I Am Haveing Health problems...please Help If You Can

Ask the Dr to do a thyroid test on you. Hypothyroidism can cause tiredness and can make it difficult to loose weight. Just a thought.

I know exactly what you are feeling, because I was going through the same thing a few months ago. I recently lost approximately 65 pounds (the baby weight from being pregnant with my Son) plus an extra 20 pounds or so. I found what worked for me was portion control. I would literally take one of my Son's toddler plates (the kind with the 3 sections) and fill each section with something healthy (a fruit, a veggie and a meat/chicken). It's the same food I was giving to my Son, and I figured if he can eat healthy, then why can't I? As far as getting support from your hubby and child, they might not support you in the very beginning until they see that you are serious about losing the weight and helping yourself. Pray for strength each and every day, to get through the day and on to the next day. You can do it!!! You just have to be strong enough to start and strong enough to keep with it. Your family will support you I am sure once they see that you are serious about this; and definitly once they see how quickly the weight comes off. You are going to feel soooo much better!!! Good Luck!!!

Others have made some good suggestions so I won't add to those. The only other thing I can add I is to have you thyroid checked if they haven't already. An under-active thyroid can cause fatigue and make it difficult to lose weight and can be triggered by pregnancy/childbirth. If that is the problem. It is very easy to treat and will make a huge difference in how you feel. You also might want to read the information that comes with your blood pressure medicine to see what the side effects of it are. That might be the cause of some of the problems and your Dr. might be able to try a different medication or work with you to get off the drug and control you blood pressure another way. Good luck.

Hi S., what I am going to say is easy to say, but hard to actually do it.
We have to help our bodies to heal themselves; many times we are sick, we feel sick and we do have an illness, but the body will re generate itself from within. You have to calm down and first start a program for relaxing or meditating, and then start to exercise or work out in the house, at the gym or just start walking with a positive and energetic and nice friend or neighbor.
I struggled many years ago with weight gain, after my first baby was born (he's almost 10 now), and I tried so many things to lose weight and it didn't seem to work, until one day I switch from step to meditation and yoga twice a week, and I noticed that I was happier, calmer and I felt so much better!, then with my clear mind I was able to exercise and I enrolled in a water aerobic class. I lost weight!! and I felt great. Since then I keep exercising no matter what but always doing something I really enjoy and help me to keep a healthy weight. I love sugary things, and also I learned not to crave it so much the way I did and that helps a lot...One thing lead to another always is the law of life.
So, my humble suggestion is that you start working on your mind (meditation, yoga, even pilates or stretching class) and then any other more vigorous exercise, but start slowly and gentle and be most of all very patient with yourself. I guarantee you, you will feel great in a few months. Just remember don't stop any medicine abruptly without your doctor permission, but always ask as many questions as you need to understand about your condition and take care of yourself. It is you who take care of your body and the doctor is there to provide professional help, but it is you who will help yourself to feel better. Everything is a whole and connected in the most amazing way. Believe me, I did it.
I wish you the best!

I actually think I can help....here are a few suggestions:
1. Start taking a multivitamin...I suggest the Oligo brand. It's affordable and the best on the market! It will boost your overall health and energy.
2. You can strengthen your immunity by taking probiotics. You can find probiotics in foods like yogurt, but I suggest the Florify probiotic supplements. I have been taking probiotics for years, so have my kids, and we rarely get sick.
3. To help with the blues, Luminex is a great herbal supplement. It contains natural ingredients including St Johns Wart, griffonia seed, folate, and vitamin B12 that help with depression and anxiety. My husband and I both started taking it last month and we noticed a difference within a couple of days.
4. Also, I am a BIG proponent of chiropractic adjustments for everyone, including infants. I have been seeing a chiropractor for years and totally believe in the benefits of chiropractic care. We have given our chiropractor the title of our primary family physician and we see him before we go to the medical doctors (that’s how much we respect his expertise!).
5. For exercise, I suggest starting with something slow and mellow like Yoga. It has been an incredible release for me. It is my time to relax and start over. Its exercise, but I actually WANT to go!!
6. For weight loss, a quick easy solution I recently tried was cutting out soda from by diet. I stopped drinking soda completely and dropped two pants sizes in less than a month.
Hang in there mama!!

S.,
I'm so sorry you're going through this and hope you find some answers soon. Unfortunately, I can't contribute anything about the xanthomas or Hydrochlorthiazide. However, I would suggest finding a good quality Vit D and taking it. I know when I miss several days of taking mine that I get depressed and low energy and everything looks bleak. Studies are coming out that we need much more Vit D than was previously thought to maintain good health. Going outside for a few minutes everyday is good, but if you're already low on your Vit D it probably won't be enough at first.
Good luck to you.

Hi S. - I know personally just how sad and frustrated you are. Hang in there.

Low Vitamin D can cause a lot of problems. It can be hard to get your blood levels back up again, so follow your docs instructions and have him check the levels periodically. You might also consider taking something to help your mood either from your doc or some SAMe or something.

Also, aren't xanthomas an indication of high blood cholesterol and triglycerides etc.? If I remember correctly they can also be a signal to check for diabetes. Lots of docs say under 200 is healthy but a cardiologist we know says he recommends total cholesterol be
100 + your age. So your's should be around 130. Getting that number down might also help your high blood pressure

I hope you feel better - you might also check out the website amenclinics.com

I have not done this but on Flylady she endorses the website www.noexcusesworkouts.com. The trainer on the site talks about interval workouts. You can buy his program or he has a couple of free work out ideas that just explain the concept of how the interval workouts work. The interval idea sounds like a good way to loose weight and his suggestions seem reasonable to me.
Flylady also endorses the dinnerdiva where you can get recipes for healthy meals. I have used a few of the meals but again have not bought any of her paid products.
Also if you need advice for housekeeping the flylady is great at helping you do a little at a time and doing things 15 minutes at a time. Her website is www.flylady.net and her site is free.

Good luck I hope you find answers to your health issues don't give up.

S.,
I second the Thyroid check, but honestly, you can eat anything as long as you stay under your calories and your portions sizes are correct. It is just easier if you eat the right foods, cause then you wont feel like you are starving. ( Lots of high fiber foods and proteins help you feel fuller longer and low calorie foods you can eat more of) I love watching the biggest looser and it is so inspiring! their web site has some great "trainer tips" you can watch on their web page and after implementing some of them, I have lost 10 lbs in a month!
It really comes down to eating less calories then you burn. Now I am not sure how much I burn exactly but I try to stay close to 1200 a day and on the days that I exercise then I give myself an extra 300.
One thing that I did that has helped so much is I bought a kitchen scale. That with being able to look up portion sizes and calories on the internet has helped tremendously. (caloriecount.com)
One of the biggest looser trainer tips is to be strict with your calorie intake two days a week, moderate for three and allow yourself a break on Saturday and Sunday. That is not so say pig out and eat what you want- I just don't count calories, I do portion sizes and still stop eating when I am full, but allow myself a dessert. If you do this your metabolism doesn't get stuck in one spot, you are keeping it "on its toes", so to speak.
Another thing I do is drink 16 oz-2 cups of water before I eat my meals. This helps me realize when I am full and to not over eat. and really it comes down to just that... Most people over eat.
Here is a site that will give you 16 ways to eat less.

http://health.msn.com/weight-loss/articlepage.aspx?cp-doc...

Keep up the exercise and working with your docs, (new or old:) You can do this! Watch "the biggest looser" if you need more inspiration. I promise you will love it:)
Good luck
E.

HI--

Check out your thyroid. I highly recommend going onto earthclinic.com and checking your symptoms out. Even if you have had a thyroid hormone test run, that doesn't necessarily mean all is well. One easy test is to paint iodine on your skin and see what happens. If it disappears quickly (a few hours or overnight, and if your energy improves, then your thyroid is iodine deficient and needs help.

Also, as an Air Force wife, have you been stationed near any missile bases? Contaminants such as perchlorate and fluoride will interfere with iodine getting to your thyroid--which controls a truly impressive amount of body functions.

Good luck!

I am a military wife too and I can relate to the overwhelming stress of it all. The thing that worked the best for me was to get out of the house! Take the kids to the park and play with them, don't just sit and watch. Let your child's wonder at life draw you in and show you the joy in life and they will start to seem like less of a burden and more of the gift that they are.

Find a local kids activity and take the kids or meet with some of the other mothers in the area, but get dressed and get out of the house.

Also find a hobby for you or set up a Girl's Night and leave the kids with your hubby or a friend for the evening. I know it is hard because when you feel bad getting up is the last thing you want to do, but it is the best thing for you.

I like to eat much healthier than my hubby too, but I compromise by making one of his favorites as the main dish and than the rest is healthy. Then I just take fill up on the healthier choices. Slowly, my family has come around and we are now eating healthy as a family, but it was a slow gradual change.

Vitamin D is amazing at boosting your immune system and it is so easy to get. Just go outside, easy on the sunscreen though or you block all the helpful rays. You cannot take too much either. In the summer sun your body can create 30,000+ BTUs in a single day while most vitamin supplements only suggest 2,000 BTUs a day. My kids and I take 6,000 BTU of Vit D and probiotics everyday and we are very rarely sick. This is pretty telling to me because I run a Daycare and have seen every common sickness known to the American man. My hubby on the other hand, does not take the vitamins and he is sick at least once a month.

Good Luck

I agree with Kristin. I also take a Vitality 6 pack that is the Oligo brand. I and my husband have noticed a huge difference in our energy levels (we are both in our 40's). I can a huge difference when I miss a day or two. The reason these vitamins are so good is the Oligo which makes the vitamins 10x more absorpable that almost any other brand on the market.
Food is a toughy, but we do a lot of grilling and eat very few fried foods (altho as a Southerner I love my fried chicken and okra).
Also, before I forget, the vitamins are part of a challenge and if you don't notice an improvement within 3 months you will get your money back.

Try www.myfooddiary.com. It helps you keep a close eye on what's going in your mouth.

Make your own meals, even if they are different than what your husband and son eat.

You say you have had lots of tests done, just wondering if you have been tested for Graves' Disease or other thyroid disorders? I think this is a likely problem, with the weight issues, exopthalmus etc. it leads me to believe it's a thyroid problem. The vit D deficiency could also signal that you have a parathyroid disorder, which are 4 small glands on your thyroid gland. I believe from what you are saying its definitely a hormonal issue & you should see a endocrinologist to figure it out. Good luck, I hope you find answers soon! I can see feel how frustrated you are!

I am a teacher of nutrition. I specialize in weight loss, through nutritional cleansing and highly nutritional shakes. I have a web page for you to visit and see if this is right for you. It is: http://phytomom.isagenix.com If you go the link called isavideos you will be able to learn as much information as you need. You can get your products wholesale as well. Just write a private message and I'll tell you how to do it. I promise this can change your life if you give it a chance. I'll help as much as you want. I wish you the best!

You say you are tired all the time. Are you getting enough sleep? Lack of sleep is strongly correlated with weight gain (in fact, even more strongly correlated than lack of exercise). If you can, try to get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.

Also, if your husband wants to help you lose weight, you shouldn't be cooking anything but healthy food. It sounds like he is willing to make dinner sometimes (although nothing healthy) so although it may be a pain, I would have him make his own dinner and your son's dinner, if they don't like what you are making that night. You may also want to take at least a children's multivitamin or something if you are not already.

Wishing you the best!

This is my advice to you;
Stay away from "fake foods" (i.e: foods that you must purchase from a company; drinks/shakes and bars, etc.) Here's what you do instead:

Eat a whole grain cereal for breakfast
Eat a huge, yummy salad for lunch layden with fresh veggies. Add 1/2 c. of legumes to this. Also add 1/2 c. of a whole grain.
Do the same for dinner.
Drink lots of water.
Instead of exercising once a day, split it up into 2 sessions, 30 min. each. Focus hard and give each workout your all.
Eat meat sparingly...1-3 times a week.
Eat dairy sparingly.
Eat as much fruit as you want. No one ever gained weight on too much fruit. Eat it as a dessert. Enjoy it!!
You will feel so good eating this way. Stock up on fresh veggies and EAT them, don't let them rot! Take your vitamins. You will see the weight come off and it will be totally whole foods.
Good Health to you!
p.s: Whole grains and legumes are also an excellent source of protein. Quinoa is one of the best out there!

My heart goes out to you. Hang in there and you will find the answer. My suggestions are to do a couple things: get on a good multivitamin to help with your energy level....when I'm not breastfeeding I take Life's Fortune...they are AWESOME!!! Also, you may look at doing a food allergy testing thru Immuno Labs (doctor's contract with them and their test results are guaranteed)...this can help with different health problems like IBS...I lost 12 pounds when I went thru the process going from 134 pounds to 122 pounds. If I think of anything else I will let you know!

Here are a couple websites for you to look at:
http://www.betterhealthusa.com/public/main.cfm
http://www.immunolabs.com/

K.

I can't tell you everything here, but you should really, really look into herbs. Look up your symptoms on google, and type herbal after. Better yet, visit an herb store as well, a homeopathic doctor, a chiropractor, massage therapist, and acupuncturist. Get some healthy food to have on hand when hubby cooks. I wrote another post all about this, but when I go to the store, instead of getting candy, I indulge in healthy fruit drinks like Bolthouse Farms and Odwalla, or Kashi's all natural cookies and TV dinners. I figure I'm not spending the money on soda pop, and I'm getting a physical benefit.

In any case, here's an article you can start with, see how close you are to doing all these things:

http://naturalhealth.msn.com/?section=articles&catego...

It would be great if husband will support you. If not get a friend.

So sorry to hear about your situation.

Your husband/son should want to encourage you to do whatever it takes to be healthy - end of story. For their own sake, too, they should want to be healthier as the rate of people diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in this country has doubled in the past decade. That's only the people who know they have it - it's estimated that 1/3 of the people with diabetes haven't been diagnosed yet. Our kids' generation is not expected to outlive their parents - 1/3 is expected to have Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease.

So, my advice is to keep getting opinions until you find a physician who can help identify the cause of your health issues and recommend an appropriate treatment.

Vitamin D deficiencies are real, and the best way to get Vitamin D is through sunlight - spend some time outside.

It sounds like you may have a few things going on medically

1. you may be having a reaction to the hydrochlorathiazide
2. you may have an endocrine disorder that's causing you to be tired/retain weight
3. you may be depressed which is causing all kinds of things

I'd tell your husband and son that if they want to eat like that, they can cook it themselves while you're going to prepare something healthier. Healthy foods can be prepared to taste really, really, good.

Good luck - I'd keep digging and get some medical answers - you're too young to be on BP medication and miserable.

I would suggest that go to a health food store and ask them if they have a list of local doctors that will work with your body and get things done in a more natural way. I have had hormone problems for ten years and I never went to the right doctor to figure this out. I went to a doctor about three years ago that tested all the different hormone levels. (I am on bio-identical hormones now and I feel great) He found out that I needed progesterone and thyroid. Like many others have said the range for "normal" thyroid levels is very broad. I also take vitamin D. I also do yoga and all that stretching does wonders for your mood. Join a gym and make supportive friends and discover new activities.

I think your husband and son need to get over it for the sake of your health. Sit down with your husband and lay it out. That the eating habits for the whole family are going to change for the better of everyone. Include a "free" day where he and your son can indulge in foods that you won't be eating during the week. This is something you are going to have to take control of. Plan out the menus for the week and stick to them.

There is so much info out there for eating well and making it taste good. Baking things, searing things then finishing off in the oven gives a great flavor to meats, veggies with a little olive oil dashed on them makes them very tasty especially to those who are used to butter on their veggies.

Check out Jamie Olvier's food revolution:

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes

As far as exercise, find what works for your body. I could walk for exercise and it wouldn't do me a bit of good but if try to run just a bit that's what does it for me and I see results. Can you join a gym? I loved all the classes when I was able to be a gym member.

It's tough to make such major changes and turn them into habits but you and the rest of the family will be better off in the long run for it. Good luck!

Hi,
this is something I'm very passionate about. As you know it is nurition nutrition nutrition. A dear friend of mine worked with a nutrionslist and lost 100 pounds in one year by eating right. On top of that she didn't have her exercise to do it either because she was on her 50s and really over weight, but she still lost that much by just eating right.

I highly recommend NOT doing any crash diets! All they do is make people hate dieting, hate eating 'healthy', and does NOT teach a person how to make healthy choices. Since I can't talk and work with you in person here is what helps me. 1. Find out what works for you and improve where you can. A lot of people try to go cold turkey into eating healthy, one they get burned out and/or two really don't know how to eat healthy without a diet. 2. Remember to compliment yourself ALL the time. Don't critize and see what is wrong, look at yourself see how great you ate and then visualize how much greater are going to be. Visualize and compliment yourself. 3. Learn how to eat healthy. It's like that saying instead of giving a man a fish, teach him how to fish. These things give me health tips, teach me how to make healthy choices, and RECIPES!!!: Prevention Magazine (love!!!) especially there quarterly magazine, Biggest Loser watch the show, the book 'Eat Thos, not that' there are a few in this series, I recommend 'Cook this, not that'.

Well I guess that is it for now, I can go on for hours. Believe on yourself, want it and desire it. You deserve the best, you really really do. And the best is be a healthy you :)

Sounds like you should go to another doctor and have your thyroid checked.

the hydrochlorithiazide is a diuretic; it should remove any "water" weight you could be carrying. Has your thyroid been checked? & I want you to seriously ask yourself if depression is a factor?

I truly believe it is time for you to sit down & have a heart-to-heart with your doctor. & then have another one with your family....your husband in particular. If he is not emotionally supporting you, then he is hindering your goal for better health.

As for the difference in how the two of you cook, then why not sit down & look at some cookbooks.....& together devise a new menu plan for your family. Another idea would be for the two of you to see a nutritionist. & if your husband is in the military, then I would think he would be interested (or at least motivated) to maintain as healthy a lifestyle as possible! Get his patootie moving with yours! I wish you Peace....

You can't lose weight through exercise alone unless you exercise a LOT! So, you need to take control and tell your husband and son to get over it! Limit what sorts of food you have in the house. Educate yourself about more healthy eating (lots of resources out there on the web) and you probable want to increase the number of days you exercise. Tell your husband that this has to be done because your health is at stake and you are too young to be feeling this way! Do it TODAY!

S. -

I'm right there with you, and it only gets tougher as you get older. Maintaining a "low" weight has never been possible for me, I've always been an athlete. Since having my kids (3, all past the age of 35) and exercise less - still 3-5 times a week, but much less than in my pre kid life, it's really been a struggle - and I'm an exercise physiologist!

Last fall I decided things really needed to change, I wasn't feeling well, I had no energy, I had gain weight ssince my youngest (5) was born. My DR tested my vit D level - it was low normal, but well below the new standards that are being considered (I've had my thyroid tested many times, it is always normal). She started me on a Vit D supplement in addition to the multi vit I take. I was also dealing with some health issues - I ended up having spinal surgery in Dec- and knew I had to do something, and my blood pressure was occassionally elevated.

I have never been a dieter, but it was obvious to me that my diet was not what it used to be. I joined the Biggest Loser Club online - and have lost 30 lbs. It's easy, you can pick the type of diet you want/need (veggie, low sodium, diabetic, etc). It uses real food, nothing "weird", and allows you to make substitutions by meal. I was never hungry, didn't feel like I was dieting, and got both portion control and good food back into my diet. The kids and my DH actually love several of the recipies we've added to our rotation, and it was easy!!

Best of luck, don't give up on yourself, you can do this, taking care of yourself is the best gift to yourself and your family.

I support the other responses about educating yourself on all types of alternative remedies from vitamins and herbs to specific foods and eating habits. I would also like to add my strong knowledge of the mind-body connection.

I was diagnosed with severe chronic depression 18 years ago. I was put on every type of anti-depressent out there and had nothing but really nasty side effects. I started to educate myself on other forms of help. I learned about how our deeply buried, irrational belief systems run our lives; not only mentally and emotionally, but also physically.

I now use several methods for questioning my belief systems, being curious about what thoughts are running through my head, and how those are effecting me emotionally and physically. I no longer suffer from depression and I feel better than I ever have in my life.

Just recently, I was having a discussion with a friend about the pain she was having in her shoulder. I asked her if she was feeling like she was carrying the burden of her grandchildren's well-being (or lack thereof) on her shoulders. She was stunned. The pain has since lifted as she has explored her role in her grandchildren's lives.

Are you feeling angry but have no permission to express it? Do you believe deep down that you aren't good enough or aren't worthy or are unloveable? Do you have repetitive, vicious thoughts in your head that put you down and beat you up? Do you believe that you must be responsible for everyone else's well-being and that to take care of yourself is "selfish" and wrong? Any of these types of thoughts and beliefs will slowly show up in our bodies. I believe we are energetic beings. Our thoughts and beliefs are energy and therefore directly effect our physical body.

There are many resources out there that talk about the mind-body connection and I highly recommend you seek those out along with information on supporting yourself with good things for your body.

I do offer a caution though about affirmations. Even though we want to shift our thoughts and beliefs to be more positive, there is first a process of exploring what is already there and questioning it, without judgment, so that we can release the old. If we do not release the old the new positive ideas will only stir up and get the old stuff working even more strongly. And, usually, we aren't even aware it is happening except we feel worse than we did before.

A couple of authors that have some really good information on these processes are Byron Katie, Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks, and Christiane Northrup.

My weight is stuck in the same place no matter what I try. I began exercising in Feb. We have a treadmill, and at first I could barely do a 1/4 mile at a stroll without huffing and puffing. Every morning M-F, I'd do my walk, and after a few weeks the 1/4 mile became comfortable, so I increased to 1/2 mile, and I kept doing this. As an increased distance becomes easier, I add a little more to it. At this point I'm up to 1 mile a day, five days a week at a pretty good speed. I use hand weights - my arms and shoulders feel good. My clothes fit differently. I feel good. I sleep better at night. I'm eating healthy - no junk food, small portions. You'd think this would make a difference in weight, right? Not a bit. If anything I've gained a few lbs. Perhaps I'm building muscle mass. The scale is just discouraging me, so I'm not walking for the scale. I'm walking because it makes me feel better. I no longer huff and puff. My stamina is building. Try to make small changes you can stick with. Who cares if the scale doesn't budge as long as what you are doing makes you feel better. Eventually, it's got to have a positive impact.

Hi--
Low vitamin D can mess up lots of things, particularly your Thyroid. Like lots of others, it sounds to me like you are experiencing hypo-thyroidism. There are lots of treatments, both natural and conventional. Going to a doctor to get your thyroid checked may give you results, but in my experience what is "low" for one may not be "low" for another. They compare you to what is considered "normal" but everyone is different. A simple thing you can try is to add iodine and vitamin D into your daily vitamin regimen. If you take too much iodine your body will go the opposite direction and you will have trouble sleeping and night sweats--I tell you this so you can judge how much you need. If that doesn't work you may need further supplements. I can definitely help you further if this sounds like a plan that will work for you. Feel free to email me.
J.