anyone else out there have PCOS/ insulin resistance?

I love all the different support groups on here, but I don't quite fit in to them as I have to watch my carb intake more than the calorie in take which is way hard for me as I am a bread addict ;) I was diagnosed with PCOS about 8 years ago. and just recently found a doctor that is not a complete quack and she diagnosed the cause of my PCOS as insulin resistance. just wondering if there is anyone else out there in a simular situation, if so how do you handel cutting the carbs with out feeling robbed? what other symptoms/ medical problems have you encountered as a result? I also have ammenoreah, I havn't had a period in more than 8 years with out being on meds to make it start, and there are lots more but not sure they are related. anyone else out there????

I have been diagnosed with insulin resistance, but not with PCOS...

so I have to do a low glycemic load diet too... in fact, I'm on a no wheat diet

Have you tried taking L-glutamine (amino acid supplement) 30 minutes prior to a meal?  It helps eliminate sugar and carb cravings.

Also, I have found a bread that I can have for those instances when I really really need bread (maybe once a week).  They are millet & flax breads made by Sami's Bakery in Florida and they sell them at the health food grocery store. 

But for my normal meals, I just eat a LOT of green veggies and meat and don't worry about bread or grains.  Maybe once a week I will have a small portion of brown rice too... but I don't crave it unless I go off plan and eat some sugar.  That'll make me crave it again.  Takes 2 or 3 days to stop craving it again.

**hugs**

good luck!!!  You can do this!

I was diagnosed PCOS and insulin resistance about 5 years ago. I put on a lot of weight and have struggled for the last 5 years to get it off. So far things seem to be going ok. Very slow but ok. I have to keep a very close eye on my carb intake. I know that I have had to much because my head feels like it is stuck in the clouds. I can't think straight or concentrate on anything. I love bread too so it is hard. Trying to find a balance of low carb, high protien and low cal. I have lost 3 pounds since starting on June 4th. I have noticed that protein the fiber really help keep things in check, keep me full for longer and help curb the carb cravings. I have changed to all whole wheat, brown rice and restrict un natural sugar. I also stopped having my period and my doctor put my on birth controll for no other reason but to regulate my period. I have since went of them because I don't need them and for the last year my periods have been pretty regular. In the last year I have also been watching my diet pretty close so I don't know if that has anything to do with it. It is very frustrating. I eat good and excercies and I am still fat. Being here and counting the calories and seeing all the stats in writing has really helped me over the last month. I can actually imagine getting to my goal some day :)

I am so glad I found this thread.  I also have PCOS, I have not been diagnosed specifically with insulin restistance but I understand that most PCOS ladies are insulin resistant.  So I cut carbs in little steps, then when it doesn't feel like a distugsting sacrifice I make another cut.  This is how I did it so far.

Check all labels to get the most natural product you can.  For instance many products add starch (ohh the carbs), while thier competitors don't.  I've found hidden carbs in fish even.

If I must have it, have a tiny bit, make sure it's cooked perfectly and get the "wholest" version I can

Make my own soups/stews so I can have the flavor I want without the noodles.  Don't thicken soups.

No sugar in my coffee, tea etc... 

No fake sugar, it causes to many cravings for me, besides they are horribly unhealthy.

Eat open faced sandwhiches with a thin slice of high fiber whole everything bread -you know the one, it's like 6.00 a loaf ;)

Laura Scudders P.B,  (i'm sure thier are other types but the poiint is) it is made with peanuts and salt.  No sugar, no hydroginated yuck.  So nummy, but please stir it then fridge or your feel like its different.

So that's where I am right now, I slightly less chunky version of myself.  And only here can one happily say that thanks to my carb sutting I have once agian joined the thousands of women who bemoan their time of the month.  But hey I guess it's okay when its actually your time of the year right? 

I'd also love carb cutting ideas

I found this excellent article that you all might find interesting'

Insulin Resistance

This is a fantastic link with concrete eqautions for calc. carb intake and etc, aimed at women with PCOS.

http://www.obgyn.net/pcos/pcos.asp?page=/pcos /articles/pcos_and_diet_mckittrick

Great for checking GI to keep away that sugar spike.  Very compleate, not in antiquated American measurements.  Sad for me.

http://www.glycemicindex.com/

Easier site for those of us in the states, just pick the mean measurements (you'll see).

http://www.gilisting.com

I checked my recomended carb intake through the first link and using the 20 % I was recommended to try and found that I should be having around 70 effective carbs a day.  I can do that ( I think).  Anyway I hope these links help ladies.

Has anyone else read "The Insulin-Resistance Diet" by Hart & Grossman (from the Wellness Workshop in Spokane)?

It seems to be one of the most sensible (and realistic) books I've seen. Cheryl Hart is an ob/gyn who started looking for a solution to why so many of her patients had weight problems - especially the ones who said they ate less than other people and stayed fat (I can so relate).

Apparently you don't count calories, you just make sure that when you eat carbs you balance their effects by eating an appropriate amount of protein before or with the carbs. And you eat every 3-5 hours. You can eat all the veggies you want but have to manage your carb/protein ratio and not eat more than 30 grams of carbs in a 2 hour window. (they keep saying you don't count calories but if you have to manage your carbs/protein that way I can't imagine you would eat too many cals anyway)

I checked this book out of the library because my dr. told me I was prediabetic and insulin resistant, and I had read this could cause special issues with weight loss & management. One thing I found out was that I'd been eating too much fruit (without protein)- for some reason I could not get it thru my head before that fruits were carbs just like the "bad old" bread and pasta.

It seems really doable and healthy I just wanted to hear from others who've tried/investigated it. It sure seems to eliminate the carb induced cravings (hallelujah). I need to find more ways to come up with proteins, though...

I started to read the book but it seemed really complicated to me, either that or I was having a lazy day.  I have been thinking of giving the book a shot though.  I don't want all the health risks Im currently facing.  Oh, no wait it was the PCOS diet book I read, sorry.  I'll check into that one though.  The PCOS diet kept telling me I couldn't have coffee, and I'm sorry but you can take my bread and my cake, but leave me my fat free latte. ;(   As for protiens, egg whites, reduced fat cheese, natural PB is both a carb and a protein.  If you live near a trader joes, I get there just chicken which is a mildly processed chicken that I toss in salads.  I also eat a can of tuna a week-I have a pretty good recipe if you want it.  Hope that helps.  And thanks for the book tip.  By the way, how mauch are you ladies looking to lose.  I'm 5'3.  I started at 172 a few weeks ago and am down to 167.  I'm hoping to to lose ten at a time until I reach a size 8 or 130 ish, whichever feels better.  I dont really wnat to be thin, just fit and comfortable.

Hi Everyone ... I also have PCOS - and I have to tell you miss charlie - I felt the EXACT same way about the IRDiet - I bought the book read it and thought 'forget it - this is way too complicated.' Then honestly, after counting my calories and eating healthy for a month and not seeing the scale budge @ all I re-read it and thought I'd give it a try. I started 'linking and balancing' last week and lost 2 pounds - then I totally splurged and gained 4 - but I'm back on the IRD and down 2. For me, I'm treating my weight loss as a new project - something I need to put alot of effort into - which works with my lifestyle. Anyway ... I use a calorie cap as a bit of a safety net for myself - so I link and balance but I also keep my calories under 1600 a day.

The book says to limit diet coke and I refuse to get rid of the one I have every morning. So I hear you about keeping your coffee.

So to link and balance you literally watch your protein to carb ratio - so for every 15 grams of carbs you have @ least 7 grams of protein and you limit your carb intake to no more than 30-35 in a two hour window. So you can have all the veggies you want and many fruits - but for instance I'm having an english muffin this morning and because I'm eating the entire thing (2 servings) I have it with 2 servings of cheese melted on top. For a snack if I have one of my favorite slimfast bars - because there isn't enough protein - I drink 1 c. skim milk. It seems like a ton of work and effort but you actually do get used to it. There is a yahoo group for the diet I joined - its not very active but helpful!

Two other great books - that work with either diet ... The Beck Diet Solution - excellent - not a diet but an approach to any diet - and The Power - 11 Ways Women Gain Unhealthy Weight - she goes into PCOS and other reasons women have trouble losing weight.

Sorry - super long ... but I'm excited to see others into it!

Good luck! - Gabrielle

I think for me, and believe me I know this is so stupid - following a plan for PCOS makes me have to acknowledge the rest of the horrid things that go with the syndrome, and that scares me.  Plus I finally had a baby, after fertility treatment and so much work, so now I would love to just pretend I'm normal, which I know is also very stupid and risky.  My sister in law has the PCOS diet book though and Im going to suck it up and borrow tonight.  I'm also going to check out the other book and pick a way and stick to it.  See aren't we all proud of me?    Ugh-why can't I just be overweight and not have to deal with all this rest of this crap too? 

I know how you feel misscharlie I too have often thought why cant I just be fat... what did I do to deserve this.....ect ect . one of the girls that I used to be in a college class with said "well at least you have a reason, I'm just fat (like 50lbs over weight)" and all I could think when she said that was that even as fat as I am I would take another 50lbs on top of it if I could be "normal" as well, I know it is kind of a horriable thought but if I didn't have all the other problems I would be able to lose it alot eaiser, and then I would be "normal" and a healthy weight. I know that probably sounds totally crazy to someone who does not suffer from PCOS but at least for me and probably some others out there that know the horors of this condition they probably feel the same. well best of luck and health to all.  

rtd, its funny because when I was a kid I used to wish I was special, I should have been more specific (hah-hah).  I'm feeling mush less sorry for myself today.  I lost another pound, and I really wasn't as dedicated as I could have been last week.  I didn't twinky out or anything, but I had a few to many carbs and missed two gym days.  So if Im really good this week I should be able to get below 165.  I'm 166 now at 5'3''.  Still I tell myself this is the smallest I've been in 3.5 years and I'm feeling good about that.  I went to look at books like I said I would and soory, I just could not take a PCOS book home.  They are so much more about the conditon and medication than eating, and that's where I need the most help.  But I did get the most fantastic book called Dana Carpender's Every Calorie Count's Cookbook.  She's a low carber who wrote a lower cal book.  The recipies are really healthy not all sat fat and red meat.  Plus she's a believer in eating as much natural food as possible and so the only fake foods she cooks with are splenda and poyols.  She also cooks with stevia, which I love.  I love the foods and she writes in a charming down home sort of way. 

Was diagnosed insulin resistant last year.  Also have hypothyroidism.

My insulin resistance has virtually disappeared.  Here's my current formula:

Add lots of cinnamon to my food.

Fish oil regularly.

Activity 90 minutes/day (walking and whatever else I do)

Eat something pickled or a handful of nuts along with carbs, when I eat them.  Some evidence that vinegar, nuts lowers the G.I. on consumed carbs.

Voila!

So just for the heck of it, here's a bit from the book, directly quoted.

Raspberry Coulis-Serve as a sauce over yogurt, sugar free ice cream, or anything else that could use a beautiful and tasty fruit sauce!

1 pint raspberries, fresh or unsweetened frozen, thawed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons Splenda

This is a cinch.  Put everything in your blender of food processer and puree,  Pass the puree through a sieve to remove the seeds, if you like.  (It's not essential, though-the seeds are actually nutrious.) That's it!

10 servings

14 cals; trace fat; trace protien; 3g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 1 g usable carbs.

I heard about cinnamon and nuts but not vinegar.  Do you have a source for that?  I love reading about this sort of stuff

The "You on a Diet" book (if I remember correctly).  Also listened to a health program on a Sunday afternoon on NPR.

Regardless, working for me.  I highly recommend the fish oil, if you don't supplement with anything else, take that.

Would you even if I eat a can of tuna a serving of salmon and an serving of mahi each week?  I dont really know how much omega-3 that comes to, or really how much I should shoot for.  See-another thing to research a bit.  I'll never get work done today, oh well

I used to eat several servings of fish/week also.  Since the vehemence of the current heavy metal warnings, I've gone to some co-op recommended fish oil.  Not too sure how it all adds up.  I used the suggestions in the "You on a Diet" book for the numbers I'd been using.  Since then, I've reduced and am using a seaweed version of omega 3's.

Isn't it wonderful that by the time we realize the importance of fish in our diets that we have almost ruined them?  Ugh-

I also have PCO's.  Was diagnosed 15 yrs ago.  I have blamed my weight on PCO's for years.  Told ppl that I couldnt lose weight because of it.  Yes I know it does make it more difficult. but I used it as an excuse to overeat and not exercise.  Then I quit smoking 3 yrs ago and gained 45 lbs, and blamed it on PCO's. Ok this is the first time Ive admitted that to anyone even myself. 

Having PCO's is horrible. Not everyone has all the symptoms but I seem to have a majority of them.   I never get my period unless I take meds.  I did take some herbal meds for about a year that really helped but they are expensive and I had to quit.   I did find a site that is great support and information about PCO's and that is www.soulcysters.com  .

nivy- I think it's natural to want to blame the weight on anything other than lack of effort.  I know I walk a fine line between cutting myself a little slack when I'm doing what I need to do and the weight still takes forever to come off, and when I'm not so great and I say, well it's harder, I have PCOS.  And without sounding like a public service announcement, admiting your scapgoating is a huge step.  Besides, you quit smoking-that's huge, and you sould be proud of yourself.  Thanks for the link.