Weight problems due to health problems (PCOS)

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mandakay
mandakay Posts: 73
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone! I've been on here for 3 years...wow! But I've actually gained weight during all of this. I went to the doctor and figured out that I have some health problems. So, my point in telling you all this is I was wondering if anyone else has PCOS and if they had problems getting the weight off? I'm getting ready to begin a medication called Glucophage (Metformin). Has it worked for you? Has he helped in losing the weight? If you can give me any information I would appreciate it.

Thanks!
MandaKay
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Replies

  • katieann_52
    katieann_52 Posts: 2
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    I also have PCOS. I am not on any medication as of now. There is loads of information out there for this though. I have found the WebMD message boards to be one of the best places.
    From everything that I have read, a lot of the weight problems associated with PCOS is due to the imbalance of our hormones.
    And I am having a terrible time getting the weight off. I have always had a slight problem with my own weight. But, it use to be that I couldn't gain any weight...now it's the exact opposite of that. I just started trying to lose weight (again), I am sticking to LOTS of fruits and veggies as well as lean meat (like fish and chicken breast). Started this about 2 weeks ago and found that if I keep things that are quick and easy on hand it's been working out just great! Fresh fruits, fat free yogurt, and my favorite is the single serving steamers. It's been a life saver! Hope this helps! Best of luck!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    i have it. i was diagnoised in may 2009. i had been steadily gaining weight for 4 years (put on 40+ pounds) before we figured out what the problem was. they put me on a low dose of metformin and i was still gaining weight, so they up the dose to 1500mg a day and that leveled me out. i was not gaining, but i was not losing either. i started running in june and nothing. cut my calories from 1500 to 1200 a day in september. still nothing. this month we upped it again and i have finally lost 3 pounds. yay! but there is a trade-off. the medicine upsets my stomach daily and gives me migraines at least once a week because of the decreased testosterone. feel free to send me a private message if you want to chat more.
    dawn
  • mandakay
    mandakay Posts: 73
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    Thanks Ladies!

    I've also gained 40 pounds in the last 3 years...and it keeps going up! I've had so many problems and I feel like now I have an answer to all the quetions. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens on this medication. I workout really hard. 2 hours a day in the gym sometimes. I also only eat fruit and veggie and lean meat. Nothing really happens. So, I'm looking forward to seeing progress.

    How bad are the headaches and tummy pains? That sounds a little scary. I hope it doesn't last long for you...or for me! I just want to be sucessful on this medication. I know it's not a magic pill that will do all the work for me. I'm willing to put in the hard hours at the gym and giving up the food that isn't good for me. I just want whats going on in my body, the part I can't control, to do what it's suppose to do so that I am able to lose weight at a healthy rate. And I hope the same for all of you too.

    Thanks for informing me...and I will probably be asking more questions as I go along.

    MandaKay
  • BetterVersion
    BetterVersion Posts: 459
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    I have PCOS and was put on Metformin to assist my fertility medications. I wasn't actively dieting at the time, but did lose something like 13 pounds over the course of a couple of months. It was a very minimal amount of loss, really, but I think if you coupled it with a healthy diet and exercise routine it has the potential to assist weight loss.
  • missykaye1975
    missykaye1975 Posts: 95
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    Hi mandakay,

    I have not had PCOS, but have definitely had my share of female health issues! Please read my bio on my profile page....it may or may not be of some help. Just know that you are NOT alone! God bless you in your health and fitness endeavors! :flowerforyou:
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    the upset stomach is nothing major, just upset. in a way, it is good becasue food doesn't really sound good, yanno? :) for most people the upset stomach goes away after a few weeks. i am going to switch over to the extended release version and see if that helps.

    the migraines for me are bad. i will throw-up from the pain, or not be able to take my kids to school. :( the imitrix shot and pills help, but that is not a long-term solution. right now, controlling the pcos is the priority because we want to have another baby. the weight loss is secondary (to be healthy for a pregnancy). hopefully the migraines will disappear once my hormones get in sync and my body starts doing what it is supposed to be doing. if not, i don't know what i am going to do.

    good luck taking the medicine. i don't want to scare you and make you think that you will start getting headaches because you probably won't. i'm just lucky like that. lol. other side affects that i had and that went away include decreased libido, mood swings, random muscle aches and diarrhea.
    dawn
  • Angwie
    Angwie Posts: 14
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    I was put on glucophage/metformin several years ago and it never helped me lose weight, but it made it so that i was no longer gaining any either. I was in a plus 15 lbs a year pattern and after being on for a year solid there was no weight gain. I also noticed that it made the dark areas of skin go away which was excellent! It takes a lot of hard work to lose but we can do it!!!
  • dminton
    dminton Posts: 2
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    I too have weight problems due to being "female". I dont have PCOS but do have ovarian cysts and endometriosis and have gained 30lbs in the past 4 years. I sincerely think it is the medications I am currently on and have tried in the past. It took me many years, doctors, and medications to get diagnosed. Now I have to have the Depo injection every 3 mths which definitely makes you gain weight and I have to take anxiety medication to control my brain chemicals or whatever and stress levels. The meds I am on for that are known for weight gain and one way the correct it is by adding an addition medication...Ha! Go figure!!
    It seems we are all just too young for all this hassle!!
    Keep up the exercising because it at least makes you feel better inside and out and releases endorphins in the brain to help the pain.

    Good luck!!
  • DrBorkBork
    DrBorkBork Posts: 4,099 Member
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    I have PCOS and T2 diabetes. My doctor wants me taking glucophage not only for my sugar, but also as a weight loss supplement.
    I don't really notice a difference, and feel I do just fine without it (I also take insulin). Ran out of my glucophage refills a few days ago, but see my doctor on the 3rd for checkup. It will give me a week to see if it really does make a difference.
  • DEBDOUGLAS
    DEBDOUGLAS Posts: 54
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    Hi. I have had pcos for a very long time. My sister also has it as well. Both of us have studied up on this and we have found that counting carbs and watching what you eat as far as your sugars will help tremendously. I have managed to loose 22 pounds just from counting carbs and staying away from as much sugar as you can. I was also on metaformin to help me get pregnant. It worked considering we had been trying for 18 years!!!!!!. It made me feel awful and I seemed to stay in the bathroom all the time. Good Luck to you. Feel free to add me as a friend or mail me if you need anything.
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
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    I too have PCOS, I was diagnosed when I was about 20. I am on Glumetza which is a longer lasting Metformin, I don't think it has helped me lose weight, but it hasn't allowed me to gain any. I had stomach issues for the first week or so, but after that I was fine. No other side effects for me either and I'm prone to Migraines. Godblessourhome have you tried Maxaalt for your Migraines? It is the first thing that has ever worked for me, I'd try it if not, you take it right when it's coming on so you never get to the sick point. Ive tried Imatrex and it did nothing for me, good luck! Anyway, what has made me lose weight is the G.I. Diet and Kickboxing. The G.I. diet is perfect for us because it keeps blood sugar under control, which means less insulin produced to turn into fat cells when it's not used :bigsmile: I was losing weight at a slow pace before I started this diet (well its actually a lifestyle change now, I won't go off it ever I don't think), and that combined with a high intensity workout (Kickboxing) has started to speed things up for me. I feel great for the first time in years! Good luck ladies!
    Jenn
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    jenn, thanks for the advice on maxaalt. i am going to ask my doctor about it next week. it would be great to have something that worked sooner! i am also going to look into the g.i. diet. congrats on the 20 pounds! awesome!
    dawn
  • faile486
    faile486 Posts: 21 Member
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    My husband is pre-diabetic and is taking Metformin (I just checked the label, cause I know he doesn't have PCOS >.>). He's lost a significant amount of weight with that medication, diet (we're on the G.I. diet) and exercise changes. About 60 lbs. If I remember correctly he had some annoying side effects for the first week he was on it, until his body adjusted, but nothing since then and it's been about a year now.
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
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    jenn, thanks for the advice on maxaalt. i am going to ask my doctor about it next week. it would be great to have something that worked sooner! i am also going to look into the g.i. diet. congrats on the 20 pounds! awesome!
    dawn

    No Problem Dawn, I really hope it helps! I just got the G.I. books at the library and copied all of the recipes. And thanks, it's been a long road getting here, but I think I've finally got things figure out enough that I'll be able to lose the rest of it!
    Jenn :bigsmile:
  • mamilel
    mamilel Posts: 10
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    Hi. I have had pcos for a very long time. My sister also has it as well. Both of us have studied up on this and we have found that counting carbs and watching what you eat as far as your sugars will help tremendously. I have managed to loose 22 pounds just from counting carbs and staying away from as much sugar as you can. I was also on metaformin to help me get pregnant. It worked considering we had been trying for 18 years!!!!!!. It made me feel awful and I seemed to stay in the bathroom all the time. Good Luck to you. Feel free to add me as a friend or mail me if you need anything.

    hi deb, i was inspired with what you wrote. my main purpose of dieting is for me to get pregnant. i have pcos and i'm taking metformin. what i observed is that it supresses my appetite. i lost 4 lbs already. i'm into 2nd week. i'm really wanting to have a baby. hay.. =)
  • mamilel
    mamilel Posts: 10
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    jenn, thanks for the advice on maxaalt. i am going to ask my doctor about it next week. it would be great to have something that worked sooner! i am also going to look into the g.i. diet. congrats on the 20 pounds! awesome!
    dawn

    No Problem Dawn, I really hope it helps! I just got the G.I. books at the library and copied all of the recipes. And thanks, it's been a long road getting here, but I think I've finally got things figure out enough that I'll be able to lose the rest of it!
    Jenn :bigsmile:

    hi, what is maxaalt ang g.i. books? thanks. :happy:
  • jb_sweet_99
    jb_sweet_99 Posts: 856 Member
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    Maxaalt is a migraine medication, Dawn had said that she has migraine issues so I suggested the medication that I use.
    The G.I. Diet is based on only eating foods low on the glycemic index which keeps your blood sugar low, If you want more info on it I would suggest going on Google and searching for it, there is a ton of info out there.
  • CaitlinEats
    CaitlinEats Posts: 42 Member
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    I have PCOS, which I discovered when I asked my doctor why I had gained so much weight (like 40-50 lbs) in such a short time (6-8 months) without changing my habits. I am on a birth control pill (which of course is only helpful if you're not trying to conceive), which is good for me because my worst symptoms (besides weight gain) were incredibly painful, long, frequent periods. That problem has been solved completely!

    As for dieting, the thing that works best for my PCOS symptoms is a mostly vegan diet. I tried eating high-protein, low-carb and I just felt "off." Although insulin resistance is an issue, I just can't bring myself to eat low-carb. For weight loss, as much as I hate it, counting calories and being extra-strict is what gets the weight off. The calories-in, calories-out thing works for PCOS-ers too--we just have to work harder than everyone else (so unfair!).

    I think that PCOS has been helpful in one way--my eating habits were never good in the first place, but I didn't have the insulin resistance and I had a better metabolism before PCOS. Now, the PCOS has forced me to eat more healthfully than I ever have, which is pretty great. Without PCOS, I would be skinny and unhealthy. Now I'm chubby and healthy (but, of course, I'd still rather be skinny).
  • mamilel
    mamilel Posts: 10
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    Maxaalt is a migraine medication, Dawn had said that she has migraine issues so I suggested the medication that I use.
    The G.I. Diet is based on only eating foods low on the glycemic index which keeps your blood sugar low, If you want more info on it I would suggest going on Google and searching for it, there is a ton of info out there.

    thanks =)
  • Catzwitch
    Catzwitch Posts: 205 Member
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    I stumbled across this thread accidentally and wow, it really explains a lot! I had just been diagnosed with ovarian cysts (one was twice the size of my ovary itsself) and had begun treatment for them and was supposed to go back for a check up to see if there were multiple-cysts when I lost my insurance due to lay-off. I gained 80lbs in a matter of months. This isn't the first time that happened either! Last time, the doctors all looked at the weight gain from a 'non-female-issue' related stance. I also was diagnosed with depression and put on meds for that. Seems like everyone was missing the obvious...

    The only way I lost the weight last time was a severe calorie reduction, and that's what is working this time too. I'm an Italian Vegetarian, so lo-carb won't work for me, *laugh*, but cutting my caloric intake severely does.

    This thread really explained a lot! If I ever get insurance again and get to go back to the doctor (I've been without meds for over a year now... stupid unemployment...), I am definitely going to bring this up as a topic for discussion. Thanks girls!

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