Gaining weight. Feeling awful. (women's health related - fair warning!)
Panda_Poptarts
Posts: 971 Member
I've been dealing with approximately 7 pounds of water weight for just about 2 weeks now. TOM showed up and most of the water weight (with the exception of one pound) went away. Then I "gained" some more, and I'm now juggling an additional 3lb.
I feel like I look thinner, I KNOW I'm losing body fat, but I feel puffy and bloated.
A bit about my health-- potential TMI
I have PCOS and have taken birth control for several years to regulate my hormones. I had an ovary removed last summer. My doctor, who is not the most experienced, couldn't tell me if taking my birth control is necessary, due to having the ovary removed. As an experiment of sorts, and in an effort to take less medication, I went off of my birth control a month or so ago. I also quit taking my metformin, because my blood sugars have been normal without it, and living on the toilet sucks. Is there ANY chance some of this is hormonal or medication related? I see my doctor tomorrow, and hopefully he has some advice.
I realize that I'm making progress, but feeling full and puffy is not a pleasant feeling. I want those pounds back off and I'm really not sure what else to try at this point.
I feel like I look thinner, I KNOW I'm losing body fat, but I feel puffy and bloated.
A bit about my health-- potential TMI
I have PCOS and have taken birth control for several years to regulate my hormones. I had an ovary removed last summer. My doctor, who is not the most experienced, couldn't tell me if taking my birth control is necessary, due to having the ovary removed. As an experiment of sorts, and in an effort to take less medication, I went off of my birth control a month or so ago. I also quit taking my metformin, because my blood sugars have been normal without it, and living on the toilet sucks. Is there ANY chance some of this is hormonal or medication related? I see my doctor tomorrow, and hopefully he has some advice.I realize that I'm making progress, but feeling full and puffy is not a pleasant feeling. I want those pounds back off and I'm really not sure what else to try at this point.
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Is it time to cut dairy and sweeteners?
I'm not sure I can live without cheese. Lol.0 -
I would love to have an answer here - I imagine it could be hormone or thyroid related, but I'm no doc or expert. I know some people resort to cutting the dairy/sweeteners to see if it helps, so maybe? I'm sure someone with more knowledge than me will chime in soon 0
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@Deena_Bean it's helpful just to vent, too
Last time my thyroid was checked, it was normal.
I KNOW I'm making a ton of progress. I just don't feel well right now and it's super frustrating.0 -
I was struggling with the knowing I was making progress but not seeing it on the scale. It was driving me nuts. Then I put on some pants one morning and they were so baggie my husband was like, "You need new pants. They're falling off of you." The scale had not moved in 6 weeks when he said that. I measured...bam. Inches lost. Sometimes you have to just let progress happen in whatever way it wants to. Maybe this is just a shift of things and your body is sorting it out. Sometimes you have to give time time. That's a tough one...0
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@Panda_Poptarts Just because your thyroid level is in the normal range does not mean it is NORMAL FOR YOU.
If you're having swelling out of nowhere and such, that's actually a huge waving red flag about low thyroid levels.
I don't know specifically, but I imagine it could be any number of things.
And I still don't WANT to live without cheese, though I do acknowledge that it's possible. Happily, perhaps not. LOL0 -
@Deena_Bean I've done the same thing. At this point even my leggings are falling off, which is humorous in itself. The idea of walking away from the scale and letting it happen is tough. My trainer wants to "talk about" my lack of weight loss tomorrow, which is further frustrating since he sees my progress. I've lost inches from head to toe, and am averaging 1.5% of BF lost per week.0
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@KnitOrMiss with the thyroid stuff, do you have any recommendations?
I've had symptoms of thyroid issues for years. Fatigue pretty regularly, I'm always freezing, heavy periods (also PCOS related), high cholesterol, dry and itchy skin... Every time I've had it checked, I've been informed that I'm within the normal range and the symptoms have been shrugged off. How would you proceed from that?
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I think it all waxes and wanes - if you stay the course, the changes will come. Sometimes those changes are pokey *kitten* that you hate for taking so long and making you crazy...but, they show up at some point. Late with a half-empty bottle of wine, but hey, at least they're there, right?0
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If you cut something out of your diet to experiment, I would do one at a time to be accurate. I have a feeling that around the TOM, it can take a couple weeks to adjust -- our bodies are so up and down. I feel puffy and bloated for a week before and all during TOM.0
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Panda_Poptarts wrote: »@KnitOrMiss with the thyroid stuff, do you have any recommendations?
I've had symptoms of thyroid issues for years. Fatigue pretty regularly, I'm always freezing, heavy periods (also PCOS related), high cholesterol, dry and itchy skin... Every time I've had it checked, I've been informed that I'm within the normal range and the symptoms have been shrugged off. How would you proceed from that?
Get an endocrinologist. There is more than "a" thyroid test. In fact, my endo told me that the tests most docs run don't tell you squat. www.stopthethyroidmadness.com.
If you don't suspect Hashimoto's at all, supplementing with iodine CAN help, but not always. Most docs after repeated complaints of the same things will give you a low level thyroid medication to see if it helps, because symptoms, particularly in folks with PCOS are well camouflaged.
Find an endo, and if you already have one, find a different one. My endo has been the best thing I ever did for myself, and he's the third one I tried. He very much understands how some conditions mirror and mask other things, so he treats the symptoms if the standard stuff doesn't help.0 -
Thanks so much @KnitOrMiss I will definitely look into an endocrinologist. My doctor hasn't wanted to refer me out to anyone, since he feels there is "no issue". Although, my PCOS and lingering ovary should be reason enough for a referral. I have an appointment tomorrow with my doctor's attending physician, so hopefully he will get me a referral, or at the very least have more information for me.0
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I was up 2 lbs for almost a week. Don't get discouraged. Measure & use your clothes as a benchmark. The scale will move eventually.0
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Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Thanks so much @KnitOrMiss I will definitely look into an endocrinologist. My doctor hasn't wanted to refer me out to anyone, since he feels there is "no issue". Although, my PCOS and lingering ovary should be reason enough for a referral. I have an appointment tomorrow with my doctor's attending physician, so hopefully he will get me a referral, or at the very least have more information for me.
Definitely. And honestly, unless you're in love with that doctor or don't have another choice, I'd seriously fire him. Apparently he has no real concept of PCOS, hypothyroidism, women's issues - or have the slightest interest in actually listening to his patient.
And I would NOT settle for information. If they won't refer you, go on your own to one, unless your insurance requires a referral. If they insist you don't need a referral, tell them you are taking charge of your health, you have unresolved symptoms, and you feel that your female hormone system will be better managed by someone with more training in that arena - and therefore you're freeing him to work with his other patients.
Again, I would no accept NO as an answer....this is your health and your life, and you only have one...0 -
I would eliminate sweetners! The only times I have felt puffy while doing keto was when I did consume them! It went away for me! Hope you find a solution!0
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Panda_Poptarts wrote: »@KnitOrMiss with the thyroid stuff, do you have any recommendations?
I've had symptoms of thyroid issues for years. Fatigue pretty regularly, I'm always freezing, heavy periods (also PCOS related), high cholesterol, dry and itchy skin... Every time I've had it checked, I've been informed that I'm within the normal range and the symptoms have been shrugged off. How would you proceed from that?
Go to an endocrinologist a good one will treat you based on symptoms not just test results.
Eta: my results are all on normal range too, until they did an ultrasound which showed 9 nodules, now 11 nodules and the gland is enlarged. So sure my blood levels are fine but honestly how can it be working properly with all that going on inside it.0 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »I've been dealing with approximately 7 pounds of water weight for just about 2 weeks now. TOM showed up and most of the water weight (with the exception of one pound) went away. Then I "gained" some more, and I'm now juggling an additional 3lb.
I feel like I look thinner, I KNOW I'm losing body fat, but I feel puffy and bloated.
A bit about my health-- potential TMI I have PCOS and have taken birth control for several years to regulate my hormones. I had an ovary removed last summer. My doctor, who is not the most experienced, couldn't tell me if taking my birth control is necessary, due to having the ovary removed. As an experiment of sorts, and in an effort to take less medication, I went off of my birth control a month or so ago. I also quit taking my metformin, because my blood sugars have been normal without it, and living on the toilet sucks. Is there ANY chance some of this is hormonal or medication related? I see my doctor tomorrow, and hopefully he has some advice.
I realize that I'm making progress, but feeling full and puffy is not a pleasant feeling. I want those pounds back off and I'm really not sure what else to try at this point.
Birth control is not necessary for managing PCOS, and in fact, can do more harm than good, because it can exacerbate estrogen dominance and/or mask other issues. Of course, if you're sexually active and don't want to get pregnant, you'll want to make sure you're using some form of birth control. Having PCOS does not mean you're infertile, even with just one ovary.
Why did you have an ovary removed?
Try removing sweeteners, first. Then, try a month without dairy. There's some evidence that PCOS may have an autoimmune component or comorbid, and casein is one of the problematic proteins in people with autoimmune issues (due to its cross-reactivity with gluten).
Also, what are your salt and water intakes like? An imbalance of those might be contributing to the water retention. Try to get at least half your weight in ounces of water each day and around 3,000mg of sodium.0 -
Panda_Poptarts wrote: »@Deena_Bean I've done the same thing. At this point even my leggings are falling off, which is humorous in itself. The idea of walking away from the scale and letting it happen is tough. My trainer wants to "talk about" my lack of weight loss tomorrow, which is further frustrating since he sees my progress. I've lost inches from head to toe, and am averaging 1.5% of BF lost per week.
I hate that the number on the scale is the be-all-and-end-all of health. I'm lucky enough to have a doctor that can look beyond my weight. When I approached him a couple years ago about weight loss surgery ( I was seriously considering the LapBand) his response was "No, you're healthy and your numbers, aside from the scale, don't warrant you having a surgery.". I was floored!! So many doctors just focus on the scale and not the overall picture. When I pressed further his response was still no... that my weight was no affecting my health (aside from a sugar number we are watching carefully because of my family history) and it was "purely cosmetic" for me to want this surgery and he would not approve it.
Needless to say, I flippin' love my doctor!! He is also 100% on board with Keto and is very excited for my physical in June to see my 6month progress.
As for your issue... I totally agree that maybe just let your body do it's thing but perhaps see another doctor. As for the trainer... he sounds like a tool if he can only focus on the scale number and not that your inches and body fat are going down!!0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »Panda_Poptarts wrote: »Thanks so much @KnitOrMiss I will definitely look into an endocrinologist. My doctor hasn't wanted to refer me out to anyone, since he feels there is "no issue". Although, my PCOS and lingering ovary should be reason enough for a referral. I have an appointment tomorrow with my doctor's attending physician, so hopefully he will get me a referral, or at the very least have more information for me.
Definitely. And honestly, unless you're in love with that doctor or don't have another choice, I'd seriously fire him. Apparently he has no real concept of PCOS, hypothyroidism, women's issues - or have the slightest interest in actually listening to his patient.
And I would NOT settle for information. If they won't refer you, go on your own to one, unless your insurance requires a referral. If they insist you don't need a referral, tell them you are taking charge of your health, you have unresolved symptoms, and you feel that your female hormone system will be better managed by someone with more training in that arena - and therefore you're freeing him to work with his other patients.
Again, I would no accept NO as an answer....this is your health and your life, and you only have one...
I think I love you. Thank you!!0 -
I would eliminate sweetners! The only times I have felt puffy while doing keto was when I did consume them! It went away for me! Hope you find a solution!
I truly hope it doesn't come to that, but I will definitely keep an eye on the quantity for now. I've been consuming splenda for quite some time now without issue, and losing weight consistently. Will see what my doc says tomorrow though 0 -
auntstephie321 wrote: »
Go to an endocrinologist a good one will treat you based on symptoms not just test results.
Eta: my results are all on normal range too, until they did an ultrasound which showed 9 nodules, now 11 nodules and the gland is enlarged. So sure my blood levels are fine but honestly how can it be working properly with all that going on inside it.
It certainly doesn't SEEM normal, does it?! I realize that most of these symptoms are also symptoms of PCOS, and the masking effect of the two is pretty real. That being said, my PCOS symptoms (back pain, heavy irregular periods, unwanted hair growth, abdominal pain) are much improved, but the other symptoms are not. That seems to indicate that something else is up.0 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »Birth control is not necessary for managing PCOS, and in fact, can do more harm than good, because it can exacerbate estrogen dominance and/or mask other issues. Of course, if you're sexually active and don't want to get pregnant, you'll want to make sure you're using some form of birth control. Having PCOS does not mean you're infertile, even with just one ovary.
Why did you have an ovary removed?
Try removing sweeteners, first. Then, try a month without dairy. There's some evidence that PCOS may have an autoimmune component or comorbid, and casein is one of the problematic proteins in people with autoimmune issues (due to its cross-reactivity with gluten).
Also, what are your salt and water intakes like? An imbalance of those might be contributing to the water retention. Try to get at least half your weight in ounces of water each day and around 3,000mg of sodium.
I was put on birth control as soon as I was diagnosed as a teen, for "regulating periods" and have been on and off of it for years. I am married, so one should hope I'm sexually active (lol), but I had my tubes tied some years ago.
I had one ovary and fallopian tube removed at the end of July due to a very large cyst that was not resolving, and chronic pelvic pain. The pain has resolved since the removal of the ovary, which is AWESOME! At this point, I feel well enough to not want the BC, so I occasionally go cold turkey off of it - which my doctor insists will cause menopause, despite having a functioning ovary remaining. I'd like to stay off of it for good this time. Hormones suck!
I will say that I was dairy free for 2.5 years while nursing my son, who was born with a slew of allergies. Removal of dairy had no effect on me, so I doubt that's the case. Too much cheese, I can see though. I really do consume a lot of cheese
I've been watching the sodium and trying to keep it up. I somehow hit 7g yesterday. I try to get in a minimum of 3g, plus what goes on my food at the table.
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Needless to say, I flippin' love my doctor!! He is also 100% on board with Keto and is very excited for my physical in June to see my 6month progress.
As for your issue... I totally agree that maybe just let your body do it's thing but perhaps see another doctor. As for the trainer... he sounds like a tool if he can only focus on the scale number and not that your inches and body fat are going down!!
Your doctor sounds amazing! Mine is not so much. I really need to take the time to find another doc. My trainer is generally pretty great, but he does focus on numbers more than I'd like him to. He certainly sees the results, but still pressures me to drop the pounds, as well as the inches and BF%. Which is complicated, so I'm building visible muscle, too. It's a lot of pressure, and has been stressing me out more than this gain normally would.
Yes, I want to know why I'm gaining and figure that out. But at a certain point I just need to say screw it and carry on. It'll balance out, right?0 -
o.O Yeah...you need a new doctor... Definitely have a look into new ones.
I doubt going off the birth control would "cause menopause," per se, though with a third of the equipment gone, your numbers might be lower than they should be for a bearing-age woman, and that might be something to watch and supplement for, but birth control's not really the way to go about that. (Seriously, I want to smack every doctor that treats birth control as the cure-all for women's hormonal issues.) I'm not sure I'd let your doctor within 100 feet of me, though. Get an endo or at least a better regular doctor to help on that front.
Going LCHF does strange things with how we react to foods, so it might be worth doing another dairy-free trial. For example, I grew up on grains (like most of us here) and had no real known issue (and certainly no skin issues connected to it), but when I stopped grains for a while, then let them back in (old habits creeping in), I got some gnarly eczema and what may have even been dermatitis herpetiformis (the kind some Celiacs get) that didn't heal until I quit grains again for several weeks.0 -
Which pill were you taking? Some of them have a mild potassium sparing diuretic effect, and if you went off one of those, you would notice more water retention.
Birth control pills are actually an excellent way to deal with a number of women's reproductive health issues, less problematic than taking other hormones, and they lower your risk of ovarian cancer substantially. If you're having a problem with the one you were on, there are other versions, and other dosages you could try.0 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »o.O Yeah...you need a new doctor... Definitely have a look into new ones.
I doubt going off the birth control would "cause menopause," per se, though with a third of the equipment gone, your numbers might be lower than they should be for a bearing-age woman, and that might be something to watch and supplement for, but birth control's not really the way to go about that. (Seriously, I want to smack every doctor that treats birth control as the cure-all for women's hormonal issues.) I'm not sure I'd let your doctor within 100 feet of me, though. Get an endo or at least a better regular doctor to help on that front.
Going LCHF does strange things with how we react to foods, so it might be worth doing another dairy-free trial. For example, I grew up on grains (like most of us here) and had no real known issue (and certainly no skin issues connected to it), but when I stopped grains for a while, then let them back in (old habits creeping in), I got some gnarly eczema and what may have even been dermatitis herpetiformis (the kind some Celiacs get) that didn't heal until I quit grains again for several weeks.
Totally agreed on the bc issue, I don't understand why they insist on pumping every woman full of hormones to "regulate" things. Why don't then spend some time finding out why that regulation is needed. Surely there must be an answer that doesn't require taking a hormone pill each and every day.
I've heard of so many woman after stopping those pills having serious issues with their reproductive system regularity afterwards. Not everyone needs to consistently take pills so their bodies function properly so why is everyone directed that way? $$$$$$$
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Here are some of the reasons that my hormones needed to be regulated:
- I had basically one mostly pain-free week a month, when I didn't have cramps, water retention, and headaches. My pain and puffiness went away when I went on the pill.
- I had a butterfly shaped facial hyperpigmentation slapped over my forehead, cheeks, and upper lip that faded when I went on the pill and my hormones were regulated.
- I had dark chin hairs that went away when I went on the pill. Hallelujah.
- I had giant fibroids stimulated by natural cyclical surges in estrogen that are suppressed by the pill.
- I had endometriosis that made it painful to cough or sneeze. Going on the pill relieved this pain.
- I bled so much on a monthly basis that I was anemic. Going on the pill reduced my bleeding, until I went on the pill continuously, and didn't bleed at all.
- Going on the pill is the reason I didn't need a hysterectomy when I was 32.
- And if that isn't enough, taking the pill for 5 years decreases a woman's chance of developing ovarian cancer, especially if she doesn't want, or can't have children. Yes, ovulating actually damages your ovaries and makes cancer more likely. Not ovulating, because you're pregnant or on the pill, helps to mitigate the problem.
Did I want to go on the pill? No, but I did it because I didn't want surgery, and there are no less invasive treatments for the conditions that I had. And when I did go on it, I got relief from my debilitating symptoms.0 -
I'm happy that it was able to help you. I don't think its the cure all for ever hormone issue in all woman and is widely over prescribed for those who do not need it.
It also increases risk of depression anxiety and stroke. Our bodies are designed to ovulate if that is causing issues then they need to research why that is happening not just slap a band aid on it and say here supplement these hormones and you'll be fine. There are other answers.0 -
Every woman has to consider her own risk of blood clots. Women who don't smoke, and have no predisposing health factors or history of blood clots, who take the usual low dose pill, have very little risk of stroke. The pill I ended up taking helped my depression, after trying one that made it worse. There are many formulations of the pill, and there really isn't something less invasive for someone who suffers from a variety of painful reproductive issues.auntstephie321 wrote: »I'm happy that it was able to help you. I don't think its the cure all for ever hormone issue in all woman and is widely over prescribed for those who do not need it.
It also increases risk of depression anxiety and stroke. Our bodies are designed to ovulate if that is causing issues then they need to research why that is happening not just slap a band aid on it and say here supplement these hormones and you'll be fine. There are other answers.
PCOS is one of those painful issues, that involves the reproductive system, although it is also much more than that.0 -
lithezebra wrote: »
Every woman has to consider her own risk of blood clots. Women who don't smoke, and have no predisposing health factors or history of blood clots, who take the usual low dose pill, have very little risk of stroke. The pill I ended up taking helped my depression, after trying one that made it worse. There are many formulations of the pill, and there really isn't something less invasive for someone who suffers from a variety of painful reproductive issues.auntstephie321 wrote: »I'm happy that it was able to help you. I don't think its the cure all for ever hormone issue in all woman and is widely over prescribed for those who do not need it.
It also increases risk of depression anxiety and stroke. Our bodies are designed to ovulate if that is causing issues then they need to research why that is happening not just slap a band aid on it and say here supplement these hormones and you'll be fine. There are other answers.
PCOS is one of those painful issues, that involves the reproductive system, although it is also much more than that.
Diet, though it's something that takes a lot more work than a lot of people are willing to do (especially since it generally requires deprogramming the whole "healthy whole grains" and "women need carbs" stuff), and the effects aren't always immediate. However, as a woman who has battled with PCOS for a decade and neither birth control nor Metformin has helped for any length of time (and made things, overall, worse), I can tell you that diet is an option and is nowhere near invasive.
The fact that PCOS is, indeed, much more than a reproductive issue is exactly why I disagree with such liberal and mindless prescription of birth control pills to women with it.lithezebra wrote: »Birth control pills are actually an excellent way to deal with a number of women's reproductive health issues, less problematic than taking other hormones, and they lower your risk of ovarian cancer substantially. If you're having a problem with the one you were on, there are other versions, and other dosages you could try.
Not as a front-line, no-questions-asked intervention, in my opinion, and that's where I have a problem with how it's handled, because it doesn't actually address the cause.
Oh, have acne? Here, take the Pill. Bad cramps? The Pill. PCOS? The Pill. The problem that I have with it is that it simply masks the symptoms, instead of addressing the underlying cause, and because the symptoms go away, the doctors don't bother with anything else, allowing the underlying cause to continue its damage.
Then, the woman comes in a decade later, and her thyroid's shot, she has diabetes, and 100 excess pounds on her. She also believes that she's permanently infertile (and the doctor agrees).
When she's 50, she's already got osteoporosis and her latest mammogram shows signs of breast cancer, while the pap smear shows signs of uterine cancer. What she doesn't know at all, is that her depression and gallbladder removal were connected. All because she's been estrogen dominant for the past 30 years, but her doctor just threw a pack of pills at her and didn't bother to do anything else.0 -
Dragonwolf wrote: »lithezebra wrote: »
Every woman has to consider her own risk of blood clots. Women who don't smoke, and have no predisposing health factors or history of blood clots, who take the usual low dose pill, have very little risk of stroke. The pill I ended up taking helped my depression, after trying one that made it worse. There are many formulations of the pill, and there really isn't something less invasive for someone who suffers from a variety of painful reproductive issues.auntstephie321 wrote: »I'm happy that it was able to help you. I don't think its the cure all for ever hormone issue in all woman and is widely over prescribed for those who do not need it.
It also increases risk of depression anxiety and stroke. Our bodies are designed to ovulate if that is causing issues then they need to research why that is happening not just slap a band aid on it and say here supplement these hormones and you'll be fine. There are other answers.
PCOS is one of those painful issues, that involves the reproductive system, although it is also much more than that.
Diet, though it's something that takes a lot more work than a lot of people are willing to do (especially since it generally requires deprogramming the whole "healthy whole grains" and "women need carbs" stuff), and the effects aren't always immediate. However, as a woman who has battled with PCOS for a decade and neither birth control nor Metformin has helped for any length of time (and made things, overall, worse), I can tell you that diet is an option and is nowhere near invasive.
The fact that PCOS is, indeed, much more than a reproductive issue is exactly why I disagree with such liberal and mindless prescription of birth control pills to women with it.lithezebra wrote: »Birth control pills are actually an excellent way to deal with a number of women's reproductive health issues, less problematic than taking other hormones, and they lower your risk of ovarian cancer substantially. If you're having a problem with the one you were on, there are other versions, and other dosages you could try.
Not as a front-line, no-questions-asked intervention, in my opinion, and that's where I have a problem with how it's handled, because it doesn't actually address the cause.
Oh, have acne? Here, take the Pill. Bad cramps? The Pill. PCOS? The Pill. The problem that I have with it is that it simply masks the symptoms, instead of addressing the underlying cause, and because the symptoms go away, the doctors don't bother with anything else, allowing the underlying cause to continue its damage.
Then, the woman comes in a decade later, and her thyroid's shot, she has diabetes, and 100 excess pounds on her. She also believes that she's permanently infertile (and the doctor agrees).
When she's 50, she's already got osteoporosis and her latest mammogram shows signs of breast cancer, while the pap smear shows signs of uterine cancer. What she doesn't know at all, is that her depression and gallbladder removal were connected. All because she's been estrogen dominant for the past 30 years, but her doctor just threw a pack of pills at her and didn't bother to do anything else.
AMEN!0
