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New here -- hi everyone!
Hi everyone! My name is Susan, and I'm new to the boards, though not so new to PCOS.
I was diagnosed with PCOS about 5 years ago, and with the help of a nutritionist, endocrinologist and my gyn., I eventually got on the right medications to help me lose weight and help reverse the effects of PCOS. Previous to the diagnosis, I had gained 100 lbs. very rapidly -- and I was already overweight previous to that weight gain. I've struggled with my weight my entire life. After the diagnosis and with the meds, I lost 75 pounds, but still had 60 to go. I am also hypothyroid and insulin resistant, though not diabetic. Diabetes runs in my family, though, so I'd like to avoid it.
The reason I am here is that now, 5 years later, I seem to be regressing! This is rather upsetting and I'm starting to panic. I will NOT go back to where I was at 5 years and 75 pounds ago!
I think what started the regression is that I stopped taking BCP's in late August of last year. I had been having problems with BCPs for a while, and had been on them for about 10 years. I was getting migraine headaches a lot, but the real kicker was a year of chronic yeast infections. I just couldn't take it anymore.
Happily, I've had a regular period ever since, almost like clockwork, even though I'm off the BCPs. This has never happened in my life! The yeasties have gone away, as have the headaches. However, I've started gaining weight rapidly. I'm eating the same way I was before, when I was progressively losing weight. I've gained about 20 lbs. in the past 6 months and am getting really scared. It doesn't seem to matter what I eat, I gain weight from it. I've also seen a return of the acne that plagued me before my PCOS got under control, and I've been a bit more depressed than I normally would be.
So, I've started an exercise regimen and a low carb diet. Diets are hard for me, as I had an eating disorder for a while due to non-stop dieting throughout my youth (age 11 through my early 30's). (It wasn't until I stopped formal dieting that my eating habits got under control -- strange but true!) I'm 37 now. But I have no other choice at this point than to do a formal diet plan. I see my endocrinologist in another month, and I'm hoping he'll be able to help me sort this all out, and get back on the weight loss track. I really don't want to have to go on BCP's again if I can help it, but there may be no alternative. I did recently start on Metformin, and I'm waiting to see if that will have any effect. I also take synthroid and cytomel for my thyroid problems.
Thanks for reading, and I hope I can find some support here and offer some, too. There's a lot of info. to digest on this site, and I'm sure I will find some good advice for my circumstances.
Blessings, y'all.
Susan
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