I want to meet other women with PCOS who are having a hard time with weight.

^Bump

Welcome to the club nice to meet you :p

I have PCOS as well.  It's really hard to deal with and losing weight is taking a really long frickin time.

Yet another person with PCOS, luckily I didn't gain a lot of weight. 

I'm amazed at the number of people with PCOS, I never heard of it until I was diagnosed a few years ago.

Hi!!  My name is Lexi and I have PCOS...  I don't think there's any other way to introduce myselfe anymore.  The side effects are horrible, weight problems is just one of those!  I'm attempting just like you to loose weight, I've just started on my journey to being 120 lbs lighter so I don't really have any pointers, just thought I'd say hi and good luck!!

~Lexi

Hi, I have PCOS too, was diagnosed many years ago with it.  Believe me, losing weight for us is twice as hard because we don't burn insulin the way others do.  I used to take metformin a few years ago, but it made me sooo sick.  This time losing weight i got commited and did it all on my own.  I just try to stay away from too many carbs since they are the hardest to burn for us.  Nice to meet all of you!

 What is it about pcos that makes it harder to loose weight anyway?

Hi.  I also have PCOS and I have a terrible time losing weight.  I was just diagnosed about a year or so ago, but I have always had trouble losing weight.  I have always gained weight easily though.  All of my life, I have had a terrible appetite that I could not contain.  Now, I am 27 years old and I weigh between 285 and 300 pounds.  I cannot seem to lose the weight for anything.  My heaviest weight was 315 and I lost all the way down to about 285 and could lose no further.  It is good to meet other women who have experienced the same problem.  Now, what can we do about it?

 Doorfry<><

Also PCSO here.  When I look back at being 145, my lowest while being on slimfast and going 4 nights a week to play recreational volleyball - it was always apparant how extreme it was just to stay at that weight as opposed to friends and coworkers watching there food and exercise activity. 

My current goal is 175 which wont be til next December but I will not live that constant fight just to be 145.   Im prepared for healthy eating and healthy activity but not the madness of so little food and such extensive exercise.  We'd play volleyball for hours so it was fun, not exercise but I was also power walking all the time and it took over my life not in an anorexic way but to life consuming still.

I also got on Southbeach because of the insulin resistance I have and at my doctors recommendation of the specific diet.  I was not voluntarily dropping my carb intake when I could just drop calorie intake but what a huge effect it had on my controlling my hunger.

Caitling, speaking of never previously hearing of it I learned of it on a show called something like mystery diagnosis and as they went through the unrelated symptoms I was in shock to fit them all. 

Hi there, not suffering from PCOS myself but thought I'd post a link explaining what it is:

http://www.4women.gov/faq/pcos.htm#a

Diagnosed over 10 years ago (in my teens). Weight loss is a struggle. Always going up and down, plus dealing with all the other issues. But I've learn to accept that I need to watch what I eat and to make sure I keep physically active. It's part of how I see myself. I'm still trying to figure out what is the best way to "treat" my PCOS.

I was actually diagnosed last week with PCOS after the birth of my son. A little suprising to hear the news but it explains why I'm having a hard time losing the weight. The Dr. put me on metformin, so far so good (no side effects). Any suggestions on losing weight with PCOS would be great. So far I have figured out to stay away from the carbs.

PCOS and managed to lose 25 pounds AND keep it off! Wish I could lose some inches from my belly :(

I was diagnosed about 4 months ago.  I went down to the Joslin Clinic in Boston as insulin resistance and PCOS go hand-in-hand.  I visited a nutritionist and an endocrinologist to learn more about it. 

The nutritionist said to focus a LOT on exercise; she said that 30 min a day 5 days a week was a good START.  I was thinking WHAT!?! that's only the start.  She was saying that I should eventually be doing 1 hour a day 6 days a week (20min cardio, 20 stretching (like yoga or something) and 20 lifting.  So I haven't gotten THAT far, and I'm assuming that it's different for every person, but it opened my eyes to how hard I'm going to have to work just to be "normal".  She also said that I should stay away from starches (not ALL carbs).  Yes, it takes longer to process, but complex carbs in MODERATION would be alright as it does give you energy to exercise that much.  She also told me to eat lots of veggies and to make sure I got adequate protein. 

As for the endocrinologist, she explained a lot to me.  Basically the link between the insulin resistance and PCOS (b/c they are two different things) is that insulin is a hormone, and when the insulin is out of balance, it creates a hormone imbalance.  Usually there's androgens (testosterone) which leads to the hair, missed periods, acne, belly fat.  Another thing about the missing periods (at one point I got mine 11 months late) is that some of us (or maybe all?) have something called anovulation.  Basically we have the eggs, but we don't ovulate them, therefore our lining doesn't shed (except for maybe 3-5 times a year because the lining is so old) because there was to egg to be or rather, not be, fertilized (and all the hormones that go with that).  That's also why there are fertility issues. 

If you can, contact a doctor (i guess endocrinologists are the ones to see) or a OBGYN to learn more.  It was kind of surreal and scary to be diagnosed with something, but I'm grateful that I know now and that there are things I can do about it, rather than developing diabetes or heart problems when I'm older and THEN finding out about it.  It's actually pretty interesting to learn about how your body is functioning and why. 

I also have PCOS.  I have read that a 10% body weight loss can do a lot to help.  I lost 10% in 2006 and another 10% in 2007.  My goal is to lose another 20% in 2008.

I just eat 1200 calories a day and try to eat carbs for breakfast and lunch, but not dinner.  I don't eat at all after 8 PM.  I also exercise every day.  It has been fairly successful, but I have always been an over weight person.... 

I also have pcos. I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't been for the support of my friends at the forums I found. They helped me get through trying to get pregnant and before that trying to lose weight and just everyday life too. It is so hard to lose weight. I tried for about 5 years before I found out I have pcos and then i was put on metformin and lost 18 lbs. Then I got pregnant. I gained 15 lbs but then lost 30 lbs after I had my son in January 2007. So far I have kept it off but I will be done breastfeeding soon and am concerned that if I don't work hard it will all come back on. Right now I weigh between 230 and 235. I am trying to make small goals for myself.

 

Also with the weight loss I have had my periods regularly now. I hadn't had one for two years before I was diagnosed and then had to have them induced every three months until starting the met.

 

If anyone is interested the site for the forums I go to is www.pcosworldwidesupport.com.

 

Nice to meet you all!

Shannon

That's me! I'm struggling in a big way, but working hard. PCOS is a big PITA.

 

Hi I also have PCOS I was diagosed years ago.  I am new here and would like to talk to other people.  I have tried to loose weight for years and all I do is gain.  I need lots of help.

Hi there,

I joined CC a few months ago and was able to loose a little weight counting calories and working out. 

I was diagnosed with PCOS just a few weeks ago, so I am still working on re-adjusting my diet.I am also on medication for another problem I have and have not worked on weeks, but still did not gain any weight back. I allow myself to have a something sweet now and then, but I stay away from anything STARCHY.

This site really helped to track what I am eating and stay 'on budget', but as you know for us, it is not so much how much we eat, but what we eat. When using CC calorie counter do not concentrate on the grade you are getting, it will be not all that good since women with PCOS need to have a bit more fat.

Were you put on any medication? 

 

 

wow I knew there were a lot of people that suffer from this but never seen so many at once!  well Hello all, I too have PCOS, diagnosed years ago and after learning what it is and the things that are caused by it realized that I've most likely had it since I started my period at age 11. I have had two kids and have not been able to lose the weight from it, untill recently. (they are 9 and 7yrs) I had even gained more the years after having my last child. my doctor started me on metformin back in june and since I have lost 20 pounds!!! 30 for the year now, but 20 just since I started taking that. I am also on BC to regulate the periods as I go months, and even a year once without them otherwise. it seems the longer I go without one the worse the pain I get is too. it's not nearly as bad if I have a regular period.  (also if considering metformin, my doctor says it increases your chance of getting pregnant so if you want to take it and don't want a baby right now, I suggest getting on BC)

love to meet others that suffer from this too. I hate it so much, it is hard because my friends don't understand what I go through with it. I must admit the part I hate the most is the extra hair growth....  so embarrassing. the belly fat is bad enough but the hair is far worse.