Anyone with PCOS ?

Hello all I am new on this site and fairly new with trying to diet. I have PCOS as well. I've been on the bigger side most of my life. My doctor did put me on Metformin to help me get pregnant with my 2nd child but after he was born she didn't feel the need for me to be on it anymore. I typically have taken BC except for when I was trying so my periods are normal. I'm on BC now but keep spotting when I shouldn't have a period. I think my body is trying to adjust to my new dieting and exercising. I fight with being overweight, acne and facial hairs. So not fun. I would love to get support and support others who are dealing with similar issues. I am watching my calorie intake, cutting out as much processed foods as I can and switching to whole wheat products. I've lost a little so far and hope it continues!

Hi All,

I got diagnosed with PCOS very young the age of 15 every time I was on birth control I had horrendous bleeds and clots. I used the pill from 15 - 17 which made me gain at least 2 stone I then used to have the implant from 17 - 20. In this time I never had a regular period and used to be admitted to hospital every time I did bleed as I used to lose so much blood.
Since I have been on no birth control from the age of 20 and I am 23 next week I have had regular steady periods I am like a clock i come on every 25 days for 4 days. No more no less.
Unfortunately I have problems with my tubes and cervix so can not have children naturally only through IVF so I do not have to worry about falling pregnant.
I definitely would not recommend going on the implant to any one

I had no idea that PCOS was so prevalent! I have 4 sisters and out of all of them, I'm the only one that has it. I'm also the only one that has Type 2 diabetes but lucky for me I don't have the extremely high cholesterol that 3 of my sisters seem to have inherited from my father.

It's nice to know that there is so much support out there.

In terms of exercise, I have been doing Bikram "Hot" Yoga for about 10 months now. Although I have only lost about 8 lbs I have lost a lot of inches and just seem more toned and fit all around.

Recently I increased my yoga sessions from 3 per week to 4 per week; and I've added fast walking on the other days. I'm going to start a little bit of weight training as well.

I read recently that cardio with resistance training is the most beneficial for people with Type 2 diabetes in terms of lowering blood sugars and losing belly fat. There was no mention of this in relation to PCOS but since they seem to be so highly related, and in fact both are treated with Metformin, it could be that cardio and resistance are the best exercises for PCOS as well.

I have PCOS. I was diagnosed a few years back. I don't take any medication for it not even birthcontrol. I just try to eat right and exercise and have (until a month ago) been successfully losing weight. The more weight you lose the less PCOS symptoms or the less severe those symptoms seem to be. I do try to follow a lower carb diet specially processed carbs and sugars. (If you check out my diary ignore the last few weeks or so, because I was on vacation and such.)

You guys can add me if you want.

Hello, I have PCOS and have struggled with it and all of terrible side effect for years. Until I accepted that I needed to eat better and exercise regularly I was headed downhill fast. I've lost 70+ lbs on my own with MFP and along with the weight most of the side effects that PCOS. I struggled to get pregnant with my first child and finally gave up and saw a fertility doc and was able to have a healthy child under his care. Unfortunately, my pregnancy was miserable and I soon realized that I needed to take action and make some serious changes in my life. Fast forwarded three years and here I am. I got pregnant on my own a second time and although I stressed about gaining all of the weight I had worked so hard to lose I had a completely different pregnancy and had no complications. I feel great and although I still struggle with PCOS I know that I won't let it get me down.

If you need any support, please feel free to add me.

I have always gotten my period even with PCOS. However PMS was very painful for me which is how I got diagnosed. I got sent for ultrasounds in which you could visually see all the cysts. Most periods for me have extremely heavy days.... Without going in too much gross detail but huge clots and almost unstopable flow. Before I lost weight I also had high blood pressure, hair growth, acne, high cholestrol, vaginal dryness, was insuln resistant, and was borderline diabetic due to PCOS. Almost all of these symptoms are gone just from a better diet and exercise. I still have heavy long periods and sometimes acne breakouts but the rest of the symptoms are gone. I wasn't trying to get pregnant so I have no idea if I was able at the peak of the symptoms. My top weight was like 240lbs and my heaviest since MFP was 208lbs. I am around 175lbs today (5'7") and I am hoping in the next 20 to 25 pounds I lose that my period will lighten up and the acne will go away on it's own.

I am a fellow PCOS lady! PCOS definitely has its own array of symptoms that vary depending on the individual. For me it was irregular periods, weight gain, and lovely unwanted hair growth. I take 1500mg Metformin ER to help and am now starting to get serious about my weight loss. I hit the dreaded 200 pounds last week and since then it has been a real wake up call! Time to get serious!

Biggest challenge is definitely the weight. I used to have blood sugar issues, but my sugars and my cycles have both self-regulated with heavily increased exercise.

My biggest challenge is the weight and the general concern for overall health. It used to be pregnancy. We did several IUI/injectable cycles before deciding to adopt. When my sweet boy was 18 months old (and after I had lost about 30 lbs) we found out we were pregnant. Weight and sugar/starch intake + exercise seems to be the biggest factor in keeping all my symptoms under control!

Hi Kim,

My greatest issue with PCOS has definitely been the weight. I have always been the bigger girl and it never bothered me until about 6 years ago I decided to give the whole fitness thing a go. After very little progress after I'd been going to the gym for 3 months I got worried and saw a doctor. It took a year but I was finally diagnosed with PCOS. Then it got real. I realised it wouldn't be a walk in the park to lose weight. I've tried on and off since then. I was put on Metformin and Orlistat and got pregnant pretty much straight away even though I was told that I would find it difficult to have kids. I didn't know I was pregnant for the first 16 weeks as my periods were very irregular. I had thought getting pregnant would be my greatest issue but it turned out not to be. I got pregnant again last year without any medication and I'm now on BC. I'm also on a strict low carb and low fat diet and exercising 4-5 times a week. Its only been 2 weeks my first weigh in is in 2 weeks hopefully it'll pay off this time!

All I can say is just hold on. I know its harder for some than others and we all fight different battles with our PCOS but we can overcome it. My GP and nutritionist have told me that with weight loss, the symptoms of PCOS reduce and sometimes go away. You will have kids and they'll drive you crazy! Just keep fighting. x