To feel so disgusting and to ask strangers for advice?

[HarleyQuinnRocks]

I am so embarrassed by these pictures, but I have no one in real life I can ask. And I'm too ashamed to visit my doctor, plus I'd just be wasting their time.

I have an underactive thyroid which is managed by medication. I am not overweight in other places, yet my stomach is huge and round, but also saggy.

I have no idea how to even begin to find ways to solve this.

Has anyone had experience with this?

Why is my belly so big when the rest of me is a size 12.

I feel so ugly, disgusting, gross. Tops barely fit me anymore and I'm scared to move in case my top rides up at work and the belly is shown. My coat won't fasten up anymore. I look horrible in everything I wear. I just don't feel happy with my body at all.

Please don't be too harsh with me.

Well done OP.

You I right to get this checked out.

Mine looked the same. Got referred one the 2 week pathway for possible ovarian cancer. Scary but it wasn't that.

Went through a number of diagnoses, fibroids, IBS. I do have fibroids but the real problem was my liver. Ascites - as the liver nurse mentioned.

Do you drink?

Fibroids? That’s why my tummy is so big.

The doctor suspects it is because of issues with my thyroid levels. Which I am on medication for but they are unable to increase the dose fast enough.

I am back there after lunch for a blood test and have been referred for a hospital appointment for a scan.

He did ask me was a fully sure I wasn't pregnant ha ha.

Your story is mine .. 100% up to the point I had to just rule it out .. I have a coil, only had sex three times last year all with a condom and twice I used the morning after pill within 6 hours after.

WHAT???

Why on earth would you bother to take the morning after pill if you used condoms AND had a coil?

I think you must be carrying the next Messiah.

@WhereShallWeMoveTo because I have an autoimmune disease that triggers a massive immune response to baby dna and placenta tissue. It was discovered in May last year when I delivered my daughter at 16 weeks sleeping - she was my 10th loss and the furtherest along gestation so a post-mortem could be carried out.

This condition it seems has caused the massive neurodevelopment issues my middle child has and the Arnold Chiari (brain malformation), epilepsy, respiratory and visual disorders my current youngest child has.

I was on a list for a hysterectomy but had to way 12 months since my daughters death as our NHS won't perform sterilisation surgeries until 12 months post baby loss to ensure you know what you want.

Needless to say I was hyper aware of not wanting to get pregnant and endure another loss/trauma or run the risk of damaging another child.

The coil has failed and is embedded in the outer wall of my womb as it seems sufferers of endometriosis shouldn't have a coil following multiple losses as there is a risk of it moving.

Yes I was overly cautious but I'd say I was well within my rights to be .. for all the good it did!!

Oh my goodness, I am so sorry ahenderson

Are you likely to manage to carry this baby to term and stay well yourself? I do hope you are both ok.

After having thyroid problems I find I'm very wheat sensitive and get bloated and fat gutted very easily. When that happens I tend to cut out wheat or processed food (and all the other crap I eat....) and it helps immensely.

I really would visit your GP just to rule out anything else.

@ahenderson270 what a situation to go through. I had three losses before I had DD and I have so much sympathy for you having so many more.

Can I ask whether, now that they know about the autoimmune disease are they able to treat you for it during pregnancy? Tell me to bog off and mind my own business if you don't want to answer!

A friend of mine used to have severe bloating and her stomach looked like yours. Turned out she has coeliac disease.

@INeedNewShoes three losses is no
Less traumatic than 10 and I would offer you my support and condolences as much as receive yours - it's a pain like no other but I've found it brings a group of amazing women together in an understanding deeply personal.

If I'd known I was trying I'd have been given medication to suppress my immune system for several months before and had much more antenatal screening than averages pregnancies. However we didn't find out until 23, nearly 24 weeks and so instead I've had a specialist scan with a foetal medicine specialist that looked at baby's development, growth and brain formation and heart formation in great detail. So far he seems perfectly unaffected and his growth has been normal. He is essentially defying all odds, and has the professionals scratching their heads.

However @WhereShallWeMoveTo should my placenta look less than favourable at any of the many scans, or his growth drop a centile or his movements change at all or will be an immediate delivery via CSEC if before 30 weeks or a very heavily monitored induction after 30 weeks - he'll then have a battery of tests including an EEG and MRI.. it's been a huge surprise and not one I feel I can happy about just yet but the doctors so far are all just astounded by his progress and by how well I've been throughout so I suppose I can help but have some hope ...

OP I'm sorry I derailed your posts.. I agree with other posters - thyroid issues almost always come with some form of wheat intolerance or celiac but my middle son has celiac and you can do it on a budget ..

Firstly shop at Morrisons for the wheat free options, it's the cheapest and has the tastiest options. The 'thins' are nicer than the bread and the crumpets and pancakes are better than the regular ones, the biscuits are super tasty and cereal you would never know .. as for cooking separate meals, don't. WF pasta tastes the same and isn't that much more, WF sausages are tastier and actually no different in price at Morrisons.. you tube has tons of vids of WF on a budget.

Try it for 3/4 weeks if you're intolerant you'll feel more energetic, less irritable and hungry by week 2 and the pain/boating goes by week 3/4 xx

@INeedNewShoes three losses is no
Less traumatic than 10 and I would offer you my support and condolences as much as receive yours - it's a pain like no other but I've found it brings a group of amazing women together in an understanding deeply personal.

You sound lovely ahendserson. I have everything crossed for you and your little boy. x

OP glad you are getting checked out. Well done!

@ahenderson270 you are an inspiration. Best of luck with everything.

I have endometrios and i have what they calll and endo belly, it bloats out when ever something goes wrong in my uterus as it pushes against your stomach, Last time i had a scan they found a 4cm cyst so had to get that removed, I ahve always had a belly even though i was slim growing up, wasn't didagnosed till about 8 years ago, have had 4 ops since on it and then another op for appaedicts Go to the docs and get everything chceked out. I also find that reducing carbs (Especially spuds for me) helps with my bloating. But thats what works for me and took me a while playing around with my diet to figure that out.

❤️

ahenderson I wish you so much luck and love with this pregnancy. You've gone through so much. Thank you for sharing your story.

This happened to me last year. My belly swelled up and I looked 8 months pregnant.

I also have an underactive thyroid and endemetriosis so the first thought was ovarian or fibroid-the thyroid didn't come into it at all.

Turns out its coeliac disease. I've given up wheat, gluten, milk, onion and garlic and I've deflated (over time). I've still been left with hideous stretch marks and a pouch but that's manageable considering where I was 6 months ago.

Best of luck.

How you doing op?

Still feeling fat and gross.
Can't phone for blood tests until Wednesday and not sure how long it will take to get a scan appointment through.

Trying to watch what I eat but I doubt that will help any.

Hi OP, I have had c sections and I'm in meds for under active thyroid. I have the large "apron" belly overhang too. I also have PCOS, which has been increasing my weight since puberty.
It may be worth getting your thyroid levels checked again.

They took bloods last week which I suspect will be really under or whichever way it goes when you need to dose upping.

Bit of a drip feed but I'm bad at taking my tablets because I'm so forgetful so need to take them for longer consistently for my doctor to agree to upping my dose again.

A question for those with an under active thyroid... Do you also have random periods and random heavy bleeding?

I had a heavy period for around 5 days. Which finished Friday evening. Yet this afternoon I've had a random gush of blood and then it's stopped again. So frustrating when I've stopped wearing sanitary towels because I thought it had stopped!

I have had really odd periods when my thyroxine was not at optimal levels.

You're not disgusting at all.
My stomach is my worst feature too, although at least you're slim in other places

OP, apologies if you know this already but a lot of people aren't told - take the thyroid medication in the morning with water only, at least 30 mins but ideally an hour before food, caffeinated drinks or other medications, particularly any vitamins or mineral tablets. It gives you the best chance of absorbing it at the same level each day so you don't get fluctuations in your thyroid levels.

I'm useless at taking meds too! When I have to take them regularly I use one of those dispensers with days of the week, and leave it near the kettle in the kitchen. Got it from Poundland. I also leave post it notes on the calendar.

Heavy irregular periods and severe bloating were fibroids for my mum. She looked 7 months pregnant, heavy bleeding. See if you can request an ultrasound if the blood tests don't find anything.