hi, new here. i was diagnosed with PCOS in 1998, my endo said i'd had it since at least 1993 based on my reported symptoms. i went insulin resistant in 2001 and began gaining. i was just diagnosed hypothyroid after losing 38 lbs. while pregnant, then gaining back to higher than my pre-pregnancy weight while eating only Slimfast shakes! i've been afraid to even try losing weight, i have other health problems and don't feel like fighting the PCOS/IR again (metformin makes me sick as a dog for the first 4 months, with a new baby i'm not sure i could handle it!). but if i lose weight, the fibromyalgia and arthritis won't hurt so badly.
my story: i had always been either slim or too thin, i worked out a lot, totally type-A. i was anorexic, and have always had problems forcing myself to eat. then i came down with "chronic mono" (now CFS) and fibromyalgia, gained 12 lbs., no big deal. then whammo, in only one year (1993-94) i gained 70 lbs.! then i gained 20 lbs. a year after that. up until i was 270. after i was diagnosed with PCOS, i went on metformin, spironolactone and BC pills, plus a modified Atkins diet (more carbs like whole grains) and lost down to 179. i was happy with that, i still had my muscle mass and i did a lot of walking and toning. i could see myself staying at 180 for the rest of my life, i wasn't obsessed with being a size 4 anymore, i looked good in my clothes.
insulin resistance hit, and i gained steadily back up to 260. i became pregnant, and LOST weight during the entire pregnancy! even on the GD (gestational diabetes) diet where i was eating a LOT of food. i lost another 20 lbs. after giving birth. so i was 230 when my daughter was 4 months old. then whammo again! up to 260 in 3 weeks! my dr. did a lot of tests and i am finally hypothyroid (was borderline for all those years). i'm taking Synthroid.
i am SCARED to take more meds. metformin was very hard for me, it took me many months of just lying around nauseated all day before i got used to it. it sapped all my energy. the spironolactone headaches and moodiness were hard also. i just can't see going through all of that again, only to fight the insulin resistance futilely, you know?
i'm sorry this is so long! just a lot of frustration stored up. i would be very, VERY happy at 180 lbs. i just have no idea how to get there. my diet is this: i have time to grab 2 Slim-fast Optima (1/2 carb) shakes during the day. my husband will make me something at night, usually something low-carb or whole grain bread plus almond butter. i have NO appetite. i eat approx. 800 calories or less per day, with 24 grams carbs or less. (it's been like this since the day Willow was born. i have NO energy even to make toast, i have to use ALL of my energy and then some to take care of the baby.) i drink a LOT of water. i walk as much as i possibly can. i do yoga with my baby. and i run around after her all day
but i gained 12 lbs. in the last 3 weeks even on Synthroid
peace,
meli