Fellow cysters, I need some advice

[wina]

I haven't posted much here but I've read a lot. I'm hoping maybe some of you can help me with some problems I'm having. It's kind of hard for me to share this but I know if anyone will understand it'll be all of you.

I was diagnosed about 2 years ago. Since then I lost 60 lbs by following a low-carb diet and thought I had my hormones fairly balanced, still have hair where it shouldn't be while losing the hair where it should be, but I *felt* better than I had in years, finally got to my 'ideal' weight, my skin cleared up, I had so much more energy. The only problem I've had since I started low-carbing is that I stay cold all the time, even in the summer (dr checked my thyroid and it's normal, although I do have a goiter.)

Anyway, here's the problem. In the past month I feel like I'm falling apart. I'm craving peanuts and cottage cheese of all things - and I'm talking *serious* cravings, nothing else will satisfy it and I'm eating way too much of it, I totally lose control. I have the most unusual feeling in my stomach, it's like a 'tickle' (for lack of a better term) that is so annoying and is only relieved by eating lots of peanuts or cottage cheese. I've gained 15 lbs in the past month and it's all in the belly, I look 6 months pregnant! I know it sounds like I might be pregnant but I don't think so - I haven't had a period in over a year and I took a test a couple of weeks ago just to make sure (I'm also on the pill).

I'm taking laxatives way too often because I'm always constipated, then I end up having diarrhea. The next day I'm constipated again. My skin is breaking out, looks like an oil slick on my face. The hirsutism is out of control. I'm depressed most of the time and cry at the drop of a hat. I've become antisocial and most of the time just want to be alone. I'm tired all the time. I don't want to do *anything*, this is the way I used to feel most of the time before I started eating low-carb and getting my hormones balanced.

I used to drink a LOT of water but now I just can't drink much of it, it makes me nauseous to drink more than a sip or two. I'm eating a lot of ice because that way it doesn't make me feel so sick.

I don't know if this is something to do with the pcos or if something else is wrong. It seems like my hormones are all out of whack again but I can't imagine what's causing it because I haven't changed anything! I'm still eating low-carb except when I get carried away with the peanuts and cottage cheese. Still don't eat any sugar or refined grains at all. I'd been taking NAC for a few months but stopped about 4 months ago. I didn't feel like it was doing anything. I still take vitamins and chromium every day. I just started taking NAC again yesterday, at this point I'm desperate and will try anything to get it back under control.

I'm not scheduled to see my doctor until August, and really don't think it would help to see him sooner - he diagnosed me but there's not much else he can do. Actually I had blood tests done a couple of months ago and my doctor was amazed... my hormones were completely normal, they look like someone without pcos. A year before my testosterone was off-the-charts, last time it was completely normal. That's why I'm so baffled by all the problems in the past month. I'd really appreciate any and all ideas or advice. Thanks for listening.

[Stedders]

I can provide you with no advice or help whatsoever, but I wanted to *bump* your post and also offer a {{HUG}} and support, and tell you that I'm sorry about how things seem to have gone a bit wrong for you recently.

Hope you feel better soon,


Stedders
xx

[RamblinRose]

I think that a trip to the doctor sooner just might help. It sounds to me like you have depression, that can certainly cause all of those symptoms...especially if you are feeling that tired achy feeling and you haven't changed your diet much, then it is from something else...like I said, most likely depression...which is also a side affect, or symptom of pcos. It comes w/the territory, there are so many things we have to deal with and it can certainly cause depression. I think you really should talk to the dr. about how you have been feeling. Oh and the anitsocialness and not wanting to go anywhere, I know that is a lot to do w/depression, I have so been there, still am a lot of the time. I am sorry I know this isn't really helping but I want you to know that you are never alone, you can post this stuff here anytime. I also want to ENCOURAGE you once again to get into the dr sooner and let him know how you are feeling before it gets really out of hand. I hope you can get it figured out and under control. I will say a little prayer for you. Hugs!

[wina]

Thank you both for the kind words of support. Nobody I know has pcos and sometimes I feel so alone and cursed with these problems, it helps alot to know you understand.

I'm already taking anti-depressants. I'd taken them for about a year then stopped taking them last year, they helped me tremendously but I just couldn't afford to keep taking them. My insurance coverage has since changed and I started taking them again a couple of months ago, but this time they're not helping at all, or maybe it'll just take time to see a difference.

Hormones are so confusing, I don't know what causes what. I think the depression is probably caused by a hormone imbalance. I sure wish doctors knew more about this, my doctor just prescribed yasmin, anti-depressants, recommended laser hair removal (too expensive for me), told me to eat more soy and follow a low-fat diet (does NOT work for me.) Wouldn't it be so much better to fix the cause instead of just treating the symptoms?

I'm feeling a little bit better, who knows, maybe the NAC is helping. I know there's gotta be something I was doing that helped, if I could just figure out what it was, I could do it again.

[prunepie]

wina... hmm well i dont know of many people having goiters who do not have a thyroid problem!! please please get the copies of the thyroid work up and post the results here... there are new guidelines and most drs arent up on them yet. also , having thyroid antibody testing is a must.!!!



the new range for tsh thyroid is lets say .3-3.0 where it used to be .3-5.5

some drs say unless you are out of range..no thryoid but we know now that anything over a 3 indicates hypo. in fact mine was only at a 3.6... but that along with my free t3 and free t4 ( actual thryoid in your bloodstream) shows i am hypo!! but drs told me i was normal for years..and i am not!!

sounds like a thyroid prob to me..you have a goiter, you are cold..and you feel like crap!!!


dont take this drs word for it, okay?? get the copies yourself..and go to www.thyroid.about.com for all the info you could need on thyroid and testing xoxoxo jenn

[CelticSpirit]

Prunepie! Thanks so much for giving that advice...

I just wanted to say that the goiter and your symptoms of constipation and diarrhea, achiness...all that...It's not depression. Although some of the symptoms point in that direction...it's not! Your thyroid is off! I don't care what the results were. If you are experiencing this, your thyroid is off. It sounds like it's fluctuating between hyper and hypo.

Now, it could very well be an autoimmune thyroiditis (Hashimoto's). I have that and looked it up. It's the most common cause of hypothyroid conditions, but it can also fluctuate a lot! Not to mention the fact that some people present with normal blood work and all the symtpoms of it.

When you had your thyroid checked, what were the tests done? You need to have Free T3 and Free T4 checked, as well as TSH. You also need to have your antibodies tested as well.

Please have all this done and see what happens. If the doc doesn't listen, keep looking for one that will! Thyroid disease can be dangerous if untreated!

Good luck!

[wina]

Thanks so much for the thyroid info, I looked at the list of hypo symptoms and I have almost all of them except heavy periods (I don't have periods at all.)

My SIL is a nurse and she's told me for months that it sounds like I'm hypo, but when my doctor said thyroid was normal I just trusted he was right, now I'm not so sure. I looked back at my bloodwork from April. At that time I was feeling a lot better than I do now, still freezing cold though. Here are the results:

T-3 Uptake: 23
T-4, Free: 1.0
TSH: 0.84

I don't really understand what the numbers mean. Does this look like hypothyroid?

The report shows a lot more tests (it was a comprehensive metabolic panel plus CBC.) The only number out of range was Absolute Monocytes, it was 192 and normal range is 200-950. I have no idea what a monocyte is, and the doctor didn't mention it being a problem.

Thanks so much for helping me figure this out.

[CelticSpirit]

Ok, it sounds like your numbers mean you are hyper...but you didn't list a free T3. If your free T3 isn't well into the 200-400 (from what I've been able to find...if anyone has a direct link to a direct listing for values, please send it my way!) range, then you have a problem with T3. T3 is the most active thyroid component and if that's off, you can be hypo when your numbers indicate hyper.

Another thing...you didn't list your thyroid peroxidase. If that's elevated, it will mean that you have an autoimmune thyroid disease. With Hashimoto's (like I have) you can fluctuate back and forth from hyper to hypo. It's very common to fluctuate.

Ok, monocytes...they are part of your white blood cells. They migrate into your tissues and "eat" the germs and yuck that gets into your body. If they are low (and I'm speculating) that can compromise your body's defenses.

By the way...I'm a college biology major and the monocyte thing came straight from my text....

I hope that helps...

In the meantime...there are some websites that can help you with your research.


www.tsh.org
http://www.thyroid-info.com/

If I find some more, I will let you know.

Stacie

[wina]

It's just too weird that my test results look like hyper yet I have none of the symptoms of hyper and most of the symptoms of hypo. The lab report doesn't show free T3 or peroxidase, are those usually done on a CBC?

Thanks for the info, I need to read and learn more about this.

[CelticSpirit]

A good doctor will ask for those tests to find out what's going on. There's a lot of new research going on about T3 and how it can really throw everything else out of whack if the numbers aren't right. And, antibodies (thyroid peroxidase, and there's another I can't remember) are incredibly important! Demand to get all that tested and to get your results so you can look it all up as to where you fall.

Check out those sites when you get a chance because they have so much information on them. You will need to give yourself some time to look at everything but it's well worth it!

Also, there's a hypothyroid forum on this site...check that out too! There's a fellow cyster over there who really knows her stuff and she's very helpful...her username is Shenacat. She's great and has helped me learn alot!

Good luck and I will keep digging around to see what I can find for you. Oh, on the About site, there was an article about a woman who's numbers looked hyper, but she really hypo! Check it out...

[prunepie]

yups i agree wtih stacie..

for example i am hot all the time..but i am hypos and hypos are supposed to be cold... the hyper and hypo symptoms can over lap.

also you can have normal thyroid readings..but if your antibodies are present..it doesnt mean much..you can have terrible symptoms if you have antibodies even if those tsh numbers are normal..

please the MOST important tests are the free t4 and free t3..along with the antibody testing!!!

do not let drs blow you off anymore okay??

we are here for you xo jenn