Thanks for all of your replies. I thought adding a can or two of tuna a day in place of some of my usual carbs would not have caused so much of an issue for me. Guess I was wrong.
Would maybe a small protein shake throughout the day be more easier to adapt too? I'm not trying to cut or modify my caloric intake in any way....just trying to up my nutrition level.

Abbie...yeah, I know kind of weird. It was advised by my doctor. I was just recently diagnosed (a few months ago) with polycystic ovarian disorder. It's basically a severe hormonal imbalance/metabolic disorder. He recommended a high protein diet as a combatant to some of the symptoms.

I do NOT want to increase protein and do not really like meat on a daily basis. I thought by just adding a can of tuna or two would up my protein intake enough. I have always had to have a somewhat restrictive diet for my activity level (around 1300-1600 cal) even when in the peak of my training. It's kind of a hard disorder to explain and not too many people are familiar with it ...even doctors...trust me....I did not have a menstrual cycle for more than 3 years and they just kept telling me it was b'c I was thin and ran too much. I wasn't properly diagnosed until after my twin sister went to an endocrinologist. It only affects about 6-10% of women in the U.S. If you're interested just Google it. There's a lot of info on the net.

I have made several posts here recently referring to the disorder so I didn't really want to bother everyone again speaking about it again I guess that just asking questions about nutrition and (the women here) about other things like what a normal menstrual cycle/amount of pain/PMS is for the typical "normal" woman is just my way of dealing with this thing. Just trying to stay positive and learn what I can do to be as proactive as possible. The doctor says that by having a healthy and active lifestyle I have already thwarted off many of the potentially progressive symptoms. It's just kind of hard when you have to try different medicines that make you feel sick and too tired to run. I don't mean to complain though...sorry!

Anywho, I like getting perspective from people (especially women) that are very active. Thanks for any replies.

Hey thanks for the encouragement. Unfortunately, I have dealt with the cystic acne and hair growth and all of that. I keep everything at bay but it's still a daily thing I have to deal with. I feel like an ugly disgusting troll sometimes and after never having a period I am getting one like every 2 weeks. It's a huge change all at once and a bit overwhelming.

I guess part of what is so scary is that I have an identical twin sister who has rapidly progressed with all the symptoms. I'm scared that that will happen to me. Of course, she also is a drug user, smoker, and completely sedentary. Not only that but she has already had to have one surgery to remove a huge cyst and then a benign tumor on her lower back. I am also I will have to tell my BF or whomever I marry that I may not be able to have kids ...and that that will be a dealbreaker.


Once again though...thanks for sharing your experience and I am sorry if I sounded like I was complaining! It's a blessing that you didn't have any complications with your son.
Take care,
Lindsay