 Ortho Cyclen - inability to lose weight
Hello Everyone,
I was diagnosed with PCOS a few months ago. I am 27, but ever since I was in my late teens, doctors were very surprised that I did not have PCOS - Since that time I have had excessive hair growth (on top of being half Arab!), weight gain and acne. I have very normal periods. In the past my testosterone levels were fine. FINALLY a few months ago I was tested again (I hadn't been tested in 7 years probably) and my testosterone was high - I say finally because I knew the hair growth I had was way too abnormal to be just due to my ethnicity.
I have a wonderful gyno/endocronologist. I am on 300 mg of Spironolactone (yes, the hair is that bad!) and Ortho Cyclen. I was on Ortho Tri-Cyclen but my doctor said I needed consistent levels of progesterone (?). In addition I'm on 300 mg of Effexor, I've been on that for a couple of years - I've been on antidepressants since I was around 13. I'm so used to those, that t hey don't bother me at all - no side effects.
I haven't noticed a difference yet wtih the hair growth, dr. said it could take up to a year to notice a difference, which is fine, I can be patient. My problem (I think) is more with the BC. Ever since I started the Ortho Cyclen 2 months ago, I can't lose weight. A little background - in the past 5 years I gained almost 100 lbs. I have since lost about 70 lbs of it, but ever since I started the Ortho Cyclen I can't lose the weight - before that I was losing about 5 pounds a month. I'm so frustrated.
So I guess my question is if I went off BC and just took Spiro, would that be really bad? Do you think I would still notice a hair difference? The symptom I'm mostly concerned with is the hair growth and the acne, although the acne is not that bad - it's mostly ingrown hairs that look like acne.
My other symptom is severe constipation - I don't know if it is from the BC or the spiro, but it must be from one or the other (or both) because it started when I began taking these two medications (unfortunately I began them at the same time so I can't say which is the problem). Anyone have constipation with either of these?
I'm sorry - I'm sure you've all heard this a thousand times before, but I want your advice before I talk to my doctor.
Thanks so much! |