If you are one of the millions of Americans trying to lose weight -- but not succeeding -- you may think you're just not exercising enough, or you're eating too many carbs, or too much fat, or you need to eat an extremely low-calorie diet. The reality is, some of us can practically stop eating, and exercise around the clock, and we still don't lose weight. If you complain to your doctor, you'll probably be told you're lazy, you need more willpower, or it's just age.
What they're not telling you, however, is that you might have a thyroid problem -- a dysfunction in the small, butterfly-shaped gland in your neck that is crucial to your metabolism.
Undiagnosed and untreated thyroid problems, especially an underactive thyroid condition known as hypothyroidism, can cause weight gain, or make weight loss difficult or impossible. If you are having weight problems that don't respond to diet and exercise, take this checklist of risks, signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism to your doctor to aid in getting proper thyroid testing, diagnosis and treatment.
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I was diagnosed hypothyroid 5 years ago and have been on eltroxin ever since. My blood tests look good but I STILL cannot lose weight. I am on the South African system. TSH 2.52 with Free T4 at 15.1 and Free T3 at 4.00 I gym 5-6 times per week and eat very healthy and not huge amounts and I still weigh in at 175lb. The scales never budge and frankly, my clothes don’t feel much looser either. I am so discouraged. What on earth can I do? See an endocrinilogist? I saw a hormone specialist and with him I gained 7 lbs in one month. HELP MARY!!!!!
It sounds like your thyroid isn’t balanced… Eltroxin is T4 only… T3 is the metabolism hormone…helps to increase leptin which then increases metabolism. I would suggest asking your doctor to add some T3 to your meds to see if that helps… Unfortunately, here is the states Endos mostly focus on diabetes… You need someone to thinks outside the box in terms of thyroid and doesn’t exactly rely on the tests but more on how you are feeling…
Perhaps someone else can come along and give better advice…
Even if my thyroid is balance, can I still have trouble losing weight suffering from Hipothiroid.
I dont know what to do!, I can’t stop gaining weight!, please help me!
Thank you for that advice, Monet. I’m going to see if I can get onto Diatroxin, which I believe deals with both T-3 and T-4. The problem here is actually getting the drug. Our local pharmacies can’t get it or any T-3 drug..but I’m going to see about a compounding pharmcy. Anyway, Monet, have you ever had any adverse reaction to taking vitamins? Every time I start taking vitamins, I gain weight. I was taking a Centrim, Vitamin B6 & B12, and a Fish oil…and boom, I’m up a kilo in a week. I’ve stopped and started this a few times and every time I go back on the supplements I gain weight. Does this happen to you?
ahh I know what you mean. I got on the scales yesterday and my weight had gone up another 3lbs in 2 days, I cannot go on like this I will be bedridden, my legs ache as it is
x
So sorry to hear that! I think most of us with this disease can understand that struggle. Although I haven’t been able to actually lose weight, the only way I’ve been able to stop gaining is with exercise and just making it a regular part of each day..no negotiating. It’s not fair to have to work this hard with no weight loss, I know. But the alternative is not pretty.
I was diagnosed with hypo ovr 25yrs ago. I had hashimoto which destroyed all of it. I nw have no thyroid at all. I take diatroxin. Was on eltroxin but had to change as there were none in the pharm’s. I have bn struggling with weight and obesity since. My normal weight jst b4 all this startd was 70k’s, I am now 140k’s! We have spent literally thousands on pills, injections, diets, dieticians, weight clubs, gym, Dr’s, specialists, etc… Never had success with anythng! It seems that NO-ONE here in South Africa can help and they have no compassion, and many are not really interested or don’t want to help, they jst want your money. I am now semi-invalid, almost completely housebound, use a mobility scooter and I’m friendless [illness and obesity frightens ppl, so they stay away]. Except for my darling husband who is a great support, I have no-one who helps me cope with this. Aftr being such a happy positive person, this past yr has bn the pits!! I am nw morose and very depressed. I have threatened suicide bcuz I literally live no life at all. Beside all the othr so called experts and specialists, I have bn to 2 Endo’s who were cruel, callous and very unkind. One of them [a woman] told me in very cold harsh tones that I was disgusting and must try harder, and almost shouted at me and said its a myth that you cant lose weight with no thyroid!! She never evn askd me my name!! She treatd me like a piece of garbage and it was awful, I have never bn stripped of my dignity and self-worth like this b4. It was like a mental and emotional rape!! She made me feel like a dirty animal. I have NEVER in my life treatd another human-being in this way and I was shocked ovr a professional person, a stranger whom I had done no personal injustice too, would treat me this way. What does she knw as she has never had a weight issue or thyroid problems, so her knowledge certainly did not come frm experience [which goes a long way to being knowledgeable abt it!!]. If she was living in my skin her evil attitude would change in a second!! Evry Dr etc I have seen, only tell me to address my weight and then I will be well, evn tho I told them I had no weight problems b4 all this I only gained weight thru being ill not the othr way around, but they still persist with this same concept. They seem to think I am sick and unwell bcuz I am overweight!! What a load of hogwash!! And I now believe no-one can help me.
Chantel, I pray you will have hope. I am not a dr, I’m a thyroid patient who had a complete thyroidectomy almost 19 years ago. I’ve had miserable episodes trying to find the right thyroid replacement and dose for me. For the past several years, I have felt about 85% better, which is good for me.
I have struggled with being overweight since my thyroid was removed. I had lost some weight attending Weight Watcher meetings years ago, but quit due to the cost and I always felt hungry on their plan. Finally, this past year, I made small changes in my eating – reducing sugar, fat, sodium and starches; reducing my portion size; and I exercise a few days a week for half an hour each time. I also take natural supplements and drink filtered water. It took a year, but I was able to go down a size. I still need to go down a couple sizes, so I will make a couple additonal changes this year. I know it is difficult! And I love to eat certain foods, like pizza and chocolate. So, on days I eat those kind of foods, I eat just a couple light, nutritious snacks for other meals; like a salad or yogurt. I don’t always stick to this, but usually do and I was still able to reduce a size.
The endo I visited several years ago, said I prob have Fibromylagia and because I get stabbing pains in my muscles, I take a day (sometimes 2) off from exercise to allow my muscles to recover. I even have to rub my thighs when I exercise to help prevent the pain from flaring up. It works!
I have experienced bouts of depression, as well. And because I lived with a damaged thyroid for appx 15 years (the doc said it went that long), I think it caused me to have bone loss in my teeth, so I still get a little depressed and stressed about the problems I’m having with that. Seems like every year I have to get some work done on one or two teeth. Eventually, I will end up with at least a partial denture. I’ve been working to delay that as long as possible.
I understand your feelings of giving up because I’ve had them. I believe there is still hope for you. The thyroid forum at this web site is a good place to ask other patients questions and get some support. I used it routinely for several years until I finally started to see improvement and didn’t need to use it much.
Hello. I’d like to ask a few questions about thyroidic disease.
Is it possible that I’m trying my hardest to lose weight (eating less, exercising), but is my thyroid stopping me from gaining any success? I’m only 16 years old, and from what the doctors told me, I have a slow metabolism system. I’m 215 lbs., and I lost about 20 lbs. in one year. My goal is to reach at around 180 lbs., but will my thyroid problem stop me from reaching that? I’m dieting, exercising, and eating much less. I only eat twice a day, and I only got this problem during my 3rd year in high school (earlier this year).
If anyone has an answer for me, I’ll be happy to see it! I really don’t want to handle with this gland anymore. It’s actually killing me, and I fell unconscious several times due to this.