Is anyone fighting PCOS?

JenniferMann24
JenniferMann24 Posts: 293
edited September 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I may have PCOS and I was wondering if anyone has had problem losing weight? I have been doing really good the past 4 weeks and I have actually gained.
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Replies

  • I may have PCOS and I was wondering if anyone has had problem losing weight? I have been doing really good the past 4 weeks and I have actually gained.
  • soup78
    soup78 Posts: 667 Member
    Not sure what that is, exactly.......scratching my head now.....
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome. Sorry.
  • MontanaGirl
    MontanaGirl Posts: 1,251 Member
    Not sure what that is, exactly.......scratching my head now.....

    Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome

    I don't have it, I don't think! But I do know that it can cause difficulty losing weight. A few people here have posted about it, hopefully they will see this!
  • Skittles6617
    Skittles6617 Posts: 247 Member
    I was having symptonms of this which in turn caused me to be insulin resistant which in turn caused me to gain weight which in turn causes the PCOS......makes sense? lol I completely understand your frustration. The dr. put me on Metformin for 3 years and I hated it!!! Could not lose weight to save my life and not to mention the medicine made feel horrible all the time!!! After spending thousands of dollars on LA Weightloss, Weight Watchers, etc.... with no luck at all!!! I stopped taking the medicine and started MFP and exercise and I can tell a big difference. I have done alot of research and the best way to reverse this is diet and exercise. It works, I promise!! This is the best I have felt in years....Stay positive and simply take baby steps and try eating healthy and exercise. I understand your frustration all too well. Good Luck!!!!
  • ericarey85
    ericarey85 Posts: 312 Member
    I have a MFPer friend who has it, I sent her profile page to you, it'll be in your messages. :smile:
  • Canelitas
    Canelitas Posts: 712
    I have PCOS... :ohwell:

    I hope to get rid of it, if capable....I just started on metformin, which I take at night by it self with 6oz of milk followed by 6oz of water, and since I'm sleeping, I don't feel the cramps...when taking during the day, i would get really bad cramps.
  • I'm dealing with PCOS. Technically PCOS is a liver disease that affects hormones heart and a few other things.
  • Skittles6617
    Skittles6617 Posts: 247 Member
    Be careful with Metformin it causes liver damage. it is technically a diabetic medicine.
  • naomic3
    naomic3 Posts: 2
    HI! I have had PCOS since I started Depro-provera in college. Being on several other forms of hormonal birth control did not help, and over the last 15 years, I was not able to lose weight (I am just under 5' tall and at my heaviest weighed 168 lbs.)

    After having two children in close succession and breast-feeding, I managed to go down to 155 lbs. I began taking Orth-Evera as birth control, which I believe may have helped counter the high progesterone level that is symptomatic of PCOS. My symptoms lessened somewhat, but even after a year at 145 lbs, I only managed to lose 5 lbs more through exercise.

    I started Metformin (for insulin resistance) after an endocrine consult; in combination with regular exercise and ongoing estrogen therapy and keeping my food logs, I am down to 130 lbs and borderline-"normal" BMI. I have read the other posts where Metformin did not work for others, but I urge you to talk to an endocrinologist to work on a balance between hormones and insulin-control that will work for you. I still have gastric side effects from the Metformin, even after 5 months, but in conbination with the other steps (above) I feel better, have a more balance appetite, look better and most of my PCOS symptoms are under control.

    GOOD LUCK!
  • heyjuede
    heyjuede Posts: 73 Member
    PCOS here!!!! on metformin as well 1700 mg daily. diagnosed 2006. led to many weight issues and infertility:grumble:
    i was never told it had anything to do with the liver?? hmm... learn something new everyday..:smile:
  • heyjuede
    heyjuede Posts: 73 Member
    metformin takes a while for most people to get used to. 2 wks to a month sometimes. i had a hard time adjusting, but once it stabilized, its like taking vitamins at this point. because of the insulin resistance issue i don't think i would have dropped 30 lbs with just diet and exercise with out the med. i had tried for years!!! with no avail. :explode: although, just the med alone does not work wonders. i don't care what any dr says:noway:

    i am so glad to find people with my issue out there. 1-10 women are effected by this and it can start as early as 11 years old or so. i've done a lot of research on it, but i am saddened that there is still no cure for it. i still say i live with it, but i am not defined by it. it does not and will not rule my life. i will treat it, i will fight it, and i will continue to hope to get ahead of this outrageous disorder :drinker:
  • ChubbyBunny
    ChubbyBunny Posts: 3,523 Member
    I have PCOS, the weight gain and loss have both been a pain. I've had it since I was a teen.
    I can handle most of the symptoms but the weight has always been annoying.
  • obliged
    obliged Posts: 465
    i have it
    the only time i have trouble with weight gain/loss and appetites and is when my doctor trials me on a new pill
    the one i'm currently is working fine so i think i'll be on it for the rest of my life yay! :sad:

    i hate men:angry:
  • Canelitas
    Canelitas Posts: 712
    I didn't know about the liver damage either...:( I'm on a 500mg a day.

    Best Wishes to All! :flowerforyou:
  • Laynee
    Laynee Posts: 45
    I just started a new thread on this, not knowing this one was here since I just joined within the past week and a half. Anyway, I scrolled down and found this. I have PCOS too and that's one of the reasons I'm trying this. Weight has been a struggle for me all my life and I'm determined to win the battle with God's help and MFP. I just want to encourage you all that we can do this, stay strong, fight the battle and look forward to the day we reach our goals!
  • heyjuede
    heyjuede Posts: 73 Member
    haven't seen much on this lately and wanted to check in on my fellow PCOS'ers. hope you are all doing well and kickn some but!

    i am 15 wks pregnant and i passed my glucose challenge a few weeks back with a 94! talk about kick *kitten*! i am staying on metformin throughout the pregnancy to prevent hopefully gestational diabetes.
  • raincloud
    raincloud Posts: 405 Member
    I have PCOS and took metformin back in the day. When I was first diagnosed I had 25 cysts on my ovaries (13 on one and 12 on the other).

    I haven't taken any medications since starting this lifestyle change, and have had absolutely no problem losing this weight, I mean, who can complain about 66lbs in only 5 months?!?!
  • I have it also.
    and IT SUCKS :angry: .

    i was diagnosed with it when i was 15 and i'm 18 now, but it was only because of irregular periods. I've been on metformin since i was 15 and birth control for the regular periods. it took a while for it to sink in and for me to get into a routine for taking the meds. but since i've been taking it, i've gained weight, but it wasn't because of the meds, i was just choosing the wrong things to eat. but i'm still on the meds now and i'm doing fine :happy:

    just be patient and talk to your doctor about EVERYTHING you do. honestly, my endocrinologist has become like my best friend. i call him about everything that i think may dumb down my meds because i wanna get this crap done and over with. i haven't had an ultrasound since i was diagnosed so i'm not sure how things are going. but hopefully soon they'll be gone. and i'm especially worried about infertility :cry: . i wanna be a mom so bad (when the time comes of course) and if this junk makes me infertile, i won't know what to do. so hopefully this will be in the past soon and i can feel relieved about that little issue.


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  • PussyKat
    PussyKat Posts: 69 Member
    I'm too scared to go to a doctor but I strongly suspect that I have PCOS. If I do, is this maybe why my weight loss seems to be very gradual?
  • jjwright
    jjwright Posts: 9
    I have PCOS and am new to this site (and LOVE it!) I've dealt w/PCOS for 10 years now and after overcoming some recent challenges w/my hormone levels am back on track and ready to shed those pounds! Looking to lose 33 lbs. Any other cysters around?

    :smile:
  • i have been fighting polycystic ovarian syndrome for two years. insulin resistance, hydradinitis supperativa ( skin sores), hair loss, and weight gain are all symptoms. liver failure/disease is not part of this disease. i have been on metformin, spironilactone and birth control to treat. very hard to lose weight, but crucial for the insulin resistance!!:sad: hopefully keeping careful track of my eating and excercize will help me. i feel all of your frustration. i am active and healthy for the most part, but still about 30 lbs over weight.
  • sonjavon
    sonjavon Posts: 1,019 Member
    I have PCOS. I was diagnosed about 7 or 8 years ago. After gaining tons of weight, feeling tired all the time, having dark splotches on my skin, hair growth where it should be, and hardly ever having TOM - I went to the doctor and was diagnosed. I was put on birth control pills and metformin and told that losing weight would be very difficult for me but that I needed to watch my carb intake and exercise more.

    The birth control pills made me feel like I was going insane -my emotions were all over the place. At the time I was a single mom with a 4 year old at home - losing your temper and having your emotions all over is not a good option. I went off the birth control pills. My Dr also had me on Metformin - it gave me ulcers and again just made me feel crappy.

    The mistake that the Dr. made was telling me that it would be difficult for me to lose weight... as I did with everything else at the time, I used it as an excuse. "I have PCOS and it makes it very hard to lose weight - no matter what I try, I can't seem to lose - could you pass the hot fudge please?" I was awful!

    I met my husband a little while after being diagnosed and I was just so daggone happy that I had found someone who loved me in spite of being fat that I ate more. Finally as the scale started getting a little too near the 300 lb mark I got scared. On March 23rd I started MFP at 286 lbs. Today I weighed in at 271. That's 15 pounds in 15 days! Has it been easy? No... but it hasn't been NEARLY as hard as some of the other things I did.

    Weight watchers? LOL - thanks, I followed the plan and gained 30 lbs in 3 months
    Atkins? I lost 10 pounds in 2 months and felt terrible (and poor) while doing it
    Subway Diet - Surprise, surprise - I gained on that too...

    Really and truly - following the calories that MFP tells me to and finding an exercise routine that I enjoy has been the key - for me, that's walking on my treadmill and listening to good music.
  • pipinana
    pipinana Posts: 2,356 Member
    I also have PCOS and was diagnosed about three years ago when DH and I were trying for babies.... We tried everything to get prego, but nothing worked. After trying for over a year we gave up. Went back on BC so I'd at least have a TOM. I only stayed on for about 4 months then stopped because I was out of work for a while and couldn't afford.

    I was close to 190, and am down to 161 now... I thought by loosing weight I would stop having symptoms of PCOS, BUT NO.

    My OB/GYN just put back on BC because I hadn't had a TOM in 5 months (not good - high risk of developing cervical cancer).... Only been two weeks, so I'm hoping it will help with my symptoms....

    Only thing is now we have to save up massive amounts of money to have invetro. Either that, or adopt. It sucks. And adopting is just as much money..... :brokenheart:
  • jjwright
    jjwright Posts: 9
    I'm so glad this thread revived, it was my first and only post and I wasn't sure there were any cysters around...glad to hear from you all!

    Pipinana, I know the heartache and disappointment you feel, my dh and I felt it too. I had heavy cycles (sorry, rusty on my abbreviations, laf) in high school and had a bad episode, after which I was put on bc to control and things went on normally. In college a few years later I gained some weight gradually due to poor eating habits but it wasn't much because I was into exercising regularly. I started having ovarian pain so bad that at one point I rushed from class to my OB in the next town and waited hours to see some random fill-in dr. that said "congratulations, you felt yourself ovulate" and changed my bc and pushed me out the door. If he'd had done an ultrasound I'd have been dx w/pcos. Same thing happened w/other drs over the years w/o answers & I didn't know any better.

    When my dh started talking about getting married and "our family" I told him I had a feeling I couldn't have kids, something just wasn't right. He was willing to cross that bridge when/if we met it. Several years later we bought our house and I wanted to just go see if I could find out if we'd have any trouble if we wanted to start talking about trying soon...my new dr was old school, he actually LISTENED. He said there wasn't much to suggest I had anything "wrong" and most dr's would say to try for a year and then they'd see me and run some tests. I told him I'd called around and was told that and someone told me he was different. As i decided to leave feeling defeated he said he'd go w/my gut and if there was nothing on the us I could pay for 1/2, since insurance wouldn't cover it. An hour later I returned home hysterical and near tears, having been diagnosed with PCOS...he counted 14 cysts on one and 11 on the other, several sizeable enough to indicate that as the active cause of stabbing pain in that area. When I asked him to write it down, what PCOS stood for he said "no....it's your syndrome, it's important that you remember it and go home and study it.....find out everything you can, search every resource and then decide on a plan to conquer it. Call me when you're ready to fight it." That doctor stuck with me for 2 years of the most painful and emotional journey that had highs and lows so drastic that when I read your post it just flooded my eyes with tears and I couldn't breathe as the memories poured back in.

    I'm not a physician, though I've worked for many, ironically, laf, but as I studied, read and searched for answers and help I promised myself to encourage and help any other cysters if the opportunity presented itself. It's lonely, it's down right depressing to want a baby and try so long and so hard that every day is like an eternity for you while others can only try to relate on the surface, going on with things while you are stuck in that place that feels hopeless. I thank PCOS for bringing me empathy where I may have lacked it and for putting the fight in me where I wasn't sure I could find it.

    Don't lose hope, pipinana! I'm sure you've visited the numerous cyster boards as I did and have and I don't presume to be any more knowledgeable than the next, but I'm here and willing to listen and help any cysters that want to vent, talk, rant and rave, bounce ideas off of or hear more of my trials/tribulations and eventual "success," for lack of a better word, because it's always ongoing, even when you clear an insurmountable hurdle, the next looms...however, in my experience there is no stronger woman than the woman with a mission to overcome an obstacle!

    I apologize for the length, hope this posts :-) I just want to share that none of us are alone, no matter which sx we have or stage of triumph we're beginning. I have literature and info. that helped me and friends thru the past 8 years, let me know if anyone wants to talk.

    Btw, my son is seven....and because he was so very hard to conceive, hard to keep b/c of the risks after pg, hard to bring home b/c he was a preemie, it was the fight thru all that that made me feel as strong as I do now. What else could compare?

    Be strong cysters and remember how many of us there are!
    :heart:
  • pipinana
    pipinana Posts: 2,356 Member
    Thank you so much JJ! :heart: :flowerforyou: That really meant a lot to me...

    I must admit, I was in a pretty dark place then. For a long time. And it took a lot for me to get to where I am today. I was mad at the world. Mad at every pregnant person I saw. Furious when my sister got pregnant after being on BC and using a condom.... and they didn't have money to support the one they had... I broke down when my sister-in-law who says in front of her first born "some kids are just bad, and we just happened to get a bad one" got pregnant. It was the hardest couple of years for both me and the DH. My entire life, even when I was just a little girl, all I wanted was to be a mom. That's it, not a doctor, vet or policeman... a mom.

    But, I know now, and am at peace with it, that I don't need to have a little one grow inside me to love it with all my heart. We both are completely open to the idea of adopting, and one day we most definitely will. I KNOW I'll be a good mom.... One day my day will come. For now, I'm just living my life, having fun w/ my hubby, and trying to feel young instead of the 40 I usually feel.

    Thanks again for your post.... :flowerforyou: :heart:
  • I to Have PCOS and i cant win with my weight. As soon as i start talking birth control the weight just seems to keep coming . i have managed before comeing here to lose 25 lbs but i had to stop taking birth Control to due it .
  • Wow I didn't realize how many people on this site have PCOS! I've had it since I can remember. When I was twelve I had my first period and it was never regular from that moment on. Then the irregular hair growth started... and then before I knew it was the FAT kid, lol.

    Anyway, I haven't had the insulin complications. At the moment, I'm only on birth control (which seems to help my weight loss) and my primary doctor takes care of that. Should I be seeing a specialist? No one has really told me what I should do. So, for now I just take the pill so that I actually get my period (I don't get it at all if I'm not on it).
  • jjwright
    jjwright Posts: 9
    :happy: That's awesome Pipinana, boy do you have the right attitude! Sounds to me like you're already a mother, probably to many, you're just waiting for your little one to complete their journey to you. Just think what would happen to those little one's if loving people like you and your dh didn't open your hearts to them.

    Keep us posted!

    JJ
  • jjwright
    jjwright Posts: 9
    I don't have the hair growth, though after staying with my same Endocrinologist for so many years b/c he helped me so much, I was shocked when i finally ventured to a new specialist at the other symptoms/effects I actually do have. He's an odd duck, laf, but really knows his hormones! He saw me first about 4 months ago when they were REALLY out of wack and I was incredibly depressed, had gained 10 more pounds which made it worse. Anyway, he had a different approach in that he really broke down each hormone and explained its effect and zeroed in on the symptoms to get my hormones within range, proven by the blood tests, etc. I'm finally leveled now (dh is glad!) and I went off the bc for a few months b/c I broke thru and rather than go back to my OB for another type I just want to see how I feel off of them.

    One thing that helped me significantly in trying to get prego and ovulate was to drop to my lowest healthy weight. My dr. put me on the 40/30/30 plan so my intake of proteins, carbs and fats were balanced, which helped my insulin levels and then the Metformin was added to cut the appetite and aide in preventing diabetes later, which cysters are at risk for. I don't love being on that but do see a big difference. He also gave me an appetite suppressant that takes the edge off in combo w/my Met and insists I exercise 4 x/week, prefers at least 15 min. after my biggest meal and that really drops the pounds...its finding the time that adds them back on as I stress eat! So I'm here, using the tools and really liking them. Wish the ticker posted on the home page and blogs though. Oh well.

    Oh, if anyone knows someone trying to ovulate and is serious, I can recommend a great book that my friends joke has the prego mojo b/c it's passed from one to the other now and has notes in the columns and is all beat up ... the circles indicating the sections put to practice that resulted in them now running around like crazy women after their little one's wondering why they ever cried to join those ranks. ... why was it again? laf

    JJ
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