Did my new lifestyle cause this?

yensidtoon · April 2014

I am confused and don't know what to do now. I eat 1370 calories each day and am set to lose 1 pound per week. I don't cut out any food group, just eat in moderation. I have been doing this for just short of a month and have lost 4 pounds.

Here is what's going on:

I went to the doctor last week for a scheduled appointment. I was freezing, like I had been for a few weeks. As someone who is fat, borderline obese I am ALWAYS hot. I sleep with a fan in my face and no blankets. Until a few weeks ago. I had to turn off the fan and steal my husband's down blanket. I don't own a shirt with sleeves because I am always hot, but I do have sweaters so my constant dress for the last month has been jeans, sock, shirt, sweater and if the temp is below 50, my down coat. I can't get warm to save my life.

My temperature at the doctor was 96. I am someone who is 97.8 every day for 40 years so this drop surprised my doctor. Blood pressure took a nose dive to 100/55. I have a headache, nausea and am both mentally and physically exhausted.

The doctor took 5 vials of blood, checking for anemia and checking a full thyroid panel as well as a CBC and other tests. I don't have a thyroid and my meds have never been quite right.

I got all my blood tests back yesterday, where they once again took my temp and blood pressure and there were no changes to either after a week between visits. All blood work was normal. Yes, even my thyroid meds are normal. Doctor is thinking this is thyroid related anyway and is changing my meds and will see me in a month.

I am so tired I had to quit exercising. I have zero energy. Today I added B12 to my daily multivitamin and have seen no difference. I feel like crap.

Could all of this happen just by cutting calories?

WBB55 · April 2014

Could all of this happen just by cutting calories?

Yes. Though having all the bloodwork done is important, too, to be sure. Would you be willing to add 200 more calories per day for a week, just to see if it would help?

Also, maybe you're not eating the things your particular body needs. How much fat and protein and carbs do you eat each day? Are you taking an iron supplement? Vitamin D?

cathipa · April 2014

Any reason you are only eating 1370 calories per day? Could be you aren't eating enough so you are low on energy. Have you figured out your BMR and TDEE?

bcattoes · April 2014

If your doctor is aware of how many calories you are eating and he still thinks it's thyroid related, then I'd probably give the treatment a chance to work before deciding it was something else.

bcattoes · April 2014

Could all of this happen just by cutting calories?

Yes. Though having all the bloodwork done is important, too, to be sure. Would you be willing to add 200 more calories per day for a week, just to see if it would help?

Also, maybe you're not eating the things your particular body needs. How much fat and protein and carbs do you eat each day? Are you taking an iron supplement? Vitamin D?

OP you should not take an iron supplement unless directed to do so by your doctor. Too much iron is dangerous.

WBB55 · April 2014

Could all of this happen just by cutting calories?

Yes. Though having all the bloodwork done is important, too, to be sure. Would you be willing to add 200 more calories per day for a week, just to see if it would help?

Also, maybe you're not eating the things your particular body needs. How much fat and protein and carbs do you eat each day? Are you taking an iron supplement? Vitamin D?

OP you should not take an iron supplement unless directed to do so by your doctor. Too much iron is dangerous.

I guess I meant a multivitamin with iron. Not a megadose of iron. Thanks for reminding me the necessity of being precise.

ecw3780 · April 2014

Are you eating back at least some of your exercise calories? When I don't eat enough I feel exhausted, even if I don't "feel" hungry.

somefitsomefat · April 2014

I am someone who is 97.8 every day for 40 years so this drop surprised my doctor.

You take your temperature every day?

Autk79 · April 2014

Maybe if we could see your diary we could help more? You could possibly be eating too little of calories , but I do 1300 and Im good but if I go under I am overly tired

Branstin · April 2014

The amount of calories seems low but if your doctor knows and isn't concerned then by all means follow his advice.

yensidtoon · April 2014

I have not exercised for 2 weeks so no calories to eat back. Before, when I was exercising I would eat back half. I am 5'5'' and 185 which is why MFP put me on 1370 calories a day. And I eat 100 grams of protein a day. I have carbs with every meal for some quick energy. I have a fitbit and it says I only burn 1300 calories a day, but I know that is not totally accurate. When I said I have no energy I am serious about that. I went to bed at 730 last night. I am exhausted.

Doctor knows how many calories a day I am eating, is happy that I am losing weight but is very concerned about my body temperature and my blood pressure. I naturally have high blood pressure so that was a big shock to the doctor.

yensidtoon · April 2014

I am someone who is 97.8 every day for 40 years so this drop surprised my doctor.

You take your temperature every day?

Yes, the doc has been having me recording my temperature since it went down. She wants to know of anything lower than 96. I had to call and let her know it went down to 95.5 and then down to 94.1. Today it is 96. I also have a blood pressure monitor due to the high blood pressure. I have not been able to get a reading over 110/55. She wants to know about anything lower than 100/55 which is what it was in the office.

taranj21 · April 2014

are you sure you are eating enough protein?
lean meats?
how about fluid intake?
are you drinking enough water?

i would hate for you to quit exercising, and take more/different medication if its not needed.....

somefitsomefat · April 2014

I am someone who is 97.8 every day for 40 years so this drop surprised my doctor.

You take your temperature every day?

Yes, the doc has been having me recording my temperature since it went down. She wants to know of anything lower than 96. I had to call and let her know it went down to 95.5 and then down to 94.1. Today it is 96. I also have a blood pressure monitor due to the high blood pressure. I have not been able to get a reading over 110/55. She wants to know about anything lower than 100/55 which is what it was in the office.

No, I mean how do you know what it's been every day for the past 40 years. You said you've been 97.8 every day for 40 years. How could you possibly know that? I'm not saying somethings not wrong. I just found that statement odd.

cathipa · April 2014

For your height, weight and age you should be eating a minimum of 1500 cal and you can still lose weight. It may not be the "2 pounds per week" MFP "promises" with their calorie limit, but you will lose and probably feel better. Also make sure to eat back any exercise calories.

yensidtoon · April 2014

I drink 2 liters of water a day, eat 100 grams of protein a day and have wondered if that is enough. I weigh and measure my food and the doctor approves of my calorie intake.

I had surgery on my ankle and foot 8 weeks ago, so my exercise was limited to walking until yesterday when I was told I can do intermitted jogging on our treadmill ONLY. No running outside because my ankle is not ready for that. Well, I have been waiting and waiting to jog, and now I don't have the energy to do it. I walked my puppy today and thought I was going to die. I feel half dead to be honest. My doctor is pretty concerned and hopes the new thyroid meds will work. My body fights thyroid meds. I can't take any synthetic meds, just the all natural ones.

yensidtoon · April 2014

For your height, weight and age you should be eating a minimum of 1500 cal and you can still lose weight. It may not be the "2 pounds per week" MFP "promises" with their calorie limit, but you will lose and probably feel better. Also make sure to eat back any exercise calories.

Where do you see this? I just redid my settings and made sure it had the right weight (it does, I use the withings scale and it automatically updates my weight every time I weigh), my correct height and my birthday and it gives me 1340 calories a day with 67 grams of protein. I go over this because I don't believe that is enough protein for me.

gotolam · April 2014

The exhaustion is typical when you first start limiting calories. I know I was a deadbeat when my calories were very low and my friend (who started exercising/calorie restriction) had the exact same issue. She was worst off than me and could barely keep her eyes open by 7:00pm. It passes.

Obviously listen to your doctor, but if there's nothing wrong on that front, I would do what you can in terms of exercise. You really have to push through that initial hump. We're two months into this now and I can tell you that we both look forward to going to the gym and getting that post-exercise energy bump.

Hang in there.

lovelayla · April 2014

OP, at my job I rarely see anyone with the same temperature everyday and I take vitals all day on the same 35+ patients. May I ask your age? If you are closer to 60,then it would be normal for your temperature to drop. People under 11 and over 60 have different Temp ranges.

AliceDark · April 2014

You set MFP to lose two pounds a week, right? Everyone does, but that's not an appropriate target unless you have over 75 pounds to lose. Obviously, PLEASE listen to your doctor and do whatever he tells you to do. The fact that your calorie target is very low probably isn't helping, though. Here are some general guidelines for how to set you goals:

If you have less than 15 lbs to lose - 0.5 lbs/week
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose - 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose - 1 lbs/week
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose - 1.5 lbs/week
If you have 75+ lbs to lose - 2 lbs/week

Even if two pounds per week might be do-able for you, your body is telling you that something is wrong. You may need to go for a less aggressive target right now. Ultimately, it's better to lose 0.5 pounds per week, consistently and healthily, than to push for two pounds and make yourself ill.

jrose1982 · April 2014

I think people are missing the point on the temperature thing. It's lower than normal; lower than OP's normal. Who cares how often she checked it over the last 40 years? She checked it often enough to know what's normal. Her doctor agrees it's not normal. Even if it's normal for other people, it's not normal for her. That's all that matters.

OP, I wish I had more to offer. I have felt abnormally cold and exhausted while dieting, but never for more than a day (usually just a few hours). And I've never seen it affect my internal temperature. I hope you get it figured out quickly. Good luck!

I should add that when I did feel cold and exhausted, I usually felt better after I had a good meal. I also notice you're taller than I am and weigh less than I do. You're also more active than I am (except for the ankle injury limitations). That makes me think you probably need as many or more calories than I do. I usually need about 1300-1400 calories per day, and occasionally as much as 1600. So maybe increase your calories a bit and see if it helps?

Did my new lifestyle cause this?

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