Hawley Retainer and Weight Loss Possible?

[FinallyBracesFree]

I have been having weight loss/inability to gain weight problems for a while now.

I was always around 120 and then I reduced my medication dose of Zoloft from 50mg to 25mg last year in July. I lost 8 pounds and went down to 112. This was before my braces came off. But that made since considering Zoloft makes you gain weight and reducing the dose would cause you to lose what you gained on the higher dose. My braces came off in August and I got an Essix retainer. I wore the Essix retainer until mid-December. I was still around 112. Then my ortho switched me to the Hawley. I went down to 105 (I'm not sure how much I lost at a time). But in March I was 105-107 and looked very thin despite eating a lot. At one point, I was able to get to 110 but it didn't last long. I wasn't feeling good for a few days and went down to 105/106. Then I got a virus a few weeks after and went down to 102.5. I still wear the Hawley but just at night now and have been this whole time. But just at night for a few months. I think in May/June I started wearing it just at night but I can't remember for sure.

2 1/2 weeks ago, with my doctor's approval, I went back up to 50mg. Although I haven't lost any more weight, I've only went up to 104. Despite eating normally. I basically have 2 breakfasts, 2 eggo waffles with butter and syrup and a big bowl of cheerios plain and orange juice and am not gaining weight. I'm staying at 104 consistently. I'm not even going back up to 105/106 where I was prior to the virus. Numerous blood tests have been run and there's nothing that explains it. The only thing my doctor could come up with is low iron and how iron is needed for growth so that's why I'm not gaining weight which makes absolutely no sense. Especially considering I had low iron when I was at 120 and it never affected me. I'm not anemic, I'm just iron deficient (but only in the ferritin stores). I can't take iron anyway since I can't swallow pills and the liquid/chewables stain your teeth. Plus I'm not risking side effects when my weight is already down so low.

Could the Hawley be causing this, despite me only wearing it at night now and have been for months? I just don't know what else it could be. I'm really at a loss.

[djspeece]

I don't think the Hawley plays a major role but it's hard to say why you are not gaining weight based on the very limited information provided. For starters, I'd recommend you consult with a registered dietitian to assess your nutritional habits and status. You only mention breakfast and that you eat normally, but what is "normal" varies considerably from person to person. He or she may want you to document a food diary. I presume that your thyroid studies are normal as well. Best of luck to you.

[FinallyBracesFree]

Thanks for your help!

I already saw a dietitian a while ago about this and she was not very helpful. She mentioned adding in more drinks for extra calories so I added orange juice with my breakfast. I am eating just as good as I was before all this happened, the same foods and the same amounts. Only a bigger breakfast. I have been keeping a food diary since March and I eat good. Even my doctor said there's no problem with what I'm eating. All 3 meals are good. My thyroid is normal except for the antibodies which are elevated but my doctor said that would not explain this since the TSH/T3/T4 are normal.

I went back through old pictures. I found one from December 13 when I still had the essix. I was 112 and looked good still. I got the hawley December 19. By February 24 (another picture), my face had no shape. It was all sunk in and I was down at 106. Now I'm at 103/104. But when I was at 112, I was eating a smaller breakfast and walking 30 mins a day which burns more calories. Now I have basically 2 breakfasts and lay around the house all day which burns few calories. Yet I'm way less than what I weigh then. I'll go to bed being a certain weight like 107 and the next day I've lost it all and back to 104. Just seems very odd to me that it all started with the hawley.

Also, I tend to be very sensitive to things and have some allergies.

[Featheryy1221]

Unfortunately for some people it's harder for them to gain weight. I know for myself, I don't seem to gain weight when I just eat more food and that's how it's always been. So just eating more might not be enough, but it's worth trying (as long as you're not filling up on junk). Keep in mind though, it may take a while before you see weight gain, so don't stress too much because stress can cause weight loss.
I'm not a dietitian, but you could try adding more protein to your diet. For breakfasts you mentioned you're eating two eggo waffles. You could instead have eggs, toast with peanut butter, fruit, and a meat (bacon or sausages). Waffles are just filled with air and don't really have a ton of nutritional value to them. If you don't have time to make all that, have cereal with fruit on top and toast. You could also have protein shakes.
Muscle weighs more than fat, so you could also try lifting weights or do a short workout routine.

I'm assuming your doctor checked to see if you have any digestive problems, or allergies to foods and such.

If you really think its the Hawley though, could you just go back to wearing the Essix for a few months? That way you could see if that's indeed the problem.

Anyway, good luck to you!

[lexieplexie]

I know the struggle. Gaining weight is not easy for me either. There are some medications that help with weight gain by opening the appetite where you almost never feel full. I tried these once at the suggestion of my doc and it worked. Was able to maintain it until I got my braces on and lost it all. So if your doctor could suggest one of these then maybe you could try that too.

[FinallyBracesFree]

Thanks everyone! I do agree that some people have difficulty gaining weight but it's never been a problem of mine. I maintained 120 for the longest time. Then I reduced the dose and went down to 112. But even that weight I maintained for several months. I used to be overweight, 170 a few years ago but I lost it all and maintained 120 for 3-4 years.

And now that I look at it, the picture from Feb 24 was after I was already 105/106. I looked back at earlier pictures and the weight loss started before that. Even on January 4, I look thinner. The only thing that was different during those 2-3 weeks was the hawley. I mean it makes since considering no blood tests/doctors can explain what's going on. Could be a coincidence but it just seems really strange.

I do think it's a good idea to add more protein into my diet but my eating habits haven't changed. I've had this same breakfast for a long time. So why would my current diet not be enough now you know? I'm not disagreeing with your suggestion, I think it's good. But I mean I've eaten turkey meatballs in my pasta several times now and that's protein and that didn't help. In addition, I'm a very picky eater (I've always been) and there's some things like protein shakes for example I just won't eat. I assume I have no food allergies/digestive disorder because I've always eaten the same foods. And I don't have any stomach cramps, diarrhea, or anything like that.

I can't go back to wearing the essix for a few months since it no longer fits. It didn't fit months ago since the hawley moved my teeth so much and messed them up. I have to get the braces back on anyway but I'm not ready to yet because it'll be so sore I won't be able to eat much and then I'll lose more weight. So I'm waiting until I gain weight. Right now I'd have to have another impression to get an essix. But I didn't wear the hawley last night. Today I still didn't gain weight but I imagine it takes time.

It's just so weird though because everything points to the hawley but I've never heard of this happening from it. I've heard of people being allergic to invisalign and there's lots of info on this site about it but not to the hawley. Although I guess you can really be allergic to anything, everyone's different.