PCOS

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buggleuh749
buggleuh749 Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone with PCOS been successful at losing weight? What did you have to do? Also, were you put on any medications and did they help or hinder the process?? Thanks in advance!!

Replies

  • KaleChipz
    KaleChipz Posts: 53 Member
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    I was diagnosed with PCOS almost 10 years ago. I am on birth control to regulate my periods (only came off when I was ready to conceive). Lower carb worked for me imitially along with consistent exercise. I weighed and logged everything and lost the weight. I have about 5lbs again to reach my goal weight.

    The issue with PCOS is that the symptoms vary by person. My co-worker had to take metformin and weight loss has been a struggle for her. She did admit she is not as disciplined though.
  • Muana1005
    Muana1005 Posts: 172 Member
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    I have pcos. GP has recently taken me off metformin but I'm still losing.

    I have to be really strict though. I didn't go low carb - but restrict my calorie intake over all instead.
  • mrsnightengale
    mrsnightengale Posts: 13 Member
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    I have pcos, and before my youngest I was able to lose 50+. What worked for me was getting my hormones straightened out with low dose birth control, and being very careful about calorie counting.

    I'm trying to lose again now without the birth control and it's definitely slower going. Somin my case atleast it seems to make a difference. But what works best for you is really just going to be trial and error.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
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    I was told 20 years ago that I have PCOS. Last year I found out that is not possible with a hereditary blood disorder I have. For 20 years I catered to it. This is so often misdiagnosed as I've come to find out personally and by research. Make sure you actually have it. Many times bigger girls with random periods get mislabeled.

    Wish you the best in your weight loss.
  • hperkins17
    hperkins17 Posts: 21 Member
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    I have PCOS and was put on birth control and metformin. I've been able to lose weight easier on the medication, but I feel like low carb diets work best for me, instead of just calorie counting. Obviously PCOS and dieting affects everyone differently, so I hope you're able to find what works best for you! We can do this!
  • StarvingDiva
    StarvingDiva Posts: 1,107 Member
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    I have pcos and no not on any prescription meds. I chose to do an alternate route, lose weight, acupuncture got my period regulated and ovulating. Low carb seems to work the best for me due to the way our bodies react to sugar.
  • WendyLeigh1119
    WendyLeigh1119 Posts: 495 Member
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    I have PCOS and take Metformin with Spironolactone at a low dose to help it. Yes, I've lost 22 lbs since March 15th. I'm at 148lbs now (5'7).

    The meds neither helped nor hindered the process. But they weren't prescribed for that, anyway. My doc has never mentioned my weight when I was really skinny nor overweight. I just eat Organic to avoid hormones and refined junk because I know it bothers me (I avoid soy and whey, too).

    I know some people with PCOS do "low carbs", but I don't do that, either. I just stick to my calories most days and exercise my butt off Monday through Friday.
  • vnb_208
    vnb_208 Posts: 1,359 Member
    edited June 2017
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    PCOS cyster here! Meds; b/c pills, I've been using mfp 10 months -83 lbs
  • juliehmaui2016
    juliehmaui2016 Posts: 32 Member
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    I have PCOS and I haven't had any issues with my weight until a couple years after the birth of my daughter. I know aging also is a factor in PCOS and as you age your symptoms can become harder to manage. So I have decided to try and be proactive and manage my weight before it really gets out of control. I could see myself gaining at a slow rate and I have managed to reverse that now. I take a low dose BCP and I find that helps a lot, my monthly is awful to deal with when I'm not on the BCP. I also really watch my carb intake as well as my calorie intake. If you want to send me a friend request to view my food diary I am more than happy to accept it.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
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    I have it, or had it...it's a little unclear now. I was on metformin, Crestor, Tricor, and a birth control pill (though I eventually switched to a hormonal IUD). I was on the medication well before I started to lose weight, and went off it halfway through my weight loss; it didn't have anything to do with my weight loss process one way or another.

    I have lost almost 100 pounds just following CICO. I run and I eat at my calorie goal. I don't pay much attention to carbs, but I do find that eating lots of carbs doesn't fill me up, so I've cut back on things like bread and rice and replaced them with protein and veggies. I haven't been on any of the pills in over two years, and just got my latest round of blood work back. My cholesterol is always going to run on the higher end of normal, but it's in the normal range without medicine, 182 as of last week. My triglycerides are down to 57. It's really amazing to see those numbers after struggling for so long to control the PCOS/metabolic syndrome.
  • christinetolean
    christinetolean Posts: 2 Member
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    New here! I also have PCOS. I'm 28 and on diane 35 (birthcontrol pills). I'm 152cm (5ft) and 56 kg(123lbs). My goal is 50 kg so that's around 12kg to lose. I workout 5 days a week buy still struggling. I'm going to try a stricter adherence to lower calories. I want to do a higher protein diet however it's so difficult because protein sources always come with carbohydrates unless i opt to eat meat/seafood. Any thoughts on this?
    Anyone on the same boat/journey, feel free to add me up!
  • chokhas
    chokhas Posts: 33 Member
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    if you are not vegetarian then chicken or turkey is low'in carb. if you are vegetarian I would work on not eating much carb. for example I just make a bean stew with corn and vegetables but I don't add on extra rice. I think for veg a lot of stuff high in protein comes with either high carb or high fat
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    christinetolean wrote: »
    New here! I also have PCOS. I'm 28 and on diane 35 (birthcontrol pills). I'm 152cm (5ft) and 56 kg(123lbs). My goal is 50 kg so that's around 12kg to lose. I workout 5 days a week buy still struggling. I'm going to try a stricter adherence to lower calories. I want to do a higher protein diet however it's so difficult because protein sources always come with carbohydrates unless i opt to eat meat/seafood. Any thoughts on this?
    Anyone on the same boat/journey, feel free to add me up!

    You don't have to entirely avoid carbs. I eat plenty and lose. Experiment to see how you do with them.
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I have PCOS and am losing but it's pretty slow going especially since I'm still a carb monster (I just can't do paleo it doesn't agree with my digestion but I should try to up my protein anyway and avoid some high GI foods), you just have to be diligent and log even if you overeat. I also find calorie cycling helps me too and I try to have a weekly calorific deficit (usually aim for -2000 net) rather than a daily one. I've been offered Metformin but chose to try and help myself by losing weight and exercise first to see if I can alleviate my symptoms without medication if I can. If not I'll take the medication but my doctor is happy for me to be med free and try to lose as a first option.

    My TDEE/BMR doesn't seem that far out of the norm to be fair, I think for us PCOS sufferers (or should I say personally) cravings and overeating is more of an issue which makes restricting calories a tad more difficult, I've found it much easier with exercise since I get to eat more. My daily deficit averages at about -300 a day net and I find this a comfortable rate of loss.

    good luck x

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