Tell us your story
lizz2013
Posts: 331 Member
Write as much as you can about your story, diagnose and want you want to achieve. Looking forward to being in this together! (Will write my story a bit later when I'm at my computer! )
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I was diagnosed in 2009 after gaining 50lbs in one year. I didn't get my period for 9 months. I saw my regular doctor who said I was nearly 30 and probably had a slowing metabolism. Finally went to the OBGYN for help getting pregnant. He figured it out pretty quickly. I was prescribed metformin. Been taking metformin off and on for years. I have two boys 3 1/2 and almost 2 who were conceived using clomid. We tried again with clomid, but I am not ovulatingat all. So now the goal is to focus on weight loss and diet. I hope to do Total Body Sculpt 4x per week plus 3 visits to the gym for cardio. Well 2 days of pure cardio and one day of yoga. Food wise I am trying to eat more raw veggies and protein. And try to reduce processed foods. It seems like that is the key to losing for me. But, I have 2 small kids and I hate cooking when it means managing kids, prepping, cleanup, etc are all on me. So, I try to do one pot or crockpot meals. Oh, and I developed a wheat allergy as an adult that I discovered around this time last year. So, gluten-free, no wheat complicates things a bit more.0
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I was just diagnosed the beginning of January after gaining 35 lbs in 4 months despite clean eating and extreme exercise. Prior to that I've probably gained 5 to 10 lbs a year with yo-yo dieting which eventually led to gaining the weight back plus each time. I also have severe iron and B-12 deficiency anemia due to malabsorption, and I'm getting my first iron infusion next week. Hoping that brings my energy levels back to where I know they should be. I also have exercise induced asthma which I've had all my live and can only overcome by slowly building up my stamina over time. My family has always been excessively overweight and it's been my goal to never reach that point, so now that I'm over the 200 mark I am more determined than ever to get rid of all this extra weight before I develop more serious issues like diabetes. My goals right now are to eat more veggies and protein while cutting out processed food as much as possible. To exercise daily - either Zumba fitness on my wii or a Jillian Michaels kickboxing or yoga routine (until it warms up enough to go jogging/walking). I want to be fit and healthy and comfortable in my own skin again.0
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Also forgot to mention, my doctor prescribed metformin, so I am taking that daily slowly working up to the appropriate dosage.0
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I was diagnosed in 2006 after two years of recurrent miscarriages and putting on 120lbs. I have struggled with my weight all my life, but going from 190 to 318 in two year was a huge eye opener. I managed to lose the weight in 2007 with trying to concieve, and lost 100lbs, but while pregnant I gained 70lbs, then since I have had another babe and gained it all back. I am around 260 now. I have typical symptoms of cysts and hair growth and weight fluxuation, and a whole other plethora of hormonal issues. I never thought I would have kids, and now that I do, I am determined to be healthy for them and for me, to show them that just because I have PCOS doesn't mean its going to hold me back.0
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It was 2004 when i got diagnosed. Me and my boyfriend at the time was trying for a baby. I kept getting irregular test results and gained a fair bit of weight ( i dont know exact weight as i refused to weigh at that point but i had gone from a uk 16 to a 22/24) So i went to my doctors who sent me for scans which showed i had PCOS. At the time i was told it would be highly unlikely id be able to have children naturally so as you would imagine i was distraught. I hardly ever had any periods probably once every 6 months if that! Since being diagnosed i split up with my boyfriend and met my husband in 2007. I was on depo injection and 6 months into our relationship i started feeling sick and bloated so i went to doctors and they sent me for a scan to find out i was 9 weeks pregnant! i had my daughter on 18/02/2009 and then in 2011 we decided to try for another baby. We started in febuary and found out a month later that i was 6 weeks pregnant. i went on to have our son 22/11/11. For me the biggest problem with pcos has been weight gain. after having my son i got to 20 stone (280lb) im now down to 217lb and my aim is 200lb and then see where i want to be after that. it has taken a year to get down to 217 and i know its gonna be a long time still to get to my final goal of 12 stone but im just pleased im finally started to see the side effects slowly go away! xx0
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Hi Cysters,
I will apologize up front for my long post. I will be turning 43 next month and I have been living with PCOS since late puberty. I was finally diagnosed at the age of 26 by my Gyno at the time after I had an ultrasound study and eventual laproscopic surgery for Endometriosis. I had the classic "string of pearls" presentation. Prior to this, I had weighed in the 120's an at 5'2" and having an athletic build, I was happy. I had always had irregular periods and that gyno just continuously put me on the birthcontrol pill, stating I had a "hormone imbalance". Once she finally gave me the dx, she said I would have issues conceiving in the future but that's all. Over the next year, with working out 5 days a week at high intensity, I started gaining weight and no matter what I did, I put on 30 lbs in a year. In 2001 I happened to see an article in a magazine about PCOS and was like "What?!?!?" "I am at risk for all that?" And to think my gyno said it was only a "hormone imbalance". Sheesh. There was a name of a MD who was a Reproductive Endocrinologist who specialized in treating PCOS who practiced in Boston. I called her and made an appointment. She took one look at me and said "I can look at you and see you have pcos" She ordered some labs and they showed I am insulin resistant. She started me on metformin that day. . My PCOS since then has been a constant struggle. I have tried Weight Watchers with little to no success once and then tried it again with incorporating Zone practice and had a little bit of success. I am now 42 years old and have gained and lost the same 15-20 lbs several times. Everytime I fall off the wagon, the weight would pile back on.
A few years ago, I was introduced to the paleo and primal lifestyles and the book Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shannahan at an obesity clinic I attended. I lost 17 lbs during that time pretty easily when I was faithful. But I am not sure I was completely on board. However, I finally read the entire book by Dr Shannahan and that convinced me I had to commit to change. Since then, I have limited my net carbs (after subtracting fiber) to no more than 100g a day as she suggests, started making veggie/fruit smoothies in my Nutribullet, and been exercising 5 days a week.
I am not sure if I am the oldest one here, but I can only be happy for the younger women that have more treatment options than I did when I was younger and that the knowledge of the disease is more widespread (ie. use of metformin). When I was started on it, the research was just really being published.0 -
I have always struggled to maintain a healthy weight - usually succeeding and settling into the top of the healthy BMI range. But in order to maintain my weight I found I basically had to follow what most people consider a pretty extreme weight loss plan - low calorie/low carb/lots of exercise. I had been on the birth control pill since I was a teenager to help with acne issues. At 25 I got pregnant very easily right after ending the pill (not actually intending to honestly.) But then I remarried in June 2012 at 32 and we started to TTC in September 2012 (right after I turned 33.) After 100+ days with no period, the OB-GYN gave me Provera to induce one. My cycles after that continued to be long and erratic, I put on 20 lbs despite eating an average of 1400-1500 calories per day and exercising, and developed cystic acne on my chin/neck/back/chest, especially. We got pregnant last spring and miscarried early and no pregnancy since. Finally, I saw a reproductive endocrinologist earlier this month and was diagnosed with PCOS. I started Metformin and thankfully have not had the bad GI side effects that people talk about. (I am wondering if this is because I already eat low carb/low sugar - I have heard that carbs and fatty foods can make the GI side effects worse.) Anyways I am up to the full 1500 mg/day dose. I am also on Femara (letrozole) to try to induce ovulation to help me get pregnant.
I find that a low-carb, low-processed diet works best for me, but it can be so hard to stick to in social situations. For exercise I do Zumba, jogging and kettlebell training. I would really love to get back down to a healthy BMI before getting pregnant but I'm not sure if that's going to happen... progress has been slow to nothing - but I have lost a little since starting the Metformin and at least I'm not gaining anymore! It's hard to focus on trying to conceive and trying to lose at the same time but I will try.0 -
This will get long, just FYI. I have always since I was 13 years old had an irregular period and severe cramping. It was so bad that my mom would even let me stay home from school sick. Then I met my husband during my Junior year, I was 17 and he was 18 (a senior) then we got married after high school, when we were just 19 and 20 years old. We planned on having children in our 20's and starting our family ASAP. After about a year of having sex and I was still missing my periods without being pregnant I went to the doctor. Ran a bunch of test and was diagnosed at age 20 with PCOS, I was about 50 lbs overweight at the time and was told then to losing weight to become pregnant. I did not listen, we ended up getting pregnant when I was 21, it ended in miscarry. Then a year later I had my second miscarry. My doctor then wanted to but me on Clomid to get pregnant that way, my husband talked me out of it. He wanted to have children naturally. I stopped telling people outside of my immediate family about my pregnancies as well. I kept having more miscarriages. I became depressed, bitter, and angry. I stopped caring, I didn't take care of myself and just pitied myself. I was an emotional mess for years and did nothing to try and improve my situation. Then when I was 27, my dad had a heart attack and underwent quadruple bypass surgery, and therapy and had to change his diet, etc. I remember thinking my dad died and going to the hospital after work, and watching him go through this whole ordeal and surviving! It was the scariest thing I ever went through. I'm a daddy's girl and after this happened I took a hard look at myself and I changed. I started eating healthy and walking. I now have to drop a total of 100 lbs, instead of just 50 when I diagnosed. I only have 27 left o go now. I'm healthier than I've ever been and I still struggle and slipped up often, but I kept at it. I'm currently on birth control, but I plan on going off it in April and my husband and I are going to try one more time to have a child, he thinks he's old now. lol I'm now 29 and he's 30, and we are hoping this doesn't become miscarry number 8. Hoping for the best *fingers crossed* we have been trying for 10 years unsuccessfully and I have a good feeling that this will be our miracle baby.0
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I have always struggled to maintain a healthy weight - usually succeeding and settling into the top of the healthy BMI range. But in order to maintain my weight I found I basically had to follow what most people consider a pretty extreme weight loss plan - low calorie/low carb/lots of exercise. I had been on the birth control pill since I was a teenager to help with acne issues. At 25 I got pregnant very easily right after ending the pill (not actually intending to honestly.) But then I remarried in June 2012 at 32 and we started to TTC in September 2012 (right after I turned 33.) After 100+ days with no period, the OB-GYN gave me Provera to induce one. My cycles after that continued to be long and erratic, I put on 20 lbs despite eating an average of 1400-1500 calories per day and exercising, and developed cystic acne on my chin/neck/back/chest, especially. We got pregnant last spring and miscarried early and no pregnancy since. Finally, I saw a reproductive endocrinologist earlier this month and was diagnosed with PCOS. I started Metformin and thankfully have not had the bad GI side effects that people talk about. (I am wondering if this is because I already eat low carb/low sugar - I have heard that carbs and fatty foods can make the GI side effects worse.) Anyways I am up to the full 1500 mg/day dose. I am also on Femara (letrozole) to try to induce ovulation to help me get pregnant.
I find that a low-carb, low-processed diet works best for me, but it can be so hard to stick to in social situations. For exercise I do Zumba, jogging and kettlebell training. I would really love to get back down to a healthy BMI before getting pregnant but I'm not sure if that's going to happen... progress has been slow to nothing - but I have lost a little since starting the Metformin and at least I'm not gaining anymore! It's hard to focus on trying to conceive and trying to lose at the same time but I will try.
Hi nice to "meet you!". I remember back when I was TTC, that I read somewhere that one of the benefits of metformin may be to improve egg quality in cysters. One of the issues that many with pcos have is poor egg quality (I am not sure why). I also am back on metformin and find that as long as I stay at no more than 100 net carbs, I don't get the GI issues.
What do you think of the kettleball training? I don't think I am ready for that yet. I just completed week 3 of Focus T25 and I really like it.0 -
This will get long, just FYI. I have always since I was 13 years old had an irregular period and severe cramping. It was so bad that my mom would even let me stay home from school sick. Then I met my husband during my Junior year, I was 17 and he was 18 (a senior) then we got married after high school, when we were just 19 and 20 years old. We planned on having children in our 20's and starting our family ASAP. After about a year of having sex and I was still missing my periods without being pregnant I went to the doctor. Ran a bunch of test and was diagnosed at age 20 with PCOS, I was about 50 lbs overweight at the time and was told then to losing weight to become pregnant. I did not listen, we ended up getting pregnant when I was 21, it ended in miscarry. Then a year later I had my second miscarry. My doctor then wanted to but me on Clomid to get pregnant that way, my husband talked me out of it. He wanted to have children naturally. I stopped telling people outside of my immediate family about my pregnancies as well. I kept having more miscarriages. I became depressed, bitter, and angry. I stopped caring, I didn't take care of myself and just pitied myself. I was an emotional mess for years and did nothing to try and improve my situation. Then when I was 27, my dad had a heart attack and underwent quadruple bypass surgery, and therapy and had to change his diet, etc. I remember thinking my dad died and going to the hospital after work, and watching him go through this whole ordeal and surviving! It was the scariest thing I ever went through. I'm a daddy's girl and after this happened I took a hard look at myself and I changed. I started eating healthy and walking. I now have to drop a total of 100 lbs, instead of just 50 when I diagnosed. I only have 27 left o go now. I'm healthier than I've ever been and I still struggle and slipped up often, but I kept at it. I'm currently on birth control, but I plan on going off it in April and my husband and I are going to try one more time to have a child, he thinks he's old now. lol I'm now 29 and he's 30, and we are hoping this doesn't become miscarry number 8. Hoping for the best *fingers crossed* we have been trying for 10 years unsuccessfully and I have a good feeling that this will be our miracle baby.
Good luck TTC! Are you on metformin?0 -
I was diagnosed with PCOS last year after going to the doctor's because my periods stopped all together. On ultrasound they found that I had lots of little cysts (classic PCOS) and one massive cyst that was over a foot long, went all the way from my pelvis so high it was squashing my lungs, my legs kept going numb because it was pressing on my spinal cord, my bladder was constantly being crushed amongst other organs so a few months later I had it taken out.
Looking back, although I didn't realise what it was at the time, I've had these symptoms as long as I can remember, possibly as early as age 8 the weight gain started about then as did the intense sugar cravings (which I now know was down to being insulin resistant). Symptoms came out late 2012 which when I look back, was pretty soon after my physical activity cut down massively (I stopped because it was worsening my eating disorder - another issue caused by PCOS). So I'm starting to think I should increase my exercise again.
When i started losing weight (I'm now 6 pounds down), I had 84 pounds to lose to get to an ideal weight. To gain that much weight without much reason is pretty terrifying. So now my insulin is stable it's time to reverse the damage!0 -
This will get long, just FYI. I have always since I was 13 years old had an irregular period and severe cramping. It was so bad that my mom would even let me stay home from school sick. Then I met my husband during my Junior year, I was 17 and he was 18 (a senior) then we got married after high school, when we were just 19 and 20 years old. We planned on having children in our 20's and starting our family ASAP. After about a year of having sex and I was still missing my periods without being pregnant I went to the doctor. Ran a bunch of test and was diagnosed at age 20 with PCOS, I was about 50 lbs overweight at the time and was told then to losing weight to become pregnant. I did not listen, we ended up getting pregnant when I was 21, it ended in miscarry. Then a year later I had my second miscarry. My doctor then wanted to but me on Clomid to get pregnant that way, my husband talked me out of it. He wanted to have children naturally. I stopped telling people outside of my immediate family about my pregnancies as well. I kept having more miscarriages. I became depressed, bitter, and angry. I stopped caring, I didn't take care of myself and just pitied myself. I was an emotional mess for years and did nothing to try and improve my situation. Then when I was 27, my dad had a heart attack and underwent quadruple bypass surgery, and therapy and had to change his diet, etc. I remember thinking my dad died and going to the hospital after work, and watching him go through this whole ordeal and surviving! It was the scariest thing I ever went through. I'm a daddy's girl and after this happened I took a hard look at myself and I changed. I started eating healthy and walking. I now have to drop a total of 100 lbs, instead of just 50 when I diagnosed. I only have 27 left o go now. I'm healthier than I've ever been and I still struggle and slipped up often, but I kept at it. I'm currently on birth control, but I plan on going off it in April and my husband and I are going to try one more time to have a child, he thinks he's old now. lol I'm now 29 and he's 30, and we are hoping this doesn't become miscarry number 8. Hoping for the best *fingers crossed* we have been trying for 10 years unsuccessfully and I have a good feeling that this will be our miracle baby.
Good luck TTC! Are you on metformin?
No I'm not. I am on birth control now, and I take over the counter vitamins every day.0 -
Hello ladies!
I can relate to so much of what I've read here.... Isn't it a bit comforting to know we aren't alone?!
I was diagnosed at age 15, was out on birth control to regulate my periods and told that I would have trouble getting pregnant. Since that time I've experienced many of the symptoms related to pcos... Insulin resistance/ diabetes, belly fat, hair loss, excess hair, AN, miscarriages. In 2010, I worked hard and lost 30 pounds. That was enough to let me successfully carry a pregnancy to term. I had my DD 12/2010. Once my body knew what to do, I quickly got pregnant again with my oops baby. My DS was born 9/2012. Between the two pregnancies, two csections, and a very rough patch in my marriage (think emotional eating/ binging nonstop), I am now at an all time high weight. My symptoms are out of control at the moment. My goal is to eat clean and try to incorporate some exercise, but I really struggle to find time for both of those things. I've recently started taking Inositol to help control my blood sugar. I've slowly increased the dosage, and just this week I started to have the GI issues. I'm not sure if I should tough it out and it will pass or if I should stop the supplement. Any experiences with this?
I look forward to supporting each other!
Dawn0 -
hi im holly, i was diagnosed yesterday with PCOS, kinda bummed not goin to lie. ive always had irregular periods and withinthe last couple years ive had some hair growth on my face, anyway my doc wants me to loose weight before he does anything. and honestly idk where to start.0
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hi im holly, i was diagnosed yesterday with PCOS, kinda bummed not goin to lie. ive always had irregular periods and withinthe last couple years ive had some hair growth on my face, anyway my doc wants me to loose weight before he does anything. and honestly idk where to start.
Hi Holly, I didn't have a clue where to start either when I was diagnosed earlier this month. Before I rejoined mfp, I went on amazon and ordered a book after some research. I recommend The PCOS Workbook by Angela Grassi & Stephanie Mattei. It's a great book to help you figure out what's going on in your body and why, and I like that it is a workbook that you can track everything in. In addition, if you have insulin resistance, I would recommend cutting down on your processed carbs like pasta, white breads, white rice etc and try to pair protein with any carbs that you it. It helps to keep your blood sugar more even and prevent spiking. Most importantly, you're not alone! We are all here to help each other through this
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Hi everyone! I was diagnosed with PCOS at 12 years old. I was promptly stuck on a birth control pill, that didn't give me consistent period anyway. Years later, my current doctors have told me those old birth control pills had the wrong hormone levels for PCOS, but they didn't know that then. Sigh. I have also always struggle with my weird, compounded by severe sugar cravings. Not good because I have the insulin resistance, and now the doctors say my sugar is high. I have recently given up the sugar (21 days so far), and my weight loss has sped up. I am trying to get processed food out of my life, but corn chips are sooo hard to give up, especially at parties. I am still learning how I have to eat for my self (28 years-old almost 29). I am working with a medical nutritionist to help me. It seems a diet that is higher in fat (good fat) is actually really helping me loose weight and reduce my sugar cravings. I am thrilled with this result and hope it keeps going. I am really interested to know what other people are doing to loose weight. Oh I also take glumetza (time released version of metaformin)0
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Hi everyone. This is so fantastic to be together in this. thank you all for sharing.
I was diagnosed last week and all of a sudden everything makes sense, and I am terrified. I've always had weight problems and put it down to my sweet tooth, despite the fact that everyone around me eating and exercising the same were not having any problem. I tried several different birth control pills, all of which sent me crazy and last april I came off all together. My periods gradually came back but were really irregular and then 4 months ago they stopped altogether. After seeing the doctor I now have my diagnoses and am going to have a scan on Wednesday to see how bad the cysts are. (so unbelievably nervous about that)
Just before I was diagnosed I was playing around with cutting wheat and dairy out of my diet (I've tried just about every diet) and now I know that I really need to cut them out forever to help my symptoms and to help lose the weight. Lost and gained a few stone several times and now I am at an all time high at around 215 lbs (5ft7) For the last 2 years I've been trying to lose weight and just been bobbing around the same number. I've had depression during that time, rarely leaving the house and comforting myself with food, which just made the whole thing even worse.
This year I'm moving back to Devon, where my friends and family are and I know this will help me be more active. Previously I've always thought I could eat what I wanted and just exercise more. I know this doesn't work now. So I'm avoiding gluten and dairy as much as I can and trying to build up to a high protein diet, with no more than 100g carbs if possible (Like most of you)
I know I'm going to need your help through this and I want you to know I am here for you every step of the way. Feel free to add me
I want to keep this group relatively small so we can keep track of everyone's progress and really be there for each other. Any thoughts on when I should make it private? 30 members? 40? 50?
Who's up for some fitness and diet challenges? I'm going to make a board for inspiration and research now, so feel free to add any sites that are good for pcos, any books etc. I'll also make a recipe board.0 -
keep an eye on other boards popping up. I'll make a weekly weigh in board. Feel free to add any board of your own or make any suggestions for competitions and challenges etc 0
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I have always struggled to maintain a healthy weight - usually succeeding and settling into the top of the healthy BMI range. But in order to maintain my weight I found I basically had to follow what most people consider a pretty extreme weight loss plan - low calorie/low carb/lots of exercise. I had been on the birth control pill since I was a teenager to help with acne issues. At 25 I got pregnant very easily right after ending the pill (not actually intending to honestly.) But then I remarried in June 2012 at 32 and we started to TTC in September 2012 (right after I turned 33.) After 100+ days with no period, the OB-GYN gave me Provera to induce one. My cycles after that continued to be long and erratic, I put on 20 lbs despite eating an average of 1400-1500 calories per day and exercising, and developed cystic acne on my chin/neck/back/chest, especially. We got pregnant last spring and miscarried early and no pregnancy since. Finally, I saw a reproductive endocrinologist earlier this month and was diagnosed with PCOS. I started Metformin and thankfully have not had the bad GI side effects that people talk about. (I am wondering if this is because I already eat low carb/low sugar - I have heard that carbs and fatty foods can make the GI side effects worse.) Anyways I am up to the full 1500 mg/day dose. I am also on Femara (letrozole) to try to induce ovulation to help me get pregnant.
I find that a low-carb, low-processed diet works best for me, but it can be so hard to stick to in social situations. For exercise I do Zumba, jogging and kettlebell training. I would really love to get back down to a healthy BMI before getting pregnant but I'm not sure if that's going to happen... progress has been slow to nothing - but I have lost a little since starting the Metformin and at least I'm not gaining anymore! It's hard to focus on trying to conceive and trying to lose at the same time but I will try.
Hi nice to "meet you!". I remember back when I was TTC, that I read somewhere that one of the benefits of metformin may be to improve egg quality in cysters. One of the issues that many with pcos have is poor egg quality (I am not sure why). I also am back on metformin and find that as long as I stay at no more than 100 net carbs, I don't get the GI issues.
What do you think of the kettleball training? I don't think I am ready for that yet. I just completed week 3 of Focus T25 and I really like it.
Hi - yes, I think that's correct about the metformin and egg quality. The doctor said there is an increased chance of a successful pregnancy with the metformin + an ovulation med like Femara or Clomid. At 34 with a dwindling egg reserve and pcos I can use all the help I can get. I really enjoy the kettlebell training, but I caution that it is best to take a class or work with someone who is kettlebell certified at first because there is risk of injury if your form is off. I was very lucky to find a friend of a friend who trains people (literally in his garage lol) for dirt cheap and I've been working with him for the past year. I really think it helped stave off some of the weight gain... I feel like the 20 lb gain could have easily been double that had I not been working out so much. ; / 0 -
Hi everyone,
So, I was diagnosed with PCOS almost exactly a month ago. I probably should have been years ago, when I complained to my OB/GYN about pain and she told me to get an ultra-sound, but I didn't listen. I have been struggling with my weight since I was about 12 years old, I am now 22. It look me gaining 15lbs in a little over a month (and about 60 over four years) to finally seek a specialist. A friend of my sister has PCOS, and we started talking, and told me I should see a doctor, so I went to an endocrinologist, who happens to be amazing. He asked me about my medical history, and of course when I told him I will go approximate 9 to 10 months without my period he knew something was up. I was sent for blood work ( more vials than I can count), a thyroid ultra sound, and both and internal and external pelvic ultra sound. I went back for the results a few weeks later, and was diagnosed with an enlarged thyroid and PCOS. I cried. I'm not sure if I was sad, overwhelmed, or relieved to finally be told that I'm not crazy and that there was something diagnosable wrong with my body. I have been saying this for years, but it turned into almost a joke from saying it for so long.
I am now taking Synthroid and Spironolactone. I have cut way back on carbs, which I have read should help. I am currently trying to eat between 1,000- 1,200 calories per day. Unfortunately, this cold weather is not helping my motivation to work-out. I currently don't have a scale in my house (it was really old and finally broke), but I plan on getting one shortly. Therefore, I don't know if I have lost or gained any weight at this point.0 -
Hi Kelsey, thanks for your friend request. Great to have you on board We are all in the same boat and even though I only set up the group a short time ago I have already had so much support and feel so much stronger! My suggestions regarding diet would be to focus on healthy eating and cutting out all processed foods to start with. Unfortunately this is a lifelong struggle, so we all need to adopt a healthy lifestyle that we can maintain for ever. Don't worry about cutting calories quite so low as you might not be able to keep it up. But do focus on low carb healthy foods. well..that's my opinion anyway one step at a time 0
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hi ladies! im so happy to join this group! i've always felt like an outsider because everyone else's diets just didn't work for me!
i'm 30 yrs old and have 2 kids... my son conceived after a year on birth control then i struggled to have my daughter thats when i was diagnosed with PCOS. i went on slim for life & lost almost all of extra bodyweight.. and managed to keep it off for about a year..
well i was trying to conceive again and relaxed my whole diet & workout regimen and then the holidays... and i gained it all back!!
i didn't conceive and probably won't try again for a few months... while trying to conceive i was on metformin & clomid. but i stopped taking it.... reading everyone else's posts, im wondering if i should keep taking it????????????0 -
lizpuga1 - I got the impression from my RE that the metformin was something I could stay on longer term - not just while trying to conceive. My primary doctor seemed to have the same opinion. That said I have had zero bad side effects from it, so I feel like it would be workable for me in the long term. Good luck TTC. I have one 8 year old but we have been trying for this baby for 1.5 yrs now. It's really hard to focus on TTC and trying to lose weight, that's for sure!0
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Hey LizPuga Great to have you on board with us! 0
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Hi Cysters,
I will apologize up front for my long post. I will be turning 43 next month and I have been living with PCOS since late puberty. I was finally diagnosed at the age of 26 by my Gyno at the time after I had an ultrasound study and eventual laproscopic surgery for Endometriosis. I had the classic "string of pearls" presentation. Prior to this, I had weighed in the 120's an at 5'2" and having an athletic build, I was happy. I had always had irregular periods and that gyno just continuously put me on the birthcontrol pill, stating I had a "hormone imbalance". Once she finally gave me the dx, she said I would have issues conceiving in the future but that's all. Over the next year, with working out 5 days a week at high intensity, I started gaining weight and no matter what I did, I put on 30 lbs in a year. In 2001 I happened to see an article in a magazine about PCOS and was like "What?!?!?" "I am at risk for all that?" And to think my gyno said it was only a "hormone imbalance". Sheesh. There was a name of a MD who was a Reproductive Endocrinologist who specialized in treating PCOS who practiced in Boston. I called her and made an appointment. She took one look at me and said "I can look at you and see you have pcos" She ordered some labs and they showed I am insulin resistant. She started me on metformin that day. . My PCOS since then has been a constant struggle. I have tried Weight Watchers with little to no success once and then tried it again with incorporating Zone practice and had a little bit of success. I am now 42 years old and have gained and lost the same 15-20 lbs several times. Everytime I fall off the wagon, the weight would pile back on.
A few years ago, I was introduced to the paleo and primal lifestyles and the book Deep Nutrition by Catherine Shannahan at an obesity clinic I attended. I lost 17 lbs during that time pretty easily when I was faithful. But I am not sure I was completely on board. However, I finally read the entire book by Dr Shannahan and that convinced me I had to commit to change. Since then, I have limited my net carbs (after subtracting fiber) to no more than 100g a day as she suggests, started making veggie/fruit smoothies in my Nutribullet, and been exercising 5 days a week.
I am not sure if I am the oldest one here, but I can only be happy for the younger women that have more treatment options than I did when I was younger and that the knowledge of the disease is more widespread (ie. use of metformin). When I was started on it, the research was just really being published.0 -
I am 44 with a similar story, so you are not the oldest. I've flirted with this disorder long enough. I'm ready to get serious and back to a better version of myself!0
