"PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

[possysmith]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Hi

I have just joined ADBB as I would like to lose 18 kg or about 38 pounds. I found out that I have PCOS when I was 21, I am now 33. I haven't had any fertility problems because I was seeing a top naturopath in Australia who specialises in women's fertility etc. Before I saw her I would have a period every 4 months. She put me on 2 potent herbs called Peony and Licorice which dropped my testosterone level so low that my reproductive endocrinoligist thought I was on the pill or something. I was verging on having abnormally low testosterone! I have found that when I am in ketosis or on a very low carb diet, I have a 28-31 day cycle. Since being on a ketogenic diet for a month I had a 28 day cycle. The worst symptom I have is lots of chin and neck hair. Yuck. I have a 19 month old baby girl who keeps me very active. I hope Atkins allows me to lose the weight I need to.
Sue

[annRN]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Sue

Congratulations on your baby girl. That is great that you were able to have her naturally. I am 32 and it seems we have similar weight loss goals (from another post). That's great that you found someone who could help you get your blood levels straightened out. My testosterone is normal, it is my LH/FSH ratio that is really messed up. I have the hirsutism issue, too. Not very fun at all. Mine is upper lip, chin, sideburns and even some issues with chest hair. That started in my early to mid twenties, but I think I have had PCOS since I was a teenager. I have never had my period more than every 3-4 months, except when I was on the pill or when it was "forced" by fertility treatment meds (Provera).

Good luck with your weight loss!

Ann

[obkbbby]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

I am new to the board! I was diagnosed with PCOS three years ago. I am one of the fortunate ones who was able to have a son naturally even with the PCOS. I went undiagnosed for over a decade. I have been on birth control for erratic periods for almost 20 years. (I was actually on the pill when I got pregnant.) I have had trouble with hypoglycemia for almost almost 12 years. I have had bowel problems since I was in Kindergarten. I have also been recently diagnosed with hypothyroidism.

[annRN]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Welcome to the board! I hope that Atkins helps control some of your PCOS and thyroid issues! Good luck!

[possysmith]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Hi Ann
I just wanted to say hello. I am struggling with the diet I haven't lost anything on Atkins yet. I think I have been eating too much protein and fat. I worked out that that I only need 3 ounces of protein per main meal with two 1 ounce snack of protein. So 11 ounces of meat for the day. I am wondering if I should take the Metformin or not. If it does help with my weight loss, than how will I work out my carb tolerance as I go up the carb rungs. It might be the Met going up the rungs not my own natural body. But then if I can't lose any weight than I should try. I started a ketosis diet for 2 weeks (protein sparing diet) and lost 4 pounds. I found i was too hungry on that diet and changed to Atkins. I have been doing Atkins for 3 weeks on induction and haven't lost an ounce. Do you think i should try the Met?
Sue

[annRN]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Hi, Sue!

I am sorry that you are not seeing results with Atkins.

For me, personally, the Met hasn't helped me lose weight. I have been taking it for well over a year and, until I started on Atkins, my weight has continued to climb. I don't think you should take it for that reason alone. I would take it to help with the other symptoms of PCOS, and try not to focus on the weight. Here's the thing about Metformin... It does not lower your blood sugar. It only helps to counteract the hyperinsulinemia which ultimately helps to even out all of your other hormone levels. I don't think it is really going to affect your movement through the OWL rungs. The other thing is that PCOS, just like diabetes, can cause longterm damage to your heart and kidneys. You want to get the hyperinsulinemia under control. Once you have reached your healthy weight range, you may not need the Met anymore, but in the mean time you want to treat this disease process! Even when you are thin, you may still need the Met.

I am wondering if you are not losing weight because you are not eating enough. When I am on Atkins, I do not measure anything except carbs. Fat is good on Atkins, because that is what you use for energy instead of the carbs that other people use. If you aren't eating enough, your body goes into starvation mode and conserves all the food you are consuming. It doesn't want to let go of the weight. I would try not to worry too much about your portion size right now, or how much protein & fat you are eating. Eat legal foods, when you are hungry (or at least every six hours if you aren't hungry -- which I rarely am these days) and until you are satisfied, but not stuffed. As you move through the process you can start to worry about portion size, but I would forget it for now!

Good luck. I hope some of this information helps.

[Susan33]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Hi, I am Susan and I was diagnosed with PCOS almost 8 years ago and they figure I had it at least 5 years before that if not longer. I have many complications from not being treated for so long, but things are getting better. Now if only I could lose the weight and keep it off. Good luck to all my fellow PCOS suffers on stay fit, trim and health.

[chaoticlove82]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Hello Everyone! My name is Adela. I just found out I had PCOS a couple weeks ago. I was taken to the ER because of unbearable lower abdomen pain. After tons of blood tests and 2 ct scans they found that I had an ovarian cyst the size of a baseball. I spent 5 days in the hospital and they chose to drain the cyst instead of remove it because they would have had to remove my left ovary along with it. I've had one other cyst on my ovary about 4 years ago that I was taken to the ER for as well but no one ever diagnosed me with PCOS until recently. While I was in the hospital I was on so many pain medications I didn't know what questions to ask. Now that I've done some research on it I really want to go back to the doctors and ask a lot more questions.

My husband and I want to have children and I haven't been able to get pregnant but now that I know I have PCOS I'm wondering if I will ever get pregnant. I see some of you were able to and that gives me hope. Before I saw the forum here dedicated to women with PCOS I didn't know weight loss could help. I was up last night crying because every now and then I get overwhelmed thinking that I won't be able to have children. It seems that everyone around me is getting pregnant. Even my sister has 3 wonderful kids and I love them very much. I want so very much for us to be able to have our kids grow up together. I know I just need to stay positive but it's so very difficult because I also have been diagnosed with depression.

I've had a hard time sticking to atkins in the past and I'm hoping this time I can stay motivated to stay on it in hope of being able to conceive naturally. I thank you all for sharing because I didn't think I had anyone to talk to about this. It's nice that I can find support for weight loss and PCOS all in one website/forum. Thank you all!

[Susan33]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Try to stay on atkins. It is proven that a low carb diet is the most helpful thing for us that suffer from PCOS. Also, you should be on Metformin, if you are not already. Find you a good endo doctor, who knows about PCOS. You can get pregnant, it just may take some time. I have a friend who has PCOS that had to have IVF, but she has a beautiful baby now. Good luck with everything.

[Size8Wannabe]

Re: "PCOS" Roll call.. Jan 2007

Count me in for the roll call. I'm 42 and was diagnosed at 17. I was first put on provera for about 6 months and then b.c. pills from then on. I am one of the lucky ones who got pregnant without drugs but it took some doing. The first one took a year and several ovulation kits (I recommend them highly----very easy to use). The second time getting pregnant was fast-2 months. I have suffered PCOS symptoms all my life. I feel like a thin person inside a fat person's body. I can't stand my apple shape. Low-fat diets make things worse for me. I get fatter when I eat low-fat then when I eat whatever I want. Atkins is the ONLY thing that has worked. Have not tried Met. Anyway, for those who want to get pregnant, don't give up. Keep trying. I was starting to lose hope after trying pretty hard for the whole 12 months. I even had the Clomid prescribed and sitting in my medicine cabinet and then -----WHAMMO---I was pregnant. I have faith that Atkins works. Even when the weight loss is not as linear as I want it to be. I lost 7 lb in 2 1/2 weeks. The next week---nada.