At What Point Do You See the Doctor?

Hannah_Banana

Okay, I'm really disappointed here. I love seeing people lose a pound or two in a week, but I can't help but feel that everybody's body can lose weight except for mine.

I started out at 221 (with clothes on) Weighed the next week and was down to 217 (without clothes). Then my scale wouldn't budge. I got a new scale because with the one I had I could gain or lose 5 pounds depending on which way I was leaning.

So two weeks later my new scales arrive, I step on them and I'm at 211. I am ecstatic. So another month rolls by, I do everything right, I stay under cals, I eat balanced meals, I exercise 6 times a week , I drink at least 64ounces of water a day if not more, include strength training etc. Why am I now at 213.8?

What I want to know is how long should you try and do it on your own before you seek professional help? I would like to get my thyroid checked, my family has a history of thyroid problems, but I don't want to run to a doc too soon. Its been a month and a half and I've gained 2.8lbs. That just seems silly to me!

Also - its not muscle, apparently the body doesn't build muscle that fast... And its hard to feel a difference in my clothes because I only wear skirts and loose fitting shirts or my comfy 'around the house' clothes.

Oh! Also, I have extremely irregular TOM (its been about 3 months since it happened) because I have polycystic ovarian disorder. Could I be retaining water from that? :huh: Its kind of a shot in the dark, but I'm a little lost right now.


Wow, lotsa info. I just wanted all my bases covered.

Hannah_Banana

Okay, I'm really disappointed here. I love seeing people lose a pound or two in a week, but I can't help but feel that everybody's body can lose weight except for mine.

I started out at 221 (with clothes on) Weighed the next week and was down to 217 (without clothes). Then my scale wouldn't budge. I got a new scale because with the one I had I could gain or lose 5 pounds depending on which way I was leaning.

So two weeks later my new scales arrive, I step on them and I'm at 211. I am ecstatic. So another month rolls by, I do everything right, I stay under cals, I eat balanced meals, I exercise 6 times a week , I drink at least 64ounces of water a day if not more, include strength training etc. Why am I now at 213.8?

What I want to know is how long should you try and do it on your own before you seek professional help? I would like to get my thyroid checked, my family has a history of thyroid problems, but I don't want to run to a doc too soon. Its been a month and a half and I've gained 2.8lbs. That just seems silly to me!

Also - its not muscle, apparently the body doesn't build muscle that fast... And its hard to feel a difference in my clothes because I only wear skirts and loose fitting shirts or my comfy 'around the house' clothes.

Oh! Also, I have extremely irregular TOM (its been about 3 months since it happened) because I have polycystic ovarian disorder. Could I be retaining water from that? :huh: Its kind of a shot in the dark, but I'm a little lost right now.


Wow, lotsa info. I just wanted all my bases covered.

cab2424

If I were you, I would make that Dr. appointment now. let your doctor know exactly what you told us, make sure to get all the right tests, then ask what he/she recommends you do to lose the weight. I don't think that it would hurt to find out because if it is your thyroid that can be serious.

j_g4ever

If thyroid problems run in your family I would go get it checked. I also have thyroid problems so I understand what you are talking about. Im not on the right meds and everything is working great. I don't think it would hurt anything to go talk to your doctor. Good luck. :flowerforyou:

tennetubbie

first of all--it is not a good idea if you are under 50 to go more than 3 months without a period.
I am VERY familiar with PCO disorder. You at least need to take a progesterone every 3 months to get rid of any period build up (of course I am assuming no pregnancy before you do this)

PCO can occur in normal weight women but greater incidence by far in overweight women and it gets worse as the weight goes up.

Thyroid dysfunction can also stop your periods so it is a good idea to get yourself checked out for this.

A bigger problem with PCO is it's link with METABOLIC SYNDROME---and metabolic syndrome (you'll have to google this--it's too much to write)--is associated with insulin resistance. Insulin resistance can make it quite difficult to lose weight.

Good News'
If your doctor finds thyroid problem it is easy to fix as a rule.
If she finds metabolic syndrome (high triglycerides, low good cholesterol, a waist over 35 inches, hypertension , sugar metabolism problems--you only need 3 of these to cinch the dx) she may start you on a drug called METFORMIN. Studies show that using Metformin WHILE EATING RIGHT AND EXERCISING can lead to greater weight loss. NO PILL WILL DO IT FOR YOU but it may help you be rewarded for you efforts. Hope this helps!


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fishernd

I have PCOS as well and have trouble losing weight. Diabetes, insulin resistance, and difficulty losing weight are all linked to PCOS. Because diabetes runs in my family I was given the full array of tests, including a 5-hr glucose test, estrogen/testosterone test, and thyroid test. All was perfectly normal but my dr. put me on Metformin anyway, to try and see if it worked. It did somewhat. Metformin is typically used for people with diabetes but has been proven (not FDA approved yet though) to cause weight loss in women who have PCOS. No serious side-effects other than some upset stomach for the first week. It goes away. Ask your dr. about it and see if it's right for you. It's no the be-all end-all of a weight loss pill but it will help you along.

Hannah_Banana

Thanks ladies! :flowerforyou:

Also... what doctor should I go to? :embarassed: I'm not really a doctor visiting person. I've been on the pill for PCO and it has regulated my cycle, but I got preganant (while on the pill, go figure) and I never stared taking it again, even though its been about 15 months since the birth of my son.

So do I see a GP, GYN or an Endocrinologist?

reinah

I would see your doctor. You may have a thyroid problem! I have a hypothyroid after having radiation to kill my thyroid. I have this same issue. I eat 1200 calories a day, work out at the gym 5 days a week for min. of 1 hour but usuall for an hour and a half. I cannot eat bread or anything with gluten becuase I have cealic disease. This cuts my carbs way down & i eat low fat, high protien. Even with this I weigh 220 and I cannot get the scale to budge. It is very, very frustrating. It is even more frustrating to see people who eat anything they want when ever they want and they can remain skinny whild doing nothing. I stress everytime I even thing about having a piece of choclate or something not on my diet list because I know it won't be worth it in the end. It is totalll frustrating.
I am making an appointment with a specialized endo facility because I feel like there is more going on here. Don't give up hope! Do see a doctor & good luck.... I know how hard it is.

cherapple

You may not be eating enough, and your body is holding onto fat because it thinks it's starving. 1200 calories a day is only for someone who is either very small, and/or very sedentary. It's not enough for someone who exercises. I would try adding more calories (100 or 200 more per day) for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I was plateaued for months, and eating more is what finally worked for me, and I am short and small, but I exercise nearly every day. I went from 1200 to 1550. My body needed more, and it's finally getting leaner.

I know it's scary, but if you increase the calories with healthy, whole foods, your body will get the added nutrition it needs.

Hannah_Banana

You may not be eating enough, and your body is holding onto fat because it thinks it's starving. 1200 calories a day is only for someone who is either very small, and/or very sedentary. It's not enough for someone who exercises. I would try adding more calories (100 or 200 more per day) for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I was plateaued for months, and eating more is what finally worked for me, and I am short and small, but I exercise nearly every day. I went from 1200 to 1550. My body needed more, and it's finally getting leaner.

I know it's scary, but if you increase the calories with healthy, whole foods, your body will get the added nutrition it needs.

Its not scary. I eat 1400 cals a day plus any exercise calories that I calculate. I am otherwise VERY sedentary with the exception of my exrecise, so I am hesitant to eat any more than I am. :flowerforyou:

ivykivy

If you have a laidback GYN he will perform the thyroid test for you. But some specialty doctors will only deal with the issue that you see them for so you might want to visit your GP.

cherapple

Its not scary. I eat 1400 cals a day plus any exercise calories that I calculate. I am otherwise VERY sedentary with the exception of my exrecise, so I am hesitant to eat any more than I am. :flowerforyou:

It was scary for me! And I hesitated, too -- for weeks. If you're tall, you may need more. When you're heavy, your body needs more calories to maintain itself. I've just heard some people recommend (not here) that you eat like you're already the weight you want to become, but that's a dangerous way to try to lose weight. You need to eat for the weight that you are and reduce your calories slowly as you lose, also slowly.

Anyway, no one else had suggested the possibility that you may need to eat more, so I thought I'd throw it out there! :happy: The best way to get rid of fat is to burn it away through exercise, not starve it away by not eating enough to nourish yourself. You may not be doing this on purpose, but it can easily happen anytime anyone goes on a weight loss diet.

Hannah_Banana

Its not scary. I eat 1400 cals a day plus any exercise calories that I calculate. I am otherwise VERY sedentary with the exception of my exrecise, so I am hesitant to eat any more than I am. :flowerforyou:

It was scary for me! And I hesitated, too -- for weeks. If you're tall, you may need more. When you're heavy, your body needs more calories to maintain itself. I've just heard some people recommend (not here) that you eat like you're already the weight you want to become, but that's a dangerous way to try to lose weight. You need to eat for the weight that you are and reduce your calories slowly as you lose, also slowly.

Anyway, no one else had suggested the possibility that you may need to eat more, so I thought I'd throw it out there! :happy: The best way to get rid of fat is to burn it away through exercise, not starve it away by not eating enough to nourish yourself. You may not be doing this on purpose, but it can easily happen anytime anyone goes on a weight loss diet.

I appreciate you throwing it out there. :flowerforyou: I started at 1200 but switched up to 1400 my first week on MFP because it just didn't seem necessary to eat so little since I could still lose weight. It doesnt need to come off fast for me, it just needs to actually come off instead of going up. :laugh:

As a side note - I'm quite short at 5'2. I may in fact try your suggestion of uping my calories, and it is another question I intend to ask the doctor.

Thanks for all the help and suggestions girls. :bigsmile: