Just found out I have PCOS

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healthymomy80
healthymomy80 Posts: 6
in Introduce Yourself
Hi, I am new to the MFP forums but I've used the food diaries for a few years now. I just got off the phone with my doctor who got my lab results back...I have PCOS. YAY!! That may seem like an odd response, but for me it's a relief to find out what the heck is going on with my body. I have all the classic PCOS symptoms..I don't lose weight easily, I'm tired ALL the time, and I do way better on a low(er) carb diet.

When my husband and I got married we tried unsuccessfully to get pregnant. It wasn't until I started on Atkins and lost about 15lbs that POOF! I became pregnant...with TWINS! lol Fast forward 5 years when we tried becoming pregnant again I was at the time doing South Beach and using VITEX to regulate my cyles and low and behold, the very first month of really trying I became pregnant again. This time with one very rambunctious little boy who is now 2. I have recently found out that I have diastasis recti also so I'm trying to figure out the right route to go with that. I don't want to have surgery to fix it. I have been reading about the Mutu and Tupler systems and debating which is the better way to go.

So here I am now needing to lose somewhere between 35-50 pounds and doing it the low carb way. I really don't want to go back Atkins and I don't have a problem with South Beach but I'd like to be able to do it MY way. I have been trying to keep my carbs 100 a day and making the majority of them from whole grains and veggies with a few slip ups here and there. For the most part that seems to be working.

If anyone has any advice for me, I'm all ears. I have been reading about PCOS to death but I would love to hear from someone else who is going through the same thing. My main goals are to get healthy and beat PCOS and get my stomach back in some form of pre-pregnancy shape! lol

Replies

  • missmegan831
    missmegan831 Posts: 824 Member
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    Try to put your carbs at 50 grams per day and cut out the grains as much as possible. Get your carbs from dark green leafy veggies and very little fruit... Listen to your body, eat when hungry stop when full.. You can do it :)
  • jes1120
    jes1120 Posts: 1 Member
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    I was diagnosed with PCOS 2 years ago. At that time I was 50 lbs overweight. I joined MFP a few months after I started losing weight. I was able to reach my goal weight by counting carbs and exercise. I have maintained at or around 100 grams per day. I do A LOT of salads and low carb foods. There are cookbooks geared towards this diet. When I do eat grains, it is always whole wheat (read the labels). When I say I eat around 100 grams that means I spread them out as well. Around 25 for breakfast, 25 for lunch, 25 for dinner and the other 25 are reserved for afternoon snack and flex carbs. I focus on eating food that has a low glycemic index.

    This is what works for me. Everyone is different and their numbers are different as far as how many carbs one can consume without gaining. Weight loss is slow for me compared to the person next to me doing the same. Darn, insulin resistance! :smile:
  • Caguppie
    Caguppie Posts: 53 Member
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    I got the diagnosis about a year ago, myself. There are a bunch of PCOS forums but not highly active from what I have noticed. Feel free to add me if you like :)
  • Julie7741
    Julie7741 Posts: 93 Member
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    I too have PCOS. I take Metformin and Spironolactone. I've lost 40 lbs simply counting calories and trying to eat the "good" carbs (whole grains, fruits/veggies, dairy). I have about 25 lbs to go, and have come to a screeching halt.

    I'm going to try Paleo for a while, just to see what happens. Some people with PCOS swear by it. It seems restrictive to me, so I will give it a month. If I see a big difference, I'll stick with it. I've also heard that a gluten free diet can help PCOS.

    It's kind of trial and error. I can say that for me, exercise is critical. Diet alone does nothing for me. The exercise seems to really help with insulin resistance.
  • FatToFitMomma
    FatToFitMomma Posts: 8
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    I found out I had PCOS 15 years ago and know that I do my best eating low carb and eating only protein, veggies, apples and other low GI index fruit. I have found some low carb wraps at the store that I use when I'm craving bread. Did the Dr give you a RX for glucophage or metaformin to help with your PCOS?
  • healthymomy80
    healthymomy80 Posts: 6
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    Hi everyone. Yes, I've noticed from all of my readings that PCOS covers a wide group of people, all with different symptoms, and all with different ways of dealing with them. I am tackling this head on. The doctor gave me a scrip for Metformin. I only plan on taking it until I can get my metabolism up and a jump on my weight loss.. I seem to be stalled at the moment - 3 pounds from my goal for the month - ggrrr! I've been keeping within my goals for the day, but not with the bestest of food the last week or so..gotta get back on that wagon!
  • twistedbutterfly
    twistedbutterfly Posts: 61 Member
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    I also have PCOS. I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian, so I do tend to get a lot of carbs, but I'm trying to make sure they are healthy ones. My doctor put me on Metformin and recommended that I start taking DCI, which I have. So far, this has been working.
  • nikki6_2002
    nikki6_2002 Posts: 31 Member
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    Hi,
    Im new here too and have PCOS and type II diabetes. I was diagnosed PCOS at 16 (am now 37) and only recently iagnosed diabetic.

    I did have my previous IR treated with metformin but it really didnt agree with me, cue my current situation, trying to manage with diet and exercise. I dont limit my carbs but keep to 1200 calories a day and my carbs are all low GI options. I find that eating like this and ensuring I exercise will result in very slow steady weightloss but for me the best thing is far fewer cysts and less abdo pain. When not watching what I eat I have over 30 cysts on each ovary at any time. When being careful for a period of weeks they dwindle to 10 each and almost no pain.

    Will add you as a friend. I could always do with more :smile:
  • abenudiz
    abenudiz Posts: 5 Member
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    i think the first thing is, you are eating way to little of calories for someone that PCOS. I am 38 years old and have lived with PCOS and weight issues almost my whole life (started at teenage-hood) I have lost over 120lbs in 6 years, had two babies in between that time and was able to keep off the weight and still keep losing (at a very slow pace) but nevertheless, still losing. I eat 5-6 times a day (small meals) I eat complex carbs- sweet potato, quinoa, brown rice and eliminate all processed foods and starchy carbs like corn, potatos, pasta, white rice, flour. I eat a lot of veggies, fruit and protein, plus it helps that i keep a good regiment of exercise to 4-5 times a week of hardcore workouts (Kickboxing, spin cycle, boot camps) The idea is to keep nourishing your body with good clean whole foods and healthy fats (coconut oil/ olive oil) and kill those extra calories by doing at least 30 minutes of hard workouts 3 times a week, the rest of the week walk, jog, swim, whatever, but keep your body moving so the insulin levels remain normal. PCOS is a silly annoying disease, but it doesnt control you....YOU control it... you can do it! Good luck!
  • abenudiz
    abenudiz Posts: 5 Member
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    BTW, when you eat too little of calories (1200-1500) your body goes into starvation mode and actually produces higher insulin levels. be-careful! You should take in at least 1600- 1800 depending on your weight and activity levels. Good luck
  • kandyjay
    kandyjay Posts: 265
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    I also have PCOS. I found out when I was 19( I think?!)

    I actually lost weight pretty fast although my Doctor said it would be so hard to shed pounds.
    I lost 40 pounds in 3 months and then another 40 afterwards.

    If you wanna add me as a friend you can, I may be able to answer some questions for you and you may be able to answer some for me :)

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