AboutPatricia A. Schafer, PCC-S, NCC, LICDC Expertise I am a Licensed Professional Clinical
Counselor in Cleveland, Ohio and a National Certified Counselor. I am presently working on my PhD at Kent State. I specialize in Seasonal Affective Disorder, and other depression problems. Also, I counsel families of alcoholics/drug addictions; social phobia; stress; anxieties; women`s issues and a variety of other issues. If I can help, let me know. Thank you.
After I had my most recent baby in Sept. '07, I weighed close to 300 pounds. After I delivered her I went through a pretty severe baby blues period that lasted about 2 weeks--I'd never had this with my previous 2 babies. In Jan. I went on a weight loss mission. I have been eating 1200 calories a day since then. I don't exclude anything, I eat everything in all the food groups--including good fats. I drink lots of water and take a multi-vitamin. I have not started a formal exercise program (yet), but I do have 3 very young children that keep me hopping pretty much from morning to night. Today, I weigh 217. At that weight loss you'd think I'd be bouncing off the walls. But I'm not. I feel exhausted, my hair is falling out (in scary mass quantities), and I have headaches nearly everyday. I have tried to eat more calories for a period of time, but it didn't help. I tried cutting out the multi-vitamin for a week, this too, did not help. I have been to both my primary care doctor and my OBGYN, but neither really give me the impression that this is a big deal. I go for blood tests tomorrow at a lab; but in the meantime, do you think this is diet related or something else? I really don't feel like myself, and I just can't put my finger on what it is, so I guess psychological is the next best step--I think.
Thanks in advance!
Answer Hi Tanya:
When you mention the hair falling out - that could be due to stress, thyroid, hormonal changes. So, please make sure your doctors are having your blood tests done to show those areas.
I don't know if the weight loss would have anything to do with it. The next best thing would be to contact a nutritionist to see if it is diet. As for depression, here is a web site where you can take your own self-assessment. If it shows up moderate to severly depressed, please let your doctor know because hormonal changes can cause that too. Go to: http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html
Dr. Ivan Goldberg is an excellent Psychiatrist who put this site together. You will need to scroll down to find self assessments or self inventory or on-line assessments.
