Low thyroid/obesity/irregular cycles and getting pregnant?

I am "morbidly obese", have hypotyroidism (low thyroid) and smoke. I'm trying to quit smoking and attempting to diet (we all know how that goes.. ha). I also do not have regular cycles. I was on Depo for about a year. My last shot was well over 2 years ago but yet I still do not have regular cycles. I'll go anywhere from 1-3 months with no period and when I do have one, they last anywhere from 3-6 weeks. I'd really like to have a baby. Does anyone have any tips? I've tried asking my doctor and all she says is "there is really nothing you can do". I'm getting pretty tired of hearing that. Serious answers only please! Thank you in advance!

Okay, listen to me PLEASE!

1) Never listen to what ONE doctor says...especially if she's not a specialist. First thing you have to do is find a new doctor--one that will work with you and be on your team. It's going to take some work to get pregnant, but if you're willing to do your part and find a doctor willing to help you, then that's half the battle. Find a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) in your area. These doctors specialize in weight issues, pregnancy, and fertility. They treat patients everyday with diabetes, thyroid issues, PCOS--who want to get pregnant. If your current doctor IS an RE, then find another one.

With that said, your RE will look into your thyroid issue, which may be causing your cycle to be wacky. He/she will also test your hormone levels, test you for Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), and other fertility issues that can get in the way of you getting pregnant. If he/she decides you are a good candidate for fertility medication, then that's the route you'll take.

2) STOP smoking.... today. Find a smoking cessation program that you can live with. Your RE (when you have one) can also make some suggestions.

3) Start eating better and exercising. I'm not talking about Olympic training and dramatic weight loss here...just small changes. Look at your eating habits and see where you can clean it up. Start walking or going to the gym a few days a week... whatever you can do. Do you know that for some women with fertility issues losing as little as 10% of their body weight is enough to "kick start" their reproductive system into high gear?! If you weigh 300lbs, that's only 30lbs, even less if you weigh less. Get started.

4) When you do get pregnant (and you WILL!) don't screw around with a garden variety OBGYN... go straight to a high risk pregnancy specialist. I know what I'm talking about. I'm 40 and overweight and got pregnant. It makes ALL the difference to be in the care of someone who knows how to deal with extraordinary situations.

5) You can do this if you really want it. You may not get pregnant next month, but it will happen. Get rid of anyone who is negative or pessimisstic. Positive, loving support ONLY from now on. Remember, that average couples with no issues can take up to a year to get pregnant. So don't get discouraged if it doesn't happen right away. Give it time and be GOOD to yourself!

You can email me anytime if you have questions or need support. You can do it!!

Good luck and sprinkling lots of baby dust for you!

Please find another doctor! That being said, you will HAVE to lose weight to become healthy enough to have a baby. But your doctor telling you there's nothing you can do is unacceptable.
I don't really have an answer for you, since I am going through the same thing. My last depo shot was about 3 years ago now, and still haven't returned to a regular cycle. But I will be sure to keep an eye on this question, because I too would like to know if there is anything that can be done.

Good luck to you!
first quit smoking - get that out of the way. then ask your Dr. about polycystic ovarian syndrome. many obese women with irregular cycles have this. tell her you want an insulin resistance test. this is different from a blood sugar test so be specific. if you have insulin resistance an oral drug called glucophage will help regulate cycles. but you will have a high risk pregnacy if you do in fact have this because it is like pre-diabetic. being overweight will also make your pregnancy high risk. you will need to be closely monitored if you do concieve.
what you can do is lose weight!! doesn't that sound like the logical thing to do is? after you lose weight then see if it makes a difference. sheesh.
Wow, your doctor is so wrong...theres plenty you can do if you find a doctor who is patient and cares. I'd dump the bad doc for a new one and see what kind of diets would help you lose weight safely so you can conceive. Just losing as little as ten pounds can truly increase your fertility! Unfortunately being overweight or obese reduces your chances of conceiving ( I know this sucks to hear because I'm currently overweight myself due to gaing 50lbs on depo last year that I can't seem to shed despite my best efforts, really!) And plus I've been on depo too and I haven't had a normal period in eight months. I'm going to my doctor on tuesday to see what can me done to help get me back to normal a bit sooner. And with the depo in your system it may take a while to see weight shift (it happens to many of us). Please stop smoking, that's horrible for your child, really. Good luck and don't give up...if you wan't it enough nothing will stop you.
Firstly, I would check your thyroid levels and try to get them to their optimum level.

I have an overactive thyroid - hence my weight is on the other end of the spectrum.

Personally I would work at one thing at a time.

Your thyroid levels could be completely off and your medication is not being adjusted to the level that your body requires - and if this is the case your weight issue will not be resolved. Once your levels and medication has stabilised the weight will slowly start to come down (lets not forget that your metabolism is extremely slow being underactive).

Once your optimum level is found and maintained and your energy starts to return then I would look at diet, exercise and stoping smoking.

Alot of the irregular period would come down to the thyroid issue. I know many women who have an underactive thyroid and one of the biggest concerns is their menstrual cycle never being regular.

Also, I know with me there are certain foods that I need to stay away from as they can irritate my thyroid condition. For alot of overactive sufferers seafood is a main culprit. So you may want to look at what certain foods you need to avoid and also what foods would be best for you.

I know that it seems that my prinicple concern and planning for is the thyroid condition, but I find once the levels are maintained then everything else seems to come together.

Lets not forget that the "butterfly" as we call it in our necks controls pretty much everything - our metabolism, heart rate, energy levels, hormones, moods, etc.

Good luck and I hope all goes well.