What is going on with my body?!

[Starless]

Hello, this is my first time on here because well, I really don't know where else to turn to. Please bare with me...
I've always had a really high metabolism and was able to lose weight very quickly, even if I wasn't eating all too well. Now, I can't even seem to lose a pound and it's starting to worry me because I know my body and this is very unlike me. Here's the thing though...
Over the past two years I struggled with different sorts of addiction. I was addicted to to cocaine in the summer of 2005. Then in late 2005-06 I was addicted to vicodins. Come March of 2006, things got worse and I was addicted to oxycontin and dabbled with heroin (I'm surprised I'm not dead and at that point I was very thin due to all the vomitting and not eating) and my bf had to move me out of New York and back to California to get clean in September. I was taking percocets to ease the oxycontin withdrawal and once I was off of that...I became addicted to hydrocodone in October. This is when I started putting on some weight.
Come March 2007, I became pregnant and rapidly put on a lot of weight even though I was eating the same. I was still on hydrocodone and on top of that, I was taking liquid vicodin. Now, I used to weigh 135 lbs. I'm 5'3". I did put on 10 lbs. over the holidays, of course, but from the beginning of March and April, I put on 15 lbs!
The end of April, I miscarried and I was so stressed out. I did lose 10 lbs. (water weight I'm sure) quickly, but I've just stopped at 150 lbs.
In May I began tapering off the hydrocodone and now it's June and I'm proud to say that I'm clean now and feel great! The only pills I take now are vitamins and I love it. I'm eating very well, drink plenty of water, exercise, but still can't lose a damn pound! I really don't know what is going on. I've been so stressed out about this, that I haven't been able to sleep too well. So right now I'm on a digestive system cleanser because I was having trouble going to the bathroom for a while.
I'm wondering if this is happening because my body has been through so much stress? I feel like all the weight is around my stomach area too. It's so weird. Will my body eventually adjust? I'm also turning 25 next week, so is my metabolism slowing down? I don't know, I'm SO CONFUSED! :(

[LoveHealth]

Hey there!

Yes, supplements and vitamins were the main priority while I was detoxing.  I was under the supervision of a licensed Holistic Health Care Professional who knew all the supplements that were of the best quality.  And of course, with the saliva test, I didn't have to guess.  In fact,  I pretty much used supplements much like medication without all the side-effects and with the supplements and changing my diet to ORGANIC, I was able to HEAL the thyroid condition, and consequently, my weight fell off quickly.

How are you feeling lately?

[Starless]

When you did your detox resetting diet, did you still take supplements and vitamins?

[LoveHealth]

let's do this again:
MyZentuition is at gmail dot com

=)

[LoveHealth]

Hey there!

I just wanted to let you guys know that if you're into natural health, I write up a free online newsletter and if you'd like to have it sent to you, please feel free to e-mail me your addresses.  You can unsubscribe at any time if you don't resonate with the information.

Thanks!
  ***@****

[live4fitness]

WOW you are awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I love to hear the support and the natural stuff is great!!!!!


Starless

CONGRATS on cleaning up. I had problems with my hormones and I gained 30 pounds in ~3 months :0. I am back on track now but I understand about how frustraining it is. I agree with love find a GOOD natural dr and they will help. But talk to people first some of the drs are not good.

I wish you both happy HEALTH!!

[LoveHealth]

I'm so glad to hear that you do take time out for yourself through reading and music, two of my favorite past times.  What do you do musically?  Vocals or instrument(s)?

As far as Yoga goes, it's an amazing thing - I began doing that in a group, but I also have  a video that I really like if you're wondering about how to just learn the basics.  But beginners classes are forming all the time and they'll teach you step by step.  Plus, it's pretty slow and you would easily be able to learn each pose.  You'll have an endorphin high afterwards, it's so wonderful!  Your body is stretched and it feels so alive =)  

In addition to all the great supplements you are taking for anxiety, Yoga will help you a lot, too, through learning how to breathe and you'll be much more relaxed after you've practiced for a bit.  But don't take my word for it - check it out and see if it works well for you.  The yoga classes I personally like the best are those that are an hour and fifteen to an hour and a half long.  An hour, to me, feels like you just begin to relax and them BAM, you've gotta go.  So see what, if any, types of Yoga suit you.  http://www.holisticonline.com/Yoga/hol_yoga_pos_step.htm
is a basic place to start.  
Also, I have a DVD that I LOVE called "Basic Yoga Workout for Dummies"
The lady who leads it is super-sweet and lovely to watch.  And as you can tell by the title, it's pretty easy to follow along. =)

As far as all the supplements you are taking:
you had mentioned that you hoped you weren't putting too much into your body.
If your body didn't need what you were taking, it would let you know - either you'd forget to take a certain one all the time, or when you took it you wouldn't "feel" right, or even that you would just "lose" the bottle.  
Trust your body and just listen.  It sounds like all the things you are taking are well informed decisions.  Tryptohan, Tyrosine, a multi, calcium and omega 3's all have different functions, so it sounds to me like you've done your research.  Just monitor how you feel after you take each one and if you feel better, then keep doing what you're doing. =)

So, yes, I'd forgotten to mentioned what happened with my weight!  hehe
Prolly the part that's pretty important.
I lost 30 lbs in 2-3 months and it STAYED off, even after I was in a car accident and unable to work out at all. It still stayed off.  If I had stayed with the walking aspect of my program I would have taken the last 20 lbs off too, I'm sure.  But I just wasn't in shape after the accident to do it.  But it's ok, I'm on my way there now.
I did the following:  Saliva Testing
                            Supplements after I got the results
                            Infrared Sauna
                            Lymphatic therapies
                            Ate organic
Lastly, I did a detox-resetting diet
(I was so addicted to sugar; the detox diet was mostly to kill the cravings.  Did you know there's sugar in like, everything at the grocery store?  White bread, even grocery store bought wheat bread!  Pickles, crackers, things you would never expect sugar to be in!  It gets you addicted without you knowing it - if you are already staying away from things you know to have sugar - NOT knowing what you're consuming with sugar in it can highly affect your mood and most definitely can affect your metabolism.)

As far as the thyroxine tablets, my advice to you would be to do a saliva test or some type of diagnostic test to see what's specifically happening in YOUR body before you introduce any more hormones.  You definitely want the advice of a Holistic Practitioner or Dr. who can advise you on the best supplements they can recommend for what the test concludes.

P.S. Don't worry about ******* up your body for good.  The body's an amazing machine that regenerates and heals itself all the time.  All the steps you are doing now is slowly correcting all that you've done in your past.  And the more you BELIEVE it with every fibre of your being, the more true it will become for you.  Look at all the people who've done a lot more partying than we have, who later in life are completely healthy after they take control of their health, as we are doing now.  
You are doing great!

[Starless]

P.S.
Have you heard of thyroxine tablets? I read that they help.

[Starless]

Wow, thank you for that I had NO IDEA and getting a saliva test probably would have NEVER crossed my mind so THANK YOU! I will definitely look into that book:) I don't meditate, but I do take some time out for myself by reading or doing anything musical (I'm a musician, hence a lot of the drug usage). I'll walk my dog or exercise. I've been thinking about doing yoga, but really don't know where to begin with that. I also suffer from anxiety and I say this, I just remembered that from December 2006-February 2007, I was also on Lexapro for that and Lexapro would make me hungry a lot.
It's really difficult to relax in my home environment because I am back at home with my parents and my mother is the most stressed out person in the world and I'm not exaggerating. She can walk into a room and make everyone tense.
So right now I've been taking "Calms Forte." It's 100% natural, no side effects, relieves stress, and non-addictive. This stuff really helped with my withdrawal phase because what I hated most about withdrawal was the terrible anxiety I would get. I've also been taking L-Tryptophan before bed, to relax me and help me to sleep better.
In the morning I take L-tyrosine, a multi-vitamin, calcium, and an omega-3 pill. I hope I'm not putting too much into my body.
So did you end up losing all the weight? Did your body go back to normal eventually?
I'm just really hoping that I didn't **** up my body for good.

[LoveHealth]

By the way, I'd also like to say that your hormones can def. make it difficult to lose weight.  But also, with all of the emotions that go along with experiencing a miscarriage and the way your body was preparing itself to have a baby, be really easy on yourself about all of this, too.  You've been through a lot, so give your body and spirit some time to relax - and pat yourself on the back for getting through all of the challenges you've faced.  Stress is a huge part of weight gain and lack of losing, as I'm sure that you are aware.  =)
Do you meditate or take time out for yourself each day?

[LoveHealth]

Hi there, Starless!

I am not a medical Dr., but I'll share with you my own personal experience with significant weight gain.

I am only 27 now, so I am pretty close to you in age.  When I was around 21-23, I had done A LOT of partying (not necessarily the drugs that you mentioned, but drugs nonetheless)

I had always been the same size throughout high school and college and suddenly, almost over nite, my weight increased 40 pounds in one year and an extra 10 lbs shortly after that, resulting in a 50lb weight gain in a little over a year.

I went to an Endocrinologist because everyone told me to get my thyroid checked out.  I did a blood test and it revealed nothing.  
But I knew something was up with my body.

A year after the blood test, I found a Holistic Clinic and through them I did a saliva test.  Most of the reason for my weight gain WAS, in fact, contributed to a "hypo-active thyroid".  Thankfully, the Endocrinologist didn't find it, as I would have been prescribed medication for the rest of my life, and even though I'd used recreational drugs in the past, since I'd stopped, I wanted to do everything as naturally as possible.
I immediately began a protocol that included herbal supplements, Homeopathics and ate ALL organic for three months straight.  I no longer experience a hypo-active thyroid condition.
The main contributors to a hypo-active thyroid are chemicals in our food and water, but also, of course, the illicit drugs I had used during my early 20's.  Anything that is chemically based can affect our thyroid.  
If you haven't already picked up a copy, I began learning about most of this through Kevin Trudeau's book, "Natural Cures "THEY" Don't Want You To Know About".  

You may or may not be experiencing symptoms of a hypo-active thyroid, but it's definitely worth doing the saliva testing because it can see how all of your hormones react throughout the day, whereas blood only gets a reading at the time that it is drawn.

If you have any questions, please feel free to write back.  Best wishes for your health!  And congratulations on getting clean and enjoying life again!  You're on your way to amazing health =)