does your weight control PCOS? - Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Message Board

fallen_angel · 06-04-2006, 02:20 AM

hi everyone

im not actually sure if i have PCOS although i do have some of the symptoms so am researching it at the moment. I read that losing weight is one of the main ways to control PCOS. i found this a bit confusing because isnt it the PCOS that actually causes weight gain?
Anyway,I was getting really overweight towards the end of last year and have recently managed to lose nearly a stone just through improving diet and taking more exercise. Since doing this my periods have become more regular and i now think i could be ovulating (i was trying for a baby last year and tests showed i wasnt ovulating, my periods were also on very long cycles). So im wondering if, if i do have PCOS, losing this weight has managed to control it? My bad skin has also improved recently although this could be a result of my diet being better, and ive also been letting the air get to my skin more lately.
Has anyone else noticed an improvement in their PCOS after losing weight? and does anyone know why this actually helps to control it?
any advice or insight would be greatly appreciated
many thanks! xx

air_20 · 06-06-2006, 01:29 PM

Hi

I also have PCOS...what happens is the insulin makes a lot of our problems...it's an undlerlining problem, cholestrol (sp?) blood presure, testerone all go up when we gain weight. We can get a lot of our symptoms under control through diet, low carbing and no sugars...I only drink water. My insulin was 29 and now is 9...and that's through diet alone, I've lost 43 lbs and I'm finally ovulating every month...still haven't gotten pregnant yet, my acne has also improved...I realized that if I eat really bad and lots of carbs for 2 weeks my face will totally show it. I a firm believer in low carbs and no sugars...I'm praying one day that I'll get pregnant. If we lose 10% of our weight that improves our ovulation and chances of getting pregnant. I still have to lose about another 60 to 70 lbs. Are you taking any medications at the moment?

fallen_angel · 06-06-2006, 02:26 PM

hi airees
thank you for your reply, im not taking any medications for PCOS as i havent been diagnosed yet, are there medications they can give you?
also sorry if this is a bit personal or too much information, but when you werent ovulating were you still getting mucus, like you normally get when you ovulate? its just because i always noticed mucus half way through my cycle even when tests showed i wasnt ovulating. My doc said i was probably producing enough hormones to produce this but not enough to release an egg, which was quite confusing. How have you found out that you are now ovulating?
sorry for all the questions, just need all the advice i can get right now. thank you very much xx

air_20 · 06-07-2006, 08:14 AM

No problem...you can ask whatever you want

I've learned soooo much over the last year.

If I'm ovulating...I don't really get mucus, not sure if it's because of all the medications that I'm on to help me ovulate to help me get pregnant. I know that before I was even trying and tracking my cycles and was on any medications...I would get mucus too, but I'm not sure if I was ovulating or not at that time before I was going to all these doctors...some women with PCOS can't use ovulation monitors...my drs says I can...they ran some tests to make sure I was ovulating, sonogram to check for follicles, blood work and I used the monitor at the same time just to make sure I could use the monitors...so now I know I can use it...I go to a Reproductive doctor...she'll check my P4 levels 7 days after I think I have ovulated, the level has to be above a 10 to sustain a pregnancy...and if you're taking medications like Clomid, femara or follistim it has to be above a 15 for the medicated cycle.

Also, a lot of women take Metformin, Actos or Avandia to help with their insulin levels...I'm allergic to Metformin and can't take it, so all I have right now is to lose weight, low carbs, no sugars and drink only water...it's definitely helped me sooooo much, buts it's REALLY hard because of the PCOS...if there's any advice I can give you, it's to cut down on the carbs...and really try not to eat sugars...watch what you're drinking too. A lot of women that have PCOS are insulin resistant and later in time can become diabetic, have high cholestrol, high blood pressure, heart disease ect. If you need any other information, feel free to ask...I know a lot of girls with it and I'm learning something new everyday

missymae · 06-13-2006, 06:43 AM

Hi Fallen

If you suspect you may have PCOS I would suggest going to your doctor. Testing initially involves some blood work and from there dependant on the results you may go on to have an ultrasound. It is much easier than worrying about it. Once you have your results and should you be diagnosed with PCOS you can be referred to a specialtist who will be able to best set you up on a treatment plan starting with what is the most problematic or important of your symptoms. I spent years suffering from a slew of symptoms and had no idea there was something causing my problems until a fantastic doctor I went to for something totally unrelated flagged it up due to some of my visable symptoms (such as my weight). Before this, despite years of complaining, I was always told things from its stress related, you have IBS, its simply your diet, some people are just like this, its all due to depression ( a side effect of PCOS - not the cause of it!) My specialist set me up on metformin first off to help both my weight and to start me ovulating again. Although my results are apparently on the more positive side, within a matter of just over 3 months I dropped 20 lbs without altering my diet or excercise and I also started to menstruate again on a fairly regualer basis - which was certainly a difference from the on average 2-3 times a year b4 that. I am still in the early stages of treatment but I am definitely seeing progress - I hope you can get this sorted for yourself ASAP