I hate suffering with this at 17, it's made me gain 3sto...

Hi,

I have just read your comment and felt desperate to re-asure you. I was a size 8 in ladies clothes and full of energy. I had just got married and was a passenger in a road accident, at a later stage I was told that shock can trigger this problem and they think this is how my condition came about. My long hair began to fall out, my nails snapped and split, my skin was itchy, I blew up to a size 20 in just 4 months and I could sleep for England! My Mother-in-Law nagged me relentlessly about how fat I was and how I was letting myself go etc etc. In fact that is the worst, people thinking it's ok to constantly tell you how fat you are (just amuse yourself with the fact that they are stupid and perhaps not too attractive in some other way, but you are better than them because you have the manners not to point it out!!)... Finally (as with most people) I nagged at my GP till he finally arranged blood tests. I got my results back that I had an Under-active thyroid. It actually took 2/3 years before a correct dosage that actually gave me some feeling of wellbeing was found and even now (age 36) and some 11 years later I do admit to having relapses of being exhausted. I tried weightwatchers, slimming world, various diet drinks etc., but what actually helped was firstly believing I was an attractive person, not a fat old blob - I got a new hair cut, braved taking my clothes off in front of a strange to have a fake tan applied and bought a new outfit just about an inch or so too small for me, so I could work towards it (it's best to set realistic goals). I stopped using my scales, when it didn't budge every day I would panic and feel sick and then reach for chocolate or have a take away, which only starts it all off again, I judged my weight loss by how my trousers felt (loose or tight). I stopped snacking on sweets and biscuits, ate fruit (and I only like bananas, apples, pears and cherries!) started to walk and ride my bike about, and I also tried something at my local beauty shop which tones and breaks down cellulite (this one doesn't work for everyone and some places charge a lot of money for a course, maybe you could ask friends and family for money for your birthday and xmas and then save up) but I went from a size 20 to a size 12 in just 3months. The other option is to find a gym, just a little cheap one, that also caters for disabled people, having been in my road accident, I felt more comfortable being with people who also had difficulty in exercising. How refreshing, no size 6 ladies in their little pink lycra numbers taking the mickey,just understanding, friendly, folk who liked to offer words of support when I was having a bad day believing in myself. So for now, accept you are a little larger, buy some nice make-up, get a new hair style (I went for a bright colour change, which stopped people commenting on how chunky they thought I was and made me some new friends!!). That should give you a mini-boost then try some of my suggestions, you've got nothing to loose. Best Wishes to you.

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hi my name is sam i am 25 i was diagnsed about 3 years ago and to this day i dont feel any better what gets me down is my weight have you had any tip back from any one because again i am the sam as you i was a size 8 and then with in 2 weeks i had but on 2 stone i have tryed any think and every think how about you from sam

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get on some T3 and T4 asap , but cant just stop it must taper off

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I really really feel for you!!! And totally know what you are going through, although I haven't been diagnosed as yet, although I know my body well enough to know something is not right. I am 43 and loved being 40 and 41. I had a car accident at the end of October 2004 (juggernaut hit my car with me and the 3 children in - thank god we were ok but I hadn't accounted for the shock and how that would knock my system around). Was very interested to read about the other person who seems to have had this triggered by a car accident. Have been through the 5 doctors at my practice and the responses range from 'antidepressants' (To which I reply 'no I'm not depressed, just angry that I have put on 2 stone in 18 months for no reason whatsoever!'), to more blood tests (all of which come back 'within the normal range' or for thyroid 'at the low end of normal'. How on earth do they know what MY normal is??? Ok history: I exercise 4 times a week and have done for years - 2 aerobics classes and 2 gym sessions. I eat healthily and I am utterly fed up of well-meaning people advising me on what to eat, not eat, cut out, include, reduce etc in my diet. I started putting on weight just over 18 months ago ... and it has crept up and NOTHING I do will make the scales start to go the other way. I read Marilyn Glenville's book 'Fat around the middle', which is really interesting and makes sense. I stuck to the diet rigidly for 2 months and paid £50 for supplements. Nothing! I put on half a stone. I try to remain positive for the sake of my sanity and the family. It's not always easy and today I have spent most of the day in tears. To try to have a goal, I have just entered 'The Race for Life' 5K run in July and have been training for the past 2 weeks, thinking this HAS to kick start something. Guess what! I have put on 5lbs! It's got to the point where nothing in my wardrobe fits me, I don't want to go out, I don't want to socialise, I hate mirrors and I really hate myself. My poor husband is wondering what to say or not say and to be honest he is better saying nothing because I don't want sympathy or placating ... I just desperately want ME back. I liked me and I miss that so much. I have to pull myself together for the children and work is my saviour as I can throw myself at it and forget. The summer is looming as a nightmare ... holidays ... at the moment I'd rather creep into a hole and stay there!

Reading the comments about things not improving after the medication has compounded my feelings of despair. I have an appointment at the endocronology dept in May and am now not confident with what the outcome will be. I have paid to see a homeopath who was perplexed by what was wrong. I have had accupuncture - relaxing but no difference. I would and will pay anything to get this sorted ... but as so many people here have said, nobody seems to really understand or care.

The only thing I know is that somehow I have to find a way of sorting this out and getting my life back. And that's how it feels at the moment - like it's fighting me every step of the way. You get to the point where you are scared to eat, scared to not eat, too tired to care anyway! Good luck all of you - you're in my thoughts!

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Hi there I really feel for you. I have just been diagnosed with under active thyroid, but my daughter has had it from age 13, she's now 27, so we were able to talk about how it affects you and the main thing she mentioned was the weight gain, which is one of my problems. If she felt ok, she stopped takeing the tablets - wrong idea, but a teenager - but then put weight on again and got back on the tablets. So THEY WILL HELP just keep on with the tablets, and think positively.

Try and think about the good things you have, great hair, skin, nails or personality. We all have something we don't like, but this weight gain will only be temporary.

Normally my daughter is a lovely size 12, but at the moment she's 6 months pregnant with her second child, and will soon be a size 12 again.

Take care.

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