Living with the weight gain caused by endo
I am wondering if they are any other ladies who can provide insight on how they have dealt with this issue. In my first 5 years of having the disease I went through numerous hormones and never gained weight- I have always worked out and eaten well. However, 3 years ago during the Pandemic, I moved to the Netherlands my pain became so severe that I was diagnosed with neuropathic pain and I was prescribed antidepressants and drugs like gabapentin.
Within weeks I was unrecognisable (no jokes) over the next few months I put on 10kgs before the rapid weight gain lulled. Since then I have not been able to lose the weight. I cannot do high-impact workouts anymore (because of the pain) but all of the old mechanisms- fasting, eating well, even having a personal trainer do not work. It's like my metabolism is wrecked.
It's been hard on my confidence and I feel too fat to date even though I was only 28 when this all started.
Has anyone else dealt with this?
Do you have suggestions for how to boost my metabolism and lose weight?
How have you prevented yourself from having low self-esteem?
Considering fat makes the pain worse I really would appreciate the help.
- I just wanted to say, I am so sorry you are feeling this way and dealing with this. I am glad you are here though in this community because you are NOT alone with any of this. I am struggling with the SAME exact thing and yes, it is beyond tough. I honestly don't know the secret sauce to losing weight and feeling like me again. I have tried every diet known to man, I walk on the treadmill daily, and yet, I just can't lose weight.
It's hard not to have low self-esteem. But I am trying to learn and teach myself, to love myself no matter what. I am actually in therapy and this is one of the things we are working on. Talking nicely to myself. Looking at myself in the mirror every day and telling myself I love myself. Getting rid of the scale and no longer looking at what my weight is. It doesn't just magically happen over night. It is going to be a long process for sure to gain my confidence back but seeking help to do it was the first step, and I did it. I don't know if maybe you have someone professional in that sense that you can talk with too?
As for the weight gain and what the heck is causing it- here are some of my thoughts for me personally that I am starting to work on to dig deeper and find more answers-
1) I have PCOS- and I know I am not managing it properly right now but PCOS does cause weight gain
2) SIBO- I am fighing to get answers about this. I truly believe my gut is messed up with some sort of bacteria and this one in particular is what I believe I am dealing with. Any overgrowth can absolutely cause some weight gain.
3) Thyroid issues- hard one because traditional doctors stink at looking at proper blood work. I may try an endocrinologist and maybe eventually go to a functional doctor for this. But thyroid issues can cause weight gain too.
4) Food intolerances. I have taken out a lot of things but I feel like I am obviously still eating things that don't sit well. This could be hard to figure out if you do have bad bacteria going on though.
5) Stress and not sleeping well, major factors for me.
6) Endometriosis- sometimes I notice after surgery and it is removed, I always lose some weight. So I sometimes wonder when my weight is just stuck and I can't lose it, if that means endometriosis has grown back again (just my personal thought).
7) Not getting proper nutrients, supplements, enough meals. All key factors to weight gain.
Maybe this will give you some things to look into or think about for whats going on with you. I would definitely bring whatever you can up to your doctor and see what they think. It doesn't hurt to ask. Sending you hugs and know we are here for you. So please reach out any time you need. And keep us posted, too! -Kimberli (advocate)thank you for the response. It's really nice to know I am not alone, accepting a new version of your life can be really difficult.
I recently got into therapy to deal with this and a lot of other trauma related to my diagnosis CBT was recommended to me and it has been going well.
I will keep pressing on with acceptance. I have seen endocrinologist, dieticians, stomach doctors and tbh I now just want to avoid doctors. They aren't often empathetic here.
This message is more helpful than anything!I am so glad it was helpful. I understand wanting to avoid doctors. I have so many seasons of that too. Where I take a break and just try to do my own thing. Because after a while you just get so tired of being treated like you and your symptoms are not enough. Glad therapy has been going well. I truly do hope you find that love and acceptance you so deserve. But also at the same time, answers if you want those, too. Like I said, here for you always! <3 -Kimberli (advocate)
Thank you, I'm Lisa btw😀
It's so lovely to meet you Lisa! I'm Kimberli. Absolutely looking forward to chatting more here and following you and your journey! <3 -Kimberli (advocate)
I’m so sorry to hear you’re having trouble feeling good in your body. Kimberli makes some great points. But I’ll chime in with my experience with weight gain, though it wasn’t from my endometriosis itself.
Might I ask if you’re still on the antidepressant and other medication? I’m asking because I gained almost 20% of my body weight over the course of 3 years on one particular SNRI (selective serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) antidepressant. I’m typically underweight, so the first 10 lbs felt healthy. But my body continued to gain fat, in particular, and retain water. And I rapidly gained weight over the course of a few months at one point. The medication also made me chronically constipated.
For me, all that felt uncomfortable and I also didn’t recognize the person in the mirror. And that was really hard on my self-esteem not to feel like myself.
Eventually, I tapered off of my medication with the help of my doctor — I also used CBT and mindfulness mediation for my mental health, along with exercise and a healthy diet. I started to lose weight without trying about 3 months after I stopped the antidepressant. And within a year and a half, I was back to my “normal” weight. I’ve taken other antidepressants since then and haven’t gained weight. I have no idea why one causes weight gain and others don’t.
If this weight gain happened after you started the medication, and you’re still on it, it’s worth asking your doctor about other options for pain that may lead to less weight gain. I hope you find some answers soon! - Keri (patient leader)
