yes you read that right. i am 25 going through menopause. its been 11 months now since my last cycle. and this being my 3rd time on atkins you would think it woujld be easy as pie to get back on. but NOOOOOO! that would be to easy. i went from 285lbs to 135lbs. but for the life of me i can't stay focused to go from 135lbs - 115lbs / 120lbs. i feel like i am stuck in permanant PMS. all i want to do is binge. all i think about is food. i get sugar fits. which i NEVER had b4. (i was always a salts person) and now with being insulin resistant with a risk for potential type 2 diabetes, going through menopause, i also have fibromyalgia, transverse myelitis, sjogrens (to name a few) my body is going through all these changes and i dont know how to adjust to it. i feel like a prisoner in this skin. i try so hard to fight the cravings. what prompted the dr's visit was a 30lbs gain in 3 weeks. which was from the insulin resistance / pcos / menopause.
i had a tendancy to binge on LC ice cream. i am now 4 days clean (god i sound like a junkie lol )but i reach for a LC cookie, or LC yogurt which i KNOW is NOT induction friendly. but i cant help it. i feel like each day im falling off the wagon. im affraid if i DONT give in i will binge.

i know this is more of a confessions booth but i had to share a little of my history so you would understand so i appologize in advance.

Hello,
I looked at your pics in the photo gallery. I am so impressed by your weight loss. You are a true inspiration. You can get back on the wagon you have already proved that to yourself. Just take one day at a time. If you feel lonely or need someone to chat with come to my journal, I am always available. I am sorry to hear about your health problems. I won't pretend like I understand, I will pray for you.

You have just motivated me
I would love to know more about how you lost your weight. I see you stated you fasted, how long, how often?

Hi! I can sort of relate to what your saying. I am 36 but i had a complete hysterectomy when i was 30. I am now being checked for fybermalgia [messed that one up], and i just found out that i have liver disease but anyway now that i am in menopause i have gained 50 pounds and feel like i am losing my mind. But , since you have alot going on probably walking in the evening for about 1/2 hour will help your mind and motivate you. But you have done wonderful and you should be so proud, you can do it again. If you want to be my buddy maybe we can help each other. I started on monday and have lost 9 pounds already, i feel totaly motivated and i will help you to be also.

How do you know you are going through menopause at 25? Have you been tested for this? If you have not menstruated for 11 months, are you sure that your goal weight (and indeed your present weight) is not simply too low for your height of 5' 7"? From your pictures, I personally think you have lost enough weight already. Sorry if this doesn't help, but perhaps you are finding it difficult to resist food because your body really needs to eat.
Babs

pdxcutie - you are a doll. thank you so much. we should deff talk sometime. i will check out your journal too
i had to do periodic fasts due to problems with my colon (i have hypomotility) and i was / am trying to avoid surgery. but we can talk more about that through a message or an IM if you want to know what i do or how i did it.

hollabell - i would loooove to be your buddy. thank you so much
i wanted to start walking at night, but with me living in a newly developed area i get easily creeped out walking at night with all the empty houses and such. yea yea im a scaredy cat -=laughs=-

greannmhar - i am positive i am going through menopause. i went to see my obgyn last week. and had lot of labs and tests done. and im not producing estrogen, i have pcos, and i am insulin resistant.
its not a matter of me resisting food. food itself is not the issue. its sugar and carbs, which ties in with the menopause and pcos. this is all stuff my dr has been following. (i have been dealing with health issues for the past 2 years) ranging from transverse myelitis, sjogrens, pcos, fibromyalgia, suspected SLE, etc. i also have hypomotility of the colon, which makes my eating a very hard thing aswell since i am trying to avoid removal of my colon.

I have to agree. I am 5'7 and hope to get down to 150. My Dr. said that with my hight I would really be to skinny if I got down much past 140..... I think your body is trying to tell you something by craving the food. Best of luck to you, with all your health issues. I hope you can find answers to your problems.

How long did it take you to lose that weight? The reason I am asking, is that sometimes our cycles get messed up or stop with very rapid loss.

I have PCOS and didn't have a period for 3 years. Doc found out and sent me to have a uterine biopsy. I was given to understand that NOT having a period causes the lining to thicken which can lead to uterine cancer. Please don't let this go on too long, you're far too much fun to have to go through scares like that. For more info on PCOS you may want to check out Dr Charles Glueck ~ the Univ. of Ohio. Sure pricked my ears up. (He's on-line at the university)

About 2 yrs. ago I went from 134 to 117. I am 5'6" with a medium frame, so I was too thin. I didnt have my cycle for over a year. I got to a certain point were the binges were too frequent (about everyday) finally i started gaining weight and went back to a healthy weight. My cycle started up again (never thought I'd be so happy to see it) and I realized the binging was happening because my body was literally starving....it just wanted food!!! I had always had a problem with binging, but after getting to such that low weight it magnified an already existing problem. Your body is craving because it is starving and you aren't getting your cycle for the same reason. This is JMHO and I hope it helps ya out. Good luck to ya!

It sounds like your plan involves fasting, restriction, atkins and there's a comma, so something else as well?

If you're too restrictive on a diet, you'll obsess over what you can't have. The PSMF diet you handle that with occassional breaks.

Also, if you lost weight extremely quickly or you're not getting enough calories and nutrition or your body weight is too low you can experience amenorrhea, which is not menopause.