Getting sick after reaching your goal weight...

fataalic

I am wondering...has anyone here, after losing a large amount of weight, or even reaching their goal weight, later end up getting some serious disease?

I am asking this because I have a cousin who had lost around 50kg in the past couple of years, only to find herself sick later. Now she has to give herself shots every day for something (not sure what it is, as her parents don't know how to explain what exactly is going on with her).

Also, I met a lady whose husband ended up getting many different health issues (heart attack, kidney problems, high cholesterol, etc...) after he lost around 100lbs by getting a weight loss surgery...

It makes me feel as if you can never win, or some people are just not lucky to enjoy their new life after they achieve a significant weight loss.

Please share if you had any health issues after you achieved your goal...

And, please don't respond back in anger, I am not trying to discourage anyone from losing weight, but just wondering what triggers these problems, especially when we should be feeling great and happy....

Kimberrh6

I do think sometimes when people lose weight too quickly, they get sick. I have friends who have lost weight so quick that their nails got brittle, hair fall out, and their immune system kind of takes a hit, so then they get sick more often.
I think if you are trying to lose weight in a healthy manner (diet and exercise), then you'll be fine.

But I will also say this about illness; before starting to exercise again, I was having a LOT of Multiple Sclerosis issues. Now that I'm exercising and eating healthier, I've felt a lot better and haven't had as much tingling/numbness junk

FitForeverAgain

Seriously? Sure, you could get sick. And you could be fat and sick, which is much more likely. Stop looking and finding reasons to not get fit. There are plenty out there, and you don't have to look far. But trust me, you're going to die someday. Do it looking good.

fataalic

Oh, I would not try to lose weight the unhealthy way (too quick). It is just that I wanted to know if there are more people out there who had some serious health issues after reaching their weight loss goal (not immediately after, but later on...).

astartig

Seriously? Sure, you could get sick. And you could be fat and sick, which is much more likely. Stop looking and finding reasons to not get fit. There are plenty out there, and you don't have to look far. But trust me, you're going to die someday. Do it looking good.

This^

the odds of getting ill while fat are far higher than after getting skinny.

if you do it in a healthy way your odds of getting very ill after being thin are just as high as for the rest of the general population unless you are already in a high risk group for something genetically like cancer or what not and even then if you're thinner your chances of beating it are higher than if you're not.

rahmyers

I found quite the opposite to be true. About 14 years ago I did lose 30 pounds or so doing the Atkins diet, at the same time my son was born with some serious heart problems and we had to go through surgeries, etc.. . Later, I ended up with a pretty serious autoimmune disease, that can be deadly, actually it's for serious autoimmune diseases altogether. , Do I blame losing the weight on the reason that I contracted this disease? no, I blame it on a pre-existing family predisposition to autoimmune disease, probably brought on by the stresses of my son having heart problems. Most likely these other people who develop serious illnesses contracted them by having either a history of family prepredisposition or they were susceptible and some other way. I really doubt it was due to weight loss itself.
I've lost over 90 pounds and found the weight loss, the healthier eating, along with exercise actually helps can control the pain and severity of my illness. my doctors have called me a "model patient." And are amazed at how well diet and exercise have improved things for me. I've read lots on these forums and found for the majority of people that's true. I'm sure some radically bad diet could cause people to be sick Later on, but that's not what am MFP is supposed to be for. It's for losing weight in a reasonable manner and most of the forum promotes doing it in a healthy way.

shadow2soul

I think if people try to rush it and don't treat it as a lifestyle change, that they could possibly end up harming themselves.

Personally, my health is improving as my weight goes down and I feel absolutely amazing.

Everyone says to lose weight you need to eat less than you burn. Well that's true to an extent. If your eating to little you can create health problems that wouldn't have been there otherwise. The same can be said if you eat to much. Like with all things in life, you have to find a balance.

grubb1019

I think if you compared the two you would find more people feeling better and being less sick after loosing weight than getting sick. I have fibromyalgia and high blood pressure, I have a lot less body pain and my pressure is lower than it has ever been since I have lost 23 lbs and I exercise regularly.

sbrownallison

I think maybe those cases you cite are not typical of very many people who lose weight. I don't think it's a "cause and effect" kind of thing and I've never read any data that makes this kind of connection. In fact, quite the contrary. Most people, myself included, feel significantly better when they work toward and achieve a healthy weight (provided they do it in a sensible way)...

hunterman95

I don't know, but it wouldn't surprise me. Certainly you are much better off being fit vs being fat, but the process of drastic weight loss has to be a bit of a shock to your system. I could see where dieting could result in vitamin & mineral deficienies as well (sounds to me like that's likely the deal with brittle nails). Not to mention strenuous exercise when you are obese certainly has it's own risks.

I'm almost at my goal weight, and thankfully haven't had any problems, other than a back pain that I thought would go away with weight loss, but has actually gotten worse due to irritation from exercise.

So yes, I wouldn't doubt that there are risks to it. But the risks of not losing the weight are far greater. When I started I told people, I'm going to lose this weight, or die trying. Some days if felt like I was going to die. But as the other poster said, we're all gona die, might as well look good doing it! (love that!)

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

I read a study about VLCDs and heart disease. Apparently if you are obese and then you lose a lot of weight quickly it can cause heart issues, since your heart is muscle and VLCDs often result in losing a lot of muscle mass. I think if you keep your goals realistic and your deficit moderate you should be fine.

zedgt87

I lost 50 lbs and every health metric that can be measured improved significantly. I also haven't been sick in 9 months... Losing fat is one of the best choices you can make for your health if you do it a healthy way..

JDHINAZ

You can lose weight and not be healthy because of what you ate in the process. A friend of mine in high school lost close to 50 pounds by eating a diet of red vines and a small frozen personal pizza every day. A fellow I know had gastric bypass, and primarily ate fatty bar foods. Got thin, but not healthy (I'm guessing, didn't ask about his health.). Oh, he's now fat again. And some people are just going to have some bad luck in the health department, even though they do everything right. Odds are, eat right, exercise, and you're gonna be good.

Mslmesq

No anger, but it does appear you are actually looking for a correlation per your post, especially the last line. People get sick. Sometimes they were already sick. Sometimes not. Losing weight as the correlation is highly unlikely.

fataalic

Thank you all for your input. I really was looking just for that, an input from you all. I don't think the weight loss and health issues correlate, but, it is something to think about...

I do know that losing weight (fat melting) does release toxins in your body, and people who have lost weight appear to have more toxins in their blood, according to one study...but does it harm your health?...I do not know...

mspoopoo

Well we are all going to get sick and die eventually. No way around it.

I was in the hospital and saw some severely obese people suffering the effects of diabetes. Huge swollen feet with bad infections. Toes and feet amputated.

People can lose weight eating garbage. You could probably have an ice cream and tootsie roll diet if you kept your calories low enough and lose weight.

You chances of getting sick is much higher with the SAD of garbage rather than eating small meals of unprocessed foods.

Plus, just because you are thin, doesn't mean you are healthy. I've known some thin people who never exercised, just ate junk, smoked a lot and drank a lot. Is that healthy? Probably not, but hey they were still thin.

viajera99

I do know that losing weight (fat melting) does release toxins in your body, and people who have lost weight appear to have more toxins in their blood, according to one study...

I'd love to see that study citation, because that's a giant bunch of bull.

Everyone who ate pickles in 1880 died. Doesn't mean pickles caused it.

donyellemoniquex3

I do know that losing weight (fat melting) does release toxins in your body, and people who have lost weight appear to have more toxins in their blood, according to one study...

I'd love to see that study citation, because that's a giant bunch of bull.
Everyone who ate pickles in 1880 died. Doesn't mean pickles caused it.

tcunbeliever

Weight loss surgery has a lot of long term health risks. It's just that for those obese enough to qualify for it staying at their weight is more of a health risk than the surgical risks. Beyond that the only problem I'm aware of that is a complication of losing weight is fatty liver disease, but for most people losing weight slowly it's not an issue. I think any kind of change it stressful on your body, even change for the better, so it makes sense that there is an adjustment period where your immune system is probably not operating at it's peak.

fataalic

I do know that losing weight (fat melting) does release toxins in your body, and people who have lost weight appear to have more toxins in their blood, according to one study...

I'd love to see that study citation, because that's a giant bunch of bull.

Everyone who ate pickles in 1880 died. Doesn't mean pickles caused it.

Here is one article about toxins in your body after losing weight...you may Google it to find more information about it...I did not make it up...just curios if there is any correlation...
:ohwell:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/324017-body-toxins-from-weight-loss/

Again, I am not trying to discourage anyone from losing weight, I am not discouraged by this. It is still better to lose weight than not to lose it. It is just that I am curious...and I think too much, to deep sometimes. Wish I could be simple...lol :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :blushing:

PrettyPearl88

I do know that losing weight (fat melting) does release toxins in your body, and people who have lost weight appear to have more toxins in their blood, according to one study...

I'd love to see that study citation, because that's a giant bunch of bull.

Everyone who ate pickles in 1880 died. Doesn't mean pickles caused it.

Here is one article about toxins in your body after losing weight...you may Google it to find more information about it...I did not make it up...just curios if there is any correlation...
:ohwell:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/324017-body-toxins-from-weight-loss/

Again, I am not trying to discourage anyone from losing weight, I am not discouraged by this. It is still better to lose weight than not to lose it. It is just that I am curious...and I think too much, to deep sometimes. Wish I could be simple...lol :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :blushing:

That article looks like a bunch of bogus to me. I wouldn't give it much thought if I were you. And even if there were some truth to it, it also said that regular exercise helps to reduce the toxins. So there you have it: absolutely no reason to worry. Losing weight (slowly and in a healthy manner) is always better for your body than staying fat.

And I'm not going to lie...it kind of sounds like you're looking for excuses to not try to lose weight and a "woe is me" type of story. I hope you truly aren't, but your posts do kind of come across that way.

MrsMck22

Not quite the same thing but the dude next door to my parents house lost like 70kgs... then got hit by a car while riding a bike.

btanton27

Not quite the same thing but the dude next door to my parents house lost like 70kgs... then got hit by a car while riding a bike.

i'm sorry but I lol'ed when I read this. smh at myself

astartig

I do know that losing weight (fat melting) does release toxins in your body, and people who have lost weight appear to have more toxins in their blood, according to one study...

I'd love to see that study citation, because that's a giant bunch of bull.

Everyone who ate pickles in 1880 died. Doesn't mean pickles caused it.

Here is one article about toxins in your body after losing weight...you may Google it to find more information about it...I did not make it up...just curios if there is any correlation...
:ohwell:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/324017-body-toxins-from-weight-loss/

Again, I am not trying to discourage anyone from losing weight, I am not discouraged by this. It is still better to lose weight than not to lose it. It is just that I am curious...and I think too much, to deep sometimes. Wish I could be simple...lol :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :blushing:

This is the author of that article. ask yourself if you want to take health advice or believe anything they have to say about health from someone with these credentials

Kay Uzoma
Kay Uzoma has been writing professionally since 1999. Her work has appeared in "Reader’s Digest," "Balance," pharmaceutical and natural health newsletters and on websites such as QualityHealth.com. She is a former editor for a national Canadian magazine and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from York University.


her degree is political science..

grimendale

I do know that losing weight (fat melting) does release toxins in your body, and people who have lost weight appear to have more toxins in their blood, according to one study...

I'd love to see that study citation, because that's a giant bunch of bull.

Everyone who ate pickles in 1880 died. Doesn't mean pickles caused it.

Here is one article about toxins in your body after losing weight...you may Google it to find more information about it...I did not make it up...just curios if there is any correlation...
:ohwell:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/324017-body-toxins-from-weight-loss/

Again, I am not trying to discourage anyone from losing weight, I am not discouraged by this. It is still better to lose weight than not to lose it. It is just that I am curious...and I think too much, to deep sometimes. Wish I could be simple...lol :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :blushing:

This is the author of that article. ask yourself if you want to take health advice or believe anything they have to say about health from someone with these credentials

Kay Uzoma
Kay Uzoma has been writing professionally since 1999. Her work has appeared in "Reader’s Digest," "Balance," pharmaceutical and natural health newsletters and on websites such as QualityHealth.com. She is a former editor for a national Canadian magazine and holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science from York University.


her degree is political science..

I was just looking at that. Plus, most of the references cited are from detox diet providers, who are hardly impartial sources of information.

morticia16

Sure if you lose weight in an unhealthy manner you are setting up yourself for failure and probably also health problems if this involves drastic calorie cut below acceptable levels. But if anything, healthy weight range will keep you better not worse. So nope, no reason not to do it properly!

MinatoandClover

It might be a matter of people trying to lose weight in an unhealthy way. Many kinds of fad diets function on cutting out certain food groups or nutritional values altogether. This is a bad idea, because despite what some diets would have you believe, we need carbs, fats and protein in our diets and in a balanced way. And in the case of cutting out certain groups, it's true that people can do fine without -some- food groups, like meat. However, if you're cutting out all your meat and not replacing it with anything for, say, your protein source, this is a problem. While one may be able to successfully lose weight on these diets, these kinds of diets aren't good for you, and I could see them possibly causing eventual health problems.

It could be a matter of overexertion during exercise. Exercise is something we all need, but if you're pushing yourself too hard or exercising too much, this could cause problems in the cardiovascular system.

Aside from those things, though, it could just be coincidence. Life happens when it happens, and in some cases, people may have gotten sick whether they chose to lose weight or not. Unless the diagnosis is directly related to one's diet and/or exercise (e.g. anemia from lack of iron intake) we can't necessarily say that the two are related. However, if you're making healthy lifestyle changes and implementing a balanced diet rather than relying on fad diets and getting a moderate amount of exercise, I think that you should be fine.

blah2989

Well, losing weight extremely quickly can cause problems typically heart problems - heart attacks, gaining weight too quickly can also do the same thing especially if people starve themselves for a good while then start eating like crazy and gain weight rapidly. Diet and exercise as well as eating an appropriate amount usually helps those who do have illness' ( especially, high blood pressure, diabetes, ect. ) Its also important if you are obese you "work up" to the exercise level thats right for you. I mean if you have done nothing but sit on the couch for a year, you cant just get up and run a mile. ( build up to it, walk a 1/2 mile, walk a full mile, run and 1/2, walk half, then try running) I think most people have predisposed conditions. Or quite possibly things they already had but did not find out about them until after losing weight. Sometimes there will be things medically wrong and people will chalk it up to : oh well its because Im overweight, then find out after losing weight, something was always wrong. Im not saying its impossible for losing weight to cause illness, it is just not common and less probable that it does.

beautifulwarrior18

Well, it depends. Losing weight too fast can cause a myrid of problems. A lot of people lose weight by "dieting" and not by cleaning up their diet. You can eat a large McDonalds French Fry (500 calories) and a Big Mac (550 calories) everyday and lose weight because you'll be calorie deficient; but that's not going to make you healthy. It's only going to make you skinny. Diet pills will also cause a lot of the problems you listed.

BigGuy47

.you may Google it to find more information about it...

When you burn fat the cells release fatty acid and glycerol (not toxins).

Out of curiosity I did google it to find out more information. I found a blog post that talks about studies concerning POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants). These must be the mysterious toxins that are supposedly stored in our fat cells.

I found this article:
http://blogs.plos.org/bodypolitic/2010/09/09/could-dieting-pollute-us/

Here are a few excerpts from the article.

The study would have been more compelling if the researchers had measured the “before” and “after” POP concentrations; they were also relying on potentially inaccurate self-reports.

Bad science.

these studies do not prove that weight loss causes increases in blood chemical levels.

Nothing proven.

Most researchers have attributed these findings to the fact that weight loss can be the result of cigarette smoking or underlying illness

So they were sick to begin with or they added the "toxins" with a little help from the tobacco companies.

Here's a gem.

POP levels were lower in people who had gained weight.

Pack on the pounds to lower POP levels?

No thanks.
I'll take my chances that the benefits of losing weight far out weigh the risks of so called toxins being released from fat loss.

Synapze

The last time i dropped the weight, I lost around 50kg (134kg-84kg) in around 4-6 months. I was losing around 2-3kg a week. Every week.

Tight diet, and heavy training during the Summer in the heat.

I got the idea from a jockey that had to lose weight for a race. He was running around the track in extreme heat with a tracksuit and hood on.

He dropped the weight for the race, so i took it to extremes and did it every day.

I was hospitalised for 6 weeks, as my body just shut down on me.

Wont ever do that again.

Edit: Also my diet consisted of Water and Diet Jelly. Maybe some cereal and eggs. I was basically living on negative calories.