Well, in my relatively brief stay on these boards, I’ve likely earned a reputation as somewhat of a hypochondriac, thanks to my multiple health concerns (including amenorrhea, visceral fat and starvation mode), and complaints that I’ve been stuck in a 4 month-long plateau. Little did I know, all of these issues were not only very real, but were interconnected.
I went to a doctor regarding my amenorrhea, unsure if it was being caused by my weight loss/increased physical activity or if there was a more serious cause. They ran some initial tests and ruled out pregnancy and thyroid dysfunction. I was told to up my caloric intake to compensate for my more active lifestyle, and make another appointment if my cycle didn’t regulate itself. Well, it didn’t – so I went back. They did more comprehensive blood tests and it turns out that I have elevated testosterone and DHEA levels. I was referred to an endocrinologist, who is fairly certain that I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). He did more blood work to confirm his suspicions, and I won’t have confirmation for about a week, but I did some research on the disorder, and its symptoms PERFECTLY explain all the problems that I’ve been having.
The cause of PCOS is believed to be insulin resistance, and for that reason, the body’s entire endocrine system is thrown out of whack. Symptoms aren’t only a direct result of having too much of the male hormone (causing acne, excess hair growth, etc.) but weight gain is most significant result of the disorder. So even after losing 60 lbs over the past year, I still have to eat an incredibly restricted (low-glycemic, reduced calorie) diet to maintain the weight I’m at now compared to women who don’t have PCOS. The good news is that they can put me on medication usually used to treat diabetics (ie. Metformin) to help me treat the symptoms and manage my weight.
I started this thread in the hopes that if there are other women who have suffered the problems that I did, they’ll be educated about the possibility that they have PCOS, and seek medical help. Also, I’m curious if there are any other women on this board who have been diagnosed with it, and are successfully battling it with medication and lifestyle changes.
I went to a doctor regarding my amenorrhea, unsure if it was being caused by my weight loss/increased physical activity or if there was a more serious cause. They ran some initial tests and ruled out pregnancy and thyroid dysfunction. I was told to up my caloric intake to compensate for my more active lifestyle, and make another appointment if my cycle didn’t regulate itself. Well, it didn’t – so I went back. They did more comprehensive blood tests and it turns out that I have elevated testosterone and DHEA levels. I was referred to an endocrinologist, who is fairly certain that I have Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). He did more blood work to confirm his suspicions, and I won’t have confirmation for about a week, but I did some research on the disorder, and its symptoms PERFECTLY explain all the problems that I’ve been having.
The cause of PCOS is believed to be insulin resistance, and for that reason, the body’s entire endocrine system is thrown out of whack. Symptoms aren’t only a direct result of having too much of the male hormone (causing acne, excess hair growth, etc.) but weight gain is most significant result of the disorder. So even after losing 60 lbs over the past year, I still have to eat an incredibly restricted (low-glycemic, reduced calorie) diet to maintain the weight I’m at now compared to women who don’t have PCOS. The good news is that they can put me on medication usually used to treat diabetics (ie. Metformin) to help me treat the symptoms and manage my weight.
I started this thread in the hopes that if there are other women who have suffered the problems that I did, they’ll be educated about the possibility that they have PCOS, and seek medical help. Also, I’m curious if there are any other women on this board who have been diagnosed with it, and are successfully battling it with medication and lifestyle changes.