PCOS and weightloss

The only way I could lose weight was by taking Metformin but I'm sure some ladies in the PCOS group have some pointers too! I know more doctors are actually prescribing Metformin for breastfeedings mothers with PCOS because often PCOS causes supply issues and Metformin can boost your supply

I am glad to see that there are PCOS groups on this site..I will look into them today.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2006. I am on Metoformin though. And, have not been successful with losing weight or even taking the Metformin due to the side effects, that I recently learned can be eased with the use of Immodium...it is safe! So, I am restarting the Met!!!

Good luck to ya!

I have PCOS too so I understand how hard it is to lose. I don't take any medication but I do take supplements like omega, b100 and multi vitamins. There are a few groups here, but they aren't very active.

I have PCOS and IR and I do well on the gi diet!

I have PCOS. I was diagnosed after the birth of my 5th child in 1998. It helped explain a LOT of what was going on with me up until that point! What a relief to have a diagnosis! I've been taking Metformin ever since the diagnosis.

When my last one was born, I weighed 235 embarrassing pounds. I managed to drop to the 200lb point and within 10 or 15lbs, kept that off for the majority of the time since then, with 1 exception. About 4 years ago I joined a biggest loser competition at my gym and dropped 23 lbs doing that, then continued on to lose a total of over 40lbs. I would have been able to keep it off except that I'm an emotional eater and my beloved grandmother took ill from cancer and a very stressful time of her slowly deteriorating came about. I ate myself into oblivion and gained it all back in a few months, but stopped gaining at the 200lb mark.

She's been gone from this world for 3 years now and I'm finally working on losing the weight for good. I'm down 14 lbs from the point that I began this journey. I exercise 6 days a week right now, I use the food diary on this site religiously, too. That and the exercise diary are 2 huge helps for me. Time will tell if I get to my ultimate goal and keep it off, but I have a good feeling this time that I can and will. Without Metformin, I've never been able to lose weight without medical help. Before my 5th child, was conceived, I used fen-phen and dropped 40lbs, taking my body out of secondary infertility, much to our amazement.

Metformin is a miracle drug for me. It slowed the male pattern hair growth, helped bring my triglycerides under control (they were horribly high, making me at risk for heart disease), it seems to have stopped my insulin resistance, and lessened the acne I was experiencing. I'm sure there were other symptoms that I'm not recalling at the moment, but the medicine helped a lot. The worst side effect I had was surprise diarrhea. I had to go to the extended tabs and split up my dose, so I take half in the morning and half at night. For several years I would get surprised, though. I don't anymore, finally.

Best of luck to you.

I too have PCOS, and I can tell you that weight wise my body LOVED being pregnant. Both times I LOST weight while eating plenty-- until the baby was born and my ovaries went back into crazyland. Nursing the babies didn't help me lose weight either.

Anyway... I'm not on any meds but the thing that works best for me is staying away from sugar. It's such a quick spiral of wanting more and more and MORE.

It seems like it takes us longer than everyone else to lose weight. So just do your best and don't give up!

it's hard! I have PCOS, I have lost 25 pounds in 5 months. I'm completely unmediated. I am a carbaholic, pasta, potatoes, rice, you name I eat it all the time. I have been losing by just walking and doing Zumba, and eating smaller, portions. I'm never giving up, I have 58 lbs left to go!

Another person with PCOS whose lost. I do take Metformin when I remember but I am one of the rare ones who has no side affects from it.

I don't eat low carb but I eat low GI. It's worked for me! Exercise is spotty. I run, walk and play sport. After going under 100kg (I've hit a three month plateau and the mental need to get under 100kg is more important right now) ill start weight lifting again.

Thanks everyone it's nice to know I'm not the only one in this boat. My PCOS was never even controlled while on birth control my dr ended up putting me on lystida (sp) and oh man did that make my cysts much more barrible although cost a small fortune even with insurance but worth it to me. I am currently not on BC waiting to get an IUD. I eat as much of a low carb diet as I can (Italian) hard to give up the carbs. But i am always under the recommended carb intake by the end of the week. My sugar is ALWAYS over no matter what and usually over even before lunch. I do not think there has been a single day since starting this program that I haven't been over my allotted sugar intake by 2x or 3x the recommended. If someone can help me out with my food diary that would be fantastic an find where I am messing up besides the couple Pepsi next, two sugary treats this week, starbucks and some champagne last Saturday ( first cheat day since cinco de mayo)

There are a lot of things that contain sugar and affect our bodies that aren't obviously sugar. Bread crumbs, ketchups/sauces, marinades, fake sugars and even fruit!

I was diagnosed 9 years ago... and tried several medications including metformin and spironolactone. Neither one really did anything to alleviate my symptoms, in fact the side effects I had on them were worse than some of my symptoms. So I took a more natural approach and started taking cinnamon (which in studies has proven to be more effective than metformin!) Best part is it's cheap and no side effects. I put 1/2 tsp a day into my drink or food. I also take a chromium tablet which is supposed to help regulate blood sugar. B complex is great for PCOS as well as fish oil, I am taking all of those as well as Vitex to balance my hormones. I did lose over 55 pounds on my own without prescription medications. I have put some of that back on since I came off the pill but am hoping once my hormones balance back out I'll keep losing.

Cutting back sugar/carbs is really important. I used to suffer from serious hypoglycemia. Even when I was thin. It started around the time I was diagnosed with PCOS. I didn't make the connection right away. I became convinced that I couldn't go low carb because of the severity and frequency of my hypoglycemic episodes. The last few weeks I have drastically cut my carbs, initially to under 50 g a day and now to under 75g a day. I have had no hypoglycemic symptoms. I feel fine, in fact I fell full and I'm not craving. I went to a street festival today in Little Italy and walked right past the cannolis without a second thought. In the past I would be losing my mind when I see sweets, the temptation was so great. I am still very early in the weight loss journey, but I will say limiting carbs can make a difference.

Having PCOS is hard. I always lose weight when I go on the pill.

I've mainly seen success with a low carb diet.

I agree with Belli. Low carb is the way to go.
It is what it is so don't expect to find the magic bullet. :sad: You need to eat less (than the avg person would) and exercise more (than the avg person would) and that's the way it goes. It stinks but I repeat, It is what it is. :ohwell:

There are a couple of PCOS groups on this site that might be a great place to start/support they are great !

I dont have a diagnosis of PCOS but have all the symptoms and the only thing thats worked for me is a low carb diet. Many of the women on MFP who also have PCOS are following the same diet recommendations and losing the weight

Hope this is helpful and dont give up There are people out there who will support you!

So glad I've just read this, I'm similar to you in that I haven't been diagnosed but have all the symptoms. I've decided to try the low carb diet after getting fed up of other things not working, definitely going to keep at it after reading this thanks