Hi Dr Mike,
I have been trying to lose weight for most of the yr and it will not budge. I have been to dieticians and they are also stumpted. I am usually very active as a teacher and I have even gone to the extent of using optifast diet shakes.... NOTHING WORKS. .I was recently found to have a tumor on my right ovary sending my hormones nuts.My iron keeps dropping really low and Im not sure if it would be safe for me to go back on shakes. They have also been putting me on a controceptive pill to help regulate hormones... its not working and it making me put on more weight.

My question is this.... is there anything I can do to lose weight with these hormone issues?

I'm sorry this may seem weird but I have had three pregnancies, I stuck to my physio excercises religiously but my top abdominal muscles are still seperated, before my first pregnancy I had really good strong abs.
Now and then I feel a sensitivity across my stomach that is like my skin is crawling. I've been eating lots of leafy greens and only recently moved on to sit ups in desperation to fix my abs even though I know I am not suppose to until the gap closes, but I am desperate the physio giving to me after each child didn't help.
Do you have any fitness tip? A safe excercise I can do to close the gap? The ones I've been doing over the past three years are where many times during they day I get on all fours, straighten my back and try hold my stomach muscles tight together, as well as being careful how I get out of bed, rolling insted of sitting up.
I know thats only until the gap will close, but I won't I've done these after my first two pregnancies for a year and a half and nothing improved with each one. I'm sorry I'm just desperate, I'm tired of wearing jumpers on hot days to hide my belly. Any advice?

Hi, I'm 55, female, have polycystic kidney disease, kidney stones and am approx.45 lbs overweight. I can't get a straight answer from my health care professionals about PKD, kidney stones and diet because they don't have enough information. Prior to my PKD diagnosis I started a rigorous exercise regime, having been very athletic up until last 15 yrs, cuz I had 100 lbs to lose and lost 38 lbs. After my PKD diagnosis in Dec 10 and because of the many kidney stones I had >20 btwn both kidneys, I researched PKD and kidney stones, changed my diet and actively engaged in an exercise program that would 'shake out' my stones, keep my BP low, dropped another 22 lbs. I passed approx 14 stones btwn Dec and May; haven't produced anymore, and have shrunk the largest from almost 10 to a little over 8. The exercise keeps my BP down, however, it makes the stones move and at times incapacitates me, I've been told I should curtail my skiing and exercise that could blow the cysts, however, having blown two cysts on my ovaries in my lifetime, I'd rather go thru the pain of a blown cyst and have it absorbed than have the cysts take over my kidneys and cause failure. I am uncomfortable most of the time, due to these conditions. Having fun exercising is keeping me sane and I feel helping more than hurting. I'm careful to keep hydrated. Since these doctors don't have the disease, they don't seem to understand the progress that I have made with the changes in diet and exercise, is there any scientific evidence that I can show them to support my claims that diet and exercise have allowed me to pass and shrink the stones and I, think, slow the cyst development? And, what is the big deal about blowing cysts? It seems that would be a good thing to do to get rid of the cysts, so, can you explain to me what is the problem with that idea?

I have had Hidradenitis suppirativa AND MRSA and don't have insurance. I have done and taken almost all available treatments and nothing seems to be working. I am currently seeking a new doctor to help me with my treatment. My question is, what KIND of doctor should I seek (I can't find anyone specializing in it) and what kind of questions should I ask the doctors before I select one? I don't want to pay the typical 400.00 to repeat a pointless treatment.

Hi Dr. Mike... I am really hoping you can help me. I am under the care of my PCP, but have not seen her in almost a year. I am morbidly obese, disabled, and unable to leave my apartment. My question is about fitness. I cannot stand or take even one step without the assistance of my caregiver, and even then I am in excruciating pain. If exercise seems like a far away dream, how can I go about losing enough weight so I can begin to exercise? I am a female, but when I'm not hunched over trying to maintain balance, I am 6 ft. tall. I weigh over 500 lbs. The shame that surrounds me is far greater than all the weight in the world. i WANT to exercise. I WANT to move. And I CAN'T. I used to do pool therapy because it didn't hurt as much, but I cannot get into the water or pull myself out of it anymore. As I mentioned, I cannot even leave my house for a medical appointment. Anything I do would have to be here. So... what CAN I do to get the ball rolling in the right direction? Please help me. Thank you.

Hi Dr. Mike,
I have been attempting to lose weight for years now as I really want to do something with my life so I chose the Army(once I lose the required weight). I have tried different exercise programs as well as weight loss supplements. I have seen a agonizingly slow results of 10 lbs in almost 2 years. I am 285 lbs now I want to try to get down to at least 165. What would you say is a good and safe time table to lose that much weight? Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

Can you bring awareness to Undifferentiated Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (and MCTD)?

I am undiagnosed, my doc thought MCTD but I don't have the RNP antibody. I was originally diagnosed with polymyositis with the JO-1 antibody in the year 2000. I was also diagnosed with small vessel vasculitis but since then not one doctor has seemed concerned with that. My lung xray showed slight fibrosis in my lower left lung. After treatment with prednisone and a few flares, I was doing "OK". Never the same, but OK. I was weaker but at one point even started going back to the gym, doing the elliptical, etc. Then in 2008 or so I had a huge flare and found out I have Sjogren's also. I also test "slightly" positive for scleroderma, with the Nucleolar pattern.
What's strange is that with this flare up, my CPK levels are fine. But my muscles are pudding. I also get strange "warmth" sensations mostly in my thighs, painful arthritis in the back of my neck,
Now I am out on Short Term Disability due to weakness, fatigue, pain, and shortness of breath. I am getting a full workup on my lungs. Sometimes I get palpitations but that could be due to medications (My docs said adderall, prednisone and nortriptyline can all cause palpitations)

I wanted to add to the above that my kidney levels are off, also. Currently my GFR is very low, 43. Last year it was 54. It fluctuates. The nephrologist gave me the 24 hour urine collection test and told me that my kidneys are at "low normal" ... and there isn't a problem with the amount of protein in my urine. She said it's not necessarily kidney failure, but kidneys that aren't performing optimally for whatever reason. Related to UCTD/MCTD?