Women With PCOS

bmonahan115
bmonahan115 Posts: 121 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello,

I've been diagnosed and living taking Hormonal Birth Control ever since i was 16. But I'm no longer trying to live my life strapped to a pill for normality. (I'm 24 and would eventually like the choice to build a family with my SO) Any women here with PCOS who've changed their diet and seen success in regular periods/continued weight loss or at least weight maintenance (i was severely overweight before HBC, so i know my PCOS is directly linked to my weight and having lost over 100lbs i def don't want to go backwards) If not i understand it was a shot in the dark, but research on google proves to just be a bunch of links to books to buy and i dont trust it no have the funds to spend on anything outside of traveling to work and groceries beyond rent/bills.

thanks either way! :D

Replies

  • ranewell
    ranewell Posts: 621 Member
    i have pcos but I'm just getting started. i haven't had a chance yet to see if the weight change will correct my periods, I just went on the pill rather than progesterone in the event that it does correct itself I wanna lose more before I get pregnant. Would be interested to hear other women's issues with this :)
  • JewlToU2
    JewlToU2 Posts: 1
    I've been treating my PCOS for almost 2-1/2 years now with metformin (500mg 4x a day) and have lost 95 pounds since. It has helped regulate me and has totally transformed my life. It's worth treating. You will feel soo much better. Especially your mood.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    PCOS
    Metabolic X Syndrome

    Low carb is the way to go for PCOS... the high doses of insulin in our bodies makes losing weight so very difficult.. but.. I am noticing ALOT of things changing - and in the past three weeks, I have gone low-carb with my Endo's blessing and guidance...and Im losing weight!!!

    I have regular periods because of taking a birth control pill.. Without it, I risk the other meds not working, my insulin going through the roof and then having Hepatitis (because of how insulin affects the liver) - I was nearly quarantined 20 years ago and no one knew enough about PCOS.....

    The number one thing you have to do as a woman with PCOS, is lose weight... if you can lose weight and get the insulin under control (preferably with Metformin - and Im dead serious - Im on 2000mg daily for this), your chances of conceiving are greater.

    Unfortunately in my case (being a severe case), I am a high risk and could die if I even consider trying to get pregnant... I nearly died having my first child - so, having them tell me I can no longer have children WAS A BLESSING..... I never want to go through what I did, ever again.

    I did read up on one particular book that was recommended by both my Dermatologist (alopecia treatment) and my new Endocrinologist (PCOS, X), and for fear I might violate a Term-Of-Service, I will send the titles to you in a private message... i dont want the moderators thinking Im promoting things.. I just want to share with you a good reference that helped me.

    Meanwhile back at the ranch - keep your chin up.. I know this is mind-boggling stuff....
  • beginswithb
    beginswithb Posts: 132
    Hiya!

    I was diagnosed with PCOS after my daughter was born in 2003. I was on Metformin on and off for years. Last year, I was TTC and on Metformin, progesterone and Femara for fertility issues. I came off of everything when we stopped TTC due to depression and just giving up.

    I began my weightloss journey in June. Since then, I've lost only 23 pounds BUT... I'm getting periods without medication! Granted, my cycles are about 40 days long but that is a VAST improvement from my old 120 day cycles. I think I am actually ovulating too. My problem before was that I wasn't so this is a HUGE success for me.

    My sugar issues seem to have disappeared as well. I'm considering going back on Metformin just to see if I react better this time around, and if it helps with weight loss now that I am actively trying to go about it the right way.

    I dunno if this helps but...this is just my experience. :)
  • robinellis
    robinellis Posts: 66
    i have been on birthcontrol for a year and a half now and still no periods. i have been on MFP since the beginning of august and have lost 26 pounds so far and actually got my period this past week, so not sure if it will continue but would be nice! well not totally, i could live without my period as i have a child and don't want more, but i hope that i will see progress with some of my other PCOS symptoms.

    i took metformin aswell for a while but stopped as it was messing up my stomach, but now that i am paying attention to what i am putting in my stomach, i have started taking them again and they aren't bothering me.
  • beginswithb
    beginswithb Posts: 132
    When I was on Metformin the first time, it KILLED my stomach. When I went back on it, they changed me to the XR and it worked better. I was careless about my eating and Metformin let me know! I'm thinking it'll be easier now that I am eating better.
  • bmonahan115
    bmonahan115 Posts: 121 Member
    thank you all for responding, i appreciate hearing all your stories, but i guess more my point was the fact that i wanted to stop all medications period, especially being celiac, most binders in all these prescriptions contain forms of gluten that've been making me ill, regardless of weight loss.

    i'd love to hear diet based changes WITHOUT ANY medication, but if it isn't possible i hear it. i'll just have to deal because i can't take medications anymore. just was a bit hopeful i guess hahaha
  • beginswithb
    beginswithb Posts: 132
    No medication here!
  • benita30
    benita30 Posts: 20
    I have PCOS, and my periods were never regular before I started taking the pill, when I was about 16. Im nineteen now, and I stopped taking the pill about 5 months ago. My doctor never really explained to me how important it was to lose weight in order to make my periods regular, i had to learn that from google. i used to weigh about 72 kilos while I was on the pill, and now that Im off it and eating healthy, and excercising almost daily, Ive gone down to 67.7 kilos in 4 weeks. I don't really have an extremely low carb diet. I just make sure to minimise everything. I dont eat pasta, but I occasionally still have a slice of wholegrain bread, or 1/4 cup of white rice.
    You don't have to cut carbs completely out of your diet, because then eventually you probably won't stick to it. its just about minimising, and if you can, trying to swap direct carbs for something else. Have extra protein on your plate in place of carbs, or salad and non starchy vegetables (: .

    since i got off the pill my periods have pretty much been regular, except for being a few days late this month, which i attribute to my new excercise/eating lifestyle, and I've lost weight, and still am, without totally cutting out carbs.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Hello,

    I've been diagnosed and living taking Hormonal Birth Control ever since i was 16. But I'm no longer trying to live my life strapped to a pill for normality. (I'm 24 and would eventually like the choice to build a family with my SO) Any women here with PCOS who've changed their diet and seen success in regular periods/continued weight loss or at least weight maintenance (i was severely overweight before HBC, so i know my PCOS is directly linked to my weight and having lost over 100lbs i def don't want to go backwards) If not i understand it was a shot in the dark, but research on google proves to just be a bunch of links to books to buy and i dont trust it no have the funds to spend on anything outside of traveling to work and groceries beyond rent/bills.

    thanks either way! :D

    Wild Harvest brand Vitex and Black Cohosh are fantastic for controlling the hormones in women with PCOS and help with fertility.
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