[DeniseL]

#1018218

Hi everyone,

First, I would like to thank this forum for lots of valuable info. My eyes will back me up when I say I’ve done a lot of reading lately. My question is regarding weight loss/gain. I’m a bit confussed.

I was thirteen when I went to Gloria Stevens, was always "chubby". Each year that passed, I gained another five pounds that wouldn’t and I mean wouldn’t come off. Went to doctors and was told, overeating, under excercising, under eating, over excercising, etc….

Three years ago, over the course of 20 weeks I lost 113 lbs. without trying! Went to my primary almost every other week knowing something was wrong. Each visit was told that "the change of life" was the cause and it was great. Was also told the hair loss and other fun stuff was due to the same issue.

I fell down my basement stairs at the 113 lb. mark and ended up in the emergency room where I learned about my T counts!! Was diagnosed with Grave’s. I have been on Methimazole since. Over the course of the three years the weight has been coming back in very large increments at a time. It’s seems associated with dieting and excercising. EX: Followed Deal A Meal for 30 days, 1400 calories a day. Walked 3 miles every other day and used an elliptical the other days for thirty minutes. At my doctors office, stepping on the scale for the first time in a month, I was twelve pounds heavier.

My NEW primary checked blood sugars and I was normal. So he sent me to see my endo for help and guidance. (I have been over the course of the three years talking to my Dr. about the weight gain and I have been told not to worry about it, that we need to cross one bridge at a time. BUT…….75 lbs is back!!!!!!! So I was very happy when he decided to address the situation.) My endo was as helpful as a rash. She gave me a carb quiz and when I passed with flying colors, she said she didn’t have a clue and that I should discuss the problem with my primary!?!?!? Perhaps, she did say, the Meth was causing the weight gain.

Shortly thereafter I had a falling out with my endo over a situation where the hospital that I was scheduled to have an 8 AM biopsy told me at 9 AM that I had made a mistake, my appointment was really at 1PM. (The other woman in the waiting room was told the same, but her new appt. time was at 11AM. I didn’t freak out which I normally would have because the other woman stole my thunder!) Anyways, I went back to my endo and stated I wanted to go to a different lab, didn’t like the way they handled their internal issues, they didn’t leave me feeling confident. She told me no!. She said it was the way of the medical world and I just need to deal with it. I explained to her that whether I’m called a consumer, customer, client or patient, if you don’t value my business, I’ll take it elsewhere! Her arrogant responce was I have no right to complain, I’m not footing the bill, the insurance company is!!!!! BYE!!

I used the web to find a new endo, which is very difficult by the way. Met with him last week. He reviewed my records and asked a lot of questions, which impressed me becasue the old one barely spoke. He also requested a ton of lab work. In our conversation, he recommended removal of my thyroid stating one of the reasons was because of the weight gain caused by the Meth. I was definately caught off guard, wasn’t expecting to hear that. He said we’ll discuss it further at my next appointment which is next week where he’ll preform an ultrasound himself.

Of course, I ran to the site and searched info on the surgery and recovery. Reading the threads I’m finding that weight gain becomes a battle after the surgery. Am I reading that right? Any info would be greatly appreciated. I feel like I’m dealing with a catch 22.

[Kimberly]

#1063353

Hi Denise – Hello and welcome to the boards! My situation is a little different from yours, but I do I know from personal experience that the weight gain issue is VERY frustrating. I have been on Methimazole for 3 years and have been struggling with extra weight the whole time. Prior to my diagnosis, I had lost 25 pounds through Weight Watchers and had maintained at my goal weight for 3 years. (And I know I wasn’t hypER during that period, as I have copies of old lab results).

Keep in mind that the weight you lost while hypER wasn’t “good” weight loss…it was likely mostly lean tissue, which includes bone and muscle mass. Losing muscle mass is a double whammy. Muscle is “active” tissue, meaning that it burns calories even while we are at rest. So losing muscle mass causes our resting metabolic rate to go down. In addition, losing muscle mass can make it difficult to do every day activities like walking up the stairs…much less engaging in an exercise program.

During a panel discussion at our 2009 conference in Charlotte, I asked a question about weight gain and treatment for hyperthyroidism. One of the doctors on the panel indicated that it’s possible there might be a “resetting” of one’s metabolism following thyroid issues. So that’s potentially one *more* challenge that we have to deal with.

But with all that said, I have met patients who are on methimazole, patients who have had RAI, and patients who have had surgery – and *many* of us struggle with weight issues, no matter which treatment option we have selected. If you do a search on this board for “weight”, you can see that many posters here share your concerns.

I really wish doctors would take the weight issue more seriously, as it can certainly affect our health and our quality of life. Hopefully, you can find a doctor who will take your concerns seriously and help you reach a healthy weight. Perhaps some physical therapy and/or strength training (with a doctor’s blessing, of course) would be helpful in restoring your muscle mass. In the meantime, here are a few additional suggestions from a nutritionist who presented at last year’s conference:

1. Include breakfast daily within 2 hours of waking up.
2. Don’t go longer than 5 hours in between meals
3. Select “high volume” and “high fiber” foods such as fruits, veggies, and whole grains
4. Limit servings of healthy fats to 1 per day
5. Prioritize at LEAST 7 hours of sleep a night

Once a doctor’s clearance is obtained to resume activity, she also recommended 150 minutes per week of physical activity, plus strength training 2 times per week.

I am finally very close to getting back to my goal weight, but I had to give up counting WW POINTS and start counting calories…weighing spinach, bananas, carrots, everything. It’s been the world’s biggest pain, but I am finally getting results. (My general practitioner recommended the specific calorie target that I used).

There are many posters here who have chosen thyroidectomy as their treatment approach, and have been very pleased with the results. You can find their stories by searching for “surgery” or “thyroidectomy.” However, as with any surgery, thyroidectomy comes with a risk of complications. The most common complications with this type of surgery are damage to the nerves around the vocal cords and parathyroid glands. There are many valid reasons to choose this treatment option…but I have personally never heard of anyone going this route because of weight issues.

Best of luck to you!

[Bobbi]

#1063354

To add to one of Kimberly’s comments — yes, a good portion of the weight loss while hyperthyroid is "bad" weight loss: i.e. muscle and bone. Muscle burns lots more calories, even at rest, than other tissues do, so losing it lowers our metabolism. We cannot eat as much and not gain weight. When we regain normal, controlled levels of thyroid hormone the muscle starts to come back. This appears as weight gain (it weighs more than other tissues). This is GOOD weight to gain, because it raises our metabolism. I regained 15 pounds before my clothing started to feel tighter. I was exercising and eating properly, but I still regained weight. It was good weight. If you only look at the numbers on the scale you can miss this point: having appropriate amounts of muscle raise our metabolism, and help to keep us both strong, and slimmer than we would be without it.

I realize that weight issues are extremely frustrating — but the most important issue is your overall health. IS the treatment helping you to regain strenghth, stamina? Then you are much better off. Weight issues can be dealt with over time. But eliminating hyperthyroidism is the crucial first step to getting your health back.

I

[bhdc71]

#1063355

I’m not sure how this may apply to you as I’m a 24/M, but I’ve seen significant weight gain and minimal size increase since beginning treatment. At this time last year I weighed 129lbs before getting diagnosed. Due to insurance issues I did start taking my meds consistently until this past september. soon after I began a small nightly exercise routine which i’ve been doing consistently and as of now I’m in the 155-160 range, but more importantly there’s been next to no actual size increase (although my muscles feel much denser and firmer), as seen by the fact that i still wear the same 30" pants.

hope this helps

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