Hormone Imbalance and weight loss

I'm not a Dr, but from looking at your symptoms, if they've ruled out a thyroid issue, you might have PCOS. There is medication for it, usually Metformin, but I'm not sure if it helps people lose weight so much as it helps regulate blood sugars. PCOS has a strong link to insulin resistance. I would suggest you keep your calories within a deficit for you and also lower your carb and sugar intake. Many with PCOS also have Vit D and B12 deficiencies,get some quality supplements, it will help with the exhaustion.

Hope you feel better soon, and achieve your goals!

The Metformin for PCOS helped me lose weight, definitely. Carbs do matter for PCOS (with insulin resistance), so that's a change anyone could make to see if it helps. I'm sure the Metformin had me losing weight itself because of something about IR. It was pretty cool! I don't really have a problem losing weight, so it was unexpected.

I don't know much about hypothyroidism, but meds to get out of 'hypo' would surely help people lose weight, too? I mean, that's literally a metabolism problem, where the thyroid is running too low. Crank it back up and you'll burn more calories, yeah.

There are a few foods that can make hypothyroidism worse, I read, but I don't know how subtle that is. You might want to look up info on that until you can get back in. If it's hypothyroid, though, the Rx meds are your best bet.

If it's PCOS, the Metformin helps balance other hormones, so even if you were to limit carbs, you might want to take it. PCOS can cause male facial hair growth, and that totally sucks! Balancing those hormones as well as insulin is the way to go (I also take Rx progesterone for it). And PCOS causes infertility often until balanced, so there's that if fertility concerns you.

cafeaulait7 wrote: »

The Metformin for PCOS helped me lose weight, definitely. Carbs do matter for PCOS (with insulin resistance), so that's a change anyone could make to see if it helps. I'm sure the Metformin had me losing weight itself because of something about IR. It was pretty cool! I don't really have a problem losing weight, so it was unexpected.

I don't know much about hypothyroidism, but meds to get out of 'hypo' would surely help people lose weight, too? I mean, that's literally a metabolism problem, where the thyroid is running too low. Crank it back up and you'll burn more calories, yeah.

There are a few foods that can make hypothyroidism worse, I read, but I don't know how subtle that is. You might want to look up info on that until you can get back in. If it's hypothyroid, though, the Rx meds are your best bet.

If it's PCOS, the Metformin helps balance other hormones, so even if you were to limit carbs, you might want to take it. PCOS can cause male facial hair growth, and that totally sucks! Balancing those hormones as well as insulin is the way to go (I also take Rx progesterone for it). And PCOS causes infertility often until balanced, so there's that if fertility concerns you.

I am hypothyroid and have PCOS. I am on thyronorm and 1000mg metformin. Can I do a low carb high fat diet with metformin. My doc advised not to fast. Will metformin promote weight loss during LCHF diets or it backfires

azulvioleta6 wrote: »

wanderingirl wrote: »

I'm not a Dr, but from looking at your symptoms, if they've ruled out a thyroid issue, you might have PCOS. There is medication for it, usually Metformin, but I'm not sure if it helps people lose weight so much as it helps regulate blood sugars. PCOS has a strong link to insulin resistance. I would suggest you keep your calories within a deficit for you and also lower your carb and sugar intake. Many with PCOS also have Vit D and B12 deficiencies,get some quality supplements, it will help with the exhaustion.

Hope you feel better soon, and achieve your goals!

People with metabolic disease also tend to be low in magnesium.

I would recommend skipping the ER and the GP and going to an endocrinologist right out of the gate. PCOS does seem like a good possibility. It's a fairly common issue--as many as 1/10 women have it.

A moderate or lower-carb diet is a direction that you can consider. I am not suggesting Atkins of the like, but you might want to look at some of the general recommendations for the diabetic diet and think about following those. For example, 30G carbs/meal is a good place to start and it won't harm you if you do not, in fact, have any metabolic issues.

Exercise is also very important. Start wherever you are in terms of fitness and keep adding time and intensity.

Good luck!

spm2010 wrote: »

So I went to see a Dr at the ER (do not have a family Dr, 3 years on a waiting list so no I have to use the crappy ER lol) Well he thinks I may have a hormone imbalance and wants me to come sit for another 8hrs (not an emergency so Ill be last) to get sheets for blood work. But he says this could be why I am exhausted, gaining weight, no periods and always sick. Until I get the blood work done does anyone know of a way I can still lose weight. He said it would be impossible until I am medicated but blood work is booked for 3 weeks from now and I am really struggling to lose the last 20lbs. Maybe a specific diet plan?

I apologize in advance if this offends you (or anyone) but this actually irks me. As someone who works in emergency medicine (paramedic), this is NOT a reason to go to an ER. An emergency room is for emergencies, not a substitute for no general practitioner.

Where do you live that there is a 3 year waiting period for a doctor? I find that kind of odd.

Do you have "urgent care" centers near you? Most urgent care centers can handle things like drawing blood and running tests, and tend to have shorter waiting times than ERs.

spm2010 wrote: »

They thought it was hypothyroid and that came back fine, even though I did have it in 2011 after the birth of my son but that Dr. refused to put me on medication but it magically disappeared. There is definitely a medical condition I know that, but whether it is hormonal or not eating less calories is not working, trust me I have tried.

Eating less calories than you burn is the only way to lose weight. How you chose to create a deficit is up to you. If you have found that eating in a deficit has not worked, then you are not logging properly. Make sure to weigh ALL of your food on a scale. You are eating more than you think.