Lost 75lbs, Well into healthy weight, NOW symptoms show up?!
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spoonyspork
Posts: 238 Member
This will be a very long post. Sorry XD
Hi! First post in this group. I was just diagnosed this past week and I've been researching around and decided to join this group to maybe get some insight!
I'm pretty sure I've had PCOS my whole life. From my very first my TOM has been horribly, debilitatingly painful, irregular, and so heavy no pads could contain it for more than an hour. I started taking birth control at a very young age, which helped tremendously with no side effects... and no followups on *why* my periods were like that were ever done. I got pregnant in my early 20's (yes while on BC -- I had missed a couple days), and of course stopped taking the birth control until after my son was weaned. All this time I was quite thin, gained exactly the right amount of weight while pregnant (though I had the beginnings of gestational diabetes - nothing worse than slightly elevated fasting blood sugar), etc.
I started taking birth control again when my heavy painful irregular periods came back, and *ballooned*. I was also horribly stressed and knew well and good I was eating horribly, but eventually did link the birth control to the weight gain. Stopped taking it, stopped gaining weight (as fast)... and my periods continued to be lighter and regular.
In the years since, I have gotten married, and started trying to get pregnant about 5 years ago. No pregnancy so far. Attributed it partially to my weight and finally this past year started actually trying to lose. Joined MFP, and have been finding it *very* easy to lose the weight. I don't restrict anything but calories, though I rarely go over carbs (which have always been set to 180-200g... I usually get around 150-175g. So I get a moderate amount and still lose just fine).
In December, I left the 'obese' range. That same month, I spent three weeks on my period. Ever since, I'm on a near perfect 14 day cycle that lasts 7-8 days (3-4 days of barely spotting followed by VERY heavy bleeding... but hardly painful at all). Which means each month I have like a week where I'm not bleeding. I find this preferable to what the birth control does (it also causes WILD mood swings. I am a horrible, horrible person while taking it) and my last pap came back normal, so figured I'd get to a doctor 'at some point', with no rush.
I'm now well into the 'healthy' range. I finally got in to a doctor because the upper left of my abdomen was in pretty bad pain. She ordered a CT scan and TV-Ultrasound. CT found nothing unusual, and the the ultrasound showed multiple cysts consistent with PCOS in both ovaries. There was also a note that there was no 'thickening' consistent with endometritis. In the week before those appointments I got all the signs of a UTI, but tests came back negative. Two weeks later (and a course of antibiotics that I'd been put on while waiting for lab results) I'm still experiencing said symptoms, and my abdomen still hurts quite badly. Doctor says it's likely the PCOS?
Now as I understand it, the best thing to do for this is to lose weight. But I'm pretty darn thin right now (the doctor's BP cuff was too big for my arms and they had to use the kid one, to give an idea). Why the heck did the symptoms show up while losing weight... and why was it *so* sudden? I was running as usual that morning, as I had been for several months, then just *poof* pain, couple days later UTI symptoms, etc. The doctor had done a blood panel on me as well, and everything (except HDL, which is too low... but overall cholesterol is good, with the bad being low as well) was absolutely perfect. No signs of diabetes, no signs of insulin resistance, nothing.
I have an appointment with an OB/GYN next week, but in the mean time I'm in constant discomfort and just freaking tired of bleeding (which I also find weird cause I thought PCOS usually causes a LACK of bleeding?) and having to pee constantly. I'm panicking a bit that she'll say the only thing that will help is birth control - which I just REFUSE due to the terrible side-effects it has on me - or they'll need to dig out my insides (my mother and aunt both had to do this) and I'll not be able to have children
Any insights or anything I should be looking to do in the mean time?
Thanks!
Hi! First post in this group. I was just diagnosed this past week and I've been researching around and decided to join this group to maybe get some insight!
I'm pretty sure I've had PCOS my whole life. From my very first my TOM has been horribly, debilitatingly painful, irregular, and so heavy no pads could contain it for more than an hour. I started taking birth control at a very young age, which helped tremendously with no side effects... and no followups on *why* my periods were like that were ever done. I got pregnant in my early 20's (yes while on BC -- I had missed a couple days), and of course stopped taking the birth control until after my son was weaned. All this time I was quite thin, gained exactly the right amount of weight while pregnant (though I had the beginnings of gestational diabetes - nothing worse than slightly elevated fasting blood sugar), etc.
I started taking birth control again when my heavy painful irregular periods came back, and *ballooned*. I was also horribly stressed and knew well and good I was eating horribly, but eventually did link the birth control to the weight gain. Stopped taking it, stopped gaining weight (as fast)... and my periods continued to be lighter and regular.
In the years since, I have gotten married, and started trying to get pregnant about 5 years ago. No pregnancy so far. Attributed it partially to my weight and finally this past year started actually trying to lose. Joined MFP, and have been finding it *very* easy to lose the weight. I don't restrict anything but calories, though I rarely go over carbs (which have always been set to 180-200g... I usually get around 150-175g. So I get a moderate amount and still lose just fine).
In December, I left the 'obese' range. That same month, I spent three weeks on my period. Ever since, I'm on a near perfect 14 day cycle that lasts 7-8 days (3-4 days of barely spotting followed by VERY heavy bleeding... but hardly painful at all). Which means each month I have like a week where I'm not bleeding. I find this preferable to what the birth control does (it also causes WILD mood swings. I am a horrible, horrible person while taking it) and my last pap came back normal, so figured I'd get to a doctor 'at some point', with no rush.
I'm now well into the 'healthy' range. I finally got in to a doctor because the upper left of my abdomen was in pretty bad pain. She ordered a CT scan and TV-Ultrasound. CT found nothing unusual, and the the ultrasound showed multiple cysts consistent with PCOS in both ovaries. There was also a note that there was no 'thickening' consistent with endometritis. In the week before those appointments I got all the signs of a UTI, but tests came back negative. Two weeks later (and a course of antibiotics that I'd been put on while waiting for lab results) I'm still experiencing said symptoms, and my abdomen still hurts quite badly. Doctor says it's likely the PCOS?
Now as I understand it, the best thing to do for this is to lose weight. But I'm pretty darn thin right now (the doctor's BP cuff was too big for my arms and they had to use the kid one, to give an idea). Why the heck did the symptoms show up while losing weight... and why was it *so* sudden? I was running as usual that morning, as I had been for several months, then just *poof* pain, couple days later UTI symptoms, etc. The doctor had done a blood panel on me as well, and everything (except HDL, which is too low... but overall cholesterol is good, with the bad being low as well) was absolutely perfect. No signs of diabetes, no signs of insulin resistance, nothing.
I have an appointment with an OB/GYN next week, but in the mean time I'm in constant discomfort and just freaking tired of bleeding (which I also find weird cause I thought PCOS usually causes a LACK of bleeding?) and having to pee constantly. I'm panicking a bit that she'll say the only thing that will help is birth control - which I just REFUSE due to the terrible side-effects it has on me - or they'll need to dig out my insides (my mother and aunt both had to do this) and I'll not be able to have children
Any insights or anything I should be looking to do in the mean time?
Thanks!
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Replies
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Hi:
My first post as well. Been lurking for a few days since I found this group. As many others will attest, PCOS manifests differently from woman to woman. Some are thin, some are fat, some get their periods, some don't...
I was diagnosed almost 20 years ago only after a gynecologist finally listened to me and bothered to do an ultrasound rather than rely on blood work. I had been having abnormal hair growth but had been told for several years that my labs were in "normal range" and not to worry. I too get my period regularly, never been an issue. I do have fibroids and endometriosis though. I am not sure what doctor diagnosed you but I would definitely find an endocrinologist or reproductive endocrinologist knowledgeable about PCOS asap. Also, educate yourself as much as possible. There is so much information out there now.
Hang in there.0 -
I agree on the suggestion for the endo that is knowledgeable about PCOS. An OB/GYN is going to be hit or miss at best and will likely just run the same tests your general doctor did.
Regarding your other questions, my guess is that losing the fat released hormones that threw your system out of whack. Your pregnancy probably didn't help matters, either, since hormones get all kinds of screwy during pregnancy. I wouldn't be surprised if you got your estrogen levels tested that you find yourself dominant.
Not all women with PCOS have amenorrhea or even dysmenorrhea (for example, mine were stable as a rock before my first pregnancy), but some women do have abnormally short or heavy cycles.
You need neither birth control nor a hysterectomy to deal with PCOS. If your doctor suggests it, or worse claims those are your only options, then get a new doctor. They're not your only options, and the likelihood of either of them working to begin with are rather low anyway.
I took a peek at your food log and it looks pretty good overall. I would recommend reducing your sugar intake and getting a little more fat in. You don't have to go low carb, but don't be afraid of things like full-fat string cheese, real (whole) eggs, and full-fat yogurts, either. Your body needs fat (and cholesterol) to make numerous hormones (including all of the sex hormones) and Vitamin D, which is crucial for health on a number of fronts. Also, I'd swap the peanut oil out for the Kerrygold butter. The butter has vitamins A and K2 (both in directly bioavailable forms), butyric acid, and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which are all beneficial to health. Check out the Paleo way of eating for a good framework and recipes.0 -
Thanks, guys!
My sugar has just been kinda silly due to birthdays and disney trips! Funny thing -- have never NOT been ill when going to Disney. It's some kind of curse. I'm sure the sugary eating doesn't help, but I was feeling bad before going too XD
I actually use Kerrygold, peanut, and coconut, depending on what I'm cooking. I LOVE kerrygold, lol. Veggies always get kerrygold, potatoes are roasted in peanut, and chicken and fish are baked in coconut (and sometimes also breaded in unsweetened coconut -- SO good). I'm currently experimenting with what works best for getting more fat in my diet... and kind of afraid that's what's thrown me so out of whack (I'd been using margarine, pam, low fat cheese, etc when I was still actively trying to lose weight and started feeling the most awful as I started incorporating more fats as I've moved into maintenance).
The OB/GYN the doctor is sending me to is supposed to specialize specifically in things like PCOS. I have no idea yet if that's what she'd recommend, but was heartened that my doc looked horrified when I told her both my mom and aunt had hysterectomies after they were diagnosed and said 'there are medicines you can take... especially if you want to get pregnant' before she wrote the referral to the OB/GYN. Still nervous, as my doctors growing up never instilled any confidence (putting me on birth control at age 13 and not investigating any further, for one XD )0 -
Sounds like she might be more knowledgeable than most, then, which is good.
While it doesn't sound like you'll need to do this, don't forget that you are allowed to walk away from any doctor that suggests something that you're not comfortable with. There's usually more than one way to approach a given issue and deal with it, and you're allowed to seek out those alternatives.0
