Losing Weight with PCOS or any other disease

riah31
riah31 Posts: 7 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have struggled with my weight my whole life. Even in elementary school I was overweight. By the time I was 14 I was diagnosed with PCOS and was about 170. At 16 I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease and was about 180 at that point. The summer I graduated high school (17 at the time) I woke up one morning for work and could barely move I was in so much pain. I managed to make it to the floor. My sister grabbed my mom and step dad. After trying to help me stand and me screaming in pain they called and ambulance. A ton of tests were run and reaults showed my lower 3 discs were collapsed/gone so the vertibre were rubbing against eachother. Somehow my sciatic nerve had been pinched and I got diagnosed with sciatica (which causes severe pain from your neck to your toes. For around 6 months I struggled. Had to use a wheelchair, get help in the shower, use a commode next to my bed. I was at an all time low, gaining weight as I went. Contemplated some horrible thoughts and somehow my younger sister who was 10 at the time helped drag me out of it. I started putting my all into PT and trying to do stuff at home. Eventually I was able to use a walker and slowly the pain subsided. I was now able to walk again, but still suffered from back pain. I was now at my all time high of about 240 lbs.
By 19 I had met my now husband and had got my weight down to about 220.
PCOS (polycistic ovarian syndrome) causes cysts to form on your overies. Can cause unwanted body and facial hair, while thinning your actual hair. Makes is extremely easy to GAIN weight and extremely difficult to lose weight. Worst of all it causes fertility issues as most women dont get a proper mentral cycle because of it. I personally only get like 3 or 4 a year. Yet I have had one last for almost 2 months straight.

I am now 26, married for three years to a wonderful man, have a nice house, a steady job. So naturally we want to start a family. After technically "trying" as in not using any contraceptives we have not been able to in almost 7 years.
I went to the doctor and he told me basically what I already knew. There is no cure for PCOS or Degenerative Disc Disease. However losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle has been proven to help reduce the effects of PCOS and lower the pain caused by DDD.
I have gotten on and fallen off the weight loss rollar coaster so many times I have loss count.
My husband and I are open to adoption however we both definitely still want to have a baby if its possible. He has been amazing and supportive I owe it to both of us to at least seriously try and see if losing weight helps reduce the problems of these 2 diseases.

I believe that you can want to lose weight but definitely strike out or give up. But that when you are truly ready to make the change whatever your reasons you will be able to do it. Not saying it wont be difficult or that you wont ever have slip ups but that overall if your mentally, physically, and emotionally ready for a change you will do it.
Between wanting to have a chance at getting pregnant, wanting to look better and feel better, I am finally ready to take that step.

Please feel free to post your story as little or as much as you want. Hoping to be able to give support to others and to help eachother stay on track and accomplish our goals. ❤️

Replies

  • riah31
    riah31 Posts: 7 Member
    Original start weight: 232lbs (Jan 2020)
    March start weight: 222lbs
    Current weight : 217 lbs
    Overall goal weight:150 lbs
    March 1: 222lbs
    March 8: 217lbs
    March 15:
    March 22:
    March 29:
    March 31:
    We can do this!
  • Ready4Change07
    Ready4Change07 Posts: 19 Member
    edited March 2020
    Hello! My name is Misty, and I, too, have PCOS. I found out in the beginning of 2018 and I soon after had a ablation. Which actually did nothing that it was supposed to do :(. BUT I started my weight loss journey in august of 2018 after finding out that at that time I was 5'5 and 260lbs. I was pre-diabetic, pre-hypertension, thyroid issues, elevated cholesterol, etc. I was basically killing myself,. I lost a total of 60lbs (and my health is back in order with perfect bloodwork!) before starting my new job as a corrections officer in feb. of 2019. I plateaued for a long time!!!! but got back on track to finish losing the weight 2 months ago. im now down 71lbs with 34 left to go. We can do this!!!!! feel free to add me if youd like!
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    Hi I have been able to try to avoid photo estrogens in food and it with daily walking regulated my cycle and I became more fertile the older I got. I did not really lose weight until I found carb cycling which was the only diet I’d ever stuck with at the time. Choose more lose more by Chris Powell I love that book it taught me about correct portions.
  • cherrylou123
    cherrylou123 Posts: 96 Member
    I have a friend in fb she also had PCOSbyt she posted a success story, she said she won the battle.

    Everything is possible pretty if you believe. You should just have a strong mind and a determination to really do a healthy lifestyle. Eat more on real foods (fruits, vegetables and protein rich). Stay away from process and unhealthy foods but when you are craving for those, eat only a little and walk away. Exercise. Keep yourself active. Drink water when you are thirsty instead of other beverage. Have enough rest and sleep.

    When you lose fats already, reward yourself with travel to a nice place with your husband or a thing (something that you like) but not food. Do not avoid the foods but remind yourself that eating healthy food and enough (not too much.. Not too little) is a lot better 🤗🤗🤗

    You can do it...
  • asthesoapturns
    asthesoapturns Posts: 313 Member
    I have PCOS. I used it as an excuse to not work at losing weight because everyone says it's hard or impossible. Since I started logging my food intake and making healthier choices, and getting exercise I have slowly but consistently lost. Burn more calories than you take in and you WILL lose bit by bit. You can do this.
  • taylapayla
    taylapayla Posts: 1 Member
    Hi OP! Thank you for sharing your story!

    for me it just feels like as I have aged I have gained and gained. I was always chubby and then i was overweight and incredibly anxious and depressed and burdened by it and I had ZERO confidence all my life.
    idk when exactly it started for me - I’ve definitely had PCOS for my whole adolescence but was able to finally go for a diagnosis just last year which confirmed it.
    I’ve also been on Lexapro for two years but want to stop relying on meds and have started the discontinuation process which feels like it’s wreaking havoc on my weight.

    I am hovering for what seems like forrreverr on 115kg (250lb). I’m 27 and I want this to be the last year that I hold all this excess fat and also go on wondering when my period will come. This pcos, thick chin hair and incredible belly and hip fat just indicates that my hormones are not performing well!

    I have a doctors appointment next week where I want to tackle these hormones head on - i think going further into our body chemistry is always a great extra place to start. 😁
  • Showgirlbody
    Showgirlbody Posts: 402 Member
    I have PCOS and agree with carb cycling. It helps us to have lower carbs but giving them up is hard to sustain. Losing is easier when I carb cycle compared to just calorie counting. I do still track here because it is hard to gauge where I am at

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