I am really glad to be here and have found a place that I should fit into (no pun intended lol). I am 22 yrs old and live in Lower Michigan (7.5 yrs), I'm originally from Northern Minnesota. So here's my story...
If you start in the very beginning when I really didn't know anything was wrong this is how the tale would be told. When I was around 11 yrs old or so I was a normal weight and very active yet it was very hard for me to maintain weight. Most of my hobbies were fitness-oriented and I never sat down. I always felt like I was fighting to NOT gain weight though. I found myself throwing away my lunch and just trying to reduce food intake in general. I figured that I was just a 'special case' and couldn't eat what other kids ate.
Around 12 yrs old I got my first period. That was about the time my life changed for the worst and little did I know where the next 10 yrs would lead me. My cycles were always messed up from the beginning, I'd have them every other month and they usually lasted for 2 weeks. My Dr. was not concerned at all and claimed it was just being young that was causing the irregularity and things would get better with age (NOT!). So to control my weight I made some really poor choices throughout the next 3-4 yrs. I abused diet pills, caffeine pills, laxatives, ipecac syrup, starved myself for days at a time and worked out COMPULSIVELY! I remember running 5 miles, biking 8 or so, horseback riding all 3 of our horses, and rollerblading 5 miles in one day in the summer time! Of course, during the school year I wasn't as active but I would go cross-country skiing most days otherwise I used our cardio machine until the # read 1000 calories burned. They really were rough years on top of moving to a new high school.
When I was 16, almost 17 I had my first boyfriend so my Mom wanted me to go on birth control. We decided Depo-provera would be a good choice just for convenience. My Dr. at the time agreed. Well for the year that I was on Depo-provera I gained 53 lbs and completely lost my periods (as expected). My Dr. did not believe at all that it could be connected to my Depo shots. The thing is, my lifestyle hadn't changed at all. I ate very clean, very little (too little) to try to lose weight or at least control it. I was still very active. So in the following years I gained another 45 or so lbs even after going off the Depo. My periods returned after going off the Depo but were so CRAZY! My Dr. said I needed to be on birth control so I was on the pill, many different brands over time. I finally went off of them as I figured they weren't helping anything. I did feel better when I went off of BCP. So anyways, I had blood tests done finding my Prolactin and Cortisol to be high but not high enough to be concerned. My Dr. told me to eat less and exercise more (great as if I'm not doing that already). NOTHING worked, I tried everything to lose weight, keeping food diaries, counting every morsel of food even gum, sodium content, everything! I was on a heavy-duty workout schedule doing cardio 5+ days a week for about an hour+/session and weight lifting 3x a week for an hour/session. It didn't work, I finally gave up, until....
I was reading "You on a Diet" by Dr. Oz and Dr. Roizen and came across page 134 or 135 and they talked about PCOS and the following page recommended some tests if you felt you couldn't lose weight and had unexplained weight gain. So, I decided what the heck it's a worth a shot. I went to a new Dr. and wanted to find out what I could do about it and also to get on some anti-depressants. Well, she prescribed me Ortho Tri-cyclen and Wellbutrin SR. I was able to fill the Wellbutrin through a low-income program but I felt hesitant towards the BCP. I decided to make an appointment with a gynecologist. I saw her and she told me I probably had PCOS (PCOD in her words) and also that she has seen similar effects of Depo-provera as to what I had happen. I almost cried, I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. All this time I had felt most of it was my fault even though that very tiny part of me thought something was very wrong. So she ordered some blood tests and diagnosed me with PCOS. She prescribed Metformin ER 500mg 2x day, then 3x day, and finally 4x a day. I plan on starting it this weekend. She didn't prescribe me anything else and her practice DOES NOT prescribe birth control at all. I still don't know how I feel about that as I've read so much about Yasmin.
So I do have some hope again that I can be the person I once was. Going from weighing in the 140's and a size 7 to weighing in the 240's and being a size 16 is tough. I don't know how my boyfriend has stuck with me. I personally find myself disgusting. I probably won't ever like what I see in the mirror but I do have hope that I can like it more than I do now. So anyways, that's all for now.....thanks for reading!
Hi, I'm also from Michigan and new to this site. I know what you mean by fit and 140 I just recently had an awesome specialist give me a name to something I worried about all my life, PCOS. I never knew the name but knew something wasn't right. I was 13 when I got my first period, I was regular until 17. Then my GYN put me on BCP to regulate my periods. But no matter how fit I was, how much I exercised I ALWAYS had that round, little "Pot belly". Now with a diagnosis, a good Dr, great family and book (PCOS: The Hidden Epidemic) I at least know what is wrong. In 1997 I was 145lbs to now 200lbs I just want to have a baby and to stop my hair from thinning
Thank you for the welcome! Hotlips, I'm waiting for my copy of the "Hidden Epidemic." I have my fingers crossed that it'll get here today. I have some other books on PCOS (couldn't afford to buy but way too important to not). One of the major difficulties I'm experiencing right now is dealing with health insurance. My current health insurance is UNAFFORDABLE but every time I try to switch I get denied. Also I don't have any RX coverage right now ugh
Hi there. I can tell you that when I was thinner I was about 134. I got up to about 205. I have gotten back down to about 140. But I lost the will power to keep it off. But I am back to losing the weight I have gained.
Welcome to SC. You will find great support and information on this site.
__________________ Heather
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Silverfinn, I love that book! I read it and said "Wow, this is me!" I have insurance but no infertility coverage for procedures or RX. Which sucks. . . Hmmm, do they give you a reason for denial? My mom is a insurance biller/coder, so she has been a help to me I hope you get "the Hidden Epidemic" soon
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I love this site, it has so much information. Especially when you are stressed and nervous a very good site for comfort Thanks for the warm welcom ladies.
SilverFinn
I had a similar experience with Depo. I gained huge amounts of weight on it (I have blocked from my mind exactly how much) and after I came off the Depo my periods were awful. I'm glad things are looking up for you now cyster
Hugs to all
Jenny
__________________ Jenny(30) Josh (30) married 3/30/96
PCOS dx 1/03
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Newbie from Michigan 
I just recently had an awesome specialist give me a name to something I worried about all my life, PCOS. I never knew the name but knew something wasn't right. I was 13 when I got my first period, I was regular until 17. Then my GYN put me on BCP to regulate my periods. But no matter how fit I was, how much I exercised I ALWAYS had that round, little "Pot belly". Now with a diagnosis, a good Dr, great family and book (PCOS: The Hidden Epidemic) I at least know what is wrong. In 1997 I was 145lbs to now 200lbs
I just want to have a baby and to stop my hair from thinning
