Im still recovering from my mastectomy in Jan 2024, its left me very very weak,( also 20 more nodes removed too )- I do have an underactive thyroid, but my gp says its optimally medicated!! Trouble is im having the most trouble shedding weight- my body seems to want to remain 10 stone. My dietician said youre dropping 1lb a month, i wish i was , id be 8 lbs lighter, its more like 4lbs--i cant seem to get below 10 stone, i gave up alcohol completely in jan as i wanted to recover from the op, im so weak on my left side that walking is very hard ( i was just getting stronge before my diagnosis, and i was able to do a few jogging steps, now ive regressed completley , its so painfull to walk it takes me 30 mins to get where a normal person would get in 10 mins .. Directly after my op , ( mastectomy) ( i weighed myself when i was up , thought i must have slost at least 4lbs, my boob didnt weigh nothing !)No my body had replaced the loss of the fleshy organ with water, and i was still 10 stone, i cant get under this even though ive put myself since after the op , Jan on the 5/2 diet, that means that on to days one only has up to 500 callories , ! i dont eat much any how, i practically starve myself on my two days less than 500 callories, and i dont eat that much on my normal eating days , why cant i get lower than 10 stone? My doctor says because of my bmi ccos im little IM STILL OBESE, I HATE THAT !!- I walked with my friend who lives by the sea, and we walked 3 miles, ok we stopped lots, but its more than ive walked in years, and i didnt lose a lb !! what could be the problem? can anyone shed some light on this for me ? Thankyou - Astro 16
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I will give that a look, however i think i have to have a strong conversation with my gp re my thyroid, ive been so tired lately i can hardly keep my eyes open, and i really dont think my gp should have reduced my thyroid medication after telling me after my blood test that i was over medicated -that was just weird ! i didnt think it was the most sensible suggestion hed ever given me either, usually hes pretty good - however i dont think hes a world epert on the thyroid, which i refer to my ignition key- or my stater motor ! im sure as someone suggested that my operation and the way it left me may have a big effect on whats happening to me now, this isnt pleasant, however i have an appointment on 30th , , however i will give your man n you tube a look, thankyou for taking the time to reply xx Much appreciated - Astro 16
Why can't you lose weight? Because with that awful diet, and all the exercise, you're making yourself more hypo. And low-calorie diets and exercise are not likely to make you lose weight in the first place. Hypo weight is more than likely water retention, and no diet in the world is going to help you lose that.
On the other hand, being under-medicated will make you put on more. Do you have copies of your blood test results? Does your doctor dose by the TSH? Time to take charge of your thyroid health and find out exactly what is going on. And eat more and exercise less!
Whats the matter with this site, i found it very hard to get on it and it took ages to load, my lappys fine on everything else ?
Why do you call the 5/2 that awful diet? i was losing weight on it a little i lost about 5lbs, until my dietician- from McMillan said oh youre only losing 1lb a month- ( how ridiculous ) however i seem to have put back all the 5lbs i lost . ive got to say i dont reckon my dietician from Mc Millan, all she ever seems to say is 'eat the rainbow and drink more than 2ltrs of water a day , -and she gets paid to say that - i could do that !!! i will be lolloping like a beached whale if i do that !! , so im convinced its my thyroid, due the fact ive no energy and im so exhausted, most of the time, all i want to do is sleep !However after my op, i had very little energy, but i do feel you could be 100 pc correct, and its prob water retention, as when the surgeon removed my poor boob, the next am i was still 10 stone, i was mortified, i thought my boob cant of weighed nothing ! My body just put back the water weight immediatley ! As i mentioned, him telling me that i was over mediated for my thyroid just sounded weird , i think its prob that i need to have another blood test, and sort my silly thyroid , and im going to ask him if he could refer me to a thyroid expert, as this nonsense has been going on far too long ! Usually my gp is pretty good, but over Thyroid issues , maybe not so much ! - However Thankyou Grey Goose, lovely to hear from you and thankyou again for giving me a little of your time xxx Much appreciated, ASTRO 16 XXX
The site has been playing up for two days now. No idea why. It's very slow and difficult to load.
I call the diet awful because 500 calories for two days is going to make you more hypo those two days because that's not enough calories for a hypo. And the more hypo you are the more weight you're going to put on.
I have a very poor opinion of dieticians in general. The one I saw in hospital one time though that being vegetarian just meant I didn't eat beef. She was trying to feed me on ham and bacon! That is a very serious lack of knowledge for a dietician! And I've seen others just as bad, who tell you to cut out all traces of fat and go on a low-salt diet, two of the worst things you could possibly do. I really wouldn't bother with them, personally.
And no point in talking to your GP about your inability to lose weight! They know less than nothing about nutrition. Never, ever take nutritional advice from a doctor. Some of the things they've said to me would make your hair stand on end! And they refuse to believe that being hypo makes you put on weight, and stops you losing it, they think you're just making excuses. So, diet is a subject I try to avoid with doctors!
So, do you have a thyroid specialist in mind that you want to see? Real thyroid specialists are very few and far better. They usually send us to see endos that are diabetes specialists who know nothing about thyroid - but have some very weird ideas and often make things worse rather than better. Chose your specialist very carefully!
I think i share your mistrust of dieticians, My Mc millan dietician is dreadfull. all she says is' drink loads of water and eat the rainbow!!! 'for goodness sake, if she gets paid for that, i could do that!!- i have had awful experiences with dieticians and i thin ive just about given up, Trouble is my gp had just taken me down from 125 leveo to 100, which i thought was a bit crazy, he said my blod test showed that i was over medicated ??? i thought how on earth can that be ? ive only ever been gven more and more levo, because i wasnt optimally medicated,, - so how when for ages im optiamlly medicated on 125, was that all of a sudden over medicated ???However ive had absolutely no energy since, been really lethargic , and i put on two lbs eating two ryvetas ! i know i did because i weighed myself before i ate them, and that was all i alte on a less than 500 calorie day , and after i was 2lbs heavier ! i sometimes dispair that my thyroid will ever be right, as after my mastectomy which knocked 20 bells out of me as the surgeon took another 20 nodes out, i feel lim leaving the planet bit by bit, ive had two hips replaced, and now a boob removed and 20 more nodes, i dont think i will ever recover from that, it took me 5 years to recover for ahving 5 nodes out , i will be 80 if i ever feel better , if i even get to 80- so ok im now free of that horrid disease, but i have to take a hormone supressant as my c,,,,r was hormonal , again, it came back after about 15 years, so the tablet im on will hopefully not make it want to return- but the darned little tablet- letrozole, makes me ache like hell and sweat buckets so i take it at night ,, ive now taken to swapping my levothyroxine to the mornings , as i have heard thats a better time to take it,, but as for a specialist - no i dont have any i know- i am hoping the doc can send me to a decent one, but the state of the nhs today maybe im being hopefull- thankyou Grey goose for taking the time to advise me.
Less than 500 calories a day is rediculous and bound to make you put on weight! Your body is in starvation mode, and that's not good for a hypo. You might find this thread/article interesting:
Do you have a copy of your latest blood results that you can share with us? You are legally entitled to a printed copy of your results, ask at GP reception. In England you can get the NHS app and ask for permission to see your blood results on that by asking at GP’s reception.
When hypo we get low stomach acid which means we cannot absorb vitamins well from our food, regardless of a great diet. For thyroid hormone to work well we need OPTIMAL levels of vitamins.
Have you recently or could you ask your GP to test levels of ferritin, folate, B12 & D3? Private tests are available, see link for companies offering private blood tests & discount codes, some offer a blood draw service at an extra cost. thyroiduk.org/testing/priva...
There is also a new company offering walk in& mail order blood tests in London, Kent, Sussex & Surrey areas. Check to see if there is a blood test company near you. onedaytests.com/products/ul...
Only do private tests on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid postal delays.
Thankyou, odd you should say that, as the other day i was running short of my other meds so until i could get to the chemist i could only take my levothyroxine, I took it at 6 am but at 10am i was so sleepy i crashed out ,, This isnt right,, I had a mastectomy in jan, and 20 more nodes removed and ive h ad no energy since, and its knocked the stuffing out of me and left my left side weak , However, i had a full bloos test with the doctor about 3 months ago and the doc just said i was low on vit d but i was over medicated with the thyroid, and he lowerd my levothyroxine which was 125, to 100 , i dont know whats happening but i feel like complete rubbish,, i have an appointment on 30 th to discuss this, as i think its my thyroid but i will get back to this lovely group after i have seen my gp ,,Thankyou x Astro
I'd suggest you stop worrying about your weight at the moment and concentrate of your thyroid medication.
Once you are corrrectly medicated it's fairly certain your weight will drop.
Meantime be much kinder to your body you are ⁶pushing it far too hard and it can't cope
Did you really think that a 3 mile walk would result in almost instant weight loss
Your doctor is an insensitive prat, s/he's only making matters worse by calling you obese and s/he doesn't appear to understand hypothyroidism
Hypothyroid weight gain is entirely different to excessive eating weight....this doctor should know that
If your T3 level is too low then your metabolism runs slow so calories are not 'burned up' and so providing energy. You gain weight!
You need a full thyroid test to include...
TSH, FT4, FT3, vit D, vit B12, folate and ferritin and if not already tested then thyroid antibodies TPO and Tg
"Dr Pratt" is likely monitoring only by TSH, a pituitary hormone, which is not a reliable marker .... s/he cannot judge 'an optimal' level of thyroid hormone by measuring a pituitary hormone.
Your body has had a challenging time and now needs time to recover from surgery, and time to sort out your thyroid medication
Thankyou for taking the time to reply, i have made an appointment to see my gp ( him) but i do think my weight prob is to do with my thyroid, as he lowered my meds from 125 to 100, before i had my mastectomy in jan , and also 20 more nodes removed, but according to my dietician im only losing 1 lb a month, thats just ridiculous and ive been on the 5/2 since leaving hospital , as i cant seem to get below 10 stone , no matter what,!! i dont over eat, far from it, - usualy one meal a day , and its a small one as i have a hernia and i cant eat too much any how, ! When the doc reminds me that 10 stone for my height makes me obese it really doesnt helpme much, but ive no energy , cant walk properly because of my left hip replacement which of the two went wrong, s the stretched my left hip muscle and its collapsed ! The mastectomy in jan left me very weak indeed , and i have no energy at all , and im constantly sleepy, i dont work because my health is so bad, i just want to be able to do things a bit more instead of having no energy , feeling sleepy , and having a weak body , its so pathetic , i cant lose weight i cant walk properly , one weak side and i keep falling asleep in the day , and consequently ant sleep at night !! i have anappoinment with him on 30 th i will go over all of this, but usually after a 3 mile walk i should have lost about 2lbs, and nothing !!
Thankyou for taking the time to reply
much appreciated
i know this community know what thyre talking about
Yes ...you need to consult a medic with good thyroid knowledge who will carry out a FULL thyroid test.....as listed above.
Your metabolism has slowed down due to low thyroid hormone/T3 level.....so it's not about how much you eat it's about the body's ability to use that food
Also, your operation will have reduced the serum concentration of T3/ liothyronine....
Wow , that was a fast reply- THANKYOU SO MUCH, i may ask if i can be reffered to a thyroid specialist, that may be one way to get this sorted.. I dont think he does understand the thyroid , or he shouldnt have lowered my meds ! encorporating the trauma to my body of the op and the side effets thereof.. i must admit when one has a thyroid problem and gps go on about exercise it really annoys me, as the are only general practicioners ,, However I shall ask hi if i can be reffered to a specialist, especiallyin the light of whats happening with our nhs- this may be the answer, Thankyou i really appreciate your fast response xxxx
Should you wish to test privately the following is an affordable way to test thyroid hormones FT4 and FT3....nutrients will need to be tested separately
Hello Dippy Dame- my gp did refer me to an endo before , but that went nowhere, i think im going to ask again to see a thyroid specialist, as ive had this weight issue too long, and although on the whole my gp is pretty good, hes not a genius when it comes to the thyroid, I will have to look up where to go for a private thyroid test, because this weight issue is really annoying me, i keep trying and i cant exercise as my left side is so weak and my left leg muscle has collapsed, i try just to strengthen my body , but end up having to sleep for ages, as i havent got the strength any more- perhaps due to losing another 20 nodes !! however i thankyou for your information which i have noted , and thankyou for all your time xx Astro 16
During your surgery you could have lost quite a lot of blood and become anaemic. I always become anaemic after surgery, no matter what the surgery is for.
Doctors have never said to me "Oh, you lost a lot of blood and might be anaemic." But then they rarely know the starting point for the patient's iron before surgery. I became anaemic as a child after getting my tonsils out which suggests to me that I was probably low in iron before the surgery even happened. It took a year after surgery for my anaemia to be discovered.
I lost alot of everything, nodes, a boob , and prob alot of blood- i was out cold so didnt know a thing thank goodness for anasthetics ! However i do think its my thyroid thats suffered most in all this , i prob do need another full blood test , but costs and the nhs dont always allow this , so they do as little as they can get away with - re costs ! However will ask the gp on 30th when i see him
I totally with greygoose you are starving yourself and the body doesn't like it. Perhaps your thyroid medication is wrong too.
I am 10 st but over 5ft 8 inches the only time I have ever put on weight was after my thyroid was removed and I was put onto Levo 100 mcg for the first time. I put on 10 lbs in 6 months and then I changed to NDT at it disappeared.
I do hope that you will feel better soon you have had a massive operation, good luck.
Yes i do think Grey Goose is correct too , i dont know about starving myself, since although love my food, i dont tend to eat a great deal , due to the hernia ,its just uncomfy, but iwas reallyt fed up , scuse th eun when i had two ryvetas and some marmite and a little cucmner and the next night id put on 2lbs, - how stupid, 2 rivetas for goodness sake !! I do think my body is having a hard time using food corectly , so i need to chat to my GP About it al, and request that i could see a thyroid specialist, as last time he sent me to an endo, and that went nowhere ! However it also annoys me when my gp says im obese, like im over eating, when i know im definitely not and its definitely my silly thyroid, as i was wondering what makes me so sleepy in the mornings, and it s my thryroid meds, and thats definitely not right ,,,
Thankyou for the time you gave me for your reply xxappreciated Thankyou - astro 16
One of the reasons I don't focus on my weight right now is there are factors I can't control standing in the way.
I eat a healthy diet low in the right things, a good level of calories.
But, it's a lot of the thyroid issues getting in my way. My t4 is doing fine but apparently my t3 has other ideas. I think until that gets sorted I'm fighting an impossible battle with weight (add to that other medical issues affecting energy, weakness, and all that stopping me from being sufficiently active).
Yes I think im suffering from a dodgy thyroid again ever since my gp lowered my levothryoxine after my op = all sorts of probs, not sleeping, not losing weight , exhausted, all thyroid issues , not able to be active, aching body , dry skin, - and all that jazz !
yep got gps app on 30th- i wish you all the luck in the world getting yours straight too xxx
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