# Has anybody NOT gained weight or lost weight after hyperthyroid/Grave's treatment?



## sboops (Sep 11, 2013)

Hi everybody! I'm very brand new to this whole thyroid thing - I posted a recent message asking for help interpreting my lab results but spoke with the doctor today and he said he diagnosed me with hyperthyroidism. I have an appointment with an endo later this week and I assume since my antibodies are through the feakin roof that I probably have Grave's. I'm really, really freaked out that the medication they'll put me on will make me gain weight. I know it's stupid to be more concerned about my weight than having an autoimmune disease, but I've struggled with weight my whole life and can't bear the thought of going back to where I came from. It's so hard for me to lose weight already! It's taken YEARS of hard work just to lose a few pounds! So I'm wondering - has anybody not gained weight from the meds? Is it possible for me to continue trying to get in shape/lose weight while I'm on them? Also, has anybody suffered really puffy, but not bulgey eyes? It's weird, I feel like all my symptoms are hypo but I was told hyper. I have a feeling I'm in for a world of frustration with all of this.  Also, in case anybody is wondering, here are my most recent lab results:

TSH - 0.01 (0.4-4.5)
T4 - 9.8 (4.5-12)
T3 - 119 (76-181)
Thyroglobulin antibodies - 125 (normal below 20)
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies - >1000 (normal below 35)

Thanks guys!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

> I'm really, really freaked out that the medication they'll put me on will make me gain weight. I know it's stupid to be more concerned about my weight than having an autoimmune disease, but I've struggled with weight my whole life and can't bear the thought of going back to where I came from.


I completely understand - weight is a BIG deal and you have struggled with it in the past. If you are properly medicated you should be fine. I find if my FT-3 is too low I cannot budge an ounce.

Now onto your labs...

What sort of doctor are you talking about? YOu need to have additional testing in my opinion before anyone can make an accurate diagnosis. DId they run a TSI test on you?

Free T-4 and Free T-3 are the proper labs to be asking for to see what thyroid hormone is in your system. Your doctor is diagnosing you on TSH. I do not think T-4 is good at all for figuring thyroid function as I've had it run along with FT-4 and they do not track the same. T-3 , you can work with and yours is below mid range.

You definitely have something going on and your doc has not run any tests to confirm autoimmune.

Has he suggested a sonogram of your thyroid? That would be indicated with the high Thyroglobulin antibodies.



> TSH - 0.01 (0.4-4.5)
> T4 - 9.8 (4.5-12)
> T3 - 119 (76-181)
> Thyroglobulin antibodies - 125 (normal below 20)
> Thyroid peroxidase antibodies - >1000 (normal below 35)


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

Dito how hard it was to get weight off. I was diagnosed with graves because I gained 12 pounds in a couple months. Then I was given steroid shots and put on prednisone and gained another 7. Went from a size 4-6 to a size 8 then 10. ATD's had nothing to do with my weight. I've taked 10 back off. I looked at it this way it was a good excuese to eat right. Lots of veggies.


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## hyperinnyc (Apr 18, 2012)

Hi sboops. What do you me by AFTER treatment? After taking methimazole or after having RAI or after having a thyroid removal surgery? What you will see from this board is that everyone is different. Here's my quick story:

Getting Graves: I lost 30lbs and was severely hyper. I had always been slim with a fast metabolism so I pretty much wasted away from Graves/hyper.

Methimzole: I gained my weight back on methimazole. And a couple of extra pounds (I have never worked out. I was slim without it but after being sick, getting older and eating snacks I didn't really complain lol).

Thyroid removal: After a TT I gained about 5 extra pounds. I eat normally and am 88mcgs of synthroid. I say one day I'm going to joing the gym...

My eyes are swollen for 2.5 years now. They were bulged too for about 6-9 months but have stayed consistently puffy. I'm having orbital fat decompression on them (if I can ever shake this nasty cough, I've had to push surgery back twice now).

Best of luck to you!


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## StormFinch (Nov 16, 2012)

I tend to agree with Lovlkn. TPO and Tg are present in 90-100% and 80-90% of Hashimoto's cases respectively, while only present in Graves 50-70% and 50-80% of the time. A TSI, Free T4, RAIU and ultrasound are needed before definitively classifying Graves since Hashimoto's has it's own transient hyper phase, and there can be other factors at work as well.

As for the weight, I'm a bit of a strange case as I've been told I have both Graves and Hashi's, but I would gain when hypo and not drop all that much when hyper. I didn't gain on the ADTs and did after surgery, however it was only until I started getting close the right amount of replacement medication for my body.


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I didn't gain weight on Methimazole. I have not gained weight since surgery. Getting weight off is another story, it is hard work.


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## mum2bradley (Sep 27, 2010)

I was dx with Graves 3 years ago, lost 12 lbs prior to going on meds. Meds did not work so I had RAI in March 2011, hypo in May 2011. I did gain back the weight that I lost but I eat like crazy, I was 129lb 5' 8" last summer and was only walking my dog back then. In January of this year when I finally started to feel good I decided I no longer wanted to be a skinny fat person so I started working out 6x a week. I shed some lbs but am much more muscular now. I am now about 121lbs but all muscle.

If I had of been watching what I ate, I would not have gained any weight so it is possible. But you have to treat your thryroid issue and deal with the rest.

edited to say I have the puffy eyes, have for about 2 years now.


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## Prudence (Oct 30, 2012)

For me, I had lost close to 30lbs. before getting on methimazaole. I gained about 15lbs. back while on it, but could never budge any further. When I got my first RAI, I put on only about 5lbs. more, and when I got my second RAI, I initially gained 10-15lbs. more when I finally went hypo. However, I've been swinging back and forth between hypo and hyper since February trying to find the right replacement thyroid dose-even though I last rung up hypo just over two weeks ago, I lost that 10-15lbs a couple months ago and can't seem to gain it back. Everyone's body is different when it comes to thyroid.


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## Wyspur (May 27, 2013)

I gain most all of my weight back after starting Methimazole ;o{ Not happy about this at all, I'm opting starvation to lose some of the gain weight at this point. My lower back is killing me. I was so freeking happy with eating and losing, but that would have only ended in disaster.


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## yellowpanda (Sep 26, 2013)

Hi! I wouldn't worry too much about the weight. The priority should be to be healthy. Then you can work on feeling well in terms of weight, self esteem etc. We thyroid patients go through a lot what with the hair falling out mood swings, changes with our eyes etc. I can easily say however that after idid rai I gained about 10 pounds which fell off when my hormones were within range. What I've noticed helps me, is focusing on eating foods with nutritional value  watching the portion sizes/ eating more frequently during the day and of course cutting out processed/refined foods and maintaining a semi low carb diet. But like i said try to reframe your thinking in a way that you wanna get healthy and your life back on track. It takes time, but everything else should fall into place. Just don't give up


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## graves84 (Oct 7, 2013)

I find that weight gain comes from when the dr gives you to much methimazole. At one point they had me up to 170lbs at 5'8!! I cut the dose in half and was down to 140 in 2 months. NOT NORMAL!

Years later I have been off of any medication and been fine and level. My TSH is now rising and I have put on weight for no reason again. I also workout a ton and eat right. Now I am having to fight to get on something to go faster! Sucks


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