Women with PCOS... two questions?

nickyc123

Hi all,
just looking for any women who have PCOS to answer a couple questions for me.
First off, is there any of you out there who have actually succeeded in reaching your goal weight while on the pill? I have heard so much conflicting info about whether I should be on the pill or not and how it can hamper your weight loss results because it's only masking symptoms. I want to know if anyone is at their goal weight and maintaining while being on the pill.
Second question is... curious if all the ladies with PCOS think that a low carb diet is necessary to lose weight with PCOS. I have been trying everything... counting calories, exercising every day, alternating calories, and I am not losing any weight. I am not sure if the only solution for women like us is to cut carbs?

huntingforhipbones

I don't know about the pill, but I only lose weight when cutting carbs and it sucks because I love carbs and fruit

Nicola1944

I managed to lose 50lbs while still on the pill (Yasmin) 23lbs to go. Iv recently been paying a bit more attention to my daily carb allowance, but i find counting calories works best for me, and changing white carbs to wheat!

Good luck X

ValiCaly

I'm just wondering if anyone else besides me has looked into using a topical progesterone cream (by Emerita) for this?

ValiCaly

It doesn't seem to matter what I eat when I build lean muscle mass. The increased metabolism always causes my body to decrease in size even while the muscles are bulking up.

vonnywaft

Don't know about the pill, not been on it for years. I have to reduce carbs otherwise I'd have enough to eat around 900 cal to maintain. With, ow carb I can eat more food.

SugarNtheRaw

Hi hi! I've been dealing with PCOS since I was 11 years old, and I'm now 22. Yeah, sucks. Anyway, I dropped the Pill a few years back because I started having bad reactions, and losing weight has certainly been easier since then. Also, I eat my carbs, and since I've followed a balanced diet, incorporating HEALTHY carbs (most of the time) healthy fats and lean proteins, I've lost 92 lbs. I'm not too far from my goal, but I'm not quite there yet. I just wish I'd started lifting WAAAAY earlier. Good luck, Sugarpie!

mogletdeluxe

Hi there,

I have PCOS, and have lost 5.5 stone (77lb) over the past 18 months.

This was largely achieved by portion control and a lot of exercise (5 - 6 times a week for at least an hour). I did try low carb recently when my weight loss plateaued, but I found it hard to sustain. That said, it shifted a stubborn 7lb pretty damn quick. I am currently in the process of switching to a more low GI-style diet - carbs, but 'good' ones.

PCOS doesn't have to be a thorn in your side - honestly, it can be done. Weight gain, difficulty in losing weight and the other myriad of delights that PCOS brings aren't life's joys, but they aren't the end of the world. I battered PCOS into submission with a kettlebell

For information, I am on Dianette and Metformin 1000mg daily.

Hope this helps! x

PiperGabrielle

I started the pill when I was 16 and diagnosed with PCOS, since then I have lost about 10 pounds and hadn't been trying to lose weight at all. I don't necessarily think it's the pill that inhibits weight loss, I think it's the hormones from PCOS. I've only read about androgen levels of PCOS sufferers being higher. Androgen is a male hormone that is present in females but often seen higher in PCOS and is believed to be the cause of weight distribution mainly being around the stomach. Birth control only raises the female hormones but doesn't get rid of high male hormones

susannamarie

Being on the pill helps me lose weight, actually.

If I go off it, I tend to plateau at the same calories I was losing at before. As soon as I go back on, the weight starts coming off again.

kazzsjourney

I have lost over 190 pounds and have PCOS. I havent taken the pill tho so not sure on that. I havent eaten a specifically low calorie diet except i try most days to have one meal carb free (as in no grains). The losses can happen it just takes time....It has taken me 5.5 years.

ValiCaly

I understand excess androgen to be caused from lack of progesterone which happens when there isn't any ovulation occurring.
I've never been one to go with traditional medicine unless absolutely necessary. So, earlier, when I mentioned using a topical progesterone it comes from over 15 years of experience with the cream.
I was scanned for and diagnosed with PCOS in my mid 20's and suffered with it for several years along with terrible PMS when I did get my period. I began studying alternative medicine when I understood the problem to be a hormonal imbalance. That is when I came across using topical progesterone. It is very important to be careful which brand is chosen so I have stuck with 'Emerita' all these years. I'm not saying the cream will help everyone but as for me I can say without any hesitation that the cream helped me tremendously.
Also, I have a book that is a good source on what to eat to help maintain hormonal balance but until I get settled in from moving I don't know where it is at this time.

This link has some good info on the subject
http://www.natural-progesterone-advisory-network.com/does-natural-progesterone-have-any-effect-on-pcos/

yesthistime

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3070-p-c-o-sis
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4242-get-fit-with-1in10
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4339-pcosers-unite

ChunTingO

I have lost weight only when i was on low carb diet and had to have the specialist put me on Lo Loestrin fe 28 bc pill and also on glumetza 2000mg. It really has been a journey for me. ill drop thirty gain it back only to drop it again. My mini Goal is under 200lbs. So far from 265lbs i have gone down to 241lbs in two months. Its been hard and slow but i feel better and im 42lbs away from my mini goal. I know in my heart that i can do this and that aslong as you keep going it will happen just a little slower than what a person without pcos would

Amiholm

I am a PCOS sufferer too and yes I have reached my goal weight twice and being on the bc pill at the time. I take a pill that controls the excess androgens enough to make sure that my skin is acne-free :-) Also I take the pill without breaks/without bleeding. Every now and then I do take a break, but only maybe 2 -3 times a year as there is no evidence that women need that withdrawal bleeding in between taking the pill. I have never felt like the pill made any difference weight-wise but this could be different for everyone, so for you it might.

When you have PCOS you need to know that the key is insulin! INSULIN! You need to control the insulin in order to lose weight. You have to do that because insulin basically is the hormone, that stores fat. When it's high and spiked you're storing most of your calories as fat. Not what you want right? Insulin should be normal and you need to avoid things that will spike the release of insulin (fast carbs/sugar).

OK, so I'm 34 now and had a hard time controlling my weight forever, but I have managed to lose like 25 pounds several times over the course of about 4 - 6 months each time and recently I analyzed what I did. I should underline, that I managed to stay at a normal weight for many years and that the weight gains was because of emotional reasons and I also didn't have as much knowledge about nutrition and supplements as I do now, so I really didn't know what I was doing. That changed.

I'll try to make this as short as possible, but I'd like to share what I know and have experienced :-) You need to count calories!
My "breaking point" is around 1200 - 1400 calories per day. If I go much higher nothing much will really happen. You have to find your spot for weight loss. I would exercise about 45 minutes daily interval biking, so I would get my pulse up a couple of times and it helps, but also a long walk for 30 - 60 min. would really be a good choice because low intense movement favors fat loss.

When you do cardio two undesirable things happens: you burn your carbs primarily, so you will get ravenously hungry after and tend to binge on carbs and you will produce more cortisol and if you are already a bit stressed you will burn out your adrenals that way and seeing your adrenals are already exhausted because you have an endocrine disorder, you may do better taking long walks chilling with some music rather than going to the gym. Just walk at a pace where you feel the furnace going on after a while...like a nice heat rising in your body :-) Then you're burning fat.

Like I said insulin is the key, so living of fast carbs is a no go for a PCOS sufferer and this is initially and forever :-) So you need to get the few calories you do get from real food. No crackers, biscuits, deserts and all these sorts of weird things that may even say light on the label. Just don't go for it. In general - if it tastes sweet and has things in it you don't know what is - don't touch it! Also diet coke...I would lay off it. And I will.

I suspect my addition to coke zero is partly the reason why I have not managed my weight better and it overstimulates your brain and that is never desirable. Research indicates, that your insulin still responds even if you eat artificial sweeteners and not real sugar. And with constantly high insulin levels, you will never lose weight. Get real food for your cells :-) It will help you in many ways other than assist the weight loss.

So count calories, keep and eye on the carbs and where they come from. Make sure you get them from veggies, whole grains like bulgur or rye bread and no more than one piece of fruit daily if you are having a hard time losing weight. Fruit is healthy but you have to decide if you want to lose weight or not and fruit is too sweet for most people with PCOS.
When eating fruit I only eat it as a part of a meal where there is plenty protein and fats. Like putting diced apple or pear in a lettuce salad on the side of some meat.

Take care not to eat excessive protein. It converts to glucose when you eat more than you need raising insulin. I eat about 1 gram per kilo I weigh. So if you work with pounds, you'd need to divide your weight by 2 and you have the grams of protein you need but this varies from person to person due to exercise level and other stuff.

If I eat 1400 calories I eat 30 - 40 % from carbs. I try to hit a spot between 75 and 100 grams of carbs. The important thing many PCOS women get wrong is cutting out fat. This is a big mistake. Fat is needed for your cells and for your brain, your glands and yeah...everything. DON'T avoid fats. Please! It is the only macronutrient that does not influence insulin. Protein and carbs do.
Fats make you feel satisfied. It is important and many vitamins and minerals need fats to be utilized. I will give you an example of a day and what I eat later at the end. I got 46 % from fats. 23 % from protein and 31 % from carbs in this example. This is close to ideal in my opinion. Fats cost more calorie-wise but you really won't do well to exclude them and if you do I promise you will struggle forever. Fats are crucial. Even saturated fats. We store our own fat as saturated like the animals we eat. So that form is not unhealthy for us as many proclaim. Watch the documentary "Fat head" = eye opener. I get my fats from cheese, olive oil, coconut oil, sesame oil and some heavy cream, but the trick is always amounts. Just use a little for flavor. I fry stuff in the flavorless coconut oil and poor the other oils over veggies or salad. Not much but enough to make it more interesting. Also salmon is a good choice as it contributes with good fats. Avocado. Eggs. Cream or some shredded cheese makes veggies more delicious :-d

I use a program online to manage my daily intake and do it days in advance and so I "build" days up that are right in ratio between protein, carbs and fats. I can recommend doing that so you know what you're eating. So basically; Control carbs and calories, eat real food, ditch light products, load up on veggies, fats, meat, eggs, some fruit, a bit of nuts and some whole grains. No fast food, but I think that's a given to most people and do some exercise every day.

So NO, low carb diets are not the only way to go for PCOS sufferers and frankly I tried it and failed. I was told not to count calories and I gained weight doing LCHF (like Atkins). And after 3 - 5 days I had used up my glycogen storage and crashed. I felt really sick and dizzy. Maybe because people with PCOS have weak livers and it's the liver that needs to work harder, when you need to switch to ketosis. And people told me to stick it out until I reached ketosis, but I just couldn't. I prefer smaller meals and cutting calories with a focus on the right ratio and quality of carbs. Look at the carbs and see to it, that they are slow. Find the carbs that don't make you tired and feel like taking a nap after eating. You need fats and protein in all meals to stabilize and satisfy.

Make sure you drink enough water, easy on the coffee and caffeine. Take some good vitamins and minerals. Extra D important for PCOS. Some have told me inositol is good (a B vitamin). Extra C is good for adrenals along with B complex. Magnesium very important as it plays a role in insulin resistance and how insulin works in the body. Take magnesium as citrate = best absorbed. Taking the amino acid L-glutamin is good to curb cravings. You should read up on supplements for PCOS :-) And btw: always keep your morning meal carb free basically. It's better to have the carbs later because you program the brain for the day with the morning meal and having oatmeal, fruits or juice is the worst things. Do Atkins-like diet for the morning meal and have your carbs in the following meals. You will feel more energetic. Try it ;-)

I have never done resistance training, but it is often recommended for women with PCOS. I am convinced it's good, but I just don't see myself doing it, so I bike or walk for exercise. You need to be realistic. Pick things you stick with and I personally don't like too vigorous exercise, so I don't force myself. Cortisol from stress will definitely hamper your weight loss. 100 %. Also get enough sleep. This is due to the impact on the whole hormonal system.


I hope this helps :-)

Example: (81 grams of protein/73 grams of fats/ 98 grams of netcarbs) 1394 calories.

Morning: 1 smiley egg, 100 g broccoli, 30 g fried bacon, 10 g mayonnaise, 25 g rye bread with 3 g butter.

Snack: a piece of rye Wasa bread with 40 g of semi fat cheese, 300 ml of bouillon

Lunch: 50 g of rye bread with 5 g of butter, a boiled egg with 10 g of mayonnaise, a small carrot and a small pear.

Dinner: 130 of chicken with skin and all from the oven, boiled bulgur mixed into a salad with 20 g lettuce, 75 g of tomatoes, 20 g of diced bell pepper, 10 g of diced onion with 20 ml of olive oil and 5 g vinegar drizzled over it.

LouiseRose92

Hi all,
just looking for any women who have PCOS to answer a couple questions for me.
First off, is there any of you out there who have actually succeeded in reaching your goal weight while on the pill? I have heard so much conflicting info about whether I should be on the pill or not and how it can hamper your weight loss results because it's only masking symptoms. I want to know if anyone is at their goal weight and maintaining while being on the pill.
Second question is... curious if all the ladies with PCOS think that a low carb diet is necessary to lose weight with PCOS. I have been trying everything... counting calories, exercising every day, alternating calories, and I am not losing any weight. I am not sure if the only solution for women like us is to cut carbs?

I lost a lot of weight before on the progesterone-only pill (cerazette, I think it was called). Sometimes it's called the mini-pill, and my Dr said women with PCOS should always take a progesterone only pill.
I didn't weigh myself at the beginning but I think I lost about 60lbs, going from obese to normal range. But I wasn't eating a lot either.
I put all the weight back on and some when I stopped :sad: but my eating habits had gone 180 and I was binge eating all the time (I don't have an ED btw, just crummy eating habits).
I didn't go low carb, and my diet was high in sugar.
My understanding is you don't have to go low carb to lose weight with PCOS, but that the PCOS itself is improved with low carb.

dortress

PCOS person here. I can't address the pill part of it. You need to remember however that a key portion of PCOS is insulin sensitivy / insulin resistence. Following the research on this, it becomes IMPERATIVE that you adopt a low carb lifestyle. Not only to reduce your risk of developing diabetes (which PCOS sufferers are prone to do) but also because your insulin resistences means you are ESPECIALLY sensitive to weight gain via carbs. Also, there are additional studies now demonstrating a link between fat, carbs and cholesterol.

This isn't an option. Your key to better health - long term - is a low-glycemic, low carb diet.

Combined with resistence training (not just cardio - but weight lifting), the low carb life plan will get you down in all key areas: fat, cholesterol, weight. This is the most recent protocol recommended by the medical field in light of recent studies.

dortress

I also have to respectfully disagree with the advice to not go heavier on proteins. I try to limit my daily mix of P/F/C to 40/30/30 or there abouts. My sugar numbers have been gold for the last two years, and my cholesterol is as well. More protein allows you to build more muscle. Your brain, at best, needs 50g of glucose a day, easily gotten from proteins. This is better than getting it from carbs, which cause insulin swings.

LouiseRose92

PCOS person here. I can't address the pill part of it. You need to remember however that a key portion of PCOS is insulin sensitivy / insulin resistence. Following the research on this, it becomes IMPERATIVE that you adopt a low carb lifestyle. Not only to reduce your risk of developing diabetes (which PCOS sufferers are prone to do) but also because your insulin resistences means you are ESPECIALLY sensitive to weight gain via carbs. Also, there are additional studies now demonstrating a link between fat, carbs and cholesterol.

This isn't an option. Your key to better health - long term - is a low-glycemic, low carb diet.

Combined with resistence training (not just cardio - but weight lifting), the low carb life plan will get you down in all key areas: fat, cholesterol, weight. This is the most recent protocol recommended by the medical field in light of recent studies.

With regards to this, OP have you been tested for insulin resistance?
It's very common in PCOS but by no means automatic. I have PCOS but no insulin resistance.
If you have got IR low carb is the best way to go.

mama78loosinWeight

HI,
I have had PCOS since I was 15 and have been on birth control since then. I have noticed I did need to change birth control until I found one that was the correct hormone level for me. Once I found that, and took them 3 months on then 1 week off, all year - I have not had a problem with symptoms since. This is coming from someone who had problems that landed me in the hospital multiple times in my life. I don't believe birth control has effected my weight negativity in this process. It helps keep the pain and cysts in check so I can exercise and live a normal life. . Yea. Everyone is different. Every birth control is different. Speak to your Dr. about where your hormone levels are at to find out if you should start out on a high dose or low dose estrogen pill. The right dose is key to not having side effects. I know for my body I needed to take a higher dose of estrogen in my bc pill.
In addition I have cut back my refined carbs, increased my fresh veg, fruit and lean meat (while on bc) and have lost 38+ lbs since May. I think it has a lot to do with what you eat, and how active you are. I am also fighting a diagnosed thyroid problem, and a spine injury. Loosing weight can happen. Getting off/cutting back the processed foods helps me feel better than anything else!
Good luck.

firstsip

Hi there,

I have PCOS, and have lost 5.5 stone (77lb) over the past 18 months.

This was largely achieved by portion control and a lot of exercise (5 - 6 times a week for at least an hour). I did try low carb recently when my weight loss plateaued, but I found it hard to sustain. That said, it shifted a stubborn 7lb pretty damn quick. I am currently in the process of switching to a more low GI-style diet - carbs, but 'good' ones.

PCOS doesn't have to be a thorn in your side - honestly, it can be done. Weight gain, difficulty in losing weight and the other myriad of delights that PCOS brings aren't life's joys, but they aren't the end of the world. I battered PCOS into submission with a kettlebell

For information, I am on Dianette and Metformin 1000mg daily.

Hope this helps! x

But EVERYONE loses weight on Metformin

misty5976

bumping this to read later. Im at work right now, but I also have PCOS and severe endometriosis and losing weight is a real struggle for me. the PCOS makes it difficult to lose... but the endo makes me hurt and in pain so often that sticking with exercise is so hard. many times i've pushed through and exercised with tears running down my face because my abdomen is just screaming in pain.

one recommendation - insulin plays a key factor for me. I picked up a book called the insulin resistant diet and it talks about BALANCING your carbs and proteins ... i havent finished it yet but think I may give this a try.

dortress

[/quote]

But EVERYONE loses weight on Metformin
[/quote]

No. Not everyone. It's inconsistent and depends on the patient. I've been on it for 1 year now and at best, have lost 10 lbs. And I work out like crazy.

Amiholm

I didn't lose weight on metformin....

EAlexandraB

I have PCOS, and have lost weight while on the pill. I'm not on metformin as it does nothing for me but make me nauseated. I do not do low-carb - I have my macros set to 40/30/30, and try to meet them as closely as possible.

For me, portion control and clean eating, weight training, and HIIT have done the trick.

LouiseRose92

But EVERYONE loses weight on Metformin
[/quote]

No. Not everyone. It's inconsistent and depends on the patient. I've been on it for 1 year now and at best, have lost 10 lbs. And I work out like crazy.
[/quote]

Neither did I. I think it only really helps if you're insulin resistant.

vanessa194

But EVERYONE loses weight on Metformin
[/quote]

No. Not everyone. It's inconsistent and depends on the patient. I've been on it for 1 year now and at best, have lost 10 lbs. And I work out like crazy.
[/quote]

maybe your dosage needs to be increased .. i started at 500 mg and now at 1000 mg .. and i have to say it has helped me in my weight loss journey ..

marinturner

I have been struggling with my PCOS and my weight for years. I have found that I do not need to go on a low carb diet to lose weight, but I do need to cut back on carbs. 1/3rd the pasta that I would have and fill int he rest of my meal with veggies or lean meat. Also, I try not to eat them at night ( after 7ish ) or I wake up feeling puffy and "hung over". I have never gone on the pill so I cant speak to that. It may make it harder, but as long as you stick with it... you'll get there.

firstsip

No. Not everyone. It's inconsistent and depends on the patient. I've been on it for 1 year now and at best, have lost 10 lbs. And I work out like crazy.

I guess you don't understand the joke with the caps + winky face. You must be new to the internet.

MissMaryMac33

Never been on the pill... but low carb is the only thing that has ever worked.
What I mean by that is, no bad carbs -- like white bread, rice etc... I get plenty of carbs from quinoa and other grains.
I also eat gluten free -- and try to avoid cheese.

Dayna154

I can’t answer the pill question that isn’t an issue for me.
I started the low carb eating kicking and screaming!! I was already exercising so just upped that and change it up periodically.
If I don’t do low carb I don’t lose I will gain. I have been successful in losing almost 45 pounds in 9 months with a 3 month plateau.
I am happy to do low carb now with occasional cheats, but when I do I pay for it now from the carb overload I get.
I also feel better, I look better, my hair and skin are better than ever before.. I won’t go back even once I get to goal which is another 20-25 pounds.
Good luck