Edited for clarity:
Can someone please give me some advice or encouragement. I'm really in need of some kind words, some inspiration to continue with the health and fitness program I've done so well with for the last five years.
You see, I've just come back from my first visit with an endocrinologist. I've had thyroid problems for a long time, but despite this I lost 99 pounds beginning in 2000 with diet and exercise. I then hit a two year plateau but finally lost another 27 pounds after I found out I wasn't eating enough.
Then, I accidentally messed up my thyroid meds and gained 24 pounds in 30 days, while eating the same way I always do. It's been over a year now, and I can't lose an ounce, no matter what I do. I've tried everything. I didn't even think this was possible. I've tried eating more. Gained weight. Tried eating 400 - 600 calories a day for a couple of weeks. Weight stayed the same. Tried calorie staggering. Nothing. Tried low carb (really low--like 20g a day). I lived on eggs for 3 weeks. Nothing. I lived on cabbage soup for three weeks. Nothing. I've tried suggested supplements. I've increased my exercise. I've decreased my exercise. Nothing, nothing, nothing.
My GP said there's not a thing I can do about it, even though I'm almost 70 pounds over my ideal weight. At one point, I was within 12 pounds of the high end of my weight range. It's just heartbreaking.
But I had high hopes that the endo would have some ideas. Nope! He said my case is "complex," and basically, implied I should just shut up and deal with it. He barely let me talk. Acted annoyed if I asked a question or volunteered information. Gave me no advice. Made no medication changes. Made no suggestions for changes of any kind. Nothing. And this is one of the doctors recommended as a top thyroid doctor on the about.com thyroid website.
Is this really true? Are there really people who cannot lose weight no matter what they do? Is that even possible? HOW is it possible? It doesn't even make sense. I wouldn't believe me if it wasn't me it was happening to.
Anyway, I've been very careful about my health and fitness for the last five years. I started exercising regularly. I chart my food obsessively and eat strictly according to my food plan. If I put mustard on my veggie meat sandwich, I count it. If I eat a stick of gum, I count it. And I exercise hard--Cathe weights and step plus cycling, rebounding, etc., 5-6 days a week, 45-75 minutes a day.
I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall over and over and over again. I just want to give up. But I desperately don't want to weigh 300 pounds again. I want to continue to be an example for my son, who also has weight problems and does well when I do, but who slacks off when I don't do well. Yet I just keep creeping up and up and up. And the worst part is, no one believes me. They think I'm either lying to them or lying to myself as so many people do.
Oh, I know a lot of people have a lot worse problems than I do, and I truly feel guilty for complaining and feeling sorry for myself when there are people with real illnesses, people who lost loved ones in the tsunami, people who have no homes. I think of all of these things, and the guilt makes me feel even worse. Usually, I can think of things like this and realize how lucky I am, shake off the desire to just give up. But this time I just can't seem to pick myself back up after this latest disappointment as I have after all the others. Does anyone have any suggestions, any advice, any inspiration? Anything to keep me going? Or if nothing else, thank you for letting me vent.
Thanks,
Shari
Can someone please give me some advice or encouragement. I'm really in need of some kind words, some inspiration to continue with the health and fitness program I've done so well with for the last five years.
You see, I've just come back from my first visit with an endocrinologist. I've had thyroid problems for a long time, but despite this I lost 99 pounds beginning in 2000 with diet and exercise. I then hit a two year plateau but finally lost another 27 pounds after I found out I wasn't eating enough.
Then, I accidentally messed up my thyroid meds and gained 24 pounds in 30 days, while eating the same way I always do. It's been over a year now, and I can't lose an ounce, no matter what I do. I've tried everything. I didn't even think this was possible. I've tried eating more. Gained weight. Tried eating 400 - 600 calories a day for a couple of weeks. Weight stayed the same. Tried calorie staggering. Nothing. Tried low carb (really low--like 20g a day). I lived on eggs for 3 weeks. Nothing. I lived on cabbage soup for three weeks. Nothing. I've tried suggested supplements. I've increased my exercise. I've decreased my exercise. Nothing, nothing, nothing.
My GP said there's not a thing I can do about it, even though I'm almost 70 pounds over my ideal weight. At one point, I was within 12 pounds of the high end of my weight range. It's just heartbreaking.
But I had high hopes that the endo would have some ideas. Nope! He said my case is "complex," and basically, implied I should just shut up and deal with it. He barely let me talk. Acted annoyed if I asked a question or volunteered information. Gave me no advice. Made no medication changes. Made no suggestions for changes of any kind. Nothing. And this is one of the doctors recommended as a top thyroid doctor on the about.com thyroid website.
Is this really true? Are there really people who cannot lose weight no matter what they do? Is that even possible? HOW is it possible? It doesn't even make sense. I wouldn't believe me if it wasn't me it was happening to.
Anyway, I've been very careful about my health and fitness for the last five years. I started exercising regularly. I chart my food obsessively and eat strictly according to my food plan. If I put mustard on my veggie meat sandwich, I count it. If I eat a stick of gum, I count it. And I exercise hard--Cathe weights and step plus cycling, rebounding, etc., 5-6 days a week, 45-75 minutes a day.
I feel like I'm banging my head against a wall over and over and over again. I just want to give up. But I desperately don't want to weigh 300 pounds again. I want to continue to be an example for my son, who also has weight problems and does well when I do, but who slacks off when I don't do well. Yet I just keep creeping up and up and up. And the worst part is, no one believes me. They think I'm either lying to them or lying to myself as so many people do.
Oh, I know a lot of people have a lot worse problems than I do, and I truly feel guilty for complaining and feeling sorry for myself when there are people with real illnesses, people who lost loved ones in the tsunami, people who have no homes. I think of all of these things, and the guilt makes me feel even worse. Usually, I can think of things like this and realize how lucky I am, shake off the desire to just give up. But this time I just can't seem to pick myself back up after this latest disappointment as I have after all the others. Does anyone have any suggestions, any advice, any inspiration? Anything to keep me going? Or if nothing else, thank you for letting me vent.
Thanks,
Shari
