Terry Suggested I repost with a revised subject line, so here it is again (used to be weight loss and lyme)
Hello,
I have for whatever reason slowly been gaining weight the whole time I've had Lyme -- even when I've been dieting and exercising.
I'm looking into a hospital based weight management program in the hopes that they can help me loose weight.
What I'd like to know is this: Does loosing weight have an effect on toxin loads? I have an idea that the lyme toxins are sequestered in my fat and when I start burning it off they'll be released.
Also any helpful hints on loosing weight with lyme would be appreciated.
I realize that many people are the opposite -- loosing weight on lyme and getting too thin. I don't wish either problem on anybody.
Karen
Posted by klutzo (Member # 5701) on :
When I got sick, I gained 46 lbs. in only two months. This had to be due to metabolic disturbance from the illness, since it is impossible to gain that much by eating, in that amount of time. A year later, I buckled down and lost all of it. There was no change in the symptoms of my illness from the weight loss.
A year after that, I slowly started putting it all back on, plus another 8 lbs. There was no change in my symptoms from that either. I put it back on because I felt so deprived and I decided to let myself cheat for one meal per week. It turned out I could not get away with even that small indulgence.
I lost the weight by measuring my portions, and giving up all refined carbohydrates. I also exercised for an hour, six days per week. I did low impact dance aerobics, yoga stretches, and small weights. (I could not do this now, as I am now well into stage III and am much too ill)
Recently, I've been losing 3 lbs. per week for over 2 months now, but that is because I am starving due to a bad gallbladder, while the doctors make me jump through hoops to prove it, and I encounter endless waits on the road to the operating room. Right now I have a two week wait to see the surgeon.
The bad GB plus the lack of eating caused so much pain I had to have to have an endoscopy which showed gastritis, esophagitis, and duodenitis, which the GI doc says are all caused by this waiting. It has also whacked out my thyroid, and caused my BUN amd HDL to drop like stones. I would not recommend this method of weight loss!
I have heard the recommended diet for Lyme is high fat, medium protein,and low carb. I would not do high fat again. I was following this, and that is why my gallbladder went bad. Moderation is best in all things, IMO.
I think the Metabolic Typing Diet, The Syndrome X Diet or the Insulin Resistance Diet are all great for Lymies. Each one of those diets has a book available describing how to do it. The thing they all have in common is no eating of carbs without balancing them with protein. As with anything, you may have to modify it to suit your personal case.
Good luck,
Klutzo
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
My daughter gained 80 pounds in a couple of months. She started out at 98, the smallest in her class. She gained the 80 before being a bridesmaid in her cousin's wedding.
It was devistating, and we didn't know what was causing it. When she was finally diagnosed six months later, the LLMD told her that most of his patients come in overweight, and lose it by the end of treatment.
She has lost 45 since November. There were probably a lot of factors to that. Seroquel, which was given to help her sleep, causes weight gain. The disease messes with the metabolism.
After a year on abx, her stomach is very sensitive, so she has to eat to live now. There is little joy in eating.
Another thing that has helped is the infrared sauna. The only exercise she can manage is a little stepping on the rebounder. When it gets warmer, she will walk around the block with me.
She only feels better that she can move around easier. We went shopping for clothes for the first time in over a year. It was too depressing. I'm making skirts for her now, to that I can take them in as she continues to lose weight.
This disease sucks all the way around. But, losing weight has made her "feel" she's going in the right direction.
Posted by Geneal (Member # 10375) on :
Have you had your thyroid levels checked?
For my neighbor, with Lyme, it seems that she is
Suffering from hypothyroidism...causing weight gain.
I have the opposite problem. I've dropped 15 lbs
Since October of last year...and not because I am not eating!
Funny thing is, other than the weight loss, I have many hypo-thyroid symptoms.
Hugs,
Geneal
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I gained too. I just cry when I look at myself. I used to be about 125, and now weight 200.
My doctor said the blood type diet is a hoax, so are most of the self-help aids on the market.
I know someone who did Hoodia and lost a bunch of weight, but I'm afraid of it.
My doc does not believe in diet pills although he can prescribe them, I'm sure.
Maybe I'll ask for a thyroid check next time. There has to be a way to loose this weight..........
Posted by kelmo (Member # 8797) on :
My daughter's thyroid keeps coming up normal. Even though it's enlarged.
We just hope it clears up as the bacteria load goes down.
Posted by papersquare (Member # 11497) on :
I also gained weight. about ten kilos. Thyroid normal.
Posted by Vanilla (Member # 11155) on :
I actually lost a bunch of weight when I started Malarone for babs. Some off my pants are falling off of me. Luckily my thyroid has tested out to be holding strong. I am trying to eat pretty much yeast free (sort of) and it is hard to gain weight eating that way.
Posted by Katcon (Member # 9812) on :
I also am losing weight on Malarone. I can finally get a deep breath and have energy once again.
Posted by EWT1638 (Member # 11315) on :
Try eating the yeast free diet. The types of food you are allowed are almost all low fat, very low carb, no sugar... so you will probably loose weight quickly. It eliminated 3/4 of my usual diet, but I am adjusting accordingly.
Granny Smith apples are a good treat and they make me feel full. Broil a ruby red grapefruit with a little cinnimon on top for a just a few minutes, don't let it burn. It is really good, we had it at a B&B (pre-Lyme). Good luck! Posted by yourtroubl (Member # 11087) on :
I have gained about 65 pounds and its most miserable. On top of all of the joint pains, you just dont know what the weight is causing.
I never thought I would weigh this much. I was dieting at 130 and at a size 6 and in less than 9 months I am 16-18. Its terrible.
Posted by TNJanet (Member # 10031) on :
Hello all!
I have gained OVER 60 lbs, probably 30 in the last 6-8 months. I take Seroquel which I know can cause weight gain. However, haven't come up with a good substitute....that's another story.
I am hypothyroid but the meds I take aren't making much difference. I think that ever since I was diagnosed with low thyroid, my endo doc has increased my synthroid every time I have seen him.
I recently learned that I have clusters of ulcers in my stomach, a hiatal hernia and Barrett's esophagus. I am having stomach pain and feel bloated all the time. I think my stomach is very swollen.
This extra weight is really hurting my joints as I walk.....my knees are always sore and the bottoms of my feet get swollen. I could not begin to walk any long distance which was what my plan for the Spring had been.
I have noticed that I always want to eat.....I don't get hunger pains but I have this "voice" in my head that says it's time to eat something. This is a new symptom and I don't know what to make of it. Anyone else have a little voice telling them they should eat???
I rarely go out anymore. Not only is it uncomfortable for me, I am self-conscious about my weight gain and the clothes that I can barely get into.
I have been trying to work in my flower beds...I have a garden seat that I can move from one place to another, but now my stomach is in the way of me bending and such.
Not one doctor yet has offered me any advice about weight loss. Anyone here have any?
Janet
Posted by Vanilla (Member # 11155) on :
Cut out all carbs or at least some and that should help.
There is a doctor in San Francisco that does treat Lyme and also according to his website also treats weight gain but I am sure you can probably lose it on your own by eating 80% less carbs. Try to only eat natural sugar like fruit.
Good luck and I am sure you will lose weight when the summer heat arrives.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I agree that it's a matter of what food we are choosing to eat. If I cut carbs way down, I lose the weight. It's very helpful to have the good food with us at all times, otherwise it's easy to cheat on the bad calorie foods.
Posted by Rianna (Member # 11038) on :
I gained 3 stone in 6 months when I got ill with lyme, went from 8st to 11st, I was told its normal and can be the mitochondrial dysfunction caused by lyme and low thyoid my tests were normal but Llmd went by morning tempertures/pulse as hesaid many people underactive have normal TFT's - I went on timed release T3 and started ab's and have lost 1 stone in 2 months and still losing 2-3 lbs a week - I also found detox helped especially Broncoplax
Posted by iceskater (Member # 8655) on :
Have been a size 6 before lyme struck and very athletic. About a year into lyme, my thyroid went down and now suffer from hypothryoid problem. In this time frame have gained 30 lbs. Am on levoxyl, the weight gain has slowed a little, but still having problems.
Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :
Read labels.
It appears:
Cells are using the sugar fructose,not glucose, for energy.
Normally glycogen -> glucose - the preferred sugar for our cells.
High levels of fructose use MIGHT BE downregulating glucose use so... into storage it goes...fat cells.
Read labels. If a label on a product says high fructose corn syrup or just fructose...put it back on the shelf.
Fruits (unlabeled) contain some and for the OTHER nutrients in them, should not be avoided, IMO.
Posted by Life inLymbo (Member # 8388) on :
I had never been heavy, but when all of my lyme symptoms first appeared(undiagnosed of course) I began to bloom to over 200lbs in the course of six months.
Part of that I believe was an under active thyroid. Although that was diagnosed, I think the lyme effected it, and altough the labs were all normal I don't think it was ever treated properly.
I think it's also a viscous cycle, you're tired you don't feel like exercising, you're tired so you want to pick something up fast to eat...at least that was me.
Still undiagnosed, I lost the weight in the matter of about six months by, regardless of how tired I was, exercising twenty minutes three days a week and eating a healthy diet. It litterally melted off of me.
My weight tends to fluctuate 5- 10 pounds up and down regardless of my intake and my exercise so I do believe lyme and certain treatments do affect it.
Good Luck
Posted by Karenelee (Member # 11044) on :
I spoke with my llmd on Monday about the weight gain. I explained to her that even doing 45-60 minutes of exercise six days a week, and daily 30 min. sauna, and restricting food intake, and no sugars, all whole grain/vegie/lean proteins, I don't loose weight - still gaining.
She feels that I have metabolic syndrome, and I had some blood work done this morning to help her sort it out. She's given me a meal replacement supplement to start my day with, that has insulin regulating and anti-inflamatory stuff in it.
I have to learn more about metabolic syndrome -- she told me it is a condition that you accumulate belly fat, it is very hard to loose weight, it alters your cholesterol and insulin profile and causes inflamation.
It's also reassuring to know that many with lyme have had problems with weight gain.
I'm very tired today, so I won't say more, though I know there is more to say. Perhaps later.
Thanks,
Karen
Posted by gwenb (Member # 7217) on :
check your vitamin D levels. Low Vit D can cause or contribute significantly to Syndrome X or metabolic syndrome.
Gwen
Posted by Cass A (Member # 11134) on :
I, too, gained weight--about 25-30 lbs--that wouldn't go away.
I found from Dr. Williams, who does a health newsletter, that Tonalin CLA will take off the fat even if you don't change anything. I've been taking 4 caps. a day, and losing about 4 lbs a month.
I've found the Zone diet to be very helpful also, especially with fatigue. It's a balance of carbs, fat, and protein every time you eat.
Psychiatric drugs, especially Zyprexa, are known to cause horrible weight gain. This was covered up for years, but recently revealed internal documents from Eli Lilly show that this, and diabetes, are common side effects of Zyprexa. The other antipsychotics also cause weight gain, but not quite as bad.
Best,
Cass A
Posted by gambler (Member # 8441) on :
I went off abx for 3 days last week and lost 8 pounds, and I have not changed a pound in 18 months. Which means that for whatever reason, abx are causing me fluid retention.
I assume everyone is different, but I would bet I am not alone...
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