ladies who have had issues with hormonal imbalances

I have PCOS and it makes it so difficult to lose weight

PCOS here-- it seems no matter what I do, I can't lose more than 20 pounds. I'm 40 pounds overweight and it's frustrating to try to get past that hurdle. I've changed my strategy at the moment and have focused less on restricting my calories and more on making sure I eat the right foods and get appropriate physical activity.

I have an excess of estrogen that makes it hard to lose the "soft" look it's all about diet. I can run all day and get small, but the definition will only happen with a lot of careful food prep.

Kkallisti wrote: »

I have an excess of estrogen that makes it hard to lose the "soft" look it's all about diet. I can run all day and get small, but the definition will only happen with a lot of careful food prep.

Or you could lift heavy weights to get hard muscle...

I had hypothyroid issues (they seem to be under control now without medicine), but I was insanely tired, freezing (shaking for hours) all the time, and gained a large amount of weight without eating more when I had them. My doctor says they will come and go until the point I will need to be on medicine. At this point though, I have lost 15lbs put on by thyroid, and feel great, and do not need medicine.

I had PCOS, but had a complete hysterectomy in 2008. I struggled with with before and after. I am currently on HRT to help with all of the hormonal symptoms. Since my surgery I have gained about 40lbs! It is very frustrating. Most of my weight gain is in my belly. I have found that eating a low carb diet has helped with this,but it is very hard to stick with long term. I have been battling the same issues for about 10 years now. Good luck with your journey.

I've been dealing with PCOS (and the metabolic syndrome that comes with it) since I was a teenager. The only time I was ever able to lose any decent amount of weight was when I went through boot camp. And as soon as I was out of the service it all came back on, and then some! I'm trying to get back on track right now, and doc is putting me on Metformin to help with the insulin resistance issues. Chuck an eating disorder on top of that pile and it gets a little discouraging sometimes! But I just keep trying, because I know eventually we'll find the right combination of meds/food/exercise/therapy that will work!

I've always been heavy since puberty. I rarely ate junk food or a lot. I'm not very physically active, but I did not sit around all day. Despite these factors, I was always heavy. And on top of that, my periods became more and more irregular as I became older until eventually my period just stopped.

After many years later (and much denial and getting-over-my-fears in my part), I recently decided to go to an OB/GYN. I found out that I was diagnosed with PCOS mostly due to my hardly-existent periods and having much more testosterone than estrogen in my blood. I was prescribed to birth control to regulate my periods. My OB also warned be about the side effects of the birth control: namely the additional weight on top of my already obese weight.

So this lit a fire on my *kitten* to actively do more work on at least maintaining my weight. I started going to a gym (doing a very beginner-like routine - mostly light cardio for about 25 mins) and tried to adjust my diet (using fitnesspal yay~). Within a three month "trial" period for my prescription, during my check-up appointment, my OB/GYN noticed I lost a noticeable amount of weight without having to weigh me (which she pointed out was odd considering the use of birth control and the amount of time I've taken it).

I'm not sure if the weight loss was just the hormonal adjustment, maintaining exercise and diet, or even a mental thing, but this was definitely a confidence booster and inspired me to keep at it.

I definitely feel more confident and much better about myself. A friend even said that energy/aura I exert is brighter now, like I can finally see the colors more vividly.

After conversing with a lot of friends, I know that my case is rare and may not apply to a lot of people. However, what I got out of this is that hormones play an important part to a woman's body. It affects her mood, her body, and her mind.

I'm still far from reaching my personal weight and body goals, but I'm not going to let little things like hormonal imbalances get in my way. Good luck in your journey, friends. You're not alone.

Open your diary?

One could eat much better than the average 25-year-old American and still be a LONG way from healthy or dietary.

Omg so glad to find you!!! I have issues big time with hormone imbalance and the doctors don't seem to care. My TCH was off a little so my doc decided to put me on .05 mg of synthroid. I tried it for a month but couldn't continue. My hormones have always been sensitive. I couldn't take birth control ever because my hormones would go so out of whack I would turn into a physco .. No joke.. My periods are pretty regular however last 7-8 days then I ovulate which my hormones then are up and down depending on the month, that is then followed by 3 solid days of PMS where I am so cranky I could explode ( my poor family) then go through another 3 days a week before my period where I could eat anything in site!!! Everything in site more like it... Then I get a few normal days, then a solid five days of being so tired and uncomfortably cold to the bone and just drained... Then it's period time and it all starts again. Not to mention the water retention. It's so bad if I eat any thing salty I literally have water sacs under my eyes and hands and feet are just swollen. As a female who clearly is I tune with what's happening with her body I went to my doc numerous times and said my hormones are off I can tell there is something going on... No one cares. I noise can't take the synthroid though... I thought I was gonna lose my mind. My body is very sensitive to meds though and always has been. But my hormones went out of whack whe I was on it. Felt like I was loosing my *kitten*. Anyhow, that's my lovely hormonal story.

missallenxox wrote: »

its open lol

Are you only exercising once a week or are you just not tracking consistently?

azulvioleta6 wrote: »

Open your diary?

One could eat much better than the average 25-year-old American and still be a LONG way from healthy or dietary.

^This. Food is not a moral issue—food is neither good nor bad. Whatever your hormonal situation, you lose weight by eating fewer calories than you burn. So step one is to learn to log everything you eat & drink accurately and honestly.

I can't say it enough, the Sexypants post changed my life: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

missallenxox wrote: »

i haven't been good with tracking exercise

Ah, so how much exercise are you actually doing?

I suspect that, for you, the key is going to be moving more and maybe consuming a couple hundred more calories per day. Keep an eye on carbs too and try to see if you have more success when your carb intake is a little lower. I'm not suggesting that you need to do a low-carb diet, but for a lot of people with hormonal issues, just reducing carb intake a little bit can help.

My thyroid and adrenals are completely out of whack, too. I cycle between hypo and hyperthyroidism (Hashi's and Graves), and although my doctor checks "adrenal insufficiency" on his diagnostic sheet for the insurance company, I don't have Addison's, just really low cortisol. I also have fibromyalgia and something wrong with my pituitary that I'm not quite clear on. I was using BHRT, but I've stopped it, and dietary changes of additional fat and eliminating soy seem to be keeping my sex hormones balanced without it.

While losing weight may be a matter of burning more calories than we consume, when our thyroid or other hormones are off, we may not be burning calories at anywhere near a normal level. Years ago, I had a huge weight gain of about 60 lbs over a few months while exercising hours a day (I was a marathoner who also did a lot of strength training and other exercise) and weighing/measuring every morsel that passed my lips. While I was eating 1000-1500 calories a day, clearly, I wasn't burning that off as a healthier person would have been.

Now, when my thyroid is well treated (I use T3 and can't tolerate any T4-containing meds), I can maintain my weight. When I am hyper, I don't lose weight like many do, and I am also completely not hungry during those times, but I won't gain no matter what I eat. When I am hypo, I am ravenous and in addition, my metabolism slows down. I gain fast whether I eat more or not. If I cut down calories to more of a starvation diet, I can maintain my weight when hypo, but I also lose all my hair and get pretty malnourished after a few months of it, so probably weight gain is the better option.

On months when my health is good, I can do some mild exercise. During months when sitting or standing is a challenge, exercise isn't really an option.

Missallenxox, I hope your medications help you get things under control. Most people with thyroid issues do have low stomach acid so that's expected. Even adding a little apple cider vinegar to some water at mealtimes can help with stomach acid. I think stopthethyroidmadness.com is a great site for learning about thyroid disorders and treatments. Sometimes treating the thyroid is a lot more complex than just popping a Synthroid every day so be patient.

I've had hormone issues since I hit puberty at such an early age. My period is very irregular The doctor wanted to regulate my hormones with BC but I decided against it. The doctors saw how obese I was about 9 years ago and wanted to check my thyroid, which was fine. I've been obese/big/masculine since I was about 5, but I've never had a problem losing weight.

I wonder now if I would be less hairy / masculine looking if I started taking hormones/ BC at an early age.