Weight loss and hypothyroid/Hashimoto's???

LongislandGirl27 · 03-16-2009, 09:05 PM

Hello
I have mentioned my struggle with weight loss in my previous threads but just want to hear about other people's experiences. I was diagnosed with Hasimoto's last year and taking Synthroid at the lowest dose since. I still dont feel like I have lost any weight and actually feel I may have gained a few pounds and my weight fluctuates fmo week to week and month to month. I watch my diet for the most part and exercise like crazy, without any good results.

What are your experiences with this? Anyone notice weight los, even a few pounds, with the right medications for their hypothyroidism? I am hoping to blame it on the fact htat I am not being treated well and am in the process of finding a new Dr.

Please tell!

nonstickpam107 · 03-17-2009, 08:53 AM

I would lose and gain the same 10 pounds before I was adequately medicated. (meaning my FT3 was about 2/3 of it's range, and my FT4 was about midway of it's range, or slightly lower...this is an Armour Thyroid profile...Armour raise T3 and leaves T4 a bit lower, as most women who are hypothyroid function best at).

Once I was optimally medicated (I started on Synthroid 25mcg. for six weeks, then retested, went up to 50mcg. for eight weeks, retested and my FT3 was still in the 'basement' so switched up to one grain Armour split in half in am, half early afternoon and so on...for about 8 weeks, then retested, went up to 1.5 grains (90mg) and then was also balanced with progesterone and estradiol).

Once I got to optimally treated, it was THEN that my hour three times a week weight lifting, my two hours a week bike riding, lowcarbing (not less than 30gms carb, and 1400 to 1900 cals, depending on the day, and if I weight lifted or not) started to work!

Very clearly, while being hypothyroid and undertreated didn't keep pounds off with hard work, being treated optimally made all my HARD WORK AND EXERCISE, eating right pay off. Being optimized on thyroid hormones also means having to test and balance your other hormones too...and it doesn't just make you lose weight, maybe a pound or two of water weight, but just 'evens the playing field' and makes your eating right and hard work pay off.

Pam

LongislandGirl27 · 03-17-2009, 10:03 AM

Thank you! I hope that eventually I will be optimally treated because otehrwise, I am doingal olf the right things like you mentioned-thew eights, the diet (though it needs some work-love carbs, slwly cutting them down but slowly the best I can), and the cardio. I hope then finally I will see the results eventualy. Now, pam, do you find that you arent gaining weight anymore?
Sounds like you have it all well figured out-good for yoU!

2big4mysize · 03-17-2009, 11:41 AM

I was diagnoised and my doc must be a genius cause he prescribed 75mcg of a soy free thyroid med levoxyl back in 2002 ( syntrhoid at that time was compounded with soy as the filler) and my blood work at the follow up was spot on and I was losing weight working my Atkins indution. becasue of the speed with which I lost my first 100 pounds my doc kept saying "I got your thyroid meds tooo high" and each time the blood work would come back just right. When I had long stalls 6 weeks or more I called him and said my meds are too low and the blood work would agree and he would up me a little and the inches and sclaes would move again and once more he'd say I got your meds too high and the blood work would say no the Atkins is working. Once I got that first 113 pounds off my weight loss slowed down to what I considered a crawl, took 7 months to shed the first 113 and 10 months to lose the last 10.
I've had to have my dose increased once since I hit maintenance almost 5 yrs ago.

Since my doc told me it was a life style decision and he would adjust my meds to the foods I planned to eat I didn't have to worry about the goitrogens in the Atkins induction veggies nor the almonds issues cause I was eating them already when my meds were fixed orginally. looking back I'd say the move to OWL and adding more of those veggies and nuts was most likely the stalling factor for me and the reasons I needed more meds.

Since hashimoto folk are prone to other autoimmune illnesses my doc checks for those and keeps telling me blood work, blood work, blood work will let us know way before I feel any symptoms. So I'm compliant with his testing schedules

LongislandGirl27 · 03-17-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2big4mysize

I was diagnoised and my doc must be a genius cause he prescribed 75mcg of a soy free thyroid med levoxyl back in 2002 ( syntrhoid at that time was compounded with soy as the filler) and my blood work at the follow up was spot on and I was losing weight working my Atkins indution. becasue of the speed with which I lost my first 100 pounds my doc kept saying "I got your thyroid meds tooo high" and each time the blood work would come back just right. When I had long stalls 6 weeks or more I called him and said my meds are too low and the blood work would agree and he would up me a little and the inches and sclaes would move again and once more he'd say I got your meds too high and the blood work would say no the Atkins is working. Once I got that first 113 pounds off my weight loss slowed down to what I considered a crawl, took 7 months to shed the first 113 and 10 months to lose the last 10.
I've had to have my dose increased once since I hit maintenance almost 5 yrs ago.

Since my doc told me it was a life style decision and he would adjust my meds to the foods I planned to eat I didn't have to worry about the goitrogens in the Atkins induction veggies nor the almonds issues cause I was eating them already when my meds were fixed orginally. looking back I'd say the move to OWL and adding more of those veggies and nuts was most likely the stalling factor for me and the reasons I needed more meds.

Since hashimoto folk are prone to other autoimmune illnesses my doc checks for those and keeps telling me blood work, blood work, blood work will let us know way before I feel any symptoms. So I'm compliant with his testing schedules

So, do you mind me asking how old you are and what medication and dose are you currently taking? I have been on Synythoid 25 micrograms (lowest dose) for a yera and havent noticed any weight loss but instead weight gain maybe a few pounds, that varies from time to time.

2big4mysize · 03-17-2009, 12:44 PM

51 and am now on 125 mcg of levoxyl for my thyroid.

forget what the scales say. what does your blood work show as changed since you started? did you have a full panel? how many follow up blood tests have you had?
have you made any changes in your lifestyle or eating since you started taking your meds?

were you diganoised based on having antibodies or did you have symptoms too? I had both. I got diagnoised as I was starting my Atkins so I had improved thyroid fuction from the meds and being a cheatfree Atkinseer working for me doing both the exercise and the eating parts of the plan.

Have you been measuring too? I know another Atkinseer who is also hypothyroid and she didn't shed very many pounds 40 in 2 yrs with 20 of those during her initial 14 days, but she lost over 5 ft of herself measuring neck chest,bust, waist, hips, thighs calves, wrists and upper arms as she went from a fluffy marshmellow body type to a lean one.

Leo41 · 03-17-2009, 01:17 PM

LI Girl-

You cannot rely on your meds OR exercise to lose weight!

As Pam has pointed out, being optimally medicated for thyroid is the first essential for weight loss, but all that does is 'level the playing field'--i.e., make losing possible (which it isn't if you're not properly medicated).

THEN, depending on your age, etc., you have to be vigilent about how you eat. It can't be casual because for most of us, metabolism is slowed and losing weight is more challenging when dealing with thyroid disease. Excercise can help push your metabolism a little, but at least 90% of losing weight depends on what you eat.

I am post-menopausal and have Hashimoto's, and I find that I cannot lose unless I eat about 900 cal a day--or less. My endo agrees that this is my situation, discouraging though it is. And I'm optimally medicated for both T4 and T3 according to my blood work--which he does every four months---or less if I run into issues.

Younger people can probabaly eat at a higher calorie level and lose, but the point I'm trying to make is that you can't be casual about your eating and expect to lose weight. It's never easy once you're hypothyroid.

LongislandGirl27 · 03-17-2009, 09:17 PM

leo-thank you. I defnitely have to first be optimaly medicated which I dont think is the case. I a, still trying to make an appt witha new endocrinologist, trying to find a good one in the city now. In reerms of exercise and diet, I am extremely good about exercising so I am not worried about that. I am startng chalean extreme soon too so we'll see wbaout that.

For diet, I am pretty conscious about my diet. I am not exactly doing low carb, but have lowered my carb intake the last week or two but am, always paying attention to what I eat. I never eat too much in one sitting and awlys eat in moderation. So, I have to pay attention more and be very careful. I will try to do so in the next few weeks and see what hapepns.

But right now, I think the most importnat thing is to get adequate treatment and see what hpapens. I guessthat the pounds arent going to just fall off like I was fantasizing!

nonstickpam107 · 03-18-2009, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LongislandGirl27

Thank you! I hope that eventually I will be optimally treated because otehrwise, I am doingal olf the right things like you mentioned-thew eights, the diet (though it needs some work-love carbs, slwly cutting them down but slowly the best I can), and the cardio. I hope then finally I will see the results eventualy. Now, pam, do you find that you arent gaining weight anymore?
Sounds like you have it all well figured out-good for yoU!

I had to be strict then, and I have to now. Except I made a huge change from Protein Power/Atkins into BFFM. I DO have Celiac (so no flour/gluten ever), and I don't eat any sugar at all (never), but I transitioned over into changing from 45net gms per day of carbs all the way up to about 85, 90 grams of carbs on lifting days. I NEVER eat less than I should (I'm a very small person, and I can stay pretty low cal...but I don't go beneath 1400 and I have at least one day a week when I'm at 2000).

Ileen (inatic) helped me a lot with all of this, she's over on the Muscle Matter board and she's also hypothyroid.

Oh, I didn't lose weight FAST FAST ....I lost about 75% of my overweight, then transitioned to lifting/eating and I didn't see the scale move a lot during, but I have to say, I'm 54 years old, disable and I couldn't work my job on my feet so many hours had I NOT done this.

I wish you the best of luck! You are working hard, and deserve the best of treatment, and I hope you find it.

Pam

nonstickpam107 · 03-18-2009, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LongislandGirl27

Thank you! I hope that eventually I will be optimally treated because otehrwise, I am doingal olf the right things like you mentioned-thew eights, the diet (though it needs some work-love carbs, slwly cutting them down but slowly the best I can), and the cardio. I hope then finally I will see the results eventualy. Now, pam, do you find that you arent gaining weight anymore?
Sounds like you have it all well figured out-good for yoU!

I had to be strict then, and I have to now. Except I made a huge change from Protein Power/Atkins into BFFM. I DO have Celiac (so no flour/gluten ever), and I don't eat any sugar at all (never), but I transitioned over into changing from 45net gms per day of carbs all the way up to about 85, 90 grams of carbs on lifting days. I NEVER eat less than I should (I'm a very small person, and I can stay pretty low cal...but I don't go beneath 1400 and I have at least one day a week when I'm at 2000).

Ileen (inatic) helped me a lot with all of this, she's over on the Muscle Matter board and she's also hypothyroid.

Oh, I didn't lose weight FAST FAST ....I lost about 75% of my overweight, then transitioned to lifting/eating and I didn't see the scale move a lot during, but I have to say, I'm 54 years old, disabled physically as well as autoimmune diseases, and I couldn't work my job on my feet so many hours had I NOT done this.

I wish you the best of luck! You are working hard, and deserve the best of treatment, and I hope you find it.

Pam

nonstickpam107 · 03-18-2009, 07:05 AM

Sorry, double post!

Pam

LongislandGirl27 · 03-18-2009, 12:57 PM

Thats great that youre not eating sugar. I love sugar but of course with this low carb thingiie I am gong to try to cut it out and have made some chnges already. All of this low carb stuff is a lot to learn about. I heard about BFFM and it sounds goodbut is it very time consuiming? LIke are youmeasuring out amounts and such? Just wondering
I am deifnitely put i nthe effort at the gym and going to do a new orkout regimenm, chalean extreme, but its the dietpart and the annoying thyroid that kills me.

You deifnnitely think that the thyroid has a lot to do with it right? Or am I wrongin blaming it?

03-16-2009, 09:05 PM	#1
LongislandGirl27 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 150 Gallery: LongislandGirl27	Weight loss and hypothyroid/Hashimoto's??? Hello I have mentioned my struggle with weight loss in my previous threads but just want to hear about other people's experiences. I was diagnosed with Hasimoto's last year and taking Synthroid at the lowest dose since. I still dont feel like I have lost any weight and actually feel I may have gained a few pounds and my weight fluctuates fmo week to week and month to month. I watch my diet for the most part and exercise like crazy, without any good results. What are your experiences with this? Anyone notice weight los, even a few pounds, with the right medications for their hypothyroidism? I am hoping to blame it on the fact htat I am not being treated well and am in the process of finding a new Dr. Please tell!

03-17-2009, 08:53 AM	#2
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 14,748 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: Just right for now, need to hit the gym more WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	I would lose and gain the same 10 pounds before I was adequately medicated. (meaning my FT3 was about 2/3 of it's range, and my FT4 was about midway of it's range, or slightly lower...this is an Armour Thyroid profile...Armour raise T3 and leaves T4 a bit lower, as most women who are hypothyroid function best at). Once I was optimally medicated (I started on Synthroid 25mcg. for six weeks, then retested, went up to 50mcg. for eight weeks, retested and my FT3 was still in the 'basement' so switched up to one grain Armour split in half in am, half early afternoon and so on...for about 8 weeks, then retested, went up to 1.5 grains (90mg) and then was also balanced with progesterone and estradiol). Once I got to optimally treated, it was THEN that my hour three times a week weight lifting, my two hours a week bike riding, lowcarbing (not less than 30gms carb, and 1400 to 1900 cals, depending on the day, and if I weight lifted or not) started to work! Very clearly, while being hypothyroid and undertreated didn't keep pounds off with hard work, being treated optimally made all my HARD WORK AND EXERCISE, eating right pay off. Being optimized on thyroid hormones also means having to test and balance your other hormones too...and it doesn't just make you lose weight, maybe a pound or two of water weight, but just 'evens the playing field' and makes your eating right and hard work pay off. Pam __________________ So many fireworks. So little time. "You can't get a patent on a pig part"

03-17-2009, 11:41 AM	#4
2big4mysize Big Yapper!!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8,004 Gallery: 2big4mysize Stats: 313 to current goalie 169-173 WOE: Atkins 2002 Start Date: june 1 2002	I was diagnoised and my doc must be a genius cause he prescribed 75mcg of a soy free thyroid med levoxyl back in 2002 ( syntrhoid at that time was compounded with soy as the filler) and my blood work at the follow up was spot on and I was losing weight working my Atkins indution. becasue of the speed with which I lost my first 100 pounds my doc kept saying "I got your thyroid meds tooo high" and each time the blood work would come back just right. When I had long stalls 6 weeks or more I called him and said my meds are too low and the blood work would agree and he would up me a little and the inches and sclaes would move again and once more he'd say I got your meds too high and the blood work would say no the Atkins is working. Once I got that first 113 pounds off my weight loss slowed down to what I considered a crawl, took 7 months to shed the first 113 and 10 months to lose the last 10. I've had to have my dose increased once since I hit maintenance almost 5 yrs ago. Since my doc told me it was a life style decision and he would adjust my meds to the foods I planned to eat I didn't have to worry about the goitrogens in the Atkins induction veggies nor the almonds issues cause I was eating them already when my meds were fixed orginally. looking back I'd say the move to OWL and adding more of those veggies and nuts was most likely the stalling factor for me and the reasons I needed more meds. Since hashimoto folk are prone to other autoimmune illnesses my doc checks for those and keeps telling me blood work, blood work, blood work will let us know way before I feel any symptoms. So I'm compliant with his testing schedules __________________ 5/04 goalie Hashimoto hypothyroid diagnoised 02 kimkins info 2BIG's BLOG Memeber of LCFs before 2006? Please click here to help with the kimkins case

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03-17-2009, 10:03 AM	#3
LongislandGirl27 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 150 Gallery: LongislandGirl27	Thank you! I hope that eventually I will be optimally treated because otehrwise, I am doingal olf the right things like you mentioned-thew eights, the diet (though it needs some work-love carbs, slwly cutting them down but slowly the best I can), and the cardio. I hope then finally I will see the results eventualy. Now, pam, do you find that you arent gaining weight anymore? Sounds like you have it all well figured out-good for yoU!

03-17-2009, 12:44 PM	#6
2big4mysize Big Yapper!!!! Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 8,004 Gallery: 2big4mysize Stats: 313 to current goalie 169-173 WOE: Atkins 2002 Start Date: june 1 2002	51 and am now on 125 mcg of levoxyl for my thyroid. forget what the scales say. what does your blood work show as changed since you started? did you have a full panel? how many follow up blood tests have you had? have you made any changes in your lifestyle or eating since you started taking your meds? were you diganoised based on having antibodies or did you have symptoms too? I had both. I got diagnoised as I was starting my Atkins so I had improved thyroid fuction from the meds and being a cheatfree Atkinseer working for me doing both the exercise and the eating parts of the plan. Have you been measuring too? I know another Atkinseer who is also hypothyroid and she didn't shed very many pounds 40 in 2 yrs with 20 of those during her initial 14 days, but she lost over 5 ft of herself measuring neck chest,bust, waist, hips, thighs calves, wrists and upper arms as she went from a fluffy marshmellow body type to a lean one.

03-17-2009, 01:17 PM	#7
Leo41 MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 2,954 Gallery: Leo41	LI Girl- You cannot rely on your meds OR exercise to lose weight! As Pam has pointed out, being optimally medicated for thyroid is the first essential for weight loss, but all that does is 'level the playing field'--i.e., make losing possible (which it isn't if you're not properly medicated). THEN, depending on your age, etc., you have to be vigilent about how you eat. It can't be casual because for most of us, metabolism is slowed and losing weight is more challenging when dealing with thyroid disease. Excercise can help push your metabolism a little, but at least 90% of losing weight depends on what you eat. I am post-menopausal and have Hashimoto's, and I find that I cannot lose unless I eat about 900 cal a day--or less. My endo agrees that this is my situation, discouraging though it is. And I'm optimally medicated for both T4 and T3 according to my blood work--which he does every four months---or less if I run into issues. Younger people can probabaly eat at a higher calorie level and lose, but the point I'm trying to make is that you can't be casual about your eating and expect to lose weight. It's never easy once you're hypothyroid.

03-17-2009, 09:17 PM	#8
LongislandGirl27 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 150 Gallery: LongislandGirl27	leo-thank you. I defnitely have to first be optimaly medicated which I dont think is the case. I a, still trying to make an appt witha new endocrinologist, trying to find a good one in the city now. In reerms of exercise and diet, I am extremely good about exercising so I am not worried about that. I am startng chalean extreme soon too so we'll see wbaout that. For diet, I am pretty conscious about my diet. I am not exactly doing low carb, but have lowered my carb intake the last week or two but am, always paying attention to what I eat. I never eat too much in one sitting and awlys eat in moderation. So, I have to pay attention more and be very careful. I will try to do so in the next few weeks and see what hapepns. But right now, I think the most importnat thing is to get adequate treatment and see what hpapens. I guessthat the pounds arent going to just fall off like I was fantasizing!

03-18-2009, 07:05 AM	#11
nonstickpam107 Thyroid Patient Advocate Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: NE Indiana Posts: 14,748 Gallery: nonstickpam107 Stats: Just right for now, need to hit the gym more WOE: Started w/Atkins/Now BFFM Start Date: Nov. 23 2000	Sorry, double post! Pam

03-18-2009, 12:57 PM	#12
LongislandGirl27 Senior LCF Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 150 Gallery: LongislandGirl27	Thats great that youre not eating sugar. I love sugar but of course with this low carb thingiie I am gong to try to cut it out and have made some chnges already. All of this low carb stuff is a lot to learn about. I heard about BFFM and it sounds goodbut is it very time consuiming? LIke are youmeasuring out amounts and such? Just wondering I am deifnitely put i nthe effort at the gym and going to do a new orkout regimenm, chalean extreme, but its the dietpart and the annoying thyroid that kills me. You deifnnitely think that the thyroid has a lot to do with it right? Or am I wrongin blaming it?