My Medical Team

LOL! Wouldn't it be fun to have McDreamy on my medical team?

In the past two weeks I've had four different doctor appointments and need to schedule another one. I've had bloodwork done and have more to do. I've got a follow up appointment in 6 weeks and another one in 6 months. Lots going on.... want to know the scoop?


November was my 2-year anniversary of surgery, so I had my normal annual follow up appointments. Plus my GYN appointment just happens to fall in December too. So I saw my surgeon's PA for my surgical follow up and then my PCP always wants to see me for the annual surgical follow up too. I also met with the nutritionist at the surgeon's office. And I need to make an appointment with an ENT to discuss the throat thing (I'll explain in a second). 


Some background that you probably already know. I have not lost any weight in a year. I'm essentially the same weight as I was at my 1 year surgical follow up. The scale has fluctuated a bit in the past 12 months, but basically I haven't lost anything. I believe this is beyond a "plateau" and there's something else going on. So my goal was to see if any of my doctors would agree with me - agree that I'm eating right, exercising right and still not losing weight, so something biological must be going on instead. 


My PCP and my Nut agree that I'm doing everything right. I've showed off my food logs and GoWearFit reports and it's clear that I'm in a calorie deficit that should result in a 1-2 pound loss per week. And since I've done a lot of experimenting over the past year with different calorie intake ranges and different exercise levels and routines... they didn't give me the standard line of "just eat less and move more." Thankfully! If felt good to be heard and understood. 


My PCP ordered a full thyroid panel and cortisol testing. (Need to get blood drawn tomorrow morning.) My GYN has taken me off the Depo Provera (birth control shot he had me taking to help control my endometreosis) since one of the side effects is weight gain. I see my PCP again in 6 weeks. I see my GYN again in 6 months. The Depo will take some time to clear from my system (up to 6 months) and I might not see results from that right away. 


The throat thing. I've got this strange pressing feeling at my throat. Like someone has their hand wrapped around my throat and is applying slight pressure. It seems to get worse in the evenings or when I go to bed, but it's fine in the mornings. It doesn't effect my swallowing or eating - it simply feels like an external pressure. I've noticed it for the past 6 months or so, but it's gotten worse in the past 2 months. Nobody seems to know what this is, of course. My Nut said her mother complained of the exact same thing and it was her thyroid (instead of the nodule growing outward like normal, it was growing inward pressing against her trachea). So that's where the Ear Nose Throat doctor comes into the picture. My PCP, the PA and the Nut all recommended I see an ENT. I've got a couple numbers of doctors to call and need to set up an appointment. Hopefully, someone can solve the mystery.


My labwork -- I mentioned it in a previous post, but now that I've gotten everything back I can report that things are good. My cooper was slightly low and I'll add one extra supplement per week to boost it up a bit. My B12 is showing a downward trend over the past 3 lab draws, so I'm adding one extra dose per week too. Otherwise, everything was very good. 


My meeting with the Nut was good. I really wanted to see her so she could review my food log and GoWearFit log to see if I'm completely missing anything obvious that I could be doing. Or if she had any brilliant suggestions on how to jumpstart the weight loss again. I was discouraged and weepy and frustrated as I asked for help. She reminded me that I've lost over 100 pounds and have maintained the weight loss for a year (something I'd never been able to do). So what if I'm not at my goal weight (need to lose another 30lbs for that) -- but I'm off all my medications, all my co-morbidies are gone and I'm healthy, athletic and strong. I'm a success. I'm doing everything right. And I need to stop beating myself up emotionally about how my body is behaving (or misbehaving). 


She also reminded me that genetics play a huge role in obesity and since I have a strong family history of morbid obesity that my current weight might be where my genetics allow me to be. And yes, I can accept that. But I don't want to accept it until I make sure that all other issues have been ruled out and I know for sure that I've done everything I could to lose the weight. I guess what I'm most happy about it that SOMETHING is being done.


My Medical Team is listening to me and they are working with me to figure this thing out. I'll keep you posted.


~Pam