PCOS looking for supporters!

sjackson0711
sjackson0711 Posts: 18
in Introduce Yourself
Hello, my name is Sierra and I have PCOS. I have been working very hard to lose weight after having my soon a year ago. (conceived through IUI. I started dieting 1 month after he was born so I am close to a year working on everything. At first it was easy.. losing the water weight after the baby it kinda just fell off. After about 30 ish pounds it started getting hard. I added exercise and did the c25k program. I ran my first 5k in august 2012 only to get hurt.. At that point i had lost 75 pounds and fast forward to know i'm still up and down at the same place.. Ill do really good for awhile then backtrack and do horrible. I am just looking for some support and some people to help keep me motivated and maybe even some who also have pcos who could give me advice. I am working on cutting carbs now and eating cleaner.

Replies

  • missstephanielynn
    missstephanielynn Posts: 20 Member
    Hi there!

    I also have PCOS and I've found the ONLY way to keep the weight off has been a low carb diet. I also combine intermittent fasting with the low carb diet. It can be tough but it's definitely worth it!
  • blibby33
    blibby33 Posts: 53
    I too have pcos and what I have found that has worked for me is watching my caloric intake and make sure that I exercise. The big thing that I watch though is how many carbs and how much sugar I take into my body each day. I have lost 35 pounds so far doing this.
  • sjackson0711
    sjackson0711 Posts: 18
    Thank you both for replying! I am learning about the whole carb thing now since i have been stalled for so long.. I was previously doing weight watcher and it worked but just overall had too many carbs and now I am wanting to start attempting to eat cleaner.. The best I can anyways lol.
  • kmash32
    kmash32 Posts: 275 Member
    Hi Sierra,

    My name is Kim. I too have PCOS, was just diagnosed about 6 months ago. I am just starting my latest weight lose journey but knowing I have PCOS is certainly helping me understand why I have weight issues and why I haven't had as much success in the past with dieting and what I need to do differently. I want to try and get pregnant but I want to be healthier so I am waiting until the fall. You can add me as a friend if you want.
  • sjackson0711
    sjackson0711 Posts: 18
    I would love to have you as a friend!! We can help eachother figure this out!
  • sjackson0711
    sjackson0711 Posts: 18
    Well congrats! It is usually very hard to become pregnant. Id say count yourself lucky you conceived soon and love that baby with all your heart! I just love babies :)!! I would like to have 2 or 3 but completely okay if all I ever have is one.. sad but okay.
  • yasmin300
    yasmin300 Posts: 2
    Hi, I have PCOS...I have been able to lose weight by counting calories, making sure I take at least 100g of protein a day, watch my carbs and sticking to a work out regiment...keep up with it, you will do GREAT!!!!!
  • valandemmy
    valandemmy Posts: 3
    i also have pcos, and learned something VERY valuable from my husband textbooks (he is in nurse practitioner school almost finished). the main reason people have trouble with their weight when they have pcos is because they are insulin resistant. when you exercise for 30 minutes, you actually help reverse the insulin resistance for 24 hours. so by exercising every day, you will have a much easier time losing weight because you are no longer insulin resistant for a small bit of time. hope this helps :)
  • mandi272
    mandi272 Posts: 32 Member
    I had pcos for a cpl years, after losing 60lbs (so far) I can say I no longer have it. I can't say how or why all I know is it is curable :-)
  • Theohariti
    Theohariti Posts: 34 Member
    How did you guys find out that you have PCOS? Are there other side effects other that weight gain?
  • valandemmy
    valandemmy Posts: 3
    pcos symptoms generally are facial hair, thick waistline, abnormal or irregular periods, cysts on overies (via ultrasound), and insulin resistance, usually by blood test. also infertility is a huge factor
  • Sgraves2013
    Sgraves2013 Posts: 1
    Hi ladies, i also have PCOS. I was diagnosed 5 years ago and after loosing some weight and taking Metformin fell pregant. I now have a gorgeous little boy who is 2 and a half. We would love to add to our family but i cant seem to get my weight under control. I want to be at a decent weight before i fall pregnant. My consultant recomended trying eating foods that are low GI as well as calorie counting. I dont know about you ladies but with so much weight to loose even if i loose 3lbs on the scale my goal seems so far away that i slip back to my old ways. Feel free to add me as a friend we can all support each other. PCOS is something that people who dont have it simply do not understand so we need to stick together x
  • sjackson0711
    sjackson0711 Posts: 18
    Thank you everyone for the replies! Feel much better knowing people who are going through the same things and know how I feel! little background on me.... I was diagnosed with pcos at age 18. I had been married for almost a year at that point and from the day I got married I randomly stopped having a menstrual cycle all together. I look back now and realize that after I was married is also when i started putting on some weight so I hope and pray if I can reach the weight I was before i was diagnosed it will greatly improve if not go completely dormant. Anyways years of infertility later (took me and my husband little over 5 years to conceive) I now have my son who is 1. I have been told by many doctors that I need a hysterectomy but at this point I still believe I can fix this with diet and exercise so that is what i'm doing now... one step at a time and hopefully in a few years I will be able to conceive again naturally is my hope.
  • teambaker
    teambaker Posts: 15 Member
    Please do not get a hysterectomy! That is an old school way to deal with PCOS. You have a hormonal imbalance and having a hysterectomy would make it even worse. Most doctors want to give you a Rx for birth control pills and send you on your way. Your body is just lacking progesterone. Not estrogen and testosterone. Also you most likely have insulin resistance which your doctor should test you for. Find a good endocrinologist in your area - by good I mean they should listen to you and what you want and how you are most comfortable treating this. A doctor should work with you - not give you meds and send you on your way with no follow up and no testing. I had been misdiagnosed since I was a teenager. It wasn't until I had my son and really started having issues that I started looking for a specialist. The first one I went to never tested my hormones and just gave me thyroid medicine. I knew in my gut I did not have a thyroid issue. I finally switched to a different endocrinologist who ran every singe test and after she diagnosed me ran more tests. There are a lot of websites with great information and a lot of safe supplements that can help with insulin resistance like cinnamon and chromium picolinate. Just make sure you talk to your doctor first about taking esp. if you are on Metformin - since it is already messing with your blood sugar. I just did the Jumpstart Program with http://www.pcosdiva.com/ - it was awesome! She has a lot of wonderful information on there! You can totally control this thing with lifestyle changes - diet and exercise! Good Luck!
  • sjackson0711
    sjackson0711 Posts: 18
    Lot of good information thanks I will look into it! I have only been told to have a hysterectomy based on family history of ovarian cancer and because my ovaries swell to very large proportions and the cysts cause me a lot of pain... I do very much like my doctor and he has only suggested it as a last resort.. But he wants to do everything he can also to get me under control. Plus I would like to have more kids if at all possible so its not a route I will go down right now.. I havent yet gone to an endocrinologist but I have looked into it a few times.
  • sjackson0711
    sjackson0711 Posts: 18
    Wow!! I dont think I can give up meat.. I have tried before for one week and I felt horrible.. just not for me I guess. Takes a very strong willed person to be able to do that though so all the power to you!! My sister is a vegan and I know for her it makes her feel much better as well. I just think without my meat and cheese I would be much less happier HA! I have also been on metformin ,but my body just did not take it well... bad headaches and dizzyness.. All I feel I can do at this point is just the best I can and know how... Good luck to you and Id love to keep in touch and follow your progress! It may be something I re visit and try again if I cant get it under control just eating healthier..
  • sickwitit82
    sickwitit82 Posts: 1 Member
    Hello, My name is Monique. Ive been struggling with PCOS for the past 5 years. I dont really know where to start. I need a change right now. New diet, new life! Your suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
  • apriljackss
    apriljackss Posts: 96 Member
    I, too, have PCOS and was diagnosed almost 2 years ago. I had symptoms my whole life but finally went to a doctor who listened and actually ran some tests to confirm her suspicions. I was also tested for insulin resistance, which at the time, I did not seem to have. However, after being on hormonal bc since my diagnosis I have steadily gained weight (definitely had to do with my diet and stress levels) and now I am trying to get back to being healthy again. I'm going to try going low carb since that seems to work for a lot of women. Other than that though i'm just generally trying to eat less overall, but more healthy food and exercising regularly. I have been on what I would call a good healthy diet with exercise for almost a month now but not a pound lost. Not a single pound. I haven't noticed much change in the way my clothes fit either though I didn't take measurements starting out. I'm really frustrated but I'm not giving up. I'm hoping that once I push through enough at first it will start to come off with persistance.

    I'm totally open to support and advice from my fellow soul cysters out there. Feel free to add me!
  • amandafranks32
    amandafranks32 Posts: 36 Member
    Hi, my name is Amanda. I haven't been officially diagnosed with PCOS yet but I feel certain that I have it. My sister has it and I have a lot of the symptoms too. I have been struggling with my weight so bad the last two years it is crazy! I feel like if I eat one sugary or unhealthy thing (even a hamburger or something similar) I automatically gain 5 pounds! I have been trying to figure out exactly what I can eat to help me lose weight because sticking to my calorie goal isn't cutting it! Feel free to add me, especially if you are interested in a more Paleo or lower carb diet because I would really like some more friends who are having similar issues!
  • carolann_22
    carolann_22 Posts: 364 Member
    I have PCOS. My endo last week (after reviewing my 2 year struggle) suggested WLS as the best way to control the hormones driving the PCOS (and in my case, the pre-diabetes). I have NOTHING against WLS but as a mom of three, I'm very hesitant to do major surgery - I'm on a last ditch, 6 month effort to stick to a low carb (less than 10%) diet daily and at least 50 minutes of movement, to see if I can lose more than 20 pounds, which is my magic number where it all stops. So feel free to add me :)
  • CalamityJen80
    CalamityJen80 Posts: 3 Member
    Hello, my name is Jennie. I had PCOS symptoms for 17 years before being diagnosed 2 years ago by an amazing OBGYN. I began taking oral birth control, Metformin, and spironolactone at that time and have since lost 75 pounds. Part of it was the medication--I lost 20 pounds in a month and a half before making any major lifestyle changes. I do not think I could have accomplished the additional weight loss without the jumpstart the medication gave me--it was just the motivation I needed. The lifestyle changes I made included an intense strength-training regimen 3-4 times a week and swimming or using an elliptical machine for 30-90 minutes 2-3 times a week. I did this for about 6 months and lost 30 more pounds. Then, life and injuries and illnesses got in the way and I greatly reduced my gym time. However, when I began to exercise, I found myself craving healthy, energy-providing food, so I had made diet changes that helped me to lose an additional 25 pounds even though I was unable to exercise as much. Mainly: a MASSIVE increase in fruits, vegetables, and non-processed meat--I eat as much of them as I want, when I want. I added nuts, beans, and legumes more prominently--they're not just a once-in-a-while snack, they're a needed part of my diet. I greatly reduced soda intake from once a day to maybe a couple times a week. I eat fewer carbs over all and pay LOTS of attention to nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, iron, and potassium. The most important things I've done in this process were strength-training, increasing fruits, vegetables, and lean meat, and stepping on the scale EVERY morning and every night. It's been two years and I have not gained any weight back. However, I joined MFP because I noticed I was doing a great job maintaining but not so much with losing any more weight, and my diet has started to slip considerably in the past couple months. Very few people lose a significant amount of weight and keep it off for good, but I am determined not to be a statistic! Feel free to add me as a friend for support, and good luck!!!
  • 02sassy4u
    02sassy4u Posts: 1
    Hi my name is Kiera. I was diagnosed with PCOS in 1999 and it has been an uphill battle for me. I'm happy to see other cysters here that understands my struggle. Feel free to add me.
  • sjackson0711
    sjackson0711 Posts: 18
    Lots of amazing stories!! It is a hard thing to deal with I know! Any of you who would like to be friends and help support eachother or give some helpful advice feel free! Good luck to you all!

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