Sudden Weight Gain and a Disturbing Doctor Visit...

I recently went to the doctor concerning my recent weight gain.  I have gained 30 lbs since having surgery to remove one of my ovaries a year ago.  After quitting all soda, drinking nothing but water, eating salads, leaving food on my plate, working out, etc.  After 3 months of this I have gained 10 more lbs.  It finally dawned on me that it could possibly be my hormones from the removal of my ovary.  Of course it could also be the hypothyroidism that runs in my family.  So I made an appointment with a new doctor to see what was up.  He pretty much told me I was lazy and unless I changed my entire lifestyle I would continue gaining weight and to get used it.  He didn't even want to do any bloodwork!  I told him I am down to 1300 calories a day and working out 3 to 4 times a week.  He said I must not know how to count calories and I need to work out more often.  Am I missing something here?  Am I just being over sensitive?  Or was this guy completely out of line?  I am a 28 year old mother of a 6 year old son and an 8 year old daughter.  I am 5'3" and currently weigh 152.  Any imput or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Honesty46804

GET A NEW DOCTOR!!!

(you knew we were going to say that....)

In the mean time, are you logging every day?  Carry around a notebook and keep track of absolutely everything that crosses your lips.  Are you counting your exercise?  Maybe you are over counting what you are are actually burning.  Just go through things with a fine tooth come.

GOOD LUCK!!

Original Post by drea99:

GET A NEW DOCTOR!!!

(you knew we were going to say that....)

Ditto!!! He sounds like a jerk! To not even OFFER to do bloodwork is an insult to you & your intelligence!
I agree with Drea99, keep a detalied log for a week or two (including any exercise you do) and if nothing changes go back to him or another (more sympathetic) doctor. 

He sounds like a jerk.  If you're truly counting cals and exercising as you say, then there seems to be a problem with a different cause.  I'd find a new doc, but this time take your diet and exercise logs with you to show you've been working on it.

Depending on where you are, maybe someone here on CC could recommend a doc.

Yes, you need a new doctor. But I also suggest you go in prepared.

If you aren't already writing down EVERYTHING that you put in your mouth (including finishing off the kids' uneaten dinner, which I'm famous for) you need to do that. I used to think I was eating pretty well, until I was super strict about logging my food and realized that I was eating close to 2800 calories a day. Do this for at least a week before you see your doctor so that you can demonstrate your average diet as well as your calories.  Same with exercise. Log when, what and total time so that you can compare it to your intake and show the doctor what you are doing. Finally, see if you can chart your weight gain - around when it started, how many pounds a month, etc. From now until you see the doctor, weigh yourself weekly and keep track of the numbers.

Your weight gain, from what you've said, appears excessive but I'm not an expert. With the facts in hand (diet and exercise log, weight log) you should be able to nail down the problem pretty quickly.

Good luck.

You are not being oversensitive.  Your doctor is an arrogant ass!  Did he order the bloodwork or not?  If not, get another doctor.  If he did, then get the results.  When you get the results, ask him for the specific hormone levels, what is considered within normal range and ask if your hormone levels are on the high end.  Just a word of caution, some doctors will interpret the labs as within normal range when the levels are really on the high end of normal (and as far as I've been able to tell, what is considered "normal" has been changed several times over the past few years; so what used to be considered within normal range is now considered too high).

Educate yourself on hypothyroidism and note any other symptoms you may have noticed in the past few months.  I had a lot of symptoms that I thought were related to postpartum depression, so I went to see a psychiatrist.  She told me to go see my GP and have a thyroid function test because she said almost all of the symptoms I described indicated an underactive thyroid.  I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Hypothyroidism, which is apparently common among women of childbearing age.

Good luck!  And tell your doctor I said he's an arrogant jerkface.  :)

It must feel horrible to have put so much energy into improving yourself, just to have some "expert" laugh at your efforts. I'm very sorry you had to go through that.

Get on the net and find a bariatric specialist in your area. Their whole medical practice is dedicated to people who have challenges losing weight. They deal mostly with obese patients, but I saw one when I was barely overweight. A bariatric doctor specializes in weight issues - hypothyroidism, binge eating, people who can't (or won't) exercise, and people who take meds that make them gain easily. Major hospitals often have bariatric clinics.

Definitely print out your food and activity logs to show your NEW doc (regular or bariatric) how dedicated you are. Do you measure your food carefully? If you don't already, invest in a food scale. You can get one for less than $10, just to make sure you're logging accurately. Good luck!

do you think there's a chance you put on some muscle mass? best way i know of to tell is to keep track of your measurements. of course if you didn't take them before this last weight gain then you can't tell about that, but it might help in the future. good luck!

and i agree with everyone else, ditch that last doc. not only is he lazy (for not wanting to do blood work) but he has horrible bed side manners.

I've had the same kind of experience with certain doctors. I gained weight after menopause.  They never believed me that I really was restricting calories.  Since I had no self esteem back then, I'd take it to heart and eat even less, trying to get a result that would please them.  Finally, I'd just give up and gain back any weight I lost.  I heard more of those "you're lazy" lectures than I care to remember.

Now that I've found CC, I learned that I wasn't eating enough.  I thought that was the dumbest thing I'd ever heard, but I tried it.  I lost 9 pounds that month, after 5 months losing and gaining the same 3 pounds. 

Make sure this isn't what's happening to you.  Look under the CC+ Advice tab.  Go to Ask Mary and scroll all the way down to the Archive search.  Type in Starvation Mode.  You'll get good explantions.

Good Luck, and yeah, get a new doc!

Original Post by honesty46804:

 I have gained 30 lbs since having surgery to remove one of my ovaries a year ago.

 

After quitting all soda, drinking nothing but water, eating salads, leaving food on my plate, working out, etc. After 3 months of this I have gained 10 more lbs. It finally dawned on me that it could possibly be my hormones from the removal of my ovary. Of course it could also be the hypothyroidism that runs in my family.

So I made an appointment with a new doctor to see what was up. He pretty much told me I was lazy and unless I changed my entire lifestyle I would continue gaining weight and to get used it. He didn't even want to do any bloodwork!

Honestly,

I too gained significant weight after a surgery and when I asked my doc for diet pills she immediately sent me for blood work and found that I am a hypothyroid. I don't know about hormone issues related to ovaries, but I can comment on the hypo part.

Mary Shoman's book on Hypothyroidism has a check list of symptoms that could be helpful. There are many symptoms that you might have that you never equated to weight gain or possible hypothyroidism. It also addresses dealing with docs that are less than helpful.

You definitely need a new doc.  Are you on an HMO? Some HMO docs are notorious for not doing tests or giving referrals because it messes with their bottom line. If you are on an HMO, keep looking for a doc that will be more helpful. Ask any friends about their HMO docs.

If your not on an HMO, keep looking for another GP or go to an endocrinologist.

I saw that you just started on Calorie Count, start logging all your food intake, activity, and weight and print those our for a any new doc. Two weeks of hard data should help with your case.

If you still can't get someone to order a test, you may want to consider getting your TSH tested yourself. Most people have a TSH of 1. Normal range is .3-3.0, The higher the number the WORSE you thyroid is functioning. Some docs and testing facilities believe the old range that went up to 5.0, but if you're having symptoms and are between 3.0 and 5.0 you should still be treated.

Good luck!

This is Mary Shomon's website: http://thyroid.about.com/

 

 

this guy sounds like my doctor who didnt believe that i had lost 30lbs, and because i was sucking a breath mint when i went in, practiallly accused me of sitting around eating candies all day! Get a new doc, ASAP! I'm looking for one, too.

One question - if you don't mind my asking, WHY was your ovary removed? Was it because of cysts? Do you have any other symptoms troubling you besides the weight gain? Definitely go and see another doctor, and if they fob you off then keep trying.

SOME DOCTORS ARE RIGHT *****!!!

i had a male doctor tell me at 160lbs  (im 5'4) that i was clinically obese and at risk of death (yes, death). well, anywho, i did lose the weight, and after complaining about im i havent seen his name on the doctors rota since.

if your doing everythin you saay you do, apart from eating more to keep your metabolism up when exercising - SEE A DIFFERENT DOCTOR. dont suffer because he's a ****

Find a new doctor. It really can be a hormone issue. A woman that I met a while ago had problems w. her ovaries and had everything taken out. She was never directed properly to take her hormone pills so she never took them. She was completely messed up and she gained alot of weight. I hate doctors that dont take blood tests. How do they know whats wrong if they didnt look at anything. Grr. I have acid reflux and I had a doctor just assume it was acid reflux and put me on sample drugs from the office and they worked for like a half hr then  I my stomach ache was back. But yea see a new doctor. Try a female ob/gyn you may have more luck with them. I think ovaries do carry some kind of hormon. Also they can check your thyroid too.

See another doctor for a second opinion.  I did this, although I felt funny about it at first.  Turns out to be the best health-decision I made this year.  I went for a second opinion because I didn't think the first doctor was listening to me.  Turns out I was right and it definitely made a difference in choosing what kind of surgery, when, where, etc. 

Remember, you get to hire or fire your own doctor.

He should know better.  This may be more hormonal than anything else; clearly since there's a missing ovary.  You won't know anything else until you get that blood work done.  Don't let some silly doctor tell you that you're doing things wrong until you see it in black and white.  It's hard to see it in black and white if he doesn't even give you the option for a test.

Changing doctors and telling them what they need to do for your sake is one of those things that we have to do some times.

I think that you'll never be trusting of this physician again and therefore need a new doctor.  As a health care provider I know that trust is paramount.  A few things about your original post.  Hypothyroidism rarely results in dramatic weight gain (contrary to what we all want to believe).  However you need to have a lipid panel, thyroid panel, insulin and cortisol levels, body composition analysis, chemistry, blood count etc to look for any possible causes such as elevated cortisol (that actually happens just not like in the tv commercials about stress), insulin resistance (early diabetes), Increased fluid volume and malnutrition. 

 

Find someone else and start the relationship with a statement that you are looking for someone to trust that will help you.

 

Amy

Thank you all for your support and replies.  I made the doctor order the thyroid test as well as a CBC to check my iron.  I had a hysterectomy at 25 due to anemia.  I was severely anemic and started passing out from it.  My right ovary was removed 2 years later because it was lost and confused LOL.  It had adhered extremely low and was causing me excrutiating pain.  My left ovary is still there.  It's lost and confused as well.  It is adhered extremely high.  My original OB/GYN said my left ovary was good and my hormone levels should be fine.  He botched the removal and nicked my bladder.  He ended up suing me for the surgeries so needless to say, I won't be going back to him.  I switched my normal doctor because I was tired of driving 30 minutes to another town to see my doctor.  Looks like I ended up being put in with a real jerk. 

As far as my calorie counting goes... I am a huge Biggest Loser fan.  I have Jillian's 5 disc set of videos.  I have increased working out from 3 times a week to 5 times a week.  I also have Jillian's book "The Biggest Winner"  I haven't purchased a food scale but through reading her book I am pretty good at figuring how much food I'm eating.  I was looking online for a calorie counting website and that's how I found you wonderful people!  I have faithfully been entering in all my food information.  I've even been entering my flavored water. LOL  I have cut back my ground hamburger intake and now stick with ground turkey.  I have switched from vitamin D milk to 2%.  I have switched to whole grain everything (spaghetti, english muffins, bread, etc).  I can't bring myself to do wheat.  I just can't stand the taste.  I am having a little difficulty trying to figure out how to list my meals.  I'm a night owl so my first meal of the day is 6pm.  My second at 12am.  My third at 3am.  It's hard to keep it all straight when my meals actually cross into the following day.

It was extremely hard for me to deal with the attitude I received from this doctor as I have suffered from depression and low self-esteem issues my whole life.  In the past I suffered from a couple eating disorders as well.  I refuse to let that doc take me back down that road.  Thankfully I have an incredibly supportive sweetie by my side.  He's so supportive that he's begging me to let him go pay my doctor a visit and give him a piece of his mind. 

Well, I am going to call the office and see if my test results are back yet and then get some sleep.  Thanks again for everyone's input, advice, and support.

I completely agree with others that you should see a new doctor. I'm also glad to hear that you are having tests done--I hope the results give you some answers!

But just to chime in with some different advice concerning weight loss, try including lifting weights into your exercise. All of the cardio you are doing on top of restricting calories may not be decreasing fat, but it may be decreasing your muscle mass, thus FURTHER slowing your metabolism. So if you build some muscle, it will help increase your metabolism. Again, good luck hun! :)

some advice on the bloodwork-request a copy of it and either do research on your own or show the results to that doctor you trusted 30 mins away. i went to a terrible doctor and was suffering from refeeding syndrome after an ED. he told me to deal with it, keep eating and dont stop gaining. i went to someone who knew what they were talking about and they helped me get healthy again. the original doc said i was fine-bloodwork came back clean. however i requested a copy and i was anemic with all sorts of different issues another doctor helped me deal with.

you paid for the bloodwork, the results are yours and its routine to get a copy faxed to you, or you can swing by and pick it up. i can understand how difficult it must be for you...those situations are tough.

 

i agree to add weight training if you dont already do it. it has worked wonders for me in terms of toning and keeping me feeling fit and healthy. good luck!

not to be nosy but he sued you? (your doctor sued you for the surgeries??  or did i totally misread that like the imbecile that i am on a friday night after a busy busy week).

good luck!  im surprised that they did a hysterectomy for anemia (i assume you had excessive bleeding not stopped by a d & c... did you have an ablation (cauterize the inside of the uterus to stop the bleeding)?

and at your age i would not be surprised if, with your history, you experienced an extreme drop in hormones.  did you have him do your estrogen, prolactin, progesterone, etc?  if not, you should.  has your weight centered on your belly area?  that would be a prime indicator of a hormone (low estrogen) type issue.

really, good luck.