| Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 10
Points: 638.26 Bank: 0.00 Total Points: 638.26 |  New Here and Need Med Help Please!!
First, I'd like to say I have not been officially diagnosed with PCOS. I am Officially Hypothryoid (2002) and Hyperinsulinemic(2003). But I believe my endo has been treating me as if I have PCOS since probably 2003.
I don't have any hirsutism (in my early 20s I had a problem with some hair growing in my cleavage, but that's about it), My periods used to be like clockwork - once a month, usually started on a Thursday, lasted 5 days, minimal bloating and cramping. I did have a horrible problem with cystic acne. And I am overweight and used to have a real problem losing it.
I am currently prescribed: Armour Thyroid - 120mg, Fortamet - 500mg, 2x/day, Aldactone - 25mg 2x/day.
So here's my journey (this is gonna be a pretty long post):
In 2002 I was finally diagnosed hypothryoid, I had something like 20 of 25 known symptoms, and I was lucky enough to find an Endo that was really good, and able to treat me, despite blood results stating I was "within normal range". In the 6 months after I started on Levoxyl I managed to lose 30 lbs fairly easily, and was feeling quite good. Except - I was still getting horrible, painful cystic acne. So we tried BCP, but it made me so crazy I got off it in 2 months, and then he put me on Glucophage with an Aldactone chaser. I was OK with that for a bit, sucked up the morning explosions, dealt with the hypoglycemia, made sure I ate no sugary carbs whatsoever, and brought matches with me everyday in case I had to go to the bathroom. Even factored in the extra 20 minutes getting dressed in case it was going to be one of those mornings. I tolerated all that, because my acne cleared up incredibly. So incredibly in fact, that my face started getting chapped instead. What I couldn't tolerate however, was the 2 lb fat gain every month, despite rigorous exercises and watching my diet like a hawk (and having everything i ate come out the other end, quite rapidly).
When I had finally gained all my original weight back and then some (prolly mid 2004?) i said to hell with it, and stopped complying with glucophage. I still kept taking the aldactone to keep my skin at bay. My Endo also decided to switch me to Armour Thyroid, to see if that would help with the wieght gain. I felt so much better without all the sides, but I wasn't losing what i had gained. I resolved to just stay fat and happy, and not bother with the strict diet and exercise. (i'd been dieting long enough that now it's a lifestyle, and it is much cleaner then when I didn't know any better, but now i do occassionally indulge in white bread, and rice and potatoes and so on - even ice cream).
Anyways - I was feeling okay, but my Endo really wasn't happy with my insulin levels creeping back up again - I had explained my issues with glucophage, and he gave me a diabetic diet, and 6 months to sort it out myself. My cholesterol levels were also out of wack. By Oct. of 2005 tho, he had enough, and said he was going to try me on Fortamet. I was to take 1 500mg pill in the AM and 1 500mg pill in PM.
This actually was a godsend - I had no explosions, no symptoms whatsoever, i started losing weight doing absolutely nothing (it was the holdiays so the diet was totally whacked, and I wasn't working out anymore either). My metabolism started humming along, with one bad effect being night sweats. That's not much fun, but hey, if i'm losing weight doing nothing, my insulin is under control and my cholesterol is slowly but surely dropping, what's wet sheets, compared to an exploding butt, huh?
Around about February of this year tho, my period started changing - It started lasting longer, and was a bit heavier. Then I started spotting in the middle and as of today I think I've just started my period again after finishing it up 10 days ago. (that means I had just one week of feeling great, before the PMS started back).
I visited the board the other day, and read through some of the metformin stuff, and I decided to stop taking the aldactone to see if that would help with the breast tenderness I was feeling then, but now i'm wondering whether perhaps the Aldactone keeps the menstrual sides of the Fortamet at bay.
I did play around with the Fortamet dosage a few months back, and upped it to 1000mg in the am and 500mg in the pm, and within a week, i started spotting and it pretty much lasted until I dropped the dosage down again (7 days).
Does anybody have any ideas what's going on, or how to cope? I see my Endo again in a couple of weeks, and I do plan on talking to him about this, but I would really hate to let the Fortamet go, since I've been doing so well on it. I do intend to swing by GNC today and pick up some super ultra mega blah blah blah daily vitamins, as I do have tingly limbs as well. Should I get back on the aldactone? I've been off for 3 days - i'm not sure what it's half-life is.
Any help is greatly appreciated! |
I recently stopped taking my Aldactone due to the possible birth defects if anything came about... I started spotting on Thursday and haven't really seemed to stop. What I would suggest doing is getting back on Aldactone just till the period stops. If you think it would still return then I would stick with it till you see your endo. The Aldactone isn't really causing any negative side effects is it? I would also suggest taking a look at the Alternative Remedies board. Don't quote me but I believe NPC can help with regulating your menstrual cycles a bit more. And I think it's Evening Primrose Oil that I've heard can help with breast tenderness. I hope this helps and that your nasty period will go way. SHOOO AF!
