BC pills and thyroid pills oh my

Showgirlbody

Ok. So doctors keep saying that new birth control pills should not cause weight gain but I beg to differ. Background: I have PCOS and had thyroid cancer and Hashimoto's thyroiditis. My thyroid was removed in 2006. I took a break from the pill for a few years but started back this April after problems with cysts. I had lost 35 lbs from last Aug until this April. After the pill I promptly gained at least 10lbs. So my endocrinologist agreed it was due to the pill only because you need higher thyroid doses when you introduce estrogen. So my dosage was increased. After two months I was tested and my TSH was normal so thyroid function shouldn't be a problem. But I can't lose anything. I don't know if the combo of pills is just too much synthetic hormones or what. I'm tired of no results. Raised calories, lowered, more exercise...more consistent logging and nothing. I weigh the same that I did last October when I had barely started. I don't know what to do. When I was losing at the beginning of my journey I was at 1200 calories but did eat about half my exercise calories. I tried eat more to lose more since I have an active job. Raised to 1550 to lose 1.5 per week. No change but gains up and down 5ish lbs. Now at 1350 for 1.5 per week and been logging better and mostly every day for October and nothing. When I lost before and a lot of my journey I wasnt that consistent about logging weekends and did have more splurges or cheats and still lost. Have been pretty good to see if cheat days were ruining me and its been for nothing. Debating stopping the pill but with my cysts and relationship it might not go over well.
So any ideas? Do you think two synthetic hormones are too much since I have lost weight on one or the other just not both? Any experiences similar with an all around whacked out endocrine system?

truddy6647

just wondering but what was your tsh at when you last had it tested? 3.0 or less?

Showgirlbody

Since I had thyroid cancer, my tsh has to be very low. It is kept at .6 or less. Definitely under 1.

milza

I can understand what u are saying fully. I hafve PCOS too! and for the last 3 years over many different occasions i have worked my butt off to try loose weight but all that seems to happen is i put on weight. I find it near impossible to lose weight. I really do understand your concern. I also went back on the pill about 3 months ago and again have gained 5KG...
I am like you, i am stuck for what to do now..

truddy6647

just wondering do they give you anything else for PCOS? Have you been tested for insulin resistance?

My PCP put me on Metformin for PCOS to treat the insulin resistance that PCOS can cause. A side affect of this drug is suppost to be help with weight loss. Not sure if that works or not for weight loss, as to be honest sometimes for get the second dose.

Showgirlbody

I was on metformin prior to being diagnosed and treated for cancer. It did not help me lose weight just gave me a gurgly tummy. I quit taking it after starting thyroid mess. I wasn't willing to be on so many prescriptions at 29. I had done glucose tests and didn't come up with blood sugar issues in the past. I know my endo checks a lot of factors every three months. It just seemed like the pill is the factor this time. I've lost weight when on the pill but that was before I was minus a thyroid and on thyroid mess. Seems like together it makes it more difficult to lose.

truddy6647

I know this may sound out of left field but I have read and was told by my doc that some people with thyroid and pcos issues, have luck with switch to a gluten free diet. This type of diet is expensive.

vytamindi

Maybe a low (or lower) carb lifestyle will work for you? I have lots of MFP friends with PCOS/thyroid issues and they were at a standstill just counting calories. Some do keto (20g or less) and some have 100g carb allowance.

This kinda fits into the gluten-free camp as well.

I know my weight loss was REALLY slow (and I was hungry all the time) after my thyroid leveled out, and once I started eating a ketogenic diet I started feeling better and losing weight.

***It doesn't work for everybody, but that's my two cents***

Either way, best of luck!

Showgirlbody

I changed my macros to 40/30/30 so that is lower carb than the standard settings on MFP. But I did lose on 55percent carve prior to being on the pill. I am debating stopping it but hope for other options to try first.