Side Effects of Fat Metabolism

[Morsaille]

We know about the bat-wings, turkey-neck, and belly-flap. What about the other weirdness?

How are you affected by the extra estrogen? Did you have hair or skin changes? I am curious because, for once, I don't want to post my specific issue. I want to find someone braver than me to admit it first.
Got guts???

I could be wrong about my "issue". It might not be hormones. That would be freaky, very freaky.
Is PCOS hormones or hereditary?

[NotSoFunny]

Well I have hair loss, and my skin is broke out more than usual in the beginning. My period got weird too. But it seems back to normal now. I also noticed that my body odor is a lot worse. And since I sweat a lot with the working out and the high metabolism I am thinking of buying stock in Secret Deoderant. The only really embarassing or personal thing I have noticed is that I seem a bit "wetter" in the feminine sense than before.

So did I hit it? LOL

[Kathy]

Okay, freaky hormone stuff...I don't know how or if it's related, but here are my changes.

Used to I stank all the time because I would sweat all the time. Then it got better, now it's getting worse again. Stinky armpits, ewww!

Hair loss has hit me several times. It goes with weight loss. I started losing hair a few months after banding, after my first fill, again when I lost another 10 or so, and when I got to below 180 I lost a bit. My hair is, for sure, thinner than it used to be. That's pretty well diet-related in my mind. I look for hair loss to confirm that my wieght is coming off for good. When I eat well, I lose less hair.

Maybe this is age-related? I'm 41 and my periods, which used to be regular as rain, have been a few days off. It will start a day or two early one month, a day or two late the next, and this month, it's lasting almost a week! I'm usually done with it after 4 days. :confused:

I don't know alot about PCOS, but I do know that hormones are wacky with weight loss...I'm certain you are not alone!

[LindaV]

Ok, here is mine. I have dandruff. I am almost 5 months post-op and this just started last week. I have never had dandruff in my life. I actually suspect it's dry scalp. I only get flaky if I scratch my head. But when I do, I can do an Ali Sheedy in Breakfast Club impersonation. (Anyone remember that?) I am losing some hear as well.

[A1ikou]

Hubby says I actually smell better but then that's probably all the showers Im taking? My period has been non existant since surgery but my gyni said not to worry and it'll come back in good time. Hairloss but not too bad and a few toilet probs...either going a lot or not at all.
All of these I deal with as and when and non of them are too tragic. Some come on, tell???

[Morsaille]

Now I feel bad... You guys went and shared all your weirdness after I ducked under the table just to hide a few hairs on my face. I have one or two along the side-burns area and about seven on my chin and neck.

They are new, at least I think so. Is it hormones? Am I just aging? I pull 'em out as quick as I feel them, but... eew. Not the bearded lady, not yet anyway.

I have been getting some occasional break-outs too. Getting thinner is making grooming a real hands-on experience. Sheee-oot.

[NotSoFunny]

ooooooh i have that tooooooo. LOL i keep having to pluck the same three hairs from my chin and one from my upper lip. my doc swears it is the hormones, and will prolly go away. i am luck cause i am a redhead (like you) so they are light and invisible.

[Morsaille]

*big sighs of relief*

Thanks, Funny. I was afraid I'd be able to get work as the dog-faced girl soon.

[diva girl]

Morsaille....hairs on your chinny chin chin or upper lip come with the onset of menopause or peri-menopause(oh joy....oh rapture). I doubt that it had anything to do with your surgery.

My gross thing is stanky sweat. I actually have to wear deodorant to the gym in the morning - something I never had to do. I thought maybe it was the liquid fast and I was de-toxifying....but after hearing ya'll, I guess not.

Small price to pay.

[DonnaB]

My periods have always been irregular but now, for about 4 months in a row, my period comes within about a 3 day range of every 28 days. I was even irregular before I got fat.

I recently had laser hair removal because the whole chin hair issue was making me crazy. It was kinda expensive, but worth every penny! I had problems with chin hair before being banded though so it really wasn't related.

OK, you guys have admitted to weird things band related, so here's mine. It's very weird, and I know some of you are going to think this is in my head, but I SWEAR, it's not. My dog, Sydney, is a little insecure and a little demanding of attention. She wants to lick my husband and I all the time. She would reach up and lick our hands or try to lick us just wherever, whenever. We battled with the dog about it for years. If we make her lie down, or send her away from us for it, she whines and absolutely stresses out. We finally relented and allowed her to lick our feet (gross, I know) when we realized how much easier she is to deal with the rest of the time - neurotic dog. If she licks our feet she's totally calm and doesn't act freaked out, so we just gave up and let her. OK, now for the weird part (!). When I started having esophogeal irritation, even before I knew what that was, when the dog licked my feet I could feel spasms/sharp pains in my esophogus. After I went on Nexium and got the problem under control, she'd lick my feet and I couldn't feel it anymore. When I ran out of Nexium (I didn't know I was supposed to stay on it) I knew I was going to have a problem before the pressure/pain at my sternum came back, because when the dog licked my feet, I could feel it again.

How weird is that? (I know - which part? the licking or the pain?!? LOL) I don't know why or how this is happening, and I'm not about to bring it up with my doctor, but it's definitely happening.

[wavydaby]

I dont know about licky dog, but I know about stinky!!!
Oh my God, I used to NEVER sweat. Now I sweat gallons.
EWWW!
Oh and I had to change deorderant the last time I lost a lot of weight. If I use the same kind more than a couple of weeks in a row, it kinda "loses effect". I kinda notice it starting now.

[Kathy]

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=438

This is an interesting and somewhat related article I found on Sparkpeople. I don't know if you have to log in to read it...probably not, so I hope it works.

The title is "An Active Approach to Managing Menopause". It talks about the importance of regular exercise during the perimenopausal years. I think I'm approaching that...:eek:

[Morsaille]

So you are saying have another kid... NOW!

Perimenopause? Really? at 30? *sniff*

Oh and about the deodorant, There was a whole LBT thread dedicated to the discussion of Secret deodorant. Some of the ladies were convinced that it really didn't work. I think they decided that they loved Mitchum and that it was reliable.

[waterlily1072]

PCOS is hormonal and genetic. It can cause facial hair, obesity, irregular periods, hyper insulinism, diabetis, and the list goes on. The good news is that hair growth due to hormonal reasons (often accompanies obesity) is reversible once the hormones are back to normal. As I gained weight I sprouted more chin and lip hairs. I truly hate it! I swear once I have the money I am doing laser hair removal. It has not gotten worse since surgery but the release of estrogen in my system from weight loss has caused my periods to come back albeit irregularly. My skin also is oilier and more prone to break out since surgery. As an esthetician (facialist) I can tell you that many women have facial hair issues, you are not alone, and that your skin will go back to it's normal state and may even be better than before surgery.

[Jachut]

PMT for the first time since before I had babies. Really really REALLY sore boobs for a week before my period and 3 times this really weird thing has hit me. My bowels are regular, lol, I go about half an hour after I get up in the morning. Three months out of the last 10 I think "ooh, need to go now" and sit down only to be hit by the most horrific cramps, its quite honestly as bad as labour. Cold sweats and full on cramps like when you have diarrhoea only what I pass is completely normal, except that I go about six times over the next two hours and am utterly incapacitated by the cramps - I can only crawl to bed and wait it out inbetween. Then the next day I get my period. It last happened to me last week and Doug was getting scared becuase I was carrying on like I was in childbirth, its honestly that bad. This is the only period pain I get, I dont have it once it actually starts, it lasts about 2 hours and I havent had one whit of PMT or period pain in the last 15 years until I was banded.

But I'm gettign scared of next month. I'm downing the Beroccas (vitamin B) and evening primrose oil now in the hope that it will help. Its so bad I will have to mention it to my doc. Thank god its not every month though.

["Just" Paul]

My estrogen levels have pretty much stayed the same. lol:heh:


Now, there is that testosterone thing...

[Goannabanda]

PMT for the first time since before I had babies. Really really REALLY sore boobs for a week before my period and 3 times this really weird thing has hit me. My bowels are regular, lol, I go about half an hour after I get up in the morning. Three months out of the last 10 I think "ooh, need to go now" and sit down only to be hit by the most horrific cramps, its quite honestly as bad as labour. Cold sweats and full on cramps like when you have diarrhoea only what I pass is completely normal, except that I go about six times over the next two hours and am utterly incapacitated by the cramps - I can only crawl to bed and wait it out inbetween. Then the next day I get my period. It last happened to me last week and Doug was getting scared becuase I was carrying on like I was in childbirth, its honestly that bad. This is the only period pain I get, I dont have it once it actually starts, it lasts about 2 hours and I havent had one whit of PMT or period pain in the last 15 years until I was banded.

But I'm gettign scared of next month. I'm downing the Beroccas (vitamin B) and evening primrose oil now in the hope that it will help. Its so bad I will have to mention it to my doc. Thank god its not every month though.
oooh! I remember that! I hope it doesn't come back for me. Between the bowel-ripping cramps and peeing like a horse, I used to lose a couple of kilos each month at the onset of my period. Nowadays it's much milder, but I still have the digestive system PMT to varying degrees. I thought child birth had eased it, but maybe it's just the extra weight I carry.

I hope your doc can help you Jacqui - I found that the Pill helped a little, but I'd be reluctant to try that again. Add some hot packs and panadol to your PMT toolkit is my suggestion.

[DonnaB]

That sounds an awful lot like irritable bowel syndrome - IBS. I have bouts of IBS in the days before my period and it's truly, TRULY miserable. I DON'T have IBS with constipation so there's really no medicine available to help with the symptoms - just have to suffer through.

I'm so sorry you're having to deal with this. I haven't had children so I can't compare it to childbirth, but I can honestly say it's the most painful thing I've ever experienced (this from a woman who had a ruptured tubal pregnancy!) and I am just thankful that it's something that doesn't go on for extended periods of time. I think the longest bout I've suffered through was maybe 15 minutes, maybe a little longer. It felt like a lifetime. And when it's over you feel exhausted and absolutely wrung out. In short, it really sucks.

[Jachut]

Obviously I'm not the only one then. I've never had anything like this before, the first time it happened a day after my first fill, then a few months back and then last week. Once its passed, it's passed, it doesnt go on. Its truly bizarre, you expect explosive diarrhoea but that doesnt happen, just the awful awful cramps. Maybe over time I"ll be able to link it with dietary things or alcohol or whatever, but as its only happened 3 times I cant really put my finger on why its some months and not others.