How many times have you been to the doctor only to be told to lose weight to improve your Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome symptoms? Easier said than done, right! We know that weight gain and difficulty with weight loss with PCOS is part and parcel of the condition and we seem to be fighting a constant battle with the scale. But, why is it so darn hard to lose weight? Just what is it about PCOS that makes weight loss seem virtually impossible?
...Let’s have a look at what is happening in our bodies and what some of the research says about weight loss and PCOS.
Insulin Resistance and the Role of Insulin in PCOS
Insulin is an important hormone that is responsible for metabolizing glucose or dealing with sugar in our blood stream. It transports sugar to the muscles and if the body has more glucose than is needed, insulin is involved in the process of storing it as fat should we need it later (1).
Research shows that women with PCOS have some kind of dysfunction in the cells responsible for secreting insulin (Beta cells). It seems that these cells are responsible for detecting sugar in the blood stream and may over react, producing more insulin than is needed. This means that more glucose is stored as fat (2).
Also, many, but not all, women with PCOS also have insulin resistance (3). This means that your body needs more insulin than normal to deal with sugar in your blood stream. High levels of insulin cause your body to store more fat and also causes your ovaries to make more testosterone, making the symptoms of PCOS worse (4).
Unfortunately, Insulin and Insulin resistance is only one piece of this puzzle and isn’t the only reason that we struggle to lose weight…
Slow Metabolism
Women with PCOS have also been found to have a slower metabolic rate. Basal metabolic rate is the number of calories you need every day to function. This includes keeping your heart, brain and organs going, eating and digesting food, etc (5).
In a recent study, researchers found that women without PCOS needed roughly 1868 calories per day whilst women with PCOS only needed around 1445 calories per day, and those with insulin resistance needed even less (6).
This means that women with PCOS do not need as many calories per day as the average women as metabolism is much slower in women with PCOS. It doesn’t seem very fair, does it? We don’t need as many calories as the average woman but we fight fierce cravings and tend to feel hungry all the time. What’s up with that?
Appetite Control
There are a number of hormones involved with hunger and appetite control. Some of these include ghrelin,
Cholecystokinin and leptin. Recent research has shown that women with PCOS do not feel as full or satiated after meals as women who don’t have PCOS (7).
This means that women with PCOS will continue to feel hungry, even if they have eaten all of the nutrients and calories they require.
Summing it Up:
So, this is the frustrating story for many of us with PCOS. We gain weight quickly and struggle to lose it as a result of our:
- Difficulties with insulin
- Slower metabolic rate
- Disordered appetite control
Thankfully, though, this isn’t the end of our story and there are some things we can do to help us lose weight. We’ll get on to this in the next blog post.
This may seem like a hopeless article but I do want to encourage you! Yes, losing weight is important in managing our symptoms, but it isn’t an easy road. If you are struggling with weight loss, take heart that it’s probably not through lack of trying and it’s not all in your head. Your fight to lose weight is real and it is shared by thousands of other women who also have PCOS!
Hi so I have recently been diagnosed with PCOS and to be honest I have been feeling really depressed and stressed reading all about PCOS I can’t believe how many women struggle with this.I’m going be 21 in November and can’t believe it’s taken me this long to talk to my doctor about these simptomes so basically all I want is advise on how to make the best of things like the abnormal hair growth that is one of the worst things killing my confidence at the moment because of my age it’s so hard already being very overweight you have to be so strong having people look at you whispering it’s hard and adding all that extra hair it makes me feel like less of a woman. I think the reason I am asking help here is because you guys are going through the same stuff it’s easy to read all the mediCal information to help you live better but I think it would benefit me better to get advice from someone who is living with PCOS and have seen what works and what doesn’t. I am sorry for this long comment basically all I am asking is advise on what is the does and don’t Living with PCOS Thank you so much
I see a lot of comment about people recommending different diets on here. And I just wanted to point out that just because a diet works for you, doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. Each persons body is different, and while there are similar guidelines each person with pcos is recommended to follow, there’s so many ways to do it. I’ve been eating a high carb, low fat, plant based vegan diet for the past 6 months and have seen more improvement in my pcos in those 6 months than I have in YEARS. That’s what works for me, and it could work for other as well. But I recommend all of you to do research on all the different possibilities, try them out, see if they work for you. If they don’t, don’t force you self to continue with them. I tried countless ways of eating before I found what works for me. And for anyone concerned about the protein aspect, there’s plenty of plant based vegans who are able to eat high protein, myself included. But plant based in the key here. I also take spiro and birth control to help my pcos, but since starting this diet and losing 50lbs, my doctor is going to be lowering my dosage of spiro because I’m doing so well. It is possible to get your pcos in control. Don’t get discouraged!! It’s a long journey of trying out hundreds of different possibilities and diet and lifestyles and changes, but if you stay motivated, and keep focusing on where you want to be and how you want to look, you will find the right changes to make for YOU. and thing will begin to improve with your symptoms. They won’t completely go away, but I promise they do get better. And I absolutely recommend that anyone looking to change their diet to improve their pcos research a high carb low fat plant based(vegan or not) diet, and give it a shot for a couple of weeks or months. You might be surprised, or you might realize it’s not for you, and that’s ok! But keep searching for the right way of eating for you because it will make a world of difference.
Hi, I am 31 I have had PCOS for a few years but no one ever properly diagnosed me until a month ago. I am struggling to loose weight. I don’t know what to do I have tried everything from a special diet to no junk food I am about to give up. I don’t know what to do.
Hi!
Found this website in an desperate attempt at getting some kind of grip of things. I was diagnosed with PCOS about 3 years ago but I’ve always struggled with my weight. Even though I eat healthy and exersice I gain weight. After I was diagnosed I started taking Yaz birth control pills to manage my symptoms. Sure, it worked for a while. A couple of months ago I was rushed to ER with massive pulmonary embolism and it was touch and go there for a while. Most probably I was the one in thousands of women who suffer blood clots from using birth control pills. So, here I am, unable to exersice due to remaining clots in my lungs, no way of controlling my symptoms, loosing hair on my head, growing hair where I don’t want it, acne and gaining weight. I’m at a loss… Was told that the only remaining way to reduce/control the symptoms was to loose weight but how? Being over weight also cause an increased risk with blood clots so I’m desperate to find some kind of help. Any help or advice you can give me is greatly appreciated.
Hi, I’m 17 and I weigh north of 270 lbs and have found no matter how hard I try with more exercise and not a lot of food. I gained weight which you can see why I may find that frustrating. I have had a diabetes test done and it was all normal. I am also on an anti-anxiety and depression medication and have recently started having appetite loss and chronic fatigue. All blood tests result in normal. They all just keep telling me to lose weight and it will go away. Any suggestions?
I hate PCOS. The first and most drastic symptom I experienced at 20 was severe hair loss. Balding at 20 SUCKS a bag of d****, let me tell you. Now at 30 I am seeing the scales creep way up, and it feels like any control I once had over this disease (syndrome) is slipping. I’m a slave to spiro which I take to control acne and hirtiusm. It makes me gain weight and lose hair like crazy, but if I stop, I get severe cystic acne and full on facial hair. So now I can choose to be fat and bald or excessively hairy and covered in acne / scars. Either way I lose. Love it.
Sorry for the negativity, but sometimes you don’t want advice on how to fix it, I mean, hello, most of us have tried EVERYTHING. Sometimes we just need to vent amongst people who get what we are going through.
I am working out, and eating super healthy, meditating, etc and I refuse to give up hope, but from time to time I get really mad that I have this, mad for myself and all the other beautiful women out there suffering the effects of this hideous disfiguring disease.
I really, really needed to hear this. I am 29 with same issues. It’s enraging. I have taken spiro in the past. I didn’t like the side effects. Metformin didn’t do anything for me. Birth control made me a mess. I’m not taking anything now and I feel like it would be a good time for me to just start from scratch with how to approach my PCOS. It sucks when you have no one you can talk to about it. Friends and family don’t get how frustrating and upsetting it is. PCOS is such a complicated monster. It screws with you socially, physically, emotionally… I hate it. But like you said… you just have to be hopeful and not give up. Good luck and keep kicking butt.
I totally know how you feel. I lost hair, had acne and then faced hirsutism on top of weight gain. Two things that helped me control hairloss, hirsutism, acne AND lose the damn weight was spearmint capsules and saw palmetto. I don’t know if you have tried it yet, but if you haven’t, it is worth a shot! I did that along with an antinflamatory diet (cut out gluten, dairy, refined sugar) and it all began to heal. I hope this helps and I am so sorry you are struggling, hang in there! I am sending hugs and healing thoughts your way?
Hi Cyra! How do the spearmint capsules work? Did a doctor suggest them to you?
gabbagabba, does the medicine you take really help with the facial hair?
Omg Gurl your soeaking for me aswell. I know the struggle
i am 15, weigh over 130 lbs and have pcos.
how can i lose weight ?
Hi Prash; I found when I was a teenager that what worked best for me were exercises that used my body weight as resistance (pushups, squats, chin-ups etc) and that eating a low carb diet helped. Keep your caffeine consumption down too, if you’re drinking soda, change to diet and only have one or 2 a day unless you like root beer (root beer is caffeine free). Do be careful with soda anyway, it can be hard on your kidneys. I’ll never forget the bladder infection I got in high school, even now I won’t drink more than 2 sodas in a day (I usually keep it to 1). Caffeine can raise your estrogen levels and cause you to gain weight or retain weight and definitely keep your sugar intake to a minimum, I try to keep mine at 20g per day maximum. Most days I can nearly completely avoid sugar. Sugar intake includes fruit, I threw my hormones out of wack last year eating too much fruit and put on a lot of weight in the process, be careful. We have to be careful how we treat our bodies, we have it harder than women without pcos. Also, if you’re smoking, stop, that effects your hormones too and as someone with pcos, you have a higher rate of cancer. I know you’re 15, but I smoked when I was 15 – I wish I had known then, just how much it makes you stink.. and also that it was what helped keep me so heavy. Take care of yourself, take it easy, love yourself and know that if today doesn’t work out (dietwise) that tomorrow will be better.
It is tough. Sugar is one that should be cut out. It is in a lot of things including dairy, processed foods (anything in a box or bag). Gluten and dairy can be triggers for people as well. But you have to find what works for you. High protein and fiber meals are a good start. Lots of veggies, still eat fruit but watch your intake. Eat lean meats, like fish, eggs, chicken and eat complex carbs like oats. Try to exercise (moderate to high) 30 minutes a day
Hi – yet to be diagnosed with PCOS but have been to the doc and he has referred me to get a scan done. Ive put on about 5kgs in the past month all while eating next to nothing and exercising daily. Im also suffering from IBS so following a lowFODMAP diet to avoid getting overly bloated. My question is what foods should I eat to help lose weight? There are heaps of food groups I have to avoid on the lowFODMAP diet and getting the nutrients from what I can have is proving very difficult. I need high protein right? I cant have legumes, no yoghurt, no dairy, no soy, no celery, no sweet potato, no pumpkin, no broccoli no wheat, no tinned tuna, no avocado etc. It leaves me with boiled eggs for breakfast, rocket cucumber tomato carrot salad for lunch, coffee with almond milk, roasted capsicum zucchini tomato carrot and chicken for dinner. Maybe a few rice cakes and peanut butter for snack or homemade popcorn. But still seeing the kgs go on. I go for a walk/run for approx 60 mins everyday. What else do I do? I dont think i should eat any less and i try and have a carrot for snack or maybe sunflower seeds so im eating small portions regularly. Help!
Hi everyone,
I’m 21 and I just recently got diagnosed with PCOS. I’m currently around 260 pounds and its hard for me to lose weight. I’m in denial/embarassed about my weight gain/loss. My doctor prescribed metformin. I feel very alone right now because none of my family/friends understand.
Does anybody have any suggestions to start a lifestyle change? What worked best for losing weight and keeping it off?
This article didn’t mention how dairy affects weight gain in many women with PCOS (notice I didn’t say ALL women). The reason it’s recommended by many experts is because milk, cheese and butter contain a substance called insulin-like growth factor ( IGF-1), which is similar in structure to insulin. Its insulin-like properties mean it can stimulate storage of glucose in fat cells and can trigger increased production of testosterone.
IGF-1 is involved in the maturing of the follicles on the ovary and stimulates the production of male hormones from the ovaries, increasing androgen production from the adrenal glands. It specifically stimulates an enzyme called 5 Alpha Reductase, which converts testosterone (causing acne and excess hair).
In the early 1980s, my 16-year-old daughter stopped having Her menstrual cycle. We went from doctor to doctor to doctor with various scary diagnosis. Her testosterone was so high that the doctors told her that she probably had cancer. They put her on prednisone, and she gained 100 pounds and eight Months, became muscular and grew a beard and hair all over her body. It was another ten years before Physician’s in the states began diagnosing PC0S. She did a lot of research and was excited to learn about Metformin but found only one doctor in the states who was prescribing it. Finally, she was able to get a prescription an thought her problems were over. Unfortunately, she is severely allergic to everything that she has tried. Even after having a “lap band” she is back up to 325 lbs, shaves everyday and has lost most of her hair. She is in her late 40’s now and is house bound. She has given up any hopes of a normal life
Is there there any hope for her? Any new medications on the market?
I was also diagnosed with pcos in 2011. It was really frustrating specially when I found out its hard for me to get pregnant. My menstration is always delayed and I really gain weight. I already have my medication before but it is expensive. Hope you can help me to encourage to fight pcos. I dont know what to do anymore. Thank you I’m not the only one with this kind of problem. God bless you all.
Hey Joy! I am 21 and I was diagnosed at 15. Me and my mom noticed that I started my period late maybe around 14 and it wasn’t much blood. I was overweight, had facial hair and bad “pizza” acne. So at 15 I was told about pcos and my confidence was always low but it hit rock bottom. I became depressed and closed myself in my room and starved myself a lot. Until I decided to make a change when I was 16. I started to only drink water/green tea, workout EVERYDAY for 30-60 min with maybe one rest day, ate 3-5 small meals a day, stayed away from fried foods, fast foods and sweets, tried not to eat after 7/8pm, and slept 6-8 hours a night too. It took me a year but I went from 158 to 128. I think it took me year because there was plenty of slips or days I would skip a work out for 3 days in a straight. My workouts were nothing intense either. But if you really do intense works outs, you will see results faster. Unfortunately, 3.5 years ago I had my first boyfriend and gained weight than after the breakup, I gained more. I went up to 170 and lost 10 pounds in a month & a half. I am 160 now but I want to go down 30 pounds in 3 months! So I am going to give it my all and hope I’ll get my periods again. Haven’t had a period in 2 years until a few months ago when I lost 6 pounds. I wish you luck and all the women out there with PCOS luck! We can do this! We run the world 😀
Hey Joy! I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2010, I was in high school then and didn’t really understand what it was. Now 6 years into learning more about it, I finally had progress in losing weight! I went to see the best endocrinologist in my area, but in the end all he said was Metformin was the only thing he could/would prescribe. However, as the symptoms vary from woman to woman so do the side effects. It made me gain a lot of weight and when I told the doctor I went to see he just tried to up the medication. Seeing as I was in high school when this happened and my mother was buying all of the medication and I took it hoping it would somehow work. Sadly it didn’t, but I recently went to a new physician for a routine checkup; while I was there I asked him if there were any other options for getting my weight under control cause I was tired of it! He told me that the main options for women with PCOS is Metformin, I told him milidly disheartened that it made me gain all the weight I was now trying to lose. He prescribed me a weight loss supplement, a form of Adipex, with this specific supplement you have to watch your blood pressure and happily it had no effect on it! Sorry for the long story, but I just wanted to let you know that it is possible to lose weight, yes it is harder especially for us; but it is possible and as long as you keep your mentality positive as much as you can! I hope you can find a way that helps you the most, keep working at it and don’t lose hope!
God bless you and I hope you have a good day 🙂
I have Pcos as well and it’s always been a struggle managing my weight considering I played every sport out there! With the help of specialty doctors at an IVF clinic I was able to get pregnant with my son. I wasted a long time working with my OBG when I finally realized through a friend that I needed an IVF specialist. Good luck to you.
hi dear,dont be afraid.. pcos is not a very big isssue.. now adays its a very commong disorder among women so.. what u do is.. u have to completely avoid,all diary products,meat,chicken,goat,etc etc.. because it contain alots of hormone.. so its a big no.. never ever use those products.. but dont be vegan ok u can hv fish speciallay,salmon and sardine these r best.. then include more veggies in ur diet and for protein eat lentils,chickpeas and all.. dont forget to check ur health every month do exercise like 30 min walking;brisk walk willbe better,running,yoga,small weight lifting this is enough.. please donot give up pray to god.. thats very much important 🙂 and stay healthy thank u
So because a lot of women have it the condition is not serious? The condition is serious and more serious because a lot of women have it. The meat in your diet is extremely important because you need to increase your protein, only certain meats have added hormones and people in general should stay away from them. Please check your facts before you start giving the wrong advice to people in need
Thank you Kerri for this response. I was about to post it myself. The side affects of PCOS are very serious for most of us and can lead to long term damage to our bodies. Just think about all the issues that come along with serious weight gain! It can also be very psychologically defeating.
Hello, Joy. I have a similar story but the difference is that for the last 2,5 years i’ve been TTC. It’s heartbreaking to have 0 control of your life. I think my ovaries hate me. More than that, i was diagnosed with adenomyosys and had surgery (like a C-section) to preserve my uterus. I am a successful 30 year old and i have a happy life, so no, my PCOS have nothing to do with low self-esteem. After years of treatment (you name it: metformin, myo-inositol, progesterone etc, etc) I AM TIRED! So (because of the surgery i can TTC only after may next year) i’ve decided to do the last thing in my power. I ve decided to eat (just like my doctor in keep telling me) a gluten free, sugar free diet and to work out. Now 5 weeks after my resolution i am 6 kg (about 12 pounds) lighter and my body is firmer. I feel great! I feel pretty! I can wear old clothes which i love. I am sure that by next year i will concieve but in the meantime, i enjoy being in my body and all the wonderful differeces losing weight brings. So, don t delay, really, only you have the power to chance your lifestyle. (sorry, english isn t my first language) fingers crossed!
Hi Joy, don’t know if you still check this website. Just want to let you know i also have PCOS. I found it hard to conceive as well, as i wasnt even ovulating apparently. BUT I started Metformin and fell pregnant after a few months. I had a beautiful little girl.
Then not long after her first birthday we fell pregnant again UNPLANNED! It really is amazing.
I think sometimes after you have one baby, your body knows what to do.
Good luck with your PCOS and trying to conceive if you haven’t already been successful.
Hi Joy. No you are not alone. Many women need medication to help with many symptoms and to get pregnant. Diet and exercise help, especially low glycemic foods. You can do it! Take it one day at a time 🙂
I am beyond frustrated. Not only do I have PCOS, i have uncontrolled diabetes & hypertension. In 2013 I had my right ovary & Fallopian tube removed due to a volleyball sized tumor which by the grace of God was benign. I have been with my husband for 11 years now and I am 33 years old. I love children and don’t want to give up on that dream but I’m at a brick wall and don’t know what to do anymore. I am currently on Metformin, Januvia, & Glimeperide… I mean I’m like a walking pharmacy. My husband is my savior. I’ve been depressed with the fact that I may never be able to conceive my own child. What do I do? I’m desperate! Otherwise… I give up! ?
Oh and another thing, since I’ve been with my husband I’ve had regular periods every month for 7 days straight. HELP PLEASE!
I have been diagnosed with PCOS since I was 12 years old and have taken birth control since I was 13. Anyways, I have had 2 miscarriages and finally I had a beautiful baby girl that is now 8 months old today. Since my daughters birth I have not been able to lose the weight! I started my birth control 6 weeks after her birth. I have tried diets, haven’t had to change my eating habits since I eat pretty healthy, I walk about 20-25miles a week, tried taking diet pills and nothing has worked!! I have been overly stressed since I have been back to work, dealing with family issues, and my daughters medical problems! I need some help I have become depressed about the way I look and feel that I’ll never get back to what I was before I had gotten pregnant!
I was diagnosed two years ago with PCOS. I have been overweight and had issues with my period since I started it. I started my period early (age 10) and it was never regulated. I went on birth control at 16 and it caused a “normal” period for a while. When I was 21, I stopped taking birth control and it stopped my periods for six and seven months at a time. I slowly gained weight from high school and through college. I finally went to my OBGYN and was diagnosed. Since starting Metformin, I have been able to slowly lose about 40 pounds. I recently hit a wall. I am back to craving bread and sugar 🙁 I know that in order to keep going and losing weight I need to get back into the right frame of mind, but I have no desire to right now.
Megan, it can be really hard, especially when you don’t have any motivation. Maybe just try do ONE thing today for your PCOS.
hi there… I got diagonsed with PCOS at the age of 21 and have tried metaformin and other medications but they have failed. I just turned 28 this year and my hormones and been off the chart. Any advice on any natural diet or supplement? my anxiety and depression is so bad I’ll have wonderful days then days where i just cant hang. Would birth control even be an option any more?
Have you ever tried a soy based protein shake? I notice when i take spirutein shakes in replacement for my normal breakfast or lunch i feel better.
You should be careful with soy. Soy is a phytoestrogen, meaning it raises estrogen levels naturally. This can be bad news for someone with PCOS who is also probably sttuggling with estrogen dominance.
Have you tried a nutritionist or lifestyle change programs. I got onto one and it has helped tremendously
Try D-Chiro-Inositol. I couldnt take Metformin because of the GI problems. The DCI lowered my testosterone levels.
I recently started taking inositol and have noticed a difference. I will also be taking a folic acid both brands from Swanson. Just do a little research of your own and reviews on brands.
Hi. I was diagnosed at age 17 in 1997, and then it was the “sorry we can’t do much but shove pills at you”. I recently have stopped taking birth control and aldactone and started a regimen of taking herbal supplement’s after doing tons of research. My hair was falling out and my weight was out of control, and of course the beautiful acne side affect. I’ve been taking Saw Palmetto, Vitex, Stinging Nettle, Pygeum, Licorice Root, White Peony root, DIM complex, Maca and Black Cohosh. My hair is slowly fading from my face, my cycle is leveling it self out and my symptoms have improved drastically. If you feel comfortable taking so many herbals, I’d recommend reading up on each if them to see if it’s best for you too. I know the pain and anger, I’ve been dealing with this for 20 years almost. I pray one day we’ll all be free of this horrible symptom.
What exercise and diets have you tried? For me when i plateau on weight loss i have to shake up my routine. Like juicing one day or even have a cheaters meal once a week for a month. At my best i would do 2 protein shakes, a premade salad bowl, a meat and vegetable dinner and snack on healthy fruits and 10 almomds. That is with an appetite suppresor (phentermine) and doing a 30 minute beachbody intense cardio routine.
I think the key is helping your body realize your not starving it.
I have suffered with PCOS for years just like you. As a young teenager till now at 33 years old. Just had my last child with lots of help from a fertility Doctor. But now I get these periods last 12 and even 14 days. I gained weight and I am just not happy about it. Not sure where to start. I am at least 30 pounds over weight. With my twins I had 10 years ago, I was able to return to my original weight but this time around I just can’t break it at all. It is very fusterating. And the hair growth has gotten worse. Anybody
I have a similar problem, I’m only 18 and PCOS is already having such a huge affect on me, I’m trying to study hard and get my life in gear but it always seems to get in the way, I was diagnosed with anxiety as a young child and as I grew older it started to fade but now recently it’s back and I will get panic attacks daily and it’s almost impossible to do something without implications. It’s really getting me down. I would say I eat healthy, I absolutely hate processed foods and basically live on cooked vegetables and stir frys yet I am still clinically “obese”. I just don’t know what to do anymore. I’m hoping that because you’re all older and wiser than me you might have some tips and advice?
Hi I am Samantha I think I have pcos
I am 15 I am in low average wieght
But I never get my period and I gained wieght and I can’t loose it either
I walk 2 hours a day and up five days a week. Any other women would have lost 8lbs maybe in a month. But my scale is stuck. I’m 161.5 lbs. I litterally went up 2.5lbs after a pms binge of froot loops, mini reeses peanut butter cups and french fries. I mean i know whats going to happen the consequences, but have no control during the manic demolition of carbs. I was 159 on sunday. How can a person litterally go up 2.5lbs overnight? The walk was not a mitigating factor this morning. And now I have to start over for what feels like the 50th time after a binge. I got to 143 back in march and destroyed it with several binges.
I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS about 2 months ago. I’m 20 years old. And I feel terrible. I’ve always been different. Always! Never got my period. Have awful facial hair. Acne. Manly voice. Gaining weight too fast. No energy at all. Have to sleep during the day because I’m just tired all the time. My anxiety and depression is getting worse. And I just don’t know what to do anymore.
Well first off, I finally went to the docs after not having my period for a year if not longer. And she told me I need to get an ultra sound and once I got that tooken care, she said we’d proceed from there. So that’s exactly what I did. And I was diagnosed with PCOS. I went back to her and we discussed the results and she said she was gonna put my on birth control. She prescribed me Microgestin. Which I later checked online and had terrible reviews. Saying it caused even more acne and facial hair. But I gave it a try. She also made it seem like it wasn’t a big deal. She said PCOS is a 3 on a scale of 10 and it’s not that serious. I thought it was complete bs because my anxiety and depression is through the roof. My mood swings are awful. So I decided that I should actually go see a gyno for a second opinion which I should get taken care of this week.
I just finished my first pack of birth control and I got my period a week before the resting period and I am a complete mess! My acne was disgusting. It got worse. And I just feel so depressed and sad. My parents don’t understand much because they just don’t feel what I feel. Everytime I tell my mom I wanna see a psychiatrist she thinks it’s a joke. So I’m done explaining myself to her. I’m not over weight but I was about 6 months ago. I lost about 12 pounds. But I couldn’t do it without working out and thermogenic supplements because I just couldn’t seem to lose it by myself. And ever since I found out I had PCOS I gained a little weight. I’m just so upset. I’m glad I found out the reason for all my symptoms. I just feel horrible because I’m so insecure. I can’t seem to ever finish school because I fall in this depression once school gets a bit tough for me and I end up dropping the classes and feeling even worse. I can’t seem to do anything I like anymore. And sadly I don’t even know what I like anymore. I’m constantly trying to get away from home and to be around friends so I don’t have to feel so sad. I’m scared I won’t make anything of myself anymore. Idk what to do with my life honestly. PCOS has really changed who I am. And I feel like I won’t ever be who I wanna be. As much as I try.
hi there… I am 25years old…. I am fat since my 11th class… it was always difficult to loose weight even after joining aerobics etc.. then I entered medical school because of which I kept on gaining weight …bt from last year as I was working and studying in hospital I shed of 10 kilos In an year but since I am home from 2 months I have again gained weight.. I never had any issues with my menstrual cycles they hav always been regular ..also I dont have any acne on my face… I hav stopped doing workout because of some issues and I am stressed about gaining weight… my clothes have become tighter I am loosing confidence In me … I am generally depressed!
but yes I have painful menstruation since 2 cycles ..can there be chance if having PCOD??
I knew I had PCOS but my doc never diagnosed me because I am lean. I finally got diagnosed after coming off of YAZ, which by the way was the only pill that worked for me. Post quitting I gained 10+ pounds with no explanation. While quitting I had seen a naturopath and had my hormones and thyroid tested- my thyroid was on the low end of normal. I got on a supplement plan: vitex, milk thistle, zinc etc, and got regular periods….and then pregnant, only to miscarry 7 weeks in. That’s when the real PCOS symptoms started: acne, hair, no periods. Finally got my doc to run a bunch of tests and only had one marker for PCOS: high AMH levels, but that was enough. Went back to my ND and she put me on supplements: berberine, inositol, d-chiro inositol, and maca. Berberine + inositol is the natural equivalent to metroformin. After 6 weeks of it, my acne is gone! Hair growth…same but I got laser now (def recommend), no notable effect on weight which is what I was hoping for. I am trying low carb/paleo per her rec., but my energy and mood just can’t seem to handle it. I love carbs! Hope this helps someone..will update with any new changes.
Well done Stace. It sounds like you’re doing really well!
Glad to know that milk thistle can help! I drink a shake that had that in it. Really helps with cravings. I never thought of getti5my thyroid checked, maybe I should
I have pcos and went paleo dropped 50 pounds in 6 months just do it and have a cheat day it helps the cravings
I am by no means a doctor, just a twenty something with PCOS. And I follow the opposite diet… A high carb, low fat, vegan diet. I have not told my gyno this but she was impressed with all the weight I had lost in the three month gap between my visits. I eat a lot of rice, beans, veggies, potatoes, and try to cut out processed food. Spinach and fruit smoothie for breakfast, maybe vegan tacos for dinner. I feel it’s sustainable and something I will follow for the rest of my life and I highly recommend it!
Different bodies respond differently to all diets, there is not one clear cut diet for PCOS. Not all of us are insulin resistant. It is really up to each of us to take control and figure out what works best for us as an individual
What do you mean whrn you say hair? Like it grows everywhere or it falls out?
You grow hair in places that you wouldn’t want hair… ex. Chin, chest, bottom, face, stomach, etc
I have PCOS I was diagnosed AFTER I quit getting the depo provera shot I was on it from 2007-2011 stopped right before I got married. I knew I wanted a child AFTER depo provera was out of my system, the nurse who gave me my shots said AFTER you stop it can be anywhere from 3 weeks to 18 months you WILL get your period back, when I started I was 150 lbs when I stopped I was 250 lbs. It’s now mid May 2016 and I STILL HAVE NO PERIOD!!! I’ll lose a few pounds here and there by doing south beach diet (phase 1 is two weeks of no carbs junk food soda, to detox your body) but if I go into phase 2 (where you can add carbs back to your diet)I gain it all back. I am 5’0 28 years old 250 lbs and I’m at my wits end. I exercise and walk a lot at home and work (breakfast attendant at a hotel) only drink water. I dont know what to do. I eat maybe 1000-1100 calories a day, not sure if that’s too much.
You should check out the movie fat,sick, and nearly dead. It inspired me to go one a juicing reboot. It helped a lot with my pcos symptoms and I lost weight on it. or check out rebootwithjoe.com
… but then if she’s anything like me. The moment she goes back to ‘normal’ food after the juicing reboot, it’ll all come back on within days. I gained 5kg within as few days easy, it’s the most disheartening thing imaginable, especially when it takes 12 weeks of hard work, weight lifting & the cleanest nutrition possible to lose not even 1kg (or under 1% body fat), only to gain it back twice within a day or two. PCOS is a jerk. 🙁
Have you tried doing a lifestyle change program? It changes your diet obviously but in a different way
The only time I have lost any weight was taking l tyrosine and eating only 1 meal per day. I lost 3 stones form 15 stone. I have stopped taking the tyrosine after some ill effects after 2 years of taking it, and put the weight back on started eating 3 meals per day again.
I am now back on the 1 meal per day. I take vitamins ( bcomplex D & GABA) . I eat around 800 cals per day total.
I avoid any chocolate in the house but I am not losing the weight yet. I hope to start to see a difference in around 3 weeks. I know that I am going to have to live with eating 1 meal per day for the rest of my life, it is the only thing that has ever worked for me. On the plus side, you can eat pretty much anything in that meal so it is something to look forward to . I usually eat mediteranean. I think its called the warrior diet or something.
Hannah, have you talked to a nutritionist or anything? I have taken a metabolism booster with 2 out of 3 of my meals and limited what I eat. It has helped immensely
Let me tell you. I was diagnosed with pcos only 3 years ago and during that time I cried so much I was both upset as all hell i had to suffer with this and also happy I had a real answer to everything and maybe a way to help. I changed my diet and my exercise according to pcos research. Low carb really helped and having a personal trainer once to twice a week. I lost 35lbs but my body is still fat. I gain so easy around my midsection ugh.
I felt un feminine and gross my whole life the moment I hit puberty I k ew i was different than other girls. I now suffer from mad self body esteem issues that go so mentally deep it’s stopping me from dating anyone. I have stretch marks saggy skin and hair everywhere…
Here are my symptoms
Bloating
Nausea
Tiredness
Lack of appetite control
Gain weight easily and hard to lose
Hirsutism (man hair)
Anxiety
Depression
Self esteem issues
Body dysmorphic disorder
Heavy sometimes irregular periods
No cure but:
Green tea with spearmint
Supliments
Low carb, sugar, dairy/ high protein
Exercise
(In looking into getting on Metaformin)
Self love
Patience
Helped me a lot. Good luck.
I recently found a guy I wanna be with so I hope I can overcome my issues. He knows what I have but he doesn’t really understand. He’s an anorexic stick of a man lmao. I love him though.
Hi! Been there done that! Know exactly what your going through! I’m 29 5’5 168lbs and can’t lose a darn pound for the life of me. I found a dr a few yes back that has helped me tremendously! You have to find a good dr that just isn’t willing to put you on metformin to mask the symptoms. You have to find the root cause. I’m on 225 mg of progesterone/ dim/ multi vitamin and iodine drops to help with keep a healthy thyroid! 3 years later I feel so good. I feel like I could take on the world. It’s all about finding a dr who is committed to helping you 100% be the best person you can be! If it wasn’t for my dr, who I drive an hr and a half to see I don’t know where I would be! Good luck to you! Keep searching!
Hi. I am 14 years old. I have been diagnosed with PCOS last year, and over the summer I lost 20 pounds and took my medications…. and my body started turning normal for about 4 months, but now I haven’t had my period in 4 months, and I have been having pain for the past two days, although I don’t understand why. I think it is probably because I gained weight once again, but I’m not really sure. My mother said she wants me to have surgery, but since I have already been improving before, that means it’s not necessary right? All I have to do is to keep a healthy diet, and it will be fine right? Please give me advice, and please tell me has anyone experienced pain during PCOS? It says that PCOS doesn’t cause pain online, but I feel like the muscles in my uterus are just being squeezed, kind of like cramps, except it’s inside my body. It is definitely not in my abdomen. It’s inside. As in you know what I mean. thank you so much!!!! God Bless!
I was just diagnosed with PCOS a few weeks ago and have really been struggling with my depression and anxiety because of it. I have been struggling with issues that have now been attributed to PCOS since I was in high school and am now realizing that my extreme weight loss from middle school to high school (around 14 or 15 years of age) was attributed to PCOS. Then toward the end of college I began gaining weight. It seemed to have evened out there for awhile around the age of 22, but tat was due to extreme restriction and intense exercise. That type of lifestyle is not something I can sustain and I have gained about 20 pounds while still working out 4-5 times per week and eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Is this just my life now or is there anything I can do to feel strong and healthy again?
hi Tracy! I am only 20 but have had similar experiences with loosing a lot of weight but
mine was a couple years earlier than 15, and than I gained a lot of weight back around 16-17. now I work out and eat healthy as possible, staying away from
processed foods has helped quiet a bit. are you on any medications to help with the insulin? because that should help with the weight a little& remember to try to stay away from sugars as much as you can!
hoped that helped a little! goodluck!
I know it’s hard. I was active and ate healthy but was still gaining weight. So I had to up my exercise (7-8 times a week) and cut out even more out of my diet
Ive literally just been diagnosed with pcso, im 18 and pretty overweight. I have no confidence in myself at all and no matter what I do I cannot lose weight. Im supposed to be of to university in September but I have so little self-esteem and confidence in myself I feel awful and have always been bullied about my weight. What can I do to lose weight please?
Do you also have insulin resistance? Get your doctor to run a blood test to find out. If so, a high protein and low carb diet is what they recommend.
I’m at uni now and in my experience there is virtually no bullying at uni compared to high school. At uni everyone seemed to just get over themselves!
Good luck 🙂
I know how you feel about like self esteem over your weight, but don’t despair. As that other person said, there is a huge difference between college & high school. People in college tend to be more intelligent & then want to be there, unlike high school in some cases. Although sorority and fraternity members can still be kind of immature, not all, but enough in my experience. You should try maybe joining an online group of people with your same issues to get some moral support and also maybe see a counselor or maybe get some self help books to help with your self esteem, at least to there point where you feel it’s manageable. I know it can feel very significant when you have a bad experience, but there is so much more to your than your weight, I’m sure. Try to join groups pertaining to your other interested and I’m sure being around like-minded individuals and doing things you’re good at will help your confidence. It will also help relieve stress which is very important for weight loss when you have PCOS. Also you will come to find out that some people actually prefer heavier people as their partners because they find it attractive. So don’t ever feel ashamed of who you are. We’re all different and we’ve led different lives and have unique challenges. You deserve to be happy and be loved just as much as anyone else. Take heart that it can get easier, just don’t give up. I absolutely recommend continuing on to college.
I was diagnosed PCOS in 2004. I have struggled with my weight for years and have tried every diet/eating regime going- weight watchers, slimming world, Atkins, paleo. I can only ever lose 10lbs max plateau for a few months then I get disheartened and it comes back again never more just back to where I was before. It’s mainly my tummy bum area and drives me bananas!! I have recently been diagnosed with pernicious anaemia and so need to take lots of vitamins and minerals I’m trying to do this mainly with my diet but I’ve just read some of the comments and they say to stay away from fruit :-/ I now also have a bad knee, a torn meniscus and worn cartilage, and a orthopaedic doctor said when he sees me again (in 3 months) he wants me to have lost weight! well chance would be a fine thing!! I told him I’ve been on a diet since January and lost 2lbs and he looked at me like I was just a big cake eating fatty!! Which then made me want to pack it all in and go gorge on cake!!!
Anyway, ive recently seen lots of articles about diabetes medication helping and wondered if it’s worth asking my doctor about metformin?? Do you really think this will help or does anyone have a diet that has worked for them?!
Thanks in advance
I’ve seen weight loss with metformin! but you need to exercise and diet along with it. it is worth the ask!
I lost weight on Duromine it’s amazing, speeds up metabolism and gives you extra amounts of energy, maybe ask your doctor about it 🙂
Hey how did you find the Duromine over time? how long would you recommend going on it for? did you lose much weight? i’ve tried everything and i’m currently on Keto I just need something to give my body a boost. Thanks 🙂
Hi!
Metformin actually works! I was diagnosed last summer and I started metformin right away and lost 30 pounds in 5 weeks (with moderate exercise). It isn’t the weight loss solution, but it will help jump start your body. Your body will still fight the weight loss if you’re in a stressful environment because it causes an increase in hormones. I would highly recommend taking metformin but if you’re in a stressful environment (like college or a high stress job), you might be fighting biology
I’m 37 yrs old and have struggled with my pcos and a lot of weight gain. Like you I’ve tried every diet and would only lose a few pounds. I started taking met forming 6 months ago and do a 1200 calorie a day diet. I’ve lost 65lbs so far. The met forming has really made a difference. I also feel better since I’ve been taking it.
I have been diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 17 but was unfortunately put on birth control pills with no information whatsoever about my condition. However, after miraculously given birth to my beautiful baby boy at age 21, my weight has gone out of control along with my hirsutism.
I saw another Doctor to get answers, and am now on Metformin (for weight loss) and Spironolactone (Anti-Androgen). My questions are if this combination had good results or any bad affects on anyone? Can I take Inositol/Folic Acid with this combination of pills?
I have recently had blood work done as well, and came back with “normal” results for every category. Is this PCOS or can it be another underlying problem?
Thanks for the wonderful website and support.
xx
Katherine
I’m currently on metformin and spironolactone. Metformin has helped me lose weight but I have had to be on a strict diet and excersie routine which I eventually grew tired of. However, I am still on the meds and find that they do help me from not gaining any more weight. I have found that being on spironolactone really helps with my acne. I got off of it for a few months and then my face was soon covered with huge cystic like pimples. I quickly got back on the med and they went away very quickly. I hope this helps:)
HEY!! I have taken the combination of these 2 meds for years – I have exciting news… I lost 60 pounds fairly quickly after starting them. I did diet and exercise moderately but the medicine really helped. Some weeks I’d lose 5 lbs. It was so exciting! Now 5 years later, a baby and weight gained.. the meds are not working as well as they used to. I’m now having a harder time losing the weight even with diet and exercise. I have a doc apt next week so I hope it’ll change and I’ll have a new plan of action but I thought I would comment and give you some hope in the mean time!
Hi,
I am on both of the medications that you were talking about. I have seen some success with taking both medications. I would definitely talk to your doctor about adding Inositol/Folic Acid. My results recently came back as “normal” but I know that if I were to stop these medications now, they would probably go back up. It could be that your hormones were not too out of control when they were tested and the medications are helping.
What does adding Inositol(not sure what it is) and folic Acid do?
It is so helpful to read the posts of my fellow cycsters. I used to be extremely skinny to the point I used to pray that I could gain weight. (Big mistake). I got my first period at 16, never had another until I was 18 and Dr at that time that that was ok. When I graduated from college I needed to look into this irregular cycle. Around the age of 24 I was diagnosed with PCOS. I received little information about it and/or what to do with it. Thank goodness for Dr. Kristin Abbruzzi who explained it, treated it and CHANGED my life. The only problem…..I can lose weight. I’ve lost lots on several occasions, but keeping it off is virtually impossible whether I eat, starve, exercise or not….. I keep ending up back where I started. It’s a horrible merry go round to be on. I share this because some of what you have shared has been a HUGE help to me….hopefully someone will read my post and realize they too are not alone. Best wishes Cycsters.
Sheesh! Your timeline is almost identical to mine
Same in my case, used to be a skinny one and now a drastic change ! (Sad) ..
Same! People used to call me aneroxic! I started gaining weight when I was 21 was just diagnosed at 25 🙁
Everyone thought I was anorexic in high school, and I prayed that I could gain weight as well! Now my weight has gone out of control and I cannot shed it off :/
I feel like I’m reading my own story
This is what also happened me. Was so skinny that people thought I was sick. Nothing I ate ever helped me gain weight. Then I started to pile on weight around 22 and now I’m the biggest of all my friends. I hate it. It feels so alien to me. Was only diagnosed with pcos at 32 when I started to try for a baby. Starting to get very frustrated coz I ain’t getting any younger and nothing I do helps me lose weight. I hate bumping into anyone I haven’t seen in years cause I can feel them judging me and it like they’re thinking “what happened her??!!!” But mostly it’s the baby thing bothering me. That’s more important than how I look. Still very annoying though.
Hi Emma, I was diagnosed at 32 but had no real understanding of what it meant. All I ever wanted was to be a mom. I had miscarried at 22 which was very upsetting. At 35 I went on Atkins to lose weight and was pregnant within a month. I had no idea at the time that not eating carbs would decrease my insulin and help allow me to become pregnant. I just loved that it made my cravings go away. I went on the Carbohydrate Addicts diet to help lose that baby weight and became pregnant with my daughter within a month. Another total shock, as I was told I would probably never have kids. I would suggest a high healthy fat, high protein, low carb way of eating. It really does make a difference when I eat that way.
Me too. I could literally eat everything I wanted, as much as I wanted and I barely gained a lb. Always had slightly irregular periods though, but generally they were around 35 day cycles. Went on the bc pill and stopped it a year ago to ttc. No period since and diagnosed with pcos. Now i just cannot stop eating! I have tried so much to curb the cravings and keep me full but nope. My stomach is a yawning pit of hunger all day every day. I’m not on any medication though
I 28 years old and have PCOS with Hirsutism. I was first diagnosed at the age of 14. Just throwing this out here, but these supplements really helped me. I now have regular periods and I’m losing 2-3.5 pounds per week so far (with some calorie restriction and exercise).
1. Swanson Utra High Potency: Apple cider vinegar capsules.
2. Himalaya Livercare supplement (take 1-2 capsules a day)
3. Zen labs Advanced Green tea Extract with 45% EGCG (try to take this with a cup of Oolong Tea).
I am not a medical professional, but I hope this does help someone. PCOS sucks, but we can beat this or at least manage it. Oh, and if anyone has advice about dealing with facial hair, please tell me. I practically became a hermit because of it.
🙁
Did anything help the hirsutism?
There was one poster in the soulcysters forum who had great results with NAC for her hirsutism. Might be worth looking into.
to deal with facial hair, get laser hair removal. honestly it is the only thing that removes the hair. I suffer from bad hiratuism and it’s the only thing that has helped… i’ve had 4 sessions so far and the results have been good. You need to be consistent with it, most places will tell you that you need at least 10-12 sessions which is very much correct.It is literally 5 minutes out of your day once and month, and it really tackles the issue.
Isn’t laser hair removal expensive? I mean all yhose sessions. And I’ve heard for some PCOS sufferers that it ends up coming back(?)
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16, I did not have my period for about two years after I got it for about two years straight. I ignored my doctors instructions of taking metaphormin and birth control and instead let my body slip away from me. I gained about 100 pounds in two years, I ate whatever I wanted and did not exercise regularly. Now I am 20 years old and regret it so very much. I take both birth control and metaphormin now, and exercise regularly. My advice is that it really is all about diet. No matter how much I worked out, if I ate bad I would see no results. There is a rough road ahead of anyone with PCOS, but it is your body and taking control of it is the best thing you can do. Also with hair thinning I have found that Evening Primrose Oil helps a ton! it’s over the counter as well! Just wanted to share my story with some ladies who are going through the same! and this blog helped tons!
The evening Primrose Oil did you take pills or use the extract directly on the scalp?
Hi,
I have had PCOS since I hit puberty. None of the doctors in the small town I lived in could figure out my sudden increase of weight around the abdomen and upper arms, so I couldnt understand why I was so fat till I was 19 and an endocrinologist told me that I suffered from PCOS. I had no idea what it was. But I was 19 and with the doctor’s moral support, I controlled my food habits and lost around 35-40 kilos in one year. It was a tremendous weight loss for me and I found it hard to fit in my new body image. So after a point, I started gaining again. I couldnt understand PCOS as well even then. Its a complex metabolic syndrome and the young mind is all for other things than having a disciplined lifestyle. I gained back all the weight over the period of 3-4 years. And once again, fell into the depression of being ‘fat’.
Only last year, when I got a television show as an actor, did I really pay attention to the problem I was facing. As everyone knows, camera adds ten pounds and I was already very heavy. So one look at my on-screen avatar and I was convinced that I needed to be uber-disciplined to shed those PCOS kgs again. I consulted a naturopathist (because I so didnt want to be on ‘metformin’ again) and she wrote me a magical diet. I was to have a fasting day where I could only eat salads and buttermilk (an absolutely no-salt, and no-sugar day) once a week. Only once a week. I was allowed to eat anything the remaining days. Just by that, I lost 1-2 kgs a month. And with moderate exercises 5 times a week (mostly walking), I pushed the weight loss to 2 more kgs a month.In toto – 4kgs per month. That’s pretty awesome for a PCOS patient.
Its been a year since I am following this diet and I have lost around 15 kgs for good – I am pretty sure they arent returning.
So it may feel difficult to begin with and even more difficult to sustain, but once you start losing, you lose quite effectively. My menstrual cycle is amazingly on time since last 5-6 months. Life has never been better.
May all my cysters find the inspiration to make it happen. Good things always take time. Cheers. 🙂
Your comment helped me alot. Please can u explain your diet plan in details. Thank u very much
Hi I wasn’t ur suggestions plz I’m 19 and I HV got hypothyroidism and I got pcos ajd I’m gaining my weight worthlessly can u plz suggest me to loose weight and the reason of my weight gain plz
Hi all,
I really need some help with my pcos diagnosis. I have gained weight (maybe half a stone to a stone) within the last 5 months, although my diet has always been extremely healthy. I recently saw a gynecologist, and have slightly changed my diet to only 3 – 4 protein based meals in a day (almost completely going off carbs and the only sugar I eat is the occasional piece of fruit). I have horrific bloating issues, nausea, tiredness, and have also been diagnosed with anxiety and depression because of pcos. I am taking metformin, glucobay, and estrogen, but don’t know how much more I can take with the self esteem issues I’m facing with the weight gain. Does anyone have any suggestions? Many thanks
I hear you and it’s so unfair. Try to have faith and keep going with the lower carb diet. As for the self-esteem, learn how to love your body by doing the things you do when you adore something: fuss over it.
Dress it well – buy clothes that fit you now (not at the weight you want to be or so large they don’t show your shape). If you can’t bear to do it yourself, get someone you trust to help pick out clothes that look good on you now. Trust their judgment – there are things that look good on you now.
Take care of it – use body lotion, give yourself manicures, pedicures and facials and get a nice haircut.
Get some – if you’re married or involved with someone, get out of your self-hating head and go pounce on them.
Have fun – your body reacts to stress and self-hate by producing cortisol, which stores energy in the form of fat around your tummy. YAY! Instead of using that wonderful brain to spiral down into depression, get out of the house and give it something else to think about.
You are so much more than your weight – people love you because of who you are, not because of your shape. If they love you because of your shape, they don’t really love you – which hurts to find out, but it’s also very freeing.
Melody,
Thank you for writing this, I am dealing with the same issues we all are on here and what you said is the only thing I haven’t tried! 🙂
This was the best advice I have heard.. Many thanks- xoxo
Thanks Melody, I love what you wrote so much!
Hello,
I just want to encourage everyone, I am 24 and have been diagnosed at 22 still trying to get pregnant with my husband. Most of my weight gain happened in college, but recently with Weight Watchers, I have lost 30 pounds since August 1st. Weight Watchers was the only way I have successfully lost weight and kept it off. It is TOTALLY worth the investment, and you can eat what you want, just encourages healthy choices. My cycles have been more regular now than they ever have been! Still no luck getting pregnant, but I am grateful that I even have a cycle that is predictable now. Weight Watchers along with the Glow app can be very helpful if you feel like you do not know where to start. God is good!
Best of luck to all of you!
How does WW work? I’m considering it ?
WW is calorie restriction and exercise – tracking everything (food, exercise, water, etc) as well. I tried it and lost 20 lbs, but they came back on. Then when I tried again, it got to the point I was starving and exercising a lot without any weight coming off.
I think with PCOS we absolutely must address the fact that our bodies don’t have the same set of rules to follow. Calories consumed and calories burned is not the right equation for us. We need to restrict our carbs – and make sure the ones we eat are the right carbs (whole grains) in the right way (in the morning and with protein).
Case in point: Due to a lack of success in my second try at WW, I was lowering my daily calories to see where my intake needed to be to lose weight. Sushi was my favorite lunch – tuna and white rice – healthy, right? Exercising 2 hours every day. Nothing. Switched from sushi to higher calorie, but lower carb salads at lunch, and lost 3 lbs this week – with less exercise.
Do WW if you want, but keep in mind that we are dealing with ruthless energy-storing machines for bodies and that the usual rules don’t always apply to us.
white and brown rice are actually not good for us.. rice has high GI levels causing are blood sugar levels to rise.
Happy to hear you’ve lost 3 lbs this week, thats outstanding!
I am 26 years old and am devestated by this diagnosis. I honestly don’t know where to start, and my doctor was so worried he ordered more tests and blood work. While having a name for what is happening to me is somewhat a relief because it validates how I feel, the rest is just a shock. I do realize my role in this. My poor eating habits and sedintary lifestyle are not helpful to my health. I’ve thought of children but have always thought of waiting until my 30s when I was more settled, but now to learn that there’s a possibility I may never be able to have them is just…. heartbreaking.
Hi there I am 50 years old and have battled PCOS since I was 16! I want you to know I have 2 children. The first came with use of Pergonol and the second came naturally. There is hope. You can have children. Keeping open to,the idea of adoption also helps you realize you will have children…no matter what. So many women use infertility drugs and never know they even have PCOS. At least you know and can start there.
Thank you Lisa, you’ve given me some hope. I know there is still time to turn things around for myself, I think I was just in shock. It kind of threw off the plan I had for myself and shifted everything into a more narrow focus. Ive always thought of adopting children, but it never occurred to me that what’s happening now was even a possibility, but that’s life. Just have to roll with the punches. Thank you for your kind words. God bless you.
I had seen a biological analysis speacialist and she promised me with the naural vitamins and herbs that she gave me that my body would get on track and I would have a baby. Well it did and I did indeed have my miricle child. There is hope.
I too have pcos and was able to have two wonderful children. Talk to your doctor about adding metformin. I honestly believe using it helped me to conceive two healthy babies. I was 25 and 29 at the time.
I too have PCOS and used fertility drugs for awhile and then went on metformin as well (for fertility as I don’t have diabetes). I also have two children <3
When I was PCOS diagnosed in my mid-20’s, I shrugged – I never planned on marrying or having kids. That all changed when I met my husband at 33. After a few years of assistance and eventually IVF, I was able to have a son at age 38.
If you want it, fight for it. You have time. Save money for fertility assistance (I recommend going straight to IVF), learn how to cook and start living a reduced carb life.
You can do it.
I don’t know where you are in your struggle right now but I wanted to let you know that it IS possible to have children, even without a bunch of fertility drugs, with a PCOS diagnosis. I was diagnosed at the age of 21. My husband and I tried for 14 years to conceive. I took Clomid, Metformin and others to push ovulation. We tried a couple rounds of artificial insemination and even went to speak to fertility specialists about invitro. The price tag prevented us from further pursuit. My husband also has issues and we were told that our chances of conceiving naturally were less than 1%. Well that is all we needed. I got pregnant when I was 35 and now have a healthy, beautiful 5-year-old. It is possible. It doesn’t happen for everyone, I know. I have a cousin who also has PCOS and has gotten pregnant but miscarried (another common side affect of PCOS). She is still childless. I am just saying that there is always hope. That just because the statistics say it is unlikely does not mean it is impossible. I wish you the very best!
Girls! I know the weight loss struggle extremely well. I was diagnosed at 17, and because of an artist I follow on the internet, hah… I was 5′ 5″ and steadily increasing every month even when I didn’t do anything different. I always tried exercising, eating less, even starving myself to the point of blacking out. My parents didn’t believe I was even trying because I didn’t have any progress, which was discouraging. Recently, I lost 36 pounds in 3 months… Big, right? I did that by only cutting Gluten out of my life. It really worked for me. Gluten is anything with wheat, rye, barley. It’s hard to start, since almost everything has it. Gluten free is almost like No carb diet, but some are safe to eat. You get your fix of carbs from mainly rice, then the rest of the filling satisfaction from meat and veggies and fruit.
I urge you all to try gluten free! It gets easier after the first month, and after the first month, the next few will be weight loss. It happened to me, and I hope it helps you.
You have to b careful. I lost 40 lbs going gluten free while on nuvaribg too and nothing else. First time to ever lose weight with pcos…i had to go off the ring because it caused me to have incontinence. I didnt do anything different except change birth control and i gained 20. So i switched again and gained more. I gained the 40 back and some. Im now at the heaviest weight iv ever been at. Im 28 and in a year my health went to crap. I cannot take metformin it damages my liver i get ridiculously sick if i eat gluten. Im on lo loestrin fe now and im looking into starting supplements. After so many years of trying with no luck, when i lost 40 i wasnt even trying too…i went gf because im allergic. Weightloss was just a bonus…but i feel like my body played a horrible trick on me…and to add to it all i gained it back so fast i caused my urethra to recess and my bladder to become weak so i have stress incontinence…just be careful with gluten free…hopefully none of this happens to you but just be aware.
I have PCOS – As of Oct 8th 2015 I decided to go with the low/no carb diet as weight-loss really does seem to be a bit of a struggle and unfortunately it just isn’t getting any easier. I have made ALOT of changes in diet and have given a lot of things up. I lost 12 lbs with in the first month…but….but nothing since. I am still strictly low/no carb but it seems like it isn’t working anymore. I am not gaining but I am not loosing either. I would like to get a handle on this now and take control before it evolves in to other health concerns but I am not sure what I am doing wrong or what I need to do more of. I am putting in the work of watching what I am doing, being extra conscious of what I am putting in my body and at first I was re-warded with weight loss..but now I am getting more and more discouraged with each time I get on the scale. Any suggestions?
Write down everything you’re eating – and make sure to check the carbs and serving size. You may be eating more carbs than you realize and tracking food is a good way to see.
Shock your body by trying a different kind of exercise (or starting to exercise) – PCOS bodies are amazingly designed to learn, survive and store energy. Maybe your body has learned how to defend itself against this new routine of yours – so, switch things up.
I am only 14 and i have PCOS and the whole weight thing sucks. Plus i get called fat all the time, if only people knew what was going on.
Hi Miranda,
I saw this and thought I needed to reply! I was also diagnosed at 14 and I also used to get called fat, along with a variety of other insults, but I just wanted to let you know it gets better- you get older and people care less what you look like. I am now 21 and although I still struggle with my weight and am conscious of it, I have learnt to accept myself to an extent and trust me that helps because people see past my weight and see my personality instead. The main thing that helped me was to talk to people about it- close friends mostly- and explain what was going on and some of the side affects and they have been so supportive. Getting a diagnosis like this at 14 is hard and trust me at times it still does get to me but the support I get from my friends is unreal and is what cheers me up again.
Losing weight with PCOS is hard and at times you feel like you’re getting nowhere but don’t give up!
So my advice to you is:
1. Talk about it with people you trust
2. Remind yourself that people have no right to judge you on something the know nothing about
3. Those who matter don’t care what you look like- my boyfriend of 4 years looked past my PCOS and so have my friends
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and most importantly Don’t let it get you down
I know this isn’t much but I hope it helps and gives you the confidence to hold your head up high!!
Hayley
I know how you feel I was 14 2 years ago that’s when it all started for me and I felt fat but I managed my weight and I work very very very hard I exercise so much and people don’t even realise I just look like a normal size but the amount of exercise I do should give me the most amazing body. Anyway what in trying to say is that pcos is crap but everyone should just do what they gotta do it’s hard but if u think of it as motivation to always look your best and their is always a way around it so keep trying and don’t give up one day u will have lost all that weight and all those kids who called you fat will be amazed and wish they never said anything! Xxxxx
Hi all,
Even i am suffering from PCOS but my doctor told to reduce weight can any one help me out for diet plan.
I would advice counting all your calories and getting your self an exercise bike (stationary) put that in ur house and do about 1 hour on that everyday that is up to 1000 calories even better if u get a bike that shows u how many calories u are burning , but if u count your calories each day to be about 1500 and then do that 1000 calorie workout with the added extra calories u will burn from doing your day to day activities you will be burning way more than you eat and your body will have no choice but to use the insulin fat cells as energy thus making you LOSE WEIGHT, I know this sounds hard but in my oppinion this is way better than going on one of those low carb 500 calorie crazy diets because if u think about it that is so depriving where as 1500 is giving u choice to enjoy the foods u like (in moderation) and ur body will be losing that weight but don’t skip the one hour workout that seriously adds to this weight loss! Anyway this might not be for u but it’s something I do everyday I don’t make excuses and I get results and I feel so good about myself when I see those results so find what works for u and stick to it !! That is a diet plan.. Don’t go looking for all these crazy starvation diets because we pcos sufferers would have to live like that all the time to actually keep the weight off so why not do something more enjoyable rather than depriving ? Hope this helps x
I have pcos and I spent 3 months working out for 1.5 hours every day burning between 700-900 calories every morning and I never saw a difference..
I’m 19, since last year my weight had been going up and it’s uncontrollable, I do long distance running, track, workout every form of working out that exits yet no change. Tried every diet, always been adopting a healthy lifestyle but now all I see is absolute gain: 57-63 and iI’ only 154cm tall, in one year. It mentally breaks me, people don’t understand how I look fat while I workout so well. I need to stop this now, I’m so glad I get to see other ladies share their stories, it kinda helps, but now I’m broken, I wanna live like a normal 19 year old who eats out, enjoys the pleasures of life, this thing is a barrier and it’s breaking me day after day.
Hi there. I know how it feels to. I’m 14 years old and have been suffering from it since 2013. It is so hard for me to lose weight despite doing lots of exercise and keeping healthy. I do regular exercise and note down everything I eat however there are the odd days when I eat lots of sugar or I don’t do exercise. I’m 151cm tall and weight 58kg. I am very conscious about my weight and diet so I meet with a dietician every 6 weeks. I haven’t seen any weight loss at all which breaks me down ever so much that I can barely face anyone. I’m just waiting for that day I see a tremendous weight loss of 15 kg.
I know how it feels. Im 28 and I was diagnosed with pcos 7 years ago. I had irregular cycles and had gained more than 20kg in half a year. To make it worse i had only a few years before lost a large amount of weight and gained it all back. I was 112kg at the time i was diagnosed. Im 5ft 7.I was prescribed metformin and put on the contraceptive pill. I was working out 5 days a week and managed to lose 20kg. The weight crept back up over the last two years.. up to 93kg. I started a low carb diet and regular exercise about 6 months ago and have managed to lose 8kg. Its hard watching others on a diet/fitness regime kick goals and drop weight easily while you sweat it out and push yourself day by day just to see no change on the scale week by week. Its like a constant battle and some people dont understand how hard it is
Your not alone. I just want to tell u about counting ur calories and calcualting the calories u are burning compared to that. There are 3500 calories in one pound of fat so in order to burn 1 pound of fat a week u would need to burn all the calories than u eat + 500 more each day in order to achieve this. This is science. We may have pcos but our body’s still burn this calories if we apply ourselfs to this method it works for me.. It’s slow but it gives me results and it’s crazy because I don’t feel deprived at all. And can I just say ur amazing for working so hard with all your exercise because a lot of people with pcos think there’s no way around it so they just let themselves get obese whereas u are trying really hard and u should be so proud of yourself , anyway try my advice even if u have before because if u count every calorie in and out and make it more that u burn than u eat u WILL lose the weight ❤️❤️ Stay strong and show everyone what ur made of!!!
Hi Hun, I also have PCOS and never knew it affected me losing weight. I’ve tried so hard to lose weight and eat healthy/work out but it took ages to notice anything on the scales.
Do you mean it when you say just before we have PCOS don’t mean we can’t lose weight without surgery ? I need hope as its really getting me down. Thanks in advance
What surgery did you get?
I have been struggling with “female issues” since I was 10. I am 27 now. At age 11 I had an emergency laparoscopic surgery due to ruptured cysts and was told that I had endometriosis and that birth control would help with this. I was not told any additional information. I have had issues with weight, acne, etc. since then. My weight has steadily climbed over the past fifteen years or so. 7 years ago I moved to a new state and got a new doctor who disagreed with my diagnosis of endometriosis and stated that I just needed to be more active and lose weight to manage my fatigue, weight issues, etc. I then met with my general doctor, and after extensive testing was told I may possibly have PCOS and to see a gynecologist. I made an appointment and expressed that I think that I have PCOS. The doctor told me how hard it was to diagnose PCOS and that she was *certain* that I did not have it. After more blood work and an ultrasound I returned to the same doctor for my results. The doctor refused to see me and sent in her nurse with a pamphlet, which was not helpful at all, on PCOS and said “did she tell you that you have this? Here’s some information.” Until recently I have just been living life, struggling with my weight. My birth control masks my other symptoms pretty well, but I am definitely overweight. I plan to make lifestyle changes gradually. I have already removed caffeine from my diet, and plan to remove dairy and gluten. This will be easy with the dairy, but will be difficult with the gluten. I’m glad to have found this website. it explains so much. The podcasts are also helpful. My sister has also been recently diagnosed with PCOS. I plan to share this website with her.
I finally got my scan and got the results back showing I have Pcos. Im glad I now know why I feel like I have been battling with my weight the last 4 yrs. Especially my belly fat. But now I also feeled frustrated that the battle for me us going to be never ending I eat healthier and tried every diet I exercise but nothing changes and I feel like what is the point sometimes. I don’t have children yet I’m nearly 30 and I’m scared that if I have kids my belly will get worse and my husband won’t find me sexually attractive.
Hi Everyone!
I was just diagnosed with PCOS yesterday and I’ve been really upset about it. I have been overweight all my life, but I still had normal periods; however, for the last nine months I didn’t have a period. I’ve been on both sides of the weight loss struggle, at my most successful I was 165 lbs and at my heaviest 265 lbs. I finally worked up the courage to go see my doctor and after doing an ultrasound and blood work he confirmed my diagnoses. I feel really upset about the whole experience and I’m glad that I found this forum so I know there are other people out there with the same thing.
My doctor told me that I have to lose 100 lbs. I’m 5’10” and 260 lbs. I feel like this is really impossible. I’ve been thinking about trying Dr. Bernstein. Did anyone try it? Did it work?
Don’t look at the total weight to lose. Set smaller goals that will eventually lead you to the main goal. And your doctor should understand that it’s going to be difficult. My doctor was happy to see a 3lb loss in 3 months. Do your best and know that you will probably “start over” many times. I start over every day. Hope this helps. Good luck and take care.
I agree with this! The big picture can seem overwhelming. I have PCOS, along with hypothyroidism and was just given the diabetes diagnosis. I struggle to lose even 5 lbs but decided on focusing more on habits than numbers. My husband and I have started cutting back on carbs at night and eating low carb meals. You can try to make goals for yourself that get you to your goal. Like walking 3 times a week or something if exercise is a struggle for you.
I was diagnosed with PCOS and I went on a ketogenic diet and lost all the weight I needed to lose and quite rapidly. I then went on a maintenance diet and I have only gained back a few pounds since. I lost 35 pounds in 3 months. I would highly recomment looking into a nutritionist-supervised ketogenic diet to help lose the weight. Also my cystic acne and other symptoms all went away just through diet.
I have nothing but praise for the ketogenic diet! I lost 50 lbs in 4 months. I still have a long way to go, but so far, it’s the only thing I’ve had success with. I think why it’s so successful is because the types of food you eat make you feel full longer. Not to mention the complete lack of sugar.
I am just 25 yrs and i am diagnosed with PCOS before 3 yrs. I reduced only 10lbs in 3 months. But my gyno has appreciated me.. Weight reduction needs to be done gradually. So dont lose ur hope.. On reducing our weight,PCOS has less effect. We have even treatment for PCOS. So Dont worry.. God bless you
i have had great success taking the prescription medication, Victoza (generic name: liraglutide). It’s a drug used to treat type II diabetics. It helped with cravings and satiety. I lost 40lbs for my wedding. I stopped taking it because the side effect of nausea was too terrible for me. It’s also very expensive and it’s an injection medication. However, I would recommend it for those who are truly desperate and have exhausted the natural options. I put the weight back on after I stopped taking it and have been struggling for three years to get it off.
But did you have insulin problems like in diabetes 2?
I don’t know what meds are going to help me….I have PCOS, slightly overweight but not due to insulin or metabolism. idk if meds for diabetes can help. please shed some light on me..
Are you taking any supplements or have you changed the way you eat to manage your PCOS? These two things can really help!
After struggling for years with super irregular periods, 3 years ago I was put on Junel birth control. I stopped taking it after gaining 30 lbs in 3 months. My weight did not drop off, but instead I continued gaining! The tipping point for me was being 24 years old, 5’6″ and weighing 205 pounds. AWFUL! I’ve never been so big. I went to a new gynocologist, who ran a series of blood tests and diagnosed me with PCOS. My mother also has PCOS, so it made a lot of sense. My gyno prescribed me Ortho Tri Cyclen and its a god send! Best birth control I’ve had, and in 3 months I’ve lost 10lbs, without any significant lifestyle changes.
I got a new job that allows me a little more free time to hit the gym. So, this past week, I made some big changes in my dieting, restricting my caloric intake to around 1,400 and light exercise. I’ve lost 2 more pounds in a week!
I Want to eventually be down to 140lbs, but my goal for right now is 180lbs. Hopefully I can get there!
Hi guys
i was diagnosed with PCOS a few months ago. I am 22. I wasn’t getting my periods on time, and was gaining weight rapidly. The doctors first thought it was a problem with my thyroid, but realized it I have PCOS. Man …. in a year i gained 25lbs :O used to be 135 got up to 160! Its a lot of work and its sooo hard to be honest. i feel like i work so hard and results are so slow..but progress is progress right?i am now 150lbs! yaay now 15lbs to goo! but i have a lot of belly fat, and I CANT get rid of it! what are some exercise tips you reccomend? do you run? do strength training? i mostly have done cardio (eliptical) thinking about running now 🙂
There is no specific exercise to shift belly fat. Get your cortisol levels checked out as this hormone is usually the culprit.
I just wanted to leave a little food for thought, I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16! I have struggled with it since then, I was a “normal” weight in high school, but I was also a swimmer and track runner, after high school I quickly packed on the pounds and never had periods, by 20 I was 175 ( from 120 in high school) and gaining weight fast! I got engaged and went on the pill and got pregnant ( thank God, because we have never been able to have another child) after I delivered I went from 200 to 280 before my daughter was 1, and stayed at 280, for the next 12 years…I have been closely followed by a renowned endocrinologist and taken every med known to “fix” our issue, I have been paleo and PCOS compliant for the last 3 years and still stayed at 280!!! Last year at the end of the year, my endo shocked me with the proposal that I get a gastric sleeve, I felt defeated and mortified, but I researched and more PCOS women are starting to have success with the sleeve, not a band, not bypass, only a sleeve, what it does is take your body back to “infancy” state and you can no longer “hold” all calories that the insulin resistance causes you to hold, so I’m sorry for the long story, but bottom line is this, I had surgery the first of may and left the hospital post op weighing 284.9, today I am down to 190.5 and dropping steadily, for the first time in my adult life my hormones are almost normal and I feel amazing! I just wanted to add this here because I know the battle described above all to well, I wish I would have done this 10 years ago! Good luck with your PCOS and I hope you have success!
How was the surgery, do you mind me asking? I have been struggling with pcos for 10 years and have been on metformin. My doctor just recommended a sleeve and I’m nervous on how it will affect my life. I’m currently at 250lbs and have struggled with weight and am thinking about the sleeve.
March 24, 2015
Jennifer
The surgery was a little tough, but it was worth it!!! I went back to work too soon so I made recovery rough than it should have been, but overall it was not bad and the scars are almost already hard to see, not even one year post op yet! I say do it, changed my life, I was 280 and today I am 183, 3 lbs away from the 100 mark! Wish I would have done it sooner!
Thanks for sharing. This sounds just like me only I haven’t got full confirmation that I have pcos. I will find out next week. I had a a daughter 6 years ago and haven’t been able to get pregnant since. I’ve also gained an enormous amount of weight and can’t seem to lose it no matter what I do.
Im 16 years old..and already showing signs of PCOS… Gained so much weight..and cannot lose it though i dont eat anything my family doesnt eat. Just went on birth control almost a year ago because i wouldnt get my period for 2-3 months at a time.. i have pigminted skin on my neck and it seems to be getting really bad and i dont know how to get rid of it also under my arm..its embarrassing to not be able to wear a tank top and i try to cover my neck as mich as i can i aso clean it a lot with scrubs and ive tried cream , everything! No use..
Hi Anna, the pigment that you see is from insulin resistance. I also have pcos and my doctor prescribed metformin to help with that. Creams and scrubbing will not help. Good luck.
Hi all…I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 23 (I’m now 26). I was put on metformin and changed my eating habits and worked out at least 5 times a week. With in 9 months I lost 60lbs. I went from 250 to 190. I then became pregnant with my son and lost him at 19 weeks. My doctors told me that a lot of women who have PCOS miscarry and I would probably never have a viable pregnancy. I was devastated. 8 months later I got pregnant with my daughter and she was born at 36 weeks and healthy as can be. Now 7 months after having her Im pretty sure my PCOS IS “acting up” again. I’m 3 weeks late on my period and I’m not losing weight even though I eat healthy and workout. So I go back to the doctor to get my PCOS In check.
PCOS is a nasty thing but I’m glad I’ve come across this forum because I truly feel none of my family or friends understand how hard it is.
Please don’t give up on having a full term baby. I was diagnosed with PCOS at 25 and had my first child with fertility drugs at 28, had 2nd pregnancy at 30 with no help and had a third child at 35. Eating low carb and gluten free helped with the 3rd child. Getting healthy and eating right will help so much. I also prayed and worked on reducing stress. Don’t give up and keep working on weight loss
.
Thank you, I’m just looked at and told I’m lazy and I need to get a job. I do need a job but no one understands what’s really going on and how physically and emotionally painful this is, and to top it off it makes having children harder or incapable. So thank you I will share this to face book…
Honestly, seeing this article made me feel a little more sane! I was diagnosed with PCOS about two years ago. I originally began my journey at 250 lbs (size 18). I have always felt like that I gain weight SOOOOOOOO easily!!!!! It is so infuriating! Anyway, to help combat it, I began counting my calories using the MyFitnessPal app on my phone. It gives you a recommended amount of calories based on your weight and your goals. It even states that it is not perfect for every person, but I have lost 40lbs so far using it, and I am currently a size 14. It is absolutely a struggle because I’ve noticed when I don’t stick to calorie counting, my weight increases easily, but this app really helped me to get my journey started! This app also lets you know if you are eating enough carbs, protein, and fat everyday. It even gives you the amount of each nutrient that is typically recommended and lets you know if you are on target for the day or not. I don’t know if this will help anyone or not, but it really helped me! =D
Lisa,hypothyroidism and PCOS often go hand in hand.I was also first diagnosed as hypothyroid.
I thought once my thyroid was treated,I’d be able to lose weight,but that has not been the case.Then I was diagnosed PCOS by high testosterone,and I also had a transvaginal sonogram done which verified the cysts on my ovaries.I believe it is possible to have PCOS and not have high testosterone,just as many women with PCOS are also thin!
I was thin my whole life until this happened to me,so I can say from own experience.Unfortunately,I’m now at least 15 pounds overweight,and being treated with Metformin and spironolactone has not helped me lose any weight either.
Doctors all say the same-eat less,exercise more.I feel like slapping them.It is just not that easy.
The funny thing is,this article says women with PCOS are more hungry,but I barely eat because I’m not hungry.My skinny boyfriend is always trying to push foods on me and I have to yell at him that I either don’t want it,or I can’t eat stuff like he does! He is so lucky to be able to eat as much of whatever he wants and stays thin.
I mainly eat fruits and vegetables,yogurt,and some meats.I barely ever eat sweets or chips or junkfood.The metformin DID help with the sweets cravings.I just don’t want them now.
However,I still can’t lose weight.Even when I was deathly ill from taking topamax and didn’t eat for a whole week!
Right now I’m trying INOSITOL.I’ve started at 1000mg a day although most say you need at least 1200 to help with PCOS.
My endo is useless and so are my doctors….
My endo told me,women with PCOS are just heavier,there is nothing you can do about it.
I have not officially been diagnosed as having PCOS, however, the last endocrinologist believes that I do have it. The problem is that my blood work keeps coming back as having “normal” testosterone levels, but I have every symptom of PCOS. I also have hypothyroidism and it has been extremely difficult for me to lose weight and to even stop gaining weight. Any suggestions for someone like me who can’t get an official diagnosis due to testosterone levels?? Can someone have PCOS and not have high testosterone levels? Thanks in advance for any helpful information!!!
hello Lisa.
I was officially diagnosed with PCOS a year ago. However, PCOS never came up in my blood work. My PCOS was discovered through an ultra sound. Maybe you should try this.
This is the same thing that happened to me. It did not show up in my blood work, but it did show up in my ultra sound.
Yup, same here! I got blood results back stating all of my hormone levels were normal but went in for an ultrasound and they were immediately able to diagnose me with PCOS.
This website is the greatest thing I have found … these articles explain so much, my doctors have never given me any explanation behind my PCOS, just that I have it and I need to take metformin and exercise. I feel like for the first time in 5 years I really know what’s going on. Before my daughter I always had trouble.with my weight and after she was born its been even worse. Metformin allowed me to conceive right away but the weight problems have been the biggest battle of my life. I am so happy to have found this site and all this amazing information and people who understand that I’m not just a fat woman who doesn’t care and eats badly. I am a woman who eats healthy and works out but never seems to be able to see changes, hopefully now with this understanding I can finally tackle this !
I was diagnosed when I was 14. I am now 23 with a 10 month old and I gained 80 lbs in a year. I have been on diets since I was 12 and the only time I was able to lose weight was by being too sick to eat so essentially I was anorexic (I.e. eating very low account of calories due to severe nausea). I lost 60 lbs in 2 months. I am so frustrated. My OB/GYN immediately suggested gastric bypass surgery since my BMI is almost 40. No other suggestions for how to tackle this. I don’t want to cut down to only eating 15 foods but it is starting to sound like that is my only option.
Hey,
I was diagnose at 20 and I am now 23. I didnt take it too serious at first, but now I relaize how serious it is. I want to be a heathier and eventually, give my fiance’ a child one day. I would love to meet people who are helpful. I hope this website helps.
Hi
I have found this site after lots of searching for weight loss and PCOS.
I do triathlons and I’m 15 weeks from doing and ironman race. I do lots of sports mostly long distance. The final straw came over the weekend, over 4 days I cycled 120 miles and ran 13 miles and put 2lb on!!!! My diet was good, no sweets etc!
I’ve seen a Nutristionist about my race diet and they weren’t very help full. I know I need to have a low GI diet but I’m struggling. I also work 12hrs shifts which is not good for my food pattern.
Can anyone give me some suggestions to lose the weight!!!
Thanks
I work 3 13hr shifts a week, it’s so hard to fit in exercise and diet! I really don’t have many suggestions, but I understand the struggle!
Cut out sugar and carbs. I was diagnosed when I was 32 and have always struggled. Even strawberries and almonds cause weight gain for me. I constantly do 5 ks and exercise and eat well. Carbs are my enemy. I am off of metformin and just use diet and exercise. I am 42 and 171. It is a constant struggle.
i came across this site after going through all the information you have provided here tears came to my eyes. Im 24 yrs old and have had PCOS since i was 18 and have received very little help from the various doctors i have seen. From the extra weight gain that seems impossible to lose, to the embarrassing facial hair, and so on…life just seemed hopeless. its good to know im not the only one dealing with this, but at the same time it makes me sad to know that there are so many other woman dealing with the same thing.
Thank you so much for creating this site i look forward to starting a new chapter in my life by making the diet changes you have provided.
xoxo
Thanks for the good information I was diagnosed 22 years ago when far less was known about PCOS. I had given up in the last 10 years of trying to control the symptoms. I will never have children but suffer more from the associated depression in trying to deal with the symptoms.Thanks to this site and others I have some ideas on a fresh start at handling my symptoms. Keep up the good work.
Hi, I was diagnosed this past December but the more I think about it, I think I’ve been dealing with PCOS since my late teens, I’m now 33. I weighed about 105lbs in high school and then the weight just went up and seemed to stop at about 150lbs. I always thought it was my eating habits, even though I don’t have bad eating habits, but what else could cause the weight gain…..well now I know. And it explains lots of other things as well. Since my mid 20s I’ve dealt with acne, hair thinning, ovarian cysts, facial hair and most recently,more weight gain. The only good thing was that I always got a period and I am lucky to have a daughter now. My hubby and I thought we may like to have another one but it looks like my time may have run out as my periods have stopped coming regularly. I’ve had 2 in the last 6 months. I’m currently on a weight loss program, Herbal Magic, and I am down almost 7 lbs in 3 weeks! I’m learning how to live a healthier lifestyle and portion control. I’ve cut down on the dairy drastically and mostly stick to protein, veggies and fruit. I’m finally starting to feel “normal” again and I hope this feeling sticks around for a long time. Everyone is different, and each of us have to find what works for us. I love reading all the comments and I wish you all good luck in your PCOS journey!
Hi all!!
I had been diagnosed PCOS and found multiple cysts. My dr prescribed me medicines only for two months and asked me to just diet and exercise 1hr 30mins everyday and only widin two months cysts disappeared and I had lost 7kgs. And now I only do regular exercise and also diet but not a strict diet. My periods are regular from 9months.. in my lifetime of PCOS i didn’t had my period only once..
So it means everybody should just increase the activity level n do work out everyday and just diet. Not necessary to diet strictly as I’ve seen my Four cousins with PcOS are blessed with kids only by exercise n nothing much.
This is so great! I’m in the military and had gone to the doctor several times to see why I always gained weighed so fast. It was the last straw when a very tall, fit, male doctor, who happened to be very unsympathetic, said “some people are just fat….at least you don’t have cancer”….I burst into tears. Not my finest moment. Thank goodness I saw another doctor and he diagnosed me with PCOS after several blood tests. Now I just have to use the resources and knowledge to manage the symptoms–thanks for being a good source!
Hi Tarryn,
I just had a blood sample taken today and will know the answer on monday. I diagnosed myself with pcos though. I started by googl’ing why i started getting more and more hair on my chin and neck and under my bellybutton. I’ve always had a bit up upper lip hair, but have just plucked it. I found that i had several symptoms of pcos; depression, anxiety, started getting fat around the middle, more hair, acne, bad hair aso.
And let me tell you, i made a 180 degree switch in my eating habits after doing a LOT of reading. I was devastated and still am quite scared of how bad my symptoms might get before i can reverse it.
What i haven’t done yet is start my exercise or buy all the supplements yet. I will though.
my question is this: I’m VERY focused on eating pcos friendly foods, BUT what about when I’m invited somewhere? Well i think what i really wanna know is… Can i NEVER have a bowl of ben and Jerrys ice cream ever again?
And i love you for putting yourself out there and making it easier and lighter for the rest of us.
Hugs and thanks
I was diagnosised in my 30’s but had started seeking help when I was 17. I didn’t start to gain weight until I was started on birth control. When my husband and I decided we wanted to get pregnant I was placed on glucophage and clomid. I have 3 healthy children, but have gained 20 pounds with each child. My problem is the weight and face hair. I am back on glucophage and have recently seen an endocronolgist for the first time. She said all the supplements are crap because you can’t tell what you are getting. I have been set up with a nutritionist. Several months ago I started an “all natural diet” and I lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks. I kept it off for awhile, but got bored with the food I was eating. I am now up to 180 pounds and I feel terrible. I really want to lose this weight the healthy way. I have researched all over the net and there are so many different supplements suggested. I just want a solid answer…..are any of them any good?!
Sorry to hear the diet didn’t help..what was it?
Hi. Last year , i was diagnosed with PCOS. At first, i didn’t what i was, as i never heard about it before. After a while, I starting being interested in the subject, curious let say. When i learned that i would be much more difficult to conceive i started being afraid, scared even . I might be 21 but still i always wanted to have kids. I was always chubby, i always had a struggle with my weight. I put my gain of weight on the fact that i ate too much or it was in my gene. I always had blame my dad to my chubbiness and now that I know it was because of the PCOS , I am finally relieved. I would like to find a way to cope with that PCOS and at the same time loose the some weight because i gained at least 10 kg in the past 4 years without realizing. I am looking forward for your next post on that subject.
Cheers
hi everyone. I was diagnosed with PCOS some two years ago after gaining 20kilos post pregnancy and having issues with my period. I was placed on Metformin and pills, but I stopped em after getting headaches and being nauseous. My blood sugar is normal. Thank heavens as well for me not having acne. now I want to get back on having normal weight and it has been a struggle. I would lose say 10kilos in two weeks and gain it back in the next two. If I eat regular meals in a day, I get fatter. If I cut it back by 300-500 kcal, I maintain my weight. This article has been really helpful. I want to get back on pills so I could have my regular periods. Hopefully correcting the hormones will help with my weightloss. I have been into running, looking into HIIT, on yoga for a month and I hope to see a lot of difference in three months time.
hi I was diagnosed with this about 6 months ago and have been so frustrated because I cant lose weight. I am 22 and am only 4’9 and used to weigh between 110 and 115 and now im almost 170 lbs. any advice on what to do?? its so hard to be so young and feel like my whole life has changed.
Hi Jackie,
I was diagnosed with pcos last summer and became extremely frustrated with not being able to lose weight also. I am 19 years old, and im 5’10 and was use to weighing between 160-170 but then I hit a all time high of 215. I had enough, and went on a no carb, sugar free diet. I started this diet mid way through July of 2013. Since July of 2013 I have lost 25lbs. It might not sound like a lot but take in consideration I did not work out. I work full time and am in college as a full time student as well, so my weight lost is due purely to diet. So I really recommend the no carb, no sugar diet. Stick to proteins, veggies, lots of water, and fruit(but not too much fruit). It sounds hard but it honestly is a very easy diet to adjust to, and you never feel hungry! Feeling hungry was one of my biggest concerns( im half polynesian and we love food) but I can say I have never felt as if I do not get enough food. Then lastly I would recommend to workout as it will truly help with weight loss! This semester I enrolled in a “boot camp” class at my college. I can already tell with exercising and my diet I should be back to my normal weight before summer! You can do it, and get your body back. You just need to really figure out what “diet” works for you. My “diet” works extremely well for me that it became a life style change. Stay focused on today as you are creating tomorrow! Good luck!
but dont protein make you gain weight ? my doctor has recommended me to eat fruits and vegtables and drink water. Lots of it. She didnt say anything about proteins ?
Lean proteins are necessary for your body especially with PCOS. Not sure if you saw the recent article on here called ‘How to Lose Weight with PCOS – The Right Way’ but it has great info.
“The women following the higher protein diet lost more weight after 6 months than those eating a standard diet and they also had a smaller waist circumference.”
Check out that article here:
https://www.pcosdietsupport.com/pcos-symptoms/how-to-lose-weight-with-pcos/
Hi there I too am 4’9 and am exactly the same situation as you! Just got diagnosed yesterday. I have been dieting, excercizing and have done drastic things to help me lose weight. :/ need support!
Hi Everyone. I’m new here and need some advice. I have pcos since age 28. I’m 40 now . Since past 3 years I’ve gained 20 kgs which is a huge weight gain. I know I’m insulin resistant with belly fat . I’m trying so hard to lose weight without any progress. I only seem to gain more and more. As a formerly slender person this is very frustrating. Doctors where I am only label my problem as an * hormonal imbalance*. Pcos did’nt bother me much over the years except for acne and hairfall. I’m not sure if the weight gain is a symptom of the pcos or I’m perimenopausal. There’s a family history of premature menopause . I’ really want to lose weight because I’m petrified of diabetes. Some practical, effective suggestions on weight loss are so welcome. Thank you all in advance.
To all you women with PCOS and trying to conceive, take heart! I self-diagnosed myself with PCOS almost 20 years ago, and my fertility doctor ridiculed me. But after another doctor mentioned that research was showing a link with infertility and diabetes, she tested me for diabetes. I was not, and still am not, diabetic, but my blood sugar levels were “off”. I immediately went on the Adkins diet. And immediately became pregnant. This technique worked, producing pregnancy in the first month 3 times, and in the 2nd month once. My oldest son will be 16 next month. I still struggle with weight, metabolism, etc., but this diet alone allowed me to become pregnant. My advice for all women with unexplained infertility (or with a PCOS diagnosis now that such a thing is not ridiculed) is–extremely low carb diet. No fruit! Very few veggies. No breads etc. No sugars. Not healthy long term, but you may not need to do it too long. 🙂
No fruit, low veggies? What else are you supposed to eat?……
Thanks for this in site, I was diagnosed at the age of 15 when my doctor told me ” it’s nothing to worry about but having children might be hard” I was horrified as you can imagine but pushed it to the back of joy mind I’m now 27 and been trying for children for 2 years nothing yet but staying positive all my doctor keeps telling me is to loose weight. I will keep trying and one day hopefully I’ll have little feet running around.
Hi There
My doctor prescribed the following diet: no fruit except apples, only oats or All Bran for Breakfast, a protein shake for lunch, meat/fish with veggies for supper. Said nothing about no diary. I shaked 8 kg’s in a month’s time (15 lbs). I have all 3, low metabolism, insulin resistance and PCOS. Just remember that what works for one will not work for the other…Thank you for the blog…as I was only diagnosed about a month ago, I need all the information I can get!
hi I cam across this website searching for answers…….I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was trying to conceive my son. He is 6 now. I don’t snack all the time but I am over weight. Before I was diagnosed I kept gaining every year and I wasn’t eating any different. At the age of 20 and before that I was skinny. I look at myself now and I just hate the way I look and I fear my husband does to and I don’t want to loose him. I am not the same when I met him. I just want to feel beautiful again. Any diet ideas would be great!
Do you recommend any cleansing with juice or shakes for pcos?? If so, which ones would be helpful. Any examples would be helpful.
Hi, I am 21 and was diagnosed with pcos a couple of months ago. Currently takin yasmin but I would also like to introduce something that can help pcos long term..as I dont want to be on yasmin forever.
I will buy the inositol from amazon. I wanted to know which folic acid you would recommend and what amount.
Thanks for everything your doing you are giving so many women hope and guidance.
God bless you
Thanks
Faiza
I thought Yasmin was recalled? I know of several people who were not it and had all kinds of problems. Is Yasmin a non estrogen? My daughter at the age of 17 is diagnosed with PCOS and she is horrified the thought of never having a baby. I tell her that technology advances every year. She has always struggled with her weight and only carries it in her stomach, she is fully developed as a female and is a very beautiful young lady. It was not until I took her to a endo specialist they figured all this out. How do I find the right foods for her to eat and help her lose the excess weight in the belly area? Any advise is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Allison
I am 42 and just been diagnosed with PCOS. I am certain I have had it since I was a teenager. I have always had very painful periods and unwanted facial hair. I wasn’t overweight as a teenager but was always dieting and active. Gained weight soon as high school was over….could not lose it….unlike other women I had no problem getting pregnant. I was on the pill since I was 14 for my periods. I got married and as soon as I stopped taking the pill I got pregnant. I got pregnant very easily twice….My father has resently passed away as well as both grandmothers..I have been nauseous for months that is how they found out I have PCOS. Dr. said the stress from PCOS is what is making me sick.
I was diagnosed almost 10 years ago with PCOS, I have been on many different Birth Control methods- the one that has been most successful for me is an estrogen free birth control. It’s great to regulate with but it’s not increasing my estrogen which produces fat, which produces estrogen. It’s a vicious cycle, but that is why I moved away from high estrogen birth control.
Be careful with the birth control, I took it to help with my symptoms and it did wonderful things for my skin and period but over the span of 7 years on it I developed a Tumour on my liver. Now off of the pill I’m back to looking for some advice of pcos symptoms. I was never diagnosed but my twin was and we pretty much have the same struggles. Best of luck to all of us 🙂
OMG!! i had a liver tumor also!!!
it was huge….. i was told it was because of being on birth control pills for so many years (started at age 12). I have been struggling with weight issues… genetics and PCOS. Its an uphill battle…. i will keep trying.
Thank you so much for all the information that you offer! I come here first for answers about PCOS and always find what I’m looking for.
I was diagnosed with PCOS back in May, but have had symptoms since puberty. Dark facial hair, acne, irregular cycles but always had excuses for it and since my family doctor never seemed concerned why should I? Finally, right after my 21st birthday this year I had had enough and decided to do my own research and then go to my doctor with direct questions. Why was I gaining so much weight? (50lbs in 3 years) why can’t I get rid of my acne? Why am I having what feels like hot flashes? Finally after blood work and an appointment with the endocrinologist, I was diagnosed with PCOS. Since then it has been a major struggle to understand what is going on and how to control it.
I love that you give specific lists of things to avoid. Straight forward information is refreshing to find. My main concern now is losing the weight before it leads to more severe problems such as insulin resistance, or diabetes, but knowing I need to lose 50lbs is very intimidating. Do you have any tips on how to get started or some small things to try first?
Hi 🙂
I know Tarryn is busy with her new baby so thought I’d reply!
In terms of weight loss, I’d recommend getting yourself some Inositol powder and Folic acid and start taking 4g powder daily with one folic acid tablet every day. This will help significantly.
Diet – try to start following a dairy free and gluten free diet with lots of fresh vegetables and fruit. Also start thinking about how you can introduce exercise into your week. Maybe try for once a week to begin with and build up.
You can do this – but you need to really want to in order to drive through change 🙂 best of luck! xx
Do you see a big difference taking dairy out of your diet? I’m currently for the most part grain free and try to limit sugar intake as much as possible. The scale is up and down constantly after losing 45 lbs and I’m getting frustrated. I think taking dairy out is the next step but its so hard. I have a bout 50 lbs to go.
I stopped eating dairy products, meat and gluten almost two years ago and absolutely nothing changed for me. As a matter of fact, my period is four months late (and still counting…) and my hormones are insane so yeah… :/
Hey,
Gained 27 pounds earlier this year,gluten was definitely a culprit. Agree with Steph B, limiting gluten is a good way to go. A thing I’ve noticed, is when i ate a lot of breads, pastas, or even a little too much cereal, it made a big difference. It’s curious to note my dad has celiac disease…wonder what is up with grains these days. Anywho-
If you cant completely eliminate it, [i know i cannot realistically] eat it in limited quantities, maybe a muffin once a week, or a little bit of bread with some vegetables. But keep it limited,
also-eat regularly, you dont want it to be so daunting that you cannot maintain it, thats not good for you, it’s better to be slow and steady [as possible].
Rest, set an earlier bedtime, it’ll make you feel more refreshed to take on the day. Relax and realize that its okay to go very slowly, progress is still progress. And you will probably learn ways that work for your body, and your body specifically-because in some ways, its not a one size fit all.
When I would weight lift, I would get so hungry I’d end up eating a bunch of grains, and gain more weight. So for me, I actually limited my exercise to walking, and lighter activities. It really depends on the person.
But if you keep going after your goals, again and again, you will start to find ways that work-just be patient, and kind with yourself.
Thank you for this blog. I look forward to the next one. I have always battled weight issues with my PCOS. Its hard to explain to others, but this is great. I have been battling with the same 5 lbs for over a year now. Gotta keep on trying.
I am exactly the same i seam 2 loose 1lb & put 2lbs on its horrible’ I’ve just been prescribed orlistat by my doctor who doesn’t seam to realise it’s not what I eat as I only eat healthy foods ie fruit veg lean meat and I only have small portions’ I probably have about 800 to 1100 calories a day. And I’m constantly on the move! Medical people don’t have any help or answers too PCOS I was diagnosed nearly 6 years ago & all I keep getting told is there’s nothing they can recommend.
It makes things difficult’ as like you said people don’t understand how things are’ my sister thinks pcos is just a couple cysts & doesn’t effect my hormones or weight yet she sees how healthy I eat and how much exercise I get! Doctors ect should accept PCOS as something more serious as it does effect people emotionally aswell.
I was on your same boat, but at the beginning of my weight loss journey with many pounds still to go. But one thing I was told is that I have to hit 1500 calories a day in order to keep my body out of survival mode. My body was storing everything and this meant that I was not losing weight. Now I eat between 1500 and 1600 calories a day but work out and burn between 500 and 1,000 a day working out. This is my latest solution, because as long as you take in 1500 your body is less likely to store everything you eat, rather than allow it to be burned.
Good luck!
thanks Jess this is good info because I was wonder how do I do this…. I have been exercising since Jan for 3 days for 45 min.. Now I have increased it for 5 for an hour. I don’t eat much i see slight change in inches not weight… i need to increase my food intake…Make sense thanks agian
I have battled my weight all my life. It never made sense why I was overweight. I ate healthy and was always active. I actually had weight loss surgery, which was a great decision. However, I lost slower than most and my weight came back fairly quickly even though my eating was restricted. (I never thought that could happen after surgery.) I have learned to slow the gaining through a strict diet of fruits, vegetable, nuts, & seeds. It is an ongoing battle I fight with the Lord’s help.