Hypothyroidism can account for only about 10% of your added weight but you may lose a little when you take the medication. Now let me tell you what happens if you don't take the medicine. I have hypothyroidism that went undiagnosed for 16 years. It was found when I was so weak I couldn't work and had been fired for missing so many days. I had developed CHF and my body was shutting down. Your thyroid regulates all your bodily functions and can lead to death if it is bad enough. I had a friend end up in the hospital last week because he didn't take his thyroid medication and he had an attack that mimicked a heart attack and actually passed out. I would not recommend that you go without the thyroid medication. You do have to take it the rest of your life but isn't it worth it to have more energy, not have your hair and skin be as dry and brittle, have a greater tolerance to heat and cold, and make sure your body is functioning the way it should. Not trying to be harsh but I know from experience that this should be taken seriously.

Thanks for the reply Carlucybug. I did not understand the seriousness of it.

Hi Chemistrz saw your post about Synthroid.I've been takiong it for many years. Started out as supplemental for sluggish thyroid. Turned out I had an inverted goiter growing (non-cancerous) It reached the size of a grapefruit. Not to scare you. Don't avoid the medication to just avoid another pill. It's tiny and cheap. I've had both my thyroid glands removed in two separate surgeries...two years apart. i'm on synthroid as a replacement for the glands. Be smart and use it as a helper instead of replacement. I've been told that if you keep the thyroid levels up it supports the parathyroid glands. Tough going w/o them. Control bone density and many other glands and body functions. Good Luck. PS I'm still post op. Due for surgery on 4/13.

I have been on synthroid since my early twenties. The doc was having a difficult time regulating my dosage so my option was radioactive iodine to remove my thyroid all together.
I now rely on my synthroid to regulate all the functions of my missing thyroid. This is for life. Tiny little pill I take at bedtime. Be sure to NEVER take it with your calcium. This is a must!
Here's a good article explaining hypothyroidism:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypothyroidism/DS00353

I've taken the thyroid hormones for decades. It's not the HRT that can cause cancer. Actually, if you need it, you should take it. Low thyroid can cause an irregular heart beat and other problems. Yes, you'll take it for the rest of your life because the thyroid gland doesn't "recover." But it's cheap, and you'll probably feel better with it.

For sure take it if the doc thinks you should. I have been on it for all of my adult life. I used to take it sometimes and not all the time. I was very irregular with it at best. Well I ended up with Hashimoto's. Basically my thyroid gland does not do anything. Produces no hormone. My body basically killed it. I now take my pills like I am supposed to and I feel lots better. Before I was always tired, hair and nails always dry and brittle. The other posters are right. The thyroid is like your thermostat IT CONTROLS most everything. Good luck and take care.

Thyroid problems can be hereditary . My mom had it, I did and now they've put my son on Thyroid medication. Take it without food. Ihave been on Synthroid since 1976, when I had thyroid cancer. I was put on a thyroid pig hormone when I was a teen, but as a teen I never took it as supposed t. Then after my thyroid surgery to remove the tumor on the rt lobe, I had to take it for threst of my life. Do not take any medications with a thyroid medication without reading warning labe first. Some cold releasecapsules will speed up your heart rate when taking Synthroid. Also o not eat alot of sauerkraut, cabbage or it will cancel out your thyroid hormone. Lookup foods not to be eaten while taking this medicine. I occassionally will eat these things, but not often.You may feel better while taking this hormone and may lose weight too. Hypothyroidism can make you gain weight easily, and cause some depression too. Not because of weight gain but cause the thyroid is the "Master" gland for your body and organs too. Look up your hormone medicine to get more info. on this. You probably will have to take it the rest of your life. No Big deal. You will also be more sensitive to cold temps and hot temps too. After my weightl surgery, I managed to get 205lbs off . But I also know Ian gain weight too. So it is a two edged sword. Good luck-This is common with women to have to be placed on a thyroid medication at sometime in their life. Not all women need it but s becoming more prevalent.

I take a generic version of Synthroid, Levothyroxine, at the highest dose .88. I had my surgery 11/24/09 and lost weight really fast for the first year, am now at 128# loss. Naturally it slows as you near your goal weight, but had I not taken measures to get my thyroid levels in check I have no doubt I would never have gotten where I am so quickly. Good luck!

Krista

I tried all kinds of alternative routes before giving up and taking synthroid. Bad! Bad! Bad! I started having panic attacks, couldn't sleep and had to be pull down from the ceiling. When I talked to the dr about it he wanted to put me on prozac. I went balisitic and never went back. Then I went to a health food store and ran into an osteopath who's wife just happened to own the store. He put me on Armour Thyroid then and there and told me I'd be fine within three days and I was.

After changing insurance and drs over the years, other drs put me back on synthroid after I'd argue with them and every time the side effects got worse. The last and final time I gave in, I thought I was going to have a heart attack the palpitations were so bad. In the end the only way I've been able to get a dr to give me the Armour Thyroid has been to tell them that I'm allergic to synthroid.

I love Armour thyroid! It is natural and not chemical and totally agrees with my body. I've never had any problems with it. The only drawback with Armour or sometimes it just goes by Thyroid is availability in certain doses but I just get my prescription adjusted accordingly.

I don't mind taking it because I'm not dragging ass all the time.

It sounds to me like you have some very valid concerns. I would encourage you to speak with your specialists about it. Call your oncologist or OBGYN and ask them about taking this medication AND talk to your surgeon about your concerns.