Any other females on this journey with PCOS?

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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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.

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.

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

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.

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"

I was told the same. Lowest I went was 1490 and I eat 1690 now. Don't exercise as much as I should but somewhat recur ally and have definitely lost weight. The doctors were wrong in that advice.

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.

I hear you on that. I can grow the most amazing beard. If it wasn't for the fact that I HATE it with a passion I'd almost be able to laugh at it. Supposedly once I lose some more weight that'll help tamper down the testosterone that rages through my body. I seriously cannot wait.

I'm not diagnosed with anything yet, but it's looking like it might be PCOS. Except that instead of irregularly, I get my period way too often - every three weeks - and way too long, it lasts 10 days. Testosterone is high, estrogen is low, my cortisol is through the roof and I'm insulin resistant, and all the doctor will tell me is to stop drinking sugary drinks (which I never do anyway) and to "try some gentle walking after dinner as a way to ease into exercising" when I've already told him I run 3x per week, fence, bike, and ride horses, as well as covering miles of ground on foot every day at work. He doesn't believe me. :-/

Time for a new doctor!

Jenfir I'm now about the same weight as you so I'm really hopin the hair goes away the more I lose. It's horrible. It's also so coarse and I've had my beautician take out skin trying to get it out!

I have had PCOS for 6+years now, never knew it affected me like it did. Weight gain, etc....I was only having cycles every 75 days or so and was told I would never have kids. WELL, 2 kiddos later, here I am. I have lost 30+ pounds since Oct 15, 2012 and happy to say that Dec and Jan were "normal" cycles (started without cycle inducing meds and 30 days apart) Loosing weight has ALWAYS been hard for me. I am doing the Bouari Clinic plan. Mainly low carb, high protien. Amazing how loosing weight makes so many things better. Stay strong and focused and you can do it!

Lower progesterone causes females to lose weight slower than other females. Keep at it, it will come off.

I have it too. Diagnosed at 19 (32 now.) Had a hard time with getting pregnant and m/c. I find the symptoms go mostly go away (except cystic acne a week before my period but manuka honey helps that a lot) if I stay under a certain weight. As soon as I have gotten close or go over that, the symptoms get worse. I get regular cycles now too (never did in my life until I lost weight.) Both times I got pregnant was when I lost weight too.

What is PCOS?

Diagnosed sixteen years ago.

Through moderated carbs (about 25-30%) and 1000 mg a day of Metformin, have managed to lose 40 lbs since last July. Using NuvaRing to control cycles, as nothing else will.

I had the never-ending cycle. I would bleed/spot for months, and then nothing for months. There was no logic to it. And a couple of times a year I would be completely laid up in bed, doubled over, whimpering in pain. Was finally diagnosed when I went to the hospital because I was convinced I was hemorrhaging.

So, about seven kinds of birth control and five kinds of antidepressant later, finally decided Something Had to Be Done. (Mostly my so-called doctor not actually listening to me and going on about my weight and not actually paying attention to my symptoms. The Metformin was from my ob-gyn, who is awesome.)

Reducing testosterone and insulin through the Metformin and the moderated carbohydrate diet has gone a long way to helping with the facial hair growth. What IS coming in is much lighter and finer, and I haven't *had* to sugar since November. (I tweeze the odd stray here and there.)

I hate skin tags. And abdominal visceral fat. I swear, the next person who asks me when I'm due is going to get told, "just as soon as they deliver your fresh bottle of clue musk."

=Betty=

I was just diagnosed with PCOS this morning and will be starting metformin tomorrow. It was a little depressing looking at the ultrasound screen. I know I haven't helped myself with my affinity for beer, either, even if I do stay within calorie limits.

It's been extremely slow going losing weight, but at least since joining MFP 3 weeks ago I can actually say I *have* lost, even if it's only half a pound a week so far. I struggled all last year and couldn't lose a pound, despite fairly regular exercise.

I'm sorry you were diagnosed and have to belong to this "sisterhood". Just know that you are not alone, there are obviously many of us out there with PCOS, and probably many more that just haven't been diagnosed. If you have questions just ask away, it sounds like the women on here are open and honest, and we all have very similar if not exactly the same symptoms. It's a livable condition, albeit an annoying one.

Hi everyone,
I'm new here and also have PCOS. I was diagnosed with PCOS and Hypothyroidism when I was 16 but, regrettably, disregarded any medication plan that I thought would interfere with my college experience. I tried Metformin for a week but couldn't deal with the vomiting-and I am sure my alcohol consumption during those years was not helping either. I was however on birth control consistently since the age of 16. To make a long journey short I am now about to turn 24 and am finally mature enough to make my health a priority. Ignoring PCOS just caused the weight to keep creeping on. I am on Levothyroxine and Metformin along with my BCP. I am not looking to conceive anytime soon, just looking to lose weight. I have been eating low carb (50-100g/day) since December and have lost roughly 20 pounds. I have a long way to go-looking to lose an additional 80-100 lbs I am exploring the whole paleo diet option right now...trying to figure out how I would give up cheese and eggs! I do not have a specific goal weight in mind, but I think I'd be happiest around 170. I am 5'9.5 and am roughly 260. Just wanted to say hi and good luck to everyone else on their journey!
Colleen