[jenniepepsi]

Hey everyone.

I am hypoglycimic. And my doctor says that it may turn into diabetes at any time as diabetes runs in my family.

I am overweight, and cannot lose it. (have been on numerous diets, excersize every day, I have seen a nutritionallist, been on expensive diets, been on home made diets, have cut carbs, have tried everything.

I lose maybe a little bit then go right back up again (BEFORE I stop the diet, so its not a case of 'falling off the diet')

I even spent the money on the Provida diet that is suppose to be a life style change and not a diet, and I did it for a year and no change.

I am 5'3 and I weigh 247 on a normal day/month whne I am not dieting. When I do diet, I get down to 242 or so, and stay there. Once I am off the diet I go right back up to 247 exactly. I never go ABOVE 247.

I have had my thyroid tested and all is good.

My question is, if I DO have diabetes, can that be causing the issues with my weight?

I have an appointment schedualed for next month to talk to him about testing me for diabetes.

[twinkiedooter]

Have you ever had any sort of steroids or shots of cortisone? Are you drinking diet soda or any soda at all?

Being that heavy is definitely going to set you up for diabetes as the hypoglycemia is actually a mild form of diabetes. I have hypoglycemia and have had for many years. I did get ahead of it though back when I was in my early 20's by eating protein and very little carbs. This was 40 years ago before hypoglycemia was really "chic" to have.

I have had many cortisone shots over the years due to a back problem and all the cortisone did for me was make me retain body fat. I, too, have a very hard time shedding pounds now. I know that the cortisone wrecked my body's ability to shed the fat. I did go on Adkin's diet and did lose about 20 pounds but I think I regained back about 10 or 15. Now I wear size 12 pants and don't go up or down in weight.

You definitely must lose weight soon or your body will get too used to all that weight. Your overall health will suffer as I am sure you know. You will probably be a target for heart problems and breathing problems soon.

Have you ever been tested for lupus? A friend of mine who was about 260 lbs and 5'1" died at age 50 of lupus. She could not lose weight if her life depended upon it due to the lupus in her body.

[jenniepepsi]

Oh hon I'm already used to the weight :P I've been this weight for amlost 6 years.

I should have also mentioned I packed all the weight on in pregnancy. Went from a good swim team, thick ropey muscles at 148 to this

No, I don't take cortizone. No steroids. I had a steroid based asthma medication but that was long before I gained any weight and I only took it a week because it wasn't working.

I already have asthma, but I had that before I gained the weight 6 years ago too. I've had asthma since I was 12. (im 24 now)

Sorry I didn't include enough info in my first post :P feel free to ask more if I left anything else out. :)

[earl237]

Even if you can't get to your ideal weight, losing ten to twenty pounds can greatly improve your health. Eat healthy with lots of fruits and whole grains, get plenty of exercise, walking and lifting weights are very helpful. Building muscle helps regulate sugar. Eat cinnamon, pickles, coffee and garlic with meals, these all help sugar. Have a glass of red wine with supper if it is safe for you to drink, it helps prevent the sugar rise that usually happens after eating.

[Alty]

Have you ever had your thyroid checked?

Jennie, I have to wonder how eating tons of peanut butter a day (your other thread) would help you lose weight.

I think this is a matter of finding a diet you can stick to and a diet that works for you.

Also, when do you exercise, what excercises do you do, for how long and how often?

Do you do the same excercises every day or do you change it up?

I have a feeling this is more a case of you giving up because you didn't see quick results.

The thing is, it takes at least twice as long to lose the weight as it took to put it on.

[danielnoahsmommy]

Jennie check your mail box!

[jenniepepsi]

Well I said in my first post that I had my thyroid checked.

For exercise I take a walk every morning before the day starts. I walk for 30 minutes, keeping my heart rate at its peak.

I also swim several times a week. Not play swim. I swim laps.

I drink low fat milk, eat lean meats, chicken, fish. Beef once a week.

I have plenty of muscle UNDER the fat.


And I also said in my first post that this is not a case of 'falling off the diet' or 'giving up' because I have been working at this for almost 6 years now. My weight goes down a few lbs for a few weeks, then climbs back up to its regular weight again. And this happens when I am STILL on the diet.

[Alty]

Has your doctor suggested a diet?

If he's so concerned that you'll get diabetes I would think he'd recommend a diet and monitor your weight so that he can prevent this from happening.

[jenniepepsi]

My general doctor hasn't. But the nutritionallist did. And I was on it for 6 months last year and it didn't help. That's why I'm so lost about it lol.

[Alty]

my general doctor hasnt. but the nutritionallist did. and i was on it for 6 months last year and it didnt help. thats why im so lost about it lol.

That is surprising.

I have a thyroid condition, I'm on medication for it. Heck, I gained 80 pounds with each child, that's 160 pounds combined.

I have a harder time losing weight because of my thyroid condition, but with the proper diet and exercise I can maintain it, even lose it.

My main problem right now is getting toned. I'm a size 9, on a bad day. I'm also 5'11" tall.

I'm on a diabetic diet that my doctor gave me, I also go to the gym at least 3 times a week, lift weights, ride the bike, swim laps, and that keeps my weight where I want it.

How many calories do you eat a day? What types of food?

Sometimes it isn't the calorie intake but the foods you are eating that contribute to not losing weight.

[jenniepepsi]

ill admit I eat cheap foods. Lol. We spend about 200$ on grocerys for a whole month so its not easy to get the right foods. But I don't eat a lot of fat, I stick with white meats and fish and only red meat once a week (I found that cutting red meat out all together made me feel sick alot) we eat wheat bread. I've heard that doesn't make a difference but I like it better than white bread :p

I eat apples and bananas all the time.

I always make sure we have a veggie with dinner every day. We usually have a meat, a potato of some kind (scallop, mashed, baked, fried without oil, ect) and a veggie, usually a green one. I don't like corn much, besudes supposedly corn has no nutritional value (but I could be wrong I heard it online, and we all know how reliable THAT is lol)

I don't snack much during the day. When I do snack, its usually the peanut butter *blush* on celery or on crackers, or just on a spoon. Though I have stopped eating it like soup lol.

I got fat free peanut butter this last payday and it tasted good so I may continue to buy that instead of regular. Do they make sugar free peanut butter? Ill have to look

about the fattiest thing I will eat is sundays when I make roast in the crock pot. I don't get lean. I've tried lean and it doesn't cook right lol. Something about the fat and juices from the fat helps it cook. Its my guilty pleasure.

I don't drink any soda. I have had koolaid but not often. I drink a lot of water. But I also drink quite a bit of apple juice.

I have tried a diet that cut sugar out completely and it made me sick constantly. I tried one that cut carbs out, and nothing happened. I tried low fats, and nothing happened. I tried a high carb diet (dont ask me, it didn't make sense to me either, but I had tried everything else) and low and behold, more carbs made me GAIN weight :P go figure ;) (sarcasm)

I've tried a vegan diet, it made me dizzy and faint feeling all the time.


about the thyroid test, I'm not sure how reliable it is. For one, I went to this site... Top 10 Signs that You May Have a Thyroid Problem and I have EVERY SINGLE ONE of those symptoms!
also, my pyschiatrist ordered a full work up (cheking my liver functions and such due to my adhd meds) and she is the one who told me my thyroid was underactive and she suspected hypothyroidism. But when my general doctor did the test, he said it was fine. I figured I would trust him, since he is the doctor, and my psychiatrist isn't really a medical doctor but a mental health doctor.
however I am not so sure. You know?

I'm also wondering if I should get a glucose monitor and watch my levels myself before and after meals and record them to show my doctor.

I'm not sure how many calories exactly I eat. But I will keep track of them for... well tomorrow since today is half over. And ill let you know asap.

[Alty]

Sounds good Jennie. Keep track for a week, let me know not only the calories but the foods you are eating.

I have a test for you but I'll have to find it, type it out, then post it, so give me a bit of time.

The test is from a lifestyle change book that I follow religiously, it's helped me maintain and lose weight throughout the years.

It's a body type diet, written by a doctor, it's great because it bases the diet on your body type.

So do this for a week, record everything, then we'll talk again. I'm sure there has to be a way. :)

Alty.

[jenniepepsi]

Thanks hon :D ill definitely count. I'm going to use a spiral notebook and write it all down starting tomorrow. So don't unsubscribe to this, ill repost here.

I'm about to go do the 'at home thyroid test' where you stand at a mirror and look up and take a drink and watch for a bulge in your throat when you swallow. Not sure how reliable it is though lol

[Alty]

thanks hon :D ill definately count. im gonna use a spiral notebook and write it all down starting tomorrow. so dont unsubscribe to this, ill repost here.

im about to go do the 'at home thyroid test' where you stand at a mirror and look up and take a drink and watch for a bulge in your throat when you swallow. not sure how reliable it is though lol

As far as I know, that test isn't reliable at all.

I found out through blood work, didn't expect it, had no idea I had a thyroid condition.

My thyroid is low, I take synthroid every day in order to keep it level. I go in for blood work every three months just to make sure it's at the appropriate level. This is a life long thing.

I'd get a second opinon, go to a different doctor. :)

I'll keep watch on the thread, wait for the week to be up. :)

[jenniepepsi]

That's a good idea to see another doctor. Sort of a tie breaker. Like a pregnancy test :P if one says yes, the other says no. do one more ;)

Thanks hon ill keep you updated

[DoulaLC]

Jennie,

What specific thyroid tests have been done so far? Anything other than just blood tests? In the blood work, did they do a thyroid antibody test?

Ever been diagnosed with PCOS?

[jenniepepsi]

No, but PCOS runs in my family (mom had it, sister now has it) and I DO have irregular periods. But I don't have any of the pain or cramping involved. So I'm not sure.

It wasn't a test that said thyroid on it... it said TSH I think. Or THS. Or something like that I remember the test result paper said 'high' and a number. Sorry I don't remember the number, I'm trying to find the test paper lol. But I can't seem to locate it.

But I have found out that asprin can affect your thyroid function. And asprin is my drug of choice for pain and/or fevers.. so since I had one test say it was high, and the other say it wasn't, its possible that it was during a time I had taken asprin.

[jenniepepsi]

Sounds good Jennie. Keep track for a week, let me know not only the calories but the foods you are eating.

I have a test for you but I'll have to find it, type it out, then post it, so give me a bit of time.

The test is from a lifestyle change book that I follow religiously, it's helped me maintain and lose weight throughout the years.

It's a body type diet, written by a doctor, it's great because it bases the diet on your body type.

So do this for a week, record everything, then we'll talk again. I'm sure there has to be a way. :)

Alty.

I just thought of something. Is the test your talking about from Provida six week body make over from life sciences?

[asking]

Jennie,
It sounds like you are doing almost everything right. Great that you are not drinking sodas. I agree the doctor should be trying to help figure out if you have some health problem. Definitely get a test of thryoid function.

One thing: I would cut out the apple juice completely (its nearly all sugar) and, in fact, any juices at all. Stick to water and whole fruits and vegetables, which contain lots of water. A high fiber diet from eating lots of fruits and vegetables will help fill you up and reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Avoid filling up on grains, even whole grains. When you do eat bread etc, much better if it is whole grain. (I spent several months researching this a while back for a book. We originally evolved to eat fruit.) Also, avoid "fat free" processed foods, as they usually contain added sugar. If you can't keep regular peanut butter to a minimum, maybe just eat the celery sticks by themselves. :(

Cheers,
asking

[jenniepepsi]

Those are great ideas asking. Thank you. I didn't realise that fat free foods had added sugar. Thanks for telling me that.

I've considered cutting peanut butter out of our shopping list all together lol. My 5 year old likes peanut butter and honey sandwhiches though :P

I have been trying to keep peanut butter to a minimum. I've been doing OK. I'm still working on it.