weight gain after hysterectomy

[justge]

After having a hysterectomy in 2008 my weight has gone from 100 to 189 pounds ( mostly in my stomach).  After having my thyroid tested two years ago I was informed I have hypothyroidism which I never had any weight problems before my surgery.  I have changed my eating and I now exercise regularly I've only been able to lose 10 pounds in six months. Does anyone have any suggestions and would having my thyroid removed help me lose weight?

[Barb135]

Now, I feel foolish - my first post posted after it showed for several minutes that it didn't... oh well...

[Barb135]

Well, I just responded with a rather lengthy post and good ole MH lost it again, so I'll try to recreate it...

I'm a bit confused, but that's not really unusual... lol   You started gaining weight "after" your hysterectomy, but "before" you were diagnosed with hypothyroidism, is that correct?  

Your thyroid controls your metabolism, so chances are, your thyroid started malfunctioning some time before you were actually diagnosed with hypothyroidism, as it's not unusual for symptoms to appear before labs go out of range - or maybe you simply weren't tested.  

I'm assuming that you're on thyroid replacement hormones now to treat the hypothyroidism, so the fact that you can't lose weight is a good indication that your medication needs to be adjusted. What med(s) and dosage(s) are you on and how long have you been on them?

If you'll post your current thyroid hormone levels and be sure to include the reference ranges (those vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report), we'll be able to better assess your testing/treatment and give you some suggestions going forward.

[gimel]

You have to have adequate thyroid hormone levels,  from your thyroid gland and/or from thyroid med.  Although weight gain can be related to a number of things, certainly one is low metabolism due to low thyroid levels.  If you will post your thyroid related test results and reference ranges shown on your lab report, we can try to assess the adequacy of your testing and treatment.  Also, what thyroid med are you taking and what dosage?  What symptoms do you have other than weight gain?  When you were diagnosed with hypothyroidism was the cause identified?

[Barb135]

I'm a little confused, but that's not always unusual... lol   If I'm understanding correctly, the weight gain started "after" the hysterectomy, but "before" the hypothyroidism diagnosis, is that correct?

While many women to gain weight after a hysterectomy, due to the change in hormones, many of us do not - I didn't either.  I did, however, start gaining weight like there was no tomorrow when my thyroid function started declining, which was almost a year before I was finally diagnosed with hypothyroidism.  

One of the main symptoms of hypothyroidism is weight gain, because your thyroid controls your metabolism and when your thyroid no longer works properly, neither does your metabolism ... bingo, we've probably found the cause of your weight gain/inability to lose!!  Welcome to the club.

I'm assuming that you're on thyroid replacement hormones... is that correct?  What med(s) and dosage(s) are you on and how long have you been on them?

What are your current thyroid hormone levels?  Most likely, your thyroid hormone dosage needs to be adjusted.  

Please post your current thyroid hormone levels.  Be sure to include reference ranges, which vary lab to lab and have to come from your own lab report.  Once we see those, we can better assess your testing/treatment and make some suggestions that you might try.