problem or keep us healthy. There are way worse silent symptoms such as increased cancers and severe weight gain, many women probably dont even know how important a well functioning thyroid can be or that iodine is needed. If you want to actually get the reccommended dosage from table salt, u need to eat so much salt that it well exceeds the sodium levels for any healthy person. Its kind of a dammed if you do dammed if you dont situation. I dont see any other solution but to add an iodine supplement to my diet but its something Ill definately be going over tomorrow with my dr.
I lost 200+ pounds and reached my goal weight with WW in 1977 and have maintained it. The problem is you are thinking you are on a diet. A diet has a beginning and and end and when it ends we return to our poor eating habits and the weight comes back. You have to eat they way you did when you were losing with only some increased calories of those foods to maintain. It has nothing to do with hypothyroidism since you are able to lose. I've been hypothyroid since I was 20 years old (now 71).
Not taking prescription medication for thyroid disease can lead to some nasty complications.
Last edited by QuilterInVA; 08-24-2012 at 05:59 PM.
I started Synthroid (50mcg) about a month ago and it's been great for me. I lost weight initially very quickly but then started losing 10- gaining 10 for about 2 years before starting Synthroid. I've lost 13lbs in 24 days on it now and have a lot more energy than ever!
I calorie count (1500 calories a day or so) and work out 5-6 days a week. I do triathlons so I cross train with swimming, biking and running. I do a dance class on Saturdays. I burn probably 5000 calories a week through exercise. My diet is very healthy. Lean meats, whole grains, fruits and veggies. I have one "splurge" meal a week but do a long work out after. Example: this Saturday night I had mexican food (chips, queso, quesadilla, sour cream) and cocktails (rum and diet.) I got up Sunday morning and biked 32 miles and burned 2300 calories. It's all a balancing act so my metabolism doesn't get too comfortable.
WOW! SomuchFattitude - you just took my thoughts right out of my head.
I was recently diagnosed hypothyroid, and I've been on Levothyroxine for approximately 5 weeks. I've noticed a drastic change in my energy levels...I hope it continues. I'm not anywhere near as depressed and anxious as I used to be, either. I am following a South Beach Diet way of eating but I haven't been super "on plan" as of late. I am trying to get back on plan as of today, so hopefully in a few weeks I'll have some better news to report as far as the scale is concerned.
Nothing to report as far as hair loss and other issues though...I'm really hoping that my hair will grow back as well.
stocco88, hang in there...I will say low carb/good carb ala South Beach seems to work with me. I also exercise pretty frequently, usually 4 to 5 times a week.
Last edited by grneyedmustang; 08-27-2012 at 01:20 PM.
I've been reading a lot about thyroid problems and some people on Synthroid or the generic of it, levothyroxine do not convert T3 in the liver like they need to. Synthroid is T4 only and we need both hormones to feel "normal" again. I'm seeing a new doctor on Tuesday and I'm asking him to put me on armour thyroid. It's both T3 and T4. I've been reading online and sooooo many people have been helped by that. It's tricky finding a doctor to prescribe this since most doctors feel it is "old" therapy. stopthethyroidmadness has lost of great info about this. I sure hope it helps me! I'm tired of feeling like I'm 120 years old :P
I've been hypothyroid for over 30 years. I will be the first to admit that it isn't easy to have this condition and lose weight. It can be done, it just takes more effort for us.
I have lost over 70 pounds before by watching what I eat and walking - A LOT. Then, I got upset over something and stopped walking, which was the WORST thing I could have done. Fast forward to today and all the weight is back on. What's worse is that now I'm considerably older and have to lose it all over again.
I have Hashimotos thyroiditis, am clinically hypothyroid w/ low vitamin D, and gained weight for 9 years before I was finally diagnosed and began treatment. I've gone from having a TSH of 6 to a TSH of 1.64 which seems to be perfect for me. I have lost 40 lbs, although I won't say it was easy. Diet is absolutely a component. The best diet I've found for me (diet as in a way of eating, not a way of restricting calories) is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet. It's an incredibly healthy way of eating (akin in many ways to a Mediterranean diet) full of whole foods, eliminates foods that are potential allergens or inflammatory (which helps with food allergies and inflammatory conditions, of which Hashimotos is an inflammatory condition). I used Jessica Black ND's book "The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies - and More". I felt better on that diet than any other diet I've ever tried. I have since deviated and found weight loss to be quite difficult again and feel crappy as well and plan to go back on that diet.
I have Hashimotos thyroiditis, am clinically hypothyroid w/ low vitamin D, and gained weight for 9 years before I was finally diagnosed and began treatment. I've gone from having a TSH of 6 to a TSH of 1.64 which seems to be perfect for me. I have lost 40 lbs, although I won't say it was easy. Diet is absolutely a component. The best diet I've found for me (diet as in a way of eating, not a way of restricting calories) is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet. It's an incredibly healthy way of eating (akin in many ways to a Mediterranean diet) full of whole foods, eliminates foods that are potential allergens or inflammatory (which helps with food allergies and inflammatory conditions, of which Hashimotos is an inflammatory condition). I used Jessica Black ND's book "The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies - and More". I felt better on that diet than any other diet I've ever tried. I have since deviated and found weight loss to be quite difficult again and feel crappy as well and plan to go back on that diet.
I really need to follow an antiinflammatory diet. I'm going to research this version and see if it's different from the one I have. It's hard to follow this while having a teen and being on the road going here and there. I'm getting together some good recipes from a paleo diet that may make it easier for me.
Ranting About Hypothyroidism, Dieting, etc.
