Leptin doctor?

October 12, 2010 7:55 PM

Can someone recommend a "leptin aware" doctor, nutritionist, or dietitian in Philadelphia?

All the basic blood tests show me to be in perfect health, but I'm way too hungry between meals, have no energy, keep getting sick, and, if I wait too long between meals, I lose both my appetite and too much weight, too fast. And I start having panic attacks. If not a specific person, what kind of doctor (e.g. an endocrinologist???) should I make an appointment with?

posted by zeek321 to health & fitness (8 answers total)

Can't help with regard to a specific doctor, but yes, an endocrinologist is a good place to start.

What you're describing sounds a lot like me before I was diagnosed with insulin resistance - perfect labs, but starving between meals, fatigued to the point where I was prescribed anti-narcoleptics, and constantly sick. And if I didn't eat every 4 hours or so, panic would set in. To resolve all of this, I had to completely change my diet, but once I did the symptoms went away.
posted by chez shoes at 8:21 PM on October 12, 2010

What you're describing sounds a lot like me

Yeah, I'm reading about insulin, leptin, etc. I'm amateurishly certain that's what's going on. (I did go the doctor and they ruled out anything imminently serious.) Could you elaborate on what kind of doctor diagnosed you and what other false paths you went down?
posted by zeek321 at 9:04 PM on October 12, 2010

See an endocrinologist. Get a good thyroid function blood test as well as looking into insulin resistance. Make that appointment now.
posted by mermayd at 3:23 AM on October 13, 2010

Thanks chez shoes and mermayd. I'm going to call my GP and get a referral for that endocrinologist appointment. Still watching this thread.
posted by zeek321 at 4:34 AM on October 13, 2010

Thomas Jefferson's Department of Endocrinology is outstanding for diabetes and general weight management and metabolic syndrome issues. I have been participating in their programs for 3 years. Many of the other patients I know have been their 5 or 10 years. I can personally recommend Dr. Jabbour and Diabetes Nutritionist Cheryl Marco.
posted by chocolatebabies at 8:19 AM on October 13, 2010

Getting diagnosed was a pretty circuitous route!

I hit adulthood right at the beginning of the low-fat craze and became pretty obsessed with eating according to what we now know to be erroneous government guidelines. On paper, I had a model diet; in reality, I felt awful. For a number of years, I never connected one with the other and neither did any doctor, indoctrinated in the low-fat is good/animal fat is bad dogma of the day.

I also had horrible stomach problems, which was what finally led to the insulin resistance diagnosis. A doctor (GP at the free clinic!) finally linked my stomach problems to fructose, which is in most fruits, some vegetables, many grains and legumes, and pretty much all processed foods. After a couple days on the no-fructose diet, I noticed the other symptoms went away. Eventually I was referred to an endocrinologist who diagnosed the IR.
posted by chez shoes at 10:12 AM on October 13, 2010

Nthing insulin resistance - I knew something was up when having a big carb-heavy breakfast was as good as an Ambien in zonking me out. I eat small, frequent, high-protein meals now and feel much better. Get thee to an endocrinologist.
posted by Rosie M. Banks at 11:23 AM on October 13, 2010

Everyone, thanks so much. Today I read most of the book Mastering Leptin. Since (according to my GP) I'm not in imminent danger of dropping dead, I'm going to try easing into the diet and exercise suggestions therein. Several chapters, including the stuff on "starvation mode" and yo-yo-ing, describe me pretty much exactly, right down to symptoms and "phenomenology." I'm glad to have a list of docs I can seek out if things don't improve really damn quickly.
posted by zeek321 at 3:36 PM on October 13, 2010