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Hypothyroidism and Weight Loss

post #1 of 5
8/16/08 at 10:48pm
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Hey all, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism about a year ago and while I am on levothyroxine, I'm still being switched from dosage to dosage trying to get the right amount, which hopefully should be soon. In any case, since I've been diagnosed (and a while before), I've put on about 15lbs. (Went from 5'8" ~135lbs to ~152lbs) I haven't been very active in that time however and my diet has been pretty mediocre, though I am striving to improve that. My question is this, with this condition, what sort of outcomes can I expect in losing the excess weight that I've put on (before and after finding the right dosage) and would there be anything special that I'd need to do? Very low cal diet? a lot more exercise than a normal person? There seems to be a lot of conflicting information on the topic online, so I thought I'd ask here. Thanks!
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post #2 of 5
8/16/08 at 11:14pm
If you are on medication to get your thyroid levels to normal or thereabouts I see no reason why there should be anything different about losing weight than a euthyroid individial. [edit] Just to add, one of my classmates has Hashimoto's thyroiditis and she's losing weight on the weight watchers plan just fine. She's also on thyroid medication. Synthroid, I believe. [/edit]
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post #3 of 5
8/17/08 at 3:41pm
One of my sisters has Hashimoto's, and she's tried many thyroid medications, all with minimal or no effect. It's very difficult for her to control her weight even with a very strict diet and regular exercise. She does it anyway, and does remarkably well given the obstacles she has to deal with, but it really does make things much harder.
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post #4 of 5
8/17/08 at 10:11pm
Like Jumbie said, once your TSH/T4 levels balance themselves out from the Levo you should treat your weight loss like you would without your condition. I've seen a lot of patients struggle with getting back to their original weight but most of them have been able to get it under control to within a few pounds.

My advice would be that as long as you're on Levo and your levels are somewhat settled then take the diet slow and steady. "Very low calorie diet" and "a lot more exercise than normal" sound like a crash diet when there is absolutely no need to do so.
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post #5 of 5
8/25/08 at 6:42am
I have hypothyroidism, and once my levels settled, I managed to lose the extra weight. Of course you have to watch your diet, for things that don't agree with the condition (consult with your physician).

One thing to keep in mind is that hypothyroidism doesn't only affect weight gaining, but also the general level of activity of the organism. One tends to get tired more easily, feel lazier, less energetic. Keep an eye on your mood and energy levels. Hypothyroidism may very well lead to depression.
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