PCOS is sending me up the wall!!
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happierandstronger
Posts: 63
I think I need to vent my frustrations with PCOS....
I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistant when I was 16 (I'm now 25). I had all the classic symptoms, heavy and irregular periods, excess hair growth and the dark skin patches. As I was studying in my last 2 years of high school I really wasn't doing much to help the PCOS all my energy was going into my studies. Eventually my weight crept up to almost 140 kg .... I'd struggled with weight issues since I was 4 years old (You should see my photos from when I was little - stick thin at 3, chubby at 4) even though I was reasonably active. By the time I was at university, I was on metformin and the pill. I was slowing starting to do some exercise and was getting a bit from walking across campus all the time. I started on meal replaced shakes and lost about 26 kilos.
Fast forward 3 years ... My eating habits improved, I was diagnosed with a few food allergies, had a couple of Heath problems and BAM! 13kgs stacked back on.
Fast forward again to September last year....I joined MFP, started exercising 3 times a week and lost 9 kilos, took a break from MFP over Xmas and gained 2 kilos ...not. big thing to me but it brings me to now ....
I'm trying to fit exercise in 4 to 5 times a week and I feel that I eat pretty healthy but hitting a plateau. I've also been feeling like my PCOS symptoms are getting worse either that or I'm much more conscious of them. Last night I washed my hair and while washing and then combing it I noticed I was pulling out hair. I've always shed hair to some degree but over the last few weeks I've been noticing it more to the point that I actually broke down in tears over it which is something I've never done. I'm also noticing that I'm getting more pimples that I have before and when TOM does come it is so uncomfortable again.
So what I am trying to ask is .... even though a person is losing weight and trying to make better lifestyle decisions can PCOS symptoms get worse? Or can a person start having symptoms - like hair loss - later on during PCOS even though it was never an issue when they were first diagnosed?
I'll be making an appointment to see my doctor very soon as I know she wants to do tests to see how the PCOS is going but I'm just getting so frustrated and feeling so down because of it.
I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistant when I was 16 (I'm now 25). I had all the classic symptoms, heavy and irregular periods, excess hair growth and the dark skin patches. As I was studying in my last 2 years of high school I really wasn't doing much to help the PCOS all my energy was going into my studies. Eventually my weight crept up to almost 140 kg .... I'd struggled with weight issues since I was 4 years old (You should see my photos from when I was little - stick thin at 3, chubby at 4) even though I was reasonably active. By the time I was at university, I was on metformin and the pill. I was slowing starting to do some exercise and was getting a bit from walking across campus all the time. I started on meal replaced shakes and lost about 26 kilos.
Fast forward 3 years ... My eating habits improved, I was diagnosed with a few food allergies, had a couple of Heath problems and BAM! 13kgs stacked back on.
Fast forward again to September last year....I joined MFP, started exercising 3 times a week and lost 9 kilos, took a break from MFP over Xmas and gained 2 kilos ...not. big thing to me but it brings me to now ....
I'm trying to fit exercise in 4 to 5 times a week and I feel that I eat pretty healthy but hitting a plateau. I've also been feeling like my PCOS symptoms are getting worse either that or I'm much more conscious of them. Last night I washed my hair and while washing and then combing it I noticed I was pulling out hair. I've always shed hair to some degree but over the last few weeks I've been noticing it more to the point that I actually broke down in tears over it which is something I've never done. I'm also noticing that I'm getting more pimples that I have before and when TOM does come it is so uncomfortable again.
So what I am trying to ask is .... even though a person is losing weight and trying to make better lifestyle decisions can PCOS symptoms get worse? Or can a person start having symptoms - like hair loss - later on during PCOS even though it was never an issue when they were first diagnosed?
I'll be making an appointment to see my doctor very soon as I know she wants to do tests to see how the PCOS is going but I'm just getting so frustrated and feeling so down because of it.
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Replies
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Friend, which kind of Metformin are you using? My hair was falling out and thinning with the normal kind and when I switched to the Extended Release, my hair stopped. In addition, I started taking Biotin and within a few months, I started getting some of my hair back in addition to it getting thicker again.
I know where you are because I've been there too. I'm a "hair" person and I've always had gorgeous hair regardless of my weight so when it started to fall out, it hit me really hard. Keep your chin up. I WILL get better!
Get some Biotin Vitamins as well.0 -
It doesn't matter how much you lose or how well you eat, if your hormones are still messed up the symptoms will continue and even get worse if hormones get worse. I'm slowly working on getting mine where they should be but it's difficult because doctors don't want to help on that level... they want to push drugs and creams and anything else they can to "mask" the symptoms but not make them better. If you can, try to find a doctor that is sympathetic to your cause of actually getting the PCOS under control. It's difficult. I don't recommend doing all the experiments that I do in order to try and achieve balance (everyone is different) but after being to at least 15 doctors and all say the same... lose weight and all the symptoms will go away. I got down to 130 pounds and kept that weight for two years but symptoms either stayed the same or got worse so I gave up and gained 110 pounds at my heaviest. If you're going to be miserable, you might as well eat the things that make you happy, right? At least that was my thoughts on the matter. But you can't let it get to you... you've got to keep on fighting. I've been through enough experiments that the only thing I really have to figure out is the facial hair (that stuff is so irritating and I go through more razor blades than my boyfriend does!).
Sorry that I'm halfway venting here too... it's very frustrating! You're not alone in this fight... you've got many other women beside you that are fighting the same battle - just some of us have different foes.
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I totally and whole heartedly understand what you're going through. I've had PCOs for 20 years now and I still can't loose weight despite all my efforts. Not to despair though, I really think I have found what will work for me and it might help you too. I tried metformin, but only for 2 months and I saw no progress. My heart wasn't really into taking it though so maybe that's why it didn't work for me. I couldn't stand the idea of having to be on yet another drug (I was on birth control too).
Since November, I've gone to a Naturopath and I have seen a major breakthrough within a month. My menstral flow is no longer a massive flood. I no longer have out of control sugar and bread cravings (I used to eat bread and cereal 6-8 times a day). In February, I started a series of nutritional supplements to balance my estrogen levels and assist my body in becoming more insulin sensitive and deal with the excessive hair (you have hair loss, I have excess hair, aren't we lucky?). I have lost weight but slowly. I am on a vegan diet that emphasizes as much as possible, eating whole grains with veggies and fruit plus a bevy of nutritional supplements specially designed for insulin resistance, PCOs, excess hair growth. Very little bread or anything that is processed. I also had to go on a two week food detox. For a Naturopath, I looked for a 'real one' that went to a university (in Canada there is a college, not sure what it is like in the US). Almost every success story begins with a diet low in carbs. If you're into eating meat (which I don't advocate) I stumbled upon something called the 'Whole30". Google their website. They seem to have helped PCOs people and their diet is based on the Paleo diet, which I don't know much about but it may help you.
Keep it up the good work but remember the root cause of PCOs is insulin resistance. Some M.Ds are good about reminding their patients that this is the root. Treating weight, hair loss, hair gain, is just treating the symptoms so don't do what I did for 20 years and go in circles. My focus is now strictly treating insulin resistance and that all will fall in place after that.0 -
Friend, which kind of Metformin are you using? My hair was falling out and thinning with the normal kind and when I switched to the Extended Release, my hair stopped. In addition, I started taking Biotin and within a few months, I started getting some of my hair back in addition to it getting thicker again.
I know where you are because I've been there too. I'm a "hair" person and I've always had gorgeous hair regardless of my weight so when it started to fall out, it hit me really hard. Keep your chin up. I WILL get better!
Get some Biotin Vitamins as well.
I think it is the normal metformin ... But I'll have to double check it. I know my doctor was talking about taking me off the metformin and the pill so she can order some blood tests to see how it's all progressing. I will ask her about the biotin as well when I see her and see if she recommends any particular one.
I am a "hair" person to and the thought of losing it just kills me
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Sorry that I'm halfway venting here too... it's very frustrating! You're not alone in this fight... you've got many other women beside you that are fighting the same battle - just some of us have different foes.
Feel free to vent!
Thank you so much for your support ... It has made me feel a little better. *Fingers crossed* that when I get the tests done it doesn't show up as getting worse and it is just my imagination! 0 -
I totally and whole heartedly understand what you're going through. I've had PCOs for 20 years now and I still can't loose weight despite all my efforts. Not to despair though, I really think I have found what will work for me and it might help you too. I tried metformin, but only for 2 months and I saw no progress. My heart wasn't really into taking it though so maybe that's why it didn't work for me. I couldn't stand the idea of having to be on yet another drug (I was on birth control too).
Since November, I've gone to a Naturopath and I have seen a major breakthrough within a month. My menstral flow is no longer a massive flood. I no longer have out of control sugar and bread cravings (I used to eat bread and cereal 6-8 times a day). In February, I started a series of nutritional supplements to balance my estrogen levels and assist my body in becoming more insulin sensitive and deal with the excessive hair (you have hair loss, I have excess hair, aren't we lucky?). I have lost weight but slowly. I am on a vegan diet that emphasizes as much as possible, eating whole grains with veggies and fruit plus a bevy of nutritional supplements specially designed for insulin resistance, PCOs, excess hair growth. Very little bread or anything that is processed. I also had to go on a two week food detox. For a Naturopath, I looked for a 'real one' that went to a university (in Canada there is a college, not sure what it is like in the US). Almost every success story begins with a diet low in carbs. If you're into eating meat (which I don't advocate) I stumbled upon something called the 'Whole30". Google their website. They seem to have helped PCOs people and their diet is based on the Paleo diet, which I don't know much about but it may help you.
Keep it up the good work but remember the root cause of PCOs is insulin resistance. Some M.Ds are good about reminding their patients that this is the root. Treating weight, hair loss, hair gain, is just treating the symptoms so don't do what I did for 20 years and go in circles. My focus is now strictly treating insulin resistance and that all will fall in place after that.
Thanks for the advise ... I'll have a look into those suggestions 0 -
I have struggled with hair loss - a double whammy with the hair loss from PCOS and the hair loss that often hits anyone losing a substantial amount of weight, so I feel your pain there! At least the weigh loss hair is coming back.
Before I started losing, I would go through what I thought of as hormone storms. The acne and oily skin, my hair falling out, the excess hair where it doesn't belong, the weight gain, the bad periods would suddenly burst out of control. With the weight loss, low androgen birth control pills and Spironolactone, all that is a thing of the past. So if you stay on track with the weight loss and consider birth control and anti-androgens like Spironolactone (if you arent on them already) I think you'll get to a place where the PCOS is a minor annoyance rather than the hell that full blown PCOS can seem.0 -
First off, I just want to give you a big hug! You are totally not alone; PCOS is just a monstrous pile of crap! I actually can't stomach metformin at all (nonstop sickness even with extended release and gradual increases) and I can't take birth control because of the cancer history in my family, but I have had some amazing luck with lower carbs (100g--nothing too severe). I'm also insulin resistant, so this helps that as well.
I don't think the same thing will work for everyone, but if you or anyone else wants to be friends, please do add me. I've had a lot of success in the past 5 weeks of 1200 cals. My periods are normal and I've dropped 25 inches and 24lbs (I never had this much success, this steadily, before). I know a lot of people want to rant about 1200 calories, but I really truly believe it is acceptable for those with PCOS and IR. This study backs that up: https://www.google.com/search?q=pcos+bmr&aq=f&oq=pcos+bmr&aqs=chrome.0.57j61j0.2216&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8.
As far as the hair loss and stuff like that, I'd definitely bring it up with your doc just so they can make sure if it is from the PCOS or something else. I'd check out your macros and make sure you're getting enough protein (.64g per pound of lean body mass)--the MFP settings are often too low. I take a bunch of supplements (also in my diary), but my favorite one is : http://shop.genuinehealth.com/review/product/list/id/327/ and it has made my hair and nails grow like mad. I don't know why it works so well, but I like thinking of them like magic pills lol (http://galadarling.com/article/i-love-my-magical-pills).
As for skin, I had really horrid skin for years. Again, those multi vitamins have been a life saver along with this face wash http://www.amazon.com/DHC-Deep-Cleansing-6-7fl-oz-200ml/dp/B001UE60E0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361077527&sr=8-1&keywords=oil+cleanser
It's pretty inexpensive compared to some cosmetics and I know it sounds totally weird to wash an oily face with oil, but it really balances things out and makes your skin not feel like it needs to produce as much oil. I'd bet my bum than it will help anyone's skin. I'm sorry I'm just recommending things to you, but I always wish I had known about these two things sooner.
I hope any of that helps! It's pretty much every tool I have lol.0 -
@Celeigh12 Thanks for the support!!
@nataliescalories I will look into those products you suggested I usually have my calls at the MFP recommended but sometimes don't eat more than 1300 cals - These days I don't really eat a lot ... I use to binge eat a lot but not anymore. I will look into the products you suggested. Hopefully someone in Australia stocks them I usually try and stick to the most natural products I can get ... Burt's Bee is a favourite of mine, I just haven't been able to use it for a bit as I just haven't been able to fit it into my budget 0 -
Firstly I didn't even know there was a group on here for PCOS, don't know whether it's going to make me feel better or more upset!
Secondly, I feel your pain! It's been about a year since I properly noticed that my hair was falling out, and I'm like you - a hair person! I was so proud of my locks, I used to be able to just wash my hair and leave it to dry on its own and it would get compliments. Now, I can't even walk around my house with my hair down in case it falls a certain way and shows how wide the partings are. Devastated.
On Soulcysters lots of people have said aloe vera helps, rub it on the roots or use it in your shampoo. But I agree with the lady who said you need to get your hormones straight. My period were irregular for about two/three years before the chin hairs became more or a problem, and then the belly fat increased and THEN the hair loss started. My symptoms seem to have lined up to get started and gradually take over my life - but now that I'm actively trying to be healthier, my periods have become more regular again. I'm hoping the symptoms are going to go away, and in fact it's the hairloss that is spurring me on most times.
I think there is no hard and fast rule as to how PCOS manifests itself. I haven't been to my doctor and I'm not taking medication, but it's not because I don't agree with it or anything. If you need to vent again I'm always here!
xxx0
