PCOS weight-loss input..

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  • tahminahkauser
    tahminahkauser Posts: 1
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    Hi, I am a 22 yrs old and a med student and I was diagnosed with PCOS at the age of sixteen.
    Frankly I was always a plump child. And now I've become fat. It's not nice and the saddest part being I can do nothing about it since my schedule is very hectic. I swear I've given up all sorts of processed foods but all that happened was that I didn't gain weight, it remained the same. And I have no time for exercise.
    My cycles are extremely irregular and I don't get my periods for months at a stretch.
    I heard about Spironolactone, Metformin and Orlistat working for you guys. I was hoping you could tell me about the doses prescribed to you. And also if one or more of these drugs can be taken together.
    I love children, and I want to be able to have my own one day.
    I could seriously use your help.
    Thank you.
    P.S. It is amazing that you guys stick with each other. God knows I need that sort of support.
  • lraye08
    lraye08 Posts: 1
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    HI, I am 34 years old and I was diagnosed with PCOS 9 years ago after having 2 miscarriages. I was placed on Metformin and Clomid to help me keep my pregnancy. I now have a 5 year old and 2 year old twins (twins were with low dose of Clomid...although they do run in my family..we have 3 sets in my close family). I am about 40 lbs over weight and I have tried numerous diets to get the weight off.

    I was always skinny growing up and average in high school(size 6-8) until I hit 25 years old and my weight started going up..it jumped 20 lbs in 6 months. I couldn't figure out what was going on until I had the miscarriages and the doctors did extensive blood work and at that time I was diagnosed with PCOS. Metformin was actually a drug that was created years ago as a diet pill but they found out that it helped people with diabetes. It is hard for us with PCOS to break down our food like most people. That is why it is important to take your Metformin and eat a lower than average carb diet. That is easy to say, because I don't always abide by that. I struggle with my weight but the best thing I have found is eating lower carbs.

    It's the combination of foods that I have found to eat to help me lose weight. I've lost 12 lbs in a month just recently by taking 1000mg at bedtime (because if I take it during the day, it upsets my stomach). I eat a lot of protein and vegetables and only eat one fruit a day and a small amount of starch at each meal. (small being 10 cheese its, or 5 saltine crackers, 1 piece of low fat bread, 1/2 hamburger bun, etc.) High protein helps you stay full and lose weight. It really has helped me not be hungry.

    I have 3 kids and work full-time and it is extremly hard for me to get to the gym or workout. I know it may be an excuse, but until my kids get older and they are all able to go for walks and runs with me, it's just the way it is. If I want to be skinny again, I'll have to eat a low carb diet and stick to my Metformin. It's way harder, but it can be done.
  • brandikelleyfoster
    brandikelleyfoster Posts: 1
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    yes very
  • mrskb05
    mrskb05 Posts: 1
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    i was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago. The Metformin made me sick, i took it for two months hoping it would get better,it didnt. I have lost 32 pounds and counting. I changed up my eating habits, workout 4/6 times a week. I walk 5 miles 5 times a week. I TRY not to eat processed foods, sugary foods and bread. I google all the time for great foods to eat. Its frustrating at times because im used to fried foods and i bake. i drink a gallon of water a day. I am also insulin resistance. It is possible just dont give up and you have to have determination and dedication.
  • KimmeeMee
    KimmeeMee Posts: 6
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    I was unofficially diagnosed with PCOS (suspected) at age 13. I was officially diagnosed at age 18. I'm 25, now. At first it was just the hormone issues, swollen ovaries, cysts, no periods, infertility... after they put me on my first round of hormone therapy (basically birth control for 6 months), I gained 60lbs in the five months I was on it. I quit before hitting 6 months. That 60lbs brought Insulin Resistance with it, and hair loss and acne. =/ They tried putting me on birth control/hormone therapy twice after that. Both times I gained 30lbs.

    I initially lost weight from cutting out sugar and walking, but once my Endocrinologist put me on Metformin, I seemed to have a backward reaction (much like with the BCPs) and while my insulin levels went down, my weight went up. So I stopped the Metformin and started using Apple Cider Vinegar. It was a huge help in the past.

    I lost enough weight that after 5 years of trying to conceive, my husband and I got pregnant and managed to keep the pregnancy. I was doing great with my weight for the first couple of months afterward, but I finally cracked and had to be put on meds for PPD. The meds made me gain another 20lbs in the first month. We tried another med and I gained another 10lbs in 3 weeks. So now I'm right back up to being at the heaviest I ever was again. It's miserable and today happens to be the worst I've ever felt. =( I'm glad I came on here and found other Cysters.

    I've tried joining support groups, but everyone seems to lose the weight much easier and they tell me I must be doing something wrong. They don't understand it from the PCOS side. Other women trying to lose weight with PCOS are who I want to surround myself with.
  • grmpsbabygrl
    grmpsbabygrl Posts: 24 Member
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    I have PCOS and was diagnosed when I was 15. I have always struggled with my weight and it gets really hard sometimes. I'm ready to have a baby but I have over 80 pounds to lose to be at a healthy weight goal. I also work at a Fertility Center and it kind of scares me at times seeing both sides. If anyone is wanting to talk feel free to add me. :)
  • dee2010
    dee2010 Posts: 2
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    Hi
    I was recently diagnosed with pcos in April this year. I was originally referred to gynae in Jan this year (at my own request) for quite severe pain in my right side. Since the birth of my last child, now 5 yrs old, my periods have either been completely missed, or stupidly heavy. Whilst in my consultation I told the doctor about this gradual weight gain, facial hair and bad skin. After a few months and an ultrasound scan I was then diagnosed with pcos, severe in my right ovary and moderate in my left. I was told my pain is nothing to do with the pcos, and was put on hormone treatment provera, to try and eliminate the pain. The only good thing about provera was that it thinned the lining of my womb. I gained more weight, almost got divorced and had terrible shakes. Since stopping the provera they fit the mirena coil. Again I have gained even more weight. I still have the pain I went in with, have gained almost a stone in weight and feel very low in myself. I'm due to have a laparoscopic investigation for this pain, which they are now believing to be my tube.

    I felt at drastic measures and was about to try the lighter life diet, until I read all of these posts. It is amazing how many other people feel the same as me and some of which have come through it. The clear points that most people make are that exercise is extremely important, a low carb diet of fresh and healthy foods, but a lot of you seem to feel that metformin is also very helpful. I am going to ask my own doctor if I can also be prescribed this.

    I do have a very active job, which I thought would certainly help me lose weight, I do lots of climbing up and down ladders, stairs and am constantly in and out of people's houses, carrying heavy tool bags etc. at first I thought that I must be gaining muscle under my fat, as I started this job in June, and have gained around 6-8lbs since starting, but I have gone up in clothes size too.

    I do struggle for time to exercise as I work 7.30am till 5.30pm, then come home and be mum to my 5 year old till 8pm when he goes to sleep. By then I am dead on my feet. I have a gym membership but my gym is some 15 miles away. I have a treadmill and punch bag in my spare room and am going to have to force myself to go in there.

    Do you have anymore recommendations please?

    Thanx
    D
  • spagel79
    spagel79 Posts: 7 Member
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    I just read the best book, Trim Healthy Momma, I think it will be amazing for PCOS. Love the information about how foods impact us and how we need to understand how our bodies work with sugar and fat. Another great author for books about weight loss and PCOS is Jillian Michaels, she also has PCOS. Good luck everyone.
  • gottahavefaith33
    gottahavefaith33 Posts: 1
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    i feel you.. ive gained over 20 pounds in 2 months. AND ive been working out and watching my diet. i couldnt figure it out. i was just diagnosed with pcos today. at least its good to know im not alone. :)
  • dee2010
    dee2010 Posts: 2
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    I went to see my doctor on thursday and she put me on metformin. I've taken one tablet on an evening for just two days now. The first night I felt ok, but last night I felt quite sick. Today I've been shopping and felt really light headed. Is this normal?

    I'm not sure if I understand what they actually do. I'm not diabetic, or pre diabetic, and all of my blood tests were normal, so could they make my blood sugar too low???

    As I understand it, I thought it was to reduce blood sugar, but if I have a normal blood sugar, surely metformin would make mine lower???

    I got weighed on Thursday evening and was 11st 6lbs, then got weighed last night and was 11st 2lbs. This is very normal for me, as I fluctuate up and down all the time, but the downs are getting higher and the ups are increasing by the month.

    Your not alone "gottahavefait", and I only realised that when I found this thread, it's great to have somewhere to talk about this, with people who understand. I'm sure most people just think that I blame my weight on this condition :-(

    Gonna start my workout routine on Monday, so I'll keep you posted how I do :)
  • Junken_Diraffe
    Junken_Diraffe Posts: 716 Member
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    I was diagnosed at the age of 16, along with endometriosis. In the next 4 years, I had 13 surgeries to remove cysts and clean up the endo. I was told I'd never have children. I became pregnant at the age of 25, while on the pill, which I'd been taking religiously since 16 to control they PCOS symptoms. I had my daughter, followed by a son 17 months later.

    I'd never had a weight issue and was, in fact, always thin growing up. After I had my children, it became an issue. I'd put on weight, and it just refused to come off. I casually tried a few times to exercise, cut out pop, eat more veggies, etc., but nothing in earnest. Then, I had a HUGE medical emergency that put me out of commission for several months. It was not related to the PCOS. I ended up having a partial hysterectomy due to complications from that issue. When I'd "recovered" from that, I was content to just be alive and functioning for a while. But then something hit me. I needed to be healthy. I joined here, started to take things seriously, and dropped close to 60 lbs in a year.

    It can be done. I still have my ovaries, I struggle with pain, I have acne like a 15 year old boy, I have crazy hormones that make me hornier than all get out every few months, my hair falls out, and suddenly, my body has decided to hit puberty and grow me some boobs! Wtf?! Clearly, I still struggle. But, with dedication and a positive mindset, you can do it. The mindset honestly is what I attribute most of my success to. You have You believe you can do it. This disease can tear you down, the depression, the physical and emotional symptoms, the fertility problems... I get it. But know it can be overcome. You are stronger than the PCOS.
  • sheilabarton
    sheilabarton Posts: 1
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    I also have PCOS. I have managed to maintain my weight for years through diet and exercise. For fun, I compete in fitness competitions and the diet I am on is fantastic for PCOS. This year even with a clean diet plan and plenty of exercise I was stopped in my tracks. My weight kept going up and up and up. I made Nationals this year and am sponsored athlete so the pressure I put on myself to be in competition shape was mounting I felt like my weight was starting to get out of control. I had gained 18 lbs in a matter of a few weeks. I finally went to the doctor I brought a copy of my diet and asked her to please help me figure this out. I knew at the pace that I was gaining I had to do something. My doctor said that that I needed to be on Metformin for a while to balance out my hormones. So far I have been on Metformin for 3 weeks I have lost 10 pounds and finally have some energy!! My doctor said that my diet was perfect and to not change a thing. I give myself a cheat meal every week this last weekend my husband and I went to the Melting Pot he wanted to split the cheese and chocolate dish. I was a little wary of the sugar but enjoyed eating it. I hoped on the scale in the morning and was up 2 lbs. Once again, this was a reminder to me that I have to stay away from sugary foods. The last couple of weeks my cheat meal was a huge cheeseburger and french fries and the scale in the morning didn't budge. I hate taking pills but in this case I truly needed a little medical assistance and I am thankful there was something out there that is helping my body stabilize. Best of luck to all of you ladies out there!!!
  • katekulaib
    katekulaib Posts: 2
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    I was diagnosed with PCOS about 5 years ago even though I knew I had it before but my doctor kept saying "you are fine". I switched about 4 doctors before one would listen to me and acknowledge that I had PCOS. You have to be your own advocate I guess! I have two healthy children. The first time I was on Chlomid and ballooned up about 30 lbs in a few months. When I decided to lose weight and get off the meds I got pregnant. The second time I had a different doctor (who believed I had PCOS) and he put me on Femara and even though I was supposed to do In-Vitro fertilization I ended up pregnant with Femara alone.

    For those who are having stomach issues on Metformin, I feel your pain. I was in the bathroom constantly for 6 months until my new doctor switched me to Glumetza, which is a slow-release Metformin and it has been great. It is hard on the wallet but easy on the body. I have taken Diane-35 for a couple of years but my periods stopped being regular, so I got switched to Yaz, which did not solve this issue for me. Every time I skip my period I gain weight, feel sluggish and my skin is terrible, so I am looking for something new. I have done many diets and pills and nothing seems to work. Along with exercise, I ordered diet food online (diabetic plan, even though I am not a diabetic but have insulin resistance) and even though I was suffering for a month I lost a lousy 2 lbs. I have tried CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) but nothing. Tried low carbs, hardly lost anything so not even worth suffering through it. I have done teas, apple cider vinegar (which made my stomach burn), diet pills, restrictive diets, and nothing! Went to the gym with my mom for a couple of months (I even went twice a day sometimes) and while she lost a ton of weight I lost nothing (literally nothing)! Today was my hardest day in a long time since I reached my highest weight in years and I am sick of the cycle of dieting, working out and still crying! At this point I am hoping for a miracle.
  • Mahershalal
    Mahershalal Posts: 1
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    :smile: Hey, never give up! A lot of ladies like us are dealing with PCOS. I think the most important thing is to understand that you have no reason to feel bad about yourself or your weight. I think the worst part of PCOS is feeling like a failure when you can't get that blasted scale number to move! Re-focus on two things:
    1) You are valuable and special and alive. Don't let the media blitz of false beauty ideals get in your head. There are all shapes and sizes of women and they are dearly loved by all manner of men, as well as their families.
    2) Your goal is to be as healthy as you can be; that is not the same thing as skinny.
    a. I recommend you find a good endocrinologist to work with. A gynecologist can diagnose PCOS, but because it is a hormonally-based disease, you need to go to the doctor that specializes in hormones: the endocrinologist. Your treatment will be very close to what is used for people with diabetes.
    b. As for diet, don't obsess. Focus on drinking enough clean water each day, eating at least five 1/2 cups of fruit or vegetable (1 cup for lettuces, greens, etc.), eating lean protein (eggs, fish, chicken, beef, etc.), and whole grains. For sweetener, use stevia because it doesn't mess with your blood sugar. Ditch the soda or replace it with low-sugar carbonated fruit juice (like Izze). And enjoy your food. Take your favorite recipes and switch out with healthier ingredients so you can still eat a diet that makes you happy. Treat yourself (for example, don't waste your sugar splurge on a dried-up twinkie--go get a Godiva chocolate sundae, instead, so that your free-day is really worth it!) That way you won't binge.
    c. Get enough sleep. Sleeping 7-9 hours a night on a regular basis is one of the most powerful things you can do to balance your hormones and manage stress.
    d. Find exercise you enjoy. You want to do something that causes enough exertion for you to sweat and burn off stress chemicals and feel slightly, but pleasantly tired. That way you keep going back. A little exercise done steadily is better than killing yourself in the gym once every blue moon. It may not be the gym. It may be dancing around your living room or playing with your child in the yard. If it's movement, it counts.

    Those are just a few basic recommendations. I hope they help. Just don't give up. Your life is so much more than a diagnosis--do what you can to be healthy each day, and don't spend all your time thinking about it. Live, laugh, love, enjoy. Do all the stuff you think you have to be skinny before you can do it. Dress up, dance, explore; don't let your life shrink down to a number on a scale.

    Blessings,

    Stacy
  • LexyLou_5
    LexyLou_5 Posts: 43 Member
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    Hey all....

    I was diagnosed last year, i too am having issues with weight lose. I am only want to lose another 20 lb but its proving to be a huge problem. Why wont it shift ?!!

    Am fed up of friends saying they drop a few pounds by just cutting out a few glasses of wine each week or just do an extra workout.. grrrrr !!!

    I am alos on fitbit under the same name, http://www.fitbit.com/user/24LSFQ


    feel free to add me i need lots of advice and support
  • zoeharris89
    zoeharris89 Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi there,

    I am into my 6th week of weight loss and have consistently be loosing 1kg per week which is about 2.2 pounds a week. I cannot loose weight without exercise though so I make sure I get in 3-4 days of exercise per week. Either at the Gym or Swimming. I also have been counting my calories with a great app on my iPhone. You can search for the amount of calories in all food items and then I calculates them for you when you enter what you have eaten. And if you can't find the products in the search bar then you can scan the item of food your eating. Great thing to have! I call it my new best friend.

    The big key with having PCOS and needing to loose weight is lots of exercise. If your finding its getting easier for you then you need to step it up and walk faster or pedal harder with more resistance, whatever you do keep making your workout higher in intensity. And mix it up a little too. I get bored very easily, so go to the gym one day then swimming, then yoga and then maybe an aerobics class. You just have to keep yourself motivated with trying new ways to exercise.

    And the other big thing to think about is that you just need to have very strong motivation otherwise you will slacken off and your weight loss will come to a halt. When my Doctor told me to start loosing weight I wasn't quite ready yet so I just tried the exercise and didn't watch my food, to ease myself into a lifestyle change and then one week I said, right this is the week where I put all my effort into the exercise and the calorie counting together. And I have to say I have never been more motivated to loose weight than I am right now in my life.

    I'm basically loosing weight so I can have children. 2 years ago now I injured my back at work and ended up having a spinal fusion to help me with my healing and get on track for the rest of my life. I only was diagnosed with PCOS after I had injured myself and put on 30 kgs from not being able to exercise. So I guess I have a great motive to get healthy again.


    Take care
    Zoe. :)
  • rese822
    rese822 Posts: 1
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    I have PCOS as well. It sucks! My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for 9 years with no luck. I have tried weight watchers, and diet pills, working out, and other things, but it hasn't worked much. I lost 10 pounds last year, but I'm stuck this year. I had really been hating the way I look more than ever lately, almost to the point of crying and feeling depressed. Then my friend started going to Planet Fitness (in a different town), so I faced my fear of working out alone, and got a membership too. We promised ourselves that we were going to keep each other motivated and help each other. My first week wasn't so good. I worked out 4 days, and tried to be good eating and gained .6. This is only my second week with my new lifestyle change so I'm hoping for better results when I weigh myself on Monday.

    We tried one cycle of IUI once, but our fertility doctor doesn't want to try again until I lose 20 pounds. The weight that they have in my record was before the 10 pounds I lost last year, so I have 3 1/2 months to lose that last 10 pounds so we can go back. That is my first mini goal for myself.
  • punkyb78
    punkyb78 Posts: 1 Member
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    I was told after I had my daughter that there was no reason to remain on metformin that I only needed it cause I was trying to get pregnant.
  • haju2
    haju2 Posts: 8 Member
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    I tried roca labs formula. It helped me get rid of extra weight :)
  • pinkledoodledoo
    pinkledoodledoo Posts: 290 Member
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    low car diets are the only thing that have worked for me and I was diagnosed with PCOS 10 years ago. Unfortunately I've had trouble sticking to them so it's best to lose slowly and really make it a lifestyle change, otherwise the weight goes back on very quickly.

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