Fed up and confused cyster

13ecca4

Glad I found this little group. It makes me feel I’m not alone.
I’ve had a problem with my weight my entire life. I’ve only managed to get to a healthy weight in a very unhealthy way, which was not sustainable.
I only started my periods around 16 and they have always been irregular. I never really told anyone and it was only at the age of 21 I decided to go to the doctors.
I had my bloods done which came back with high levels of oestrogen, testosterone and extremely high levels of cortisol.
I also had an ultra sound but I was told they couldn’t see any cysts.
I was told I had PCOS because I had 3 of the clinical side effects.
I've tried metformin and it just left me with awful tummy problems.
In all honesty I let this go to the back of my mind and not bother me. But now 6 years later it’s started to become a ‘thing’ for me.
I really want to take control of my life. I just don’t know where to start. I feel like there are a lot of conflicting do’s and don’ts with PCOS.

Can anyone take a little time out to talk to a confused PCOS cyster and give me some advice on where to start with all this?

LaurenMT96

Message me if you like, I have PCOS (diagnosed aged 17) and have lost 86lbs the past year x

Dragonwolf

Start with real food -- the foundation of your diet should be whole foods: meat, non-starchy vegetables, and very low sugar fruit (ie - avocado and coconut), with nuts, fruits, and starches included in lesser amounts or not at all (if starches are included, they should be in minimally processed forms, to retain their fiber content). Paleo/Primal and Slow Carb are good frameworks to get you started.

Exercise is the next step. I recommend including weight lifting (it's fantastic for women's health overall, and in my experience has helped with both testosterone balancing and increasing insulin sensitivity), but the best program is the one that's sustainable, both in your desire to do it and in its effects on your body (ie - you may like marathons, but they may be exacerbating your cortisol levels).

I've found this supplement - https://store.vitalplan.com/products/hpa-balance - and Phosphatydalserine supplementation to be lifesavers on the cortisol front. I'm also a big fan of https://evclo.com/products/extra-virgin-cod-liver-oil/ for overall health and getting some of the vital nutrients for proper hormone balance. Getting that cortisol down will help making balancing everything else easier. These are optional, but can help if you find diet and exercise alone aren't cutting it.

Moose_and_Lucys_Mom

I'm in a similar situation. I was diagnosed several years ago but for years it wasn't something I was concerned with. It's all a little overwhelming sometimes!