Hi again, my name is Nykeshia and I have hypothyroid and it's really difficult for me to diet and exercises everyday my pills make me extremely tired for no reason whats so ever... my Q.....can any of you relate to me or give me some tips on the best way to lose these pounds and please pray for me I'm really disparate to lose this weight my doctor informs me that I'm obese and with my thyroid I'm at a high risk for heart disease and diabetes so I need your help thanks !!

Hi. My situation is the other way around. I have hyperthyroidism. Which is suppose to make me lose weight (it didn't for me lol) so I take medications to fix it. My fear is that the meds are preventing me from losing weight. But I am working hard, watching my calories and doing all the excercise that I can. I am low on meds but I am taking what I can, until I see my specialist and see if he can help me. I would suggest that you talk to your doctor. Maybe he/she can help you. Any excercise you do is great. Don't stop. Continue your meds and follow doctors orders. It might take a bit longer but you will get your weight were you want it. I will pray for you. And God Bless.

ADD: I hate water but I make myself drink it. Make sure you get all the water you can stand in every day.

Nykeshia, I am hypothyroid as well. I was diagnosed about 12 years ago and have been on meds ever since. How long have you been on your medication? I know for me that it took at least 1.5 to 2 years before I felt "normal" and had "normal" energy levels. I don't think that it's the medication that is making you fatigued, it's probably the hypothyroid itself.

It is possible to lose weight with a low thyroid. I am living proof. At the time of my diagnosis my weight was 248. After 2 years on medication, along with exercise, I was at 185-190 where I maintained for roughly 10 years. Over the last 1.5 years I've lost another 60 lbs. My weight loss was never fast, usually around 5 lbs a month or less. But it can be done. When I decided to lose weight (both times) it took my body at least 3 months before it actually decided to release any weight at all. What I'm trying to say is that I was watching my diet and exercising for 3 months before I saw any results. But I knew that with my hypothyroidism that my body would be sluggish. I accepted that fact and kept on doing what I knew I needed to do in order to lose the weight. You can do this! You just have to decide which is harder for you. Is it harder to live in the body you have now or is it harder to start working for the body you want? The choice is yours.

I wish you well on this journey. Please know that we are all here for you.

I have been diagnosed with hypothyroid for 8 months and my doctor and I are still trying to find the right meds I have been through 3 already and my TH leves are still so low,and every time I see him more weight has jumped up wrapped it's crule arms around me and won't let go LOL!!!

But thank you both for your replies and your prayers and support..and your darn right I can fight for what I want or just lay down like a sissy...... and Nykeshia is no sissy (until it comes to clowns, cluttered things and scary movies) Other then that I'm brave lol!!!

Thanks again..I should start a blog about my weight loss and all the problems I face daily....I think that would be great release for me as well!!! THANKS AGAIN and God bless!!!!

Harajuku, I am also hypothyroid. I was diagnosed about 5 or 6 years ago. It will be easier for you once your meds are adjusted to the right levels, which can take awhile. It really isn't the pills that are making you tired; it is the level of your thyroid hormone. About a year ago, all the sudden I started noticing how fatigued I was. When I went to the dr., she determined that my thyroid hormone levels were a bit off and increased my synthroid levels. I have been fine since. I think you will notice a big difference once you get to the right level. In the meantime, hang in there.

Like Losermom, I am living proof that you can lose weight when you are hypothyroid. I have seen special diets for hypothyroid and, although I am not on a hypothyroid diet, there are some interesting tips about what foods to avoid (apparently certain foods may have negative effects on our thyroids and/or medication) and when to eat (one thing that is suggested is that you eat several small meals a day).

Keep us posted on how you are doing!

Cheers,

J

I know the frustration of gaining weight with meds. There are so many meds out there that your doctor should be able to find the right one for you. In the meantime, don't give up on your diet. If you can maintain where you are, that is good enough for now. Be patient with yourself and know that you are not the cause of the weight gain and that you have a disorder that is not regulated.

Blessings and prayers that you may find the right meds.

Sharon

Thanks again and Godbless all of you!!!
I spoken to my doc, and he told me to try and eat 6 tiny meals a day which is hard because I'm use to eating twice a day.....maybe lol!!
But I have been informed that our metabolism is like a furnace, the more you feed the higher the fire. So in-turn the more I feed my metab small healthy meals a day the better it works NEAT HUH!!
But I'm willing to give anything a try to be honest, Plus weight training is also a new thing to add to my "todo list"
jrmohr: can you please send me that link to the Hypo-diet I would really like to read it?

Hi-

I have hypothyroidism as well. I was diagnosed probably about 10 years ago and as other people have mentioned it took almost 2 years to feel better.

Before I was diagnosed I felt no symptoms related with hypothyroidism. It wasn't until about 5 years in that I stopped taking the meds cause I thought it wasn't doing anything but preventing me from losing weight.

Turns out, off the meds I was much worse. Went back to the doctor and it took a while to regulate my thyroid again. I should add that my levels were terrible. It was imperative that I went to get blood work every 3 months so that the doctor could adjust my meds till she saw improvement. I personally can not stress the importance of regularly checking your thyroid levels on a regular basis until you get the right dosage!

The one thing that always works to not only help regulate my thryroid but take weight off is unfortunately the one thing I struggle with the most ... regular exercise ... even if its just walking a few times a week. It never fails ... if I get into some kind of cardio routine the weight comes off, energy goes up, my skin looks better, etc ... the problem is always the motivation to keep up with it!

Good luck to you! Stay on the meds, keep talking to your doctor, and give it time ... it definitely is not something that happens quickly but once you find the right med and dosage you will start to feel better. If you ever want to chat please get in contact with me.

Also- in doing some research I found that there were some foods that are not good to eat with hypothyroidism such as cauliflower and soy (not 100% sure if this is true). Does anyone have more insight on this?

Nykeshia, the only place I have seen the hypothyroid diet is in bookstores (in the food/nutrition/diet section).

Jeces, I have heard the same thing about soy and read something about it on the information I get from my pharmacy when I order synthroid. I think it interacts negatively with thyroid meds. There is a lot about this on the internet.

Thanks again I'm going to check that book out!
But I have found something amazing in my quest to lose weight (and worthy of a quick but heart felt thanks to God!!)
"ZUMBA" I have felt and seen difference in my clothes and I feel sexy on the inside so it makes me want to do it more lol!!
best wishes, blessings and love to you all *Blowing kisses* God Bless!

If you go to www.thyroid.about.com you will find a ton of excellent information on diet and exercise and the thyroid.

You will actually gain energy when you exercise so you have to make the effort.

I started as hyperthyroid and after being treated with radiated iodine became hypothyroid. After my initial treatment I gained 40 lbs in 4 months - talk about a hard time figuring out what to wear. That was 7 years ago and I've been pretty much ignoring the weight - it has stayed about the same, so I just kept figuring it was my thyroid. But at my thyroid check in January I had gained another 7 lbs which made me panic a little. I started Metabolic Research Center and have lost 20 lbs. The MRC plan is, basically, low everything - low fat, low sodium, low carb, low calorie - except protein - they emphasize that. Our thyroids have a very real effect on our weight loss because our metabolism is out of whack. My doc says if my meds are balanced, my metabolism should be functioning correctly, but sometimes I wonder how that can really be true. I bought the book The Thyroid Diet and it emphasizes the glycemic index of food - which makes a lot of sense.

I was diagnosed with Hypothyroidism when I was 7 years old. I was gaining weight, my hair was falling out, and I was tired all the time. I have been seeing the same doctor this whole time (I am now 19) and we just got my medicine right LAST YEAR. I am finally able to make it through the day. I am finally able to diet and exercise and lose weight like normal people do. My hair is thick again.

It might take a long time to get your medicine right. At times, my thyroid levels were "normal" but I was still gaining weight and tired.

While you are waiting to get the dosage correct... try burning an additional 200 calories every time you work out... eat very healthy, 1500 calories a day. If you cheat, make your cheat meal a subway sandwich. If you want to lose weight you are going to have to work harder than everyone else because your metabolism is slower. I hope they figure out your medicine soon so you can get on track! Best of luck to you.

H: I have just started taking the mineral selenium which is supposed to help convert the T4 into T3. You can get this over the counter and just follow the directions. I have taken it for about two weeks and have a bit more energy. You can find more info on the internet about the relationship between hypothyroid and selenium.

It's worth a try.

Sharon

Brazil nuts have lots of selenium and they are yummy, too!