Another Doctor Appointment

I had an appointment with the endocrinologist. For those who don’t know, an endocrinologist is a doctor that looks at hormones and how they are affecting their patients. I was instructed to see one after my prolactin levels got too high, which (long story) was a side effect of medication I was on. By now we have gotten my prolactin levels back to a normal number so I went to the appointment expecting it to be a waste of time. It wasn’t. 

First of all, they took my weight. And I was shocked to find that for the first time in my life I am 200 pounds. I am also 5 ft 2 so obviously this means I am very overweight. This is probably the reason why my knees hurt so badly whenever I sit down or stand up. I am supporting so much excess weight I have damaged them along with other parts of my body. 

“I’m not concerned about you today or tomorrow. I’m worried about long term” My doctor told me. She explained I could be a candidate for high cholesterol, prediabetes etc. She gave me some dietary restrictions: No soda, limited sugar, brown carbs instead of white carbs. She says in the future we can talk about weight loss drugs. 

Ten years ago I never would have imagined I would be discussing my weight with a doctor. Growing up everyone would vouch that I was a healthy weight, maybe on the slim side. There is no doubt in my mind that the ten or so psychiatric drugs I am on are responsible for this weight gain. People see my body and I know some of them assume that I eat too much, or that I’m lazy or that I don’t exercise. They don’t understand that sometimes I get so hungry from my meds it feels like my body is literally starving and I will eat whatever I can get my hands on. And while I might not lift weights I do go to the gym and work out on some basic cardio machines whenever I can. But as long as I keep taking these pills (which have saved me from hallucinations, delusions and suicidal ideation) I will always wage this battle with my body.