[pinksunshine]

Hi! I didn't see the introduction thread so here I am!

I'm 28 years old, 5 feet 4 inches with a medium frame and pear shaped body(ie little boobs, smaller waist, HUGE HIPS, BUTT & THIGHS, regular calves, normal ankles). I am usually around 110-120 pounds naturally.

BUT...

In 2011 I started gaining weight. At my biggest I was 165 pounds. No apparent reason why, I didn't change my diet, exercise or routine! I had lost my period though. Doctors said stress. So I blamed stress. But no tests were done. I kept going to doctors. Finally diagnosed with a pituitary tumor in January 2014 and started medication to shrink it.

The medication has not helped me lose a lot of weight yet. For a long time I stayed at 165 pounds. But recently I have lost 3 pounds. Not completely sure what changed. Maybe the medication has finally started working because I am finally starting to feel less side effects from the medication(dizziness, forgetfulness, nausea, weakness, can't eat anything but crackers etc). I am starting to feel hyper. Like I have energy. Like I want to sweat!

Just, not all the time though. I still get lethargic, numb, weak, etc. I think slowly my hormones are getting back to normal.

I will be happy when people I know stop looking at me like I'm lazy or eat too much. I don't care about strangers judging me by the size of my butt. Strangers aren't supposed to be the ones who support you, it's supposed to be friends & family. Unfortunately they are the MOST judgmental in my life. It's ok though. I'm not the only one who has to be their own army of support. We are all stronger than we think.

Anyways... nice to meet you all!

[Pattience]

It does sound like the medication may have started working. Your description of hyperness sounds like the faster metabolism in action that Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Salis talks about in her book i'm reading right now.

Basically slower metabolism is characterised by lethargy and all those other things and feeling cool, while faster metabolism is characterised by restlessness and agitation and those sorts of things along with feeling warmer.

Maybe you should continue letting your recovery continue along its natural path rather than trying to force the issue with dieting.

I'd say just keep eating healthy foods, not over or underrating. Do whatever it was that you used to do.


have you spoken to your doctor about how long it would take for the medication to heal things and what effect all of this is having on your metabolism and whether you can expect your metabolism and weight to return to normal. He may not be able to tell you but its worth the discussion isn't it.

The thing about dieting, is that seems to buggerise up a lot of people's weight . That's because we tend to be in such a hurry to lose weight and cause a sort of snowball or domino effect that seems to prevent us from getting where we are trying to go.

If i was you, i'd give it a few more months before considering any calorie restricting or intense exercised programs. You might understand better where i'm coming from if you read my recent post in the general chatter forum about the famine reaction. I can't remember its exact title but i've only just posted it.

[Pattience]

btw sorry i forgot to say, good luck with your healing and sorry that you had to go through all that in the first place.

[pinksunshine]

Thanks for the info Pattience

I don't actually restrict calories on purpose, the medication I am on makes eating difficult. Almost everything makes me want to throw up and I can't handle eating too much at one time. I was eating normally before the medication though, not over doing it and not restricting calories.

I think the medication I'm on throws most people in a tizzy though. It would make sense that my metabolism would be affected by it since I am able to eat normally again, you're probably right about that.

Since I have the tumor though, it really messes with your hormones and I was always hot. I didn't need a jacket in winter kind of hot. I joked I was having menopause(while silently questioning if I was menopausal at 25 years old).

The endocrinologist told me that I will be on this medication for about two years or so, possibly longer, depending on the tumor's reaction. He does not believe the tumor has anything to do with weight gain. I see him again in June so I could bring it up again.

I'm new here but I think I can figure out how to find out where that post is you are talking about. I don't like calorie restricting as a diet plan, it hurts the body and makes you moody, hangry(hungry&angry), etc... been there, done that.

Thank you for the sympathy!