WEIGHT AND THRYOIDS

[stella5349]

There seems to be a flood of posts on weight loss-gain lately on the forum regarding thyroid issues.

I don't think the new posters are looking at the problem as a whole. Thyroid disease whether hyper or Hypo controls alot of body issues. It causes anywhere from minor to MAJOR problems and for many can be very life changing if it not appropriately taken care of -

Your weight issues are a minor problem - but our society makes it a major obsession. It is obsessive  at your first diagnois of this disease. WILL I GET FAT ? is the biggest worry - when in actually - WILL I GET SICK ? should be the concern.

YES weight changes WILL happen - your metabolism will change and you WILL most likely see a difference in your weight - but other very life threatening situations will happen if you don't take care of yourself. Or play around with this disease and medications.

In my teens and twenties I was anorexia and bulimiac. I was obsessed to no end to improve  my looks and weight. I damaged myself ............and through research --- I found that because of my radical behavior I probably brought this disease on. I am now 42 and could be looking at cancer from a nodule and needing surgery.

Was that weight loss so important now??

First diagnoised I was Hyperthyroid. I was losing weight and was at a proud  weight of my 102 pounds at 5'6". I love my skinny body and got dozens of compliments on how I looked. Then it all changed. I thyroid stormed and almost died from heart failure. My hair was falling out (WHICH MY HAIR WAS ALWAYS PERFECT) I slept max 2 hrs a night I had no period and was going to die. I underwent radio active iodine (NUCLEAR MEDICINE) to kill my gland.

After two months of altering the gland with this pill I shot up 45 pounds. I was weak - tired- and very ill. I didn't care at that time about being ill -- JUST FAT!!!!  I begged the endo to help me and I never got results. I got so depressed and ill - I lost my job and became a vegetable at home. STILL GAINING WEIGHT.  Then I crashed into a close call with a thryroid coma - I wasn't getting the proper meds after RAI to keep me alive.

Finally I realized - I was sick - I overlooked the new fat me and wanted help to get better to LIVE. I found a much better doctor now and finally medically I feel better even though I could be looking at cancer right now and need to have my neck cut open. and have a scar. Yep - still a little vein on that thought.

I don't mean to be rude -- but get over it !!!! Deal with the weight when you get better. That little gland you are messing with doesn't care if you are fat or skinny. It's function is to keep you alive. The good news is - once you get your thyroid under control and there are many ways to achieve this - you can alter your outlook on your physical appearance and work to the goal. In the end you will feel better medically and well as physically.

AND - yes. since I grew up and took control of my health - I am now starting to lose that nasty weight I gained. Very slowely - but it is finally coming off. :)

I hope you all understand I am no different than you. I am one person who struggles with appearances to this day - I just have decided to continue to Live as a person instead of a magazine model.

I hope you all  who read this recieve this has a wake up call and get better. :)

[Barb135]

I'm not sure who you are addressing... this is a very old thread and I believe I'm the only previous poster still around.

I think we need to clarify... were you diagnosed with hypERthyroidism or hypoOthyroidism?  Hyperthyroidism is an overactive thyroid gland and weight loss is, typically, one of the main symptoms.  Hypothyroidism is an under active thyroid gland and weight gain/inability to lose is one if its main symptoms and one that many of us (including myself) struggle with.

You are absolutely correct that it's not always about vanity.  In many cases, weight becomes an issue of life or death for some of us.  Excess weight can contribute to the heart issues; it's connected to type II diabetes and other health issues.  

Once we know, for sure, what thyroid condition you have, maybe we can pin it down and figure out what might help you start dropping some of those pounds.  I have hypothyroidism and it took getting my thyroid replacement hormone levels up point that was good for me, not just "in range" on the lab report.

If you care to post your actual thyroid hormone levels, with reference ranges, we might be able to help you figure out how you might be able start losing some weight.  You can also join me in the Weight Loss and Dieting forum, if you care to...  

[Milseain]

I just been diagnosed with Hyperthyroid.

I just turned 38 and I have 3 children {ages 18, 15 & 13}.
I'm 5'4" and 195 lbs. Most of the extra weight is my belly.
I look like I'm about to have a baby at any moment and I'm NOT pregnant.
I have been trying to lose weight {mostly my belly} since my oldest was born, but I just keep getting bigger {mostly my belly}.

My weight is a MAJOR issue and here is why...

I was diagnosed with hypertension {High Blood Pressure} at 26.
My cardiologist just told me that if I don't start losing weight, that I will have a stroke or heart attack and possibly die at a younger age then my mom {she died at 54 from a heart attack}.
  
ME LOSING WEIGHT = ME STAYING ALIVE...

So NOT all weight issues are about vanity and what one looks like. Losing weight for a lot of people is about being healthy and for some people {like me} it is about staying alive...

I just wanted you and anyone that agrees with your post to know this because your post did sound a bit harsh, a little rude, and very judgmental.

[Barb135]

Sorry -- my last sentence should read: "If your thyroid hormone levels are NOT adjusted properly, it will be much more difficult to lose weight, than if your levels are right for you, not just "normal" on the labs."  

[Barb135]

You picked a really old thread to comment on, but if it helped you, that's great.  You are right, that people often judge us by our appearance, and particularly, by our weight; and when we can't lose it, no matter what we do, we're accused of overeating, being lazy, etc. We've all (or many of us) had to learn to deal with that aspect of thyroid disease; it's not fun.

We might be able to help you further, if you'd like. Maybe it would be good if you start a new thread and post your most current thyroid levels, along with their reference ranges, from your lab report.  If your thyroid hormone levels are adjusted properly, it will be  much more difficult to lose weight, than if your levels are right for you, not just "normal" on the labs.  

[ayooty]

thank youuu all for this wonderful comments i feel soo much better let me start with my story
well i was diagnosed with hyperthyroid last year September been on medications since then i gained 8 kg s :( last time i went to the doctor he told me that i gained 2 more kg s so i'm 71 kg s now and i'm 5"1 i know i'm very over weight !!i had so many different comments from people saying that i gained so much weight and should control myself ,and they don't know what i'm going through ive been ill for the past year never had a single day where i felt healthy my heart has been beating like crazy i feel tired all the time along with other symptoms i'm sure you all know what i'm going through ,the hardest thing through this journey was my weight gain people judge you from the way you look especially i'm 18 years old and the way i look does matter to me ,when people ask me why i have gained so much weight i feel like crying i cant just tell them oh my thyroid messed up my life or it caused all this problems ,sometimes i ask myself why me i used to be very  happy before but after my thyroid everything changed my life has turned 360 degrees i'm not the same anymore !!! my family dont really support me or even talk about it ,my mum asks me to control my weight that's all she cares about !!my sister last night told me how i look awful and how this weight gain is making me look ugly so i cried for two hours after that !!this morning i saw this thread and was very happy to see how some people look at it and understands it !!! whatever i read here made me feel so much better yes i will write a dairy and eat healthy and stop stressing about weight ,people should love me the way i am ,i'm not going to be a model so get over it and i will try my best to loose all this weight when i'm fully recovered !!!
thanks all
lovexxxx

[bizwiz12751]

Hi there. I understand your concerns. Whenever there is a thyroid issue, there is a risk of being hypothyroid and/or hyperthyroid. In either case every person reacts differently when it comes to weight. Many hypothyroid people gain weight and some lose weight. Many hyperthyroid people gain weight and some lose weight. Then if you need medicine for the thyroid condition then there may be a weight issue, as well. I must stress that every person reacts differently to any and/or all issues or scenarios that you may experience. Just remember that whatever the scenario or issue you'll experience there will be someone on this board that would have at certain time probably experienced it also. So, keep in touch and let us know how any one here may help you. Good luck.

[bizwiz12751]

Yep, certainly an old thread. However, I have something to say about this weight thing. Here it goes, I hope no one takes it personally. I fully understand that a weight issue may not be as important to us as feeling well, beating cancer, not feeling achy all the time, being able to function, and any other hypo/hyper ailment that we experience from being under or over medicated because of our thyroid malfunction. With that said, I think for some people the weight is just as much of an issue as any of those ailments. The psychological effect that it has on some people is just as damaging as the physical effects. For some it's losing relationships with loved ones. I'm just trying to point out that it's important that we pay attention to everyones' concerns not only to those concerns that we feel are important to us. It's sometimes hard to express what you're trying to say as a written message. I agree that giving people thyroid meds to lose weight if they don't have a thyroid problem is irresponsible. However, there are people out there that do have problems losing weight no matter what they do. I was one of those people and I would have sold my soul to the devil to lose the weight and look good. Fortunately, my thyroid problem was found and that helps to explain things, however, I wake up thinking about weight and what I can and can not eat and it takes a while to logically explain it to myself. The process, though, is psychologically damaging and at the very least tiring. And I am only saying all this stuff because no one can minimize the psychological damage vs the physical damage. I am not fat, but I am certainly over weight. I am certainly working on the 30 lbs that I can stand to lose but it's a constant struggle every day. Ok, I guess I'm done. I'm sure I'll get a whole bunch of "flack" over this post. But since my Armour switch a week ago, I can take it so bring it on. LOL!

[MSChevy]

I think it is natural for any person to think of their health and weight. It sounds as if you had more issuse going on with your weight and health in all. To be skinny is not an issue with me to be fat is not an issue with me. To be told I have a cold nodule is. It is normal for a person to wonder about there appreance as you are not to happy with the fact of having to have your neck cut and a SCAR, as well as I'am. i could sit here and say the scar is the less of your worries and but it is not for me to say or comment on who ever has a question on their wieght, the scar or the whole surgery procedure period. This is all in gods hands and people have their right to ask a question about what ever they want regarding this health issue. I agree with you to a certain degree, but to come off so hard is really not the way to go when we are all damn near in the same boat.  I have my surgery Feb 17th and I'm scared as hell. To all of you dealing with this I will keep you in my prayers and I hope you all do the same for each other.

[julie383]

I have heard alot of about the weight concern...could someone tell me how this is so ??because I hear so many different opinions on this. I am of course all very new  to this and looking at the possible TT.

[Smilerdeb]

All women feel good when they look good BUT....in all honesty, you get tired of worrying so much about the damn levels, the symptoms, the bloods, the waiting on results that in the end WHEN all starts to stabalise, you realise that as long as your weight is NOT causing you any major illness...that it will slowly come off when it is good and ready.
None of us wanna be fat.
Look at the wedding pics in my profile of my Daughters wedding in October 2008, then look at the pic in the profile 2 months later..THEN look at pic number one BEFORE RAI.
Do I look the same weight...NO.But I look really SICK in that pic of me in a pink top.
And ya know what, I dont care.
People take you as they find you and if they dont like it, then they arent worth sticking around you.
You are no different to anyone of us women here....we all want Sandra Bullocks body (Gawd, do I ever? lol) But we are all human and our personalities and the people we are is NOT in the weight.
Whats makes us what we are today is our hearts, our minds , our compassion for others but most of all...Our Strength.

I still look in the mirror and say to the boyfriend...'hey Hunny....are we gonna trade me in for a newer model".
He just laughs and says ...'No but you might need a Grease and Oil change lol'.
Be who you are and start to like yourself.
Once the levels stabilise, so does the weight....believe me.
But dont expect the Hyper weight.
I like me more as a person now than the person I was with Graves rage.
Gawd I was shocking.:(

My only regret with my weight is I dont clothes shop much now as my 'fat' clothes dont fit and neither do my 'skinny clothes lol.....
Perhaps ...soon  (hehehe)

[Liz94]

Well I'll admit that the first question I asked my surgeon was "am I going to get fat?"  Now that I read your post I feel kind of stupid that that was more important than "am I going to get better?"  It makes me sad. It makes me even sadder that my question has changed from my weight to "is my hair ever going to quit falling out?" But I know that underneath the vanity is a sincere desire to get well. That is first and foremost the biggest thing that occupies my thoughts almost constantly. Until I wash my hair and there goes 100 more down the drain.  Then just for a second I let that vanity creep back in.....

[ChitChatNine]

GREAT THREAD!  I agree with it.  I am "all better" but gain weight still.  Ugh and Grrr and going for a blood test this week to see if the #'s are more hypo than they should be cause I have symptoms now, too, with it.  

C~

[stella5349]

Hit the nail - right on the head.

We need more of that attitude for sure.

Yeap the hyper made me "beautiful" - but I was an emotional wreck for sure.

[Smilerdeb]

I agree with all said here.
I too went through a stage of depression over my weight.
Recently I have lost 2 kilograms (roughly 4.4lbs) after I gained 16 kilograms before RAI and Hyperthyroidism.
Now I have decided that I will work on my weight as my thyroid levels are stabilising and if I lose , I lose it.
If I dont...then I dont!
My Doctor made a good point to me....
he said ' Debs, the weight you was BEFORE dx was HYPER weight.'
You will never be the 55kgs you was but after gaining 16 kgs which took me to 71kgs....I am at the 65-66 kgs mark and working on getting down to 60kgs.

So honestly and truthfully remember one thing.....
If you was skinny, lucious and had a gorgous svelte figure BEFORE diagnosis with HyperT then it was the Hyper that gave you that figure lol.
Food for thought?

Makes sense to me.

[redheadaussie]

For me the weight issue was a concern as a means to prove I had a hypo thyroid...when it was eventually diagnosed I gave a big fat sigh of relief...and then thought, Ok tick off check list thyroid problem...I knew the weight would be difficult to lose and it has been, two years of struggling...but I also looked harder into the issue and thought...Holy Moley! If I do not stop blaming my thyroid and just get up off my butt, stop eating the so called good and  healthy prepacked weight loss foods and do some excersise I can get DIABETES, HEART FALIURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL,  KIDNEY DISEASE... just to name a few!
The high cholesterol unfortunately I got..that runs in the family so struck out on blaming my thyroid for that one!
   But INCENTIVE not blame is a healthier way to go about the weight issue.
People need to keep a food diary...it is hard, but you write down every thing, including those 4 peanuts, that crust you ate off Juniors sandwich, that taste of the soup you were making, you will be totally surprised how it is WHAT we eat and when not the fact that hypo = fat or hyper = super skinny...It just doesn't work that way. Some hypers go enourmous and some hypos lose weight incredibly.
I gained over 30 kgs (66 lbs) in less than a year before I got diagnosed, but i was also super hungry (thyroid going hypo) but instead of being sensible and eating a normal filling fibre filled meal I would eat a whole family sized pizza in one sitting! Bazillion calories in that!
   I have lost nearly 20 kilos in a year, because I stood there one day and thought, my god if I don't DO something, even though I have a thyroid diagnosis I will die...so I am not getting paranoid when my weight starts to creep back up, I just go for a walk instead. I look at the calories I burn when I fold two towels then put them away at the other end of the house, then come back for two more things, and put them away. Little things help. Sitting around blaming the thyroid is like blaming my great grandmother for my red hair, yes it is here and yes it happens, but I can dye it or shave it off,just like the thyroid, do something about it or sit and worry all day long.
So good points there Stella...!

[stella5349]

Wow

This post sure was dug up from the archives.

First as I read it - I love the way our board grouped together as it did when I posted this. I miss that chit chat stuff.

I love how AR puts a man's opinion on it - We need that here for sure!!

Second - Well so far I lost 11 pounds since then. I was finally getting stable on my meds right when I wrote this.  I was into the balance of meds for only three weeks.

Now almost a year later - I am so blessed. I have been "thyroid" anxiety free and well.

(still a bit of a steam engine at times - but that is my personality for sure)

I was just driving around today with my husband and I was talking to him about all of you. The ones that are right now in the same boat as I was.

I cried. - I know how we feel about the weight and anxiety this all brings on us.

I went to a mall in Milwaukee today and WALKED through the entire place. Last year I would of "run for the hills!!" before my hand would have opened the doors!

( seriously - no joke.)

Really as I said originally and really believe it. Stick your mind on one thing ONLY ---

Getting well - Getting thyroid well.

Then tackle the horrible weight. It will come off.

( I just wish it melted off as fast as it did when I was so hyperthyroid )    LOL

[Barb135]

I'm pretty new at the whole thyroid thing - only dx'd in June 08, but from the way I felt for over a year prior, I suspect that I had hypothyroidism for quite a while before that. My doctor simply told me that I had to lose weight because of my family history of heart disease; I was eventually dx'd with pernicious anemia, started on b-12 shots and as far as my PCP was concerned, that was the end of the story - except that he was still telling me I needed to lose weight to protect my heart.  Everything I said about my eating habits, exercise, etc fell on deaf ears.  

I was finally dx'd with Hashi's just a couple weeks ago and I still don't understand what this nasty condition is doing to me.  I know I'm sick because even when I feel better than I used to, I feel horrible, yet people, including my PCP just look at me like I'm some kind of whiny hypochondriac and tell me to lose weight to protect my heart.  

I know I need to concentrate on getting well and that's what I'm really trying to do but when I read the posts here about what needs to be done and my PCP tells me the exact opposite, refuses to run certain tests, etc - what am I supposed to do??  I got lucky because my dr's nurse practitioner sent me to an ENT for what she thought was an unrelated problem; the ENT sent me for TPOab, ultra sound, etc and dx'd Hashi's; he's  senting me on to an endo.  I'm really praying that the endo is going to help me get well.

"Weight concerns are also more frequently an issue for women. Men can get fat and nobody cares. Women are held to the Supermodel standard. Gotta look skinny, or you're lazy and frumpy."   That was taken from AR-10's post and ssssooo true!!  

I  am only 5' tall, small boned and always kept my weight between 105 and 115, until the thyroid started whacking out.  Yes it bothers me that I've gone from a size 4 or 6 to a size 12.  My body wasn't meant to carry this much weight so it makes my legs and ankles hurt more, etc.  You know, if I had a broken leg, I'd be wearing a cast and it would be obvious that I couldn't get around a lot, so weight gain would be over looked.  Not so with weight gain from thyroid disease because there's nothing visible so people automatically think that you are "letting yourself go", unattractive, etc.  I'm with the person who said she wanted a t-shirt to let everyone know I didn't do this to myself.  

The disease is hard enough to deal with; the "attitude" from other people makes it so much more difficult.  Yes, I can deal with the weight gain now, because I've figured out that when everything else gets leveled out, I will be able to concentrate on it.  In the meantime, since my levels are still not right, I'm exercising and eating right and doing what I can to at least hold steady, without ignoring the important things.  

[Me967]

Hi all.  For me I just want to feel right and be healthy again and not be in constant pain.  I have to agree with Diana3353 though.  It's frustrating when the doctors want you to loose weight when you live with none stop pains.  
For my younger years I was VERY thin and I'm 5'.5".  Eyes sunk in and the whole 9 yards.  I used to force myself to drink weight gain when I weighed 87#'s to stay out of the hospital.  Then for many years I weighed between 110-125 then I jumped to 145 and then within a year of that 170 and now 175.  Ouch.  I can't even wear jeans anymore because the pain in my lower back hurts to bad and I look 8 months pregnant due to being bloated.  I hate it.

My point is I guess is that I just want my life back.  No all over body pains, heart palps, hair thinning, swollen lumpy face and walking like a penguin.  I like stella wonder if last year or the year before I forget, lol, when I took phentermine (spell check) if that didn't start the thyroid issues.  Then again I don't EVEN KNOW IF I NEED THYROID MEDS IN THE FIRST PLACE.  lol  All of it is just frustrating.  

As for any Doctor that would give thyroid med's to loose weight though should not be in practice.  That's just really messed up.

As for me I think I'm going to get a second opinion on all of this crapola.  Weight is embarrassing but feeling like **** all the time is horrible.  If I gain more it will bother me but not nearly as much as all of my pain.  
If I found something to make me feel human again but I had to gain even more weight to achieve it.  I would in a heart beat dispite the "O you look pregnant" comments in the last 2 years!

[Cynnieb4]

My weight has fluctuated off an on over the years. From a size 5 to 18. I am pretty emotional as my hashi's is getting under control. I am starting to feel somewhat normal. Once the swelling and tissue go down. I should be able to concentrate more on the weight. But for me feeling human again is the first step. I am going to get an exercise bike on top of my wii fit.

[hollyberrys6]

Hi I'm Hyperthyroid and had a ED from the time I was 13 to 35 ,when my Dr said I'm hyperthroid ( Graves ) my eating disorder came back I'm 5"5" and weigh 86 pds I'm small boned and am having a hard time eating anything I'm now 53 years old and think will my ED ever stop  and really throught I was over my ED ,I also wonder is my ED caused me to have graves ,I wish I knew the answer my Dr knows I had and now have the  ED and is worried about my wt ,right now ,my Dr said that he thought my ED would come back again cause of being hyper , he is pushing for Surgery cause I have been in 4 thyroid Storms already ,he does not know how to help me out ,D
My Thyroid levels are still high

[DLA]

I gained 70 lbs in less than 6 months when my Graves' first got really bad.  Was hard at the time NOT to consentrate on the weight, it hurt coming on that fast.  ugh  So I do understand where they're coming from.  But hopefully they will be able to come to terms with it also.

Use to want a T-shirt that said "I DIDN'T DO THIS TO MYSELF!  MY THYROID DID!"  Some times I'd still like that T-shirt when I run into people and they don't recognize me.  But now when they don't recognize me I just tell them,  "Yeah, I know.  It's the weight."  and let it go.  If they ask, I'll be more than happy to tell them about thyroid and how bad it can be when it gets sick.  Otherwise, I just let it go.

My huge goal is just to be healthy and have a "normal"--if there is such a thing--and happy life.  =+)

[stella5349]

This weight thing is tough - but I think we have grown to understand that we want to get better - then tackle the weight.

I was reading a post from someone earlier today stating her doc gave her Thyroid meds to lose weight. I couldn't believe it - or didn't want to. It seemed alot of posts this AM was from newbie's that were more worried  about gaining weight then there actual Dx of thyroid disease. I was one of them when I first was Dx'd with Graves. -

Gaining 40 pounds bothered me - but after the illnesses I got and almost dying - I realized I better rethink my views and get healthy first. I hope these new posters start to take their health serious instead of the worry of gaining a few pounds

[krss60]

I have been worried about wt. gain also.  And still am.  But with all I have read i have not completely realized how bad it can be to be either hypo/hyper.  I know there will be a body shock if i have to have the RAI, And don't really know all the ends and outs. But  I have learned that I need to be just as concerned about other body systems as well.  I will be so glad when I talk to my doc. he can explain what i am facing.  He has already mention the RAI, even before I was finally dx with Graves.  
Thanks AR-10

[DLA]

Amen!!!  You preach it, sister!  I'm right there with ya.