So I bit the bullet and went to see the nurse and talked about the problems I had. Came away close to tears, no advice and have to wait 2 weeks to see a doctor.

[pinkbasket]

[fed up]

What are the problems you've had?

Why do you have to wait so long to see a doctor?

That was the next available time where a double appointment was free.

Weight gain and no loss even though I eat well and exercise often.
Always feel cold and tired.
I have other medical issues but these are the ones I was wanting help with. She was more interested in how I was emotionally and said one problem was caused by me being anxious angry].

Oh God, that's exactly how I feel. It sounds like a possible thyroid issue - I'm going to get mine checked out as weight gain, fatigue and coldness are some of the key symptoms.

Out of interest, do you have a coil fitted at all? I was wondering if that were causing my weight gain and it can be linked according to some info I've read..

No coil.

My thyroid was tested in June and was said to be okay. A grandparent had thyroid problems.

Have you tried to lose weight? Have you found the weight has gone on even though you aren't doing anything different?

Yes! I've been sticking to 1700 cals a day, plus running and working out at least 4 times a week. Cut out pretty much all chocolate, crisps, biscuits, chips etc so diet is pretty healthy and still the weight won't budge. After a really healthy weekend, I weighed myself yesterday to discover my weight was 2lbs up on Friday. Why???

Also trying to cut out caffeine, drink loads of water and take multi vitamins. Am really stuck now. Am considering seeing a kinesiologist (they test for imbalances or food intolerances) as I can't work out why I feel so out of kilter. Plus I'm exhausted and shivery. Have also lost some hair and often feel a bit down (not like me.)

It is so miserable, isn't it? I have given up alcohol and bread though have tried rye bread this week to see if I can tolerate that.

Pin you probably know this already, but GP's will only treat thyroid problems if your results are out of the 'normal' range.
It would be worth you asking for your exact results to see for yourself if you are on the edge of having abnormal results.
Another condition not recognised by Dr's is adrenal fatigue which can have some similar symptoms to thyroid problems.
It may also be worth you contacting a nutritionist to double check if your diet is up to scratch.

That is my problem. All my tests come back fine but I am not fine .

Sounds like a thyroid thing but I'm not an expert in any way, shape or form.
Alternatively, could it be PCOS? Ask the doc to check your hormone levels too. It can cause you to be overweight.
In the meantime give the GI diet a go. It's easy to follow once you get the hang of the rules and the weight just fell off me. It was recommended to me by gynae doc when I was having trouble conceiving.

I have heard about PCOS but how would I know if I had it? The nurse did ask about my periods. Where can I find out about the GI diet? I find them hard to stick to when I have to calorie count and enter everything I eat into a website to find out how much I have had/have left.

I have had the same thing, I am convinced that it is my thyroid. I developed symptoms when pregnant with my 3rd child, extreme cold and fatigue and shkiness at night. After I had the baby it got worse. I had problems wwith the feeling of fullness in my throat and at night I tremble like f* as Im falling asleep. I have seen my doctor so many times. The first time I had test for thyroid because I had goitre in my neck. To me it is obvious what it is but because my bloods were in normal range they mucked about checking everything else. 3 years on I am still in the same position. I have terrible lump in my throat which drives me insane, I get bad palpitations, I shake at night, I have carpal tunnel syndrome, I feel pain like nothing on earth, I get numbness everywhere, even my head if I stay in the same position at night. My skin is dry and crepey and my boyfriend has to walk around in shorts all the time because I have to keep the house warm. It sucks, it gets you down. I am currently following South Beach diet and had lost nearly half a stone, then within a matter of days Ive put on 4lb despite being really good...coincidentally its when my throat and palpitations has flaired up really bad.

I really feel for you pinkbasket. I hate the way they try and pin everything on anxiety. I once went to the docs because I was having trouble catching my breath. I came away with a prescription after theu convinced me it was anxiety. Every spring my 'anxiety' would come back...eventually figured out that it was the pollen in the air causing my breathlessness...

That sounds awful woahthere . The GP I am seeing is lovely but I am not confident I will get sorted out as my levels were normal. When are GPs going to realise that not all patients present as per the text book? I wonder if it is even worth me exercising when I seem to be putting more weight on.

Woahthere, I've had very similar issues since I had my baby (coincidentally also third child) - the lump in the throat and the shakiness at night particularly although the shakiness has eased somewhat. In my case, it seems to be linked to acid reflux and a hiatal hernia which developed after the baby, but I think there was something else going on. Thyroid has always tested normal but my liver went temporarily crazy.

I've heard of several other people with similar clusters of symptoms - I'm sure there's some postnatal syndrome they haven't quite figured out yet.

My midwife suggested that many people do have subclinical thyroid problems that aren't detected by standard tests though.

Just done 25 minutes of high impact exercise and burned the grand total of 141.5 calories. I am not going to lose weight at this rate.

hi carmen sandiego, did you have acid reflux at the same time then, I dont really have a problem with that, what happened to your liver may I ask, in what way did it go crazy?

Pinkbasket: exercising will be good for your self esteem and can give you a feel good factor- I dont think it will if you count how many calories it burns though! Most of losing weight is to do with what you eat I think, and also dont forget that if you build muscle then your body will burn more calories when its just doing normal stuff or even resting so the calorie burning thing isnt the only way in which it will help you lose weight. All I can do is keep trying I guess. My symptoms did in fact stop for 2 months and I felt like...wow, like a different person, but they are back which is I suppose why Im so down. I also have endometriosis which is bloody painful the past few days...shit huh!

I don't want to get obsessed with calories but the programme tells me how many minutes I have done and how many calories I have burnt off.

Been there done it and really feel for you .
I kept a food diet to demonstrate what I was eating and wrote when I ate ( sin ) 1 chocolate biscuit or an ice cream. I also logged how much exercise I was doing.
I ended up going privately to a dietician and my metabolic rate was stuck in a ruck. It was used to me eating my salads , grilled meat, veg , fruit and it needed a shake up. I went onto her eating plan and lost 5kg in the first month and then average about 2 -3 in months to follow. I eat pasta 6 times a week , pizza once, loads of veg ( about 200g a meal) plus fruit , meat fish etc.1 lit water daily . No caffene. Oh and simple biscuits with my tea in the pm. I hit a rut so she lowered the intake for me and then put it back up 3 weeks later . When I exercise properly I loose more. Go to a nutritionist !!!!! There is a light .
P.s I had thyroid tests, blood tests etc etc

Any idea how I go about finding a nutritionist? And is it a private appointment?

I'm off to a nutritionist at a local natural health place tomorrow to see if they can help. Will report back. I really feel that something is out of balance in my body (possibly caused by my copper coil) and just want to get it sorted.

I don't know to be honest as I am in Italy and so you just go privately to a dietician .
I would have thought that in the Uk the docs will offer private apps as well.

pinkbasket,

Have a look at this website as well as it is informative re thyroid problems.

I would ask to see another GP asap, all your symptoms could well be due to your thyroid gland "slowing down".

You will need to be persistant in order to get answers, it is all too easy to be fobbed off.

www.btf-thyroid.org

Some hypothyroidism symptoms include:-

fatigue and tiredness
sensitivity to the cold
physical and mental slowness
dry skin and hair
low mood or depression
fertility problems

Diagnosis

By a physical examination and blood tests
A high thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) level with a low thyroxine (T4) level indicate hypothyroidism

A slightly raised TSH with a normal T4 is called subclinical hypothyroidism

Subclinical hypothyroidism can develop into clinical or overt hypothyroidism

I have all those symptoms except for fertility problems as we are not trying for a baby so I wouldn't know but we conceived fine between 2000-2004. I will look at the link when the kids are in bed and not nagging talking to me. Thank you.

pink - sorry you are feeling so rough. I did a bit about hypo/erthyroidism at uni last year and remember that diagnosis can be difficult. One test isn't necessarily conclusive.

You should contact Thyroid UK at get some solid advice.

good luck

I just had a Quick look at the site and it appears I could have hypothyroidism. I currently have a really nasty taste in my mouth though I don't know if that is coincidental. I have to wait 2 weeks to see the GP so can anyone give me any tips for how I can help myself until then please? Off to bath babypinkbasket so will be back later. Thanks again.