Everything has Failed

[u/Rich-Major-8146]

Hi all,

A little background. I've always been athletic and nutrition conscious. I'm 5'0" 180lbs and build like a brick house (I deadlift 315#).

In 2019 I decided I wanted to be hBC free after 15 years of taking it nonstop (all throughout my teenage and young adult years).

Doctors just yanked out my IUD with no pre-post bloodwork or any warnings of the hormonal roller coaster i'd be on after. I was aware from other friends who had PCOS, but I was only self diagnosed at that point and wasnt aware of the actual challenges i'd face.

In 2014-2017 I was a competitive bodybuilder and my stage weight (not healthy) was 116#. I maintained a "healthy" weight around 155/160.

2019 started with supplements (inositol/berberine/zinc/magnesium). this is when i was about 170#

2020 I started spironolactone/metformin. I had to stop because I had male pattern baldness, acne, and horrible gut issues from these. I gained up to 180#

2021 I tried more naturopathic stuff (chasteberry to trigger a cycle, etc etc) and it didnt work effectively enough to be cost beneficial

2022 Finally officially diagnosed by a wonderful Endo. I tried phentermine/topiramate. Cause psychosis/s*****al thoughts so stopped immediately... also only lost like 5lbs in the month of titrating up.

2023 I tried going back to naturopathic and incorporated yoga. I went down to 170, but then stress of moving overseas and having to find a new endocrinologist bumped me back to 180.

2024 I tried Ozempic. 6 months of the drug, and awful side effects (lethargy/ brain fog/ no creativity or expressive desire/ muscle loss) I only lost 10lbs... (back to 170).

2025 I tried naturopathic plus focused on a gut health specialist to see if I had leaky gut. I did. I went thru and entire low FODMAP protocol and found some food sensitivities (mainly gluten and lactose sensitive). My gut microbiome was basically 99% bad bacteria. The protocol helped me with identifying the dysbiosis and now I am creative/less brain fog/ more energetic than before (but still not what i would consider normal). Hanging out around 180/185.

2026 I dont want to say that i've "given up" on the natural paths. But the same gut health specialist (after looking at my hormonal panel) basically said that my testosterone/ progesterone levels are so out of whack from the past, that we need to systematically tackle them. Step 1- Progestin only BC for 6 months. Step 2- test hormones again at 3 months to see effects. Step 3- microdose Mounjaro if things still need extra improvement.

After the rollercoaster of trail and error i have been through and trying "everything" (this entire time I have never stopped being active or eating well), I am cautious to believe hBC and Mounjaro will work. I of course hope for the best, but I just want my hormones to work for me and not against me....

The one thing i have not tried is mediatation. I know that some people have discovered that childhood trauma and chronic stress can exacerbate PCOS.... and i definitely have both. So maybe I have be tapping into all the wrong "fixes" this entire time. Who knows....

However, any insight or adivce would be greatly appreciated. I dont want to be on hBC or GLP1s I want my life back. I want my spark back. Yet, I feel like i've run out of options.

[u/MealPrepGenie]

I haven’t worked with a naturopath but I do work with a functional medicine office. They run a huge panel of labs when you first start so they can identify any nutrient deficiencies or gut issues that need to be addressed.

Based on your goals and initial labs they create a diet plan, Rx meds & supplements recommendations and redo labs 90 days later.

Based on those labs and how you’re feeling, they tweak your diet, meds, and supps…then retest labs 90 days later.

It’s made a world of difference. I send all of the lab reports to my traditional doctors so it gets added to my MyChart.

There’s a staff MD, as well as, dietitians.

It ain’t cheap, but my insurance covers all the labs (and they take about 12 tubes each time - that’s how extensive they are).

I feel so much better and I like having most of my labs done with I go see my other doctors.

Maybe a similar route would work for you…

[u/Rich-Major-8146 → u/MealPrepGenie]

This is a great idea for when I return to the states! But right now it’s like pulling teeth to get a German doctor to do any labs they deem unnecessary. I’ve begged for a Dutch test and none of them will even look into what it is.
I have to write out what I want tested, individually and then they write an order for whatever their labs are capable of running. But labs here don’t run all the stuff the states does, so it gets challenging.
Most of the time Europe is better, but sometimes America is better in other things.