The first time I sought the help of a professional was about two years ago. My father had just passed away, I was depressed, confused, and my calories were at an all-time low while mileage was at an all-time high. I was running on empty (literally) and I knew something wasn’t right.

I presented my symptoms to my GP at the time and she referred me to a psychiatrist. I had never seen a therapist, counselor, shrink, etc. and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try so I made an appointment.

Her office was big and filled with dark mahogany and leather furniture. It looked more like an attorney’s office than a doctor’s. She asked me a series of questions for less than 20 minutes and ended the appointment with her diagnosis. She told me I suffered from a mental illness, wrote me a prescription and walked me out the door. I got in my car, closed the door and ripped the Rx to pieces. I was suffering from heartbreak, and while I didn’t know how to cope, I knew the answer wouldn’t be found in an orange plastic bottle.

I continued with my typical ways for several more months. At this point, while I was still emotionally mourning my dad, I had started noticing physical changes. I got dizzy whenever I stood up, I was incessantly cold to the point I had a heater in my office in August, I had trouble concentrating and I hadn’t had my period in almost a year.

I made an appointment with my gynecologist and, while I wasn’t completely honest with her about my habits, she knew I had lost a great deal of weight and that I was training for a marathon. She told me I had nothing to worry about and applauded me for my dedication to health and we bonded over a love for running.

My husband was frustrated. He kept telling me that something was wrong and I needed to go back to my gynecologist to search for the answers. I went back 2 or 3 times all with the same feedback: It is not unusual for a runner to stop getting a period and I have nothing to be concerned about.

Eventually my husband convinced me to get a second opinion. I worked in the medical industry and it was fairly easy to get a referral to the highest rated GP in Austin. I made an appointment but was nervous she would tell me what I didn’t want to hear: That I needed to eat more and run less.

When I met this “Super Doctor” she asked me why I was there. I proceeded to tell her how my fainting episodes had increased, I was cold all of the time, had zero energy to do anything but run and I hadn’t had a period in a year and a half. She looked at her chart with my height and weight on it, then looked me up and down, and said she didn’t think I had anything to worry about. She echoed my gynecologist’s sentiments that, as a runner, it is not uncommon to experience these symptoms. Although she was telling me what I secretly wanted to hear, I couldn’t help but feel defeated. I KNEW something was wrong and I felt like I was trapped and had no chance for recovery.

Fast forward to today and I finally feel like I have a team of people who 1. Recognize the fact that I was undereating and overexercising and 2. Are committed to helping my body get back to functioning the way it was intended to.

It has been a really long road and I can’t help but think that if some MDs were better trained at recognizing the signs of chronic dieting, anorexia, and/or female athlete triad syndrome then I (and so many other women out there) could have spared our bodies a lot of abuse.

My message is this: If you think something is wrong, listen to your gut. You know your body better than anyone, even better than a doctor. Additionally, be honest with your doctor(s). I have to accept some of the blame for not being as forthright as I should have been about my habits.

PS If you have ANY questions about any of the topics I cover, if you think you might be suffering from some of the same issues or know someone who is, please don’t hesitate to send me an email at: thirtystarsblog@gmail.com. Like I’ve said before, I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help and support of other women who have been in these shoes.

XoXo

Katie