Jump to content

What the heck is going on with my weight?!?


Recommended Posts

Alright ladies, I need help. I'm hoping someone somewhere has come across a similar issue or may be able to help me, because I'm getting REALLY frustrated!

 

Over a year ago, my doctor discovered that I have edema in my ankles and calves and put me on hydrochlorothiazide. So I've been taking the diuretic ever since, and it keeps the swelling at bay (when I remember to take it at least).

 

But here's the thing:

My weight goes up and down by 10 pounds within days. I weighed myself on Thursday, and from then to now, I've gained 10 pounds. BUT, my ankles are not swollen, neither are my calves. I've been taking my diuretic pills ALL week like a good girl, so there shouldn't be much fluid left! How the heck did 10 lbs come back in two days, when I'm not even swollen?

 

I tell all of this to my doctor, and he basically ignores it. In the past year, I've COMPLETELY overhauled my diet. I'm eating less, and I'm eating MUCH better. No junk. VERY little processed foods. Mainly fresh fruits and veggies with whole grains. Plus, I moved from a basement apartment into a condo building where I live on the third floor with no elevator, therefore every day I walk up and down those two flights of stairs at least once, usually twice. So that's a slight increase in physical activity if nothing else. But the scales don't move (other than those damn migrating 10 pounds!)

 

I'm not looking for a fabulous weight loss or anything of that nature, I realize I need to get off my ass and do something to lose any amount of weight. BUT, to go from a bag of chips a day (and I mean a big bag, not a little single portion bag) and 2L of soda a day to multigrain veggie sandwiches and water, and then not lose 5 or 10 pounds, that seems very strange to me. But my doctor ignores it.

 

What the hell is wrong with me, and how the hell do I get him to find it? I'm starting to feel like this guy ---> smile41.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

do you feel any different?? i don't look at the number so much as how my clothes fit...i just know when i've gained or lost weight without even getting on the scale.

 

ALWAYS weight yourself in the morning before you eat and after you use the bathroom and with out any clothes on. also, are you/have you started your period? this affects things as well.

other than that, unless you have a gut feeling that something's not right, you're gonna have to work out to get any weight off. the change in diet will help some, but it really doesn't make much difference with out regular excercise unless you're EXTREMELY over weight...sucks doesn't it?!?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you feel like your doctor is ignoring you, maybe you need to switch doctors.

And good for you for changing your eating habits.

You might not be eating enough, or often enough - your body gets used to eating the same thing all the time and needs to have the foods and times mixed up to get your metabolism moving.

A good thing to do first is to keep track of what your eating during the day. you can track it on paper or online - there's a bunch of websites that let you do it - fitday.com is the one i've used.

I'm struggling myself with not losing weight after a certain point - now i'm going to a nutritionist - eating a very high fiber diet. hoping it will kick in soon!

Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Have you tried asking your doctor what is causing the edema? Is it poor circulation within your system, is it cushings or a heart issue. Some of the reasons you are still seeing the 10lbs may be more related to the underlying cause of your edemaa rather than from the edema itself. I would say if you try counting your calories and increasing physical activity then you really should get to the underlying source of the edema....or try switching doctors perhaps there is some element of this that your doctor is overlooking or like you said ignoring you on that is key to this problem. Good luck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that if your doctor is ignoring your question, you might want to get a second opinion.

 

I agree with the others too that while changing your diet is a great thing, if you aren't eating enough or working out, you may not see a big drop in weight. Also, maybe you are retaining water in areas other than your legshuh.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

FutureMrsLewis- I'm a registered dietitian and the first thing I'd think of is why are you legs swelling? Have they worked you up and ruled out medical conditions? I agree with the others if they aren't answering your questions maybe you should look for another doctor.

 

Now onto the nutrition side. If you don't eat enough calories you can actually slow down your metabolism which will stop your weight gain. When you don't eat enough calories it actually burns your muscle as a fuel source which gives you weight loss but slows down your metabolism. If you are burning muscle possibly that could be why you are swellinghuh.gif I could figure out how many calories you need if you wanted to PM me. Also, there is a great website called Sparkpeople.com. I swear by it and it will calculate your calories everyday and give you a good insight to how many calories/nutrients you are getting.

 

Hope this helps!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:
Originally Posted by dana View Post
FutureMrsLewis- I'm a registered dietitian and the first thing I'd think of is why are you legs swelling? Have they worked you up and ruled out medical conditions? I agree with the others if they aren't answering your questions maybe you should look for another doctor.

Now onto the nutrition side. If you don't eat enough calories you can actually slow down your metabolism which will stop your weight gain. When you don't eat enough calories it actually burns your muscle as a fuel source which gives you weight loss but slows down your metabolism. If you are burning muscle possibly that could be why you are swellinghuh.gif I could figure out how many calories you need if you wanted to PM me. Also, there is a great website called Sparkpeople.com. I swear by it and it will calculate your calories everyday and give you a good insight to how many calories/nutrients you are getting.

Hope this helps!

I agree with dana and the others. First you need a new doctor. A doctor shouldn't ignore your concerns about health, that's why we go to them. And if you don't know already you need to find out why your legs swell.

Sparkpeople is a great website (and free)! Tracking your food will be your best way to find out more about your eating habits so you can find out what you need to change/work on.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks ladies :)

 

I would get a new doctor, but unfortunately new doctors aren't exactly easy to come by. I've been looking for a new doctor, but they're few and far between.

 

As for the edema, he's sent me for an EKG and I've had urine and blood tests to rule out heart and kidney troubles, he thinks it's just poor circulation. But my thought is, my legs swell more when I'm out walking for long periods of time (2+ hours), wouldn't walking help my circulation? When the muscles in my legs contract, wouldn't they help force the blood back up to my heart? Just a thought...

 

And it could be that I'm not eating enough, that makes sense... Although, I have 100+ pounds to lose, so even though I've slowed down my metabolism, wouldn't I still lose SOMETHING? Again, I don't expect to lose much with what I'm doing right now, but 5 pounds would be motivating enough to keep going....

 

And as for how I feel? I have one word that sums it up entirely: Lethargic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:
Originally Posted by dana View Post
FutureMrsLewis- I'm a registered dietitian and the first thing I'd think of is why are you legs swelling? Have they worked you up and ruled out medical conditions? I agree with the others if they aren't answering your questions maybe you should look for another doctor.

Now onto the nutrition side. If you don't eat enough calories you can actually slow down your metabolism which will stop your weight gain. When you don't eat enough calories it actually burns your muscle as a fuel source which gives you weight loss but slows down your metabolism. If you are burning muscle possibly that could be why you are swellinghuh.gif I could figure out how many calories you need if you wanted to PM me. Also, there is a great website called Sparkpeople.com. I swear by it and it will calculate your calories everyday and give you a good insight to how many calories/nutrients you are getting.

Hope this helps!
Dana makes some really good points. I am also a registered dietitian. My first concern would be finding out why you're continuing to have big weight fluctuations and what the source of your edema is. You mentioned being lethargic, too. I know you said finding a new doctor would be difficult, but if you feel that your current doctor is not listening to you or pursuing this enough, I would find a care provider that will.
By the way, kudos to you on changing your eating habits -- VERY difficult to do! I agree with the girls that emphasized the importance of physical activity, as both are essential to effectively managing weight. However, I also understand that if you're lethargic, it might be hard to get up and go. I would really see if there is another clinician out there that can get to the bottom of things for you.
Best of luck!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quote:
Originally Posted by FutureMrsLewis View Post
Thanks ladies :)

I would get a new doctor, but unfortunately new doctors aren't exactly easy to come by. I've been looking for a new doctor, but they're few and far between.

As for the edema, he's sent me for an EKG and I've had urine and blood tests to rule out heart and kidney troubles, he thinks it's just poor circulation. But my thought is, my legs swell more when I'm out walking for long periods of time (2+ hours), wouldn't walking help my circulation? When the muscles in my legs contract, wouldn't they help force the blood back up to my heart? Just a thought...

And it could be that I'm not eating enough, that makes sense... Although, I have 100+ pounds to lose, so even though I've slowed down my metabolism, wouldn't I still lose SOMETHING? Again, I don't expect to lose much with what I'm doing right now, but 5 pounds would be motivating enough to keep going....

And as for how I feel? I have one word that sums it up entirely: Lethargic.
I know you must be so frustrated. Did he check your thyroid levels? Sometimes even if they are on the lower side of normal it can make a big difference to have it treated.

Keep trying...something will work.

smile03.gif
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Best Destination Wedding Sponsors



    Facebook Pinterest Google+ Twitter
  • Posts

    • Hi everyone! I have been doing lots of research on various wedding venues all around Mexico, my fiance wants a destination wedding and I am happy to have a wedding wherever so long as the vibe is right and guests are happy!  I have been seriously looking at Cabo Azul and was trying to find potential costs for them, but only found a page about their wedding costs from 2010. Does anyone have any updated information on costs / reviews they would like to share of this venue? Or advice in general, anything helps. Thanks so much, happy wedding planning to all!
    • Hello everyone, I am dreaming of a wedding in Costa Rica and was wondering if I could get any help with venues and wedding planners. I am thinking Tamarindo because a close friend of mine lives there and I've been in town more than a couple of times, she's being helpful but is at a loss when it comes to this subject really so I was wondering if anyone here had recommendations. I am not closed to other town suggestions either, if I happen to find a good place and staff somewhere else. These are the places I have so far, has anyone had any experience with any of them?  Stay In Tamarindo Luxury Villas in Costa Rica Luxury Villas Pinilla Tropical Homes of Costa Rica The Point Luxury Villa Thank you so much for your help!
    • Have you ever considered having a wedding inside a bubble? With the current global situation, many couples are looking for unique and creative ways to celebrate their special day while keeping their guests safe. A wedding inside a bubble could provide a whimsical and intimate setting for your ceremony and reception. Imagine saying your vows surrounded by a beautiful bubble filled with twinkling lights and flowers, creating a magical atmosphere for you and your loved ones to enjoy.
    • Adult only resort or not? Let's discuss the pros and cons of choosing an adult-only resort for your honeymoon. While some couples may appreciate the peace and quiet that comes with an adults-only environment, others may prefer a more family-friendly atmosphere. What are your thoughts on this? Have you had any experiences at adult-only resorts that you'd like to share? Let's hear your opinions and recommendations!
    • When it comes to planning a wedding, one of the most exciting parts is choosing the perfect wedding favours for your guests. These small tokens of appreciation are a great way to thank your loved ones for being a part of your special day and to make them feel appreciated.
  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...