Still Gathering Info

[Regalhank]

While waiting for my OCTOBER appointment with my new endo, I'm trying to "build my case" but it's not easy--to refresh have gained 35 pounds in last two years after quitting smoking and colliding with menopause.  The problem:  eat very little, walk many miles a week, work out at gym 2-3 times a week yet in this last month have continued to gain 5 more pounds.  HOWEVER, blood comes back "normal".  My TSH is .7 which actually should put me in the other end of things.  Thyroid nodules have been biopsied and reported back benign.  Weight gain is all over--feet, face, breasts and--stomach (something I never had before).  I was a size 2 and now I just can't even keep up.  Very, very discouraged cause I cannot get anyone to listen.  Very tired but not sure if it's life in general or thyroid-related.  What I want to know is this--how can I keep gaining weight for no reason and how am I going to get the doctor to really look into those blood tests?

[Regalhank]

Thanks for your responses--I will check Dr. Rind and do the Thyroid tracker--October was the absolute first appointment I could get and I made it in late April!!  Lucky I don't need a heart transplant...This is unreal but the other "top notch" doctors were not taking new patients.  These specialty people really have you cornered.

[margretto]

It may also be wise to have your adrenals tested.  Make sure your doctor is testing your FT3 and FT4, not the total numbers or the uptake numbers as they are useless.  I'm so glad to see (scarcasm intended) that there is such an urgent rush to see you.  October how come so soon? :)
Another problem may be the low calorie diet.  You may want to evalute what you are eating to make sure you are eating enough and to eat nourshing foods.  
I would strobngly suggest that you google Dr. Rind he has an excellent chart that helps in connecting the dots to whether something is thryoid, adrenal or both.
Thyroid about has an excellent checklist that you can print , giving you a wonderful symptom chart to give your doctor.
Don't settle for less than the best docotor who will listen to you.  I did not see any doctor who thought it was their decision only on how to treat me.  I have fired endos.  As far as I am concerned I am not too impressed with endos.  

[ChitChatNine]

Hi Regal - I am sorry you are going thru all this .. have you tried the Thyroid Tracker and Wt tracker, etc.to put it all together with TSH levels for your Dr to see visually?  Sometimes that helps alot.

Hoping somebody else will jump in with some more help for you .. keep on trusting your instincts ..... it's hard and many Dr's sometimes you will go thru until you find the right one.

Keep us posted!

Cheryl