Weight Gain And Uneven Cycles, But Improving Trends

[grumpyblob]

Ok, frustrating situation here. I've never paleod or anything, so just switched from eating relatively well to eating Peat-y about a year and a half ago. I'm generally healthy except I have uneven cycles (mild PCOS) and estrogen dominance (belly fat). From 2014 to early 2015 I was losing weight consistently... cycles were improving (not at 28 days, but coming down from 33-45 days to be generally 33-39 days).

spring 2015 I had to move so diet wasn't perfect. RP suggested taking thyroid so I did for about a month spring 2015... seemed like I was gaining, but thought nothing of it at the time. Had to stop because I was traveling and eating junk food, but also gained no weight from all of that. Started again in November eating properly and taking thyroid and have just been gaining since then.

Started taking haidut's estroban in Jan and immediately skipped an entire cycle (56 days) never happened before in my life.

The thing is the thyroid is working, my cholesterol (formerly quite high) has been coming down nicely, my TSH is dropping, my FT3 is up. Prolactin had randomly shot up a bit but have controlled it with calcium. Estrogen numbers are normal-ish, but progesterone was way low so have just started progest-E. Temps are up too.

Cannot figure out the problem. The only thing I can think of is that my metabolism is up and I'm not eating enough which led to fat storage and my cycle shutting down because my body thinks I'm starving? I've always eaten around 1700-1800 cals a day.

 

[lindsay]

I lost weight, then gained weight on Thyroid. It's one of those things that you really have to gauge how you feel. I think the issue with most females comes down to liver function - if your liver cannot convert T4 to T3 (what are you taking thyroid wise?) then you can actually become more hypothyroid, while still seeing a lowering of the TSH. When I first began taking Cynoplus, I lost a good amount of weight. But eventually, it started slowly coming back on - not a lot, but enough to annoy me. Also, I found that I actually need to eat more when not taking thyroid because thyroid helps to regulate blood sugar much better.

I would definitely start taking Progesterone if your levels are super low. That might help balance the estrogen and help with weight loss.

What is your overall diet like? And stress levels?

 

[grumpyblob]

Thanks for the reply. My FT4 was high normal but my FT3 was low, hence starting the T. I started on 5-10 mcg 3x / day which was enough to lower TSH *and raise FT3*... am now doubling it on RP's advice.

Overall diet is pretty decent, nothing too extreme either way (milk, gelatin, OJ, fruit, etc.) Stress levels seems fine, cortisol was fine - with the nighttime tester (a bit of dexamethazone) it was 22 (range was < 111), and on a normal evening it was 538 (range 171-875).

 

[grumpyblob]

I'm back with some followup questions... sorry for the double post apparently I can't edit anymore!

I'm a little unclear on this. If the thyroid did make me more hypo that would explain the weight gain, but my cycles were the same until I started taking estroban, and that seems completely backwards - why would estroban make my cycle worse...!? Pretty sure my PMS symptoms might be worse too, esp. the bloating and moodiness (usually don't get moody but this time I am!)

Also, yes my liver wasn't converting T4 to T3 initially, but that was the reason RP suggested I start the thyroid (I'm taking NDT-ERFA) and it's not just my TSH that's dropped but also FT3 is up along with temps, and my cholesterol is dropping. RP actually just suggested upping the ERFA to improve pulse and regulate the estrogen-progesterone ratio... How could NDT make me *more* hypo, and how would I tell if the liver is the problem?

I also have to take iron pills because my ferritin is drastically low and if it gets too low my hair starts falling out. Can't avoid it. So 2 pills of heme iron (12mg) 2x / day at times that aren't close to dairy and NDT.

 

[lindsay]

I guess the biggest question is, how was your health before taking thyroid and estroban? I haven't used estroban, so I do not know of its effects personally, but I began taking thyroid and progesterone together (high doses of progesterone) and experienced good effects from the combination. Progesterone was vital to my mood. Though, I have been experience a lack of period for a few years (only 3 in the last 3 years), so maybe someone else with more menstrual cycles can chime in?

 

[grumpyblob]

It was fine superficially, but my cholesterol was pretty high and my TSH was high too, and my cycles have always been off and I'd held belly fat... classic estrogen dominance I would guess. Thus, surprised that things have gotten worse, since all of these things are supposed to reduce estrogen...

Any thoughts on how thyroid supplement is making me more hypo? How would I tell? (would taking pure t3 help, instead of ERFA which has a bit of both?)

Re progesterone, how high is your dose? RP suggested 2-3 drops a day for me, though it's more like 2-3 blobs since the Progest-E is basically a gel.