I finally had an appointment with an endocrinologist, who determined that I am INSULIN RESISTANT. It causes my body to hold onto weight, which causes weight gain, which makes me even more insulin resistant, etc. It is a snowball effect. She said we need to STOP the snowball and push it back up the hill. She is currently reviewing my labs and will get back to me with a plan of attack. For now, I am supposed to follow these guidelines:

Under 120 grams of carbohydrates per day
Above 60-80 grams of protein per day
Above 60 ounces of water per day

I am also HYPOTHYROID and she wants to get my thyroid functioning at an OPTIMAL (and not just "normal") level, which I was hoping she would do. I currently take 50 mcg of Synthroid daily. She might increase that dose and also add a T3 medicine. Then, if I still have trouble losing weight once my thyroid is functioning at an optimal level, she might add METFORMIN to jumpstart the weight loss process. I have been extremely weight loss resistant for about 4 years now. It is a big relief to finally know why and to have found a doctor who is committed to helping me push through it!