Question:
Has anyone been diagnosed with Hypothyroid after having WLS?

Three months out and have been diagnosed with Hypothyroid, how will this affect my weight loss?    — Michelle A. (posted on March 6, 2003)

March 6, 2003
I was tested right before my surgery via my gynocologist, but didn't get the results until <i>after</i> surgery. She wants me on meds, but I have already been told by many that I will gain weight. I haven't started on the meds and don't plan on it. I don't have any symptoms which makes me weiry of those results.....Go in the librabry here and look up "hypothyroid". You should find many posts about it. Hope that helps...Karen (lap rny- 5 1/2 months post-op- down 114 pounds)
   — karmiausnic

March 6, 2003
I think you should be on the meds. I am also hypothyroid. At a support group meeting hypothyroid was discussed and we were told that this is one condition that WLS won't correct and you'll need to take meds for the rest of your lift. The meds keep you system working properly. You'll gain weight if you DON'T take it because your system is not producing enough thyroid hormone on its own. Plus you'll feel better. Your symptons don't have to be extreme to have the condition. Trust your doctor!
   — Susan B.

March 6, 2003
I am still pre-op but I am hypothyroid. I currently take synthroid for this and I can tell by the way my skin and hair feel (dry) if I do not regularly take my medicine. The medicine will not make you gain weight, if anything, it should help with the weight loss since an underactive thyroid can cause weight gain. More than likely, you were hypothyroid before the surgery but it was never diagnosed. I've been on medication for over 10 years and have accepted the fact that I will be taking that little pill once a day for the rest of my life. Good Luck
   — Carolyn M.

March 6, 2003
Hypothyroidism is sneaky! You are lucky to find a doc who diagnosed it. Symptoms: Fatigue, dry skin and hair, weight gain, depression, body aches, "brain fog". Who hasn't had some of those symptoms at one time or another? I became hypothyroid a few months after having part of my thyroid gland removed. My PCP is very good, and I knew what was happening, but couldn't make him believe I had a treatable problem because my thyroid "numbers" were still in the normal range! I found a great endocrinologist who started me on medication. I had regained 25 of 35 hard-lost pounds in a matter of 3-4 weeks before I was started on medication. Now that I have had WLS, my thyroid medication dosage is being adjusted downward as I lose weight, but I will never be off the medication. I would hate to ever feel that lousy again! If you are hypothyroid, please be treated! It can only improve your weightloss, and the way you feel overall.
   — koogy

March 9, 2003
I am still pre-op, but have different feelings about this subject. I will start off by saying that I am 26 yrs. old right now and weigh 330 lbs. When I was 11 years old my dad was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Before his diagnoses we had never really heard much about hypothyroidism. About 6 months after my dad was diagnosed my mom started noticing changes in me, moodiness, weight gain (20 lbs. in one month), tiredness, and being withdrawn from normal things. So she took me to my dad's specialist, (I am not sure what kind of doctor it was because I was only 11 yrs. old.). After having two tests done I found out I had hypotyroidism. The doctor put me on Synthroid .175 mg. The first month I was on the medication I lost 10 lbs. About 2 years later my grandma was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. She was now on medication too, I'm not sure what kind. Because there were 3 people in my family with thyroid disease, my mom started doing a lot of research. At one of my dad's doctors appointments the doctor told my mom and dad that once you start taking thyroid meds, you will never be able to stop. He said that the meds shut down your thyroid. And since your thyroid will never function on it's own again, you will need to be on meds the rest of your life. In 1994, while pregnant with my daughter, I took myself off my synthroid medication, against the advice of my doctor. After my daughter was born I had my thyroid checked again and guess what? My thyroid levels were normal. This was a mystery to everyone. I always thought I would be on meds the rest of my life. Since 1995, I have had my thyroid tested every 1-2 years. My thyroid levels are still normal. I guess what I am getting at is, make sure all of your tests are accurate. Have the doctor reorder them. Make sure that you do everything possible to ensure a good test, (fasting, or anything else that your doctor feels can help). And most importantly, TAKE YOUR MEDS!!!! From my experience and my dad's, the meds will not make you gain weight, they will help you keep the extra lbs. off. The worst thing you can do is not take your meds. Who knows, even though all my tests have been normal for the last 8 years, maybe some of my weight gain could have been avoided if I would have continued to take my meds. Best of luck with this problem....
   — Maria S