Unexplained weight GAIN that does not plateau ?

[cin1000]

Hi there, I would so appreciate any advice or recommendations, I am at the end of my rope. My condition (s) are complicated. To try and make a long story short, I found out I have severe metal toxicities due to 9/11 exposure. This was only discovered about a year ago, as no physician would try and find out what was causing my symptoms and suggested it was all in my head..and I should get "help". Through a wonderful nutritionist, I found I have toxic levels of Cadmium and other metals. My symptoms were EXTREME weight gain which continues today no matter what I eat, or how I try to exercise. So far I've gain 60 lbs and it is not stopping. Starving makes it worse. I have insomnia, chronic fatigue, hair loss, dry skin, skin problems, constipation, digestion difficulty, anxiey, depression, brain fog, dislexic symptoms, cognitive problems. Through supplements the metals were removed successfully, but my symptoms remained and are growing worse, especially the weight gain. I was referred to an Alternative physician, he did further testing and I was diagnosed with an Exhuasted or fatigued Thyroid and Adrenal Gland. My hormone levels after a blood test are normal. I took saliva tests which revealed the "fatighe" of those organs.I was told HRT's are not appropriate because the organs are not diseased, they are just exhausted. I have been taking all kinds of supplements to support the adrenal and thyroid for the last year with no success. My physician has tested me for everything under the sun..PCOS, LUPUS, Addison's Disease, Cushon's Disease...He admits that although a sluggish thyroid does cause some weight gain, it shouldn't be this severe and relentless as I am eating a healthy (whole foods) diet with protien and vegetables. I was thin all my life, all of a sudden I just started to fall apart. I've gone from  116 lbs which is health for my frame and height , to 175 lbs which is now bordering on obese. My physician does not know what is causing the extreme weight gain, or why the supplements have not helped my other symptoms. He had allowed me to try Armour Thyroid 30 mg's. I had been taking it for the last 4 weeks, no response, but no negative reaction. He just increased my dosage to 60 mg's but he does not feel it will work. he said he will re-test my hormone levels in 4 weeks and if they are high (and I still have no response to the medication) he will discontinue it. The only other suggestion he has is that I might mold toxins. My symptoms match up to mold toxicity, it does reference weight changes, but again, my weight gain is severe and does not plateau, but I am going to be tested for that. Is there any other explanation out there for such extreme weight gain that does not plateau..regardless of diet and exercise? I would appreciate any help! Thanks so much!

[placidcharmer]

The lumps can be soft instead of hard nodules.  I would take this information with you to your doctor.  If you go to the lipomadoc.org website, (this is Dr. Karen Herbst's site.  She is the leading researcher of adiposis dolorosa)  Let them look it over.  There are 3 types of it.  Only one type has the lumps.  Good luck.

[cin1000]

Thank you for your response. I don't believe I have any lipomas or nodules. I continuoulsy get "bumps" along the side of my face, around my neck, back of neck, and on upper chest. I also have developed numerous skin tags (brown), but I don't think I have any tumors or lipoma's. Most of my symptoms do match up to adiposis dolorosa, except for the tumors, and from what I read, that seems to be the main symptom.

[cin1000]

Thanks so much for input. I have had severe sleeping problems for the last 4-5 years. On the average I get about 1 1/2 hours a night. I've never had a sleep study..but I will look into it...the prolonged lack of sleep must be a part of the puzzle...thanks again.

[KatEyes]

Have you had a sleep study? I doubt it would be the answer for all your symptoms,  but a sleep disorder could help explain a large number of your stated symptoms, especially weight gain, cognitive impairment, and fatigue. Prolonged sleep issues can cause your body to wear down in any number of ways. Over a period of years I gained a ton of weight, got progressively exhausted, had disjointed thinking and short term memory loss. Since treating my sleep disorders (sleep apnea and limb movements) I have lost 34 pounds, can maintain a train of thought much better, and my memory is much improved.

[placidcharmer]

Do you have any nodules or lipomas?  These might feel like a grain of rice or marble under your skin.  Look up adiposis dolorosa under yahoo search and read the symptoms.  Let me know if this sounds like you.

[cin1000]

Thanks so much for your response but as I mentioined in my posting, my hormone blood levels for Adrenal Glands and Thyroid have been tested several times and they are normal. Saliva testing shows that those organs are sluggish, but not diseased. As it was explained to me, my organs are producing necessary hormones, but are too exhausted to function normally. My doctor believes that the sluggish organs are just symptoms and they is a bigger problem causing them to behave this way, but he can't figure out what the bigger problem is. I have been tested for all Thyroid and Adrenal Diseases and they are negative. My doctor says there is no indication that my Pituiatry is the problem, since there is no evidence I'm not producing hormones. I have already ruled out the obvious, and I don't know where to go from here..An Endocronologist won't even treat me, because my hormone levels are normal. No one has any explanation as to why my symptoms are so severe, especially the weight gain, when I've been tested for every thyroid/adrenal disease and they all come up negative. I suppose I will just continue to get worse, and no one can help me. It's a horrible future to look forward to. Thanks for trying to help.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

There are many causes of sudden weight gain but relevant ones that fit your symptomatology are adrenal disorders(adrenal cortex disease,hyperadrenalism,adenoma or malignancy of adrenals),thyroid disorders(hyperthyroidism,autoimmune thyroid disorders,lymphamatous thyroiditis),pituitary disorders(hypopituitarism),functioning pancreatic endocrine tumor and myxedema.

http://symptoms.wrongdiagnosis.com/cosymptoms/digestive-symptoms/fatigue/hair-symptoms/weight-gain/weight-symptoms-all.htm

Pls discuss these possibilities with your doctor.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted on how you are doing.