Sudden Stomach Swelling and Uncontrollable Weight Gain

[nicoletl]

I had a baby going on 7 months ago.  After I had her I lost 50 pounds in less than a month! I was so proud of myself, I felt healthy and was even below the weight I was was pre-pregnancy (a weight I hadn't been sinceI was a sophomore in high school). My thyroid levels got out of control after my body's hormones "got back in sync" and I gained a few extra pounds back (around 6 or so..).  After visiting the doctor, I got a different dosage of thyroid meds.  I go to the health department for a routine check up and when they do blood work..my cholesterol is over 500..it was so high the machine actually could not read it. My blood pressure wasn't particularly high and I had gained another 5 pounds or more.  I was instructed to stop my birth control immediately due to possible heart problems and told to see my doctor immediately, which I did of course.  More blood work later, my thyroid levels were out of control again..therefore, another dosage increase (I'm HYPO unfortunately). Since then I have continued monitoring what I eat, I do not eat out, I drink a significant amount of water daily, and I remember my meds.  The problem? I've gained right at 15 pounds more in just one month. The weight gain was totally uncontrollable. Then I remembered that when I first graduated highschool, the doctor informed me that my colon was 3/4 of the way blocked and I needed to do something about it.  Obviously, I didn't know what that "something" was so being the teenager that I was I blew it off not caring or knowing of severity.  Factoring in that I had recently had a child, I thought that maybe I needed to try a colon cleanse. I bought a Whole Body Cleanse from WalMart and since then..which has been 5 days (totaling in 15 laxatives...not to mention fiber pills) I have only had what amounts to (maybe) 3 bowel movements =/ my stomach is swollen and HONESTLY looks like I am 7 or 8 months pregnant again...this is NOT an exaggeration at all.  Am I having a reaction to the cleanse? Is something else wrong with me? I'm terrified that I have something incredibly wrong!  I appreciate any help whatsoever...thank you so much.

[nicoletl]

I would also like to add that I do not have a gall bladder. I had it removed 3 years ago when I was 17, due to the fact that it shriveled up explainable...

[mammo]

To lose 50lbs in a month is a big red flag.  Sounds like something is either wrong with your thyroid or something is causing it to malfunction.  Testing your cholesterol while your thyroid is out of whack will give you a "false" high reading.  They normally won't even check your cholesterol until you have been on thyroid meds for 90 days.  I have hypothyroidism but never experienced all you have, so they need to investigate further on this issue. It sounds to me like you've gone from hyperthyroidism to hypothyroidism. It's good that you are gaining some of the weight back, it shows that your thyroid is starting to function correctly.  A blockage of the colon can be very serious!  If it's a stool blockage normally what you did would have relieved it.  But if it's a physical blockage it can be serious and you may need to have surgery to correct it.  Your stomach swelling is not a good sign, I would go to the ER.  If you have a physical blockage, that part of the bowel can die and cause gangrene, which is very dangerous.  I'm not trying to scare you, but I truly think there is a problem and you need to be seen ASAP!  Don't wait any longer on this.

[nicoletl]

Thank you for your concern..and I am leaning on that ER visit as well!
The 50 pounds is what I lost directly after having my baby. Most of it was fluid from getting preeclamptic and experiencing gestational diabetes.  I've been hypothyroid for nearly 10 years now..I was diagnosed when I was only in the 6th grade =[ so I know that there is absolutely no chance in the universe that I switched to hyper lol. This weight is leading to massive depression. I cant even fit in clothes I could wear 2 and 3 weeks after having my daughter. I've been dieting..for instance today, I only ate 1300 calories. I just don't know what to do anymore. And I am honestly terrified what may be wrong with my colon..I was just hoping to get some feedback on the whole thing.
It's a mystery really.

[ggreg]

Well, other than what Mammo said, I can tell you that if you haven't had regular bowel movements and you have a history of constipation, you could do some enemas and see will that help break down the waste stuck in there, if any.  But if you feel the waste is right there and ready to come out, but won't, get a small box of Baby Lax at the drug store, squirt two in there, and it'll come out in minutes.  In the meantime, to help your digestion along, keep up with your water, exercise of course, and eat plenty of whole grain foods.  You can put Acidophilus milk on your Cheerios and some fresh blueberries, all that helps digestion too.

As you know, when you're hypothyroid, unless your medicine dose is exactly right, you cannot lose weight to save your life.  Probably having the baby upset the thyroid somewhat, and so it's going up and down, and when it's down, you will gain weight.  So, keep up some regular visits to the endocrinologist until he's satisfied you're on the right dose.

Besides cutting calories, another way to lose weight it to get a "burn" going, where you eat a lean diet, and an hour after you eat, do your exercise programme.  This sets up the body to start burning the calories you ate, and then keeps burning to get rid of fat.  And like a fire, to keep it burning, you have to add "wood" to it, which is to eat more.  I remember when Oprah lost a whole lot of weight one summer, she said she stopped at the same deli at lunch and had a giant sub with lots of meat piled on, and I realized, tho she didn't, that's how come she lost it... she fed her fire.  Get into Subway sandwiches, skip the mayo and bacon, but everything else will be good for you, and go for the wheat bread or garlic bread (garlic is good for digestion).

Don't skimp in the morning, either, unless you don't like breakfast.  Eat an egg with whatever else you have, and a little orange juice (but not a lot).  Exercise after that meal, and exercise after lunch, and again after dinner, even if it's just a long walk.  Also, another thing that puts weight on people without them realizing it, is sodas.  You can only drink "no salt" and "no sugar" sodas, like Diet Rite.

But you have got to get your thyroid meds right, and you'll have to keep going back to the endocrinologist every couple weeks, for sure, or NOTHING you do will help.  It's very tricky to get the dose right, especially for months after you've had a baby, cuz that goofs up ALL of your endocrine glands big-time.  I hope some of this helps.