new member with question about abdominal weight gain

Hi maxkeno,

I have experienced the belly weight gain as well. Mine is because my thyroid went out of whack, but there's no way to tell if that is what's causing yours without a thyroid test.

You are not alone when it comes to feeling like you're crazy when a new symptom pops up. Everybody here feels that way at some point, more than once. Of course, it doesn't help when your doctor takes their time figuring out what your latest symptom means. Sometimes you just have to do a little research yourself and ask your doctor to run a certain test that seems to match up with what you're going through. We have to be proactive.

Good luck to you,

Robin

Maxkeno--
The four meds you mentioned are notorious for liver damage--celebrex, naproxen, asthmanex, and plaquenil (in a daily dose). If you have diabetes, then you may have fatty liver, if you have not been evaluated for diabetes, hyperinsulinemia, or fatty liver, then you might want to talk to your doc about it. It can be very dangerous and serious, despite what your doc might say.

I sort of don't like your docs answer given the meds you are on. I would get copies of my labs and look at the liver function section and see if they are high--not the docs version of high but the labs. Your docs office should give you the labs. I keep all mine.

I don't know why docs like putting people on drugs they know cause harm long term, without offering a break. If you drink alcohol, I would strongly recommend not doing it on those drugs (the NSAIDs--celebrex and naproxen). Asthma and elevated ANA can accompany fatty liver, which can result from endocrine damage, diabetes, alcohol and drugs--even prescription, and other things. An abdominal ultrasound can tell if one has fatty liver or fluid retention due to liver problems (ascites). Some with ascites say they hear the water slosh in their belly when they walk. Mine is huge and all fat, my liver is full of fat.

You have a right to know what you can do to help improve things and I wish I had been stricter about getting the fat resolved, but they didn't know much about fatty liver back then. There are dietary changes you can make for fluid and fatty liver, but you need to know what it is that is making your belly fat. In my dad's case it was his prostate and stretched bladder. There are many causes. If your regular doc isn't helpful, you might try a second opinion. But I would get my labs first. Hope you feel better. Marji