my story, hypothyroidism, and failure

[peacelives10 1]

Have any of you struggled with losing weight with the lap band because of hypothyroidism. The reason I'm asking is because I have struggled with losing weight with the lap band since I got it back in August 2010. My first week post op I gained 7 pounds and was reprimanded by my surgeon for not following the rules (even though I couldn't get anything down but a few sips of Water and the liquid pain killer I was prescribed). The only success I have had with the lap band was getting to my lowest weight of 212 pounds but since then I am 224 pounds and have been since January of this year. I began to get very frustrated and depressed because I was following the rules with 1 cups of food of the right foods (low fat, high Protein, low carbohydrates). I was exercising and still do with zumba, walking off the pounds with leslie sansone, bike riding, and the epileptical machine. I can only get in about 600-900 calories a day and find it very hard to get in more than that. Every time I went to see my surgeon, my weight remained the same at 224. I was ashamed and angry that I was working so hard but the weight was not coming off but I thought that my surgeon might be able to shed some light on why I wasn't losing weight. Instead, he aggressively accused me of not following the rules, of drinking sugary drinks, eating fatty foods, and not exercising. My mother was in the room with me and told him that I don't do any of that and he proceeded to tell her "well, you may live with her under the same roof, ma'am, but when you go to sleep, she's probably sneaking food into her room." I ended up getting a fill that day of 2 cc's (I have a 7 cc band). I had to return the next day because of acid reflux and I couldn't even swallow my own saliva. I left feeling guilty and ashamed and angry. I was following the rules and tried to explain that I was but he talked over me with his accusations. I let it go and thought that with the fill I was finally going to lose some weight. I exercised and ate very good like I have always done and still remained at 224 and even went up to 226 on some days. One day I would weigh myself and I would be 222 then the next day I would be 227. I got depressed and angry and stopped exercising because I felt like it was lose-lose situation. I went back to the doctor for another fill and of course I weighed in at 224 pounds again. I explained to him that something is wrong and that I'm not losing weight. His response was to accuse me again of not following the rules. I told him what I ate and what I do for exercise and he talked over me and said that "listen, if you eat fatty foods and drink sugary drinks you WILL NOT lose weight!" and I told him I wasn't eating fatty foods or drinking sodas. He wasn't convinced and sent me to the dietitian next door for a "lesson in eating properly with the lap band" because I can't seem to follow the rules according to him. I told him that if I wasn't following the rules then I wouldn't even show my face at his office out of embarrassment for my lack of trying. He told me to come back in 2 weeks with a food journal so I could show it to him and to go to some website to read and re read the lap band rules until they stuck in my head. He told me that I think I know everything but I don't and that if he put me in the hospital with IV's and no food that I would lose 20 pounds in a week and he guaranteed it. I left feeling very depressed and hopeless and ashamed and guilty. His accusations were becoming true in mind. I thought it was my fault. I became scared of food and didn't eat for a week because of him.I just drank Water and propel water and a few crackers. The next week I limited myself to 300 calories a day. I knew this obsession with food wasn't right but his accusations turned me to this behavior. It is the 3rd week and I'm due to see him next Wednesday and I still weigh 224 pounds even with liquids and only eating 300 calories and doing zumba. I am very depressed about my situation and even more upset that my surgeon doesn't believe me. I went to my general doctor last week and was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and he told me that this could be a very good and legitimate reason why i am not losing weight. I looked up hypothyroidism and found out that it's very hard for people with this condition to lose weight and that their metabolism is very slow. I feel that my surgeon should have known or suggested that something was wrong inside of me, that maybe it was my thyroid, rather than just accusing me of not following the rules. I see him next wednesday and when I tell him about my hypothyroidism I know he will just accuse me of over eating again. I am taking thyroid replacement pills now and hope that they will help a little.

My question is has anyone else had these problems regardless of exercising and eating healthy. And has anyone found out they had hypothyroidism while trying to lose weight with the lap band?

And I do have good restriction and stop when eating when I feel full and am not hungry between meals.

[doodlebugsmom 9]

I am sorry that you and your doctor do not seem to be on the same page with your health. I can understand that initially a doctor would possibly say that you are not following the rules and so forth. Sometimes people need a reminder and as much as I hate when to do it-sometimes I need a slap on the wrist. But because you have been stuck at that weight for a while I am suprised that he would not have run your bloodwork just in case anything else could be wrong. Your doctor should be your partner in this journey and I feel that you guys have lost that relationship. I would consider looking for another doctor specifically one that deals with thyroid patients.

I knew before surgery that I had a thyroid problem and I struggled with my weight before surgery. Since surgery I have lost an amount that I am pleased with but more importantly my primary care doctor has been running my numbers every three months and tweeking my meds as we go. I take those results into my lap band doctor so that everyone is on the same page. I feel that intially I lost weight pretty quick and now I am to the point where I have to work out in order to loose what I want per week.

I feel that if you and both your doctors are on the same page with everything then you will have more success. I believe that it is important to not compare yourself with others. Also the last thing that concerns me is that you are eating so little. If I ate that little I believe that my body would go into starvation mode and everything that I ate would turn to fat. I am not medical person by any means but I believe as scary as it is to you I think that you have to increase your calories to lose weight.

Hugs to you my friend and keep working the band and it will happen.

[Cocoabean 430]

Untreated hypothyroidism can definitely slow things down. Now that you've gotten it addressed, hopefully your levels will normalize and you'll start losing. Just beware of blaming everything on your thyroid. Yes, it plays a factor, but some folks blame it all on it. If your PCP doesn't answer all your questions, you might ask for a referral to an endocrinologist who specializes in metabolism.

I had a growth in my thyroid that over produces thyroid hormones. I was hyperthyroid. Most people lose weight when hyper. Not me, I was one of the lucky ones who could gain while in a hyper state. So I had radiation treatment and now barely have any thyroid function at all. I will be on replacement medications forever. I have my levels checked periodically, and due to the thyroid condition that I had, I have to adjust them from time to time.

[spoiltmom 44]

Untreated hypothyroidism can definitely cause weight gain. I gained 40 pounds in 6 months from mine being out of control. You need to make sure your surgeon sees your lab results. I'm assuming they started you on thyroid meds right? Take them daily. It may take a while but after a few weeks you should start seeing a difference. If your surgeon continues to act like an @ss then you should try and find another one. Your surgeon shouldn't be demeaning you like that.

[whitetiger011680 11]

Its great that u finally found out what the problem is and getting treatment for it. Now hopefully your surgeon will apologize and start being helpful instead of so negative and if he doesn't then I hope you find a new surgeon with a better attitude. Sorry if I offend you but he sounds like an *******. Your doctor is supposed to be supportive and do what he can to help you not belittle and call you a liar. I don't think I could have held my tongue if he talked to me that way. Good luck. Hope if works out you and you reach your goals.

[54Shirley 105]

Yep I know what your talking about, and you need to be referred to a good ! Endocrinologist. They can get you straitened right out, and eventually, when your levels are in the normal range. Weight will come off. I would get copies of my Labs and show it to him. It's not like he does not know that a lot of Heavy people have a Thyroid Condition...

If he doesn't understand you or has poor manners as a Dr. ! Then I would look for someone else, especially who understands this condition.

Don't get Depressed about it, now you will be educated about it. So you will learn to help yourself, and understand why it doesn't work sometimes. It's a pain in the @ss, is all it is.

We also have a post on this site for people with Hypothyroid. Of course I am on there too.

You might want to type that in, and see what you get to read.

Good Health to you, Shirley.