Aa
At my wits end.
I posted here awhile back stating some issues with weight gain, I have since been to the doctor and had several tests and everything came back fine. I thought maybe if I list some of my issues someone might have an idea what is wrong. I mean I'm running out of hope and posting on here shouldn't hurt right?
Lets start from the beginning. I was thin my whole life and at 17 I went on birth control. I was on Ortho Tri Cycline Lo, and it caused me to gain about 20 lbs, before birth control I weighed 118 lbs so I went up to about 144 lbs. I then switched to Yaz and went back down to 125-127 lbs, which I was fine with. At 21 I decided to give my body a break and get off birth control, this is when everything changed. After about a month or so I noticed my pants were getting tighter so I decided to weigh myself and noticed I had gained a few lbs, odd. I thought well my hormones could be correcting themselves and this was only temporary. Boy was I wrong, over the next 2 years I slowly gained 50 lbs. I didn't change anything in my diet other than I ate healthier than I did before when I was on birth control. I tried to exercise when I could but I was a waitress/bartender and was working a lot.
Finally fed up I went to the doctor, she tested me for thyroid, liver, kidney, celiac disease, etc. Everything came back fine. So I go to the gyno and ask her, she then tests my hormone levels and does a pcos test. These were my results.
Estradiol, is this Estrogen? I forget I remember asking but I don't remember.
Estradiol, Adult Female 128PG/ML -my level
Female: PG/ML
Follicular Phase: 19 - 144
Mid-Cycle: 64 - 357
Luteal Phase: 56 - 214
Post-Menopausal: <OR = 31
Alright seems fine no problem.
I then had a 2 hour Glucose tolerance test
Fasting Glucose 78MG/DL -my level
GLUCOSE VALUE (MG/DL)
INTERPRETATION FASTING 1 HR 2 HR
TOLERANCE TOLERANCE
NORMAL 0R=200*
1st Hour Glucose 114MG/DL - my level
2nd Hour Glucose 63MG/DL L -my level
Now the last number has an L beside it which I assume means Low, it's listed under the category Flag. By the time I got home from this test, the place was only 20 mins from my house if that, I felt like I was going to pass out. My mother suffers from Hypoglycemia and I'm pretty sure I'm having early symptoms. Anytime I have too much sugar I get very lightheaded about 15 mins afterwards, I counteract it with protein and feel a lot better.
Lastly testosterone
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL LC,MS,MS 41 -my level 2-45 ng/dL -standard range
Free Testosterone 6.0 -my level 0.1-6.4pg/mL -standard range
Testosterone seems to be pushing it, which doesn't surprise me because my mom has high testosterone and I am muscular. Also I suffer from acne just around my chin area which can be linked with having higher testosterone levels.
Then I had a PCOS test which came back normal.
My gyno says there is nothing wrong with me. I beg to differ, but I don't know what else to do. I watch what I eat, I am on the treadmill 5 days a week for an hour, I alternate between walking and running to confuse my muscles and burn more calories. I don't overeat, I was never a big eater. I've only lost about 5 lbs in 2 months, but the weight pops right back on. I will work my butt off and knock myself down about 3-4 lbs and gain it right back the following day. I know your weight fluctuates throughout the day but mine seems to not want to go down. I also suffer from constipation and that also runs in my family. I take probiotics and try to get a lot of fiber in, and I also take powdered buffered C. It helps but I feel like my body isn't absorbing it right. I also take a multi-vitamin, cod liver oil, and biotin for hair and nail growth.
Wow, that was a lot if someone reads all this I appreciate it, if any one has any idea what it is I will gladly listen.
Lets start from the beginning. I was thin my whole life and at 17 I went on birth control. I was on Ortho Tri Cycline Lo, and it caused me to gain about 20 lbs, before birth control I weighed 118 lbs so I went up to about 144 lbs. I then switched to Yaz and went back down to 125-127 lbs, which I was fine with. At 21 I decided to give my body a break and get off birth control, this is when everything changed. After about a month or so I noticed my pants were getting tighter so I decided to weigh myself and noticed I had gained a few lbs, odd. I thought well my hormones could be correcting themselves and this was only temporary. Boy was I wrong, over the next 2 years I slowly gained 50 lbs. I didn't change anything in my diet other than I ate healthier than I did before when I was on birth control. I tried to exercise when I could but I was a waitress/bartender and was working a lot.
Finally fed up I went to the doctor, she tested me for thyroid, liver, kidney, celiac disease, etc. Everything came back fine. So I go to the gyno and ask her, she then tests my hormone levels and does a pcos test. These were my results.
Estradiol, is this Estrogen? I forget I remember asking but I don't remember.
Estradiol, Adult Female 128PG/ML -my level
Female: PG/ML
Follicular Phase: 19 - 144
Mid-Cycle: 64 - 357
Luteal Phase: 56 - 214
Post-Menopausal: <OR = 31
Alright seems fine no problem.
I then had a 2 hour Glucose tolerance test
Fasting Glucose 78MG/DL -my level
GLUCOSE VALUE (MG/DL)
INTERPRETATION FASTING 1 HR 2 HR
TOLERANCE TOLERANCE
NORMAL 0R=200*
1st Hour Glucose 114MG/DL - my level
2nd Hour Glucose 63MG/DL L -my level
Now the last number has an L beside it which I assume means Low, it's listed under the category Flag. By the time I got home from this test, the place was only 20 mins from my house if that, I felt like I was going to pass out. My mother suffers from Hypoglycemia and I'm pretty sure I'm having early symptoms. Anytime I have too much sugar I get very lightheaded about 15 mins afterwards, I counteract it with protein and feel a lot better.
Lastly testosterone
TESTOSTERONE, TOTAL LC,MS,MS 41 -my level 2-45 ng/dL -standard range
Free Testosterone 6.0 -my level 0.1-6.4pg/mL -standard range
Testosterone seems to be pushing it, which doesn't surprise me because my mom has high testosterone and I am muscular. Also I suffer from acne just around my chin area which can be linked with having higher testosterone levels.
Then I had a PCOS test which came back normal.
My gyno says there is nothing wrong with me. I beg to differ, but I don't know what else to do. I watch what I eat, I am on the treadmill 5 days a week for an hour, I alternate between walking and running to confuse my muscles and burn more calories. I don't overeat, I was never a big eater. I've only lost about 5 lbs in 2 months, but the weight pops right back on. I will work my butt off and knock myself down about 3-4 lbs and gain it right back the following day. I know your weight fluctuates throughout the day but mine seems to not want to go down. I also suffer from constipation and that also runs in my family. I take probiotics and try to get a lot of fiber in, and I also take powdered buffered C. It helps but I feel like my body isn't absorbing it right. I also take a multi-vitamin, cod liver oil, and biotin for hair and nail growth.
Wow, that was a lot if someone reads all this I appreciate it, if any one has any idea what it is I will gladly listen.
COMMUNITY LEADER
If you get the results over the phone, be sure to ask for reference ranges, because ranges vary lab to lab and have to come from your own report. I look forward to seeing your results.
Thank you!
I figured I didn't have it completely right I just knew that there was one that the doctors didn't test. I hope she did but she probably didn't test for that one. I haven't heard a call back for my inquire to get the results. Hopefully today I will!
I figured I didn't have it completely right I just knew that there was one that the doctors didn't test. I hope she did but she probably didn't test for that one. I haven't heard a call back for my inquire to get the results. Hopefully today I will!
COMMUNITY LEADER
If you'll post the test results, with reference ranges, I'll be happy to help you interpret them, and let you know what further testing you might need.
"I know there are 2 hormones released by the thyroid and typically only one is tested for since it is commonly the problem" Actually, that's not correct; there are 2 thyroid hormones, but unfortunately, the one that's most important is the one, often not tested. One, Free T4 (most frequently tested) is a storage hormone that isn't used, directly, but must be converted to Free T3, which is the active hormone used by individual cells, and is the one often ignored by doctors.
"I know there are 2 hormones released by the thyroid and typically only one is tested for since it is commonly the problem" Actually, that's not correct; there are 2 thyroid hormones, but unfortunately, the one that's most important is the one, often not tested. One, Free T4 (most frequently tested) is a storage hormone that isn't used, directly, but must be converted to Free T3, which is the active hormone used by individual cells, and is the one often ignored by doctors.
I didn't mean Hypothyroidism it was a typo, I tried to correct the post below it.
Yes I know strength training does that I will be starting that as well. I'm just trying to initially lose some weight with cardio alone, but my body doesn't seem to care.
I will be calling probably tomorrow to get my records, but I don't know what any of that will mean seeing as I have no idea what is wrong with me. I know there are 2 hormones released by the thyroid and typically only one is tested for since it is commonly the problem, I would like to see if I was tested for both.
Yes I know strength training does that I will be starting that as well. I'm just trying to initially lose some weight with cardio alone, but my body doesn't seem to care.
I will be calling probably tomorrow to get my records, but I don't know what any of that will mean seeing as I have no idea what is wrong with me. I know there are 2 hormones released by the thyroid and typically only one is tested for since it is commonly the problem, I would like to see if I was tested for both.
COMMUNITY LEADER
Hypothyroidism isn't connected to the blood sugar issue. The blood sugar issue has to do with insulin production. When you eat sugary foods, your blood sugar goes up, which causes your pancreas to produce more insulin, since insulin determines the way your body uses sugar. If that sugar isn't used for energy, right away, the insulin shuttles it to fat cells for storage as fat.
As far as the thyroid is concerned, many doctors think that results anywhere within the reference ranges are just fine, when in fact, it actually matters where in the range the results actually are. If they are too low in the range (or in the case of TSH, too high), there can be hypo symptoms.
Strength training builds the muscle; muscle burns the fat.
You should always get a copy of your blood test results and any other tests that are done, for your own records. At some point, they may come in handy for reference if issues do come up at a later time.
As far as the thyroid is concerned, many doctors think that results anywhere within the reference ranges are just fine, when in fact, it actually matters where in the range the results actually are. If they are too low in the range (or in the case of TSH, too high), there can be hypo symptoms.
Strength training builds the muscle; muscle burns the fat.
You should always get a copy of your blood test results and any other tests that are done, for your own records. At some point, they may come in handy for reference if issues do come up at a later time.
I'm thinking about giving it another month or so and if nothing is changing, I'm going to either go back and be persistent or get a second opinion.
I wish we could edit posts instead of me posting again, last one though for now!
I wish we could edit posts instead of me posting again, last one though for now!
Thank you for reading and replying. She never gave me the results of the thyroid test, I was just told my bloodwork came back normal.
Yes that happens with hypothyroidism, which is why I try to keep my sugar intake down, but if I do have too much I get some protein in me. Even though I wasn't diagnosed with it I do have some symptoms.
I started with the treadmill first to get myself started, I have weak ankles due to me learning to walk on my tip toes and I'm pretty sure I have shortened my achilles tendon, never had a doctor confirm though. I do know that strength training does that, but since I am already muscular I put that off for a bit, but I will be starting that again. I was just thinking about that actually.
Sorry to sound like a know-it-all but I do know about those things. Again thank you for responding!
Yes that happens with hypothyroidism, which is why I try to keep my sugar intake down, but if I do have too much I get some protein in me. Even though I wasn't diagnosed with it I do have some symptoms.
I started with the treadmill first to get myself started, I have weak ankles due to me learning to walk on my tip toes and I'm pretty sure I have shortened my achilles tendon, never had a doctor confirm though. I do know that strength training does that, but since I am already muscular I put that off for a bit, but I will be starting that again. I was just thinking about that actually.
Sorry to sound like a know-it-all but I do know about those things. Again thank you for responding!
COMMUNITY LEADER
I did read it all and I'd be interested in seeing your actual thyroid test results. Many times, doctors say those are "fine" if they are simply "in range", but first off, the ranges are flawed and secondly, many times if your results are "borderline", the doctor will say they are fine, when they aren't fine for you.
What happens when you eat a lot of sugar is that your blood sugar spikes, for a few minutes, then suddenly the bottom drops out and that's when you become weak and shaky.
I'd suggest that instead of the treadmill every day, you switch out with some strength training, as well. While walking is great exercise, weight training will build muscle faster and as you build more muscle, you burn more fat.
What happens when you eat a lot of sugar is that your blood sugar spikes, for a few minutes, then suddenly the bottom drops out and that's when you become weak and shaky.
I'd suggest that instead of the treadmill every day, you switch out with some strength training, as well. While walking is great exercise, weight training will build muscle faster and as you build more muscle, you burn more fat.
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