Trying to conceive mild pcos

Hi, looking for moral support that can help me go through a very long and tough journey. Been 2.5 yrs now. Overweight with mild pcos. First iui failed now cknfused how to lose weight without decreasing nutrition or over exherting. Anyone who can help, please help. Fighting depression every hour.

Replies

  • eerm912
    eerm912 Posts: 1 Member
    Sorry to hear you're having such a hard time. I recently found out that I have PCOS as well. Losing weight can definately be a challenge! Good luck losing the weight and I hope you'll conceive very soon. Hold in there it'll be worth it!

    In terms of losing weight I think it's just sticking to calories and doing what exercise you can manage. It might be a long slog but you've got a pretty massive reward waiting if it helps you conceive.
  • desg1218
    desg1218 Posts: 78 Member
    Hi. I am currently pregnant and I have had PCOS since I was 15. Honestly the only thing that helped was going low carb since we are naturally insulin resistant. Not strict like keto but keeping the carbs under 80 a day which is super doable. I’m not saying this works for everyone but it was the only thing that worked for me. Good luck. 😊
  • dmegk5
    dmegk5 Posts: 26 Member
    I also just found out I have PCOS a couple of weeks ago. I haven't made huge changes yet as I'm still navigating the diagnosis. Hoping to meet with a dietitian soon.
  • MikePTY
    MikePTY Posts: 3,814 Member
    Weight can play a big part with fertility issues. Right now I would focus on what you can control, which is weight loss. Despite what you may hear or sometimes feel, it is possible to lose weight even with PCOS. You may have to manually adjust the calorie goals that MFP sets for you, because sometimes women with PCOS can have slower metabolisms, so the calories out part of the calculation can be lower. So if you find yourself not losing with the standard goal, you can look at going lower.

    Low carb can sometimes be helpful treating some of the symptoms, so that may be something you want to look into. My wife has been navigating a fairly severe case of PCOS for several years, and we are still learning our way around it. But she has been able to lose weight with a calorie deficit when she commits to her diet.
  • sdraper2014
    sdraper2014 Posts: 81 Member
    I lost 50 lbs (233-185), got my cycle back after years of not getting one naturally.

    I ate low carb, low glycemic index and low glycemic load to keep my insulin levels very level to help with the hormone imbalance.

    Because my cycle was so irregular I basically bought ovulation strips in bulk online and 10 days after my period started I would test myself every day to check if I was ovulating. I also took my temperature daily and charted it to check when I was ovulating to confirm if the test strips were effective for me (they may not be in all women with PCOS due to wacky hormones).

    Once I started TTC it took 3 months to get pregnant doing this. It really worked for me. I don’t know that you have to lose that much weight necessarily, but anything around 5% or more can have a dramatic impact on your fertility. I mean, I maybe got my period 6 times since I was a teenager without it being caused by birth control, so I was not at all optimistic it would work for us, I was kind of just going through the motions of what I knew Drs would recommend before seeing a fertility specialist so I could skip a few steps of being told lose this much weight and try for a while first, and bam, it worked.

    PM me if you need support or just add me as a friend.
  • sricke82
    sricke82 Posts: 1 Member
    I have PCOS. I tried for 4 years to get pregnant. I was overweight and not very active. I started walking daily and eating low staying away from sugar and white bread. I lost 20 lbs and got pregnant with my first child. I know how you are feeling. Good Luck.
  • daneejela
    daneejela Posts: 461 Member
    edited April 2019
    I am in the same boat :)
    I am 34, I have PCOS and TTC last few months.

    If you are overweight with PCOS that is actually good because in that case losing weight usually helps a lot.

    You don't have to go to any crazy diets, just eat a bit less than you would normally eat and choose more nutrition dense food.

    Here are a few dietary tips that should increase fertility:
    - increase folate-rich food - leafy greens (kale, spinach, collard greens, broccoli, Brussels sprouts..) and beans, (lentils, chickpeas, beans, fava beans..)
    - eat fiber-rich food
    - avoid low-fat dairy (it's questionable if we should eat dairy at all, but if we do, it's best to consume full-fat dairy)
    - eat more plant protein/less animal protein - (beans and nuts)
    - avoid highly processed high sugar food like cakes, cookies, candies, soda etc.
    - move (walk, dance, hike, do gardening...)

    Most important of all, believe that you can lose weight and you can conceive because stress is also a negative factor for fertility.
    Try to accept this TTC time as a learning time how to make healthy choices and care for yourself and your future baby.
  • stacysjourney
    stacysjourney Posts: 52 Member
    I have PCOS too. The weight loss is a big piece for me but you can do this! Having support to go through this will help. Anyone can add me as a friend if would like.
  • nocgirl72
    nocgirl72 Posts: 139 Member
    Most PCOS sufferers do much better with some weight loss and a low carb diet. My friend was put on Metformin after 15+ years of infertility and being over weight and she has a happy healthy 7 yr old.
  • mfp4kc
    mfp4kc Posts: 29 Member
    In addition, you might also consider CoQ10 for PCOS support. It is often used for fertility support, and there is also some research on it regarding PCOS.