Bullimia and PCOS

JOEY 2 · 01-16-2004, 05:47 AM

Although I have been reading the PCOS messsage board for a while now, this is the first time I am writing and the reason being is this:

I had bullimia for a few years in my teens and eventhough it has been kept well under control for many years now (I am 30) I have practised binge eating up until about 3 months ago. My periods have been irregualr since the age of about 23. I have always been thin and very involved in long distance running to which I attributed the irregular periods. I conceived my first luck without fertility treatment and not even realising that anything was wrong with me. After my first child I was diagnosed with PCOS. The only symptoms I have ever had have been irregular periods and inability to ovulate. My second child was conceived on pergonal injections after clomid proved unsuccessful.

What I want to know is wether or not PCOS could have been caused by my past eating habits and wether or not by following the strict healthy eating plan that I have been on for the past 3 months could rectify the condition. I am currently on BCP to regulate my periods but I am keen to go off them in a couple of months and try for a third child.

lissadell · 01-16-2004, 03:18 PM

Hi Joey,

Welcome to SoulCysters! And, congratulations on working to get your bulimia under control. I am sure that is no easy task and commend you for it.

I have heard of a connection between eating disorders and PCOS -- e.g., that eating disorders can disrupt one's pituitary functioning and hormonal balance and lead to PCOS. I've also read that PCOS ladies can be at high risk for eating disorders; because losing weight is often offered as a treatment strategy for overweight cysters, some may develop eating disorders in an attempt to quickly lose weight, instead of purusing a well-managed diet.

I did some searching on the Internet and found one interesting study on bulimia and PCOS. Here's an excerpt:

“McCluskey et al found that three quarters of 34 patients with bulimia nervosa had polycystic ovaries and roughly one third of 153 patients with the polycystic ovarian syndrome attending an endocrinology clinic had scores on a self rating scale for bulimia indicating disordered eating. It was stated that fluctuations in carbohydrate intake associated with bulimia may facilitate the phenotypic expression of the polycystic ovarian syndrome via altered insulin resistance.”

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/conte...l/318/7179/328

What's interesting to me is that the author suggests that bulimia can lead to insulin resistance problems, which can in turn lead to PCOS.

Unfortunately, I don't have an answer as to whether your improved diet regimen will help resolve your PCOS. Based on the study above, however, I would definitely recommend that you have your insulin evaluated to determine if treatment with insulin-sensitizing meds would be helpful to you (if you have not done so already, of course).

I hope that other cysters may have better answers to your diet question, or possibly personal experiences to share. If you don't get the answers you want in this forum, you also may want to post in a different area of the site.

Best of luck and again, welcome! Do keep us posted on your progress and on anything you learn about using diet to improve your PCOS symptoms.

Wishing you success with TTC #3!

Lissa

JOEY 2 · 01-17-2004, 03:12 AM

Thank you so much Lissa for your informative response AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

I have had my insulin levels checked and they were normal. However, I do feel that eventhough they were normal something is most definitely out of sinc. My doctor refused to put me on MET as he said the results were normal (even after I discussed the evidence of MET in thin girls with normal insulin levels).

Would consulting an endocrinologist be a good idea and excuse my ignorance but what is TTC #3 (I'm not that familiar with all this new terminology)

Hope to hear more
Joey.

JOEY 2 · 01-17-2004, 03:14 AM

Thank you so much Lissa for your informative response AND WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.

I have had my insulin levels checked and they were normal. However, I do feel that eventhough they were normal something is most definitely out of sinc. My doctor refused to put me on MET as he said the results were normal (even after I discussed the evidence of MET in thin girls with normal insulin levels).

Would consulting an endocrinologist be a good idea?
Hope to hear more
Joey.

st@ce · 01-17-2004, 06:55 AM

Hi and welcome Joey! Congrats on beating both of those big B's. Shows how strong you really are!

Firstly, TTC = Trying to Conceive. Heres a link to some more abbreviations: http://www.soulcysters.net/showthrea...&threadid=5705

Secondly, tho I have no advice or knowledge to offer you in terms of Bulimia's link to PCOS I do find the whole idea VERY interesting. I had rather unhealthy eating habits as a teenager too, going so far as to have a dependency on diet pills (Duromine) to get/keep thin. I often wonder whether this contributed to my experience of PCOS. I wouldn't be surprised since constant dieting disturbs ones insulin and PCOS is so closely linked to this master hormone.

I hope someone out there has some answers for ya coz I'd be highly interested in the answer too!

lissadell · 01-18-2004, 10:59 AM

Hi Joey,

I do think going to an endocrinologist would benefit you. Just from personal experience, I've found my endocrinologist much more knowledgeable about PCOS and treatment options than any general practitioner or my OBGYN whom I've consulted about PCOS.

I also think that your insulin levels can test in the higher end of the normal range, but still be a indicator of potential insulin resistance. I expect most general docs might not know this (they might just look at the reports and say you're normal if nothing's flagged), but an endocrinologist would be aware of these subtleties.

Best Wishes

Lissa