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Old 05-08-2009, 07:42 PM   #6 (permalink)
Stacie M
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Well, I'm no where near thin, so I hope you don't mind me posting. However, I was thin, and wanted to add my thoughts.

I was thin until I was about 19. My PCOS weight gain kicked in and I gained a total of 80 pounds. I think this was compounded by the fact that I had undiagnosed PCOS and was being told to eat a low fat diet (which resulted in a high calorie and high carb diet, adding to my weight gain).

I think the doctors didn't take any of my PCOS symptoms seriously until I gained that weight. When I was thin and complained about irregular/absent periods, hair growth, and hypoglycemic episodes, they were brushed off. Not one doctor mentioned PCOS or did blood work. When I complained of pelvic pain or absent periods, I was given BCPs. I was told the hair growth was likely just hereditary (but no one else has it?). The hypoglycemia was because I wasn't eating enough, etc.

Finally, when the weight was packing on they started to get concerned and put me on a low fat diet (which equaled more weight for me). Then, finally, someone thought of PCOS and did some work-ups. It took years to get them to take me seriously. I got my official diagnosis at 22, and had been in and out of the doctors with symptoms since I was 14 (absent periods from the onset). They wouldn't consider PCOS until I "looked" like I had PCOS.

It sucks, because I had never heard of it and couldn't really advocate for myself. I wonder if some of my weight gain could have been prevented if I had been diagnosed beforehand and been properly educated on it and given decent treatment.
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