WTF is Happening to My Body?!
Before my double mastectomy in 2017, I was in the best shape of my life.
I had been training for my surgery and I was feeling so strong and confident in my body, which was a major reason I felt ready for the surgery. If I was the strongest I had ever been, this would be the best condition for my body to heal. That was my thought process at least.
I was doing strength interval training every other day. Running at least one mile four or five times a week. Eating really clean, barely drinking alcohol and trying to get as much sleep as possible.
Fast forward to this past year and I barely even recognize my body anymore and I have a whole slew of symptoms that have me thinking WTF on a daily basis.
SYMPTOMS
Weight fluctuations: after my double mastectomy i lost a ton of weight and felt super unhealthy so I worked to put the weight back on. Once I gained some weight back it was as if I couldn’t stop. For the last year I have gained about 10 lbs around my lower abdomens that I can’t seem to loose. I haven’t changed anything in my diet, I eat pretty healthy besides the occasional taco bell run/ churro and I have continued to workout. It’s been super frustrating!
Cystic acne: I have never really struggled with acne or breakouts so this has been SO frustrating for me. For the past year I really struggled with cystic acne on my face (mostly on my cheeks) and constant breakouts on my chest. Now my chest has cleared but my back is horrible!! I have never had bacne in my life!! WTF!!
Painful periods: I attribute this to both my hormones but also having my IUD removed. Ever since removing my IUD my period’s have come back with a vengeance! They are super painful - these cramps are THE WORST - and my flow is not normal AT ALL! One month it’s barely there and the next its really heavy (sorry if that’s TMI lol)
Food intolerances: I am not sure exactly which foods are setting me off but I have noticed a serious shift. I used to LOVE cauliflower and brusselsprouts but now I have a feeling they are triggers for me. I am looking into doing an elimination diet soon, if you want to join me!
Low energy: I have always been super active and high energy. I was the annoying morning person who would wake up and hit the ground running. More and more I have been hitting snooze, sleeping in, and feeling unmotivated to workout. When I do make it to the gym, my body is exhausted!!! I am so sick of this.
Low sex drive: My sex drive has been MUCH lower than usual lately. Which is saying a lot since I am a pretty sexually active person (sorry, TMI again!) but lately I have had very little desire. Which is super weird for me and is a clear sign something is off with my hormones.
Unwanted hair growth: I have always been a little hairier than most women I know (lucky me) but I started to feel like freaking Sasquatch this past year. From hair on my face to my nipples, it seemed as if it wouldn’t stop growing!! I was super embarrassed by this for a long time but I came to accept that I am a human and I can’t control where hair grows so I am not going to let control my life or make me feel bad about myself.
ITS TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE
After about a year of this I FINALLY decided to make a change. Luckily I had an appointment with the BRCA whisperer and when I told her my symptoms she sent me to see an endocrinologist because she thought it sounded like I had PCOS. Unfortunately the endocrinologist that she recommended didn’t have availability until JUNE so I made an appointment and decided to see someone else in the meantime.
I have my appointment with her this week and I am excited to get some blood-work done and hopefully finally figure out what the f#$% is going on with my body. I have done a little bit of research online to try to find other women who have gone through this and none of it seems to be coming from Breasties, which is frustrating.
I know there are a lot of us who have similar symptoms and who are equally as frustrated so I am hoping I can get us the answers we need to figure all of this out!! It can be very isolating and scary when you no longer recognize your body. It’s one of the worst feeling in the world. I hope that you know you are not in this alone and we are going to figure this out TOGETHER!!
As always, if you have any questions, amazing resources, or just want to chat about what you’re going through, please feel free to comment them below. I am SO grateful that we are all in this together and I feel really grateful that if we have to go through this, at least we have this amazing community to lean on.
Love you all!!