I have pcos and its so hard to diet

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Replies

  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    If you are thinking to go low carb or gluten free, please the join the No Grain No Pain group and the Paleo group Kate ....I've gone Primal which is a lower carb lifestyle and in a few months much of my PCOS issues are gone. So worth a try!
  • jude666
    jude666 Posts: 231 Member
    I have a hormonal issue and it stinks. I have an issue called PCOS also known as PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome. And because its an insulin problem my doctor tells me that the only way it will get somewhat better is if I diet and exercise. I am already hypoglycemic to begin with and one of the only treatments that I can take is Metformin which is a diabetic medication that decreases your blood sugar and I have to take it 4 times a day 300 mg. It stinks because I have to eat a feast with it. I find it so hard to diet because I need a certain amount of carbs in my diet and certain amount of protein in order for my headaches to go away.. but I just don't know what I should be really eating and how much, and its really hard to lose any of the weight. Anyone have any advice?

    I have PCOS to, i was diagnosed when I was 17 and was told to lose weight to keep my symptons under control. I have had great success following a low GI diet. I lost a couple of stone and went from a size 18 to a size 12 (UK). Stick to wholegrain/whole foods and avoid sugar as much as possible. Or, for example, if you have a banana which is high in sugar, have a handful of nuts at the same time, this will balance your sugar levels out.

    Simple things like this keep my PCOS under control. I know exactly what you're going through. I've heard about Metformin but I haven't been prescribed it. What exactly is it and what is it supposed to control? chin up girl, i know how you feel and its rubbish x
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Make sure you are eating lean meats like chicken and turkey, watch what kind of carbs you eat. Make sure you focus on whole grain pasta and breads. Also try finding a healthy peanut butter. Its very filling and gives you protein.

    Actually being someone that has PCOS grain carbs are among the worst we as PCOS'rs can eat.

    Our carbs should be coming from fruits and vegetables............Grain carbs and starchy carbs are the worst and should be eaten sparingly.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    lucisept61- thanks for the advice! ive considered going on a gluten free diet but im so afraid of the crash that i will get from not really having too many carbs.. this week ive been really sticking to low carb diet and have been controlling my cravings and have been exercising and drinking plenty of water, but i mean i really cut down on the carbs and right now im like crashing lol.. i just wanna sleep!

    It's not a crash your experiencing it is withdrawal and detox from the carbage.............

    If your experiencing no energy eat a bit more fat with your vegetables and protein. You may not be eating enough.

    come join us on the no grain, no pain topic!!!
  • jude666
    jude666 Posts: 231 Member
    I started the metformin last week- I've had PCOS over a year now and gained about 30lbs ( i'm only 5'4 so it shows big time). i've managed to lose about 13 lbs since January.. but its SOOOO SLLLLOOOWWWW. and frustrating with all the "other" symptoms.
    I'm tolerating the Metformin ok. I literally take it right in the middle of eating my breakfast ( a combination of egg and whole grain product) and dont have any GI problems.. mild headaches on occasion..

    I guess i'm wondering HOW LONG before this pill helps out with weight acne, hair growth. blaaah
    I am toning up everywhere but my stomach right below my bellt button looks like i have a lil bun in the oven.. I dont. and wish people would stop asking if i was pregnant.. : (

    I've never been prescribed Metformin.... I try to control my PCOS symptons through diet and exercise alone (other than the pill to have regular periods). Since losing 2 stone I'm certainly more under control of a lot of the symptons.
  • zudleymarie
    zudleymarie Posts: 100 Member
    Another PCOS girl here....diagnosed at age 16. I worked out like a fiend before my wedding for a year and did not hardly lose anything. Was told years after I was diagnosed that Metformin would help me control my blood sugar, so I am using that and a lower carb-lower fat diet. Metformin does not bother me unless I eat simple sugars...and then we all know what the bad consequences of that are! Darn my lazy pancreas!!!!! You can add me as a friend if you want a fellow cycter. :)
  • acmassey
    acmassey Posts: 3
    i was diagnosed 10 years ago in September. I was put on MetXR but even that screws with my stomach and I can't take it.

    I've found some success with the IR Diet which is linking. Basically you eat protein EVERY time you eat carbs. Your goal is 7g of protein for every 15g of carbs and to not have more than 30g in a 2 hour time period. That is all the counting they encourage I highly recommend it I have the book and I'm trying to get back into the swing of it. I lost 20 pounds in a couple of months the first time I did it.

    We are also TTC so right now I'm trying to lose weight and get healthier so we can get and stay pregnant. :)
  • lucisept61
    lucisept61 Posts: 20
    Lots of the advice here is great. Definitely look over a list of Glycemic Index food (GI) because it's amazing what foods will raise your blood sugar... foods like corn, beets, peas, bananas, potatoes, ... y'know, all that stuff our mothers told us to be sure and eat! I am not worrying about fat right now. I have just started dieting again and I decided to worry about fat grams when I am MUCH closer to my goal weight. Right now I want to get past the sugar cravings, and I do that by eating lots of protein. I've been off of wheat and gluten for about 6 years now, so that part I have down pat. I never was willing to spend a lot of money on the gluten-free breads and pasta and such, so I don't have so much of that to kick back out of my diet. I would advise cutting out the high-carb foods first, THEN after a month or so of success with that, go gluten-free, and after a month or so of that you can try to cut back on fats. Remember that we need some fat and heathy carbs (veggies and fruits) to keep our brains functioning!

    Really, though, for your PCOS, please look into Progesterone cream. Dr. John Lee (I think it's John R. Lee, but not certain) wrote several books about balancing the female hormones (and PCOS is a hormone problem) by supplementing with this cream. My doctor prescribed the book to me and told me where I could find the cream (my local health food store - now even WalMart carries it, but I don't like the cheap cream Walmart carries) and my doctor let me take it from there. I had gone a whole year without a period and suddenly I was having periods right on time every month! It was like a miracle! The cream is simple, you just rub it into your skin once a day (or twice a day, depending on whose advice you prefer) for 14 days a month. Almost no side-effects... it makes me feel sleepy, so I rub it on just before bed... and any other symptoms are the ones I always associated with my period anyway and I was so glad to be cycling regularly again I even liked the old symtoms, too!

    As for health benefits, I feel SO MUCH better now that I am off of sugar - and am eating healthy foods again. Even my eyesight seems to be improving and my skin feels great (could be all that water I'm drinking) and I am thinking more clearly. No matter what you do, try to keep in mind that there are no quick fixes for a condition like PCOS, but it's not the end of the world if you keep working at it.
  • lilsweetslol
    lilsweetslol Posts: 68 Member
    Wow- thanks ladies for everyones input. I am the type of person that will give everything a chance. I dont expect overnight results on anything as this weight has come on over two years now.

    I'm doing ok with the metformin so far. The only reason I tried it because the diet/calorie/working out was not producing the results i needed. I had actually been working out since I was diagnosed but kept gaining and gaining no matter what. My ObGyn told me to go this way to get cycles back on track and might help with weight loss.

    I also am following a low carb, low sugar and more proteins of course. I thought that it was ok to eat a whole grain once in a while?? but everyone seems to be about going gluten free with PCOS.. i'm starting to wonder if the wheat group is my enemy.
    I've been reading up ALOT on Paleo/Primal and I am highly interested.

    I do need more support from fellow PCOS ladies so please add me- it sucks loggin in and seeing so many ladies ( non PCOSers) who keep loosing every day and not me. i log a weight loss maybe once a month : (
    it might seem mean and i'm sorry if it came across that way, but i feel that having this condition, (unless you have it yourself)You have NO IDEA the struggles on a daily basis and the emotions. etc.
    Not that each one of those ladies doesnt have their own struggles. I just feel it easier to not give up with the support of fellow "cysters"
    thanks ladies :heart:
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    lucisept61- thanks for the advice! ive considered going on a gluten free diet but im so afraid of the crash that i will get from not really having too many carbs.. this week ive been really sticking to low carb diet and have been controlling my cravings and have been exercising and drinking plenty of water, but i mean i really cut down on the carbs and right now im like crashing lol.. i just wanna sleep!

    That only lasts for a short time, your detoxing from the crap. Eat more green veggies and eat more fat - there you will find more energy.
  • Levedi
    Levedi Posts: 290 Member
    Geez you're on a high dose! I have PCOS too and I only take the Metformin once a day. No increase in headaches from it so far, which is a huge relief since I already get migraines.

    From what you said it sounds like you need a second opinion and probably a doctor with a different philosophy. My doctor told me the key to successful diet change (as opposed to dieting) was to start with one thing you knew you could handle consistently. Then introduce one new thing at a time as the old things become easy/routine. I started with vegetables and exercise - just making sure I got 5 servings a day and half an hour of cardio 4-5 times a week. Once I got those down actually counting calories practically takes care of itself. It seems to be working; my latest blood work shows a much reduced risk of diabetes and bad cholesterol.

    I say get a second opinion from a doctor who takes your headaches and other side effects seriously. And maybe stress that you want to be on the lowest effective dose possible as general rule. It's always better to start new meds low and slowly.
  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    Read this everyone! A dietican with PCOS
    http://danfredorivera.blogspot.com/2011/04/battle-of-beige.html
  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    Make sure you are eating lean meats like chicken and turkey, watch what kind of carbs you eat. Make sure you focus on whole grain pasta and breads. Also try finding a healthy peanut butter. Its very filling and gives you protein.

    Actually being someone that has PCOS grain carbs are among the worst we as PCOS'rs can eat.

    Our carbs should be coming from fruits and vegetables............Grain carbs and starchy carbs are the worst and should be eaten sparingly.

    Women with PCOS are insulin resistent as already mentioned. So even the IR diet mentioned cutting out refined and even whole grains along with other carbs.
  • lisabel87
    lisabel87 Posts: 152
    lilsweetslol-

    Metformin only helps with the insulin resistance, not the acne and hair growth. Speak to your endocrinologist about options to control these other symptoms (they are usually caused by high testosterone levels or possibly thyroid). Medicines usually prescribed for these issues are spironolactone or yasmin.

    I actually was put on metformin because I had acne. 500mg a day so its not anything big. You don't necessarily have to have pcos.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Wow- thanks ladies for everyones input. I am the type of person that will give everything a chance. I dont expect overnight results on anything as this weight has come on over two years now.

    I'm doing ok with the metformin so far. The only reason I tried it because the diet/calorie/working out was not producing the results i needed. I had actually been working out since I was diagnosed but kept gaining and gaining no matter what. My ObGyn told me to go this way to get cycles back on track and might help with weight loss.

    I also am following a low carb, low sugar and more proteins of course. I thought that it was ok to eat a whole grain once in a while?? but everyone seems to be about going gluten free with PCOS.. i'm starting to wonder if the wheat group is my enemy.
    I've been reading up ALOT on Paleo/Primal and I am highly interested.

    I do need more support from fellow PCOS ladies so please add me- it sucks loggin in and seeing so many ladies ( non PCOSers) who keep loosing every day and not me. i log a weight loss maybe once a month : (
    it might seem mean and i'm sorry if it came across that way, but i feel that having this condition, (unless you have it yourself)You have NO IDEA the struggles on a daily basis and the emotions. etc.
    Not that each one of those ladies doesnt have their own struggles. I just feel it easier to not give up with the support of fellow "cysters"
    thanks ladies :heart:

    Grains are inflammatory which assists the body in keeping the insulin resistance going. Giving up grains (except for the occasional rice or gluten free oatmeal) will probably be the best thing you can do for your body. It will heal the inflammatory condition and help to heal the insulin resistance.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    lilsweetslol-

    Metformin only helps with the insulin resistance, not the acne and hair growth. Speak to your endocrinologist about options to control these other symptoms (they are usually caused by high testosterone levels or possibly thyroid). Medicines usually prescribed for these issues are spironolactone or yasmin.

    I actually was put on metformin because I had acne. 500mg a day so its not anything big. You don't necessarily have to have pcos.

    I don't understand the script for Metformin for treatment of Acne. It doesn't help with that.
  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    lilsweetslol-

    Metformin only helps with the insulin resistance, not the acne and hair growth. Speak to your endocrinologist about options to control these other symptoms (they are usually caused by high testosterone levels or possibly thyroid). Medicines usually prescribed for these issues are spironolactone or yasmin.

    I actually was put on metformin because I had acne. 500mg a day so its not anything big. You don't necessarily have to have pcos.

    I don't understand the script for Metformin for treatment of Acne. It doesn't help with that.

    :laugh: Many times it causes or makes the acne worse. I donnow why women stil taking meds like this with all the bad side effects like gastrointestinal problems like abdominal cramps , bloating and causes the inability to absorb vitamin B12. And the Yasmin 5yaz) and Dianette pills I took them too ... they increase the weight gain not help with it. ANd birth control also in fact increases your chances of developing diabetes. Isn't a dietary really a lifestyle change better/easier? I rather eat 20$ co-pay + the cost of the pills myself! :tongue:

    read this - http://www.mum.org/pcos.htm
  • heniko
    heniko Posts: 796 Member
    How many of you consume soy regularly?
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