PCOS and Paleo

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CiCiSlim
CiCiSlim Posts: 36
in Food and Nutrition
I wasn't sure of the best place to post this so forgive me & correct me if I'm wrong.

I'll try to keep this as short as possible. The question relates to PCOS and Paleo possibly affecting my hormones & testosterone levels so if you have experience or insight with these things, I'd love some answers/solutions/suggestions please as I'm ready to lose my mind.

Here are the specifics:
1. I have PCOS and have had it since I was like 19.
2. I've been doing paleo now for almost 6 months, not strict paleo though I eat beans and gluten free breads, sweet potatoes, rice.
3. I stopped taking birth control pills about 8 months ago.
4. My chin area has broken out like a mad person! Under the skin, never surfacing, type of acne (high testosterone levels I'm pretty sure)
5. I'm experiencing hair loss and thinning like male patterned baldness.

So I don't understand what's going on with my body. I love my diet choices and for the first time in my life don't feel like food is controlling me. I don't feel bloated or hungry. Like I said it's not strict paleo but hardly ever any processed foods. I've lost almost 30 pounds. But my skin is acting the total opposite of how I'd expect with eating a clean diet. And the hair loss is a definite sign that something hormonal is out of whack. Is it simply that I've gone off the birth control pills and maybe they were balancing that? But I've gone off bc pills numerous times in the past and have never experienced this. Am I not getting enough iron, iodine, or something else?

For now, I'm going to start back on the pills and hope that the acne and hair loss returns to normal. But I'd really like to not have to take those stupid things. I'm also going to start taking a very good, women's multi vitamin and hope that the added iron, iodine, biotin, etc helps...as well as a super b complex vitamin.

Anyone have any experience with this? Any words of advice? Anything??? I'm so completely frustrated with my body never cooperating!

Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/search?utf8=✓&phrase=PCOS may help

    I believe insulin resistance is a part of PCOS and things like bread and rice may be better avoided to help with that.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Congrats on the weight loss!!!
    Get checked for anemia and for B vitamins esp B12.
    Eat lots of leafy greens like spinach and collards and other veggies with B
    Stop the rice and the bread.
    Are you eating enough oil?
    You probably need the BC pills for the hair --- but all of this is just a guess from someone on the interest :-)
    Are you taking other medications (besides the BC) that could affect what you are talking about?
  • lunalee84
    lunalee84 Posts: 372 Member
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    I am a fellow PCOS'er and am making changes to help with the symptoms I had been suffering ( cystic pimples over my chin were a huge issue for me).
    What is working for me is to limit high GI food ( so following paleo is good- but I would limit rice and bread), I personally restrict dairy to maybe one latte a week, if that -so I gave up cheese, I eat coconut yogurt,etc, and try to do 30 mins of exercise a day to balance out my hormones. Oh and I do take a range of vitamins- Saw Palmetto is apparently helpful for the hair thinning. I don't really have hair issues, but I started using Nioxin shampoo/condition and it has made my hair thicker.

    I personally am happy to be off birth control pills as I think they do more harm than good. My pimples are clearing up- I went from being embarrassed to go to work due to break outs, to only having one small pimple in the last 3 weeks.

    You just have to find out what is working for your body, and keep at it. At times its depressing, but I think we can get on top of it. xxx
  • jogami
    jogami Posts: 30 Member
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    I too have PCOS and started Paleo on 7 August. I have basically cut out all white stuff so no breads or rice. I am doing it quite strictly though I allow myself two treats; instant strawberry oats once a week and I have about 2 cups of tea a day but I have it with Xylitol (natural sweetener) and coconut cream (Paleo friendly). Also I make sure one of those cups is green tea. btw sweet potato is definitely allowed on Paleo!

    Maybe your macros are off or not enough of one thing and too much of another? Or it could be a hormonal imbalance, anemia or maybe this diet just doesn't suit you?

    Try play around with that. I've set my macros at 50% fat, 25% carbs and 25% protein and I feel brand new! My hair, skin and nails haven't felt this good in ages. No more pain or bloating either so I'm very curious to see how my PCOS looks! I believe PCOS and IBS go hand in hand and even if you have not been diagnosed with IBS (I have) I do believe bread, rice and pasta aggravate my PCOS too.

    I recently also found the energy for gym for the first time in about 5 years and loving it!
  • cbens11
    cbens11 Posts: 2
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    I personally have PCOS and hashimotos (autoimmune disease of the thyroid). I have seen that people with PCOS are more likely to have hashimotos, so you may want to get your thyroid levels checked as the hair loss and thinning are strong symptoms of hypothyroidism, which would also be making it more difficult to lose weight. Other symptoms are cold intolerance, dry skin, fatigue, etc, so if you have more of those you could maybe try getting that checked as it would explain the hair loss :)
  • Nana_Booboo
    Nana_Booboo Posts: 501 Member
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    My daughter has PCOS, tumor on the pituitary gland and hypothyroidism. PALEO seems to be what has turned things around for us both. We have a meal a week that may include something non-paleo but it's all working well. Paleo isn't for everyone so don't listen to the na-sayers, do what works for you.

    ❤️Barbi
  • goldengirl111
    goldengirl111 Posts: 684 Member
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    Nana_Booboo wrote: »
    My daughter has PCOS, tumor on the pituitary gland and hypothyroidism. PALEO seems to be what has turned things around for us both. We have a meal a week that may include something non-paleo but it's all working well. Paleo isn't for everyone so don't listen to the na-sayers, do what works for you.

    ❤️Barbi

    Friend me please
  • amgerbin
    amgerbin Posts: 49 Member
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    Have you thought about getting a complete work up done? To find out your numbers for Vitamin D, hormones, etc. So many things could be out of whack with your condition and then changing your diet. My naturopathic doctor was a god-send for me - she got me stable and set with my numbers. As we get older and change our habits, our numbers shift. So a regular check-in always helps. good luck!
  • amrluvarr
    amrluvarr Posts: 52 Member
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    I have PCOS and crohn's disease. I started a more restrictive form of paleo for the crohn's disease. The diet has helped with my PCOS as well. I still have some thinning hair and unwanted hair on my face but I'm noticing small improvements.

    I agree with the above maybe try cutting out the gluten free bread and rice for a bit. I was also off the bc pill but my doc recommended I go back on to help with some of the more unpleasant symptoms of PCOS. I opted for the IUD and I think it has helped as well!

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