PCOS and trying to lose weight
Bonstizzle
Posts: 14 Member
Hello Everyone,
I have PCOS and the symptoms are awful! I was wondering if there is anybody out there with the same issue as me and is also trying to lose weight. I have heard once you lose weight the symptoms start to go away. You always have it though, I know. It's really hard being a female and growing hairs on your chest and arms
It is really hard being a female and knowing you have to much testasterone in your body. So if there is anybody out there who has some tips that can help me out I would really appreciate it.
Thanks!
-Noelle
I have PCOS and the symptoms are awful! I was wondering if there is anybody out there with the same issue as me and is also trying to lose weight. I have heard once you lose weight the symptoms start to go away. You always have it though, I know. It's really hard being a female and growing hairs on your chest and arms
It is really hard being a female and knowing you have to much testasterone in your body. So if there is anybody out there who has some tips that can help me out I would really appreciate it.Thanks!
-Noelle
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Replies
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I am a 22F that also has PCOS. I am trying to battle my weight in order to help with my symptoms. It hasn't been an easy battle so far but I hope I can over come it. It's hard too because its nothing something that gets talked about or explained. Feel free to msg if you just want to chat.0
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I have PCOS as well and I know there are MANY others on here that have it too. I hate the symptoms, and I'm hoping with weight loss mine go away too.0
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Hi
I have PCOS, like I said to someone who posted a similar one.... I didnt actually know it was harder for us with PCOS to lose weight? haha Like i knew it was hard for me, but i didnt know that was the cause! maybe you just need to not think about PCOS? Yeah my doc said the same, symptoms will go away when you start to lose weight
) maybe just wait and see what happens?
All you can do is hope for the best right? and its worth giving it a go!0 -
Hi! I don't have PCOS, but I am a Nurse practitioner who has treated patients with it. YES, you will have many less symptoms as you lose weight. You might also want to consider laser hair removal as it will raise your self-esteem greatly! It IS expensive, but tell all your family and friends that's what you want as gifts for any occasion. Best wishes to you!0
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Ooh me me me!! Unfortunately, not all of the symptoms will go away, but many of them will. So looking forward to that happening!0
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yep!
here's some helpful tips I've learned:
PCOS is caused by insulin resistance (as I'm sure you know) which means you have too much sugar in your body. Your body cant process and use all of the sugar you could be consuming.
SO...when i found this out i ate a sugar free (sugar and anything with white flour), clean diet. It is very hard to do, but it really helps (and most doctors will put you on meds that just treat the symptoms, it will never cure it)
I am proud to say since then the hair has lessened, dark spots are gone, I've lost alomst 30 lbs, and i feel great.
SOOO
talk to a nutritionist. upping the intake of vitamin D helps, and eating certain veggies, meat, eggs, and whole grains (like oatmeal) helped SOOO much. Please at least take it into consideration-your diet is such a huge part of your health!0 -
Hey..I have PCOS, don't you just love the symptoms.
One thing I do want to let you all know is that I had laser hair removal and it didn't work on me. They told me after many treatments that until my PCOS was undercontrol that it was not going to remove all the hair.0 -
Hi! I was diagnosed with PCOS last year and it's not well known and frustrating learning process to go thru. If you (or anyone else on this thread) want to chat feel free to message me. Biggest thing I can say that helped me is a book my Dr reccommended when I was diagnosed. A Patient's Guide to PCOS: Understanding--and Reversing--Polycystic Ovary Syndrome by Walter Futterweit. It's on sale used at Amazon around $5. Like godsflower alluded to it reccomends a lower sugar, lower carb index diet and really explains a lot of thins quite well. I highly reccommend it!!!0
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Thanks everybody It is so encouraging to know that there are people going through the same struggles as me. I cannot wait to see what happens when I lose the weight. When I was younger I didn't show as many of the symptoms, I didn't even know I had it. Just weird irregular periods that I though was normal and my doctor even said was normal for teenage girls. BUT...when I turned 19 I gained almost 100 pounds and my symptoms ran rampant. I am for sure going to look into the book Amy95670 recommended and going to try doing what godsflower suggested about taking more carbs out of my diet. I have already reduced a lot of processed sugar.
Anybody who wants to friend me feel free too, I would love the support along my journey. 0 -
I always thought I had PCOS...dr. said no after blood tests. Seeing that this was 10 years ago, is there anything else I can do to diagnose the problem? I believe I have some of the symptoms, and I want to make sure...Thanks!0
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Hi Ladies,
I also have PCOS. When I was 19 I was diagnosed with that and Diabetes Type 2. I hated having to deal with all the symptoms, but even more so hated the idea that I might never have children. In 2005 I elected to have LapBand surgery (against my PCP's advice). I weighed 220 pounds before the surgery and my blood sugars were sky high. Within a year I was down to 160, no longer needed my diabetes medicine, and found out I was pregnant! The weight lose helped me tremendously! I signed up for laser hair removal and have had fairly good success, I haven't had to shave my face for over 4 years now. Unfortunately my lap band sprung a leak and is no longer working. I am back up to 190 lbs and struggling to lose the weight again. So I guess the point of my story is that the weight loss WAS beneficial! It reduced my hair growth and regulated my cycle so that I was able to conceive. It also allowed me to have a point in my life that I can reference back to for motivation. Also, just fyi, it was not just the LapBand alone that helped me lose the weight, I was working out 3-4 days a week, but I find that more difficult to do with a 4 year old at home. A difficulty that I am willing to live with 0 -
Ladies,
You have no idea how comforting it is to hear that I'm not alone in this struggle. I too have PCOS and I know how soul destroying the hair, weight and cycle issues are first hand. I really hope that all you say about symptoms reducing after losing weight is true.
MissKate1971, if you suspect you do have PCOS you should probably go back to your doctor again and possibly ask for an ultrasound scan to check if you do suffer from it. My blood tests were mainly negative and showed only elevated levels of testosterone but my GP referred me after I explained all the problems and the symptoms I was having. The ultrasound showed that I did indeed have PCOS. If the GP won't request an ultrasound, maybe ask for a referral to your local Gynae clinic?
Stick with your plans girls! If we all do this then maybe we can all fight our way to a normal(ish) life! :op0 -
Good morning ladies! Sorry I didn't write more last night; I was a little off my game last night due to some muscle relaxants. :P I just wanted to mention that I, too, am trying to stick to a "clean diet". I don't use any wheat flour at all in my house (I also have issues with gluten). I use corn starch, corn flour, rice flour..those kinds of things. I don't use sugar..if I want any kind of sweetener I will use Splenda, but I don't even use that very often.0
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Hi
I have PCOS, like I said to someone who posted a similar one.... I didnt actually know it was harder for us with PCOS to lose weight? haha Like i knew it was hard for me, but i didnt know that was the cause! maybe you just need to not think about PCOS? Yeah my doc said the same, symptoms will go away when you start to lose weight) maybe just wait and see what happens?
All you can do is hope for the best right? and its worth giving it a go!
Unfortunately, ignoring PCOS doesn't work. I was diagnosed 15 years ago and as I mentioned in another thread, the last year for me was hell - probably because I'm older and my metabolism was also slowing. I've been on completely sugar and flour-free (including rice, corn and any other type of flour) diets for as long as I can remember. I would do great for 2 years and then the first taste was the killer. Then nothing started working.
October I had vertical sleeve gastrectomy. I have since lost 60 lbs. I was completely hopeless and now I feel like the light is just over the hill. I'm about 1/2 way to my goal and it's working like nothing else has. This is not to say that everyone needs VSG, just that it is working for me.0 -
I have PCOS and to quote my endocrinologist I have, "the worst and weirdest case of PCOS I have ever seen!" That was two years ago after spending four years trying to find out why my body was shutting down. My PCOS causes my insulin resistance. Endo put me on metformin and metanx which lessens the effect PCOS has on my insulin resistance. After two years of treatment the weight is coming off!! So YES it is possible to lose weight with PCOS! Also, I've managed to control my PCOS to the point where I am no longer classified as pre-diabetic. You have to find out how to manage your PCOS and the weight should come off "normally". Good Luck!!!0
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I was the one that posted the same subject just this morning! I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16. I had never experienced a period before I was treated. I had an ultrasound and they put me on birth control. I had two doctors in three days tell me I was overweight and needed to lose weight to make the symptoms more bearable. Soon the dark spots started going away, the acne lessened, the hair…well the hair is still there, except I shave my arms now because I was always tormented as a kid. I started watching everything I put into my mouth and exercised. After I couldn’t seem to lose more than 40 pounds I followed my mother’s weight watchers info and lost 20 more. I went from 225 to 165 in about 8 months. Im now 25 and my life is SOOOOOOOO much better. I really want to get the word out so more people understand PCOS. I had the WORST self esteem growing up and never thought a boy would ever want to kiss me or take me on a date or anything. I got my first kiss when I was 18 and am now married to one handsome fellow. I really don’t think I would be where I am now if PCOS was not brought to my attention.
I also think that A Patient's Guide to PCOS: Understanding--and Reversing--Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is a great book to own if you have PCOS.
Just posting some B/A pics…… THERE IS HOPE!
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I also have been diagnosed with PCOS. But the only outward symptom I have is the inability to get pregnant. Which totally sucks when you're trying to start a family. It wasn't even suspected in me because I'm not considered overweight medicially. My doctor caught it after giving me an ultrasound after an early miscarriage this past summer. I'm hoping that with a clean low GI diet I can get my body regulating and hopefully get that family we want so bad.0
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Hi I am new to MFP. I have PCOS and I have all the symptoms the unwanted hair growth, the unwanted hair loss, the excess belly weight. everything. I am struggling with this weight loss thing and I need support from this community. I am looking for serious accountabilty partners. I stopped taking the metformin because it was making me sick. Would love to share stories.0
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I always thought I had PCOS...dr. said no after blood tests. Seeing that this was 10 years ago, is there anything else I can do to diagnose the problem? I believe I have some of the symptoms, and I want to make sure...Thanks!
Did your blood tests include a check for the thyroid? I don't have PCOS but a close friend of mine does and hers was complicated by thyroid problems (which affect the metabolism).0 -
I have PCOS too! I just started on my weight loss journey after trying to conceive with Clomid has not been successful. I finally decided I need to lose some weight and hopefully my body will kick back in to gear and I'll start ovulating and conceive. I had never really heard of PCOS until I was diagnosed and ever since then I have found there are lots of people out there with it!0
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Ally ~ I feel like I wrote your post! Tack on the shots and IUI and that's me!0
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Howdy girls I'm a PCOS sufferer too. At 16 I had my appendix removed and was told I had "horrible cystic ovaries". I have all the same stupid side effects - hair, weight gain around the middle, missing periods, etc. I will say, 16 months between periods was great. Had the same box of Tampax for almost 5 years
Now that I'm married, babies are in discussion. I started Metformin and am LOVING it. I notice difference in the extra hair, and I feel better about it. It's not as thick or dark.
Once I take a preg test (and get a negative like always) I am started Spironolactone to really get the hair under control. I also have to take birth control pills with it because Spironolactone can cause birth defects.
In a few more months, we plan to stop the bcp and Spiron and start trying for real. 0 -
Ally ~ I feel like I wrote your post! Tack on the shots and IUI and that's me!
That's my next step! This is my last month trying Clomid, although I'm not holding my breath. It hasn't worked yet so I doubt it will this time either. Hopefully losing some weight will help! How bad were the shots? That's what I'm most scared about! LOL.0 -
Me too. I was diagnosed with PCOS a few years ago. Since then I have gained a ridiculous amount of weight, acne, excessive hair on the arms and face (GROSS) and I'm just so sick of it. I hate that we're told that to get this condition - that CAUSES excessive weight gain - under control - we have to Lose weight. ugh! So frustrating.
I will be starting a new round of Metformin 1500mgs daily on Monday. I've not been on them for about a year now. I do love the way it helps. It helps with everything for me.
I haven't been exercising since October. But starting Monday I am back at it hardcore. I plan to cut soda, sugar and white flour out of my diet completely. Eating plenty of protein and exercising - cardio and weights for 90 minutes per day, walking 2 miles each day as a cool down after cardio and weights and then Zumba twice a week as well.
I always tend to see a nice quick loss in the first few weeks after I start to diet, exercise and take the Met...then I slack off. I really don't want that to happen this time around - so I hope to stick to it this time and lose at least 100lbs...if not more,0 -
Well I am 31 about to turn 32 years old. No Kids, so I finally decided to go see what was going on......My gyno had me to take all my labs on day 21. Which people told me that she should have had me to do my FSH,LH and estradiol on day 3. I asked her about it , but she said she only gives that to select patients....?? okay....But i went in to get my results, and she said I had no signs of PCOS.
But yet she put me on Metformin. I am currently taking 1000mg at night before i go to bed. When she gave me that, she said that its normally for patients with diabetes or PCOS. But she said it may help me out and it may help me out to lose weight.....?? Okay..
Now can you actually have pcos and still have a menstrual every month? Like this past menstrual was only 2 days. 1 1/2 of flow and 1/2 day of spotting. And i have alot of hair on my hair, but i always thought it was from tweezing and waxing. Like its a gold tee.....lol
I have always had hairy arms, but i have never thought anything of it. And i have hair on my toes and feet. I have alot of hair on my lower back. I have 3 hairs that come in on my boob. And some hairs that come in right below my belly button. And the vagina area is hairy too. Like its trying to go down my leg. Sorry to detailed!!! lol
I also have been checking for CM for months and have Never found anything similiar to CM. But this is the first month where i found a little bit of what may be CM. So I was thinking maybe the Metformin is the reason for that.....??
Well wednesday I am going to get a HSG done....My gyno said after 6 months of trying that she was going to refer me to a specialist. i was wondering if she was referring to when i first started to see her with this situation or if she wanted to to finish up this 6 months of metformin....??
Yeah she also told me that I needed to get down to 135 pounds. I am sooo ready to see a specialist!! I will be soo happy the day I become pregnant!! Just hopefully I dont gain all the weight back if I do get down to 135!! lol0 -
Shana ~ I get those pesky random boob hairs too! LOL Now it is completely possible to have a normal cycle with PCOS. Well, as normal as you want to call it.0
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Well, ladies, I just up this topic this morning to get an idea about what to tell my gyne this afternoon. Thanks to all of your advice and some concern from him, he is testing me for PCOS and thyroid diseases. I'm hoping something shows up so that I can put a name to all the weird symptoms I've had--excess hair (including the boob hairs, too! Weird!), random times for my period (the only time it has been "regular" is when I am on birth control). So, I am hoping to have some answers. Seems like PCOS is still not understood by many doctors out there, and I'm so glad mine is willing to look into it further. I will let you know what happens.
What is metformin? I need to look that up. What is it normally prescribed for?
Kate0 -
Howdy girls I'm a PCOS sufferer too. At 16 I had my appendix removed and was told I had "horrible cystic ovaries". I have all the same stupid side effects - hair, weight gain around the middle, missing periods, etc. I will say, 16 months between periods was great. Had the same box of Tampax for almost 5 years
Now that I'm married, babies are in discussion. I started Metformin and am LOVING it. I notice difference in the extra hair, and I feel better about it. It's not as thick or dark.
Once I take a preg test (and get a negative like always) I am started Spironolactone to really get the hair under control. I also have to take birth control pills with it because Spironolactone can cause birth defects.
In a few more months, we plan to stop the bcp and Spiron and start trying for real.
I have had the same box of tampons now for about 4 years! I never get periods, recently though, when I lost some weight, they started up again...super light though with still no need for tampons! hahaha.0 -
Hi ladies. I have also been diagnosed with PCOS, in January 2008, after a year and a half of unsuccessfully trying to conceive. I also had all the irregular periods (or total lack thereof) and the excess facial hair and belly fat. I had been referred to a Reproductive Endocrinologist. At my very first visit with him, he diagnosed the PCOS on the spot without any additional testing.
He put me on 1500mg (extended release) of Metformin and recommended that I lose weight. My husband and I joined WW. After about a year on WW, I had lost about 40 lbs and got a positive pregnancy test, after getting regulated to about a 35 day cycle! The Metformin is the ONLY thing that I was taking when I got pregnant. I totally credit the Metformin, along with the weight loss with our getting pregnant.
There is definitely hope for you if you stick with it!
Feel free to friend me if you would like to. 0 -
Metformin is for people with PCOS or type II diabetes........My gyno told me I didnt have signs of PCOS, but she prescribed me Metformin. I was really confused at first, but then I started thinking about my menstrual cycle and all my hair!! lol And also that I dont have any noticeable cervical mucus.. But after reading so many stories and such, I decided to stay on Metformin. Kabrown you are another person who gives me HOPE!! I love it!!
My husband and I have been together for 9 years and I have never gotten pregnant. I have always figured that if its meant to be then I will get pregnant. But a few months ago I said " forget that" Im going to get checked out!! lol
But I have been noticing my hair is not coming in as much as it use to (for years). And it is lighter....And 1 thing I really love is....I am wayyy more calmer.!!! Like before I had alot of mood swings, since I have been taking metformin and have not 1 time gotten upset. And thats amazing if you lived with my husband!!! hahaha
I just cant wait to get this HSG done. Another step closer!! It feels so good just to have someone to talk to or even to read other peoples stories!! I never thought I would be talking about this on Myfitnesspal thou. But I love this website and this only makes me love it even more!! Thanks Ladies!! xoxoxoxoxoxoxo0
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