can I start a PCOS Vent your frustrations Thread? lol
Replies
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I would like to thank the string of mostly incompetent and condescending military doctors that led to it taking over 12 years to get a diagnosis.
I started showing symptoms at 18 (irregular periods) for which my military gyn handed me a prescription for birth control and pushed me out the door. I went off the pill at 21 in hopes of getting pregnant. Instead, I gained enough weight to end my military career (sometimes, so quickly that the uniform I wore to work on Friday would be too tight to wear on Monday). Doctor after Doctor after Doctor telling me if I'd just go on a diet, my periods would regulate. After my divorce, I started seeing a VA doctor who offered to put me on fertility drugs. I explained I didn't want to get pregnant anymore, I just wanted to get my periods regulated. He said if I didn't want to get pregnant, why was I worried about regular periods?
At 30 I started seeing a VA Nurse Practitioner who mentioned, very nonchalantly I might add, that with my PCOS, I would have to stay on the pill to have regular periods and would probably need fertility drugs to get pregnant. With my WHAT? Oh yea, you didn't know? She prescribed Metformin, which did absolutely nothing for me except keep my lower intestines squeaky clean.
I stayed on the pill until 35 when the VA wouldn't give it to me anymore because I'm a smoker. I stopped the pill, and Lo and Behold, regular periods. No significant weight loss, no abatement of the facial hair, but regular, normal periods.
Now here I am, 41, facial hair, stretch marks, 40 excess lbs of belly fat (serious, I carry everything between my boobs and pubes), eating fish and veggies and salad while I cook fried pork chops and pasta and King Ranch chicken for the boyfriend that can consume 5k calories a day and never gain an ounce. I walk/run 30 minutes, do a 45 zumba workout, and 2 30 minute pilates workouts 5 days a week, and last week I GAINED 2 lbs.
Oh what a life. Normal people are jealous, I'm sure.0 -
hahaha The part about your BF is exactly the same as my Husband...this guy can literally eat and eat and eat and never gain a pound. If I eat one piece of regular bread....I literally gain about 3 pounds the next day. the caloric intake doesn't make any sense....so it HAS to be pcos related. Also if my hubby goes to the gym for about oh...lets say .... 2-3 weeks dilligently(which is the most he's ever gone consistently since i've known him lol) he will be ripped and toned and people will compliment him right away! I on the other hand.... have worked out pretty much for a whole year only stopping for maybe 5 days at a time here or there. Lost damn near 40 pounds within the last 6 months, eating healthy and exercising at least 45 mins a day of cardio and 30 min strength training sessions about 3-4 times perweek....NOT ONE PERSON HAS SAID OR NOTICED MY WEIGHTLOSS.................ugh..........it irks me to no end....lol I love my husband but he is not dedicated to working out and eating right like I am. Yet he gets the positive reinforcement that I deserve! lol IRONY........ LOVE ALL MY CYSTERS! We go through more than any normal 'body' could truly understand. I don't even explain PCOS and weightloss to people anymore because they're completely uneducated (for the most part) and they have no grasp on the disease at all.I would like to thank the string of mostly incompetent and condescending military doctors that led to it taking over 12 years to get a diagnosis.
I started showing symptoms at 18 (irregular periods) for which my military gyn handed me a prescription for birth control and pushed me out the door. I went off the pill at 21 in hopes of getting pregnant. Instead, I gained enough weight to end my military career (sometimes, so quickly that the uniform I wore to work on Friday would be too tight to wear on Monday). Doctor after Doctor after Doctor telling me if I'd just go on a diet, my periods would regulate. After my divorce, I started seeing a VA doctor who offered to put me on fertility drugs. I explained I didn't want to get pregnant anymore, I just wanted to get my periods regulated. He said if I didn't want to get pregnant, why was I worried about regular periods?
At 30 I started seeing a VA Nurse Practitioner who mentioned, very nonchalantly I might add, that with my PCOS, I would have to stay on the pill to have regular periods and would probably need fertility drugs to get pregnant. With my WHAT? Oh yea, you didn't know? She prescribed Metformin, which did absolutely nothing for me except keep my lower intestines squeaky clean.
I stayed on the pill until 35 when the VA wouldn't give it to me anymore because I'm a smoker. I stopped the pill, and Lo and Behold, regular periods. No significant weight loss, no abatement of the facial hair, but regular, normal periods.
Now here I am, 41, facial hair, stretch marks, 40 excess lbs of belly fat (serious, I carry everything between my boobs and pubes), eating fish and veggies and salad while I cook fried pork chops and pasta and King Ranch chicken for the boyfriend that can consume 5k calories a day and never gain an ounce. I walk/run 30 minutes, do a 45 zumba workout, and 2 30 minute pilates workouts 5 days a week, and last week I GAINED 2 lbs.
Oh what a life. Normal people are jealous, I'm sure.0 -
Just found out I have PCOS about 2 months ago. Waiting to hear back from the Doctor to see if I need to be put on metaformin and going on Wednesday to get blood work to see if I ovulated!!0
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*Metformin I always spell it wrong!0
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hahaha The part about your BF is exactly the same as my Husband...this guy can literally eat and eat and eat and never gain a pound. If I eat one piece of regular bread....I literally gain about 3 pounds the next day. the caloric intake doesn't make any sense....so it HAS to be pcos related. Also if my hubby goes to the gym for about oh...lets say .... 2-3 weeks dilligently(which is the most he's ever gone consistently since i've known him lol) he will be ripped and toned and people will compliment him right away! I on the other hand.... have worked out pretty much for a whole year only stopping for maybe 5 days at a time here or there. Lost damn near 40 pounds within the last 6 months, eating healthy and exercising at least 45 mins a day of cardio and 30 min strength training sessions about 3-4 times perweek....NOT ONE PERSON HAS SAID OR NOTICED MY WEIGHTLOSS.................ugh..........it irks me to no end....lol I love my husband but he is not dedicated to working out and eating right like I am. Yet he gets the positive reinforcement that I deserve! lol IRONY........ LOVE ALL MY CYSTERS! We go through more than any normal 'body' could truly understand. I don't even explain PCOS and weightloss to people anymore because they're completely uneducated (for the most part) and they have no grasp on the disease at all.I would like to thank the string of mostly incompetent and condescending military doctors that led to it taking over 12 years to get a diagnosis.
I started showing symptoms at 18 (irregular periods) for which my military gyn handed me a prescription for birth control and pushed me out the door. I went off the pill at 21 in hopes of getting pregnant. Instead, I gained enough weight to end my military career (sometimes, so quickly that the uniform I wore to work on Friday would be too tight to wear on Monday). Doctor after Doctor after Doctor telling me if I'd just go on a diet, my periods would regulate. After my divorce, I started seeing a VA doctor who offered to put me on fertility drugs. I explained I didn't want to get pregnant anymore, I just wanted to get my periods regulated. He said if I didn't want to get pregnant, why was I worried about regular periods?
At 30 I started seeing a VA Nurse Practitioner who mentioned, very nonchalantly I might add, that with my PCOS, I would have to stay on the pill to have regular periods and would probably need fertility drugs to get pregnant. With my WHAT? Oh yea, you didn't know? She prescribed Metformin, which did absolutely nothing for me except keep my lower intestines squeaky clean.
I stayed on the pill until 35 when the VA wouldn't give it to me anymore because I'm a smoker. I stopped the pill, and Lo and Behold, regular periods. No significant weight loss, no abatement of the facial hair, but regular, normal periods.
Now here I am, 41, facial hair, stretch marks, 40 excess lbs of belly fat (serious, I carry everything between my boobs and pubes), eating fish and veggies and salad while I cook fried pork chops and pasta and King Ranch chicken for the boyfriend that can consume 5k calories a day and never gain an ounce. I walk/run 30 minutes, do a 45 zumba workout, and 2 30 minute pilates workouts 5 days a week, and last week I GAINED 2 lbs.
Oh what a life. Normal people are jealous, I'm sure.
I don't try to explain PCOS to anybody because when you get into the details it sounds too much like 'I have a glandular problem that makes it hard for me to lose weight'. Uh huh . . . is it a 'glandular problem' or is it that empty box of Krispy Kremes sitting on your desk? Or worse, 'so what do you mean it effects your estrogen levels? What, like, you're turning into a man?'
Is your husband encouraging? Does he tell you you're beautiful and he's proud of you and your hard work? If not, you should write that out and make him memorize it and regurgitate it back to you EVERY DAY! I shamelessly pander for compliments and encouragement . . . I'll leave my workout clothes in a pile by the bed so he'll ask about my workout or I'll leave the Zumba disc in the XBox on purpose or I'll tell him things I saw while I was walking at the track. Somebody before me trained him very well because he never fails to tell me how proud he is and how well I'm doing.
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Dear PCOS.
I wanted to thank you so much for helping me gain back the 30 lbs I worked my butt of for months to lose! Not only that, you were so thoughtful, you added an extra 25 lbs!!! Also, thank you for the beard.. it totally goes with my fat beer looking belly and acne you have also provided! Thanks for sucking all my motivation and energy out of me!Also, thanks for making me think I am pregnant 600 times a year! I love peeing on sticks for no reason! I would like to introduce you to a new good friend of mine.. her name is METFORMIN! I thought I would repay you for all the gifts you have given me =] ENJOY PCOS!0 -
hahaha The part about your BF is exactly the same as my Husband...this guy can literally eat and eat and eat and never gain a pound. If I eat one piece of regular bread....I literally gain about 3 pounds the next day. the caloric intake doesn't make any sense....so it HAS to be pcos related. Also if my hubby goes to the gym for about oh...lets say .... 2-3 weeks dilligently(which is the most he's ever gone consistently since i've known him lol) he will be ripped and toned and people will compliment him right away! I on the other hand.... have worked out pretty much for a whole year only stopping for maybe 5 days at a time here or there. Lost damn near 40 pounds within the last 6 months, eating healthy and exercising at least 45 mins a day of cardio and 30 min strength training sessions about 3-4 times perweek....NOT ONE PERSON HAS SAID OR NOTICED MY WEIGHTLOSS.................ugh..........it irks me to no end....lol I love my husband but he is not dedicated to working out and eating right like I am. Yet he gets the positive reinforcement that I deserve! lol IRONY........ LOVE ALL MY CYSTERS! We go through more than any normal 'body' could truly understand. I don't even explain PCOS and weightloss to people anymore because they're completely uneducated (for the most part) and they have no grasp on the disease at all.I would like to thank the string of mostly incompetent and condescending military doctors that led to it taking over 12 years to get a diagnosis.
I started showing symptoms at 18 (irregular periods) for which my military gyn handed me a prescription for birth control and pushed me out the door. I went off the pill at 21 in hopes of getting pregnant. Instead, I gained enough weight to end my military career (sometimes, so quickly that the uniform I wore to work on Friday would be too tight to wear on Monday). Doctor after Doctor after Doctor telling me if I'd just go on a diet, my periods would regulate. After my divorce, I started seeing a VA doctor who offered to put me on fertility drugs. I explained I didn't want to get pregnant anymore, I just wanted to get my periods regulated. He said if I didn't want to get pregnant, why was I worried about regular periods?
At 30 I started seeing a VA Nurse Practitioner who mentioned, very nonchalantly I might add, that with my PCOS, I would have to stay on the pill to have regular periods and would probably need fertility drugs to get pregnant. With my WHAT? Oh yea, you didn't know? She prescribed Metformin, which did absolutely nothing for me except keep my lower intestines squeaky clean.
I stayed on the pill until 35 when the VA wouldn't give it to me anymore because I'm a smoker. I stopped the pill, and Lo and Behold, regular periods. No significant weight loss, no abatement of the facial hair, but regular, normal periods.
Now here I am, 41, facial hair, stretch marks, 40 excess lbs of belly fat (serious, I carry everything between my boobs and pubes), eating fish and veggies and salad while I cook fried pork chops and pasta and King Ranch chicken for the boyfriend that can consume 5k calories a day and never gain an ounce. I walk/run 30 minutes, do a 45 zumba workout, and 2 30 minute pilates workouts 5 days a week, and last week I GAINED 2 lbs.
Oh what a life. Normal people are jealous, I'm sure.
I don't try to explain PCOS to anybody because when you get into the details it sounds too much like 'I have a glandular problem that makes it hard for me to lose weight'. Uh huh . . . is it a 'glandular problem' or is it that empty box of Krispy Kremes sitting on your desk? Or worse, 'so what do you mean it effects your estrogen levels? What, like, you're turning into a man?'
Is your husband encouraging? Does he tell you you're beautiful and he's proud of you and your hard work? If not, you should write that out and make him memorize it and regurgitate it back to you EVERY DAY! I shamelessly pander for compliments and encouragement . . . I'll leave my workout clothes in a pile by the bed so he'll ask about my workout or I'll leave the Zumba disc in the XBox on purpose or I'll tell him things I saw while I was walking at the track. Somebody before me trained him very well because he never fails to tell me how proud he is and how well I'm doing.
HAHA! OMG.. people dont get PCOS AT ALL!!! Unless someone has it and has dealt with it.. they have no idea! ugh. What you said is so true! People always look at me like huh?! haha0 -
I am definitely with you, PCOS blows. I was diagnosed when I was 15...9 years later here I am. I carry all my weight in the midsection, have extra hair everywhere (nothing like explaining why you have more of a treasure trail the your bf), among a million other things. My ex and I tried for 4 years to get pregnant but to no avail that didn't work, we split up shortly after that. A few years later I met the love of my life and want to have a child sometime in the near future but every dr I speak to says "lose weight, everything will regulate" I am so sick and tired of hearing that! Grrrrr!!!!!!! It seems almost impossible to lose a single ounce.
/End Rant0 -
I am definitely with you, PCOS blows. I was diagnosed when I was 15...9 years later here I am. I carry all my weight in the midsection, have extra hair everywhere (nothing like explaining why you have more of a treasure trail the your bf), among a million other things. My ex and I tried for 4 years to get pregnant but to no avail that didn't work, we split up shortly after that. A few years later I met the love of my life and want to have a child sometime in the near future but every dr I speak to says "lose weight, everything will regulate" I am so sick and tired of hearing that! Grrrrr!!!!!!! It seems almost impossible to lose a single ounce.
/End Rant
I am having the same issue. The only way to get back to normal is to lose weight.. but my doctors told me that with the severity of it, I am in a hard spot because its almost impossible for me to lose it on my own.. =[ stupid PCOS!0 -
Losing weight while being diagnosed with pcos is close to impossible without the proper diet and exercise and medication! You can't even skip a day......or hardly even reward yourself with a treat here or there because it seems to offset ALL the hard work you've been doing! As for eating exercise cals back? I hardly ever do because my weight loss will stagnate if I do. I know that normal bodies can do this and it is better for them. But it hasn't seemed to work for me yet. Im hoping that once I have actually lost enough weight my body WILL regulate and actually respond correctly...but as for now...it isnt.0
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I started Metformin today. None of my doctor's had put me on it before. Lo and behold I go for my yearly woman's exam yesterday and a nurse practioner is actually the only one who I feel like has ever listened to me. I've even seen a fertility speicialist for this and they never suggested Metformin for me. So I'm really excited that this might help to regulate many things in my body and maybe tame some rogue hormones. The NP said that the Metformin should help me to loose a little weight.
I was wondering about others expierences with Metformin. Did it really help in loseing weight and helping to regulate your body?
Jamie
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I just found this thread and have to join!
Dear PCOS
Why? Why do you have to pick me? Why did you have to hit me so young (from my gyno's reckoning I would have been 10 years old when it first hit) Why do you have to give me hair on my chin? Why the excess weight making me hate myself? Why most of all the depression? I've hated myself for almost eight years, my 20s have sucked and a big part of it is because of you. I hate it. I hate you.
But PCOS I will tell you something. I am going to lose weight. I am going to beat the depression. I am going to be happy. I WILL conquer you. I promise you that. You may have won all the major battles for the past eight years, but I WILL win the war. I promise you by the time I turn 30 you will no longer be part of my life.
No love
Lauren.
I got diagnosed at 19. I walked into my gynaecologist and his first words were 'you're here to see me about PCOS aren't you?Apparently I present a 'classic' case. I am eternally grateful that I have very blonde hair, so the hair on my face is not noticable. (especially now I can't afford to get it waxed)0 -
I literally gained 7 pounds of water weight from my TOM this month.....over the last 4 days it has gone down, but seriously....7?! Is this normal or could it be yet another symptom of PCOS?0
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Congrats! :-)I started Metformin today. None of my doctor's had put me on it before. Lo and behold I go for my yearly woman's exam yesterday and a nurse practioner is actually the only one who I feel like has ever listened to me. I've even seen a fertility speicialist for this and they never suggested Metformin for me. So I'm really excited that this might help to regulate many things in my body and maybe tame some rogue hormones. The NP said that the Metformin should help me to loose a little weight.
I was wondering about others expierences with Metformin. Did it really help in loseing weight and helping to regulate your body?
Jamie
Metformin isn't really effective regarding weight-loss unless you also have insulin resistance along with your PCOS (which, unfortunately, many of us do).
I have insulin resistance and PCOS. My personal experience? Metformin - coupled with daily exercise and healthy eating - has been the only thing that has allowed me to lose weight like a "normal" individual (in this case someone who doesn't have PCOS/insulin resistance). I have always eaten healthy and exercised regularly, but it was only after the addition of Metformin to my routine, that I was able to lose weight. So for me? It was a major (1/3!!) part of the weight-loss equation for me.
Not everyone can tolerate it or has success with it, but I've never had problems with it and it's, quite honestly, been a life saver for me personally..0 -
Thanks so much for your reply. I have been very frustrated because I eat healthy and exercise but don't see any results. Since I started taking the Metformin THIS WEEK, I've already lost 1.5 pounds. So I have to say, it has to be helping me somewhere. I can say that it does kinda make me feel queesy, but I'm hoping this will pass because It's been such a nice thing to step on the scale and see some weight loss!
Congrats! :-)
Metformin isn't really effective regarding weight-loss unless you also have insulin resistance along with your PCOS (which, unfortunately, many of us do).
I have insulin resistance and PCOS. My personal experience? Metformin - coupled with daily exercise and healthy eating - has been the only thing that has allowed me to lose weight like a "normal" individual (in this case someone who doesn't have PCOS/insulin resistance). I have always eaten healthy and exercised regularly, but it was only after the addition of Metformin to my routine, that I was able to lose weight. So for me? It was a major (1/3!!) part of the weight-loss equation for me.
Not everyone can tolerate it or has success with it, but I've never had problems with it and it's, quite honestly, been a life saver for me personally..0 -
I just found this thread and have to join!
Dear PCOS
Why? Why do you have to pick me? Why did you have to hit me so young (from my gyno's reckoning I would have been 10 years old when it first hit) Why do you have to give me hair on my chin? Why the excess weight making me hate myself? Why most of all the depression? I've hated myself for almost eight years, my 20s have sucked and a big part of it is because of you. I hate it. I hate you.
But PCOS I will tell you something. I am going to lose weight. I am going to beat the depression. I am going to be happy. I WILL conquer you. I promise you that. You may have won all the major battles for the past eight years, but I WILL win the war. I promise you by the time I turn 30 you will no longer be part of my life.
No love
Lauren.
I got diagnosed at 19. I walked into my gynaecologist and his first words were 'you're here to see me about PCOS aren't you?Apparently I present a 'classic' case. I am eternally grateful that I have very blonde hair, so the hair on my face is not noticable. (especially now I can't afford to get it waxed)
Wow! You sound just like me! I have the weight, the hair, the depression.. my nurse practitioner had no doubt when I brought it up to her. She said she could tell by looking at me because all my weight gain was right in my belly. =[ IDK how long I could have had this.. I am 23 now.. was diagnosed at 22.. **sigh**. I have super DARK hair.. and I have to pluck my freakin beard everyday! UGH! lol..0 -
Losing weight while being diagnosed with pcos is close to impossible without the proper diet and exercise and medication! You can't even skip a day......or hardly even reward yourself with a treat here or there because it seems to offset ALL the hard work you've been doing! As for eating exercise cals back? I hardly ever do because my weight loss will stagnate if I do. I know that normal bodies can do this and it is better for them. But it hasn't seemed to work for me yet. Im hoping that once I have actually lost enough weight my body WILL regulate and actually respond correctly...but as for now...it isnt.
Same here! I even look at a junk food and I gain 2 lbs lol.. I refuse to eat my exercise calories! I will regret it if I do.. =[0 -
PCOS is definitely not something I ever planned on having. I was diagnosed over a year ago. In the beginning I was placed on metformin, spirnalactone, and birth control. I used all of these medications for about a year. In conjunction to medication I turned into a food freak watching every calorie, fat, carb, anything that can be measure I did it. I also worked out 2 hours a day 6 days a week. And, I've lost 65 pounds as of to date. I still have another 30-35 to go, and that's why I'm here. I need a support system of fellow women who suffer from this. There are days I don't want to get out of bed because I hate my body so much. There are days I hate that I have to get my face waxed, or shave. I feel cursed sometimes. But, I try to remember I have a boyfriend who is insanely supportive with the workouts, and switching his diet for me. Listens to me cry when I'm having a bad day.
I would love to hear from some of you ladies about workout routines you are doing, diet advice, anything.0 -
So I did a bad thing, I had a piece of cake about an hour ago for a coworker's going away party. I was a very small piece, but all the sugar is already making me feel sick (I take Metformin so I'm sure I will be paying for the sugar here soon!) So now I'm looking at my food diary and realize that I now don't even get to enjoy my normal lunch because that will put me over in calories by the end of the day. I think Mel brought it up but I can't eat back my exercise calories either, no matter how much I sweat, I HAVE to stay at 1000-1200 calories to lose weight. Even on Metformin. In fact a few weeks ago I had a few "bad" days (really normal days for non cysters) and gained 6 pounds!!! ARE YOU F-ING KIDDING ME!!!!! IT TOOK ME A MONTH TO LOSE THOSE 6 POUNDS!
Reed - the nausea does get better, once you're body gets used to the metformin, most of the worst side effects should subside - as long as you eat right! For me I notice if I eat too much sugar and/or crap foods, I have vomiting and some lower GI issues. Also if the meal I take the metformin at doesn't have some healthy carbs I get the same issues. I did talk to my dr about the issues with the healthy meal and he said if i am going to have a high protein and very low carb meal I can take a smaller dose of the metformin to help with this. I'd check with your dr.
Just had to make another follow up appointment with my dr. Even though I've lost weight and my periods are getting better (without birth control) I've noticed my mood swings starting to go CRAZY and I'm having more frequent (but short) bouts of depression. So we need to discuss a way to stop this without birth control. Not trying to get preggo (in fact hubby is getting snipped next Friday so we don't get any surprises) but I've been on the pill since I was 17 (until recently), it didn't control my PCOS (gained all my weight on it) and I am worried about the side effects of long term use as I'm now in my 30's. I know some of my fellow cysters have this same issue, do you ladies have any suggestions?
I think it is wonderful that in sooo many posts, cysters mention having a very supportive significant other! That goes a loooong way and kuddos to those S.O. for being such great people! My hubby has been great, even when we didn't know I had PCOS and he just had a "fat wife" the extra weight was never an issue for him. I think that God (fate, Budda, feel free to insert who/what you believe in) realizes that he/she stuck us with a sh*tty lot in life and gave us our own angels to help us through! 0 -
PCOS,
You make me bitter and spiteful at times. I work our intensely hard during my workouts only to either maintain or lose tiny bits at a time. PCOS give me some slack! My Doctors don't even understand you, so how can I?:frown:
Oh agreed and then some0
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