But my weight DID come on overnight!
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atypicalsmith wrote: »Stop blaming it on your thyroid, and start eating less and exercising more. Even your thyroid can't control CICO!
Well now, wait a minute. If she does have a thyroid problem and it's untreated, attempting to diet will be like shoveling you know what against the tide.
There's no need to tell her to stop "blaming" her thyroid. Thyroid will affect the CO portion of CICO if it's not properly regulated. Someone with an unregulated thyroid will lose very, very, very slowly.
Now, saying that, I doubt the OP is eating at the 1400 that she thinks she is.
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I would get a second opinion and likely fire my doctor. Your doctor works for you...I consider my doctor to work for me just like any other contractor, etc. If I don't like what's gong on, FIRED.0
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It looks like it CAN, actually.....
Why does polycystic ovary syndrome cause weight gain?
PCOS makes it more difficult for the body to use the hormone insulin, which normally helps convert sugars and starches from foods into energy. This condition -- called insulin resistance -- can cause insulin and sugar -- glucose -- to build up in the bloodstream.
High insulin levels increase the production of male hormones called androgens. High androgen levels lead to symptoms such as body hair growth, acne, irregular periods -- and weight gain. Because the weight gain is triggered by male hormones, it is typically in the abdomen. That is where men tend to carry weight. So, instead of having a pear shape, women with PCOS have more of an apple shape.
Abdominal fat is the most dangerous kind of fat. That’s because it is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and other health conditions.0 -
atypicalsmith wrote: »CICO is still CICO. Some people burn calories immediately, and some don't. But CICO still rules. No matter what your thyroid condition is. No matter what medications you are taking. No matter what anything else! As long as you are burning more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Some people faster than others; some people slower, but still losing all the same.
I disagree. I have polycystic ovarian syndrome and was very strict about eating 1200 calories and working out 5 days a week and I kept gaining weight. My endocrinologist put me on the maximum dose of metformin and without changing anything else I lost a TON of weight.
Op...how old are you? Do you have regular periods? I started gaining weight like crazy when was was around 23. I only have one or two periods a year. I went to an endocrinologist who diagnosed me as having PCOS. All the other doctors I went to just told me to lose weight. Go to a specialist and get your hormone levels checked out.
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I was going for simplicity, but let me rephrase...
Weight gain is often a symptom of PCOS because your body no longer uses insulin like it should. High levels of insulin cause you to produce more androgens than a woman would normally produce, and those androgens trigger weight gain. You could be eating the exact same number of calories as someone without PCOS, but your weight will go up. Hence why women with a lower body weight are often prescribed metformin (which is commonly used for diabetes) to treat their PCOS symptoms.
Everything does boil down to CICO, but different health issues change how your body deals with CO.0 -
kamakazeekim wrote: »atypicalsmith wrote: »CICO is still CICO. Some people burn calories immediately, and some don't. But CICO still rules. No matter what your thyroid condition is. No matter what medications you are taking. No matter what anything else! As long as you are burning more calories than you eat, you will lose weight. Some people faster than others; some people slower, but still losing all the same.
I disagree. I have polycystic ovarian syndrome and was very strict about eating 1200 calories and working out 5 days a week and I kept gaining weight. My endocrinologist put me on the maximum dose of metformin and without changing anything else I lost a TON of weight.
Op...how old are you? Do you have regular periods? I started gaining weight like crazy when was was around 23. I only have one or two periods a year. I went to an endocrinologist who diagnosed me as having PCOS. All the other doctors I went to just told me to lose weight. Go to a specialist and get your hormone levels checked out.
This. Thank you.
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kidney issues can result in water retention and added weight gain
you need to get to a doc and get some tests run so they can eliminate any medical reason. If theres no medical reason, you can work on fine tuning diet0 -
valentinenicole, check a few things on the thyroid list:
Do you have problems waking in the morning or feel groggy for a while after getting up? (or even a large portion of your day!)
Do you have trouble swallowing?
When you wash your hair, do you notice a lot of hair in the drain? Or do you notice a lot of hair in your hairbrush after brushing?
Do your eyebrows seem to be thinning (or disappearing altogether) at the outermost edges?
These are just a few of the visual symptoms that MAY indicate a thyroid condition. If your doctor is not taking your concerns seriously, ask him or her to refer you to an endocrinologist. (If your insurance does not require a referral, just call and make the appointment yourself.)
Bottom line, however, goes beyond the thyroid concerns. If your doctor is not taking your worries seriously, then you definitely need to find a new doctor. One of the most wonderful things my endo said when I first started seeing her was, "We do this together."
I have believed that healthcare is a PARTNERSHIP between doctor and patient. You are not just a tool in the doctor's arsenal of weapons, you are the single most important tool! If your doctor is not using this 'tool' to its greatest advantage then the doctor is not working FOR YOU.
And, be aware that there are other things that may cause the symptoms you see. Among them, of course, is the dietary issue which you may not accept as valid but may, indeed, be a factor. But, given the number of possible causes, your doctor should have ordered a full spectrum analysis a long time ago.
YOU are in charge of your health including whomever you choose to oversee the healthcare factors. It is up to you to make that decision for yourself, not out of convenience but for your health! Do what's right for you!0 -
ValentineNicole wrote: »@ignatca Maybe that's what I need - a dietitian. I'm just so at a loss as to what to do. I tried low carb high fat with no results this summer, so now I'm trying lower carb (not drastic like before) with more plant based foods. I just don't even know what else to do.
@PRminx - I try not to eat over my calories unless I'm truly hungry - the exceptions would be moreso 1 off celebrations. My sister's birthday (Feb 10), Valentine's Day. I won't have another exception day until Easter, so that should keep me stable. I may be eating under due to fear at this point.
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@Phrick That's what my mom keeps telling me to do - to try to see someone that takes me seriously. This doctor has only seen me at a heavier weight (I just moved back home after years in CA, MI, and MN). Maybe she just thinks I'm lying... but I really am normally a healthy weight, and SOMETHING happened... and it's just not overeating from what I can tell.
Can you get a copy of your full medical file from your previous doctor(s)? A comparison of stats may help both you and your doctor tremendously.0 -
I agree with those that say get a different doctor. The fact that you do lose a little with low carb signifies something. Reese has some good points.
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Alright, let me answer as much as I can
@mamapeach910 I'm pretty sure I'm accurate. I have a digital food scale, and I measure in grams to be as certain as I possibly can. Nothing goes unrecorded except water and tea. If I'm out and can't measure, I throw out a few bites in case of overweight products. I would have nothing to lie about here - no one knows me and I'm anonymous because this is the interwebs, LOL. Frankly, all this negativity is exactly why I'm fed up with my doctor - it's yet another case of, "Ok, but you don't know anything..." If I didn't know anything, I wouldn't be so concerned. This would just be "normal" for me.
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@kamakazeekim I'm 29 years old. I was on birth control until right about when I started gaining weight, actually, although I never really thought of it that way. My periods are pretty normal, kind of short and heavy, and they come and go in spurts. Since I am anonymous here, I also had an abortion right before all of this started - basically immediately prior. I will get my hormones checked.
@smr09012 My insulin may be slightly high, as my blood sugar tends to run high. Between 90-98... I don't know if that means anything or if that's irrelevant and just caused by the weight gain.
@ReeseG4350 I am very very foggy headed and tired, although I equate that to the weight gain as much as a potential issue. I find it hard to focus and stay on task. But I'm carrying an extra 50% body weight right now - yikes! My hair is thinning and I do lose maybe a half dollar sized ball each time I shower. Good hair products have helped a lot in the last couple months, but that's one of my biggest issues - my hair also does not grow.
I think everyone's advice is spot on - a second opinion is needed. If I'm wrong and there's nothing medically wrong, I'll be over the moon - no one wants to wish for health issues. I just want to feel like myself, and this just doesn't feel right.0 -
I looked in your diary. There are a few weird entries that could be inaccurate and mean that you're eating more than you think. Mainly it's the stuff you don't eat every day. You seem to eat the same things most days, which is fine.
Pork Generic - Baked Pork Chop, 1 medium (3oz, with bone, raw) (yield after cooking, bone removed): What? 3 oz with bone raw is different than yield after cooking, bone removed. Don't use this entry.
Chicken - Wing, Baked, Roasted, 4 Wing: What brand? Isn't baked different than roasted? 240 calories may be low, if there was butter applied.
I noticed that you didn't log any exercise during the entire month of March. Although exercise is for health, not weight loss, its possible your metabolic rate is a bit low. You may not have as high a BMR as an average person. You may need exercise to help you on your journey.0 -
Find a new doctor. If everything you say is correct (and I'll assume it is) something is going on.
For those who say a thyroid problem wouldn't keep her from losing if she's eating 1400. Some people with thyroid problems have an extremely low maintenance number, well under the recommended minimum daily intake of 1200 cal. So Eating 1400 could very well not do a thing for you if you're in that group. (even have you gain).
With the correct treatment and diet (under care of a competent doctor) most people will be able to lose weight.
Don't start starving yourself without getting the proper diagnosis.0 -
That hair loss thing is alarming. Does your doctor know about that and still refuse to test your thyroid?0
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Most doctors only test the TSH. Very few will test the full thyroid panels because of insurance issues and payment. I know first hand because of having to drive 3 hours to New Orleans to get a doctor willing to order all of them and pay out of pocket for both doctor and labs. $1500 later I know I have thyroid problems and am still waiting for the endocrinologist appointment.
To get that endocrinologist appointment I had to take the records from the doctor at Tulane to the doctor up here for a referral. None of the endocrinologists up here will see you without a referral.
So, its very possible she could have Hashimoto's and a very normal range TSH.
Good luck Op. It's hard to find a good doctor.0 -
hi! thought I would chime in....I am NOT a fan of calories in vs. calories out.....honestly, there is soooo much more involved! I lost 97 pounds 6 years ago & have maintained that loss. Now, I am eating the same amount of calories (yes, I got into the habit of writing everything down & still do) and exercising even more (running half marathons, marathons, CrossFit, biking, hiking) and have gained 20 pounds in the last 2 years. My doctor says it is all Menopause related and I have to "tweak" my diet- less carbs, more healthy fats, and yes, fewer calories!! I gained 50 pounds of my excess weight years ago in a 6 months stint on medication---yes, calories in vs. calories out did NOT work then, and doesn't always work now......
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But that's still calories in vs calories out, your numbers simply changed. If your Dr thinks it's menopausal that probably means that your 'calories out' has been reduced naturally due to menopause, while as you say yourself you kept eating the same amount as you were when your 'calories out' was higher. The number of calories we need changes depending on our age, sex, activity level etc and it isn't going to stay the same your whole life. 'Tweaking' your diet to make your calories in match your calories out doesn't go against the idea of CICO.0 -
hi! thought I would chime in....I am NOT a fan of calories in vs. calories out.....honestly, there is soooo much more involved! I lost 97 pounds 6 years ago & have maintained that loss. Now, I am eating the same amount of calories (yes, I got into the habit of writing everything down & still do) and exercising even more (running half marathons, marathons, CrossFit, biking, hiking) and have gained 20 pounds in the last 2 years. My doctor says it is all Menopause related and I have to "tweak" my diet- less carbs, more healthy fats, and yes, fewer calories!! I gained 50 pounds of my excess weight years ago in a 6 months stint on medication---yes, calories in vs. calories out did NOT work then, and doesn't always work now......
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Not to derail the thread because it's not about you, but CICO applies ALWAYS.
What you're not accounting for is that the CO part of the equation is a moving target. As we age, our TDEE changes. You need to recalculate your maintenance calories.
CICO always works, but the numbers don't remain constant. You're the one making the mistake of thinking they do. You won't be able to eat the same amount of food and maintain the same weight over the years.
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1. Agree on finding a better doctor. It took my OB/gyn to DX my Hashi's, and it wasn't like I was requesting that specific test or anything (I had by that time given up on ever feeling well or awake again, my PCP having run six bajillion tests, none of which was TSH or TPO). I went to my OB based on symptoms that I wouldn't have imagined had anything to do with my thyroid - he was the one who made the connection.
2. Agree that it's still CICO. Yes, you may have to eat fewer calories than you did before in order to create that deficit. But it may be a surprisingly smaller deduction than you think. You need to experiment and find your sweet spot.
3. I know it doesn't seem fair. I was on an "it's not fair - other people CAN eat X amount" kick FOR YEARS. Where did it get me? Fat. I finally dropped the "it's not fair" thing by being an adult about it and having some perspective. What IS fair? A person with paraplegia is going to look at me and say "it's not fair" that I can work out and create more of a calorie deficit that way - and she'll be right. Yet another person will say "it's not fair" that she has cancer and can't STOP losing weight, whereas I have the choice - and she'll be right too. What in life is fair? Play the hand you're dealt. Really do your numbers, be VERY realistic and honest about your activity level, lower calories in increments if you have to...but you will not lose weight until you create a calorie deficit.
For the record, and this is only me, but I was pretty damned severely hypo-T yet I did lose weight before I was ever medicated...IF I created a calorie deficit. Following starting medication, I still have to create a deficit. That's just how it is. Hope you feel better soon.0 -
ValentineNicole wrote: »Alright, let me answer as much as I can
@mamapeach910 I'm pretty sure I'm accurate. I have a digital food scale, and I measure in grams to be as certain as I possibly can. Nothing goes unrecorded except water and tea. If I'm out and can't measure, I throw out a few bites in case of overweight products. I would have nothing to lie about here - no one knows me and I'm anonymous because this is the interwebs, LOL. Frankly, all this negativity is exactly why I'm fed up with my doctor - it's yet another case of, "Ok, but you don't know anything..." If I didn't know anything, I wouldn't be so concerned. This would just be "normal" for me.
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@kamakazeekim I'm 29 years old. I was on birth control until right about when I started gaining weight, actually, although I never really thought of it that way. My periods are pretty normal, kind of short and heavy, and they come and go in spurts. Since I am anonymous here, I also had an abortion right before all of this started - basically immediately prior. I will get my hormones checked.
@smr09012 My insulin may be slightly high, as my blood sugar tends to run high. Between 90-98... I don't know if that means anything or if that's irrelevant and just caused by the weight gain.
@ReeseG4350 I am very very foggy headed and tired, although I equate that to the weight gain as much as a potential issue. I find it hard to focus and stay on task. But I'm carrying an extra 50% body weight right now - yikes! My hair is thinning and I do lose maybe a half dollar sized ball each time I shower. Good hair products have helped a lot in the last couple months, but that's one of my biggest issues - my hair also does not grow.
I think everyone's advice is spot on - a second opinion is needed. If I'm wrong and there's nothing medically wrong, I'll be over the moon - no one wants to wish for health issues. I just want to feel like myself, and this just doesn't feel right.
thank you for being brutally honest here. i would most certainly get a second opinion. something could be wrong since it started after your abortion. find a new doctor, one that will take you seriously and go from there. good luck. 0 -
mamapeach910 wrote: »That hair loss thing is alarming. Does your doctor know about that and still refuse to test your thyroid?
No - to be honest, I did not go into specifics as to why I thought my thyroid may be off. The reason I suspected it was because a loooong time ago when I was a very active dancer/cheerleader in high school, I tested having a low thyroid. I was underweight regardless, due to extreme activity, and the doctor opted to do nothing about it.
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@britishbroccoli - I will double check the measurements I used. Both the pork chops and wings are oven roasted without adding oil, cooked until crispy - just the way I like my meat. The added oil is always in the veggies 0 -
3. I know it doesn't seem fair. I was on an "it's not fair - other people CAN eat X amount" kick FOR YEARS. Where did it get me? Fat. I finally dropped the "it's not fair" thing by being an adult about it and having some perspective. What IS fair? A person with paraplegia is going to look at me and say "it's not fair" that I can work out and create more of a calorie deficit that way - and she'll be right. Yet another person will say "it's not fair" that she has cancer and can't STOP losing weight, whereas I have the choice - and she'll be right too. What in life is fair? Play the hand you're dealt. Really do your numbers, be VERY realistic and honest about your activity level, lower calories in increments if you have to...but you will not lose weight until you create a calorie deficit.
^^^^^ slow.clap.
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ValentineNicole wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »That hair loss thing is alarming. Does your doctor know about that and still refuse to test your thyroid?
No - to be honest, I did not go into specifics as to why I thought my thyroid may be off. The reason I suspected it was because a loooong time ago when I was a very active dancer/cheerleader in high school, I tested having a low thyroid. I was underweight regardless, due to extreme activity, and the doctor opted to do nothing about it.
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@britishbroccoli - I will double check the measurements I used. Both the pork chops and wings are oven roasted without adding oil, cooked until crispy - just the way I like my meat. The added oil is always in the veggies
If you appear to a dr's office and ask him/her to check your thyroid (or anything else) without any explanation, the dr will assume you are some idiot who watched a tv show or read a blog last night about hypothyroidism (or whatever), panicked, consulted dr google self diagnosed with some fashionable illness and then decided to run to the dr to verify the diagnosis. Get an appointment with your dr, explain your medical history, your current symptoms that are worrying you, make absolutely no wild guesses about what could be wrong and ask the dr help you with identifying the problem. Otherwise you are not going to get to the bottom of it.
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If you appear to a dr's office and ask him/her to check your thyroid (or anything else) without any explanation, the dr will assume you are some idiot who watched a tv show or read a blog last night about hypothyroidism (or whatever), panicked, consulted dr google self diagnosed with some fashionable illness and then decided to run to the dr to verify the diagnosis. Get an appointment with your dr, explain your medical history, your current symptoms that are worrying you, make absolutely no wild guesses about what could be wrong and ask the dr help you with identifying the problem. Otherwise you are not going to get to the bottom of it.
That is a very good point. I am a very very passive person - and I get shy quickly. Maybe I just need to be assertive and explain exactly what's going on, instead of saying "maybe, sort of, I'm worried."0 -
Danilynn1975 wrote: »Most doctors only test the TSH. Very few will test the full thyroid panels because of insurance issues and payment. I know first hand because of having to drive 3 hours to New Orleans to get a doctor willing to order all of them and pay out of pocket for both doctor and labs. $1500 later I know I have thyroid problems and am still waiting for the endocrinologist appointment.
To get that endocrinologist appointment I had to take the records from the doctor at Tulane to the doctor up here for a referral. None of the endocrinologists up here will see you without a referral.
So, its very possible she could have Hashimoto's and a very normal range TSH.
Good luck Op. It's hard to find a good doctor.
For Hashimotos to affect noticeably her metabolism, she should have to be at the point where not only her TSH but also her T4 would be completely out off limits, she would have no energy to walk up the stairs and she would be falling asleep while in the middle of normal activities. Hashimoto's can be diagnosed from antibodies years before her TSH or T4 are affected, but there will be no significant change to the metabolism at this point. Until it gets really really bad it can perhaps affect a bit weight, mostly by water retention, but cannot add 60 lbs!0 -
I don't mean to repeat my own posts, but is this possible: Can you get a copy of your full medical file from your previous doctor(s)? A comparison of stats may help both you and your doctor tremendously.
Part of a good medical diagnosis involves medical history. There may be a missing puzzle piece that may save you a few frustrating and/or expensive tests. Just a suggestion.0 -
LoosingMyLast15 wrote: »
thank you for being brutally honest here. i would most certainly get a second opinion. something could be wrong since it started after your abortion. find a new doctor, one that will take you seriously and go from there. good luck.
I was always too scared and upset over the situation to even go to a follow up appointment - it was a full year before I even saw a gynecologist, though I was honest with her about the situation so she could she if anything was wrong. I think I may just need that second opinion after all. I hate to feel so discouraged... and most of all, I just want to be ME again. I want to be healthy...and I want to have the energy to run every day like I used to. Now, I feel like I'm tired at 2pm from carrying all this weight, and a good run makes my knees hurt and my body ache instead of giving me the happy high I'm used to.
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I don't mean to repeat my own posts, but is this possible: Can you get a copy of your full medical file from your previous doctor(s)? A comparison of stats may help both you and your doctor tremendously.
Part of a good medical diagnosis involves medical history. There may be a missing puzzle piece that may save you a few frustrating and/or expensive tests. Just a suggestion.
I really wish, but because I've moved a lot in the last 5 years - Tennessee to Minnesota, to Michigan, to California, back to Tennessee - I never kept a general practitioner. My last steady doctor was actually in the same clinic I'm at now, but they no longer had my records and had to re-establish me as a patient. My whole family goes there, though, so they made an exception and let me back in. The doctor I used to see still works there, but she had no openings. I'm not sure she'd remember the tests I took that long ago though.0 -
ValentineNicole wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »That hair loss thing is alarming. Does your doctor know about that and still refuse to test your thyroid?
No - to be honest, I did not go into specifics as to why I thought my thyroid may be off. The reason I suspected it was because a loooong time ago when I was a very active dancer/cheerleader in high school, I tested having a low thyroid. I was underweight regardless, due to extreme activity, and the doctor opted to do nothing about it.
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@britishbroccoli - I will double check the measurements I used. Both the pork chops and wings are oven roasted without adding oil, cooked until crispy - just the way I like my meat. The added oil is always in the veggies
You tested with an underactive thyroid and the doctor left you untreated?
I... wut?
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Danilynn1975 wrote: »Most doctors only test the TSH. Very few will test the full thyroid panels because of insurance issues and payment. I know first hand because of having to drive 3 hours to New Orleans to get a doctor willing to order all of them and pay out of pocket for both doctor and labs. $1500 later I know I have thyroid problems and am still waiting for the endocrinologist appointment.
To get that endocrinologist appointment I had to take the records from the doctor at Tulane to the doctor up here for a referral. None of the endocrinologists up here will see you without a referral.
So, its very possible she could have Hashimoto's and a very normal range TSH.
Good luck Op. It's hard to find a good doctor.
For Hashimotos to affect noticeably her metabolism, she should have to be at the point where not only her TSH but also her T4 would be completely out off limits, she would have no energy to walk up the stairs and she would be falling asleep while in the middle of normal activities. Hashimoto's can be diagnosed from antibodies years before her TSH or T4 are affected, but there will be no significant change to the metabolism at this point. Until it gets really really bad it can perhaps affect a bit weight, mostly by water retention, but cannot add 60 lbs!
You really can't make generalities. My sister's reading were unbelievable (seriously, the endocrinologist didn't believe them and the lab re-ran them three times). According to all accounts, she should have been dead. Yet, she was functioning. Not well, but she wasn't falling asleep in the middle of normal activities.
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It was borderline low, iirc - bear with me, because it was like 12 years ago. But it stood out in my mind like a sore thumb, because I was always worried as to what it could mean.mamapeach910 wrote: »ValentineNicole wrote: »mamapeach910 wrote: »That hair loss thing is alarming. Does your doctor know about that and still refuse to test your thyroid?
No - to be honest, I did not go into specifics as to why I thought my thyroid may be off. The reason I suspected it was because a loooong time ago when I was a very active dancer/cheerleader in high school, I tested having a low thyroid. I was underweight regardless, due to extreme activity, and the doctor opted to do nothing about it.
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@britishbroccoli - I will double check the measurements I used. Both the pork chops and wings are oven roasted without adding oil, cooked until crispy - just the way I like my meat. The added oil is always in the veggies
You tested with an underactive thyroid and the doctor left you untreated?
I... wut?
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