PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)

I did a search and stumbled upon your board. I was recently diagnosed with PCOS. Cried for days and was in denial. I use to be petite but after I had my daughter things went up on the scale. We can encourage each other if your looking for a friend. Hopefully by the weekend I can get a personal trainer. Are you trying to lose to have a baby or just personal goal?

That's not the case for everyone with PCOS. It's easy to gain and harder to lose for some of us. It can be a constant struggle.

The original poster was looking for someone to relate to and have motivation. She didn't state she gained weight because of PCOS. We all know what causes weight gain. If you don't have PCOS then you don't know the struggle.
Like I said before sparklin_rose if you need someone to go through the process with you I'm here for you. Have you had your insulin levels checked? Has a doctor given you a weight loss plan? I can scan you a copy of the one I have if you want it.

I have PCOS as well. As a teenager, my periods were really irregular and I would go months without having one, which isn't healthy; so I got on birth control to keep me regular. I have lost 93 pounds and my birth control script ran out in the summer (I haven't renewed it because I'm lazy and don't want to find a new OBGYN); since then I've continued to have regular periods, something that wasn't happening when I was a teen and was heavier than I am now. I think my weight loss has improved my health so much that my reproductive system is functioning more normally now, and that's a good sign.

My understanding is that there is some debate in the medical community about PCOS and obesity. Some doctors argue that PCOS makes you more likely to become overweight, and some say PCOS is a side effect of being overweight. Apparently the relationship between the two isn't hard and fast.

Mrsurban2011 wrote: »

The original poster was looking for someone to relate to and have motivation. She didn't state she gained weight because of PCOS. We all know what causes weight gain. If you don't have PCOS then you don't know the struggle.
Like I said before sparklin_rose if you need someone to go through the process with you I'm here for you. Have you had your insulin levels checked? Has a doctor given you a weight loss plan? I can scan you a copy of the one I have if you want it.

I have PCOS. Diagnosed more than 20 years ago. It has not controlled my life. It should not control OP's life either. It is a very common medical problem. Some have it harder then others regarding fertility. But it does not condemn one to being overweight. OP should know she can lose weight and not give up. On the contrary, losing weight and being as physically active as she can (regardless of weight loss) will help her manage her condition.

I was diagnosed with PCOS 10 years ago. I can tell you one thing - that mid section fat is not wanting to budge. I'm losing weight everywhere but my stomach. Losing weight and being active has helped regulate my period, but it hasn't helped with any of my other symptoms. Still have acne, thin hair, and I'm starting to grow a soul patch to match my mustache.

I was diagnosed with pcos about 10 years ago. I was put on metaformin and birth control. I was told to loose 10% of my weight.

I did loose it and was maintaining my weight for about 5-6 years after, until my first pregnancy and then put on weight in that pregnancy and the next 2. I was still heavy. It doesn't take much weight loss to reverse symptoms.

I am now 180 (started 195 2.5 months ago) and want to get down to 160; which I was 10 years ago. Then I will reevaluate. I'm only 5'2'' so 180 is much too much for me.

I'm loosing at a normal rate. I focus on eating low-gi carbs to help deal with the IR. I am not doing keto or low carb...it's just not for me. I no longer take glucophage or birth control. Stopped both as soon as I lost the weight after diagnosis.

Don't fall into the trap of the girl from my big fat fabulous life. She used pcos as an excuse to gain a few hundred pounds and became the pcos self appointed mascot. She has since been diagnosed as pre-diabetic. This season she started seeing a dietician, exercising more and is loosing weight. So despite pcos which she used as an excuse, she is now seeing results.

If your dr is amenable, I would check out metaformin to help with IR and weight loss. Then after you loose 10pc of your weight try to come off it.

I have read that people with pcos need to eat about 200-250 calories less than what the calculator tells you to compensate for the effect of our hormones and IR. Unfortunately I don't have a source for that.

Good luck.

Ps - I've also noticed my random chin hairs have stopped sprouting since I've started loosing weight.

I also had gestational diabetes in all 3 pregnancies which I think we are pre disposed to. I should have made a better effort in my diet but I didn't and ended up on insulin for the last 2.

aggelikik wrote: »

Expatmommy79 wrote: »

I wanted to add - IR didn't show up on my blood panel, but I know I am just from the way I would feel when eating carbs and craving them. My dr gave me the metaformin anyway - and it helped a lot. At the time there was a study done on metaformin aiding in pcos so he thought it would be good to try.

Since eating low GI I don't have the same need or reaction to high-gi foods.

Specialised inuslin resistance tests are pretty expensive, unlike blood sugar tests. Maybe your dr simply did not want to ask for one? In any case, insulin resistance has no symptoms.

Symptoms for me that have since reversed:

Afternoon fatigue
sugar crashes
carbohydrate cravings

I'm not sure why he didn't test for the IR. I think since he put me on the metaformin for the pcos anyway - and that would have been the same treatment for the IR, it didn't make a difference?