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.