Hypothyroidism and losing weight?

[amber23]

I was just told yesterday by my doctor that i have hypothyroid. I suspected it for sometime now, because it runs in my family.

In the past few months I am begining to get acne, and I am loosing weight, not gaining. I am 24, I stand about 4 ft 11, and weight 87 (normally 98-100) right now. I just can not seem to put weight, and most of the time I am not hungry.

Is this normal with hypothyroid? I have read over and over about people gaining the weight, but I am opposite.

[Mark Lupo, M.D.]

Appetite can decrease with hypo but I would look into other causes.  Particularly adrenal insufficiency - ask your doc to at least check an 8am cortisol -- if less than 11 and with the decreased appetite/weight loss and hypothyroid I would do an ACTH stimulation test -- or just start with that test -- it's up to you and your doctor.

[ancientmariner]

Some people do lose weight with hypothyroid, which is one more reason that doctors may not diagnose it - the image of hypo is a fat woman! But hypo can go hand in hand with digestive problems, resulting in poor absorption of food, and therefore, weight loss. I have heard of this happening more in cases of long-term undiagnosed/undertreated hypo, but weight loss is one of the symptoms listed for both hyper and hypo.

[Josephine05]

The symptons seem like HYPERthyroid not hypo.  Loosing weight is one of the things that occur with hyper.

[amber23]

Thanks acientmariner, I believe that  to be correct. Looking back, I beleive i may have had it through out childhood, and never got checked for it.

I am starting my meds tommorrow...so I am looking forward to finally feeling normal.

BTW, Josephine, I do know that weight loss is a symptom of hyper, but all my other symptoms are hypo.