Help - PCOS

themostbeautifullies

So, today I went to the doc and she's almost sure I have polycystic ovarian syndrome. I'll get examined as soon as it is possible but all the symptoms checked. I'll check with an endochrinologist on Monday, but other kinds of doctors needed won't be avaiable until February. So, I'm on my own for now.
All that made me sad and frustrated of course, so I started doing some research and I saw that low carb diets + exercises are indicated in this case. I'm not talking about something I'll do just to lose weight, it's a thing I'll have to do 'til the day I die.
That why I want some help, I dont want to wait 3 months or my situation regarding my weight might get worse.

Anyone here who suffers from this can give me a little help?
Or a hug? I could use a hug now.

hozik

HUGS:flowerforyou:

Canonoch

I can give you a hug. My wife has PCOS and though years of efforts it still has its affect on her and us.

dlcam61

I have PCOS, diagnosed about 7 1/2 years ago. I weighed 225 pounds when they finally figured it out. I was put on birth control because my hormones were so out of whack & metformin to combat the insulin resistance. 3 months later I was down to 180 & got pregnant with my 2nd child (yes it was a good thing) and for a few years my weight fluctuated from 180-200. Found out I have auto immune hypothyroidism after my 2nd was born. It takes time, and patience. I'm slowly getting there myself and finally got under 170. Here's what I do, and maybe this will help you. Eat small frequent meals, complex carbs (not white flour foods), lean protein & lots of produce. Eat every 2-3 hours 200-300 calories max. Don't exceed your daily limit & this should help balance your blood sugar. I also do 60 minutes of cardio a day. I know how hard this is. But after having 4 kids when I was told I wouldn't have any it can be managed with the right lifestyle & Doctor's care. Hang in there. Your healthy choices now will make a huge impact down the road. :flowerforyou:

jerzypeach

Hi there,

I have been diagnosed with POCS since the age of 16.......I will be 43 next month. To be brutally honest, it's not always a nice condition to have. Luckily, there are WAY more treatment options these days than there were nearly 30 years ago. The things that have been the most help for me have been Metformin, exercise and a lower-carb diet (not extremely low.....just wiser choices in the carb department).

You didn't mention any details about how you decided to get tested for this, how old you are, what plans you have for the future....and if you are not comfortable speaking about this in public, I TOTALLY understand. That being the case, if you'd like to contact me privately for questions, support, etc, I'd be very happy to hear from you.

Big hugs.....this is something that you have to treat for the rest of your life in various ways, but nothing that can't be overcome with the right information and support system.

Best regards,

Jessica

jrlenig

I am a PCOS survivor, I was diagnosed in September 2003, after TTC for like ever. And I get did get pregnant in Jan 2004, I was 236, my management plan was nothing, and when my son was born October 2005, I weighed in at 201 pounds, it was sheer healthy eating and walking that got me there, and I have been almost symptom free since, but I did let things get out of control again when I was done nursing my daughter born in 2008. But I am back on track and besides that fact that I still get the occasional cyst and my cycles are extremely hard to predict (I have opted not to treat via hormones, they are just not for me). PCOS is not a death sentence it just means we have to work harder to maintain ourselves, I don't get to splurge as often as some of my friends or sister. You can have a normal life, how you decide to manage it remember that you are in control of weight "gain" part of PCOS. Today I weigh 154, about 15 pounds from my goal but not anywhere near that 236 pounds, you can be healthy! and hugs!

RHOyalT

(((HUGS))) Hi, I was diagnosed with PCOS about 4 years ago after trying to get pregnant. Right now I'm on metformin and birth control making it (of course) almost impossible to get pregnant. My doctor says if I lose weight I will have a greater chance of getting pregnant.

kennedar

Hey, I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with PCOS after a miscarriage and then over a year of infertility. From what I have read, losing weight seems to be the best way to control it. Depending on what your plans for the future are, there are some drugs out there that can help. HUGS! Its not a fun condition, but it is treatable!

FireRox21

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 4 months ago. This is after many tests, drugs, and hours upon hours in the gym trying to lose weight. I am on metformin but have yet to see a drop in weight. I also have Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cushing's Syndrome and am on lots of meds for that as well as drugs for Bi Polar disorder which are notorious for making a person gain weight. I have yet to go to the OB/GYN. I'm scared to go as the cysts in my ovaries are so large, I am looking at having to have them removed. I am 31 with no children and have been told I will most likely never have any.

I have recommitted myself to watching my caloric intake and getting daily exercise and so far I am seeing slow results. Not necessarily on the scale, but in the tape measurer and clothes. Hang in there and take things slowly. It is a battle that can me won with proper maintenance and clear communications with your doctor.

spellbinder25

HUGS!!

I have consulted 3 doctors for PCOS and 2 of them told me that I don't need any medication but definitely need to lose weight. It's been constant up & down with the weight. When I lose, I see improvement in my symptoms, get relaxed and stop taking caring of myself, gain weight again making the symptoms worse, and then start exercising and eating healthy again...and the cycle goes on

But, basically, you need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and you'll be fine. It's tedious but then maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important even if you don't have PCOS. And, as long as you aren't terribly affected by it, consider yourself lucky that this is something manageable.

Of course PCOS brings different symptoms in each one and the treatment options vary. So, surely visit an endochronologist and if you aren't satisfied, take a second opinion too.

Good luck!

themostbeautifullies

Thanks for the replies
I guess I'll just have to wait for what my doc has to say, but I'm still pissed because all this time I kept punishing myself for gainning weight and acne when in fact none of those were something I could control directly. I realize that there are medications but thinking about taking them every single day for the rest of my life gets me kind of depressed.
I really appreciate you took the time to make me feel better. Thanks

jb_sweet_99

I've had PCOS for many years so I feel your pain, but it is doable. I've been on a low g.i. diet since January and it's the easiest thing I have ever done and it is highly reccomended that we eat a low g.i. diet (like a diabetics diet) with PCOS. Along with a low g.i. diet I am on Glumetza (long lasting Metformin) and I take Kickboxing 4 times a week and Core Pole about the same (3-4 times/wk). The thing I realized a long time ago is that we can achieve our goals, we just have to work 10X harder to get there. Its unfortunate and takes a lot of dedication, but if you look at it as you are, something that you will do forever, it's not so daunting. And you know what? I feel better now than I ever have, that's right, EVER. Even when I was younger I was never this healthy or had so much energy or self confidence. I was the same about the meds but I am going to get to my goal weight and slowly get off of them, if I start to get out of control I will go back on, but my Dr is confident that with what I am doing I will be able to do it without. Don't get discouraged. I know some people will suggest low carb, but it is sooo hard to do, that's why I went with low g.i. carbs are sugars so they are very similar ways of going about things, but I wanted to go the easier route.
Good luck with your testing, and remember, you are not alone and you CAN do it!

FireRox21

Thanks for the replies
I guess I'll just have to wait for what my doc has to say, but I'm still pissed because all this time I kept punishing myself for gainning weight and acne when in fact none of those were something I could control directly. I realize that there are medications but thinking about taking them every single day for the rest of my life gets me kind of depressed.
I really appreciate you took the time to make me feel better. Thanks

Yes, wait to see what the doctor says. Also, ask your doctor or OB/GYN for a trans-vaginal ultrasound. This will help the doctor more clearly see your ovaries and other woman parts from the inside out. And, never EVER be afraid to ask for second and third opinions. Don't be afraid of taking the medication. It really does help. One of my symptoms that came on like a freight train was severe acne. All of my life I've had porcelain like skin then, BAM, I looked like your average teenager!! The medication has helped immensely with the acne, my periods have returned to normal (I went from having NO periods and/or periods that last about 12 hours), and my moods have stabilized. I jokingly told the doctor (hey, thanks for letting me have PMS now, my fiance was enjoying life too much .

You can manage PCOS. Exercise, proper diet, and yes, medication will make a world of difference. And trust me, one medication a day is NOTHING. I have a small pharmacy I take daily plus weekly self-administered injections!!!

themostbeautifullies

I'll just add you all to my friend list because you guys made me cry of joy and made me believe again that I really can do it.
It'll be freaking hard but, hell, I never get the easy path. :P

Kinda funny, uh? Things make more sense now, I had always beaten up myself because I thought I ate too much or didn't exercise enough. Doctors always thought that I was lying about those things too but nobody ever thought of checking my ovaries! I needed a freaking dermatologist to figure that out!
I'll also check with the endoc on monday about those low carb and low g.i. diets (but first I have to figure out the meaning in portuguese of g.i. :x ). I've been checking low carbs and they seem pretty hard indeed.

Thanks again!

FoamyRiver

Thanks for posting. I hadn't ever heard of PCOS until I went to the doctor this week. She thinks I might have PCOS so I had to go back the next day to have blood work done. I've been doing some research and had even searched for PCOS on MFP but I wanted to get my test results back before I reached out to anyone.
The doctor did tell me that I was already 1 step ahead because I had already started losing weight. I've already gone in and adjusted my percentage of carbs down. Cutting them more is going to be a challenge; I'd rather have carbs than anything. But I can do this!

themostbeautifullies

Thanks for posting. I hadn't ever heard of PCOS until I went to the doctor this week. She thinks I might have PCOS so I had to go back the next day to have blood work done. I've been doing some research and had even searched for PCOS on MFP but I wanted to get my test results back before I reached out to anyone.
The doctor did tell me that I was already 1 step ahead because I had already started losing weight. I've already gone in and adjusted my percentage of carbs down. Cutting them more is going to be a challenge; I'd rather have carbs than anything. But I can do this!

We can do this, hun! Dont fret. *hugs*

jb_sweet_99

Lol, g.i. means Glycemic index, or how much effect a food has on your blood sugar. When it's out of control you produce too much insulin which when it doesn't get used, turns to fat, boo! So, the key is to eat foods that don't really have a big effect on your blood sugar keeping it even, not spiky, and your body will use the insulin it produces. Sounds confusing I know. There is a book called the G.I. Diet you can get from a library that is my bible, they show you in what to eat, its all color coded and super easy! Anyway, I'm glad you're feeling better too! :bigsmile:

themostbeautifullies

So it's pretty similar to what people who has diabetes has to watch for, right?

Cytherea

I realize that there are medications but thinking about taking them every single day for the rest of my life gets me kind of depressed.

Then don't take it.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was ... 16? 17? sounds about right. The doctor put me on birth control, which I DID take, because I couldn't live the way I had been living anymore. But when she suggested putting me on metformin, and told me that I'd have to take it 4 times a day for the rest of my life, I put my foot down. My mom had even filled the prescription... I never took it, not even once.

I also never tried to really, honestly lose weight. I just thought I couldn't- knowing that I had PCOS and it would be harder was so discouraging so I just never tried. Until January.

I haven't been doing anything but MFP. No no-carb or no-sugar diets. I only lose typically 5 lbs. per month instead of the 8 (or more!) that most people lose on the "2 lbs. per week" setting, but I HAVE lost weight. I weigh less now than I did my junior year of high school, and that's craziness. It might take longer, it might be more of a struggle, but it CAN be done.

And you can do it too. If you are waiting on the test results to be sure but want to work on your weight anyways, just follow THIS plan for now- eat what MFP tells you too and don't worry too much about the carbs/sugar. Once you have definitive results, they will put you on a plan that is best for you. It was also my understanding that not all people with PCOS have the symptom that causes the need for the low gi diet, so that might be your situation. I haven't been tested for that specifically (because I need to go off the pill first), but I assume that that may not be an issue for me since I have been losing weight ok without doing that.

Also, weight loss is supposed to help with the symptoms of PCOS. I don't know this firsthand, because again, I'm on the pill, but I have a friend who had it, lost weight, and she swears that the symptoms completely disappeared.

You can get through this hunn. *hugs* :flowerforyou:

themostbeautifullies

Thank you, dear. :flowerforyou:
I realize the best now is to wait for tests results meanwhile I'll continue to exercise everyday and do what I've been doing. At least until monday.

daryls

Squeaky wheel gets the grease!!!!! (I had a similar experience with an HMO.) Continue to call the doctors and try and get in on a "wait list" when someone cancels. There's a good chance that there will be cancellations around the holidays.