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Hypothyroid folks--what's your experience post-sleeve?



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Hey y'all:

I was sleeved April 18. I'm on my 3rd week-long stall since surgery and, in fact, have only lost 10 pounds since the 2nd week--so 10 pounds in a month. That's okay, but not what I expected post-sleeve. After a quick google, I noted that some people seem to need their meds adjusted UP (as in, their thyroid isn't working as well) after surgery.

For those of you who don't know, being hypothyroid means you don't have enough thyroid hormone to kick your body's metabolism into gear. It's almost impossible to lose weight if your thyroid isn't within normal levels. It's measured by checking thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)---if your thyroid isn't working, your thyroid stimulating hormone will be high, and you probably need thyroid replacement (Synthroid, levothyroxine, etc. etc.).

So I'm wondering now if my slow weight loss and frequent stalls, despite eating fewer than 500 calories a day (not by choice, believe me--my sleeve is exceptionally picky), might be due to a hormonal thing. I'm scheduling an appointment with my doc as soon as she can see me to get labs, but meanwhile, I thought I would ask this very experienced group of folks. Did your thyroid level change after surgery?

Thanks--

Meg

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I have been taking thyroid hormone since 1998--I had a TSH level done in March, 8 weeks after surgery, and again this month. Both were within limit for me (I do best under 1.0.) Rather than needing more, my PCP expects to lower the dosage as my body mass gets smaller. I have a sluggish metabolism but I have never had a stall, although it's true that some weeks I only lose a pound.

Hope you and your physician figure something out.

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I am scheduled for full labs including thyroid at 3 mos which is about 5 weeks from now. I was at a good level before surgery and I think my PCP expects that my will need to be lowered as I lose as well. I've had some days of stalls but nothing significant I've been mostly losing consistently.

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The thyroid will crash bang after trauma (and surgery is trauma) it may take awhile for it to get back up and running or it may stay down. Time will tell.

Get your thyroid numbers checked if in doubt...I will be getting mine checked every 3 months for a year.

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When i told my PCP that I was going to have surgery she automatically lowered my dose. I had my number done just before surgery and they were borderline but she felt that with losing weight I shouldn't take as high a dose so she brought it down.

I am currently in my week 3 stall I am guessing cause my weight hasn't changed at all this week. Will see how it goes, hoping my thyroid doesn't slow things down too much.

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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