PCOS, BCP's, Mood Swings, & Low Carbing

[Aynot]

I aplogize in advance for this being so long!

I'm not sure where to start, so here goes...

I am 33 and have PCOS. I have had irregular cycles pretty much from the start, but had always been on the pill or depo. I haven't been using any birth control in 4 years as Hubby has had a vasectomy.

After the birth of my daughter 4 years ago my cycles stayed pretty regular 28-30 days,but over the last several months they've been getting more and more irregular. I went from a 6-7 day period to 20 days. I went to the Gyno and everything was normal they put me on Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo. Toward the end of the pack I went back in to recheck and they said my blood pressure was 150/100( I normally run 120's/80)so, they changed me to a progestin only pill (Camila). I'm almost finished with that pack.

I've also been on antidepressants for most of my adult life and have always had the typical woman mood swings, BUT, since I've been on the pill my mood has changed a lot. I have essentially lost my sex drive & feel angry all the time. I've been taking Paxil 40mg and Xanax 0.25mg each morning, but it doesn't seem to be doing it for me anymore. (I've been taking these for the last 3 years).

I've been LC'ing on and off for just over 2 years now. DH and I both lost 40+ lbs when we started in Jan 2006....but I've spent the last year and a half gaining it all back. I just restarted this WOE almost 2 weeks ago and am doing well so far. I have noticed that since I got back up to my highest weight that my periods have gotten crazy. The BCP's I have been taking have made my cycle a lot more regular so I don't want to stop taking them, but I'm not sure what to do about the mood swings and anger....I feel like I'm constantly pissed off....I can go from happy, to pissed, to a puddle of tears in 2 minutes...it's crazy.

Any ideas how to stay regular, lose weight and not feel homicidal all at the same time? :help:

Edit: I am going to see my internist this afternoon, but I'm not sure how comfortable he is with PCOS so I'd like to go in armed with some ideas myself.

[kuukuu]

Wow, babe. No good ideas here but if you just need to "let it out", feel free! We're good listeners (er...readers) on this board.

[misschris]

I had to give up the BCP's many years ago because I was having so many problems (I would have 30+ days of bleeding, and then nothing for 8 months, as soon as I went off the BCP pills, I was okay for a few years, until the PCOS kicked in a few years ago) But I will say, you may need to talk to the dr about changing up the Paxil? My sis just went off it, she was on BCP and Paxil and couldn't take it any more. She's always been a rail and was putting on weight and her mood swings were worse. I think sometimes with AD's you can hit a wall of sorts, where it just stops working but you continue to get the other side effects (sexual side effects, weight gain, etc). If you feel like you still need the AD's, maybe your dr could transition you to something else? Perhaps Effexor? It seems to have fewer side effects for many. I would just see if it's time for a change. I do think your body can get used to those things.

Also, the higher your weight gets it seems the worse the periods are. Are you taking Metformin? I know many take BCP's to keep PCOS under control, but I couldn't take them. I tried Metformin but couldn't handle the side effects, so I am ONLY taking cinnamon right now, and none of the other medications that might hamper my weight loss. I know that if I don't get the weight off, the periods will never be normal so it's a vicious cycle. SO many medications out there work against weight loss, and with PCOS thrown in there you are fighting a battle. If you can handle it, I might try tapering off your meds if you aren't dependant on them. I know when I started going off mine, I started feeling better, came out of my fog and things got easier.

I wish you luck... I know it's frustrating!!

[Aynot]

Thank you misschris & kuukuu for your help! :bhug:

I saw the doctor yesterday...this is a new doc for me due to insurance issues...and he didn't do anything. He told me to go to a psychiatrist to manage my depression/anxiety meds & to go back to the Gyn to manage the PCOS. I think I'm gonna have to go back to my old Doc and just suck up the cost of the visits. I don't really know what else to do about it.

I think I'm going to wean myself off the Paxil....it makes me feel yicky when I miss a dose so I wouldn't want to go off it cold turkey. I think I'm going to try your cinnamon idea Kuukuu, I'll definitely let you know when I start it...I'll most likely wait til I'm off the Paxil though. I've only got another week of BCP's left, so if I can't get into the Gyn before that, it looks like I'll be off those too.

Thanks again ladies for your help!

[misschris]

I hate insurance companies!!!! But that is another rant.

If you can, and your doctor agrees, I would see about weaning off. I truly think that once you get the right "diet" and nutrients, combined with regular exercise and proper sleep, many "psych" problems tend to dissipate. Of course this is not true for everyone, but I think that weight plays a huge role in depression, as does lack of exercise and poor sleeping habits. I also think that the medical profession is too quick to hand out AD's and then we become dependant on them, the doctors and the pharmcos get rich, and we become zombies. My goal is to get off all my medications and supplement with more natural forms of therapy. It is key to find a doctor that supports that, rather than one that would prefer just to "dope" you up. Good luck to you!!!! Keep us posted!