235lbs with a brain cyst..

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AznChickenSalad
AznChickenSalad Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
About 6 years ago, shortly after losing 55lbs and weighing in at around 178lbs, I was diagnosed with an arachnoid cyst on my right side of my brain. About the size of a quarter. I get terrible headaches and I'm always dizzy. I sunk into a deep depression and stayed inside by myself. I ended up gaining the weight back.

This past year I was again hit with another cruel diagnoses. Policystic Ovarian Syndrome. One of the most severe cases. (Upper body weight gain, lack of hormones, low sex drive, unwanted body hair, no periods and no pregnancy.) Again, I sunk back into a depression and gained more weight.

By the time I slapped myself awake to see what I was doing to myself, I was sitting at 235lbs. I started staying within a calorie window with MFP about 3 weeks ago. Very light exercise. (Uliptical 15 minutes and 4 sets of 10, 25lb weights.) And I'm now down go 223lbs. The dizziness is sometimes too much to bear so I haven't been to the gym in a week.

Is there anyone else out there suffering from some of the same symptoms that could give me advice? I don't want to be fat anymore. I want to live. I want to adopt a child with my husband and live long enough to see them graduate and get married. I don't want to die before I'm 40 because of diabetes or heart disease.. but I'm afraid my illnesses will hold me back. Please help.

Replies

  • kiara1066
    kiara1066 Posts: 119 Member
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    Great job on the weight loss! I am sorry about the difficulties you went though and are still going through, but I see something in you that drive to live the desire to have more for yourself and your husband. Keep doing what you're doing and your seeing Progress congrats! I would recommend keep up with your workout and losing the weight like you did before. I am not sure what else I could say, but speak with your doctor about the side effects you are having and see if maybe something can help reduce it.
  • kizzim03
    kizzim03 Posts: 5 Member
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    I also have PCOS, facial hair, body weight, and it sucks. I went through a similar wake up call when I was 230 lb and decided enough was enough. That was five years ago. Today I'm under 180 and still counting down.

    From what I'm reading, so far you are doing great! It might seem like slow progress but it IS progress. You're staying active even when you can't go to the gym and you're sticking to your calorie count. That's good!

    Just be aware that you are going to have some bad days. Days you are too dizzy to move, you need a little comfort food, take a weekend break, and then next time you go on the scale you've gained 5 pounds and you want to beat yourself up about it. Don't. You indulged or your body isn't coping with that time of the month (and yes even with PCOS some girls go through the water weight during that time of the month). That's okay. It happens. Get back on the horse and keep doing what you need to do.

    My suggestions are similar to above, talk to a doctor about your symptoms, and if they can't help find a second opinion. Second suggestion, tell you husband about your goals and your reasons why you want to lose weight and see if he can help encourage you. For him to be the guy to give you a hug and a smile when the scale hasn't moved in a week, to do stomach crunches with you because he wants to spend time with you, that will help immensely.

    Hope you reach your goals. Keep it up!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    AznChickenSalad wrote: »
    About 6 years ago, shortly after losing 55lbs and weighing in at around 178lbs, I was diagnosed with an arachnoid cyst on my right side of my brain. About the size of a quarter. I get terrible headaches and I'm always dizzy. I sunk into a deep depression and stayed inside by myself. I ended up gaining the weight back.

    This past year I was again hit with another cruel diagnoses. Policystic Ovarian Syndrome. One of the most severe cases. (Upper body weight gain, lack of hormones, low sex drive, unwanted body hair, no periods and no pregnancy.) Again, I sunk back into a depression and gained more weight.

    By the time I slapped myself awake to see what I was doing to myself, I was sitting at 235lbs. I started staying within a calorie window with MFP about 3 weeks ago. Very light exercise. (Uliptical 15 minutes and 4 sets of 10, 25lb weights.) And I'm now down go 223lbs. The dizziness is sometimes too much to bear so I haven't been to the gym in a week.

    Is there anyone else out there suffering from some of the same symptoms that could give me advice? I don't want to be fat anymore. I want to live. I want to adopt a child with my husband and live long enough to see them graduate and get married. I don't want to die before I'm 40 because of diabetes or heart disease.. but I'm afraid my illnesses will hold me back. Please help.

    I have no experience with a brain cyst, so no advice there other than working with your dr.
    PCOS is not a cruel or unusual diagnosis, do not panic. It is one of the most common medical problems. Lose the weight, it is making things worse. Weight loss alone is not always enough to help with PCOS and fertility, but it is a first much needed step. Getting back to a healthy weight will make a huge difference. To give you an example (which is anecdotal evidence obviously) for me the difference in regular periods and fertility was having a BMI in the average healthy range vs a BMI in the lower healthy range. Even this small weight difference made a huge difference in symptoms and how my body reacted. So track your calories, se a realistic weight goal, and be patient.
    Physical activity is also needed to control PCOS, but you need to discuss with your dr what is safe and how you can approach this.
    Focus on what you can do (tracking calories) and on how to deal with the basic problem, which is the arachnoid cyst. One thing at a time, do not panic.
  • AznChickenSalad
    AznChickenSalad Posts: 5 Member
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    Thanks, everyone. I appreciate your kind words and support. :)<3
  • sndrd49
    sndrd49 Posts: 234 Member
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    My daughter has PCOS and was told when she was 19 that she would have a very difficult time getting pregnant and that it was unlikely that she ever would. She had horribly painful periods when she had them at all, facial hair, weight gain, the whole 9. She started running and playing Ultimate and I don't know if that's what did it, but I now have the most amazing grandaughter, she was unexpected but the greatest blessing. Doctors don't know everything.
  • jgday9
    jgday9 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi! I'm not even sure if you're on here, but I have an arachnoid cyst also. They say it's about the size of my fist (I'm a 5'5" 130 lb female in my twenties if that gives you an idea of size of my fist). Its gotten so bad to the point where I fall over really easily and i have other symptoms. I tried out a pole dancing class and loved it, but during my third class, i completely lost my vision and got nauseous. My PCP says that was probably the cyst.

    And while I dont have PCOS, I was diagnosed with endometriosis when I was 19. Pretty upsetting given that I very much want kids as well. I'm trying to get surgery to drain my cyst because its putting so much pressure on my brain (and let me tell you that some doctors absolutely WILL NOT believe you when you say your symptoms are that bad) so that I can live a normal life again. I have an idea of what you're going through, and I want to tell you you're not alone. You're going to get through this. I'm rooting for you. And I hope you find a solution that works for you for the cyst and everything else.

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