Any other females on this journey with PCOS?

mklassy123

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 19, I'm now 46. It wasn't even called PCOS back then. I was put on BCP and it really kept the symptoms at bay, although I became overweight. It is so easy to gain weight, very hard to lose it with PCOS. After I went off the pill I started on Metformin. I tried it for a year and a half and had an upset stomach for a year and a half. Didn't lose any weight on it. Tried BCP again but at my age it just made me too nervous AND I gained a significant amount of weight on it this time.

With the right diet we can control PCOS. It is a bit harder for us, but it is doable. The insulin resistance is the thing that really scares me, I feel as if I am a diabetes ticking time bomb, which is why I have my sugar levels medically measured a few times a year (so far it has always been normal). I really monitor my diet as far as nutrition, not just calories. I have books about PCOS and the glycemic idex diet as well as diabetes diets. I obviously haven't been following them regularly or else I wouldn't be where I am right now, but they are very interesting reads and informative about types of foods to eat when you have PCOS.

Don't let the PCOS get you down. It's a part of us and we CAN control it, whether medicinally or diet or both. Just remember that eating right makes us FEEL so much better, even if the scale barely budges. It will budge in time.

mklassy123

Oops, didn't mean to quote myself here. I meant to add a P.S.

P.S. For me the worst part of it was in my teens and twenties with the acne and the facial hair. The pill helped that. Now that I'm off all meds I get the occasional pimple STILL, but luckily the facial hair has not reappeared.

TheMoonMuse

I was diagnosed with it 10 years ago, after I had already been on a diabetic diet for years in an effort to maintain weight. Type 1 diabetes runs in both sides of my family and I noticed through trial and error that I naturally felt better on this sort of diet. 2 years later I was officially diagnosed as diabetes (after *****ing and moaning to doctors, telling them something was still wrong). Turns out that I had been insulin resistant since I was a teen and after my son was born it went full blown diabetes. Gaining only 20 pounds while pregnant but having a 10 pound baby didn't clue them in lol! Anyway, had some pretty scary symptoms including passing out after eating too many carbs, tunnel vision, feeling like my head was in a box.. all sound and vision greatly muted. Finally someone listened and went past the normal glucose test. I had to be different, instead of them being able to catch my sugar high an hour after the glucose test, my sugars were reacting almost instantly. They basically spike fast. By the time they read me an hour later I was already on the downside. One of my cousins had to be hospitalized and constantly monitored to find his diabetes because it did the same.

My diabetes is controlled now but I do have some permanent damage (vision loss and nerve damage in fingers and toes) due to the long term misdiagnosis.. or lack of diagnosis Thank god I decided to watch my diet so many years ago and also grew up where an apple was your dessert.

The PCOS is controlled as well....so long as I stay on the straight and and narrow. I am not eating no carb/low carb, however I do have to watch them and not go too crazy. And I am on a pretty low sugar diet in general. My sugars don't change too much due to a week of over indulging, however I my weight does. Seriously, I can easily gain a 2-3 pounds a week from not so great choices, and once that 2-3 pounds happens it seems like I start to gain hand over fist!

Logging things on here and checking my percentages really helps me keep on the straight and narrow. I am working out hard everyday because I just want to be buff by the time I am 40. That said, my PCOS did really well on just getting in a walk over my lunch hour and a couple of zumba classes here and there. The key being that I HAD to eat properly and get my walk in almost every day as just a form of maint. if I slacked on my walks the weight came on like rolling snowballs into snowmen!!!

Lozze

It's harder but doable.

The one thing I loathe about PCOS is the facial hair. I have roger it waxed every two weeks and it pisses me off.

devrinator

I've never been diagnosed specifically, but when I had an ultrasound once, the doctor went, "Oh, look at these cysts. It's common, many women have these and it might affect your hormones a little." I had no idea about PCOS, but have had severe acne, weight issues, and black hairs in places that aren't common. I have to pluck face hairs at least once a week. It's embarrassing, so I don't know why I'm blasting it here.

I have intense carb cravings, and when I eat things that are either sugary or refined carbs, it triggers intense appetite pangs. That's the hardest part for me.

kazzsjourney

Ive lost 180 pounds and yes I do have PCOS. I still have about 45 pounds to lose and seems to be much harder now. I restricted myself to 4 serves of grains a day (1 slice of bread for example=1 grain serve), I also cut out processed cheese....i find eating that makes losing weight much harder. I started to lose weight in august 2006 at 380 pounds and am 202 pounds now. So it can be done just need to persist

kristafb

I'm 46 & have been struggling with PCOS since my early 20s. It took me 6 years to get diagnosed & actually ended up telling the doctor what I had after finding an article online about it. Once we (and I use that term loosely) found the diagnosis I was referred to a nutritionist who specialized in PCOS & other endocrine issues. Its been almost 20 years since I saw her & I still vividly remember her saying "A normal woman can eat 1600 cals a day & work out 30 mins a day 3 times a week & lose weight. You would have to eat 1200 calories a day or less & work out 7 days a week to lose the same weight. You need to readjust what normal is in your head. Your 'Normal" is not everyone elses"

If I could change 1 thing about me it would be my PCOS. it has effected my whole life and all negatively. It sucks!!

istayedhomeandate

Me too! I was diagnosed about 11 years ago and have been mostly unmedicated. For me the excess facial hair (and unfair hair loss on my head!) are the worst. At my highest I was 280lbs+ and if I'm following the Insulin Resistance diet currently. It's working pretty well so far!

jesikabaker4u

I have it too :-( I was 18 when I was diagnosed although that took 2 years! I was extreamly quick to gain the weight ever so hard to lose the weight even harder to maintain the weight, for me personally any how. Weight Went straight back on. So starting all over again. Losing weight now to try and concieve, we want to try as naturally as possible. I was on metformin but apparently they don't give that for pcos any more. I think the doctor I went to see was full of you know what. So no meds for me at the moment. Are other pcos'ers weight carried mainly round the middle? Feel free to add me ladies :-)

there_is_no_spoon

It's awful. The worst thing for me has been thinning hair, acne, "hag" hairs, irregular heartbeat and weight gain. Never had a problem until I hit about 30. I have tried Spironolactone and BC and it controls the acne but made my boobs even bigger ! Not a good thing when you are already big. I stopped taking everything and I am going the exercise/diet route. I like the Insulin resistant diet - that has solid advice. Since I had kids in my twenties fertility was never an issue for me thankfully.

helenstencil3

I was diagnosed about 15 years ago. It has been one heck of a journey. I think the hardest part for me is that I suffered a lot of depression with it, as I was unable to get pregnant, and saw all of my friends having babies. I reached my highest weight last year. Weighing in at 296.6 lbs in the beginning of November. I finally decided once and for all that I am going to lose this weight. Never in my life have I weighed more than my sister and this year I passed her by 20 lbs. At 37, I need to do it if I hope to have a baby. From a drug standpoint, the metformin will only help lose 8-10 lbs in a year on a high end and that is only the first year. My dr gave me high hopes of losing weight fast on it. For me it did help curb appetite though. I may put myself back on it. I have lost 15 lbs this month alone (which makes it 26.4 since November). Being happy helps, but being ACCOUNTABLE on here I think has helped more. I have also began taking Alli. I take the prescription dosage instead of what the bottle says though. I know I won't continue losing at this pace, but am very happy for the start. There are other sites out there for PCOS as well. There is a site called Soul Cysters I believe and I get periodic emails from PCOS health solutions...They send new research, ideas to naturally deal, and other information. Most of all be an advocate for yourself. You know your body better than any dr ever will. Best of luck to all of you.:flowerforyou:

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helenstencil3

Yes it is very common for women with PCOS to carry their weight around their middle. Makes buying clothes so much fun. NOT.

mklassy123

Yes it is very common for women with PCOS to carry their weight around their middle. Makes buying clothes so much fun. NOT.

No kidding. My belly can get HUGE. A few years ago my mother was in the hospital. When I went to visit her an older woman with Dementia came up to me and started patting my belly and congratulating me, telling all the people who passed that it was so exciting that I was having a baby. I tried telling her that I wasn't expecting, but she wasn't having it. It was one of the most horrible experiences.

pinkpascal

i've not been diagnosed with PCOS but i'm pretty sure i have it. I have awful acne over my face and back, i can quite easily grow a mustache and have greasy skin and thinning hair on my head which is counter acted by thick dark hair every where else. I find it extremely difficult to lose weight and it is mainly around my stomach area. My doctor doesn't seem to think that there is a problem and just told me that some people can just eat more than others and obviously thinks i'm a fatty who just eats all the time. I don't know what else to do and feel like i have hit a dead end and its depressing me.

paulywoo

I have the double whammy of hypothyroidism and PCOS. I was diagnosed with these approx 20yrs ago and have always struggled to lose weight and keep it off. Since joining mfp a little over a year ago I've managed to lose weight but have been very strict about sticking within my allowance and getting regular exercise. I also have rheumatoid arthritis which has meant several spells on steroids over the past year. PCOS makes it harder to lose weight but it is possible, just keep trying and don't give up.

jesszika

Hello! I'm not formally diagnosed, but my doctor is pretty sure I have it. I went off BC in October and haven't had a period yet.. yay. But! I found a good book to explain PCOS connections to diet and fertility. It's called The Fertility Diet by Jorge Chavarro. It basically says to stay away from trans fats, and to eat good slow digesting carbs like whole grains, and to incorporate more veggies and beans into your diet. Feel free to msg me. if you want to commiserate or chit chat at all.

kristafb

I can go a year with no period but if I lose as little as 10lbs it starts up again. When I lost 50lbs 2 years ago I was having a cycle every 6 weeks. the most regular i'd ever been in my life. Now that I'm getting older (46) my cycles are getting more regular & my doctor says its because my estrogen is dropping into the normal range. which is good news because my testrosterone is as well, which equals less body/facial hair!! yay!! Something to look forward to? lol

katielangley

I have PCOS and have lost and gained weight for years... I am not on any medications for it, I am trying to lose weight and get healthy!! It may play a part in my weight gain, but eating everything didnt help either:( Work at it, everyone is different.. I lost mu weight fairly quick when I was doing everything right!! Good Luck:)

Btownmom357

i was diagonised 12 years ago, have the around the middle fat and awful facial hair. Had a hard time concieving put after 5 years of trying have two beaufiful twin boys. I can look at bread and gain 5 pounds. I am determined to lose 100 pounds. 50 this year and 50 next year when I turn 40. Its a hard battle and I get the blahs often when I step on the scale and see no change, especailly after working my butt off. But I have good friends who help pick me up.

We can do it. Other women here have, be strong and dont give up.

mklassy123

I can go a year with no period but if I lose as little as 10lbs it starts up again. When I lost 50lbs 2 years ago I was having a cycle every 6 weeks. the most regular i'd ever been in my life. Now that I'm getting older (46) my cycles are getting more regular & my doctor says its because my estrogen is dropping into the normal range. which is good news because my testrosterone is as well, which equals less body/facial hair!! yay!! Something to look forward to? lol

Me too, me too!!!!!!!!!! 46 and my periods suddenly became regular at around age 44. I got tested and was told I'm in peri-menopause. The chin hairs that I used to get stopped showing up. I still gain weight in my belly and am still very worried about being insulin resistant, but I feel like a "normal woman" for now.