New here and suffering from PCOS :(

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Mandasaidwhat
Mandasaidwhat Posts: 1
in Introduce Yourself
Hi everyone! I'm new here... I recently went to the doctor and began Metformin for my PCOS (I was diagnosed in April of 2013). I took my first dose on 3/12/14. I had gained about 18 lbs in the last month and i did research on Metformin and weight loss options for people with PCOS and decided I have had enough of this weight gain and needed to change my life. I decided when i started the metformin that I would cut out all processed junk, and go low carb. I gave myself a day or so of straight junk food and then gave it up after i went grocery shopping and bought all fresh fruits, vegetables and meats. Today was my second day of the new diet and WOW is this rough! I'm hoping to make some buddies on here to make getting healthier a little bit easier :)

Any tips, advice, and friendship is more than welcome so feel free to add me if you like, i'd love to meet others that have PCOS or are going through a similar situation as me :)

-Amanda-
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Replies

  • Nursejess79
    Nursejess79 Posts: 6 Member
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    I know exactly what you are going through! Started Metformin 2 months ago and trying to lose weight. I am looking for others who understand as well. Feel free to add me! :)
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    I don't have PCOS but I have insulin resistance (and hypoglycemia) and take Metformin as well. Feel free to add me!
  • laolivabeachbum
    laolivabeachbum Posts: 32
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    Hi Ladies, I have PCOS too, I just need to look at carbs and put on weight :-( My Dr wouldn't prescribe me Metformin as he said I wasn't overweight enough!!! So actually controlling your weight goes against you. I follow a low GI diet where I can after doing my research, feel free to add me.
    x
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I highly recommend joining http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/3087-p-c-o-sis and http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/411-low-carber-daily-forum-the-group- and possibly even http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/54-primal-paleo-support-group . And feel free to add me if you want (I was diagnosed in 2008 and have struggled with my weight for some time because of it).

    Other than that, yeah, the first couple of weeks going low carb and cutting out processed food will be rough, but it's worth it in the end. Exactly how long it takes and how bad it is depends on what your diet was like beforehand (Whole 30 has a great timeline of what happens, it's made for the Whole 30 program, but it's pretty consistent with similar diet changes - http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/ ).
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Hi Ladies, I have PCOS too, I just need to look at carbs and put on weight :-( My Dr wouldn't prescribe me Metformin as he said I wasn't overweight enough!!! So actually controlling your weight goes against you. I follow a low GI diet where I can after doing my research, feel free to add me.
    x

    You have 50lbs to drop and he says you're not overweight enough? WTF? Even if you didn't need to lose anything at all, hyperglycemia increases your risk for so many other things. I'm not generally a pill-pusher, but you don't need to be 100lbs+ overweight to benefit from Metformin.

    You might want to consider getting a new doctor. Seriously. Having a doctor that doesn't understand PCOS is just going to make life harder, especially if they won't help you when you need it.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    Hi Ladies, I have PCOS too, I just need to look at carbs and put on weight :-( My Dr wouldn't prescribe me Metformin as he said I wasn't overweight enough!!! So actually controlling your weight goes against you. I follow a low GI diet where I can after doing my research, feel free to add me.
    x

    You have 50lbs to drop and he says you're not overweight enough? WTF? Even if you didn't need to lose anything at all, hyperglycemia increases your risk for so many other things. I'm not generally a pill-pusher, but you don't need to be 100lbs+ overweight to benefit from Metformin.

    You might want to consider getting a new doctor. Seriously. Having a doctor that doesn't understand PCOS is just going to make life harder, especially if they won't help you when you need it.

    I agree with Dragonwolf. Your ticker says you have 70 lbs to lose. That seems like you'd be plenty overweight. Metformin isn't used just for weight loss. It's used to help manage PCOS. Your weight has nothing to do with whether or not you would benefit from Metformin. Of course you would because you have PCOS. I would highly suggest finding a new doctor!
  • drgmac
    drgmac Posts: 716 Member
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    I'm 47 and I had PCOS while I was trying to conceive my sins, now ages 8 and 12.5. The best advice I could give is to keep your blood sugar levels fairly stable...eat a high protein low fat diet and exercise in moderation. My symptoms leveled off after I had my kids and I take birth control pills to regulate my periods-- which oddly became like clock work when I had my tubes tied. Good luck!
  • laolivabeachbum
    laolivabeachbum Posts: 32
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    Yeah i'm not sure why it says that, I have about 28lbs to lose to get me into the top end of the healthy range, but I want to lose another 21. He said 'There are women who walk into my surgery with much worse symptoms than you, skin, hair, obesity'. I think it's down to the cost of it to be honest.
  • BoiNeezy
    BoiNeezy Posts: 227 Member
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    Add me
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    Yeah i'm not sure why it says that, I have about 28lbs to lose to get me into the top end of the healthy range, but I want to lose another 21. He said 'There are women who walk into my surgery with much worse symptoms than you, skin, hair, obesity'. I think it's down to the cost of it to be honest.

    Wow, definitely get a new doctor. That one sounds like a tool and is probably doing you more harm than good, even outside of the context of PCOS.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
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    Metformin is not a weight loss pill, so I am completely confused on why a dr would prescribe it for weight loss. Weight loss is a tool to help you control PCOS, not the other way round. The more you watch your diet and the more you exercise, the less symptoms you will have from PCOS. Metformin will be needed if you are insuline resitant (usually but now always happens with PCOS) and you cannot control your diet, for whatever reason.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I'm 47 and I had PCOS while I was trying to conceive my sins, now ages 8 and 12.5. The best advice I could give is to keep your blood sugar levels fairly stable...eat a high protein low fat diet and exercise in moderation. My symptoms leveled off after I had my kids and I take birth control pills to regulate my periods-- which oddly became like clock work when I had my tubes tied. Good luck!

    Eh, I disagree with the dietary recommendations.

    For one, protein and carbs are both insulinogenic, meaning they induce an insulin response. This is obvious in the case of carbs, because the carbs increase your glucose levels. The protein does it, too, because insulin is a growth hormone. If you're Type 1 PCOS (PCOS with hyperinsulinemia), then you really want to control your insulin, which only partially relates to blood sugar (it's possible to have high insulin levels without high glucose levels). That's not to say that you shouldn't have any protein in your diet, but protein isn't supposed to be a fuel source (and excess protein in too little fat and/or carbs starts prompting the body to turn the protein into sugar, which defeats the purpose of attempting to control your blood sugar through diet). Eat enough to support your lean body mass, but try not to go overboard with it.

    Regardless, low fat (as it's generally defined) isn't really the way to go, because the body needs fat to function properly. Most numbers I've seen suggest .35-.45g per pound of total body weight as a minimum. This is especially necessary for us, because fat (and cholesterol) are needed for proper production and absorption of Vitamin D (something nearly all women with PCOS are deficient in), and proper absorption of vitamins A, E, and K, as well as hormone balancing. Additionally, Vitamin D deficiency leads to reduced absorption of Calcium, which puts us at higher risk of osteoporosis.

    No matter what macro allotment you choose, though, make sure to get your food from high quality whole food sources. That, by nature, will reduce your exposure to really simple sugars, as well as various endocrine disruptors.
  • livelaughlove384
    livelaughlove384 Posts: 100
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    I was just diagnosed with PCOS 3 weeks ago. I am still doing research in regards to it and what kind of diet and supplements I should be taking. I purchased the book PCOS a dieticians guide which has a clinical information regarding PCOS which explains a lot. I enjoyed it just because I like to understand the nitty gritty of a situation. I also just purchased the author's workbook (which is more geared towards patients who suffer from PCOS. The author of these books actually suffers from PCOS as well, which helps with perspective. Shockingly she does not suggest gluten free (which is what I read about everywhere on the internet). So far from what I have read she suggests limited whole grains and a higher protein diet. Anyone looking for support with PCOS feel free to add me!
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I was just diagnosed with PCOS 3 weeks ago. I am still doing research in regards to it and what kind of diet and supplements I should be taking. I purchased the book PCOS a dieticians guide which has a clinical information regarding PCOS which explains a lot. I enjoyed it just because I like to understand the nitty gritty of a situation. I also just purchased the author's workbook (which is more geared towards patients who suffer from PCOS. The author of these books actually suffers from PCOS as well, which helps with perspective. Shockingly she does not suggest gluten free (which is what I read about everywhere on the internet). So far from what I have read she suggests limited whole grains and a higher protein diet. Anyone looking for support with PCOS feel free to add me!

    Something to note: Most suggest cutting out gluten-containing grains, because there is a high correlation between PCOS and gluten sensitivity. Most people who recommend against going "gluten free" do so because the assumption is that if you go "gluten free," you just replace gluten stuff with gluten-free substitutes. The key to successfully cutting out gluten from your diet is not replacing wheat products with what I like to call "fake-wheat," but simply not eating them, and instead "replacing" them with vegetables and other foods that are naturally gluten free (fruits, veggies, meats, nuts, seeds, etc).

    I think it's definitely worth at least trying, to see if you're affected by them (a lot of people have found that cutting out gluten and dairy helps alleviate the "PCOS belly," acne, and other skin issues). Try it for a month, don't depend on fake-wheat, and see how it affects you. If it doesn't make a difference, then by all means, keep eating them if it pleases you. This is a no-harm experiment (ie - there's nothing in wheat products that you can't get anywhere else, so it won't be a detriment to your health, provided you're eating a nutritious diet to begin with), so if it doesn't work out for you, then you can always go back to what you were doing before.
  • babydaisy81
    babydaisy81 Posts: 218 Member
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    Welcome to the boards! I have PCOS as well, and learned more from the forums here on MFP then the doctor would be willing to share. My doc said as well that I wasn't heavy enough as well for metformin, and to try a low GI diet. I've only been here a few weeks, but the ladies here are more resourceful then any Dr. seems to be. Its tough to want to lose weight so bad, but have your body resist, I might go through and add a few of you for motivation! Good luck with your journey!
  • laolivabeachbum
    laolivabeachbum Posts: 32
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    I wonder whether there is more awareness in the US regarding PCOS than there is in the UK. Here it is seen as mainly a fertility and weight issue. It's much more than that and I've read that they may have to rename it because it doesn't really cover what the condition is about.

    I've had three GP's that have nodded and smiled when I said I have PCOS, but I know they don't have a clue. I am lucky I was even told I had it, via a privately paid for scan. Don't get me wrong I know I am unbelievably lucky to receive free healthcare but things like this are where the great NHS lets us down in the UK.
  • sharjo83
    sharjo83 Posts: 7 Member
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    I have been diagnosed with PCOS for over 5 years and steadily gained about 5lbs/yr, but if I'm being honest it wast mostly because of poor diet and lack of exercise. I am 5'9" and my weight peaked at 231 lbs. On Jan.12, 2014 I started diligently recording my food intake and followed the 17 Day Diet (really just a low-carb, high protein meal plan broken up into different 17 day groupings) and I have lost 26.5lbs as of today! The 17DD was great for me at the start because it offered daily meal plans in the book to follow, which I followed religiously for the first month in order to kick my bad habits but not burn out on trying to figure out my meals on my own.

    I have tried many times over the last 5 years to lose weight - I one time even hired a dietician and gym trainer. I had small successes but it was never lasting. I think the weight will come off and stay off when it is truly the most important thing to you. This time around, I haven't even touched exercise besides walking to work and I've lost a steady 2lbs/week. The biggest difference between now and my previous efforts is that this time I'm not allowing many cheat meals or eating/drinking "diet/light" versions of "danger foods" or rewarding myself with bad foods as often. I feel rabidly determined to once and for all get down to a healthy weight and nothing is stopping me this time.

    I wish you good luck and hope you don't get discouraged. Keep at it and the weight will come off! Metformin didn't provide me with any weight loss benefits when I took it previously, but that's just me. :)
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I wonder whether there is more awareness in the US regarding PCOS than there is in the UK. Here it is seen as mainly a fertility and weight issue. It's much more than that and I've read that they may have to rename it because it doesn't really cover what the condition is about.

    I've had three GP's that have nodded and smiled when I said I have PCOS, but I know they don't have a clue. I am lucky I was even told I had it, via a privately paid for scan. Don't get me wrong I know I am unbelievably lucky to receive free healthcare but things like this are where the great NHS lets us down in the UK.

    Unfortunately, doctors here in the US are, by and large, pretty clueless, too. There might be more "awareness" (in the sense that they've heard of it), but they still don't know much about it in order to treat it effectively, or even diagnose it properly. Too often, we're told that our weight issues are our own fault. I had to fight with two doctors (one GP, one OB/GYN) just to get the blood test done this time around (because I wasn't TTC, most likely; my OB/GYN was infinitely more willing to test, diagnose, and treat me when I was TTC). Many others might do the blood test, or might do the ultrasound, then just throw Metformin and possibly Spiro at the person, without really determining not only what dosage, but even if the meds would be effective. Even if you're able to get the blood test done, the doctors just go by what the lab company says is the "normal" range, so if you fall into the "normal" range on things, they equate that to "fine" (which I learned first hand is pretty much anything but; I was on the high end of normal for fasting insulin and it was high enough to keep me from losing weight, it wasn't until I went on Met that I was able to lose weight, and my fasting insulin dropped 6 points because of it).

    But yeah, the name is misleading, because people with PCOS may not actually have cysts, and people without it might have cysts. It's a whole endocrine issue, and needs to start getting treated as such.
  • Dragonwolf
    Dragonwolf Posts: 5,600 Member
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    I have been diagnosed with PCOS for over 5 years and steadily gained about 5lbs/yr, but if I'm being honest it wast mostly because of poor diet and lack of exercise. I am 5'9" and my weight peaked at 231 lbs. On Jan.12, 2014 I started diligently recording my food intake and followed the 17 Day Diet (really just a low-carb, high protein meal plan broken up into different 17 day groupings) and I have lost 26.5lbs as of today! The 17DD was great for me at the start because it offered daily meal plans in the book to follow, which I followed religiously for the first month in order to kick my bad habits but not burn out on trying to figure out my meals on my own.

    I have tried many times over the last 5 years to lose weight - I one time even hired a dietician and gym trainer. I had small successes but it was never lasting. I think the weight will come off and stay off when it is truly the most important thing to you. This time around, I haven't even touched exercise besides walking to work and I've lost a steady 2lbs/week. The biggest difference between now and my previous efforts is that this time I'm not allowing many cheat meals or rewarding myself with bad foods as often. I feel rabidly determined to once and for all get down to a healthy weight and nothing is stopping me this time.

    I wish you good luck and hope you don't get discouraged. Keep at it and the weight will come off! Metformin didn't provide me with any weight loss benefits when I took it previously, but that's just me. :)

    That sounds like you have Type 2 PCOS (yeah, there is more than one type, as if this disorder wasn't complicated enough). IE - you don't have hyperinsulinemia and so Metformin doesn't help you. Type 2 PCOS symptoms are generally caused by imbalances of the sex hormones (estrogen dominance, too much testosterone, progesterone deficiency, etc), possibly caused by a different underlying issue than Type 1. My understand about Type 2 is that avoiding xenoestrogens and endocrine disruptors will make more of a difference than watching blood sugar/insulin (not just with weight, but with symptoms overall).

    To compare, I have Type 1 PCOS, which does respond to Metformin (Type 1's underlying cause is generally the elevated insulin - lower the insulin, most everything else rebalances on their own or with a little nudge). I've been determined to lose weight for several years, to the point that it drove me nearly suicidal because I wasn't getting anywhere and I wasn't getting the help I needed from the doctors. At one point, I was working out 1-2 hours a day, 5 days a week (3 days powerlifting, 2 days martial arts with sparring), watching my calories, and even reducing my carbs and going whole foods based, and I lost precisely nothing -- not a pound, not an inch (in fact, when I added the weight lifting to my existing martial arts routine, I promptly gained 5lbs that never came off). Once I went on Metformin, and found the dosage that my body responded to, I've been able to lose weight without nearly as much effort (I stopped tracking, because by that point, it was driving me neurotic). It's slower, because I'm not specifically tracking (about .5lb/week or so), but the scale is moving and I'm getting healthier all around, which is what I need the most right now.
  • babydaisy81
    babydaisy81 Posts: 218 Member
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    Dragonwolf you are so knowledgable! You're a great resource!

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