Have Not Lost Weight Post Delivery, Hard Spot In Lower Abdomen. What Is Causing Prevention Of Weight Loss?

Posted on Sun, 19 Aug 2012

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 Answered on

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 Last reviewed on

Question : I have lost absolutely no weight since my premature baby was born at 4 pounds 5 months ago. I was 137 pounds when I got pregnant, and I gained 19 pounds only in the last weeks of my pregnancy. I am eating very little and healthily and exercising, although I'm tired. I had my thyroid and hormone levels checked, which were fine. There seem to be a little hard spot in my lower abdomen at times. What else could be causing the weight not to come off, and even gain a few more? Please help.
Desperate to know where to start. Thank you. xxxxxx, 30 years old, first pregnancy

Answered by Dr. Rahul Tawde (19 hours later)

Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for writing in. There is a tendency for weight gain during first few months of lactation due to hormonal changes.Also the excessive weight gain that normally during pregnancy is slowly shed off during ensuing months. It is not very easy to lose weight during this period.
You are taking regular exercise and eating healthy food which would eventually cause weight loss but you need to be patient and keep trying without losing hope.
There are a few more things which Iwould like to suggest-
1. Consult a dietician & plan a hypocaloric diet.
2. Increase fibre and roughage in diet by taking a lot of XXXXXXX leafy vegetables, sprouts and salad.
3 Drink XXXXXXX tea/organic tea twice daily
4.Drink atleast 3-4 litres of water daily
5.Avoid redmeat,junk food, soft drinks and fried objects
If you are already doing all of these continue them
Try these natural things before thinking about medicines to lower body weight.

Thanks and regards
Shivaprasad

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Rahul Tawde (36 minutes later)

I never was able to produce any breastmilk, unfortunately. I seem to be gaining approximately 3 pounds weekly. I only drink water. Something causes me to gain weight rapidly for no reason. In 2006, I underwent gastric bypass after gaining 125 pounds in less than a year with no explanation. I saw a nutritionist and was put on diet medication, but I continued to gain. I was always normal weight until 18. I am 5'3" and got up to 275 pounds. I don't want this to happen again. There must be a medical reason not found yet. I only consume 800 calories a day. Right now I am at 160 and gaining steadily. Before pregnancy, after gastric bypass, it took years, but by 2011, I finally got to my lowest point of 137 pounds. My entire family is tall and thin, so I am concerned there might be something wrong that no one is catching. Can you please advise? Thank you! xxxxxx

Answered by Dr. Rahul Tawde (7 hours later)

Dear XXXXXXX
Lot many things about obesity are still a mystery to scientists working on it. We do see an occassional patient who is fully compliant with diet and physical activity like you are and donot lose any weight. Most probable cause insuch cases is reduced basal metabolic rate dtermined by genetic factors. You may argue that no one else in your family is obese so genetic factors shouldnt play any role. The answer is BMR and obesity are dtermined by multiple genetic factors each with only a small individual effect. The full complement of different factors differs from one individual to another and so its not very simple. Further, to compound the problem there are no good medicines to increase energy expenditure. Im sure your docs would have checked for Cushing's syndrome and other obvious causes of obesity.
I must confess that yours is a difficult case indeed and only thing I can advice you at this moment is to keep trying. If you are not successful then a second bariatric procedure may be required.

Thanks
Shivaprasad

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar