I'm trying not to let it get to me, but as all women know, that's hard. I'm focusing on my diet this week, and slowly cutting the more obvious offenders, although so far it isn't helping. This week I'm going to drink only water (I was down to one very small glass of diet coke a day) and no sweets (I was definitely having a little too much ice cream there for a while). I have been eating a lot of white flour and that's over with now too.
My motivation is definitely going to be fitting into my clothes. I am quickly growing out of everything I own and I can't afford to buy new. I did cave and buy some new jeans, against my better judgment, and now less than a month later, they are already getting tight.
I honestly wouldn't care so much except that a couple times a week I do have to actually go into public, which requires changing out of my sweatpants. Oh, how I love sweatpants. They are definitely a crutch.
You know it's bad when you weigh more than you did when your baby was very small. Oh man, I better not have to dip into my maternity clothes. And not because that'd be depressing, but because it'd be depressing when they were too small!!
You know it's bad when you weigh more than you did when your baby was very small. Oh man, I better not have to dip into my maternity clothes. And not because that'd be depressing, but because it'd be depressing when they were too small!!
So the cause of the weight gain... I'm not sure but I have my suspicions. Well, there's food of course, ha ha (and if I were honest here about my eating habits I'm sure you'd wonder why I was questioning this at all). It could also be that nursing has slowed down, which happened right around the time the weight gain started. It could be my old friend insulin resistance, which I know I have, and which I should probably get in check now when my hormones (LH and FSH) are still normal.
There's also progesterone. I gained weight in November/December when I was on it, and then again in Feb/March when I was on it once again. I didn't gain in January when I wasn't taking it. See why I think there might be a connection? But why would taking progesterone (prometrium in Nov./Dec. and compounded natural progesterone more recently) cause weight gain? My progesterone is low and this is making it normal. I don't get it.
When I asked my doctor about the weight gain a couple months ago, he immediately told me to start taking DHEA. It was a quick phone call so I didn't ask why that would help, but has anyone heard of that? I keep putting off buying it, but I'm definitely going to do it soon.
I also started taking Armour Thyroid last week, and I'm very much hoping that might help with the weight. Crossing my fingers.
Now for the pain. I thought I was ovulating yesterday (cycle day 15) because I had the recognizable pain on one side (more on that later), but then today that pain has only increased. My ovulation pain never lasts for two days. And today it's more of a dull ache, and hurts when I sit or move too much. For a while this afternoon I had to sit down and put a movie on for the kids because it was that bad.
I'm getting pretty nervous that there's something else going on because I looked back at my charts and I have pain only on the right side around cycle day 14-16 every month. Every month since November. Right side pain.
Today, it occurred to me to look back at what side I ovulated on when I conceived (two years ago exactly), and it was the left. The left! So I'm really getting curious now.
My first instinct was that something must be wrong with the right because of all the pain (that's the side I had emergency surgery on for an endometrioma back in August, 2009). But now I'm wondering if something is wrong with the left because there is no pain whatsoever.
Sounds like an ultrasound series might be in my future. I love ultrasound series. There's nothing as informative, in my experience. That's what it all comes down to. Am I releasing that egg.
Until I get around to actually calling and asking for one though, I am going to think positively that it might just be a really good ovulation. After all, I have amazing mucus still today to go along with that theory. Doesn't the fluid left after ovulation sometimes cause pain? Or did I make that up?
Until I get around to actually calling and asking for one though, I am going to think positively that it might just be a really good ovulation. After all, I have amazing mucus still today to go along with that theory. Doesn't the fluid left after ovulation sometimes cause pain? Or did I make that up?
Well I just sneezed loudly and woke up Luke, so time to go. I'd love any advice you may have on any of this! And prayer buddy - please pray that I can start this diet! Between pregnancy and breastfeeding, I've been stuffing my face for two years now! It was only a matter of time before it'd catch up with me.
Oh man. I was just going to write up my own post about how I canNOT get this weight off. I know Joey's only 3 months, but seriously. I look pregnant still. So weird. It flew off after Dominic. So I'm curious to read what other ladies think.
ReplyDeleteI hope your pain is explainable thru the u/s. Don't be afraid to take a little pain reliever. Nothing worse than trying to mother those little ones while suffering physical pain. Hang in there!
If you are not on enough armour you will not loose weight. How is your energy? It might take a couple weeks for the armour to kick in, but you should feel something....
ReplyDeleteI would suspect thyroid first if your eating habits changing do not make you loose weight. But from what I sense it sounds like it's low thyroid hormones. :)
JMHO!
I think my energy is the same as before. Not worse.. I'm not struggling to stay awake all day (which I have experienced at times), but I'm not all energized either. I'm hoping it takes longer to kick in, and that it'll get better soon. And in the past, when it's been raised (synthroid), I get all hyper. There's no happy medium! I know what you're going to say...... it's adrenals. I know, but if the test doesn't show it, then I don't know what to do. I might ask my dr for a test run of it anyways. We'll see.
DeleteNo advice with pain/hormones. Just a little comment to let you know you are in my prayers and I'm hoping the thyroid will do the trick!
ReplyDeleteIt could be a perfect storm as far as the weight gain goes...maybe it's a combination of all those factors? Sounds like you have a good plan though, I bet the thyroid meds and diet changes will help.
ReplyDeleteHopefully a u/s series will shed some like on the ovulation pain. Keep us posted!
I always have left sided pain and am going for my first u/s series this month. Hoping it'll shed some light too. I too feel bloated on all the meds...went bathing suit shopping and cringed the whole time...
ReplyDeleteI understand how hard the whole diet thing is...as I am stuffing my face with jelly beans and robin eggs as I write this.
ReplyDeleteMy Armour helped tons. In fact, I haven't gained an ounce since starting it a year ago. I lost weight the old fashion way though (before starting the Armour)...by cutting out all dairy, sugar and grains! It totally sucked but I lost 30 lbs in 6 months and have kept if off even though I eat those things now!
Sounds like you have a plan on the diet and I will say some prayers that you stick with it!
With both kids, I slimmed down super fast then packed it on around a year. And yes, I weight more NOW than I did when I had Nelson. Can't shake the weight so I'm back on mega doses of Metformin. Do you have PCOS? Can't remember:)
ReplyDeleteBrenda, yes I do, or did. I don't know if I technically have poly-cystic ovaries at the moment, but my hormones (LH/FSH ratio) tested normal so I guess I no longer have it, which means no metformin. I wish I could take it though, I really think that sped up my diet last time!
DeleteAnd thanks for sharing about gaining at a year.. I'm starting to think it's more common than I had previously thought. Sometimes it seems like all other moms just keep the weight off, but that's probably not the case ;)
ugh, I don't know, but I hear you! I've been on an eating rampage for the past two years too. It was nice to have a free pass for so long! :) Also, I had crazy right side ovary pain for a week or so a couple of weeks ago. I have not experienced anything like that except when I was getting accupuncture. I hope it might mean I am finally going to ovulate and have a cycle? (I last had my period Feb. 13 2010 ... so at least you're having cycles of some kind, right? :) )
ReplyDeleteYes, I've been having cycles since Luke was about a month old! Although, I guess that doesn't necessarily mean I've been ovulating.
DeleteI did read something today that was interesting about right side pain... one website said that sometimes ovulation pain is only felt on the right regardless of which ovary is actually ovulating. And that some women experience very painful ovulation pain every three or four cycles. I thought that was fascinating info! Now, I have no idea if it's true, but it wasn't just a random person (like me.. haha) saying it, it was a supposed medical site ;)
My fat butt is right there with you! I dropped a ton of weight while BFing but now that AG is weaned I have yet to figure out what I can and can't eat which has led to some "expansion" to put it nicely. I also have the right side pain. My new RE gave me a pelvic pain log to start tracking when I feel it (all month long, but strongest mid-cycle) but I don't want to think about it right now. I will be watching and praying to see if the u/s shows anything for you. I am also praying that eating and thyroid get figured out. :)
ReplyDelete"I love ultrasound series. There's nothing as informative, in my experience. That's what it all comes down to."
ReplyDeleteAnd with this thought in my head... I enrolled in Ultrasound School. Haha!
So, obviously I agree with that statement ;)