Thyroid v's weight issues

[74Jo_Jo]

what is more dangerous - being overweight or an overactive thyroid?

I have had thyroid issues for several years; Graves disease.  Been in remission for 5 years with no issues.  I am overweight but recently the weight has been dropping off (lost 2.5 stones in 3 months) Am shortly due for 6 monthly TSH test but is it the lesser of two evils to monitor the thyroid and continue to lose weight to a better BMI?

[Red_Star]

A few of my negatives for each that i have...

Hyperthyroidism - muscle wasting, moderate glucose intolerance, constant tachycardia, blood pressure (has gone up to severe stage 3).

Hypothyroidism - pain on standing (akin to walking with broken glass), severe myxedema (face wise broadening nose is ugh!), fluid retention, not easy to lose weight.

My weight issues look more to do with insulin though but hypothyroidism is not helping matters.  My food diary showed i was undereating by 4 days a week and i'm still overweight. Grrrr :)

[courtney48]

I just converted my weight to stones.  Its such a small number that I think I'll start reporting my weight in stones!  lol  It sounds better.

Good luck to you!

[74Jo_Jo]

Hi

I was never going to be a model but I was an average healthy weight for a 'normal' person. I'm in England so weight here is still stones and ounces for most of us !!  2.5 stones is about 16 kilograms.

I'll let you know what the doc says - hopefully someone might give us guidance on here, if not I'll let you know after my next check up !!

[courtney48]

The weight that comes with hypo is just maddening, isn't it?  My metabolism has slowed too in the past couple of years.  I've just  been on levothyroxine for about three and a half months so I am hoping at some point, my weight will at least stay steady.  Have you always been a little heavy or has your weight been more of an issue since being diagnosed with thyroid disease?  Have you talked with your doctor about your concerns?  I don't fully understand thyroid disease, but understand that overactive thyroid is not the same as, but just as dangerous on the body as underactive.  If you ask your doctor about which is worse, I hope you will comment on that.  I'm curious too.

Do you mind if I ask what country you live in?  I've never heard weight reported in stones until I started participating in this forum.  Just being nosey and curious :)  

[74Jo_Jo]

Hi Courtney48, my BMI is towards the obese end of the scale so it is not a vanity issue but a balance of which is the worse health issue.  

Since I was treated for my overactive thyroid I have had a sluggish metabolism and have put on several stone.  I would like to get back to my healthy weight and wanted to know if the downsides of an overactive thyroid out weighed the dangers of obesity.

[courtney48]

If my weight issue was due to thyroid disease, then for me, getting my thyroid adjusted would be more important.  To trade addressing thyroid disease in order to have a lower BMI just for the sake of having a lower BMI sounds like there is a vanity factor driving the answer more than a medical one.