PCOS Ladies

I have PCOS and am not overweight....that seems to be relatively unusual, and I know that it's a blessing, but in a way I feel like I fall through the cracks a bit because of it and I feel isolated. I'm 5'6" 110-115lbs.

My PCOS symptoms are pretty severe: headaches every day, bad acne since I was 12 (I'm 25 now and it's still going strong), I'm losing a LOT of my hair, no recognizable periods but constant spotting (so annoying), one miscarriage- not trying to get pregnant again right now...the list goes on and on!

Despite all these symptoms, I feel like my doctors are marginalizing my concerns because I don't have weight to lose. I'm trying to change my diet a lot (to be lower glycemic) and I drink spearmint tea every day for its anti-androgen effects, but I've had minimal success. So far no prescription meds.

It's comforting to find you ladies. Best of luck in your weight loss goals, and I hope we all have success stories to tell soon.

I'm the same- I have PCOS but I am a normal weight (5'6'' or so, and 139lbs). I have bad acne and a bit of facial hair (which isn't too hard to get rid of, mind you). And maybe one period per year. So I definitely know how you feel, although you are a much lower end of the normal weight spectrum. My friend also has lean-type PCOS, which is rather strange that we both have that type when its the rarest form!

What I have been doing is cutting out pretty much all sugar, and eating low-GI foods. It has had a great impact on my energy levels, and I'm hoping my acne will improve as a result. Maybe you could try this, but still eating enough so that you don't lose weight?

Good luck!

I have PCOS and am not overweight....that seems to be relatively unusual, and I know that it's a blessing, but in a way I feel like I fall through the cracks a bit because of it and I feel isolated. I'm 5'6" 110-115lbs.

My PCOS symptoms are pretty severe: headaches every day, bad acne since I was 12 (I'm 25 now and it's still going strong), I'm losing a LOT of my hair, no recognizable periods but constant spotting (so annoying), one miscarriage- not trying to get pregnant again right now...the list goes on and on!

Despite all these symptoms, I feel like my doctors are marginalizing my concerns because I don't have weight to lose. I'm trying to change my diet a lot (to be lower glycemic) and I drink spearmint tea every day for its anti-androgen effects, but I've had minimal success. So far no prescription meds.

It's comforting to find you ladies. Best of luck in your weight loss goals, and I hope we all have success stories to tell soon.

I'm the same- I have PCOS but I am a normal weight (5'6'' or so, and 139lbs). I have bad acne and a bit of facial hair (which isn't too hard to get rid of, mind you). And maybe one period per year. So I definitely know how you feel, although you are a much lower end of the normal weight spectrum. My friend also has lean-type PCOS, which is rather strange that we both have that type when its the rarest form!

What I have been doing is cutting out pretty much all sugar, and eating low-GI foods. It has had a great impact on my energy levels, and I'm hoping my acne will improve as a result. Maybe you could try this, but still eating enough so that you don't lose weight?

Good luck!

Wow, it's always great to find someone that's just like me! I've been struggling with diet, for a number of reasons. I guess because growing up I was always underweight and just could not put it on, I was taught unhealthy eating habits because people just didn't want me to be malnourished. I eat way too much sugar, and it's a vicious cycle because I get very frequent headaches and have bouts of hypoglycemia and low blood pressure (none of which really make sense with PCOS, do they??). So, I feel tired all the time, to the point of falling asleep when I'm sitting still multiple times a day. I also get headaches A LOT.

I'm trying to eat lower on the GI scale, but I'm still having struggles with feeling like crap with really bad sugar cravings. I also feel bloated and full a lot of the time, and I assumed I was eating normal amounts, but according to the mfp food log, I routinely eat less than 1500 calories a day!

I feel all kinds of messed up, but it's nice to meet you, and I may be stealing some advice from your food logs

So... I was diagnosed in August. I was so glad to get this diagnosis because I was starting to think I was crazy. I had been working super hard to change my eating and workout habits. Not just diet but to really change and I was getting no results for a year and a half which was very frustrating. How I kept at it I have no idea. So in August I bought a book and tried to regulate my insulin on my own At the suggestion of some very helpful women here, I also went grain free(mostly). The short question after that long explanation is, do you take Metformin? Has it helped? What can I expect? I'm not trying to get pregnant I just want my body to work as efficiently as it can. I am also minus a thyroid so basically I'm a hot hormonal mess... Any feedback is much appreciated.

Hi!!! I also was diagnosed with PCOS and also minus a thyroid. Metformin was the worst for me, I couldn't get my body to sync with it and stayed sick. I could barely eat a cracker or drink water. Finally my doctor decided to take me off of it and sent me to a nutrionist for weekly visits. This was also hard because the weight just didn't want to seem to go anywhere but I stayed focus and dedicated and started to loose inches. In my case I was trying to get pregnant and needless to say I reached that goal. So whatever you decide just stay focused and good luck.!

why like crap??? I started it on Monday and so far just some minor stomach issues.

It very well could have been that my diet was THAT bad. If you eat foods with a high fat content, metformin will let you know. Even though my doctor told me this repeatedly I didn't listen. Maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones with no side effects

That explains so much! Every time I binge eat I get really sick. xD Well, that's great! Now I have even more reasons to avoid binges.

Hi, my name is Janet and I have PCOS .....

We should have a support group! Our issues that other's don't understand:

Why we eat 'normal' and gain weight

How it takes 2 - 3x the effort to lose weight others can melt off

Insulin Resistance and it's impact on life, diet, shape, metformin issues

Body image (thanks to the potential side effects of being obese, hairy, and pimply...)

Primary and secondary infertility and the frustration of hearing 'just lose weight and you'll get pregnant'

My trainer has found a Metabolic Syndrome specialist (yes, this is yet another term for us) 2 hours from here that claims to get weight loss results in his patients by eliminating all corn and potatoes from the diet. I'm waiting for her to send me the name so I can research this further.

Not to mention I haven’t had to deal with a lot of these hormones in a while and its turning me into an effin psycho.

Metformin has helped me SO MUCH. The facial hair has decreased as well as the other unfortunate, unsexy body hair. Met isn't for everyone, but I have had excellent luck. And my periods are back too! Woo hoo! Still struggling to lose weight though. Trying the sugar free, grain free thing and hopefully it works!

Hi I have been recently diagnosed with PCOS (in the last month)...I am still trying to understand everything that is going on with my body, how I should eat (my OB/GYN suggested the Atkins diet) and get used to my new meds - metformin and spiro. I have been around 230 lbs for the last seven years at least. I lost 10 pounds before starting myfitnesspal, so my goal is now 175 lbs with more to go once that is done. Add me. I like encouragement and help...and I can do my best to encourage and help others. Thanks.

I have some questions for you ladies. I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15 and put on birth control since I had never had a period. I had all the symptoms and weighed 225. Fast forward 12 years and I've lost most of the weight and symptoms were gone. I've been married now for several years and thought about having kids within a year or so. I've always know I might have problems, so I've decided to stop the BC pills and see what happens. Unfortunately not much of anything has happened in the period department.
I've researched it a little and I know some of these things happen just from going off BC. My hair has been thinning for about 2.5 months now and weight seems harder to lose (but it’s also the holidays). I’ve had a little bit more acne and hair growth (gross I know).
I went to the Dr. to see if there was some kind of test to monitor my hormones, but they basically said there is nothing they can do unless I haven't had a period in 3 months or can't get pregnant after a year of trying. I feel like I'm just wasting my time waiting and freaking out a little that things will go back to the way they were.
Has anyone experienced this? When does Aunt Flow come back?

How long have you been off BC? i was diagnosed 18 years ago when I was 24 but looking back think I may have had it at puberty. When I was diagnosed I was told it was Stein-Leventhal Syndrome (its former name). I was 18 when I was put on the pill for irregular periods; (before I was diagnosed) and went of the pill at 35. It took me close to a year to get a period after that. By this time the link between Met and PCOS was just starting to be known and I looked around until I got a doctor to prescribe it to me. Within a few months of being on Met I got my period back and it has been regular ever since and I ovulate every month! I don't know if that helps you but I just wanted to let you know it may be awhile. Have you looked into taking Met? It also cleared up for me the other symptoms you are having since being off BC--for me I need somehting to regualte my hormones and IR--if not BC then Met. Good luck!

I finally discovered the key to losing weight for good with PCOS is to be sure you limit carbs and eat lots of lean protein. Eat 6 small meals a day and make sure each meal is carb and protein balanced. This is how you maintain a nice even insulin levels all day long that helps to burn fat.

Some great info here ladies! I don't even remember when I was diagnosed with PCOS it was so long ago. I had all the symptoms that have been listed. I didn't realize that hair loss could've part of it. I have been experiencing that a lot more lately. Going to check into metaformin again. The side effects make me nervous though!

I agree with whoever said we should start a support group!

I finally discovered the key to losing weight for good with PCOS is to be sure you limit carbs and eat lots of lean protein. Eat 6 small meals a day and make sure each meal is carb and protein balanced. This is how you maintain a nice even insulin levels all day long that helps to burn fat.

This is so true! As soon as I started eating low glycemic I lost like 40 lbs! I also saw a webcast on www.pcosdiva.com and she talked about why your body craves sugars and carbs more than a normal person...very informative.

What kind of carbs have you been eating? I try and just stick to true whole grain...any other suggestins?

I have PCOS. I'm 5'7", 145 lbs.

The ONLY way I lose weight is to kiss sugar and grains goodbye and eat high fat, which is hard at first, but a breeze once you get into it. Only fruits I have are apples, clementines, and berries - basically low glycemic fruits (or low compared to most).

This is pretty much my PCOS bible:


http://blog.massivehealth.com/infographics/Carbs_are_killing_you/

I have PCOS too and all of the lovely symptoms that go with it. My doctor suggested the Book "The Insulin Resistance diet" which I am reading now. She said it has helped many people. Once I am done reading it, we shall see.

I finally started losing weight, once I began taking 3g/day of cinnamon (a natural insulin sensitizer). Until I learned about cinnamon, I'd been killing myself in the gym every, single day, and virtully starving myself, with continued weight gain. Literally from the day I began taking a cinnamon supplement, I began losing weight (initially 2-2.5lbs/week, on average).

While I have lost over 40 of the 60 or so pounds I want to lose, it has not been completely smooth sailing. I have experienced many plateaus...most of which occur when I try a new diet or exercise plan. (e.g. I gained 2lbs doing "Insanity" and "Brazil Butt Lift".)

But, just for some solidarity, I'll let you PCOS ladies know about my recent experience, so you don't beat yourselves up too much about slow/zero weight loss.

My husband and I are currently renovating our house. We slept at a hotel for two weeks of the messiest demolition. Myself, I typically put-in 5-10hrs/day of back-breaking demo. Over the course of the two weeks, I was exhausted and had no appetite the entire time. I ate less than 500 calories most days, with some days under 100 calories, and probably no days over 1,000 calories. I didn't, however, bring my cinnamon supplements with me to the hotel and, at home, they were packed away with everything else.

So...to recap...I have PCOS and have successfully lost over 40lbs to date; I did heavy labour every day for the past two weeks; I ate next to nothing during that time (due to nausea, exhaustion, and circumstance); I didn't take my normal cinnamon supplements.

Today was my first full day back at home. Before hopping into the shower, I stepped on the scale. I'd gained 1 1/2lbs.

So, PCOS ladies, don't let ignorant losers get you down. (They know very little about insulin resistance, and even less about how PCOS affects weight loss.) You can do everything "right" and still not lose weight. The key is to keep trying, and not give up I lost weight wth an extremly healhy diet, daily exercise, and a daily cinnamon supplement. Diet and exercise, alone, did nothing.

MFP estimates my BMR at 1,100 cal/day. It is suggested that PCOS women have a 30% slower metabolism than expected for their age and activity level. I suspect my BMR is likely only 800 cal/day, or thereabouts. So, I make it my mission to get as many nutrients as possible in as few calories as I can. I have been eating low GI for several years, too. My supremely healthy diet, daily exercise, and the addition of a daily cinnamon supplement, is what has worked for me, so far. Keep trying 'til you find the combination of factors that work for you. And be kind to yourself. Most of the "experts" you'll encounter are completely ignorant about PCOS and insulin resistance. You really can exercise, eat little/nothing and still gain weight with PCOS. Stay strong. Work the problem.