can I start a PCOS Vent your frustrations Thread? lol

Complex carbs... whole grains, starchy veggies (root veg)?

Dear PCOS,

You SUCK!


Does anyone have information or know of a good website that talks about the pros vs. cons of weight training. I know I have read that it is good for women to train with weights as women do not get bulky muscles, BUT as we all know, us PCOS'rs are a bit different. Will I be buff if I continue weight training during my weight loss??


Thanks!!

Brenda

You will not get bulky!!! I've been strength training 3 times a week for the last 3 months and it rocks. I am definitly getting muscles, but their girly ones so more toned than bulky (and I've always gained muscle easily.) Plus the srength training has really helped my weight loss, if I stick to my workouts and eat right I usually lose around 3 pounds a week (I am on metformin as well though.)

PCOS best buddy the moody monster shows up always unwelcomed.....sigh....I am looking for more cysters to add for more support on the days you want to just strangle the snot out of the moody monster, and all the other ups and downs PCOS brings to us. Please feel free to send me a add i will add you I need more support. please

Dear PCOS,

I hate you, you've ruined my life!! My doctors dont understand you so how can I? My doctors told me two years ago, at age 23, that I'd never have children, that my body had already gone through the menopause. I gained over 80lbs in a year and couldn't figure out why, I grew excess facial hair, I can't wear backless tops due to acne. Then I was told I had PCOS after being poked and prodded.

My periods are 6 months or more apart! I managed to lose 56lbs through hard work and exercise, my periods returned and I was happy.Then it happened again this February. My periods stopped and install gained 48lbs back and even though I'm working my *kitten* off nothing is happening. I worry I'll never have children, I'll never lose the weight,I'll be like this forever, and I'm so scared. My boyfriend is so supportive but he doesn't understand!

I have lost count of the times I've sat on my own and cried and just felt hopeless. I've been to fertility clinics and other doctors and none of them will put me on medication.

I'm done, I'm sick of this and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I hate you PCOS, thank you for ruining my life

SarahP86, I definitely feel your pain. PCOS can be a very trying diagnosis, but know that you're not alone.

P.S. My doctor told me I couldn't have children either when I was diagnosed 8 years ago. I have since had one child with the help of fertility and am working on another. If you can't find a doc who will listen to you, then I say keep going until you find one who will.

I would like to thank the string of mostly incompetent and condescending military doctors that led to it taking over 12 years to get a diagnosis.

I started showing symptoms at 18 (irregular periods) for which my military gyn handed me a prescription for birth control and pushed me out the door. I went off the pill at 21 in hopes of getting pregnant. Instead, I gained enough weight to end my military career (sometimes, so quickly that the uniform I wore to work on Friday would be too tight to wear on Monday). Doctor after Doctor after Doctor telling me if I'd just go on a diet, my periods would regulate. After my divorce, I started seeing a VA doctor who offered to put me on fertility drugs. I explained I didn't want to get pregnant anymore, I just wanted to get my periods regulated. He said if I didn't want to get pregnant, why was I worried about regular periods?

At 30 I started seeing a VA Nurse Practitioner who mentioned, very nonchalantly I might add, that with my PCOS, I would have to stay on the pill to have regular periods and would probably need fertility drugs to get pregnant. With my WHAT? Oh yea, you didn't know? She prescribed Metformin, which did absolutely nothing for me except keep my lower intestines squeaky clean.

I stayed on the pill until 35 when the VA wouldn't give it to me anymore because I'm a smoker. I stopped the pill, and Lo and Behold, regular periods. No significant weight loss, no abatement of the facial hair, but regular, normal periods.

Now here I am, 41, facial hair, stretch marks, 40 excess lbs of belly fat (serious, I carry everything between my boobs and pubes), eating fish and veggies and salad while I cook fried pork chops and pasta and King Ranch chicken for the boyfriend that can consume 5k calories a day and never gain an ounce. I walk/run 30 minutes, do a 45 zumba workout, and 2 30 minute pilates workouts 5 days a week, and last week I GAINED 2 lbs.

Oh what a life. Normal people are jealous, I'm sure.

Just found out I have PCOS about 2 months ago. Waiting to hear back from the Doctor to see if I need to be put on metaformin and going on Wednesday to get blood work to see if I ovulated!!

hahaha The part about your BF is exactly the same as my Husband...this guy can literally eat and eat and eat and never gain a pound. If I eat one piece of regular bread....I literally gain about 3 pounds the next day. the caloric intake doesn't make any sense....so it HAS to be pcos related. Also if my hubby goes to the gym for about oh...lets say .... 2-3 weeks dilligently(which is the most he's ever gone consistently since i've known him lol) he will be ripped and toned and people will compliment him right away! I on the other hand.... have worked out pretty much for a whole year only stopping for maybe 5 days at a time here or there. Lost damn near 40 pounds within the last 6 months, eating healthy and exercising at least 45 mins a day of cardio and 30 min strength training sessions about 3-4 times perweek....NOT ONE PERSON HAS SAID OR NOTICED MY WEIGHTLOSS.................ugh..........it irks me to no end....lol I love my husband but he is not dedicated to working out and eating right like I am. Yet he gets the positive reinforcement that I deserve! lol IRONY........ LOVE ALL MY CYSTERS! We go through more than any normal 'body' could truly understand. I don't even explain PCOS and weightloss to people anymore because they're completely uneducated (for the most part) and they have no grasp on the disease at all.

I would like to thank the string of mostly incompetent and condescending military doctors that led to it taking over 12 years to get a diagnosis.

I started showing symptoms at 18 (irregular periods) for which my military gyn handed me a prescription for birth control and pushed me out the door. I went off the pill at 21 in hopes of getting pregnant. Instead, I gained enough weight to end my military career (sometimes, so quickly that the uniform I wore to work on Friday would be too tight to wear on Monday). Doctor after Doctor after Doctor telling me if I'd just go on a diet, my periods would regulate. After my divorce, I started seeing a VA doctor who offered to put me on fertility drugs. I explained I didn't want to get pregnant anymore, I just wanted to get my periods regulated. He said if I didn't want to get pregnant, why was I worried about regular periods?

At 30 I started seeing a VA Nurse Practitioner who mentioned, very nonchalantly I might add, that with my PCOS, I would have to stay on the pill to have regular periods and would probably need fertility drugs to get pregnant. With my WHAT? Oh yea, you didn't know? She prescribed Metformin, which did absolutely nothing for me except keep my lower intestines squeaky clean.

I stayed on the pill until 35 when the VA wouldn't give it to me anymore because I'm a smoker. I stopped the pill, and Lo and Behold, regular periods. No significant weight loss, no abatement of the facial hair, but regular, normal periods.

Now here I am, 41, facial hair, stretch marks, 40 excess lbs of belly fat (serious, I carry everything between my boobs and pubes), eating fish and veggies and salad while I cook fried pork chops and pasta and King Ranch chicken for the boyfriend that can consume 5k calories a day and never gain an ounce. I walk/run 30 minutes, do a 45 zumba workout, and 2 30 minute pilates workouts 5 days a week, and last week I GAINED 2 lbs.

Oh what a life. Normal people are jealous, I'm sure.

I don't try to explain PCOS to anybody because when you get into the details it sounds too much like 'I have a glandular problem that makes it hard for me to lose weight'. Uh huh . . . is it a 'glandular problem' or is it that empty box of Krispy Kremes sitting on your desk? Or worse, 'so what do you mean it effects your estrogen levels? What, like, you're turning into a man?'

Is your husband encouraging? Does he tell you you're beautiful and he's proud of you and your hard work? If not, you should write that out and make him memorize it and regurgitate it back to you EVERY DAY! I shamelessly pander for compliments and encouragement . . . I'll leave my workout clothes in a pile by the bed so he'll ask about my workout or I'll leave the Zumba disc in the XBox on purpose or I'll tell him things I saw while I was walking at the track. Somebody before me trained him very well because he never fails to tell me how proud he is and how well I'm doing.

hahaha The part about your BF is exactly the same as my Husband...this guy can literally eat and eat and eat and never gain a pound. If I eat one piece of regular bread....I literally gain about 3 pounds the next day. the caloric intake doesn't make any sense....so it HAS to be pcos related. Also if my hubby goes to the gym for about oh...lets say .... 2-3 weeks dilligently(which is the most he's ever gone consistently since i've known him lol) he will be ripped and toned and people will compliment him right away! I on the other hand.... have worked out pretty much for a whole year only stopping for maybe 5 days at a time here or there. Lost damn near 40 pounds within the last 6 months, eating healthy and exercising at least 45 mins a day of cardio and 30 min strength training sessions about 3-4 times perweek....NOT ONE PERSON HAS SAID OR NOTICED MY WEIGHTLOSS.................ugh..........it irks me to no end....lol I love my husband but he is not dedicated to working out and eating right like I am. Yet he gets the positive reinforcement that I deserve! lol IRONY........ LOVE ALL MY CYSTERS! We go through more than any normal 'body' could truly understand. I don't even explain PCOS and weightloss to people anymore because they're completely uneducated (for the most part) and they have no grasp on the disease at all.

I would like to thank the string of mostly incompetent and condescending military doctors that led to it taking over 12 years to get a diagnosis.

I started showing symptoms at 18 (irregular periods) for which my military gyn handed me a prescription for birth control and pushed me out the door. I went off the pill at 21 in hopes of getting pregnant. Instead, I gained enough weight to end my military career (sometimes, so quickly that the uniform I wore to work on Friday would be too tight to wear on Monday). Doctor after Doctor after Doctor telling me if I'd just go on a diet, my periods would regulate. After my divorce, I started seeing a VA doctor who offered to put me on fertility drugs. I explained I didn't want to get pregnant anymore, I just wanted to get my periods regulated. He said if I didn't want to get pregnant, why was I worried about regular periods?

At 30 I started seeing a VA Nurse Practitioner who mentioned, very nonchalantly I might add, that with my PCOS, I would have to stay on the pill to have regular periods and would probably need fertility drugs to get pregnant. With my WHAT? Oh yea, you didn't know? She prescribed Metformin, which did absolutely nothing for me except keep my lower intestines squeaky clean.

I stayed on the pill until 35 when the VA wouldn't give it to me anymore because I'm a smoker. I stopped the pill, and Lo and Behold, regular periods. No significant weight loss, no abatement of the facial hair, but regular, normal periods.

Now here I am, 41, facial hair, stretch marks, 40 excess lbs of belly fat (serious, I carry everything between my boobs and pubes), eating fish and veggies and salad while I cook fried pork chops and pasta and King Ranch chicken for the boyfriend that can consume 5k calories a day and never gain an ounce. I walk/run 30 minutes, do a 45 zumba workout, and 2 30 minute pilates workouts 5 days a week, and last week I GAINED 2 lbs.

Oh what a life. Normal people are jealous, I'm sure.

I don't try to explain PCOS to anybody because when you get into the details it sounds too much like 'I have a glandular problem that makes it hard for me to lose weight'. Uh huh . . . is it a 'glandular problem' or is it that empty box of Krispy Kremes sitting on your desk? Or worse, 'so what do you mean it effects your estrogen levels? What, like, you're turning into a man?'

Is your husband encouraging? Does he tell you you're beautiful and he's proud of you and your hard work? If not, you should write that out and make him memorize it and regurgitate it back to you EVERY DAY! I shamelessly pander for compliments and encouragement . . . I'll leave my workout clothes in a pile by the bed so he'll ask about my workout or I'll leave the Zumba disc in the XBox on purpose or I'll tell him things I saw while I was walking at the track. Somebody before me trained him very well because he never fails to tell me how proud he is and how well I'm doing.

HAHA! OMG.. people dont get PCOS AT ALL!!! Unless someone has it and has dealt with it.. they have no idea! ugh. What you said is so true! People always look at me like huh?! haha

I am definitely with you, PCOS blows. I was diagnosed when I was 15...9 years later here I am. I carry all my weight in the midsection, have extra hair everywhere (nothing like explaining why you have more of a treasure trail the your bf), among a million other things. My ex and I tried for 4 years to get pregnant but to no avail that didn't work, we split up shortly after that. A few years later I met the love of my life and want to have a child sometime in the near future but every dr I speak to says "lose weight, everything will regulate" I am so sick and tired of hearing that! Grrrrr!!!!!!! It seems almost impossible to lose a single ounce.

/End Rant

I am having the same issue. The only way to get back to normal is to lose weight.. but my doctors told me that with the severity of it, I am in a hard spot because its almost impossible for me to lose it on my own.. =[ stupid PCOS!

I started Metformin today. None of my doctor's had put me on it before. Lo and behold I go for my yearly woman's exam yesterday and a nurse practioner is actually the only one who I feel like has ever listened to me. I've even seen a fertility speicialist for this and they never suggested Metformin for me. So I'm really excited that this might help to regulate many things in my body and maybe tame some rogue hormones. The NP said that the Metformin should help me to loose a little weight.

I was wondering about others expierences with Metformin. Did it really help in loseing weight and helping to regulate your body?

Jamie

Thanks so much for your reply. I have been very frustrated because I eat healthy and exercise but don't see any results. Since I started taking the Metformin THIS WEEK, I've already lost 1.5 pounds. So I have to say, it has to be helping me somewhere. I can say that it does kinda make me feel queesy, but I'm hoping this will pass because It's been such a nice thing to step on the scale and see some weight loss!

Congrats! :-)

Metformin isn't really effective regarding weight-loss unless you also have insulin resistance along with your PCOS (which, unfortunately, many of us do).

I have insulin resistance and PCOS. My personal experience? Metformin - coupled with daily exercise and healthy eating - has been the only thing that has allowed me to lose weight like a "normal" individual (in this case someone who doesn't have PCOS/insulin resistance). I have always eaten healthy and exercised regularly, but it was only after the addition of Metformin to my routine, that I was able to lose weight. So for me? It was a major (1/3!!) part of the weight-loss equation for me.

Not everyone can tolerate it or has success with it, but I've never had problems with it and it's, quite honestly, been a life saver for me personally..

Losing weight while being diagnosed with pcos is close to impossible without the proper diet and exercise and medication! You can't even skip a day......or hardly even reward yourself with a treat here or there because it seems to offset ALL the hard work you've been doing! As for eating exercise cals back? I hardly ever do because my weight loss will stagnate if I do. I know that normal bodies can do this and it is better for them. But it hasn't seemed to work for me yet. Im hoping that once I have actually lost enough weight my body WILL regulate and actually respond correctly...but as for now...it isnt.

Same here! I even look at a junk food and I gain 2 lbs lol.. I refuse to eat my exercise calories! I will regret it if I do.. =[

So I did a bad thing, I had a piece of cake about an hour ago for a coworker's going away party. I was a very small piece, but all the sugar is already making me feel sick (I take Metformin so I'm sure I will be paying for the sugar here soon!) So now I'm looking at my food diary and realize that I now don't even get to enjoy my normal lunch because that will put me over in calories by the end of the day. I think Mel brought it up but I can't eat back my exercise calories either, no matter how much I sweat, I HAVE to stay at 1000-1200 calories to lose weight. Even on Metformin. In fact a few weeks ago I had a few "bad" days (really normal days for non cysters) and gained 6 pounds!!! ARE YOU F-ING KIDDING ME!!!!! IT TOOK ME A MONTH TO LOSE THOSE 6 POUNDS!

Reed - the nausea does get better, once you're body gets used to the metformin, most of the worst side effects should subside - as long as you eat right! For me I notice if I eat too much sugar and/or crap foods, I have vomiting and some lower GI issues. Also if the meal I take the metformin at doesn't have some healthy carbs I get the same issues. I did talk to my dr about the issues with the healthy meal and he said if i am going to have a high protein and very low carb meal I can take a smaller dose of the metformin to help with this. I'd check with your dr.

Just had to make another follow up appointment with my dr. Even though I've lost weight and my periods are getting better (without birth control) I've noticed my mood swings starting to go CRAZY and I'm having more frequent (but short) bouts of depression. So we need to discuss a way to stop this without birth control. Not trying to get preggo (in fact hubby is getting snipped next Friday so we don't get any surprises) but I've been on the pill since I was 17 (until recently), it didn't control my PCOS (gained all my weight on it) and I am worried about the side effects of long term use as I'm now in my 30's. I know some of my fellow cysters have this same issue, do you ladies have any suggestions?

I think it is wonderful that in sooo many posts, cysters mention having a very supportive significant other! That goes a loooong way and kuddos to those S.O. for being such great people! My hubby has been great, even when we didn't know I had PCOS and he just had a "fat wife" the extra weight was never an issue for him. I think that God (fate, Budda, feel free to insert who/what you believe in) realizes that he/she stuck us with a sh*tty lot in life and gave us our own angels to help us through!