Encronologist - Medications for PCOS
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kendalslimmer
Posts: 579 Member
I've been put on 25mg Spironolactone to be taken once a day and 500mg Metformin to be taken twice a day. My primary PCOS symptom/concern is hirsutism; I don't suffer from acne or irregular periods.
Do you think he's put me on the correct dosage/meds? Will this help with my hirsutism or is the dosage of Spiro ridiculously low?
Do you think he's put me on the correct dosage/meds? Will this help with my hirsutism or is the dosage of Spiro ridiculously low?
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Replies
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You need to start low on Spiro and can always adjust. Starting low allows you to see how you react to it. Metformin, as far as I know, is for insulin resistance (which I have) or diabetes (related to IR)... I don't know that it directly affects the hirsutism...
I can tell you when I was put on both together, I experienced MAJOR dehydration and had to discontinue the Spiro, so please be careful to watch that.... For some folks it is a godsend though...
If you have major gastro effects from the Met, try reducing your carb levels and staggering your dairy at least an hour away on either side from the Metformin. There will be some adjustment factors to this.
When I was started on the spiro, I think my dosage was similar to yours. With my met, I was given the 500 mg ER once a day, so taking the non ER twice is a moderately low dosage to see how you get along. As with any medications, the smallest dose with symptom relief is always where you want to start.
Good luck!0 -
The only way to find out is to try.
That said, don't rely too heavily on medication alone. Make sure you make diet and lifestyle changes to support it. At the very least, make sure you're eating a whole foods based diet with sufficient amounts of fat (yes, fat is good, and you want a mix of all three types of natural fats - saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated), which will provide you with ample nutrients to help support and repair your body.0 -
KnitOrMiss wrote: »I can tell you when I was put on both together, I experienced MAJOR dehydration and had to discontinue the Spiro, so please be careful to watch that.... For some folks it is a godsend though...
If you have major gastro effects from the Met, try reducing your carb levels and staggering your dairy at least an hour away on either side from the Metformin. There will be some adjustment factors to this.
Thanks for these tips. It seems strange that diary would be an issue, so it would have taken me forever to figure that one out! RE carb levels, is a sandwich at lunch enough to cause most people problems? (I'm going to a few interviews at the moment and they always provide sandwiches at lunchtime.)
@Dragonwolf I was looking at the diet suggestions for PCOS in general and high fat, low carb, moderate protein seems to be best, but I wasn't sure where to put these macros (percentage wise) on MFP. What do you aim for?0 -
kendalslimmer wrote: »KnitOrMiss wrote: »I can tell you when I was put on both together, I experienced MAJOR dehydration and had to discontinue the Spiro, so please be careful to watch that.... For some folks it is a godsend though...
If you have major gastro effects from the Met, try reducing your carb levels and staggering your dairy at least an hour away on either side from the Metformin. There will be some adjustment factors to this.
Thanks for these tips. It seems strange that diary would be an issue, so it would have taken me forever to figure that one out! RE carb levels, is a sandwich at lunch enough to cause most people problems? (I'm going to a few interviews at the moment and they always provide sandwiches at lunchtime.)
@Dragonwolf I was looking at the diet suggestions for PCOS in general and high fat, low carb, moderate protein seems to be best, but I wasn't sure where to put these macros (percentage wise) on MFP. What do you aim for?
Yes, the bread on a sandwich can be enough to set it off, but it might not. Everyone's reactions are different. Me personally, I'd skip the bread (just pull the meat off and eat it) or pull off one slice and fold it up.
I'm also LCHF, and your percentages aren't as important as the actual grams as far as carbs. I'm on a more restrictive version called Ketogenic Diet aka Keto... I'll give you my number and how they work with my calories, but you'll have to see what's closest for you.
Starting numbers 35-50 grams carbs, 65 grams protein (was actually too low), rest in fat (was usually about 125 grams) (I tried 100 grams of carbs at first, but I still craved carbs and sugar. Cravings didn't stop until I reached this range above).
Current numbers: 20-25 grams carbs, 85-135 grams protein, 125-175 grams fats on about 1750 calories, I think, making percentages 5% carbs, 10-20% protein, and 75-85% fats...
I track, but don't count/restrict. If I'm hungry, I eat. This DOES NOT work for everyone, but for people without major medical issues, disorders, or who aren't too broken, eating this way balances out the true underlying hunger signals. There's a lot of great info in the launchpad stickied post at the top of this group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/394-low-carber-daily-forum-the-lcd-group
Good luck!0 -
You don't want to know my numbers, they'd scare you off (I got to where I am from quite some time of trial and error and finding what works for me, because I'm what I call a "hard loser" and even @KnitOrMiss' style keto wasn't doing it for me).
That said, here's my full write-up on it -- http://health.shaunagordon.com/a-diet-for-pcos.html -- the Cliffnotes version is this:
Carbs -- 100g or less. 100g is a good starting point, but don't be afraid to come in under it. Try not to go over it. Stick to non-starchy vegetables as your primary source. Favor low glycemic load foods over high glycemic load foods.
Protein -- about 100g. Specifically, 1g/lb of lean body weight, which generally comes out to around 100g for women. It's okay if you're over or under on any given day. If you're on the short side of 5', then you can probably go lower and be okay, if you're on the tall side, then going over regularly isn't bad.
Fat -- fill in the rest, to satiety. Yes, this will likely be over 100g (perspective -- mine's about 150g for 1800-2000 calories). Get it primarily from saturated and monounsaturated fats, with polyunsaturated sources used sparingly. Avoid trans fats and industrial seed oils ("vegetable" oil, soybean oil, corn oil, etc). Animal fats, coconut oil, high quality olive oil, avocado oil, etc. are fair game. No, the fat and saturated fat won't kill you or cause you hearth disease. In fact, it will likely fix your risk factors.
Avoid grains, legumes (at least soy), and dairy for at least a month -- There's evidence of some crossover with gluten sensitivity, soy is extremely high in phytoestrogens, and dairy is abnormally insulinogenic. These things can hinder your healing and weight loss, so it's a good idea to remove them for at least a month, and if you still want them after that month, re-introduce them one at a time, and slowly, to see how your body responds.
From there, adjust as needed and as you learn.0 -
Thanks guys! Following your advice, I've decided to start by simply lowering my carbs - i.e. focusing on one macro.
I've never been under 110grams yet, so this should be a good experiment! Cauliflower pizza bases here I come... 0 -
I found a cauliflower pizza that my husband and I both like! He's not a big fan of cauliflower, but we tried it anyways. It's one of our new go-tos! (We just use the crust recipe and do whatever we want for the toppings)
http://www.pcosnutrition.com/links/blogs/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html0 -
There are other pizza bases that are much tastier. I personally like just pepperoni, sauce, and cheese on a plate. Lots of options. Fathead pizza, chicken crust, and meatza are just a few crusts I have heard of offhand. I personally like to occasionally use a Joseph's Lavash Pita (with Flax) for the perfect personal pizza size. The Lavash flatbreads can be used too...0
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I found a cauliflower pizza that my husband and I both like! He's not a big fan of cauliflower, but we tried it anyways. It's one of our new go-tos! (We just use the crust recipe and do whatever we want for the toppings)
http://www.pcosnutrition.com/links/blogs/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html
Looks yummy!
@KnitOrMiss I don't eat meat (just fish), but the flax pizza base looks good. Not sure if I can get it in the UK though... I'll have a look.
Thanks guys!0 -
kendalslimmer wrote: »Thanks guys! Following your advice, I've decided to start by simply lowering my carbs - i.e. focusing on one macro. I've never been under 110grams yet, so this should be a good experiment! Cauliflower pizza bases here I come...
Make sure you work in more fats, then. If you lower your carbs, you need to increase fat to keep the calorie amount the same. Fatty, cold water fish are a good option, as are eggs if you eat them. Avocado and coconut are your friends, too.0 -
You may have to do some trial and error with foods with the met. I'm on a specific food plan from a dietician, so I won't bore you with the details or get everyone up in arms because it doesn't meet their definition of the correct foods/eating plans for PCOS (remember different things works for different people). I found I can eat a sandwich with no problem, bread doesn't bother me, but rice does, so I had to give up rice. I can't eat high amounts of fats, but I can have dairy, so yay for the ranch dressing, no for the italian on my salads. I can eat broccoli to my hearts content, but asparagus.... not so much. Apples, yes! Bananas, no!
So, keep an open mind to all your food, and give your body a chance to adjust, you may even find that there are some things that you can eat, but in smaller quantities before they trigger a {ahem} "metformin reaction", I've even found some foods that I'd never thought I'd like that I do, but I just can't have that much (which may be why I like them now, don't have to eat too much at any time!)
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So far on the met I'm sleepy and nauseous all the time, but nothing's too severe. If this keeps up I might ask about the Met ER version, though. The only time I've had severe cramping when was I ate out - aubergine stuffed with caponata and green beans (no idea why this meal was an issue!).0
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Another trick to try is to wait about 15-20 minutes after you eat to take the met, the nurse suggested this when I first started and was having trouble and it helped0
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kendalslimmer wrote: »So far on the met I'm sleepy and nauseous all the time, but nothing's too severe. If this keeps up I might ask about the Met ER version, though. The only time I've had severe cramping when was I ate out - aubergine stuffed with caponata and green beans (no idea why this meal was an issue!).
Too much fiber, most likely. Before I stopped taking Metformin, even fiber would trigger things.0
