Expert: Karen Brawner - 11/29/2005

Question
Have been on a strict healthy diet since May of 2005. Weight loss occured slow untill August of 2005. Total loss 20 pounds. The problem is that even though I follow the same diet and stick to it I have not lost a pound since August. I have had a tendency to increase a few pound and I have had no sucess in getting the weight back off even though the diet is the same. I eat vegtables and chicken and meat in 12 once portions and my carbs are limited to only two per day. Diet clinic suggests Thyroid exam in which I am attempting to set up now. I have been on many diets in the past but it always end the same way. Weigtht loss at first and then a slow increase in weight gain even though my diet still remained restrictive. Could this be a Thyroid condition?

Thank You in Advance.
Ralph Primerano

Answer
Dear Ralph,   YES, it could very possibly be a hidden thyroid problem....  I would strongly suggest that you make your appointment with an Endocrinologist and not a basic family doctor, gp or internal medicine doctor...  They tend to simply read thyroid blood tests as the lab gives it to them such as "normal" which may be in the normal range, but there are still thyroid problems...
An Endocrinologist will give you blood tests, interpret the blood work lab reports based on your symptoms and overall health and will probably do a thyroid ultrasound to check for hidden nodules/masses/cysts that do NOT effect the blood work....  Thyroid blood work is one of the most unreliable blood tests there are because people can be "within normal limits" and still have a thyroid problem, cysts, nodules, masses etc...

thank you,   karen