Thyroid (hypo) condition and gastric bypass anyone?

[bellalulu 87]

I was diagnosed hypothyroid in 1994. I do blood tests (about) yearly to check the levels and have had to have my dose changed around a lot. It will make you feel tired, gain weight, and lots of other obscure symptoms. However, once I got on the meds, I did NOT lose the 40 pounds or so I had gained. They don't super-rev your system or anything, just get you back to normal hormone-wise.

I'll be on the meds for life, but at least they are very cheap and have few side effects.

Oh GingerSnaps, you are getting real close to your date! I cheer you on and cannot imagine your nerves right now. Thanks for the reply and my apologies for not logging on sooner. You are so right about the obscure symptoms... My biggest battle with the hypo is brain fog and complete exhaustion even after waking from 8 or 9 hour sleep. I feel like I have the worst hang over. Sometimes I get bursts of energy and I will literally dance around with joy. Then I get zapped. So I see my doc next week and def changing my dose. Good luck and I will follow your success!! )

[bellalulu 87]

I had my thyroid removed 10 years ago due to cancer. For 10 years, I searched for every reason to blame my lack of thyroid on my weight gain, fatigue, fibromyalgia, etc. All I got for that was heavier and more depressed.

In Dec 2013, I went for VSG, also very concerned that I may not be as successful as "normal-thyroid people. Today, only 5 months later, I am down 70 pounds, have unbelievable energy, feel wonderful, and I have a totally new outlook on life. I am back to believing in my own body's ability to get healthy (this was a tough one after the cancer diagnosis), because my body is responding to my efforts. I still have a ways to go, but I KNOW my body will do this for me as long as I do what I'm supposed to do.

Bottom line - I sure know that feeling of what-if-I-cant do this because of my thyroid issues - my experience is GO FOR IT! The thyroid issues are another reason to GO FOR IT, not to fear it. Good luck!

Hallelujah! and thank God for your new found energy, life and weight loss!!! Oh I dream of that to be me one day. Sometimes when I am wiped out and drained, I reminisce of a time when I used to be able to work ten hour days and be out all weekend. I felt like my life was being sucked out of me but all of your posts and help show me the light at the end of the tunnel. God bless all you ladies that came on here and helped me. Grateful I found you guys, you have no idea. <3

[bellalulu 87]

<p>I have had it since 1991. no problems......I just take Synthroid</p>

Thank you very much for your reassurance. I just started on levothyroxine, generic of synthroid and hoping my symptoms subside. How long did it take for you to get stable after starting the synthroid? I have shortness of breath...did you have that too? I see a cardiologist May 1st and it can't wait. Oddly enough i got worse right after I made the brave decision to say yes to my surgery. My only regret is that I should have done this years ago when I wanted it and was way healthier. Who knew?

Be very careful with the generic...my doctor says she will not sign off on that. I get mine through Express Scripts and once they sent me that anyway. My TSH went way up......as soon as I got back on the Synthroid for a few weeks it went back down. Also do not take Vitamins etc with you thyroid medicine. Wait about two hours. It took me a long time to get the right dosage. I got too much the first time and felt a pounding in my throat like someone was choking me. Once I got the right dosage, I had no more problems.

SOunds so good to hear that you recovered with the synthroid. I will definitely tell my doctor to change me from the levothryoxine. Thank you for that very important fact. No wonder I still feel like a snail. No drive what so ever. Yikes.

[bellalulu 87]

We just finished all that (didn't have to do any physical tests). Just waiting for insurance approval now.

Oh good for you! I know you will be approved. I am sure waiting is the worst part but you will get there... Keep us posted.

[bellalulu 87]

Do you ladies think that having elevated thyroid and triglycerides will decrease my chances of being approved for the surgery ??????

No, most all of us have elevated triglycerides and the surgery will resolve that. Some insurance companies want that as one of their risk factors and help us qualify for the surgery. You will be sent for testing prior to approval or during... They will check your heart, lungs, your stomach for h pylori, psych eval and nutritionist. If you have any risk factors for surgery like a heart issue, you will be sent for a stress test. At least that's what they did with me. Don't worry just move forward and go to your surgery center and ask for help, your coordinator is usually the one who eases all your worries and us here too. Good luck.

I've done all .. I did EKG my heart is good, I did the ultrasound Monday May12. I did the upper GI, I did the pulmonary as well I aced them all.. I just have a little reflux. My issue is my triglycerides, and my hyperthyroid.. Also I have high cholesterol yikes and my sugar levels just go up and down.. Which makes me pre diabetic

you are a champ! Breezing through it all. So don't worry that you won't be approved or that your thyroid will stop your surgery. It's just a by product of our messy metabolism and endocrine system. You will be a ok.

It's still the psych Eval that has me worried.. My husband just called me by momma . like hello I already have self esteem issues thanks to all this weight I've put on. Thing is he was just playing around .. But I still took it offensive. I don't even like going outside because of my weight

OMG, you sound like me... I became a recluse. I had never ever ever been this big and I gained it all weird like just belly, arms and face. I swear my face looked deformed and it's only bec I was all bloated from my undiagnosed thyroid. Oh and selfies, ugh forget that. I was like who is that? But you know what helped me... I started looking at you tube videos for how to on make up, as I am no expert and then I went to buy make up and try all the crazy stuff those beauty girls do, lol It was fun and it does pick up your spirits. I wasn't big on make up prior. Just basic stuff. Then I went to the salon and got a hair cut. So go and do stuff like that and do not stay home. THat is the vicious cycle we get into. We need to be out and about walking, swimming or hiking. Trust me, I was like wth have I become? I am not disabled and was never getting out of bed or my house! Forget that. YOu are beautiful in any size. You are very pretty! I bought a big plus size bathing suit and take my fat @ss to the community pool, suck it up and say hi to all the size zeros, shake it up and swim because other than that I feel like I will die. So go get em and I am sure your husband was messing with you! If he ain't got a six pack, tell him to talk to you when he does. LOL hugs to you...

[tammie30 43]

Do you ladies think that having elevated thyroid and triglycerides will decrease my chances of being approved for the surgery ??????

No, most all of us have elevated triglycerides and the surgery will resolve that. Some insurance companies want that as one of their risk factors and help us qualify for the surgery. You will be sent for testing prior to approval or during... They will check your heart, lungs, your stomach for h pylori, psych eval and nutritionist. If you have any risk factors for surgery like a heart issue, you will be sent for a stress test. At least that's what they did with me. Don't worry just move forward and go to your surgery center and ask for help, your coordinator is usually the one who eases all your worries and us here too. Good luck.

I've done all .. I did EKG my heart is good, I did the ultrasound Monday May12. I did the upper GI, I did the pulmonary as well I aced them all.. I just have a little reflux. My issue is my triglycerides, and my hyperthyroid.. Also I have high cholesterol yikes and my sugar levels just go up and down.. Which makes me pre diabetic

you are a champ! Breezing through it all. So don't worry that you won't be approved or that your thyroid will stop your surgery. It's just a by product of our messy metabolism and endocrine system. You will be a ok.

It's still the psych Eval that has me worried.. My husband just called me by momma . like hello I already have self esteem issues thanks to all this weight I've put on. Thing is he was just playing around .. But I still took it offensive. I don't even like going outside because of my weight

OMG, you sound like me... I became a recluse. I had never ever ever been this big and I gained it all weird like just belly, arms and face. I swear my face looked deformed and it's only bec I was all bloated from my undiagnosed thyroid. Oh and selfies, ugh forget that. I was like who is that? But you know what helped me... I started looking at you tube videos for how to on make up, as I am no expert and then I went to buy make up and try all the crazy stuff those beauty girls do, lol It was fun and it does pick up your spirits. I wasn't big on make up prior. Just basic stuff. Then I went to the salon and got a hair cut. So go and do stuff like that and do not stay home. THat is the vicious cycle we get into. We need to be out and about walking, swimming or hiking. Trust me, I was like wth have I become? I am not disabled and was never getting out of bed or my house! Forget that. YOu are beautiful in any size. You are very pretty! I bought a big plus size bathing suit and take my fat @ss to the community pool, suck it up and say hi to all the size zeros, shake it up and swim because other than that I feel like I will die. So go get em and I am sure your husband was messing with you! If he ain't got a six pack, tell him to talk to you when he does. LOL hugs to you...

Omg we sound just alike.. I'm the same exact way you just described yourself to be. I feel so left out because in my family I'm the " FAT " one. Everyone else is nice and thin. I'm just here stuck w the big belly, and my face is just becoming something I don't know anymore. I throw on make up wherever I go. Since clothes don't fit me.. I usually go for like the nice boyfriend jeans they're nice and comfy.. W a lose shirt. I'm just so ready for this surgery to look fabulous and fit, nice and hot for hubby and myself as well. So I can look in the mirror and feel super confident as I did back in my high school years.... I haven't told anyone other then my mother of course, my sisters.. Hubby and my grandmother. No one else in my family knows. They're judge mental. I'm so over everyone and what they have to say, or opinionated of me, and my lifestyle... Like hello bitches none of you are independent.. All of you live with mommy and daddy with kids .. I'm here 21 yo with 2 kids and my own apartment... Anywho ..... I'm just so excited to get this over with.. Fingers crossed I'll be approved ..... ???????? because I'm tired of being overweight .. Obese class 3 ???????? and hello ONEderland ????????????????

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

I think some people might be confused on the thyroid stuff --

If your TSH level is HIGH, it means you are hypo-thyroid (not enough thyroid hormone). The doctor explained to me that your brain is sending out the message to pump out TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) because your body needs more but your thyroid is not producing enough.

If your TSH level is LOW, it means you are hyper-thyroid (getting too much thyroid hormone).

Normal levels are down between something like .5 to 5.5 -- when I was first diagnosed hypo-thyroid my level was over 25 (instrument didn't read higher than that) --- so it meant my brain was pumping out tons of TSH to try to get my thyroid to pump out what my body needed but the thyroid was just laying around doing nothing.

[bellalulu 87]

Yes, that's correct. Same as what I read and Doc told me. It's another young lady last night that didn't know what exactly she was when she wrote I think (I think I'm hyper something) as a patient you must know and be specific with what you have or what you were told. So we all jumped and gave her advice from what we know. I for sure am hypo and my hubby is hyper, trust that I know how it feels but 25 wow, that's super high. Some people can't function not even past a 5... also, I was told different labs have different thresholds for what they think is high. What I love about my new doctor is that he also asked me about all my symptoms. Some doctors don't really sit and listen. That's why I hate doctors at the VA, it's like pulling teeth with them. Glad to know you are doing great!

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

@@bellalulu -- I wasn't functioning at all I had just had my 2nd baby and I was dragging myself to work, would come home and collapse and not get up until the next morning. I was so exhausted all the time. I went to the doctor and demanded a test because I worked for the company that made synthroid so I knew all the symptoms. I told the doc I was either hypothyroid or I was going completely crazy. Guess it was maybe a combination of both!

Gained about 40 pounds in 6 months before I got the test and found out my thyroid was basically dead. Of course, once I went on the meds, I didn't lose the weight. Not quite fair being hypo can put the pounds on but the meds don't take it off.

[itsmekarenlee 129]

Ya, being on thyroid med hasn't helped me lose weight either

[bellalulu 87]

@@GingerSnaps oh how I feel your pain! Thank goodness you demanded the test and the right ones at that... some people get their tsh checked and levels seem normal but it's the t 3s and t 4s that need to be looked at. That's why it took them to find out two years later and around 50 lbs later for me. I always blamed the diabetes or the meds (metformin) ugh hate it... or the insulin i asked for bec I swore the diabetes meds were killing me. Lo and behold it wasnt until I read about it in a magazine where doctor Oz gave symptoms and solutions. I swear I owe him a huge thank you. My dunb dumb very dumb VA doctors sat on their arses and let all this happen to me. All I can do now is move forward. I am seeing a private doc endo at Florida Hospital and he is a God send. Although I am scared about the surgery, I cant wait to do it. Every time I take an insulin shot or check my numbers or take that horrid medicine, I say God give me the strength.... I managed to lose only 8 lbs but I do a dance with regaining 2 or 3. Hahaha. Hate it. Now as for you, you are smart, strong and brave. With a baby, work and the thyroid issue.. i look upto you bec me, I couldn't even walk my dogs anymore. Seriously, like if I was zapped or a zombie... ugh... my poor hubby had to take over the day and night shift of walking my doggies. I'm better now and getting my levels checked this Wed. Ginger you are a doll! Thank you for writing back to me and listening to my crazy rant. Hugs to you my synthroid sister... xoxo

[Nancyisgettinghealthy 8]

Hello,

I was diagnosed with hypo-thyroidism in 1990...took SYNTHROID--not able to take generic --as it does NOT work for me.,,,

I was diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer in 2005.....so.take SYNTHROID at a higher level and have been since and will always need to. The hair loss sucks....yet I do what I can...started taking Biotin and will post surgery as well...is supposed to help tremendously. In 2010 had Uterine Cancer, so no female part or hormones now, either.....this REALLY sucks.....and talk about being tired, weight gain, etc...HOLY CRAP!!!

Anyway, this is my battle and I try to keep a positive attitude, am working with my PCP, my Nutritionist and Surgeon so my surgery is not only a medical success, yet I am a HEALTH success as well. I also have PCOS...yet now since I don't have ovaries....?????

Edited May 30, 2014 by Nancyisgettinghealthy