What kind of tests/doctors should I see?

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Replies

  • osothefinn
    osothefinn Posts: 163 Member
    She's already addressed why she's not. I don't blame her. She's not asking you to critique her eating habits.

    Hey mechanic guy, my car makes this noise. What could it be?

    OK, lets take a look at it.

    Nah, you don't need to see it. Just tell me what's wrong.

    OP, start lowering your daily calorie to 1600 a day for like 2 weeks. If the scale still doesn't drop try 1400 for 2 weeks. If at that point if you're still not losing at all I'd see a doctor.

    Another option would be to stop eating back exercise calories if you're doing that currently.
  • nicolemtracy
    nicolemtracy Posts: 301 Member
    It could be an underlying condition like PCOS or an inability for your body to metabolize sugars.
    For PCOS: Are your cycles irregular? Do you have excess body hair? Dark spots on your neck, chest, arms or thighs? If not skip it, if you do, it might be worth seeing a fertility specialist. I wouldn't recommend seeing a ob/gyn for it, mostly because I had had this problem apparently for a long time and my ob/gyn sent me to a specialist. He diagnosed me in literally 5 minutes. I may be a little biased.
    If your body is having trouble metabolizing sugar you may want to suggest trying out something like Metformin with your doctor.
    (I'm not a medical expert, just going off my own experiences.)
  • jayladeyman
    jayladeyman Posts: 24
    why dont you open your diary
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Can you open your diary please?

    I wonder the same question, asking for help my keeping diary close. :smile:
    She's already addressed why she's not. I don't blame her. She's not asking you to critique her eating habits.

    I'm not asking to critique her eating habits. I'm asking to critique her logging habits. There is a gigantic difference between those two statements.
  • WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr
    WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr Posts: 2,150 Member
    The two things I would recommend is 1) see an endocrinologist and get a proper panel done, once the endo determines what/if something's going on, then 2) see a registered dietician that has experience with medical issues (I met with one that is associated with a hosptial, never had to worry about her trying to sell me anything) to help you set up a meal plan that is right for you and whatever your issue may be.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    she's 260 pounds and 29 years old - 1800 calories is in no way too much.

    definitely see an endocrinologist and ask about PCOS. since you take birth control it's possible that some of the symptoms are less severe.
    She's 5'2". Fat adds little to one's BMR. MFP is giving her an extra 500 calories a day in BMR (not activity-related) for carrying 100 lbs. extra. Fat is really not that metabolically demanding.

    Katch-Mcardle taking BF% into account brings that 1800+ BMR down to 1100-1400.
    http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/

    She's maintaining at 1800 so that is by definition her maintenance level calories. Of course, her "1800" is very likely at least 2000, because we all miss a lot of our intake. It's just part of the imperfect process. But it doesn't matter what she labels her intake because all she needs to know is it needs to be less than her current label in order to lose.

    Correct me if I'm wrong, but even with a PCOS or thyroid diagnosis, the answer is still going to be "you burn less than you think and need to eat less?"
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but even with a PCOS or thyroid diagnosis, the answer is still going to be "you burn less than you think and need to eat less?"

    Yes. But that "less" is usually so low it's impossible (unless medicated).

    I average less than 1,000 calories a day and exercise and I gain. I have to keep my intake (regardless of exercise) between 500 and 700 calories a day -- gross, not net -- in order to lose right now.

    A lot of women who are 5'2" on this site lose eating 1,800. You also have to understand that the extra 100 pounds is some muscle. Carrying around so much extra weight will cause muscle build-up simply due to having to support it. It isn't all fat.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but even with a PCOS or thyroid diagnosis, the answer is still going to be "you burn less than you think and need to eat less?"

    Yes. But that "less" is usually so low it's impossible (unless medicated).

    I average less than 1,000 calories a day and exercise and I gain. I have to keep my intake (regardless of exercise) between 500 and 700 calories a day -- gross, not net -- in order to lose right now.

    A lot of women who are 5'2" on this site lose eating 1,800. You also have to understand that the extra 100 pounds is some muscle. Carrying around so much extra weight will cause muscle build-up simply due to having to support it. It isn't all fat.

    Although I do believe that milage mage vary when it comes to maintenance calories, even without a medical condition, something here is not right. What you are basically saying is that you gain weight when you eat 1000 calories and exercise, which puts your maintenance without exercise at around 500 calories(or less), and unless you're the height of a toddler, what you are saying is physically impossible. No matter how efficient or adaptable the body is, it cannot pull energy out of thin air.

    Is your doctor on board with you eating 500 calories?
  • persistentsoul
    persistentsoul Posts: 268 Member
    I have PCOS. I eat under 1400 cal a day very low carb to lose weight. I am hoping that weight loss will eventually reduce pcos symptoms and reverse insulin resistance to the extent that I will one day be able to maintain at a higher calorie intake.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I can't lose weight, something is wrong with my body.

    As long as you believe that, you will continue to fail.

    Sorry - that's the truth - and yes I know it's hard to hear.

    When you're ready - really ready - for change, there are tons of people on MFP who can help. Until then, you're going to flail around chasing one piece of bad advice after another.

    With all sincerity - good luck! :drinker: :flowerforyou:
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    This is what "permanent starvation mode" looks like. If you don't look like this, you haven't been starving your body.

    starving-bihar.jpg
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    The only way to answer your question is to tell you to go see a doctor. If he can't find the problem, see another and another until one does. Without insurance, that will be difficult. But we can't diagnose you, much less treat you. Even if you opened your diary, lol, we couldn't diagnose you.

    Don't be bullied into opening it if you don't feel like it.
  • GA_belle
    GA_belle Posts: 22 Member
    I have PCOS. When you said you don't have periods without birth control, that was the first thing I thought of. You can find a lot more information about it online and it is a collection of symptoms so you can still have it even if you only have some and not all the symptoms. I was originally diagnosed by a gynecologist

    Years later I went to see an endocrinologist. He ran more tests to confirm and also did a cortisol test to rule out Cushing's Syndrome, which has similar symptoms. I would expect any doctor you see to test for both. I would try to see an endocrinologist if I were you unless it is easier to get coverage under your insurance with a gyno. I know some insurance will cover most if not all of the annual wellness visit with a gyno compared to the higher copay of another specialist.

    Hope you find answers. I know how frustrating it can be.
  • cosmo_momo
    cosmo_momo Posts: 173 Member
    I didn't read all the responses, so I apologize if this has already been mentioned. When I was around 9 years old I had my thyroid tested for hypothyroidism. My mother found out years later that I had been in a double blind study for it and I was never put on medication. I saw a new endocrinologist and they tested my TSH and free T4 levels. They were on the high end of the spectrum, but not considered "abnormal". I then had my thyroid antibodies tested and they were in the thousands (normal is 0-34). This is VERY BAD and I was put on synthroid after being diagnosed officially with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. When I was 16 however, my levels started leveling out on their own and I have been able to be off of the medication. Though recently I've had some unexplained weight gain so I had my TSH and free T4 tested again, both right on the edge of the high end. I'm switching birth controls first to see if that helps, but I will probably end up seeing and endocrinologist again to have my antibodies checked. I would suggest talking with your doctor about doing the antibody levels checked. Best of luck.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    Are you eating a net approx. 1,800 or gross (i.e. are you eating your exercise calories back).

    On average, what are your daily macros like? Protein, fats and carbs, by grams?
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  • jenifr818
    jenifr818 Posts: 805 Member
    Agreeing with what several other posters have said, have an endocrinologist check for PCOS. There's a chance you might be insulin resistant, and if that's the case, Metformin and lowering your carbs will probably do wonders. (Not a doctor, so don't take that as gospel, but many women with PCOS find that the case).

    Good luck!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but even with a PCOS or thyroid diagnosis, the answer is still going to be "you burn less than you think and need to eat less?"

    Yes. But that "less" is usually so low it's impossible (unless medicated).

    I average less than 1,000 calories a day and exercise and I gain. I have to keep my intake (regardless of exercise) between 500 and 700 calories a day -- gross, not net -- in order to lose right now.

    A lot of women who are 5'2" on this site lose eating 1,800. You also have to understand that the extra 100 pounds is some muscle. Carrying around so much extra weight will cause muscle build-up simply due to having to support it. It isn't all fat.
    I get thyroid problems. I so get it. Soooo. Get it. Me. I do.

    I've grown weary of trying to explain it to people who either cannot understand it or refuse to believe that they don't know everything there is to know.

    But not everyone can eat 1500 cals a day and lose weight. I know it.

    If I never exercised and ate 1200 cals/day, I'd slowly gain weight. At 1200, with exercise, I lose. But I lose slower than many here. And my problem has been fixed! This is as good as it gets for me.

    Other people are worse off than me and I know that. I feel for them.

    Hang in there, peeps with problems. :)
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Correct me if I'm wrong, but even with a PCOS or thyroid diagnosis, the answer is still going to be "you burn less than you think and need to eat less?"

    Yes. But that "less" is usually so low it's impossible (unless medicated).

    I average less than 1,000 calories a day and exercise and I gain. I have to keep my intake (regardless of exercise) between 500 and 700 calories a day -- gross, not net -- in order to lose right now.

    A lot of women who are 5'2" on this site lose eating 1,800. You also have to understand that the extra 100 pounds is some muscle. Carrying around so much extra weight will cause muscle build-up simply due to having to support it. It isn't all fat.

    Although I do believe that milage mage vary when it comes to maintenance calories, even without a medical condition, something here is not right. What you are basically saying is that you gain weight when you eat 1000 calories and exercise, which puts your maintenance without exercise at around 500 calories(or less), and unless you're the height of a toddler, what you are saying is physically impossible. No matter how efficient or adaptable the body is, it cannot pull energy out of thin air.

    Is your doctor on board with you eating 500 calories?
    I DON'T eat 500 calories. I experimented for a few weeks and found this was the case but it isn't sustainable so instead I've just been slowly gaining weight. I just saw an endocrinologist today and got an official diagnosis and will start on Synthroid first thing tomorrow morning. She was not even a little surprised when I told her I was gaining on 1,000 to 1,500 calories a day. I use a food scale, weigh and measure EVERYTHING, exercise and track.

    I agree that the body can't manufacture energy out of nothing. What I'm saying is that my condition is so bad that my metabolism has slowed down by that much. It's awful and frustrating.

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