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Thyroid Disorders
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Posted 2/6/2012 2:27 AM (GMT 0)
I've not read anywhere here about people suffering with problems with their weight and their thyroid problems.  I'm having troubles losing what I gained after I went from hyper to hypo and then to stable.  Then they come back and say the other bloods tests show high calcium levels and low phosphorus levels.  I think I'm a mess.  I been dealing with all this for 3 years and have gained 30 pounds.

I'm going to a new doctor (endo) to see if I can get a second opinion on things.  With the first one we never even discussed that there was a Parathryoid.  I had no idea what it did, and still am not sure! 

This is complicated stuff!

Posted 2/6/2012 2:54 PM (GMT 0)
I am with you there. I was hyperthyroid for a while and lost about 25 pounds. Then I started going the other way and have gained that back plus 15 more. Thats 40 pounds extra weight in one year. I feel so yukky and fat. I am doing all I can to lose it or at least from going up any more because I was already over weight when all this started, but its hard. I am on prednisone too so I have 2 strikes against me. My endo appointment is early next month so we will be talking about alot of things.....

You are right about the complicated part. Let me know how your appointment goes. I will do likewise. Maybe between us we will get some new and useful info.

take care,
Posted 2/6/2012 9:46 PM (GMT 0)
I am in the same boat right now. as far as I know I've always been hypo. When I first started on this journey I was at a pretty slender weight. I held steady for several years then started some lyrica for my fibromyalgia and about the same time my pharmascist switched my sysnthroid to levothyroxine and I feel that's about the same time I started gaining weight. In the last couple of years I've gained about 30+ pounds. I'm not happy about it all actually quite frustrated. The weight gain was gradual at first then just a recently is when I've noticed the biggest difference. I went from 145-175 within about three years. I've never weighed that much. I'm going to have a little heart to heart with my doctor the next time I see him. I am currently not taking lyrica cause i thought that might be the whole thing with the weight gain. I'm still gaining. I really am wondering if its not the levothyroxine they put me on. I know its supposed to be the same med but their not. I might be one of those people that need to take the name brand synthroid. I'll just see what my doctor has to say about it. I so dread getting back on those scales. I'm afraid i might break down and cry if i've gained any more weight. I don't feel bad really its just the clothes one week I just really started noticing how my clothes weren't fitting any more. I wore a size 10 for the longest time and now I"m a 14:( I know it shouldn't matter, but it does. I know as we age our metabolism slows down still i'm not comfortable at this weight and want to do something about it been when you have fibromyalgia and thyroid problems its hard to know where to start.
Posted 2/8/2012 1:31 AM (GMT 0)
Yes! Finally some people who understands this and they don't just give me that "sad" smile when I talk about it.  They think that I just can't lose the weight because I'm not eating right or "cheating,"etc.   I have a huge appetite constantly and am fighting it and trying really hard, writing everything down, going to an exericse swim class, and walking.  I could do more, but for heavens sakes, you would think I'd at least have lost 5 pounds by now, but it won't come off!  I've cut calories way down (always below 1,200) and sometimes lower.

Between the weight I lost and then regained, I've gone down 2 pants sizes and now back up 3.  It's crazy.  I take my Synthroid 88 in the mornings and wait about 1/2 hour and then eat breakfast and take the rest of my pills.  I moved up vitamins and such to later in the day so they wouldn't mix.  I don't think any of that would affect weight gain, though.

SO, when I see the NEW endo doctor AND my cardiologist this month (who is female and might have some insight on this) I will have my ducks in a row and have good questions, I hope.  I'm tired of feeling fat and tired and embarrassed.

I don't know what kind of danger I am in with all of these levels being "off," but I know my friend who is a Diabetes Educator told me I was at borderline diabetic levels with my glucose and would get worse if I keep gaining. 

Let's hope we can all get some answers!   I'm tired of the pity looks.  mad

Posted 2/8/2012 1:36 PM (GMT 0)
Just one thought: a lot of us are also on anti-depressants or related drugs (such as Lyrica.) Anti-d's are notorious for being associated with weight gain, so that could also be a factor.

Somehow we just can't win. We have a chronic disease (or in a lot of cases chronic diseases), we become depressed. We take anti-depressants, we gain weight, we get depressed again.

Life's a beach sometimes, isn't it?
Posted 2/8/2012 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
"Life's a beach" but we're too depressed to go sit on it....

I've been on the same anti-depressant for over 8 years, and I never had weight gain like this.  (I'm using Clonazepam. It works for me.)

We'll have some answers soon.  Or else more questions.  Who knows.  I want to be able to NOT have to buy new pants (again) for summer. 

 

Posted 2/24/2012 6:37 PM (GMT 0)
Well, I went to see my new endo.  It seems that it always falls back on ME about how I'm handling my weight gain, how much I'm exercising, am I keeping up with a good diet, etc.  They don't seem to want to talk about maybe there are "other" reasons for our weight gains. 

She told me that any woman past menopause (or hysterectomy) always has problems with weight gain, it is a given fact.  Also that other meds, etc. can contribute. It just so distressing that it happens so fast and you are totally not in control when the thyroid is acting up.

She said that different doctors looks at the numbers differently, so she took another blood test and will get back to me on what is going on there.  She said that "maybe" we could do some adjustments with my thyroid meds.  I'm on 88 mg of Synthroid.  Is that a dose others are on? 

She recommended that I see a nutritionist and so I made an appt.  It just seems that they are putting it all on my shoulders to lose the weight and work hard at it.  It wasn't "hard" to gain it when the thryoid was out of wack....why won't our bodies go backwards and let some of the weight come off once the thyroid #'s are back in line?  Seems unfair, doesn't it? 

It would be SO tempting to say "phoeey" with the meds and let my body go back to what it was doing when I lost the weight, but I know that would be unhealthy and maybe dangerous?? 

As I can see from reading everyone else's comments, this is VERY frustrating to many of us.  Why are there not more answers and more ways to help control it while they are correcting us with the meds?    40 pounds ago when they started me on the Snythroid they should have also given us direction on keeping the weight from going up.  I have NO idea it was going to happen.

Thanks for keeping up with all of this.  I have some big events coming up in my life (children graduations, weddings, etc.) and now I've ballooned up to a weight that I just feel sick about it.  I can't find clothing and I'm losing self-confidence.

Thanks for listening!!

Posted 2/27/2012 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
Are all you happy with your thyroid numbers, TSH, FT4 and FT3? Besides the weight, are you feeling good?
Posted 2/28/2012 10:44 PM (GMT 0)
I'm still working on getting them settled down, and understanding them. Besides the weight, no, I don't think I'm up to things. Less energy, not myself, and self-esteem is bad due to weight gain. I'm trying to through test results and read and understand the "ranges" they give me and where I fall, but it's pretty confusing. And then they've added in the parathyroid and high phosorous, etc.

I saw my new doctor last week. She took additional tests. Now I'll try to get a more definitive answer and maybe more details so I can understand things a little better.
Posted 2/29/2012 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
When I was hyper I lost a lot of weight. I gained it all back and then some on anti thyroid drugs, I think because my doctor kept me on an inappropriate high dose for too long. Once I got a handle on understanding lab testing (there is more than just the TSH) that helped me get the treatment I needed. Of course. you're on the opposite meds than I was - I was on thyroid suppressant. You're on thryoid supplement/replacement.
Posted 2/29/2012 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
What? Can you explain "why" next to these suggestions? This isn't heart healthly! If a person has weight gain, we are close to pre-diabetic stages. This increases cholesterol, etc. Explain your comments? Thanks.
Posted 3/1/2012 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
29 male
I have been diagnosed with Thyroiditis for a year. It started as Hyper for many months with loss of weight and fast heart rate. Then my levels went into Hypo for a couple of months with slight weight gain, weakness, fatigue. have been getting TSH T3 and T4's checked periodicly and currently are in ranges. But still do not feel well, tired, weak, and nauseated. My endo said it may have been a virus. I feel as if I don't get enough sleep waking up at 530am every morning and cant fall back a sleep. guess I'll just make another follow up appointment. Maybe I'll never know what's the cause, still hope it gets better and this isn't as good as it gets.
cry
Posted 3/1/2012 10:21 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, it's a struggle.  Get the answers, that's what I'm trying to do.  I keep going back and asking more and more.  The fatigue=weight gain=fatigue!! ha

We're with you in this, keep us updated on what you are doing and maybe it will help us all.  Good luck.

 

Posted 3/18/2012 3:40 PM (GMT 0)
By the time I was diagnosed with Hashi's, I was about 110 pounds overweight! I started the hcg diet, and for whatever reason, I stayed motivated with it. I lost 95 pounds within 12 months. Then within a couple of months, had a bad hashi's flare up, started gaining like crazy again, with fatigue, depression........ So, naturally I quit eating healthy, ate whatever was easy, what felt good at the time, didn't care much, and continued gaining. In the last 10 months of this terrible cycle, I've gained 65 pounds back. I'm huge, no clothes fit, depressed, blah! My muscles and joints hurt, and it is so hard to get motivated to exercise. I don't want to use Hashi's as my "excuse", but I sure do have more compassion for people who struggle with their weight. I really need to get this weight off!
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