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Suggest Treatment For Unintentional Weight Gain Around Abdomen And Legs With Constipation
Posted on
Sun, 27 Dec 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sun, 27 Dec 2015
Answered on
Thu, 21 Jan 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : My daughter is 43 and eats extremely sensibly but is gaining weight on her hips and legs in particular.she also suffers from constipation.
She has had a thyroid test at the doctors, but they say it's below the level hat they give medication for and more or less told her she would have to live with the constipation.
She paid to see a dietician, who recommended some pills which seemed to help and she eats the high fibre diet recommended by the dietician which has sorted the constipation out.
She cannot unfortunately afford to either continue with the dietician or the pills, so is getting depressed about the situation and I am worried about her as she has ballooned in size.
She is reluctant to go back to the doctors as they do not seem to take her seriously.
She has had a thyroid test at the doctors, but they say it's below the level hat they give medication for and more or less told her she would have to live with the constipation.
She paid to see a dietician, who recommended some pills which seemed to help and she eats the high fibre diet recommended by the dietician which has sorted the constipation out.
She cannot unfortunately afford to either continue with the dietician or the pills, so is getting depressed about the situation and I am worried about her as she has ballooned in size.
She is reluctant to go back to the doctors as they do not seem to take her seriously.
Brief Answer:
Lifestyle modification is essential.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have very carefully gone through the query and understand your concerns. Since hypothyroidism (low thyroid levels) has already been diagnosed, half the task is done. Proper medication will bring the thyroid levels back in control. But still she needs aggresive control of the diet. All she has to do is to limit the total calorie intake (eat less of everything). This has to be backed with proper exercise and workout since low thyroid levels are associated with low metabolism which can be countered only through increased energy output. Electrical muscle stimulation therapy, available at many slimming centres, can he helpful but if she can ensure a proper daily exercise, it just becomes optional. I would not speak in favour of diet pills. She does not need to go to the dietitian on and on. She simply needs to get a diet chart worked out and then follow it on her own. High fibre diet should take care of her constipation.
The main thing is lifestyle modification which is called for. You need not panic or endure unnecessary expenses. She just needs to understand her condition and make suitable adjustments to her lifestyle and things would be fine.
Regards
Lifestyle modification is essential.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for asking on HealthcareMagic.
I have very carefully gone through the query and understand your concerns. Since hypothyroidism (low thyroid levels) has already been diagnosed, half the task is done. Proper medication will bring the thyroid levels back in control. But still she needs aggresive control of the diet. All she has to do is to limit the total calorie intake (eat less of everything). This has to be backed with proper exercise and workout since low thyroid levels are associated with low metabolism which can be countered only through increased energy output. Electrical muscle stimulation therapy, available at many slimming centres, can he helpful but if she can ensure a proper daily exercise, it just becomes optional. I would not speak in favour of diet pills. She does not need to go to the dietitian on and on. She simply needs to get a diet chart worked out and then follow it on her own. High fibre diet should take care of her constipation.
The main thing is lifestyle modification which is called for. You need not panic or endure unnecessary expenses. She just needs to understand her condition and make suitable adjustments to her lifestyle and things would be fine.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thankyou for your reply, but it hasn't really helped at all, because as I explained, she eats extremely sensibly as it is and does limit her calorie intake and runs twice weekly plus excercises to a video 3 times weekly.
As I explained, the thyroid test came back as under the range that they give medication for, so I take this to mean that hypothyroidism has not been diagnosed, so she isn't on any medication.Should in this case the doctor test for something else?
The dietician has diagnosed her has having Adrenal fatigue and she is taking adrenal supplements, thyroid supplements and probiotics, which she cannot afford to do much longer.
My daughter is very upset by this unexplained weight gain and so am I, she is an extremely sensible person who does not make a fuss about nothing, so why will nobody take her seriously?
As I explained, the thyroid test came back as under the range that they give medication for, so I take this to mean that hypothyroidism has not been diagnosed, so she isn't on any medication.Should in this case the doctor test for something else?
The dietician has diagnosed her has having Adrenal fatigue and she is taking adrenal supplements, thyroid supplements and probiotics, which she cannot afford to do much longer.
My daughter is very upset by this unexplained weight gain and so am I, she is an extremely sensible person who does not make a fuss about nothing, so why will nobody take her seriously?
Brief Answer:
Running weekly twice will not help. She has to walk 10,000 steps each day.
Detailed Answer:
Let me assure you that I am taking it seriously and with concern. I understand the dismal situation that you and your daughter are in. But let me simply state that for weight gain to occur, the total amount of energy intake in the form of food has to be greater than the total energy output throughout the day. I hope that you would appreciate that there cannot be an exception to this rule. So, even though she is eating sensibly, she still has to cut down on it, and even though she exercises, she needs to increase the total amount of workout. Apart from thyroxine tablets, I would not suggest any other thyroid supplements and not even adrenal supplements or probiotics. All I would suggest instead is simple intake of curd or yogurt which will serve the purpose. The rest I have explained.
It is meaningless to get frustrated on unnecessary expenditures. You need to understand how the thing works and have to modify the system desirably.
Feel free to write back if you seek clarifications.
Regards
Running weekly twice will not help. She has to walk 10,000 steps each day.
Detailed Answer:
Let me assure you that I am taking it seriously and with concern. I understand the dismal situation that you and your daughter are in. But let me simply state that for weight gain to occur, the total amount of energy intake in the form of food has to be greater than the total energy output throughout the day. I hope that you would appreciate that there cannot be an exception to this rule. So, even though she is eating sensibly, she still has to cut down on it, and even though she exercises, she needs to increase the total amount of workout. Apart from thyroxine tablets, I would not suggest any other thyroid supplements and not even adrenal supplements or probiotics. All I would suggest instead is simple intake of curd or yogurt which will serve the purpose. The rest I have explained.
It is meaningless to get frustrated on unnecessary expenditures. You need to understand how the thing works and have to modify the system desirably.
Feel free to write back if you seek clarifications.
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you once again for your prompt reply.
Just to clarify, can you get Thyroxine tablets in the pharmacy? Or only on prescription?
Are we talking about any kind of yoghurt ? Or specifically those bio ones ?And in what quantity, 1 per day?
Finally, can you assure me that unexplained excessive weight gain, is bit a symptom if any illness.
Regards,
XXXX
Just to clarify, can you get Thyroxine tablets in the pharmacy? Or only on prescription?
Are we talking about any kind of yoghurt ? Or specifically those bio ones ?And in what quantity, 1 per day?
Finally, can you assure me that unexplained excessive weight gain, is bit a symptom if any illness.
Regards,
XXXX
Brief Answer:
Thyroxine is available only by prescription
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. Thryroxine is a prescription medicine and not available over the counter. Please note that over-the-counter so called natural thyroid hormone preparations have been shown not to be effective and please refrain from the use of those. The following study should prove useful:
XXXX
I am talking of any kind of yogurt. No specifications. 1 cup per day is enough but no specifications about the amount either (it depends upon how you distribute the total calorie intake).
I have already given 'the' explanation for the 'unexplained weight gain'. In addition to that, the low thyroid level is the culprit. The thyroid hormone controls the metabolism. So, low thyroid levels lowers metabolism and thereby decreases energy expenditure, thus contributing to the weight gain. I do not expect any other illness.
Regards
Thyroxine is available only by prescription
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for writing back. Thryroxine is a prescription medicine and not available over the counter. Please note that over-the-counter so called natural thyroid hormone preparations have been shown not to be effective and please refrain from the use of those. The following study should prove useful:
XXXX
I am talking of any kind of yogurt. No specifications. 1 cup per day is enough but no specifications about the amount either (it depends upon how you distribute the total calorie intake).
I have already given 'the' explanation for the 'unexplained weight gain'. In addition to that, the low thyroid level is the culprit. The thyroid hormone controls the metabolism. So, low thyroid levels lowers metabolism and thereby decreases energy expenditure, thus contributing to the weight gain. I do not expect any other illness.
Regards
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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