What is everyone taking for their PCOS
Cloudsweeper
Posts: 32 Member
Just wondering what supplements, medications, or other special tips everyone is doing.
I am currently on no meds but think I need a change in my routine as I am feeling more sluggish and am actually gaining weight and not loosing.
Thanks
Carrie.
I am currently on no meds but think I need a change in my routine as I am feeling more sluggish and am actually gaining weight and not loosing.
Thanks
Carrie.
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Replies
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I have been taking Metformin since mid-April. I think it's working though I had lost weight before I started taking it.0
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I am currently on taking supplements, a multivitamin and sublingual B-12. The Dr wants me on meds but I am waiting until after my next bloodwork in July. I have changed my diet and am hoping that this will effectively lower my blood sugar levels. The Dr would like me on Spiralactone and Metformin.0
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Im currently on Spiro for acne/facial hair... doing wonders for the acne done nothing for the hair ... sad
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I take cinnamon capsules but nothing else yet.
have you had your iron checked? low iron definitely can equal sluggishness.
I've been having issues in that dept, I am going to call & request testing for iron and also Vitamin D levels.0 -
For me, I've been on some form of hormones (birth control) for about 5 years, I did well on Ocella but that's pretty much off-the-market now, Zarah (gave me TERRIBLE acne), and now they are trying me on Sprintec (bad Pms, bad acne, emotional all the time to the dismay of my boyfriend, lol). I really want to switch back to something like ocella.
For hirsutism, I either use an epilator (heaven-sent!), or I (rarely) Nair my girlstache/sideburny things. Luckily, I'm rather fair haired so my facial hair is white. Not always blonde, mind you, but matte white and both the Blonde/white show up SO much in the sunlight. And I keep a good pair of tweezers on me at all times for those stray hairs which just appear on a daily basis. For my belly hair which is DARK while everything else is blonde, I just shave it when I do my legs. No one sees my belly anyways. I don't know how I feel about being on a medication for getting rid of the hair... I'm the sort of person who tries to cure things by eating properly, etc but we will see in the future!
And for weight loss, I started off at 5'3" 195lbs, but by cutting out gluten (all wheat, barley, and rye), I noticed my cramps/abdomen pain was better and my acne was reduced, and cutting gluten out of my diet was when my doctor suggested a protein-based diet for weight loss because of the pcos.. I'm doing the Dukan Diet (high protein, low fat, low carb) and I've gotten down to 158lbs.
oy, I've written enough XD0 -
I have been diagnosed with PCOS since 2006. I have been prescribed Metformin since 2006...but I tend to go off and on it! I am trying it again.
I take several supplements:
MegaRed, (Krill oil, Omega-3) for a healthy heart
Biotin, due to brittle hair and nails. SInce taking Biotin and using Biotin shampoo my hair is getting thicker and is stronger and more healthy.
Magnesium because I get leg cramps. Doctor suggested taking it, so I do, and it seems to work.
CoQ10, I have cholesterol issues and take Statin drugs, so it is recommended to take CoQ10.
It's a lot...but it seems to work.0 -
Im on a 3 month trial of Dianette
Not sure what to make of it at the min.....0 -
No meds here.0
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I have tried it all! Started off with Metformin and spiro....did nothing....so now i am not on anything and hoping that if i loose some weight, it will help! Many things I have read and been told is that it will! Here is for hoping!0
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I take 2000mg of Metformin and two 5mcg Byetta injections (I couldn't tolerate the higher dosage of Byetta at all), plus 100mcg of Levothyroxine for my underactive thyroid. I was diagnosed with PCOS five years ago, and when I originally started my meds I lost weight so quickly that my doctor actually took me off of the Byetta to make the weight loss stop. The Metformin helped with maintenance for quite a while, but I have gradually gained back the weight I lost within the last year and a half.0
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Cinnamon but nothing yet, except for my burps taste like cinnamon. It's only been a week or so. I'm not playing with the dosage. According the research, results were seen with as little as 2 grams daily in some patients. I really shoulda got the cinnamon with Chromium. I've read that the combo is really supposed to be good for PCOS'ers.0
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I'm on 1000 mg of Metformin (twice daily 500mg slow release), 1 grain of nature-throid for my hypo, and low estrogen birth control pills to regulate my cycle. I'm hoping to be able to stick to a low carb diet (between 30-50 grams of carbs a day) so I can get my insulin levels down and not have to take metformin anymore. My ultimate goal is to not only be healthy, but not have to take meds for anything anymore!0
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As far as Rx drugs
Metformin - 1000mg
Spiro 200mg
Lavaza 4g
OTC
Cinamon 2 grams
Cinamon with chrominum picolate 4 grams
Niacin (low flush) 500mg
This is all daily
My doc wanted to treat this agressively since I had such severe symptoms. I was diagnosed 11/2011
I also do a low carb diet.
I was already doing cardio and a couple of months ago I added in strength training.. I have been doing lots of research and gleaning as much information as I can.0 -
I am taking Metformin 500mg extended release0
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Metformin 1500mg
I also take a Diabetes support vitamin pack by Nature Made to help with Insulin Resistance - it includes cinnamon, selenium, chromium, CoQ10, alpha lipoleic acid, and multi vitamin
Vitamin D
Omega 3,6,9 (all in one capsule)
Armour Thyroid for HypoT
Endo put me on a low carb diet and I found that cutting out the sugars and starches has helped me feel tremendously better.0 -
I wish mfp had a low carb/sugar setting.Metformin 1500mg
I also take a Diabetes support vitamin pack by Nature Made to help with Insulin Resistance - it includes cinnamon, selenium, chromium, CoQ10, alpha lipoleic acid, and multi vitamin
Vitamin D
Omega 3,6,9 (all in one capsule)
Armour Thyroid for HypoT
Endo put me on a low carb diet and I found that cutting out the sugars and starches has helped me feel tremendously better.
OOooo a Diabetes support vitamin pack?!? I learned something new!0 -
I take a Multivitamin, Metformin (1000mg, twice daily), and Mononessa the generic of Ortho-Cyclen. I have tried MANY types of hormones and this is by far the best for me. Little to no cramps, no nausea, and regular cycles. So far so good, I had blood work done recently and I am waiting for the results. My doctor and I are pretty positive they are great considering I have lost 70 pounds. I am 5'1" and I started out at 224.8 and I am down to 154.4!!
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I can not take hormones due to another medical condition - so I have not been put on anything. However - to those of you that posted about cinnamon - thanks! That is a route I can try. I had a horrible episode Saturday and was in excruiating pain all day.0
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I've been dianosed for about eight/nine years now, I was put on Metformin when I was diagnosed and stayed on it for a while but then was also put on Clomid when I was unsuccessfully ttc with my ex-fiance. We were on that for a year and still nothing was happening so I went to the introductory meeting for IVF. That's when I put my arms up and said I am going to take a break from it all.
Now I am not on any meds and just deal with my irregular flow, strange symptoms and thankfully fair excess hair. My current gyno has recorded (I moved to another country) what needs to happen when I am ready to start ttc again, but alas, I have now been single for four years, so if it isn't one thing, it is another..
All the best on all your individual journeys - it is nice to read some woman have conceived with this condition!
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I eas taking sublingual B-12 but realized that it gives me a headache. I just discovered that it has sucralose in the cherry flavor. My body does not like sugar substitutes. They have given me headaches all my life. I am going to try a B 12 Complex that is not sublingual. I have also started thinking about Bilberry. I am still doing research on it but will ikely try it before the end of July.0
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I was diagnosed at age 20 and put on BC pills to regulate my cycle. Flash forward 9 years, got off the pill due to a bad car accident. Now, almost 1 year after being off of the pill my symptoms are BAD! Horrible cystic acne (so embarrassing!), irregular, painful cycles. I got a new family Dr. that I visited last week, and she said, "are you sure you have PCOS?" "Your symptoms aren't that bad" Like everyone with PCOS is supposed to look the same. But she did draw blood to run the gamete of tests (cholesterol, thyroid, diabetes, etc.) and then referred me to an endocrinologist. Anyway, to answer your question (sorry for the long post), I am not on any prescribed meds, but I am taking Saw Palmetto (the OTC herbal men take to help the prostate). I read online that this is a natural anti-androgen and may help w/PCOS symptoms. I have been taking it for a few weeks, and it has slightly improved my acne. I need to find an endo fast and make an appt.
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I just started Metformin 500/3x a day. I have started feeling so much better after taking it. I was on it when preggo with my son and it really helped me. My daughter I was on nothing and gained 110 pounds, got thin and got pregnant with my son 10yrs later. Started gaining weight again and having blood sugar attacks so they put me on the met and I only gained 40 pounds with him!! So he is 2 now and I am back on the met and loving it.
I have also read a lot about people using organic apple cider vinigar deluted with water in stead of met. Said it does the same thing. Something to think about!0 -
I was on Spiro 200 mg but stopped taking them. I really should start up again. But I really didn't see/ feel any difference. I still had all the hair loss, acne, oily skin, dandruff and hairiness..ha I really need something that works.0
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I was diagnosed 7 yrs ago by my GYN. She immediately put me on BC (Yasmin) which helped regulate my cycles. I'm fortunate in that I haven't had any side effects. I immediately noticed my hair growing slower. After a year of starting Yasmin she put on Sprio 100 mg/day. The nasty minty after taste made me stop (I think it wasn't coated because it was a generic form) however I forced myself to continue cause it made my hair grow even slower. My self-esteem got a huge boost!!! Finally I didn't have to shave my legs every single day!!!!
2 months ago I switched from Yasmin to Micronor, a progesterone only pill because I didn't want the extra estrogen (I have low progesterone but my estrogen is fine, plus my aunt died of breast cancer) but the timing of a mini pill is very precise and I often forget to take it, thus my cycle is out of whack. My gyne discouraged me from switching because I won't have the benefit of the progesterone in the Yasmin which is an anti-androgen. I'll give Micronor another month or 2 and if it still doesn't work then I'll switch back to Yasmin. I've continued taking 100 mg of Sprio but my hair isn't as thin as it used to be.
I got a home light pulse hair remover which is a God send!!! Even though my hair is coming back because of my medication change, I still have patches of NO HAIR!!! :happy:0 -
I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago. I'm on Depo-Provera because my grandmother died of breast cancer, and they don't want to increase my estrogen levels, so it was my only option. They put me on Met for a while, but I couldn't handle the side effects.0
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Been on Birth Control Pills from age 14 to age 27...never even KNEW i had PCOS until i took a break from the PIll last year. my libido went way up, but so did my acne, and the beginnings of hair growth,. hormonal test confirmed, high testosterone....
i really want to get off the Pill eventually ( i am the type that prefers to be on NO medications if possible), and i am hoping that once i lost 35 lbs and get to medically sound weight, i can go off the pill and have my levels checked again.
very happy on a vegan, no junk, no sugar way of life. pretty active. if i get to goal and my hormones STILL ain't balanced, guess I'll be on the pill for life 0 -
I am on Diane 35 (Dianette) and have been for about 8 years. Might try metformin again soon - I only tried it briefly and went off it because I would wake up in the morning ravenously hungry and the doc was worried my sugar was going too low in the middle of the night. Has that happened to anyone else?0
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I was diagnosed 10yrs ago and have been on and off metformin for years. I recently started to take 1000mg of Glumetza (name brand for metformin) because I could not tolerate the nausea with metformin. I also take 3000mg Vit D3, Biotin, 3000mg Fish oil and a multi. I also just started taking Yaz due to my horrendous cycles and acne. Not sure if any of it really works. Ultimately I know I feel my best when I stick to about 50 g of carbs a day, but that is very hard to do.0
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I found out out last summer I have PCOS, not sure how long I have had it cause my only symptoms are no/ irregular periods and acne. My acne isn't real bad but it has never gone away just always there very mild. I have been on the pill since I was 16, I'm now 29 and got off the pill November 2010 after deciding to try to get pregnant. When I went off the pill I did not get my period unless I took Provera so I started seeing a fertility specialist, we tried with just Metformin and Clomid but it didn't work. We tried IUI once but it wouldn't work well cause of the PCOS, we did a round of IVF recently that did not work either. We are taking the summer off and I'm trying to lose 20-30 lbs and see if I can get pregnant on my own with just weight loss and Metformin.
If anyone has any supplements or tips please send them my way! I do not get irregular periods I get no periods without the help from drugs so I hope I can get this to work with some weight loss. 0 -
I take Metformin and Maca. Maca has done wonders in regulating my periods and reducing PMS symptoms. I started taking Maca just a few months ago. I've heard of women that have been able to conceive while taking the Maca. I'm not trying to get pregnant just yet because I want to lose weight, but I am very hopeful that when I lose the right amount of weight, I will be able to get pregnant!
I highly recommend that you do research about the Maca before taking it, that way you are aware of all it's benefits. One thing I recommend when buying Maca, make sure it is organic and it has no fillers in the ingredients. Basically, the only ingredient you want on there is the vegetable capsule itself and nothing else.
Good luck, and thanks to everyone else who shared their info too!
http://www.ehow.com/way_5144099_natural-remedies-polycystic-ovarian-syndrome.html0
