unusaul extreme weight gain

[nmgap4]

I am concerned because I have been gaining weight lately. At first it wasn't much, but recently I gained almost 20 lbs in about a month (this is documented at my family dr's) I am also feeling fatigue almost constantly, no matter how much i sleep. Plus I wake up at least 3 times if not more a night. My family dr seems to think it is just my metabolism slowing, but I am only 26. He said he checked my thyroid and the blood work was fine. I had my gallbladder removed on july 22, and I curently have the IUD MIRENA(i have had it for almost 3 years). I am very active, I have 2 children so I am rarely inside, I have been consiously watching what I eat, and making sure I exercise regurarly. I am just completly frustrated, I don't know what is going on, and I feel as if my family dr is blowing me off. I have not been overeating or snacking, so why am I gaining so much. I am not pregnant. Could it be caused by my IUD after so long? Is there anything else that could be causing my fatigue? Is there anything I can do to speed up my metabolism? (at this rate it will be stopped by the time I'm 30) I really do believe that 20lbs in a month is alarming. Am I right?

[lorenh]

HI there. My friend gained about 45 lbs 8 years ago. She couldn't figure out any reason for her weight gain. All the doctors she saw in the past told her nothing was wrong. She just went to a new doctor today, and they found cysts on her ovaries...they are NOT cancerous. She had skin problems/acne and some strange yeast infection issues as well. They were all related to this same problem. it is treatable, she had to have an internal ultrasound to find this out. May be worth checking out. I would be concerned as well with such a large weight gain. You know your body, so be persistant about it, doctors can be so cold.
thanks, Loren

[joneliz]

I have skipped two periods-I am 42, feel like I have put on about 10lbs. Went to the OBGYN where I have had a physical exam with no abnormalities (pap was normal,too) and bloodwork done, showing no problems with thyroid or early menopause. I went on a 10 day course of provera, which I just finished yesterday (mon). I have a doctor friend who is a radiologist, who offered to ultrasound me yesterday and saw a small cyst on my left ovary and said this is probably due to a period coming on after taking the provera. He thought there was nothing alarming going on in there- am I just STRESSED out and worrying too much? Have I covered all my bases? I am under a great deal of stress...and will have to address this, but also I need to make sure I am not missing anything. Any thoughts? Just how deeply can stress affect our menstrual cycles?
Also- Shanniek...do you happen to live in KC?? If you do, this is Joni- Eddie's mom ;)

[girlwithproblems]

check out the medications your on if any because my husband was on some medication for depression and it made him gain 60pounds in 3 months get it checked out.

[JoAnnaRF]

Shannie>> Great advice! That was very informative and after just having the regular Thyroid tests a few months ago myslef, I am now questioning the results! Thanks again.

[Catastrophia]

I have the same problem as Shanniek.The weight gain,fatigue, and then found out that I have Hashi't thyroid.It's an autoimmune disease.Sometimes, when your immune system gets out of whack,your body can attack certain organs as if these were enemies(in certain people.) I think that I had it long before the test turned out positive.That's not to say  happening to you. It's just that the immune system is very delicate like the hormone system.Stress can effect both. There are over a hundred diseases that are autoimmune related.But that there is a connection to all of this, stress, immune, hormones, and disorders of all kinds. Good luck.
Cat

[ShannieK]

excuse me, now i notice about the IUD you mentioned having the past 3 years, so obviously you have not been pregnant, but not to sound redundant, Birth control also is responsible for thyroid dysfunction, makes me really think about this now.  Check with your dr, about those tests for the thyroid, sounds real familiar.

[ShannieK]

Hi it is alarming and happened to me as well, I had alot of your symptoms as well as many many others.  they did a thyroid test on me and it came back normal, but than found out through other testings that I do in fact have a thyroid disorder known as Hashimoto's, an auto immune disease of my thyorid gland.  It is a known fact, that most people that have this can have perfectly normal TSH test results.  To see about this you would need to have your antibody tests ran, they are called the perioxidase AB and the thyroglobin AB, have the dr. run these two tests to see if you are postive for the AB, if so, this may be your answer, without treatment, if this is the case, your symptoms may get more troublesome, and plus you will develop more.  I'm not a dr. and am not saying this is the problem, but for sure a possibility.  Check with your dr, to find out what thyroid tests he ran on you, jump on the thyroid forum and share with us what you find out.  Hope this helped.  Shannon  Also, have you had a pregnancy here recently, I think I remember you mentioned that you have a couple children.  Pregnancy is a known to cause thyroid problems.  Check it out.

[lisapep]

that is alarming.. Is the weight centered in one area.  i think you should see your gyno. and have them do an u/s or a series of blood work.  let us know what happens

lisa