Question about Hypothyroidism and weight gain

[Orangefarm]

If you've been diagnosed or have a family member who was diagnosed - where was weight gain noticed? Was it all over? Legs, arms, neck, shoulders, face?

And how long before noticing symptoms - any symptoms - did it take to get diagnosed and on medication?

I'm asking with regards to my DD (19)

The majority was on my legs and stomach. A little around my face. Almost nothing on my chest/arms.

I also got very bad water retention in my left leg and its now almost twice the size of the right leg.

Diagnoses is a simple blood test that you'll get results for in 1-5 days. So it's as quick as you can get. GP appointment and a blood test sorted.

If it's there then you'll be given meds at the follow up GP appointment and you'll keep retesting every few weeks and adjusting the dose until things are stable. It's a very simple/quick thing to get sorted.

Has she had a blood test?
It was the fatigue, hair loss, constantly feeling the cold and eyebrows thinning that were my first symptoms. Unfortunately they blood test was missed off at the lab so, when I was told ‘blood tests were normal’ it didn’t include thyroid so I just struggled on for ages.
Weight gain was long after all my other symptoms had started.

Mine was everywhere, but worst on my stomach and legs. Even my hands were swollen.

I went to the gp because of hand and feet pain, thinking it was arthritis. Blood tests showed elevated TSH. So they did a thyroid panel that showed hashimotos and although I wasn't yet at TSH of 10 but was out of range for 2 consecutive tests they agreed a trial of Levothyroxine

Levothyroxine has made a big difference to how I feel, no pain now and a variety of other symptoms I didn't realise were symptoms have improved but I couldn't lose any weight even with really low calories. However after starting Mounjaro everything worked amazingly, even had to reduce my Levothyroxine as it boosted my metabolism.

What symptoms does your daughter have that make you think thyroid.

Noting that there is a strong hereditary relationship so if you, DH or a grandparent on either side have thyroid issues then it's more likely for future generations.

Also a strong relationship whereby coeliac or gluten intolerance, 80% of people with thyroid issues benefit from cutting out gluten

I was diagnosed at 25 and I didn’t have any weight gain at all. Always super slim, 5ft 7 and 9 stone ish. My main issues were fatigue and feeling cold all the time. I was put on 125mg thyroxine. I am 44 now and have put on weight over the years but that’s mainly down to the steroids I take for the cascade of other autoimmune issues I’ve since developed - lupus, Sjogrens, Addisons etc.

More or less all over for me but probably most noticeable on my stomach. Also quite a bit of water retention, especially upper arms and legs. I was diagnosed about 6 months ago and put straight on Levo. It can be quick but also be prepared for it to take a while to get to the right dose depending on the severity. I've just had my dose increased significantly. There's some good advice on the Thyroid forum on Health Unlocked, and at the very least some experienced support if that's helpful at all.

Hypothyroidism detected by coincidence about 15 years ago. Had no weight gain at all.

Everywhere - you also get ‘moon face’ ie fat neck and cheeks.

Upside, when the pills work you can pee out half a stone. In one go. Bliss.

Same. Found out by accident about 20 years ago I was a size 6 time. I’m now aged 40 and a size 10. So I don’t think I’ve gained weight because of my thyroid I think it’s just age.

I was diagnosed in my early 50s - I don’t remember having any particular weight gain at the time but by luck it was caught early (I’d had a bupa medical screening when I turned 50 which indicated I might be starting to develop a problem and so was quick to ask for a test when I started to feel off).
I did put on a few kilos after that but probably general menopausal and I’ve taken some of that off with lower carb/more veg etc sensible food and lots of walking.

You can have a goitre on the neck. You may have weight gain. I don’t think I had any and had possibly lost some weight. Was so tired doing normal things though.

Last time she had a thyroid screen TSH was 3.07. She's had 4 tests in all - 2 I paid for and 2 I had to beg the GP for - and the TSH is creeping up. She had presence of antibodies in the two tests I paid for but not high enough to ascertain Hashimotos.

On the one hand it feels like a waiting game to get worse so she can be treated. On the other hand, on other days, I worry I am barking up the wrong tree.

She is fatigued. Id say she's not been very energetic since age 15 but isn't that many teenagers? She does have naps between finishing work and having dinner. She gets 9 hours sleep at least each night so ought not to be so tired. She has cold intolerance, coarse dry hair and dry skin. Her hands and feet and maybe other parts of her body look to be retaining water but it's not pitting edema so GPs not concerned. Brain fog and lack of motivation. There are other autoimmune diseases in the family.

She's been steadily putting on weight since age 15. Just recently she's put on a lot more and Iknow on the whole what she eats. She doesn't buy food out very much and we eat healthy food at home. And her job is not sedentary. It doesn't add up and I feel for her. She's lost faith in the GP though. I'll happily continue to pay for tests if that is what she wants, but I don't want to keep making a big deal of it being her thyroid if I am barking up the wrong tree. It's so difficult to know what to do as a mother who just wants to make things easier for her daughter.

OP I’d go and post on the Thyroid U.K. forum on Health Unlocked. You’ll get better responses on there.

just to say that I felt very very (and increasingly) unwell (including all over weight gain) for a long time while my TSH very slowly crept up. It was over a.year I believe before my bloods were out of range enough to diagnosis hypothyroidism. There’s also a lot of controversy about what is considered underactive in this country. Anyhow posting quickly I don’t have much time now but I strongly recommend you post on the Thyroid U.K. forum.

Best of luck. .

I got diagnosed as a teenager too (15, right before my GCSEs which was very helpful) and didn’t have any weight gain really. It was mainly just fatigue - but I can’t imagine any parent would take their teenager to the GP just for sleeping too much!

in the end I got a goitre and that’s what made them test me. TSH was absolutely thrashing my poor thyroid and it swelled up as it couldn’t cope. I was very lucky to have such an obviously thyroidy symptom.

I’m in my 30s now and my condition has been well-managed and I’ve had two healthy babies, just to give you a bit of hope for the future :) a little bit overweight (size 14, 5 ft 8) but that’s more to do with lack of exercise and enjoying nice things than thyroid!