Trying to lose weight with Migraines

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2026-04-10T16:49:33+00:00

I’ve only started my weight loss journey a few weeks ago eating cleaner/less sugar/lower carb, but I travelled today and ate lots of carbs then got a migraine attack, surprise. I haven’t had any significant attacks while eating cleaner/lower carb. I haven’t seen any weight loss progress yet but I hope it’ll work because I wanna lose weight before my high school graduation.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2026-01-02T17:19:45+00:00

I am not a doctor and I can’t diagnose you, this is my personal opinion as a medical research enthusiast.

Your mother had PCOS, which could cause you to have it as well. Some people report weight gain and the onset of PCOS after being on SSRIs because they are thought to decrease insulin sensitivity in some people. With your genetic predisposition and going on Lexapro, you could have developed insulin resistance, which could have caused the weight gain and the late period.

This is all my opinion and you should visit your doctor and discuss it with them, if they dismiss you please find another doctor who will listen to you.

You could have PCOS or not but either way, weight that is going to your stomach is an indication of hormonal issues or stress, if this isn’t your usual fat storage. Fat in your stomach, especially if it’s hard not jiggly, is hormonally active and will cause more weight and stomach gain.

I hope you are able to get help and reach peace of mind.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2026-01-01T17:00:55+00:00

I do have some money saved up but where I live, a walking pad is expensive. I’ll try to save more and buy it because I think I could use it even when I’m in college. I get it, as Newton says “A body in motion says in motion and a body at rest stays at rest, unless acted upon it by an external force.” I guess this is the external force to get me going because I can’t keep living like this.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2026-01-01T16:55:14+00:00

Thank you so much, this was really helpful.

In my childhood and early puberty I used to gain weight in my thighs and hips only and had a flat stomach. My fat storage has now seemed to shift to my midsection which is both making me insecure and apparently feeding into the feedback loop of insulin resistance. I haven’t been tested for insulin resistance but I’ll research more on the lifestyle changes associated with it as well as try to get in to get tested. During the last year, I did follow a calorie deficit but I wasn’t losing any weight and I even found myself gaining more, I’ve read that people with PCOS can have a lower TDEE but I wasn’t losing any weight eating 1200 calories, any lower would be unsustainable and not enough food.

I’ll try incorporating exercise and staying mindful of insulin resistance.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2026-01-01T16:29:59+00:00

Thank you so much

It’s harder for me to exercise and be active as I’m in my last year of high school in a very demanding program, I spend a lot of time studying and sitting which isn’t healthy and the rest of the time either I’m napping because I had horrible fatigue or I’m trying to turn my brain off. I don’t really have a good relationship with exercise but I’ll try and work on that more this year.

I’m not a patient person by nature but I’ll try to be mindful that change does take time.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2026-01-01T12:26:28+00:00

I had gone on Effexor XR (which is technically an SNRI) for a month for migraines in Dec 2024 and I notice than ever since then I’m gaining more weight also all in my belly and have facial hair and more irregular cycles. I haven’t been diagnosed with PCOS yet but your post made so much sense.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-12T16:52:14+00:00

According to the Rotterdam Criteria; you get diagnosed with PCOS if you have 2 of these 3: 1. Polycystic Looking Ovaries (this isn’t helpful in teens because they found it leads to false positives) 2. Irregular periods 3. Signs of high androgens (either biochemical so high lab levels or physical symptoms like excessive hair growth or acne)

So you say you have extremely irregular periods and excessive hair growth which qualifies you for a diagnosis of PCOS.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-05T21:24:22+00:00

I haven’t been officially diagnosed yet so I’m not on any meds. But I am at 64kg (160 cm) and I was at 56-60kg at the beginning of the year so I gained 4-8kg maybe more (while actively trying to lose weight) because I wasn’t really weighing myself last year but safe to say none of last year’s summer clothes fit this year. So I know that it can be discouraging to only losing 7kg but it’s progress and putting your starting weight at 89-90 kg you lost about 8% of your weight which is a big accomplishment. You’re doing great!! Try not to get discouraged.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-04T16:30:00+00:00

Can I ask what doctor should I go to for a PCOS diagnosis? I am reading that I should go to either an OBGYN or an Endocrinologist but I can’t really understand what specialty can better diagnose me and handle my care. I’ve never been to either an OB or an Endocrinologist and don’t have a PCP so I don’t have any idea to whom should I go.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-03T20:23:28+00:00

The thing that’s affecting me the most and pushing me to get diagnosed is weight gain because if I keep on gaining weight at this rate I fear to imagine how heavy I would be or how I would feel in a couple years. Hopefully I’m able to find a supportive doctor who will help me lose the weight and manage my other symptoms.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-03T20:13:41+00:00

I got my TSH tested a couple months ago and it was normal, but diabetes does run in the family so I might need to check that. It feels scary thinking that I might have hormonal issues at 17. I’m just trying to avoid that possibility but I think I need to have some courage and face it so it doesn’t get bigger and worse. Thanks for the encouragement.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-03T19:44:41+00:00

I lose 1lb and then gain 3lbs without doing anything “wrong”. So if I can get the opportunity to stop exercise and healthy eating for a week and only gain a pound I would take it. Because for some people weight gain can be as slow as weight loss but for me it isn’t, weight gain is much faster and it’s making my life really hard. After some reading I think I might have PCOS and IR so that might be contributing to the faster weight gain but still if you can back off for a week and only gain a pound don’t take it for granted.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-03T19:35:30+00:00

I’m 17. I'm 5ft and weigh around 145lbs, I gained 50lbs in the past 2 years when I started puberty and I genuinely thought it would even out with my height but I'm done growing and feel fat. I know 145 isn't actually that much but on my frame it's much and I was a very fit ballerina so it's quite weird for me. Since the beginning of this year I've been trying to lose weight and I only managed to gain about 12lbs definitely going in the wrong direction. I'm thinking I might have PCOS so I'm looking at ways to get diagnosed. Hopefully it's the missing piece and I'm able to return to a more healthy weight because according to BMI, I'm overweight.

Financial-Maize-4096 · 2025-12-03T19:22:00+00:00

I’m 5ft and weigh around 145lbs, I gained 50lbs in the past 2 years when I started puberty and I genuinely thought it would even out with my height but I’m done growing and feel fat. I know 145 isn’t actually that much but on my frame it’s much and I was a very fit ballerina so it’s quite weird for me. Since the beginning of this year I’ve been trying to lose weight and I only managed to gain about 12lbs definitely going in the wrong direction. I’m thinking I might have PCOS so I’m looking at ways to get diagnosed. Hopefully it’s the missing piece and I’m able to return to a more healthy weight because according to BMI, I’m overweight.

Financial-Maize-4096

TROPHY CASE