*****PCOS*****

Mystic_Potato

Alright women!!! I do have PCOS, and was wondering if there were anyone on here that had it also.. I am struggling to lose weight at the rate I want. My boyfriend and I have been doing this for about a month-month and a half now and he is dropping pounds like crazy while I'm eating healthier than he is and exercising JUST as much as he is.. I know my PCOS is probably a factor in losing the weight... Are there any other women out there who were at least 250+ with PCOS that have been successful with losing weight?? If so please share your story!!! I have been feeling so discouraged lately Though I have lost 21 lbs so far (started at 273 and now 252) I haven't been losing the past couple weeks just maintaining or going up a pound and down a pound. As if PCOS isn't stressful enough with all the terrible and embarrassing side effects =(

I have PCOS also. Under pretty good control, without medications. However, I do lose weight slowly. Sometimes it takes two weeks for the scale to move even a little. Here are some things I have found that might help you:

1) Make sure you are taking a good multivitamin.
2) Have your doctor check your vitamin D levels. About 80% of women with PCOS are deficient.
3) Take an omega-3, like fish oil. Good fats can actually help in leveling out hormones. Also eat good fats like olive oil, nuts, and avacado.
4) Watch your carbs. PCOSers are insulin resistant, and very often diabetic or borderline diabetic. Keeping blood sugar down also helps normalize hormones. It also prevents bingeing or crashing from sugar highs or lows.
5) Eat more vegetables and fish. These are shown to lower leptin levels in the body. Lower leptin means increased insulin sensitivity - which we want.
6) Exercise is CRUCIAL. Even if you don't lose weight, do it anyway. Exercise is great for your heart, and PCOSers have an increased risk of heart attack and stroke (especially when PCOS is uncontrolled).

Brneygrlie -- this is perfectly said!

I also have a diagnosis of PCOS, I did not quite get to 230 -- 220 maybe. I seem to do the best when I stick to a low GI diet - like what a diabetic would use. Eating slowly digestible carbs and fewer of them, more vegetables and lean meats. Also, for some reason Yoga seems to make the biggest difference in shaping my body and kicking my metabolism up (maybe this is just me). I did try metformin when I was trying for my first child. I did not have any side effect (it did help me in the process of getting pregnant). My husband takes it for mild/pre diabetes. He has an issue with smelly bowel movements. Some people get stomach upsets and cramps. Most people I know find it pretty helpful.

GREAT job on your weight loss so far!

lauriemeridith83

I have PCOS also. I'm at 328 pounds from 342 pounds in 6 days. This has been the one and ONLY time I have been able to drop that kind of weight. I'm personally doing the Dukan Diet, but I know it isn't for everyone. You can friend me and we can chat about it if you want.

Other than that, my tips are to stay away from as many carbs as you can. Even the "healthy" ones. They are not friendly to those of us with pcos. Drink LOTS of water. Cut out the salt. Maybe cut back on dairy (it stagnates some people's weight loss). And talk to your doctor about metformin.

brneydgrlie

I believe it that yoga would work well for you, Suzanne. When I was doing pilates (a long while back), I had great results too!

CeejayGee

I fell into your weight cateogry. I've been doing this since December and have lost 45 pounds thus far. I have PCOS too. My doctor put me on metformin to help regulate my periods, and the benefit is that it also helps with insulin resistance. My losses are still slow and some weeks I have none, despite being diligent with food and exercising. But, I am slowly losing and improving my life too.

Good luck. Hang in there!!!

CeejayGee

P.S. - i had absolutely no side effects from metformin at all.

KatyRing

Hi!

Yes I struggle with the beast known as PCOS. I have for about 7 years. My husband and I started TTCing about 2 years ago and I relized how much my weight was effecting our ability to concieve. I was on BC for a number of year and never ever again will I go on it. I think part of beating PCOS is to figure out your body's own rythms..and see what really goes on when its not being medicated. My highest weight was 300lbs back in february. I'm now down to 248. Losing weight with PCOS is really hard. You really have to find the right balance of nutrients that will make your body lose. I have to cut my carbs way down to lose. under 100 a day. I also excersize almost everyday and the days I dont I eat less. I am on metformin too and it has helped a lot. My cycles have started showing up on their own which is great!

A great webiste for PCOS is

www.soulcysters.net

Its fabulous!

cobarlo14

I also have PCOS and I'm having a really hard time keeping on track. Is anyone else on Metformin to help the weight loss? Do you guys have any tips?

I have PCOS and Insulin resitance... read my profile it will explain alot..
ANYONE can request me to add!!!
We can do this!!!

cccathyyy

Oh the joys of PCOS... sarcasm.... Yes, I have it too. Only a few people know that I have it. I mean, who really wants to know about the yucky side effects (hair growth included). My doctor put me on Metformin a couple of years ago to help with my menstrual cycle, and it has helped incredibly (28-35 day cycle!) I used to go 6 months without having my TOM visit. I think the longest was 8 months. When I started taking Metformin I wasn't trying to lose weight, so I dont know how much of an effect it really had, because I only started trying after I was already on it. My highest weight was 350 pounds when I started my weight loss journey. I am now down to 262 pounds. Everyone has their plateaus and points where they start to slack off... but remember, tomorrow is always a new day! You can do this! Great job on your weight loss so far, I wish you lots of success and great health!

ladygloria

So many people have this extra struggle, but know that anything is possible! Here is another PCOS thread to connect with cysters. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/265449-pcos-soul-cysters-unite

Calidaho

Diagnosed with it about 4 years ago although some doctors had always suspected it and other doctors think it is just my weight. I am going with the highly qualified research and teaching UCLA doctor's diagnosis. She also diagnosed me with Hypothyroidism--mine is caused by my pituitary not stimulating the thyroid. Apparently there are different versions of thyroid diseases.

Anywho, I started out over 300 lbs when I was diagnosed 4 years ago--took metformin and Byetta (my insulin resistance was more like diabetes there for a while) and lost over 80lbs in a little under a year. Gained about 20lbs while trying to get pregnant, then found uterine cancer during all the fertility testing. The treatment for my thankfully early onset cancer was Megace, which causes major weight gain. Seriously, they give this to anorexics and kemo patients to make them eat.

I was back up just under 300 (I am 6' tall) when I started MFP in February and I have lost 57 lbs so far. Some weeks I lose 3-4 lbs and other weeks I lose 1 and sometimes nothing. I credit my amazing nutritionist and physician for helping me. And MFP.

The main side effects from Metformin for me were, well, digestive. I started taking iron (I am very anemic from PCOS related issues until I get a permanent, surgical solution) and it kind of balances things out. Iron often causes constipation. I take a tablespoon of fiber powder with my breakfast shake and it seems to keep things running normally

dawnw30

I have it...I started out at 251 and am down 62 pounds! I am doing this thing and kicking PCOS's butt! Don't give up - hang in there! You CAN do it! It's hard and it stinks when our friends are dropping weight left and right but we're working extra hard to get the scale to budge. Don't be discouraged! It's possible to get healthy even with this ugly thing! Feel free to friend me! :flowerforyou:

Rheagansmom

I have it also. It definately slows down the weight loss. Good luck to you. I know that you can get it done

healthygirltx

First of all, a 21 lb loss is awesome! You've just hit a plateau. Change up your exercise, vary your calorie intake a bit. I used to have a personal trainer that would tell me to do that because your body gets used to what you're doing and stops losing. Change it up! I'm sure you will see the scale moving again soon. Also, consider comparing measurements if you aren't already. Sometimes you are losing inches but its not showing up on the scale. And most of all, try to focus on what you have accomplished so far!

I have been diagnosed for a few years and am on Metformin. Losing weight is harder with PCOS, but not impossible!

mialsya

Is there anyone else on Metformin? Any good/bad side effects you have gone through? So far I have only heard one bad thing about it.

I had horrible side effects and had to be taken off of it. It made me so sick I couldn't function.

zudleymarie

There are many of us on here. My highest was around 270..got down to about 245 when I joined MFP, and I am now around 210. What I have been doing has honestly been a lowered carb diet (us PCOS'ers usually have problems with our insulin), taking Metformin, and exercising like a mad woman. Lots of weights, lots of cardio, and staying within calorie ranges. That's what has been working for me, but yes, it can be extremely irritating when you are working out like crazy and barely dropping. I have not lost any weight in about 3 weeks despite working out at least 5 times a week for at least an hour at a time. I actually gained, but this is something that we all have to deal with. And you need to remember that it is not your fault. It's just that stupid PCOS.

shellybsn

I have PCOS with all of it's nastiness---the excessive weight, high blood pressure and cholesterol, problems with infertility, facial hair, etc. I started Metformin about 7 or 8 years ago and I LOVE IT!!!!! It's not a miracle pill, but it definitely helps keep things better controlled. I lost some weight after I started taking it, then leveled off and gained a little back. The thing with the metformin is it makes it so I can diet and exercise...and lose weight. Before the metformin, I didn't matter what I did the scale wouldn't budge. My mood and energy levels are much better (I was actually on antidepressants before, not because I felt depressed, just no energy at all). It's not for everyone, but I love it (it's pretty inexpensive too!). I tried for a year and a half, but got pregnant with my first son, then the second (my ob/gyn kept me on the metformin for the first trimester). Both times I lost the baby weight in about 6 weeks after going back on the metformin and breastfeeding. I still have a ton of weight to lose, and that will probably help the high blood pressure and cholesterol. MFP will be a great help with that! Keep up the good work and talk to your family doctor or ob/gyn about glucophage. If you can't get it from them, find an endocrinologist that will. I think it's definitely worth a try and worked way better for me than ortho-tricylcen (regulated my periods, but didn't make me feel any better)! Good luck to you. Feel free to friend me if you want!! God Bless! (P.S. I tried low carb and I didn't work for me at all, made my cholesterol go way up. But you have to find what works for you!!!)

LaurenRose19

I am taking Metformin ER and I just started but so far I'm not have the nausea problems my friends who take regular metformin have..although I haven't lost weight yet I'll keep you posted on how it affects me. I'm also on OrthoTricyline (or how ever you spell it for my birthcontrol)

lauriemeridith83

I just started taking metformin again as of last Friday. My doc put me on 2000 mg of it. I'd only ever been on 500 mg in the past and never had any side effects from it. So instead of listening to my doctor and gradually build up to taking all 4 pills throughout the day (starting with 1 and adding 1 each week), I decided I knew my body better than her (I was impatient) and jumped right in to the whole 2000 mg each day.

BIG mistake. I was so nauseous all weekend! Cut back to just 2 a day and I'm feeling much better. Will bump up to 3 next week.

cobarlo14

OK - Saw weight loss Doctor today!!! For those with PCOS - He said that my daily diaries are great and the only changes he would make were two: 1> More protein in the morning!!! 2> Change my calories from 1700 to 1800 per day = SCORE!!! What!! Up my calories??? Ummm OK!