Forum Replies Created
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Linda wrote: Will my energy and strength return?
Hi Linda – Everyone’s journey is different, but for me, the worst period was about the first 10 weeks on Anti-Thyroid Drugs. Then things got slowly better after that. Two years later, I ‘m probably not at 100%…maybe 85%. I’ll take that, though, as it sure beats the days I barely made it through the workday, left work at 5:00, went straight home, and put my pajamas on.
” title=”Smile” />While you are healing, pare your commitments down as much as you can, and practice using the word "NO".
” title=”Very Happy” /> By the way, you do have three treatment options for Graves (Anti-Thyroid Drugs, Radioactive Iodine, and Thyroidectomy). All three have their pros and cons, so definitely do your research and make a choice that YOU are comfortable with. While we should certainly listen to the opinion of our doctors, they are NOT the ones that have to live with the consequences.
Best of luck!
elisebeary wrote: So does this mean my body is essentially burning no calories at the moment and the only calories I burn are through exercise? Even if this was the case, I still shouldn’t be able to gain four pounds! I’m obviously concerned about the trajectory I’m on and want to understand what else I could possibly do to avoid weight gain (and lose the pounds I’ve put on!)thanks so much for any advice!!
Elise
Hi Elise – Keep in mind that 4 pounds in one week doesn’t mean you are on track to gain that much every week…in fact, it’s possible the 4 pounds was a total fluke due to water weight.
I am a Weight Watchers lifetime member and successfully maintained my weight for 3 straight years with no problems…but the last 2 years while being treated for Graves have been a constant struggle with about 5-8 extra pounds. I have a copy of some labs from 2005 when I was about 6 months into maintenance, and my TSH was over 4…so I know I wasn’t hyper when I was going through the maintenance period.
I did get back to my goal weight in June by cutting my POINTS down to about 75% of where they were *before* I went hyper. Unfortunately, I’m back to 5 pounds over goal now, but that was purely self-inflicted after 3 weeks of vacation!
Our bodies still do burn calories to take care of the body’s basic functions like breathing, digestion, maintaining muscle mass and blood circulation. Unfortunately, many of us seem to burn FEWER calories with those basic functions once our thyroids go out of whack. I suspect that our reduced muscle mass doesn’t help, either. I wish someone would do some research on this, as the weight issues don’t exactly help our mental state!
” title=”Wink” /> One other thing to mention…is your doctor OK with the 90 minutes of exercise? That seems pretty intense, especially if you are still hyper.
Best of luck!
Kimberly
Unfortunately, our doctors don’t seem to give us much guidance when it comes to optimizing our diet. You will want to be careful with your iodine intake (seaweed, fish, dairy) while you are hyperthyroid. Our bodies convert iodine into thyroid hormone…which is the last thing you need while hyper…it’s like throwing gasoline on a fire!
Personally, I feel best when I eat a variety of whole foods (fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean meats, limited dairy). I try to minimize processed foods with ingredients that I can’t pronounce, as I figure my body doesn’t need any more aggravation.
” title=”Very Happy” /> Also, I count Weight Watchers POINTS every day, as it’s definitely been a struggle to keep my weight in check throughout this process.
Best of luck!
Kimberly
I have read that birth control pills can bind or "inactivate" our thyroid hormone, which could potentially lower your Free T4. I agree that regular blood work and a chat with your pharmacist is a good idea.
On the diet issue, I do agree that we need extra protein to rebuild lost muscle mass. However, in popular culture, some people interpret the Atkins diet to mean "all you can eat bacon, eggs, and steak" — I probably wouldn’t go that route.
” title=”Razz” /> I personally find that I do best with a lowfat diet that includes a variety of whole, unprocessed foods…lots of fruits, veggies, lean meats, and whole grains. I do consume some dairy, but I have cut way back due to the iodine content. Also, I read the label on everything that I buy, and if there are ingredients that I can’t pronounce, I (usually) put the package back on the shelf.
Best of luck!
A quick note on Methimazole – the FDA bulletin that I read did indicate that there had been 5 cases of liver failure (3 resulting in death) in patients on Methimazole since the FDA started tracking "adverse events" in 1969.
PTU had 32 reported "adverse events" during that time frame, which resulted in 13 deaths and 11 liver transplants. About 1/3 of the patients were children, which is probably what resulted in this latest warning.
So the "adverse events" occur to one person about every 4 years on methimazole and one person every year or two on PTU. Pretty small odds, although it sucks if you’re the one!
I’ve heard speculation on another board that the number of serious cases could be significantly reduced if more doctors based dosing on Free T3/T4 instead of TSH. Because TSH is a lagging indicator, dosing off of TSH can result in patients taking too high of a dose for too long.
By the way, the FDA article mentioned that the American Thyroid Association plans to "update" its treatment guidelines for Graves sometime in the next few months. (Hey, thanks for thinking of us!
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