SOOO Frustrated with PCOS!!

I am just out of wits right now trying really hard to lose weight AND I cant seem to budge from 140 lbs. I am 5'2 and i am overweight for my stature.

I had been yo yo dieting for the past 2 yrs but i have drastically chhanged my lifestyle in the past month. my weight loss has been really slow even though I exercise for an hour atleast 4 times a week and i eat 1200-1400 calories depending on how active i have been.

I have PCOS, i have researched my head off on this topic and found that the only way to lose weight is to limit my carbs and I have. I have stopped eating white past, rice, or bread and all of them i love dearly and crave!!

I am off the birth control pills and following a traditional chinese practioners advice. I am soo down!!

I am just about to give up but the thought of not having a child of my own keeps me going.

PLEASE anyone here have any info for me please let me know.

Hi :)

check out this thread here :)

http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1792 3.html

Hope this helps!  There are people here who have made progress even though they have PCOS.

Cheers,

Hang in there - I have it too.

Can I ask why you're off the pill? Birth control pills actually help put your hormones back in balance and can lessen or eliminate most of the symptoms of PCOS, including the weight problems.

If you aren't on the pill because you're trying to concieve, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you - one of the best treatments for PCOS is a pregnancy! For some reason, being pregnant kicks your body back into a normal hormone production rhythms, and most of the time women with PCOS who have a successful pregnancy will no longer have symptoms after the pregnancy.

Either way, yes, cutting carbs will be the best way for you to loose weight (since PCOS is actually a metobolic disorder), but don't make yourself crazy trying to loose weight - that will just make it that much harder.

Good luck!!!

I have PCOS.  But I have never heard of pregnancy being a fix.  I had all the same symptoms afterwards, just FYI, plus a new one (excess facial hair.)  I've had 3 pregnancies and have 4 children (twins.) 

Anyway, I'm posting because I have lost 74 lbs since last June.  So I've been able to lose.  I have the PCOS diet in my profile that I got from a dietician from Dr. Gluek's clinic.  He is a leading researcher in the field.  I followed it perfectly for 3 months way back when and lost 45 lbs.  It is low carb, but not just that, it's high in vegetables as well.  I'm kind of doing a modified version now, focusing on the veggies and calorie counting. 

Have you tried the Metformin?  I believe that that helps me lose weight but I'm not 100% sure.  I'm not willing to test the theory at this point as I want to lose at least 30'ish lbs more.  Maybe after that I will.  : )  I do know that some people lose weight just from Metformin, but I am not one of them, darn it. 

I did have to do IVF to conceive, but I also have endometriosis.  Now endometriosis is a condition that is said to be helped by pregnancy.  In my case, it did help, but then gradually got worse and worse.

I have it too.

If have not already, find yourself a great endocrinologist who works with PCOS patients, and see if Metformin is a possibility (assuming here you are not already on it.)  The Metformin helps to treat the underlying metabolic disorder associated with PCOS....I've had outstanding results with it (though not everyone does.) It's helped with weight loss, regulating my cycles and I've had three pregnancies in the last 3.5 years. (Two healthy babies, and one we lost in the first trimester.)

I also recommend regular exercise (which you are doing great with) and limiting intake of refined foods.

As far as pregnancy being a fix for PCOS, this has not been the case for me either. Wishful thinking though!

Good Luck with it.

Thank u all for replying!

I am trying to follow a natural hearbalist after having problems and gaining weight with birth control pills. I have had side effects with the pills.

As i said, i am following a traditional chinese heabalist, with whom since i started has quite a significant effect on my periods. My periods never used to be regular, i got them every 2 to 3 months but now for the past 4 months they are regular. So i am happy with that side of it but i am going to go talk to my doctor about an endocrinologist.

Thanks for all ur help and twindaze i am thinking of starting to follow the PCOS diet posted on your profile. I have been following something of that kind but my own version but with more fruits. However, i am going to change that around and add more vegetables!!

Twindaze, about how many cals are in that diet listed in your profile? I'm curious because it's close to what I follow, except usually only 2 carbs.

I'm probably PCOS, or mildly PCOS if you can be mildly PCOS.  I had an ultrasound a few years back and the technician said I had a lot of cysts on my ovaries. I do carry my weight in my belly. My hair has always been on the thin side, so I don't know about that one! Did not have a problem conceiving, but that was a long time ago in my 20s.

re the PCOS - years after being diagnosed with PCOS medical research found that the majority of untreated PCOS patients went on to develop diabetes - usually by early 40s - (including me) - so i just want to encourage everyone to learn as much about this disease as possible and to shed the weight because diabestes is a chronic and not fun disease - but it can be avoided through diet & exercise

OCD, it's about 1200 to 1500, depending on your choices with the types of foods. 

Jen, sugar avoidance is important to the diet which is why it only allows 2 fruits, so putting in more veggies should help you. 

Rush, good point about the diabetes, that is a low of the reason that I am treating my PCOS even though I'm not going to conceive again.  I was also in my 20's when I started trying to conceive, but in my case I couldn't get pregnant and ended up doing IVF.  I also weighed a lot less back then, just about in a healthy BMI, so in my case excess weight wasn't a factor in my infertility.  I went on to put on about 20 lbs from infertility treatment and then another 90 after having children, this took about 10 years to put on.  So far I don't have diabetes at the age of 41 1/2.  I started on the Glucophage almost 7 years ago with one break for pregnancy.

hmm.  I also have PCOS, but never considered that it could be affecting my attempts to lose weight.  I tried talking to my Dr about going on metformin a while back, but it seems her/my hmo's opinion is that they won't give it to treat symptoms of pcos unless you're actively trying to get pregnant.  It doensn't make sense to me; if the metformin treats the underlying cause of the disorder, wouldn't you want to treat that regardless?  I've been off the pill for about a year and a half, get my period once every couple of months or so, and haven't gotten pregnant.

rushme, Type II diabetes runs in my family, quite strongly, in fact, even in those of my relatives who have healthy weight ranges, such as my dad. I am built a lot like my dad and look just like him... so diabetes has long been on my mind. I know that in my 20s I was having terrible time with insulin swings... hypogylcemia (or is that "hyper"? Hmm.. when you eat something sugary and then get the sugar shakes an hour later)... until I started running. I know that these swings come back with a vengeance when my weight reaches a certain level, i.e., just into the overweight range. This is another huge reason I'm trying to drop the last 10 lbs and I have taken up exercise again.

This reminds me that at my last doctor's visit, my doctor recommended I sign up for a blood sugar test before my next annual exam... and that I haven't yet scheduled it. I've been feeling pretty good lately now that my BMI is back in the healthy range though, and also my periods have become lighter, and less crampy and bloaty.

One more for the list - I have a "perfect ring of pearls" on each ovary, classic PCOS.  Weight carried in the tummy - otherwise pretty shapely.  (OK - if you don't look at my thighs...).  Went on Metformin/Glucophage in 2000 (at 209 pounds) at advice of fertility specialist, along with baby aspirin (for lupus) and had my son in 2002 (high weight 229).  Still on Metformin 5 years later, weight 211.  So there is a regulating factor to the Metformin/Glucophage.   Lost 20 pounds or so when I started it.  The metformin has a self-regulating factor too...if you eat "stupid food", the kind that (science says) literally makes your IQ lower for hours after eating it, such as high fat/high carb combo food - McDonalds, anyone? - very soon you will experience what we at out house call a "Glucopurge".  Y'all KNOW what I mean if you take this stuff!  A sudden irresistable urge that cannot be denied - you'll be seated awhile - and better turn on the fan.  But otherwise, my side effects have been almost insignificant. 
I'd recommend it IF you can afford it.  It is expensive, even in its generic form.  Use a mail order pharmacy through your prescription plan if you're fortunate enough to have one. 
Having said all that - it's no substitute for good, healthy life choices.  Whatever bodily injusticies our individual habituses levy, we can be and ought to be resposible for our primary posessions - our physical selves.  YOU'RE doing GREAT!  Inspired me, anyway...

Zeul, I would get a second opinion.  I know that Dr. Glueck was really big into the diabetes prevention aspect of taking Metformin.  Diabetes is a serious condition, not something one wants if it's possible at all to avoid it.

I have this condition too and I have two kids, so it is possible, never fret. The first thing I would recommend is seeing a NAtural Family Planning practitioner who can help you chart your cycles. Very often this problem can be managed with natural methods (mine was!!) such as vitamins, high quality cod liver oil, and other stuff, including naturally compounded rpgesterone from plant sources taken at the correct time in your cycle. Additionally, charting your cycles will allow to to be aware of the cycles in which you are really ovulating (yes, there are some, sometimes!!!) so you can "maximize" your potential!!You can check out the Billings Method, Creighton, Couple to Couple League, Fertility Awareness method, and many others including Tony Wenschler's book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Often, your local Catholic church can be a great place to find one. I know what a pain this is and I hope that you can find help. Giving up the carbs, including sugar will be a big help from the get go.

Contrary to what I have read here, the birth control pills will not help the situation. They will allow you to have cycles that appear normal but the bleeding is actually withdrawal bleeding so you aren't really having a true cycle. Also, weight gain is often a problem on the pill, even for those without our condition. I also was on the pill in the past and it never regualted my cycles, in fact, my now-husband and I had quite a few scares while we were in college. There is a ton of good information out there on hormones and pcos. I hope that you can get this under control because your sympto,s can be greatly improved. Oh, yeah make sure you exercise!!!

I have PCOS too, my doctor suggested staying on the pill which actually cleared up all the ovarian cysts.  One thing that prevents the release of a mature egg is the concentration of insulin around the ovary which also went away while on the pill.  It worked so well in fact that I got pregnant and didn't even know it.

I know being on the pill isn't an option for you so I would suggest you treat it as though you were diabetic and eat accordingly.  Talk to your doctor about an eating plan for diabetics - it will help with the insulin resistance and may clear up those ovaries.

hi all pcos-ers i have it to went to the doctors fri and found out i'm 3 weeks preg.   for me to get preg i had to lose lots of weight.  my hubby and i were planning on stating in aug. (after we  went to fl. in the summer.)    i just checked out babyfit.com and they said to eat 2200-2500 cal. a day if i do that i,ll be bigger then the house anyone here have a better idea. pre 3 weeks ago i was eating 1100-1300 (it hard to eat all my snacks when my family want to share)

Congratulations!   You worked too hard for this baby to do anything to jeopardize the pregnancy by restricing your calories.  I don't know your stats, but those calorie amounts sound about right to me.  I gained about 30 pounds with my singleton pregnancies (42 with the twins.)  The key to effortlessly losing it is breastfeeding.  And you can't lose since breastmilk is the perfect food for babies.  I lost all my baby weight and a bit more by 6 weeks.  Now, the downside is that I gained it back after that.  But if you monitor your weight you should be able to keep that in check.  I did not monitor, I'm a scale avoider when I'm gaining, NOT a good thing.

I'm worried I might have PCOS. I got some blood tests taken a while ago, for that and other things. It turns out my thyroid is fine, thank goodness, but they have to do more to see whether I have PCOS or not. Perhaps an ultrasound, I don't know.

I don't have any information for you, but hang on! I know it's tough. You can fight this.

im 5'2" 183lbs.  with tmy other two i didn't gain much during preg but did while nursing.  i ate well and did move around. i was reading someones post that they started losing after they stopped nursing because their body was in starvation mode. so i will watch that this time.  all three kids have nov. due dates and the two that are out are dec1 and 4th. im guessing 6th this time. 

on a different note i can't think of a female middle name to go with Devyn ______ Abel the other girls are Crysta-leigha Marie and Becky Julie-ann  If its a boy he will be Devyn James

oh ktobelost to test for pcos they do an internal ultrasound and look at your overies to see if the eggs form a "pearl necklace" it looks really neat my doc. is great she showed me everything and talked me thru everything she also has it so she really knows how we feel and what we go thru.