Frustrated after my doctor visit

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  • Ge0rgiana
    Ge0rgiana Posts: 1,649 Member
    I was wondering which range your doctor used for the thyroid TSH test. Many doctors still believe that anything over 5.0 is high. However, other doctors use a range with 3.0 as the upper level. Also, did your doctor check your ferritin level (iron stores)? You can have perfectly normal hemoglobin levels and still be anemic. Most doctors rely on hemoglobin or hemocrit to check for anemia. I could pass that screening and donate blood, even though I was anemic. Might be something to ask about.

    I wish all the best and I do understand your frustration. Let us know if you find out anything!

    Good point. I'm gonna have doc check my iron stores (and vit D levels) when I go in for my thyroid panel next month. I've made dietary changes, and my energy's flagging a tiny bit. Always something to keep on top of.
  • michne
    michne Posts: 2
    I agree with Minnie that it could be an insulin resistance issue. Based on the figures that you posted on your A1C and glucose counts, you are in the pre-diabetic range. This means you may need medication to stabilize your blood sugar and that you need to cut the amount of carbs/sugars that you eat. It sounds like you eat pretty healthy, but you may need to increase your protein and decrease your sugar/carbohydrate levels. The American Diabetes Association provides model diets to control your blood sugar on their website. I have a friend who was recently diagnosed as insulin resistant and is now on a doctor prescribed diet. She has been able to lose weight since she began this diet. Good luck!
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    see another doctor for a second opinion!!
  • shellgoff
    shellgoff Posts: 189 Member
    My first thought was PCOS.
    My 2nd thought was show your dr your food/exercise diary! Or get a 2nd opinion.
  • rtmama
    rtmama Posts: 403 Member
    you really need to be eating more calories! You body is likely storing what you eat, it is in starvation mode! And yes...unfortunately..exercise! You said you drink a lot of water...How much water do you drink? You might be drinking to much as well! Which can cause water weight and bloating, just a few ideas and things you can experiment with : ) Best of luck! :flowerforyou:

    too much water? No, water doesn't make you gain weight or bloat.
  • KimmyEB
    KimmyEB Posts: 1,208 Member
    I understand the frustration of "My doctor looks at me bad"...last time I went to the doctor a month ago, the woman that weighed me, who weighed over 100lbs than I do, literally down-talked me and told me I was at-risk of being morbidly obese, and told me to stop eating so much fast food (I don't eat fast food, unless it's grilled chicken and even that is rare, and I've had a Five Guys burger all of ONCE this year), as she was eating Oreo cookies and drinking a Pepsi. I know I'm overweight, and I don't mind being told by a medical figure that I am...but her approach was really tacky and downright rude.

    As for the feet swelling, I have heard that too much salt can cause that. I wish I had advice for the rest. :ohwell:
  • Pridgenization
    Pridgenization Posts: 65 Member
    weird question... but are your cycles normal? Your elevated blood sugar and weight gain made me think of PCOS which is a women disorder where insulin effects your cycle but can also cause unexplained weight gain.. just a though.

    I thought the same thing. I had very similar lab results lately, too (A1C, Vitamin D definiciency, high cholestoral). I have insulin resistance and PCOS, which makes it hard to lose weight. There are several posts on here about what to eat to lose weight with PCOS. Stay away from processed foods, limit carbs, eat lots of vegetables and lean protein.
  • sonybalony
    sonybalony Posts: 335 Member
    Yeah, my thought was insulin resistance and PCOS as well. Can't hurt to have it checked! my doc kept giving me the "yeah right" look when I told him what I ate (for a year now just at 1500 cal). I brought in the printout from MFP and showed him that I log EVERY morsel that goes into my mouth, as he still gave me that look. After he ran tests (instead of just telling me eat less, exercise more) he found I had PCOS and insulin resistance. Can't hurt to check it out!

    Good Luck and much Joy to you!

    Sonia
  • LivLovLrn
    LivLovLrn Posts: 580 Member
    I understand your frustration. I go to a naturopathic dr and what he told me is that if you have a lot of mercury in your system (from fillings, fish etc) that the results can be off. Don't know if getting another opinion is an option for you, but I would see about another opinion if possible (ps, there is a lot of controversy about the mercury thing)
  • lbgano
    lbgano Posts: 234
    "Any chance you have stomach/gastro issues? You sound a lot like me a year ago. I see you eat whole wheat (which is great, unless you've got a wheat allergy. Try cutting gluten/wheat out of your diet for 1 week. See if you sleep better, if the brain fog is again and if you have more energy. You seriously sound JUST like I did a year ago. " (quote - sorry, I messed up the quote code)



    I thought the same thing when I read your post - gluten issues. You remind me a lot of my sister - she eats an extremely healthy diet, is active, and could NOT lose weight. She went gluten free and has lost 20 lbs - she has some type of intolerence. I don't fully understand it but I can see the difference. She was also having trouble sleeping, etc.

    More than that, she had the same experience with some doctors - they just didn't believe that she wasn't secretly eating twinkies and doritos on a daily basis. They just assumed she was lying. Made me livid!!

    Good luck!
  • zundelag
    zundelag Posts: 175 Member
    I am vitamin D deficient but that is because I am overweight.

    I hate to contradict a Dr. but that's not right. I'm well within a "healthy" weight range and I am vitamin D deficient and Iron deficient and have been so since my last child was born. I probably will be for the rest of my life. Sometimes people are just "lucky" that way. Once you start taking vit D supplements, your foggy feeling and poor sleeping should get better.

    There are many reasons out there why you are having a hard time loosing weight. Some of it may be environmental and some may be your health. If your Dr. isn't willing to help you out, except to say "loose weight" it might be time to find someone else. Try some of the suggestions here also.

    Good luck in your journey, we're all here for you.
  • JoanWill
    JoanWill Posts: 217
    I have PCOS and I suspect the same thing. Maybe you should get a referral to see an endocrinologist.
  • amy_36
    amy_36 Posts: 421 Member
    Your list of problems...tired, foggy head, swelling, etc sound like mine when my iron is low. I have problems with saturation levels, ferretin levels, blood cell size, etc. The list goes on and on.

    Good news is that if you are anemic and get it treated you will feel better. Bad news is that it has not helped me lose weight.

    I do agree that you might not be eating enough. Add 200 extra cals per week for a week or 2 and see how it goes. And regular exercise is good for us whether we lose weight from it or not. Even 3x per week for 1/2 hour at a time.

    Good luck!
  • chantell7
    chantell7 Posts: 167 Member
    For your fluid retention drink lots of water, cranberry juice and fresh juices with lots of celery in it
    .if you are eating 100% spot on and excerising I prob think there may b a medical problem as well. Maybe try for a week of doing the program 100% by eating 1200cal and your excerise cal back, higher protein and drink lots of water,
    Also i would suggest getting a deep tissue massage to move some of those toxins in your body you'll b amazed at how much that Can effect you weight loss. Wish you luck =)
  • chipper15173
    chipper15173 Posts: 3,981 Member
    the corisal test you wanted does take hours to do. i had it done. you are injected with a dye and than you have to sit for a hour or so, than it's removed and take another test, than re inject the dye and take another test. if i remember correctly it took about 5 hours to do.
    metformin is also a diabetic med. it does help both PCOS and will help your blood sugars. ( i am diabetic and my A1C isn't over 6). i have to watch my carbs in my diet. carbs have sugar. so i follow low carb, increased some protein.
    i also agree with the low calorie count. do as the other poster said just add back a little at a time to see where you are comfortable at.
    it's all trial and error. you will always be changing thing up as your body changes.

    good luck to you.
  • courtneyjoella
    courtneyjoella Posts: 3
    I see a common thread in a lot of your posts (THANKS EVERYBODY By the way!). Most of the time I see low-carb diet suggestions in your posts. I agree this is the best way to lose weight and I have lost weight using this method before. Then, two years ago my doctor asked me to discontinue this because I was in constant ketosis and it was very hard on my liver and kidneys. Now I try to do a milder version of this. Even with tons of water the high protein was becoming difficult for my body to process. I'm going back in that direction again, but treading softly.
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