Ladies with PCOS, how do you do it

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Ladies, I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15, I just went to the doc yesterday to get it checked again. The doc said PCOS could be the reason why you are not losing any weight and ordered some blood tests. The doc had trouble believing I had PCOS because the only two symptoms I have is weight gain and irregular periods. I did not have any difficulty conceiving and my pregnancy was totally uneventful (Thank God), also I have no facial hair. He said if I have it he will give me medication and that will help lose weight.
So my question is does the medicine combined with healthy eating and exercise help lose weight. I am trying to grasp any straw I can find. So tired of doing things right and not seeing results.

Replies

  • helenmelon29
    helenmelon29 Posts: 787 Member
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    Sorry cant help as don't really know anything about PCOS - glad it not affecting you too much though. Will you always take the medication? or once the weight lost stop?
  • navydentalchic
    navydentalchic Posts: 234 Member
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    Hello! within the last few months, I was just diagnosed. I worked out for a year, did insanity, and only lost 4 pounds. Ate about 1600, so wasn't starving myself. But struggled. Looking at me you wouldn't be able to tell I caould run 3 miles a day and do 5k mud runs for fun, I have so much weight around my middle.
    Went to the Dr., and it turns out I have hypothyroid, insulin resistance and hormome levels all pointing towards PCOS. I am now on Metformin, synthroid and he has put me on a low carb, high fat diet. It seems a pretty common diet for those of us with that condition. I haven't been on the meds long, nor the diet, so I personally cant comment on results. Just know that there are plenty of us out there :)
  • IronFiend
    IronFiend Posts: 44 Member
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    I had infertility as a result of PCOS, but was able to get pregnant with the help of fertility doctors. I just eat lower carb (under 100 g. per day), eat clean and exercise.
  • Bethie_J
    Bethie_J Posts: 43 Member
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    PCOS is not fun when trying to lose weight. I was diagnosed young, and have struggled most of my life. Unfortunately, I have just about every symptom. The medication (I'm assuming your doc is referring to Metformin or something similar) helps some people. It didn't do anything for me, so I stopped taking it.

    The weight loss is much slower, and you will have to work harder than most people. The key for me was really to focus on not comparing my loss to others'. I've lost 30 of my 60 pound goal in 16 months. I've been at a plateau for 10 months. It's hard, but you focus on being healthy, moving your body, and try not to focus on the scale.

    I hope this helps! :flowerforyou:
  • ennuifreezone
    ennuifreezone Posts: 20 Member
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    I have PCOS, diagnosed officially, and I haven't really had any trouble (out of the normal) losing weight. I've previously lost 40 lbs, and I just was really strict about following my calorie guidelines and exercised every day, one day of cardio and then one day of strength training/stretching. I feel like I plateaued a lot, but I just kept doing the same thing and eventually it would break.

    Just try to stay focused on meeting your goals, and even if it comes off slowly, keep powering through! Even losing half a pound a week is progress. And make sure you measure yourself too, so you know if you're making progress even if the scale doesn't budge. You can do this! You don't have to let PCOS beat you. (If your doctor thinks you should take the meds to help you, it couldn't hurt to try - he obviously knows your situation a lot better than I do and hormones can be tricky!) Since it can cause insulin-resistance, eating like you're a diabetic can be helpful! Good luck!!
  • sbatz111
    sbatz111 Posts: 35
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    I've got it too. It's a struggle, but it's worth doing. I can't take the Metformin either, it makes me sick and didn't work anyway. I have been struggling with infertility for years, and a doctor had me convinced that if I lost even 30 pounds my periods would regulate. Didn't happen.


    However, I keep on going, hoping that if I keep losing, it will work out. I don't lose weight as fast as other people, and I carry most of it right around my middle, but I just have to accept that this is me, and try to lose for me and no one else. After losing 60 pounds, I only lost about 2 inches from my stomach, the rest came from arms, legs, and chest :( But, I figure eventually it HAS to come off the middle, so I keep trying.

    Good luck to you, you can do it! it won't be easy, it won't be fun, but it will be worth it!
  • Diyamommy
    Diyamommy Posts: 56
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    All you ladies are so amazing. Before I got pregnant, I had lost about 50 pounds by exercising and dieting and the fact that I was on my twenties did help. Since having a baby 7 months ago , I have not been able to lose any weight. Some people say "ohh you are still postpartum, give it at least an year" , but I did not want to wait. I know I have PCOS. So I went to the doctor and the doctor I went to is amazing. He did not dismiss me by saying you just had a baby wait 1 year (this is exactly what my OB/GYN said) , instead he listened to what I had to say, he ordered the blood tests, gave me a physical, made sure everything else is okay.
    I am really looking forward to what he has to say and hopefully stay focused and lose the weight again. I really have a lot of sexy dresses that I miss wearing.
  • silver_arrow3
    silver_arrow3 Posts: 1,373 Member
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    I wasn't having any difficulties in the beginning. I was losing at a pretty steady rate, then after six months and 33 pounds, I stalled. My doctor was not quite so helpful. I don't cut anything out of my diet the way some people cut out carbs (because I LOVE my carbs), but I'm considering seeing a nutritionist or visiting a new doctor to get any advice on kick starting my weight loss back up. A six month stall would make a lot of people revert back into their previous lifestyle, but I'm determined to finish losing and keep it off. PCOS might be a setback (though I really don't know if that's what's holding me up or not) but I'm not going to let it derail me from my goals.