Support thread for those of us who dont lose weight

I know some people carnt help themselves but I thought this thread was for support not - this is how you should be doing it, your failing yourself?
Can we stick to support and listening rather than try this or that, and by the way try this other way.
I thought the thread was going to be none critical and an listening ear.
I for one am sick of trying this method, that method and any method that seems to be fashionable.
Like its been noted the excess weight is the symptom not the cause but doesn't help when this symptom causes additional symptoms.
Why does most of us not lose weight, when other type2s do?
I think we have more intense metabolisms. They have evolved over the years to be set in stone and starvation is protected by our constantly tested cells. They've been conditioned to stop weight loss when food intake is slowed down. Trained to pick up the pace if starvation is hinted.
For me hf adds weight and additional protein too so it counteracts one another.

There are obviously problems for some people with the drugs that they are taking, these can lead to a problem losing weight. But . . . think hypothyroidism. Now in the UK you will not get diagnosed or treated until your TSH is over 10, which is way too high, it should be around 0.5 to 1.5 no higher. TSH is thyroid stimulating hormone, this is a hormone that is released by the pituitary to stimulate the thyroid into producing more hormone.

Your thyroid produces about 80% T4 and 20% T3. T4 is inactive - it needs to be converted into T3 to be of any use. This conversion is done by your heart, lungs, liver, brain, intestines etc., they need an enzyme - deiodinase 1 to make this conversion. Deiodinase 1 is down-regulated in response to physiologic and emotional stress; depression; dieting; weight gain and leptin resistance; insulin resistance, obesity and diabetes; inflammation from autoimmune disease or systemic illness; chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia; chronic pain; and exposure to toxins and plastics. In the presences of such conditions there are reduced tissue levels of active thyroid in all tissues except the pituitary.

In addition, D1 activity is also lower in females, making women more prone to tissue hypothyroidism, with resultant depression, fatigue, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, and obesity despite having normal TSH levels.

For those that want to read the whole article its here: https://www.nahypothyroidism.org/deiodinases/

So lower metabolism may be the result of a down regulation of thyroid hormone, it may be due to the fact that the thyroid is failing and not producing enough, it can be the result of low vitamin and mineral levels, iron in particular needs to be on the high end of the range not on the low side, and B vits are very important. Other problems can be because of auto-immune conditions such as Hashimoto where you attack your own thyroid, or high Tg antibodies where you destroy the hormone carrier. Stress caused by a shock of some sort can cause Wilsons syndrome, thats where the person suffers all the signs of hypothyroidism but with normal labs.

One of the easiest ways to see what your metabolism is doing is to take your temperature, bear in mind that women often have a slightly lower temp to men anyway, again slightly lower still after the menopause, it will be lower too when taken orally. So be realistic in what the reading is. A normal reading is 37º, but if you get anything over 35 you are probably OK, if you are getting readings of 34 or less, then you may well have thyroid issues, mine was down to 32 which is technically hypothermic.

My cholesterol was over 9mmol/l and my A1c was pre-diabetic at 6.4, however, after much trial and error, driven by endos not knowing what they were doing I reached the stage where my parathyroids were packing up, my adrenals were failing, and I was so exhausted I could hardly move. LCHF had no effect on sugar levels. After a year on T3 only - yup, I am one of those that does not convert T4 to T3, hence my metabolism slowly going into shutdown (hibernation mode), I now have a life, I'm active, positive, healthy, energetic etc. and to think I had to wait 50 **** years to discover this, but better late than never - the internet is a wonderful thing.

serenity648 said:

Right, I have been eating only twice a day for several days now. Basically, fasting for 16 hours a day. I have no idea of this will effect my weight at all, but its helping my energy levels. Which feel counter intuitive after a decade of being told by the medical people to eat carbs to keep my strength up and get energy.

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I usually don't eat during the day either. It's easier when I run out of tablets and don't have time to pick up my prescription, let alone get it filled (like now) as I don't need to eat with my morning tablet. My mood and my energy level are way better during the day, and if I can't eat until I finish for the day, that's okay too. I don't feel the need to eat.
If I do have tablets (yes, I picked up the script on Friday and will try to find time to get it filled tomorrow) then I need to eat a piece of cheese or something with the morning dose. I don't know what my weight is doing. Yes, my dress trousers are inconveniently loose, but they've probably stretched. I'm not getting on the scales. I'm barely hanging on by a thread at the moment. I don't need the disappointment.

I've had an interesting couple of weeks.

Don't know if it is the weather, work aggro, this thread, or what, but I stopped my 24 HR fasts dead. Still doing 16/8 most days, and still monitoring the scales. Haven't put on an ounce, but then I never do if I am low enough carbs.

Actually, my reduced fasting may be because I was concerned that I was fasting so regularly I was effectively risking lowering my metabolic rate. Glad to say that doesn't seem to have happened. . It is always a worry though, due to low calorieing in the past.

I expect to return to the 24 HR fasting after Xmas.

Yes @hornplayer. I'm definitely with you on scales disapoointment. I'm having episodes of water retention in my abdomen so unsure of accurate weight at mo anyway.
I so wanted to be involved in friday weigh-in thread but I cannot face the constant disappointment. Maybe one day I'll be able to add something, I live in hope. I hope to see you there too.
Just remember "nothing stays the same". This is so true so it's a matter of when, not if.

@Pipp get well soon

I got on the scales today to find I have now lost the 6 pounds I put on in September when I was on hols. Not sure how tbh, and that's a new thing for me, I usually have to fight for every pound.

I haven't been that good with diet (carbs far too high) but I am doing a 16:8 fast (metformin aided as I don't feel like eating breakfast on Met anyway) and managing to sleep in the dark for the first time in my 59 years. Also I make sure the Wi-Fi is turned off before going to bed (easier now son has left home). I am drinking less caffeine (2 mugs tea mornings only). I am not exercising much but when I do I make sure it is only a slow walk. My naturopath told me that my adrenal glands don't like it if I stress my body by pushing myself and that explains why my BGs used to go up when I did a few miles of brisk walking. All that time I thought I was doing the right thing and it turns out I was just making the problem worse. The metformin is definitely helping reduce insulin resistance ( I restarted that in late Sept, after 18 months or so without it) because my muscles don't tire and seize up as quickly as they did.

Not sure if the weight loss will stop now that I've shaved off the most recent additional pounds. We'll see.

Pipp said:

Currently have steroid meds and antibiotics for chest infection.
Steroids give me increased appetite. Antibiotics always make me feel ravenously hungry. Propped up on sofa to enable me to breathe, and to allow Mr Pipp to get his share of kip, as he has been kept awake last 3 nights as I have coughed and wheezed next to him.
I am a bit too close for comfort to the kitchen and all the decent grub in the fridge.
Go to sleep, Pipp.

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Get well soon @Pipp . That bout of lergies was very very nasty. I think thats when i started getting scared. I was choking to death. Frightening. Im hoping your over the worst. It just needs to do one. My antibiotics are finished tonight. No breathlessness change so far. Choking only on a morning and hard exertion. mine might be heart related afterall. Sunday scan should show me some light.
I'm glad you mentioned munchies on antibiotics as I had a moment last night. I tried nuts but they were too dry to satisfy me. Hence high fbg this morning. Had to increase breakfast insulin lately.
I'm going to have a job on my hands in January. I like insulin as low as possible. At least I know how to do it.

zand said:

@Pipp get well soon

I got on the scales today to find I have now lost the 6 pounds I put on in September when I was on hols. Not sure how tbh, and that's a new thing for me, I usually have to fight for every pound.

I haven't been that good with diet (carbs far too high) but I am doing a 16:8 fast (metformin aided as I don't feel like eating breakfast on Met anyway) and managing to sleep in the dark for the first time in my 59 years. Also I make sure the Wi-Fi is turned off before going to bed (easier now son has left home). I am drinking less caffeine (2 mugs tea mornings only). I am not exercising much but when I do I make sure it is only a slow walk. My naturopath told me that my adrenal glands don't like it if I stress my body by pushing myself and that explains why my BGs used to go up when I did a few miles of brisk walking. All that time I thought I was doing the right thing and it turns out I was just making the problem worse. The metformin is definitely helping reduce insulin resistance ( I restarted that in late Sept, after 18 months or so without it) because my muscles don't tire and seize up as quickly as they did.

Not sure if the weight loss will stop now that I've shaved off the most recent additional pounds. We'll see.

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@zand thats brilliant!

I think both @ickihun and @Pipp have been very brave trying not to eat too much with antibiotics. When I am sick my diet usually goes out of the window. I am such a wimp lol. Get well soon both of you.

ickihun said:

@zand thats brilliant!

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Thanks. I feel almost guilty for posting it! I am not expecting any more weight to go now, but at least I am back to where I was (16 stones 5 pounds)

At the moment I'm forgetting about any weight loss. I just want to get my BS to stay down for a sustained period of time.

At the end of August we went travelling round Europe in our van and France and Italy have such fab food that I ate the carbs. I didn't overeat though, so I didn't put on weight, but carb control was nil. Coming back home my father-in-law moved in with us and there was toast for breakfast, meals with pasta or potatoes etc, and I really find it difficult to not have them when they are around.

Anyway, all that stopped at the end of October. I explained to father-in-law that we don't eat that stuff any more and BS is mostly either side of 8, sometimes in the 7s - not brill, but getting there. Once I get back to the 5s I might see weight loss. Then I have to have the argument with the diabetic nurse about statins, who even the other nurses say "never mind" when they know you've an appointment coming up with her. My argument is I can now walk the dogs a few miles a day, whereas when on statins I have pain and can barely walk them from the car park to a field. I reckon the walking is better for me than the statins in the long run.

RosieLKH said:

At the moment I'm forgetting about any weight loss. I just want to get my BS to stay down for a sustained period of time.

At the end of August we went travelling round Europe in our van and France and Italy have such fab food that I ate the carbs. I didn't overeat though, so I didn't put on weight, but carb control was nil. Coming back home my father-in-law moved in with us and there was toast for breakfast, meals with pasta or potatoes etc, and I really find it difficult to not have them when they are around.

Anyway, all that stopped at the end of October. I explained to father-in-law that we don't eat that stuff any more and BS is mostly either side of 8, sometimes in the 7s - not brill, but getting there. Once I get back to the 5s I might see weight loss. Then I have to have the argument with the diabetic nurse about statins, who even the other nurses say "never mind" when they know you've an appointment coming up with her. My argument is I can now walk the dogs a few miles a day, whereas when on statins I have pain and can barely walk them from the car park to a field. I reckon the walking is better for me than the statins in the long run.

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I'm going to see what cardiologist says. Ive never needed statins due to walking everywhere but im being investigated for heart failure. Im going to ask if statins protect the heart, as well as reduce plac.