Alcohol and thyroid and/or slowed metabolism
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
Alcohol and thyroid and/or slowed metabolism
Not asking for medical advice. I've already been to the doctor (yesterday) and had my full blood workup.
At the end of my active drinking (13 months ago), I was severely malnourished, hospitalized, and at my lowest adult weight (120 at 5'4).
As I've posted here over the past year, I've gained 27 lbs. At the doctor, I asked to see my weight over the past few years to get a sense of where I was before all of the crises set in.
I usually hover around 130s/140s. I got up to 160 this past June, my highest weight outside of pregnancy. Weight would not budge, even with eating 1200 calories a day and exercising 5 days a week. Tried low carb, tried low cal, everything. Nothing worked. I've read that I might have screwed my metabolism.
the only thing that has worked is a VLCD. I know this is controversial and I really don't want to debate the merits or lack thereof of this. I have lost 10 lbs. I know it's extreme, but I refuse to be nearly obese, especially because it's not my natural body weight.
I was tested for thyroid, but I'm wondering if anyone has any experience on here (personal anecdata, not medical advice). My question is, did heavy alcohol consumption affect your metabolism?
(I know a lot of people don't quite reach the bottom, medically, that I did. So, for most people, I see that one of the first effects of sobriety was weight loss. I went through being overweight due to alcohol as well. But, in the end, because my body didn't absorb nutrients, I was actually severely underweight and in recovery, I've done the opposite of most: gained).
At the end of my active drinking (13 months ago), I was severely malnourished, hospitalized, and at my lowest adult weight (120 at 5'4).
As I've posted here over the past year, I've gained 27 lbs. At the doctor, I asked to see my weight over the past few years to get a sense of where I was before all of the crises set in.
I usually hover around 130s/140s. I got up to 160 this past June, my highest weight outside of pregnancy. Weight would not budge, even with eating 1200 calories a day and exercising 5 days a week. Tried low carb, tried low cal, everything. Nothing worked. I've read that I might have screwed my metabolism.
the only thing that has worked is a VLCD. I know this is controversial and I really don't want to debate the merits or lack thereof of this. I have lost 10 lbs. I know it's extreme, but I refuse to be nearly obese, especially because it's not my natural body weight.
I was tested for thyroid, but I'm wondering if anyone has any experience on here (personal anecdata, not medical advice). My question is, did heavy alcohol consumption affect your metabolism?
(I know a lot of people don't quite reach the bottom, medically, that I did. So, for most people, I see that one of the first effects of sobriety was weight loss. I went through being overweight due to alcohol as well. But, in the end, because my body didn't absorb nutrients, I was actually severely underweight and in recovery, I've done the opposite of most: gained).
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Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,981
I put on about 20 lbs myself once off the sauce, and it's not uncommon as the booze often times makes us barely eat, and what we do, doesn't get absorbed properly because our stomachs and intestines are all messed up from the booze.
You can run it past your doc again to see what's going on if your thyroid levels came back normal. You could also see if they would do more bloodwork to see if there is a hormonal imbalance.
You can run it past your doc again to see what's going on if your thyroid levels came back normal. You could also see if they would do more bloodwork to see if there is a hormonal imbalance.
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Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 8,674
Glad you posted- thanks for sharing.
To answer your one question- did alcohol effect my metabolism - I would say yes. Over my drinking years- now that I specifically think of this in that context- my thyroid fluctuated from under- to overactive. Med dosage adjusted accordingly. I actually need to get a checkup to see if we are on the right dose now (or, perhaps, it is not necessary to keep taking meds). I was one of those people who gradually got to pretty much subsisting on alcohol (vodka once I got "past the wine stage") with very little food intake. I just wasn't hungry.
As I have gotten sober- I just passed 17 mo- my appetite has fluctuated and I am a little heavier than I would like- probably 10 pounds- from being underweight by 15-ish when I quit. I try not to focus on the looks part - I know I look great in the objective sense, simply based on everyone's reaction- and on my physical exercise and how I eat.
Keeping in touch with my dr regularly about my stats is important to me, and trying not to worry about thr 4/6/8 size changes is important too.
Regardless, everything - physical and other- is better sober!
To answer your one question- did alcohol effect my metabolism - I would say yes. Over my drinking years- now that I specifically think of this in that context- my thyroid fluctuated from under- to overactive. Med dosage adjusted accordingly. I actually need to get a checkup to see if we are on the right dose now (or, perhaps, it is not necessary to keep taking meds). I was one of those people who gradually got to pretty much subsisting on alcohol (vodka once I got "past the wine stage") with very little food intake. I just wasn't hungry.
As I have gotten sober- I just passed 17 mo- my appetite has fluctuated and I am a little heavier than I would like- probably 10 pounds- from being underweight by 15-ish when I quit. I try not to focus on the looks part - I know I look great in the objective sense, simply based on everyone's reaction- and on my physical exercise and how I eat.
Keeping in touch with my dr regularly about my stats is important to me, and trying not to worry about thr 4/6/8 size changes is important too.
Regardless, everything - physical and other- is better sober!
Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 145
You didn't mention your age (and don't have to 
Just also keep in mind starting in mid 40's and up everything slows down, naturally. I am certain with 20 years of heavy binge drinking my metabolism is non existent. I hit 45 in April and I think that, combined with sobriety, has caused my weight gain. Yes, it's very frustrating. My clothes are way too snug but I refuse to buy new clothes right now, because I do plan on taking off the weight. I'm only 51/2 months sober, so I'm giving myself a year for my body and brain to start to heal and hopefully somewhat "normalize".
Your bloodwork will tell all. Let us know how that turns out.
Just also keep in mind starting in mid 40's and up everything slows down, naturally. I am certain with 20 years of heavy binge drinking my metabolism is non existent. I hit 45 in April and I think that, combined with sobriety, has caused my weight gain. Yes, it's very frustrating. My clothes are way too snug but I refuse to buy new clothes right now, because I do plan on taking off the weight. I'm only 51/2 months sober, so I'm giving myself a year for my body and brain to start to heal and hopefully somewhat "normalize". Your bloodwork will tell all. Let us know how that turns out.
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Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: USA
Posts: 980
I have read a lot on the internet concerning underactive thyroid Hypo-thyroid.
I did it be cause of my relationship with an addict. In her case it was methadone (MMT) & alcohol (possibly other drugs mixed in) Both are depressants & can affect the thyroid gland. They do slow down the body's metabolism
In her case she was experiencing weight gain, low energy levels, & very irregular sleep habits. Basically sleeping all day & up most of the night. But sleeping way more than normal & sort of a dead sleep. She told me it was worrying her.
There is a lot of good information on the web concerning Hypo-thyroid caused by drug use. The condition can be determined by a relatively simple blood test. If confirmed, doctors can treat it. Weight gain is a symptom.
After a lot of research, I tried talking to my addict about the condition. Even offered to take her for the blood test & get follow up medical treatment. That went in one ear & out the other.
I did it be cause of my relationship with an addict. In her case it was methadone (MMT) & alcohol (possibly other drugs mixed in) Both are depressants & can affect the thyroid gland. They do slow down the body's metabolism
In her case she was experiencing weight gain, low energy levels, & very irregular sleep habits. Basically sleeping all day & up most of the night. But sleeping way more than normal & sort of a dead sleep. She told me it was worrying her.
There is a lot of good information on the web concerning Hypo-thyroid caused by drug use. The condition can be determined by a relatively simple blood test. If confirmed, doctors can treat it. Weight gain is a symptom.
After a lot of research, I tried talking to my addict about the condition. Even offered to take her for the blood test & get follow up medical treatment. That went in one ear & out the other.
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,960
Alcohol, caffeine, sugar, artificial ingredients to name a few things I have to watch 6+ years into recovery. My body is sensitive to these things.
Stick with your doctor, work with them and hopefully you will see improvements the longer you stay stopped!
Stick with your doctor, work with them and hopefully you will see improvements the longer you stay stopped!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
Thank you, all!
Oh, yeah--age is catching. I'm the same age of the poster above, except I'm May (45!).
I know my metabolism isn't what it was in the thirties (I think it begins to slow down after 35 and tanks after 40 lol).
But, seriously, yes, some of it is aging, for sure. The women in my family all have a very similar body type--even without working out, they may have a middle age spread in their 50s and 60s, but no one is big. I was 15 lbs outside of clinically obese back in June (upon return from a vacation).
Another thing, like someone mentioned, I had no appetite at the end of my affair or, who am I kidding, my monogamous relation with vodka. Not only didn't I have an appetite, I couldn't eat. That was really bad because part of the reason for hospitalization was the side effects of the malnutrition. And, then, there's this last year when I was moving up from 120. I was probably eating close to 3000 a day--not binging, but I added it up one day: multiple colas a day, cookies, cake, fried food, meals out, etc. It just caught up with me. Should have been more careful since I saw myself inching up once I got over 140 which has been a high weight for me since my mid-30s.
Anyway, so as you can see, there are a lot of extremes in my life that resulted in the underweightedness and the overweightedness.
I will share the results of the blood test. For now, I'm eating between 500 and 700 calories a day and I've finally got the scale to budge and some of my 8s to fit again (in June, 10/12 did not fit) 10 lbs makes a huge difference on my small frame.
Oh, yeah--age is catching. I'm the same age of the poster above, except I'm May (45!).
I know my metabolism isn't what it was in the thirties (I think it begins to slow down after 35 and tanks after 40 lol).
But, seriously, yes, some of it is aging, for sure. The women in my family all have a very similar body type--even without working out, they may have a middle age spread in their 50s and 60s, but no one is big. I was 15 lbs outside of clinically obese back in June (upon return from a vacation).
Another thing, like someone mentioned, I had no appetite at the end of my affair or, who am I kidding, my monogamous relation with vodka. Not only didn't I have an appetite, I couldn't eat. That was really bad because part of the reason for hospitalization was the side effects of the malnutrition. And, then, there's this last year when I was moving up from 120. I was probably eating close to 3000 a day--not binging, but I added it up one day: multiple colas a day, cookies, cake, fried food, meals out, etc. It just caught up with me. Should have been more careful since I saw myself inching up once I got over 140 which has been a high weight for me since my mid-30s.
Anyway, so as you can see, there are a lot of extremes in my life that resulted in the underweightedness and the overweightedness.
I will share the results of the blood test. For now, I'm eating between 500 and 700 calories a day and I've finally got the scale to budge and some of my 8s to fit again (in June, 10/12 did not fit) 10 lbs makes a huge difference on my small frame.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: MN
Posts: 8,704
HI NGST, I know this weight thing has been bothering you for some time now. I have quite a bit of experience in weight gain and weight loss. I'm 49 and embarked on getting myself back in shape after a long layoff (10+ yrs). I am finding getting the last bit of fat off is very hard. I work out pretty hard 5 days a week and eat sensibly and still its stubborn. Your metabolism is probably not what it used to be, and the blood test are a great idea. Your "T" levels are something you might want to inquire about. That's thyroid and I think there are T1 thru T4. Anyway, if you want to ask me any questions about weight loss, feel free to PM me. I know of ways that are almost gauranteed to make you lose weight. As of now, it sounds like you are almost starving yourself, and that's not good either. I'm sure you already know that.
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Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,476
Hi Not,
500-700 cal per day seems low. Based on what I've read, a woman should have at least 1000 cal per day. You said that you are working out 5-6 days per week...what type of exercise are you doing?
I'm 10 yrs older than you and while I find it much more difficult to lose weight at the age I am now, compared to my 20s-30's, I am still able to lose weight if I follow a diet that is low in carbs & sugar, high in protein, veggies, fiber and I exercise and keep my heart rate in the fat burning zone for at least 45-60min, 5-6 days per week.
Prior to starting my recovery plan (5 months ago), I had lost approx. 40lbs by working out and eating no more than 1200 cal per day. I was losing approx. 2 lbs per week. When I stopped drinking, I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted to eat for the first few weeks. Once I got back to a strict diet, the weight didn't budge for months. It was SO frustrating!
Within the last few months, my weight has started to drop (I'm down 16lbs from where I was when I quit drinking). The way I'm losing the weight is weird...I'll weigh myself at the beginning of the week and there is no weight loss. Then, all of a sudden I'll get on the scales a few weeks later and I will have dropped 2-4lbs. Bottom line, the way my weight is shifting since I quit drinking is completely different from how I used to lose weight.
I'm not sure how long you have been in recovery, but if you are new to recovery, you might want to give your body some time to adjust.
500-700 cal per day seems low. Based on what I've read, a woman should have at least 1000 cal per day. You said that you are working out 5-6 days per week...what type of exercise are you doing?
I'm 10 yrs older than you and while I find it much more difficult to lose weight at the age I am now, compared to my 20s-30's, I am still able to lose weight if I follow a diet that is low in carbs & sugar, high in protein, veggies, fiber and I exercise and keep my heart rate in the fat burning zone for at least 45-60min, 5-6 days per week.
Prior to starting my recovery plan (5 months ago), I had lost approx. 40lbs by working out and eating no more than 1200 cal per day. I was losing approx. 2 lbs per week. When I stopped drinking, I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted to eat for the first few weeks. Once I got back to a strict diet, the weight didn't budge for months. It was SO frustrating!
Within the last few months, my weight has started to drop (I'm down 16lbs from where I was when I quit drinking). The way I'm losing the weight is weird...I'll weigh myself at the beginning of the week and there is no weight loss. Then, all of a sudden I'll get on the scales a few weeks later and I will have dropped 2-4lbs. Bottom line, the way my weight is shifting since I quit drinking is completely different from how I used to lose weight.
I'm not sure how long you have been in recovery, but if you are new to recovery, you might want to give your body some time to adjust.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
Thanks, all.
Thomas, I will PM you.
I'm not doing anything really strenuous, to tell you the truth. About one hour of cardio a day, but nothing really intense. Recumbent bike, elliptical, etc. I burn about 350 there. I've been riding my road bike for a week and I bike about 10 miles, burning 500 (but, again, that's new, and I don't know if mapmyride is completely accurate since I only go 10 mph).
I gave the 1000 calories and the 1200 calories a try and even dabbled with the 800, all combined with healthy eating and the same amount of exercise. Nothing. Nothing at all. So, I googled and found a lot of info on VLCD and the "Minnesota" experiment. I decided to do it for a while to start my weight loss which was not happening. And, even at the moderately diminished calories (1000), I was even seeing weight gain! That was part of my reason for getting into the doctor.
So, yeah, I'm doing this for now. I have a few days were I got to 1500 or 2000. It's been nearly two weeks and I'm down 8 lbs which has really changed my entire body shape.
Thomas, I will PM you.
I'm not doing anything really strenuous, to tell you the truth. About one hour of cardio a day, but nothing really intense. Recumbent bike, elliptical, etc. I burn about 350 there. I've been riding my road bike for a week and I bike about 10 miles, burning 500 (but, again, that's new, and I don't know if mapmyride is completely accurate since I only go 10 mph).
I gave the 1000 calories and the 1200 calories a try and even dabbled with the 800, all combined with healthy eating and the same amount of exercise. Nothing. Nothing at all. So, I googled and found a lot of info on VLCD and the "Minnesota" experiment. I decided to do it for a while to start my weight loss which was not happening. And, even at the moderately diminished calories (1000), I was even seeing weight gain! That was part of my reason for getting into the doctor.
So, yeah, I'm doing this for now. I have a few days were I got to 1500 or 2000. It's been nearly two weeks and I'm down 8 lbs which has really changed my entire body shape.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2017
Posts: 1,476
8lbs in 2 weeks??? WOW! Seems that you've found a solution. I just wanted to throw it out there that for some of us who stop drinking, it takes a while for our bodies to adjust to the change and the weight can come off slower than we thought.
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 403
Yeah, I know it's not the best diet. To be fair (to myself), I've never had an eating disorder and I'm not interested in developing one. As a matter of fact, my goal is not unrealistic. I would like to get to 145 because that puts me at a normal BMI. Frankly, I have no patience for slow weight loss and it seems that slow or fast--after the fact--the results of not eating properly find you. My hope is to continue exercise and gradually work myself up to about 1200-1500 a day.
First, though, I would like to know what the doctor has to say about all of this.
First, though, I would like to know what the doctor has to say about all of this.
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