why the weight gain on thyroid meds?

[thyroidless1944]

I am really concerned after reading everyone's comments on weight gain with Thyroid medications.  I thought regulating my weight after surgery would be easier than trying with a cancerous thyroid.  What is the problem?
I am already overweight, though not obese.  However, it seems that no one loses weight, just gains it.  Help???

[blksapphire]

I gained about 40 lbs within two months before they figured out what was wrong and since I had RAI treatment  and on the synthroid, I have gained another  20 lbs.  I not sure how much is from the meds, but I will check into the books mention by Utah and Stella.  

I notice that I get urges for sweet stuff and then salty stuff.  I have never been a sweet eater, however, when I mention that I want something "sweet" everyone try to figure out whats going on.

I am still a baby at this and I don't know a lot, although I read on it all the time.  I just can't seem to make sense of it all.

I went to the dr today for my follow up on bronchitis and have lost 3 lbs. I was so happy, I could have kissed the scale.  I don't care how I lost them, I was glad they were gone.

I have learned to take this thryoid issue one step at a time.    Take a moment and check out the recommended books.  One may be to your liking.

Take care

Terri

[ChitChatNine]

I have been absolutely at exact weight until the past 8 weeks ago when my synthroid went from 88 to 75 mcgs.  OK OK ... I know .. time for bloodtest one of these days to get my TSH but I feel great and whatever the weight gain, well ... better for me than cancer..however, My TSH should be closer to 1.0 than where it probably is now at 1.8 ...but cannot take the side effects.

I get no hunger pangs on synthroid .. go figure?

C~ partial .. other side never began to work again 1/07

[Totie]

I think everyone is differnt. I did not gain weight from thlyroid medicaion even being on it for the longest time.

[utahmomma]

I like the South Beach stuff but watch closely for the carbs. (the bars are *wonderful snack replacements)  Talk to a dietitian at your hospital or check with the American Diabetic Association (web site too) to get some great low carb ideas and learn how to count carbs.

The key is to watch the carbs and to eat 5-6 *small* meals a day concentrating on proteins and fruits/veggies.

Many of us crave carbs (I crave the breads and pastas).

And, yes, since I had my thyroid removed I've gained 35lbs.  I watch my food, stay on the meds, and try to exercise (when I have the strength) but my metabolism is SHOT because of the thyroid.

I've been on lovothyroxine, Synthroid, and now Armour - same results.

Now I'm in the hospital with bad pancreatitis  (going on 4 days now) and there won't be any room for me to slip up with the diet or I'll be back here.  :-(

Best to you!

Utahmomma
papillary carcinoma '03
recurrence and RAI '06 and probably '08
three sisters with papillary carcinoma (one with three recurrences)
  .    all of us have gained weight since the surgeries

[stella5349]

Sugar and carbs are the very evils of hypothyroidism. It is so hard for us through b/c our systems crave them horribily.

There is hope - stay on task.

There is a Doctor Sears - with the Zone diet. The South Beach diets and another one I think Mary Shoman has out on her diet info.

All those are very good for us and can walk us through a day to day program to get back to what we want.

Good Luck

[Linda1068]

Thanks Stella. Like I stated above I just started taking meds a couple of months ago. I go to the Endo for 1st check up since starting the meds. I hope I'm okay. I will remember though to get an answer from him as to whether or not  I have hyper or hypo or something. I started gaining weight at quite a quick rate before I had my PT and I thought there might me something wrong with me health wise.
And thanks for telling me to stay away from sugar. That is my favorite food unfortunately. I will ask my Endo exactly what kind of diet I should be on. I need to eat healthier anyways.  

[Cindy40]

Thank you so much for trying to explain why we have trouble losing weight even when we are on meds.  I too thought when I got on meds it would be easier to lose, but it dosen't work that way even though I am on a strict diet and exercise.  I know it is probably hard for people to believe, but people who are truely effected by thyroid disease understand.

[stella5349]

If you cannot answer the persons question with any information - please refrain from even posting on those threads

She wanted to know information - not listen to your rant about sports or Hollywood abusers.

Trust me - most hypothyroid patients do not get "Hungry" on thyroid meds - in fact they spend most of their time in GI distress and with acid reflex problems that totally keeps some of us in a nausea state!!

I tend to wonder why you are here? I have not seem any information to help our community.


Please respond on your own thread why you are so curious with thyroid when your is normal as you say it?

[thyroidless1944]

Thank you for all of your input.  Much of it makes sense.  The only problem is that it seems we crave what we are not supposed to have.  The week after surgery, it was craving chocolate.  This week it is just an enormous appetite.  Going off prednisone did not help.  I am not even on thyroid meds yet.  It is too soon after TT for me.  I haven't had RAI yet and haven't seen my endocrinologist.  I'm reading as much as I can take on thyroid and medications.  People who are experiencing the same symptoms are so much more helpful.  Thanks.

[Rose14]

For me it has been   the opposite, i lost 10 pounds in two months so far since started to take Levoxyl, and also loosing lots of my hair, which Is very anoying, I am afraid to brush my hair and it will fall all over. So everyone gets different response.

[stella5349]

No it is not directly from the meds. It is hypothyroid in general.

Your whole endocrine system slows down and that is why gaining weight or maintaining is so difficult

In retrospect - thyroid meds actually increases our homone production which increases our metobolism which decreases weight.

Being hypothyroid also processes carbs and sugars in a different way - we now store these instead of burning them - so our insulin levels are never very stable.

We need as hypothyroid patients to be very careful (IF WEIGHT IS AN ISSUE) on what we consume as food.

Sugars and carbs will only pack on pounds for us and do absolutely no good.

By carbs - I mean- pasta breads and potatoes. There are good carbs in certain veggies that help us tremendously.

At the beginning of hypothyroidism it is nobody - or nothing we do wrong.- BUT the quicker we get our condition in a euthyroid state the faster we are able to loose weight.

[Linda1068]

I have gained weight. Is it directly from the meds, I am not 100% sure. I only started taking them 2 months ago. I guess I'll see as more time goes by. Then I'll know if it is the meds fault or mine.