Conference rocks::weight_control

    Wow, does your doctor sound like a jerk!  I'm glad you're changing to a
    new one.  Health professionals should empower you, not chastise you and
    refuse to run tests!!  
    
    But listen, you may not have a thyroid problem at all.  There are lots of
    medical conditions that cause rapid weight gain.  You need to see a new
    doctor who will check you out and work with you to solve this problem.
    Do not settle for someone who tells you to diet to cure any illness you
    experience.  You deserve better than that.
    
    It's pretty simple to find out if you have a thyroid problem.  Go to an
    endocrinologist and he or she will feel your neck (to see if the
    thyroid gland is enlarged), and talk to you, and take some blood for a 
    series of tests.  Do you have any other symptoms?  Let me think... 
    tiredness, excessive urination, DEPRESSION, weight gain, and the 
    inability to lose weight.  There are others that I can't remember.
                                        
    I have Hashimoto's Disease (I think that's it).  This means that my 
    immune system attacks my thyroid gland so that it doesn't produce the 
    thyroid hormones I need (or maybe it attacks the actual hormones after
    they are produced?)  Bad immune system!  Naughty, naughty!  So I get to 
    take a pill every day that provides the hormone I need.  
    
    Now, I had been doing Weight Watchers very seriously for a few months
    before I got on thyroid replacement therapy.  I had lost weight 
    (35 lbs perhaps?), but let me tell you it was easier with Synthroid.  
    Since then, I've lost another 80 lbs and have 38 to goal.
    
    Good luck!!  Let us know how you do.
    Kay 
                                                             

    
    How about depression, profound tired (I could sleep on my desk half the
    time), drydrydrydry skin, difficulty concentrating...  I've done weight
    watchers before and had really good weight loss (33 lbs in 14 weeks). 
    All of a sudden, it's not working anymore.  That's what's making me
    suspect it something else.  I get to see the new Doc next week.  It
    will be a relief (or I'm going to be desperate for a ww buddy) to find
    out what's really wrong.  Thanks for the encouragement.  I agree. 
    Sometimes the HMO doctors forget the Hipocratic oath... it becomes the
    oath according to HMO.  
    
    ZZZZZZZ  (see I told you!)
    

    It may not be a thyroid problem, but please do have the test.  My
    mother has a severly low level and it did make her gain weight.   Its
    not a big deal, just medicine to take.
    
    
    
    Donna

    Curiosity, did the base noter have a problem with her thyroid?  I was
    diagnosed some years back with a sluggish thyroid but saw no affects
    from taking Synthroid.  The doctors say my thyroid level is now normal,
    with medication, but I never saw a difference either way.

    I was having the same problems and WAS diagnosed as having an
    underactive thyroid.  
    
    YES, it can change your life after taking Synthroid.  My weight gain
    stopped, and I now starting to lose weight (it takes quite a few months
    to actually begin to lose weight from taking the medication).
    
    It has changed my life!  I was falling asleep at the table while eating
    (not an exageration, and had no life (thought I was getting lazy).
    
    This is an easy problem to fix, once it is found!
    
    Jolene

    My sister had been diagnosted as having an underactive thyroid over
    1 year ago.  Her Dr. prescribed Synthroid and she's been taking
    it since then.   
    
    She's had no success at all with weight loss since then.  She's
    approx. 50 lbs overweight.  She's tried lots of diets, exercises
    daily (bike and walking) and drinks plenty of water.  Needless
    to say, she's extremely frustrated!  I don't know what to tell her
    except maybe go to another Dr. but I'd really like to help her. 
    
    Has anyone else experienced NO weight loss even with taking the
    medication?
    
    -Diane

    A Syntroid side effects is weight loss, not weight gain.
    
    "Liotrix/Syntroid/Thyroglobulin/Thryoxine
    
     Side Effects: No side effects when therapy brings thyroid levels
     up to normal range. High dosage can cause nervousness, hand tremors,
     weakness, sensitivity to heat, overactivity,  weight loss, pounding
     heartbeat, headache, nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, high BP, and
     heart failure."
    
    
    Perhaps her dosage is too low, and her thyroid levels are too low
    (that would induce a weight gain)?
    
    Has she been checked recently?

    Just to clarify .. she hasn't gained any weight since taking
    syntroid (sp?), however she hasn't lost any either.
    
    She gets checked regularly and her Dr. has not suggested anything
    else (ie: higher dosage).  Maybe she should go to someone else.
    Anyone with good recommendations for the Leominster/Sterling area?