PCOS and Losing weight

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  • robynj88
    robynj88 Posts: 104 Member
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    Silly question...But what is PCOS...I have heard it so much & am just curious of what it is & symptoms...Thanks for sharing... :)

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    PCOS is Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. The severity of the symptoms vary from woman to woman, but it causes weight gain, facial/body hair, acne, problems with concieving a child and other problems. High chance of having heart disease as well.


    Thank you so much for answering that for me....I now realize where I have heard it from besides here...I have two cousins that have that...It does run in my family.... :( I think I am in the clear though (I hope) b/c I have 2 children but I have been having some symptoms of something though...Not sure what...Doctor says it's not pre-menopause but I am not so sure...I have horrible bouts of sweating for absolutely no reason (It just pours off my head) & I have had unexplained weight gain & can't seem to get it off...Also, I have more acne now than ever in my life & I am 37....Hopefully we will get it figured out though.... :)

    If anyone has these symptoms & might have an idea what it is could you send me a message? That would be great! Thanks... :)

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    Sounds to me like you need to get your thyroid checked. The sweat and weight gain are classic symptomns of thyroid problems. If you already have other hormonal imbalances in the family you could have more chance of having something like this
  • Twyla123
    Twyla123 Posts: 47 Member
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    Another one! I have struggled with the weight loss in the past but this time around I have been successful! I have lost 14.5 lbs since I started on MFP Jan 19. There has been 1 week that I have gained but the other weeks have all been losses. I have taken myself off all of the medications as there were too many other side effects that were affecting me too. I am doing only supplements now (just started Cinnamin and hoping that will help me not to go back on Metformin). Feel free to add me if you want
  • carolann_22
    carolann_22 Posts: 364 Member
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    I have PCOS. I can ONLY lose if I eat low carb (under 50 a day). I'm taking Metformin too, and at least with the meds I don't GAIN if I'm under my calorie goal and eating carbs, which I used to do, but I don't lose without the combo of the two.
  • creative1981
    creative1981 Posts: 182 Member
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    I also have PCOS - there seems to be a lot of us here! I'm currently on Metformin and the weight is slowly going down. I've noticed a reduction in some of my PCOS symptoms and hoping to see more as I carry on losing. Feel free to add me :)
  • dorairwin
    dorairwin Posts: 210
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    i HAVE PCOS also , but i dont take any medication :huh: Feel free to add me :)
  • mazziebabycakes
    mazziebabycakes Posts: 1
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    I also have PCOS and had difficulty trying to get pregnant, I finally lost 50lbs and fell pregnant and didn't even know it, that was 4 years ago, my little girl is now 3 but I now weigh 212lbs so its the upward struggle again of trying to lose weight, its hard but gonna keep trying !
  • lrkidd
    lrkidd Posts: 74 Member
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    Having PCOS in itself is no the problem....what becomes an issue is that most women who have PCOS are insulin resistant. That is what makes it near impossible to lose weight and can make you absolutely miserable in the process. The Metformin will help your cells absorb more of the insulin that your body needs but so far I have not seen it "help" me lose weight.

    What Metformin has done is allow me to change my eating habits and not go completely insane. My body was reacting negatively to the lack of insulin and kept telling my brain "eat more eat more". It was horrible like some sort of addiction that I could not get a handle on. The Metformin has taken that "extreme craving" away so that I do not feel like I am going crazy when I don't eat sugary carb loaded foods. It unfortunately does not sit well with everyone though. I have heard of a number of people who simply cannot handle the way it makes them feel, but I also know that if you eat bad foods you will have bathroom issues.

    Losing weight with PCOS or Insulin Resistance is hard. You have to eat half as much, work out twice as hard, and see almost no results...but you will eventually get healthier. It is a life long battle and for some it will never go away. I am fortunate because I do not have PCOS I only have Insulin Resistance, which I can reverse, but for some it is a life-long uphill battle that can wear away the resistance of even the strongest minded person.

    I wish you all luck and pray that everyone succeeds at their goal!



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  • yesthistime
    yesthistime Posts: 2,051 Member
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    PCOS support group on MFP:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3070-p-c-o-sis
  • lucybface
    lucybface Posts: 1
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    Hey hun, I have PCOS and the weight thing never bothered me until a year ago....I used to weigh 7 stone and in the space of 9 months I am now 9 stone...I am not on any medication for it as trying to get pregnant so trying to eat healthy as possible! But my hormones keep craving things I shouldnt eat...anyone else have cravings with PCOS?

    I have a holiday to Greece in May and want to lose a stone!! I have no idea how to go about that!! I know it sounds stupid to want to lose a little bit but I do have a small frame and the weight just isnt in proportion!

    Feel free to add me :) Hope everything works out well for you!
    XX
  • antlergirl
    antlergirl Posts: 55 Member
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    PCOS too!

    I had been to the doctors over and over and was finally diagnosed at 17 after not having a period since I was around 14. I got weight gain, facial hair and bad skin. The facial hair was the worst bit- and when I asked for help they told me to lost weight but didn't help me to do that at all- despite having a very healthy BMI a doctor told me I was fat and my problems were my own fault and a result of my laziness.
    The docs offered no advise, no medication and now dont understand why I bring it up at appts. like its already been dealt with. Its so frustrating.
  • Hartmowen
    Hartmowen Posts: 17
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    I also have PCOS and Insulin Resistance....feel free to add!
  • _Elemenopee_
    _Elemenopee_ Posts: 2,665 Member
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    So happy to have found this post. I will also check out the group mentioned earlier in this thread!

    Forgive me but this will be long-winded.

    I have had PCOS probably since my first cycle at 13 (32 now). I've NEVER been "regular" and the hormonal imbalance has caused some serious emotional, physical and weight related issues. As a teen and young 20-something, the weight wasn’t ever an issue. I ate what I wanted and never gained a pound. I was very active, rode my bike a lot, played softball, handball, was always outside and even walked 2 miles a day for my first job to and from work with my dog. As years went by, I became much less active and drove, trained, ferried my way everywhere. Then came love, then came marriage, then came a mortgage and a baby carriage (Ha! I made a funny..lol)

    I already knew that conceiving would be an issue with PCOS. My mother had it (though it was undiagnosed) and we knew because everything I went through, she had gone through. I had rare, unpredictable cycles (sometimes every 3-4 months, sometimes gone for 2 years!), the extra hair, the weight, the acne, etc. My obgyn recommended that we try for 6 months then come back to see her for a consult with an infertility specialist. 6 months later I went to the magical IVF Dr.s and with metformin and a low carb diet I lost 10 lbs in a month while they gave me Chlomid and checked and poked and bled and hormoned me for a few months till we were ready for an egg to be ripe enough to drop (which was also assisted by a shot of Ovidrell) and on the first try we were preggo! WOOHOO!!! My 2.5 yr old daughter is the light of my life! :)

    After 3 months of breast feeding and the miraculous weight loss that comes along with that, I was on top of the world! Then I had to go back to work and stop pumping so I saw all those lbs slowly creep back up my thighs, waist, arms and face...always the face!!!!!!

    This past fall we were shocked to discover I was pregnant again, without any assistance (from Drs that is..lol) and I was again, on top of the world with joy! I didn't think it was possible. It was improbable! We told our families and closest friends because it was just so unbelievable we HAD to share!! My sister-in-law was 3 or 4 months pregnant at the time as well so we were so excited that we'd both be able to have our 2nd children so close together. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be and I lost her/him a few weeks later. We agreed that the timing wasn't right and it just wasn’t meant to be but that we now knew that it WAS POSSIBLE, damnit! I can have another child without all the Dr.s, the pills, the shots the co-pays, the early morning pre-work visits to see the vampire nurses who bled me every 2-3 days to check my hormone levels!!

    I told myself that I would get pregnant again and my body would be a strong, safe, healthy vessel for this child. Also hoping that by the time I was physically ready, my husband and I would be a little more financially ready for another mouth to feed. And here I am. I tried throughout the fall and winter holidays to be more health conscious and portion control, yada yada yada. Have I mentioned that along with my regular 9-5 secretarial job I’m also a baker and cake decorating instructor? That translates to “I’m a carb-*kitten*”. I love cake, sugar, sweets of any kind. Can’t help it. I can control how much I put in my mouth but I can’t stop! It’s my only vice. I stopped smoking a month after my mom passed (almost 8 years ago) and I was never a drinker so sugar is my only vice. It is what it is.

    This January I turned 32 and the weekend of my birthday, my present was a stomach virus (from HELL) that caused me to lose 5 lbs..I’ll spare you all the gruesome details but it kick started my renewed weight loss goals. It’s been 9 weeks since my birthday and I’ve lost 12.5 lbs. The first 5 were free, but I’ll take it! I started MFP in early Feb as well as finally joining a gym and haven’t regretted any of it. I know that losing is more challenging with PCOS but I’m determined to be healthier for myself, for my daughter, for my husband and again for me! The only supplements I want to take are the natural fruit gummy vitamins that my daughter takes. I’m eating smaller portions, choosing healthier options, reading labels, drinking more water (with a shot of RealLemon juice) and walking everyday at lunch. I go to the gym twice a week and I take the stairs, not the escalator.
    We can do this ladies, KEEP GOING!

    PS – I warned you this would be long-winded..LOL :tongue:
  • Celeigh12
    Celeigh12 Posts: 763 Member
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    Another one here... Diagnosed at 18, I'm 40 now. I don't have a terrible time losing weight, but keeping it off is a huge struggle for me - however I think that's just a human problem not a PCOS problem!
  • Joannie30
    Joannie30 Posts: 415 Member
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    I have recently been diagnosed with PCOS too. Having a terrible time with it.

    Feel free to add me (this applies to all PCOS sufferers)
  • stludlowl
    stludlowl Posts: 4
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    Hi every one
    I've struggled with PCOS for 9 years now. Managed to conceive DS through metformin, diet and Clomid but like everyone on here it is a real struggle to keep weight off and every time I have a slip up I know about it. Almost like we are predispositioned to put weight on! Any how what works for me is low GL and exercise even though I struggle with time to do it. It's a battle for us but please add me as a friend. It's great to compare food diaries and weightloss tips or motivation. I've lost 42lbs since Jan. I'm 6'1 very busy teacher and mum to a 4 yr old.
    Lisa
  • jhann16
    jhann16 Posts: 62
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    PCOS here too! Except I have the extremely painful kind. My ovaries trigger insulin to release and then it triggers peripheral neuropathy...which it totally excruciating! I don't have diabetes but I eat like I do. Meaning a whole foods, zero processed, low card, NO sugar diet. I've lost 21 lbs and the pain is majorly lessening. Feel free to add me too!
  • TammyG39
    TammyG39 Posts: 34
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    Wow I too have PCOS. I totally "forget" I have it, (just accepted periods, pain, and other issues associated with it) until it comes to losing weight. I get so frustrated when I've cut down to about 1400-1500 calories and lose hardly ANY weight.. almost makes me want to stop trying, THATS when I realize its because of this darn PCOS!! grrrr

    I see many of you on here who have lost 30-40lbs since January! I started my journey in January, and haven't lost half of that. Please help me. Can some of you post helpful sites that might have food menu's, or if you have an open diary can you add me, so I can peek and get some ideas??

    I am not giving up, although sometimes I say I want to. I'm loving how I am feeling, and beginning to see my belly be less flabby, so the results although aren't on the scale right now, are happening...
  • bluberrygoo
    bluberrygoo Posts: 222 Member
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    My little sister has PCOS and started a low carb lifestyle two weeks ago. She has already lost 15 lbs. I just thought I'd share this, good luck ladies!
  • bkandisjj29
    bkandisjj29 Posts: 172
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    Bump.... One neat trick I have learned is to take a cinnamon supplement or sprinkle it on your food when you eat carbs or sugar... it helps your body use the sugar properly. Research it on google.
  • agentscully514
    agentscully514 Posts: 616 Member
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    Here's another PCOS group on MFP. Please join us!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/153-pcos-cysters-losing-together


    (edited to correct the link)

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