I just recently (within the last two weeks) was able to go to the doctor and I was diagnosed with PCOS. I had blood tests and my doctor says that my insulin is at the high end of normal, but it is not out of the normal range. She said she did not feel comfortable prescribing Metformin to me. I was very disappointed by that, as I have read very positive things about it helping weight loss in people who have PCOS and are overweight with trouble losing. I was finally feeling like the weight I put on was not my fault if I was insulin-resistant, but I guess it is?

I eat healthy and I have for a long time. When I first started cutting calories (to 1500-1600), I did lose a few pounds, but that soon stopped. After that, no progress. I exercise as well (walks and Billy Blanks Tae Bo dvds). I usually get about 6-7 hours of sleep a night during the week and sometimes 8 on a weekend.

What exactly should I do now? I am significantly overweight (at least 60 lbs) and my frame is not meant for this amount of weight. Knees, back, etc...I feel it. I'm 28 and the longer I take to shed this weight, the harder it will be. One of my parents is overweight and my grandmother on that side of the family was overweight as well. No PCOS anywhere though.

I know that I have a ton of self-esteem issues from all the weight and the blame for the weight (I blame myself, other people suggest I lose weight and that I'm just not trying etc.) over the years. I currently have a very nice boyfriend who treats me very well, but I know that he is not attracted to me the way he would be if I looked normal. I want to lose the weight! It would fix so much in my life! I have been gaining weight (a few pounds a year) for about 10 years. In the past year, my weight has not increased (which is definitely good), but how do I lose...anything now? I am out of ideas. I've read about juice fasts and about hunger diets actually working. What should I do? I feel like the PCOS is the reason I cannot lose weight, but losing weight is the only way to relieve some of the symptoms.

I know someone is going to post that I just don't want to lose weight enough so that's why I'm not losing....that's not true though. I am so very depressed!

hi Ariselle ...I know it can be very frustrating when you are trying and not losing weight, has happened to be quite a bit too ...Have you ever tried a low or lower carb diet? I know if you have any IR problems at all this will usually help. You don't have to go as low as the Atkins diet if you don't want but I do think lowering your carbs signifigantly would help you. Never hurts to give it a try and see if your body responds.

Good Luck !!

I was thinking about cutting carbs completely. I have lessened the amount I ate (as compared to when I first started trying to lose weight), but I was thinking of cutting them out completely. I have not gone as far as Atkins or a GI diet (never tried either).
It is a very good idea.
Today I am going to write up a drastic change / diet to stick to. I am trying to put together all of the ideas so that I can come up with something that will give me the best shot at losing weight.
If you have any other ideas please let me know!

Hi Ariselle. I would suggest reading the PCOS Diet or the IR Diet. It explains how to pair complex carbohydrates and proteins together as well as eating every 2-3 hours. I read the book cover to cover and it made a lot of sense to me. You do have to cut carbs but the good thing is, you don't have to give them up completely. I have up to 2 pieces of fruit a day with a protein, I can eat whole grain bread, brown rice and pasta and I am losing weight. It's all about portions and pairing the right foods together. I only felt a bit hungry the first few days but then I was fine.

I would suggest getting all the good research together about PCOS and Metformin and bring it back to your doctor. It really has proven to be effective in non IR PCOS patients as well as IR PCOS patients.

Good luck and hang in there!! The best thing we can do is educate ourselves about our condition and be proactive in treating it.

Don't be disappointed about the metformin- it gave me (and others) stomach aches, and didn't do anything for my weight loss (since I'm not IR). An appropriate BC pill can help balance your system, and if you want to lose weight I recommend calorie counting and exercise (the second one is your choice).

Yep, agree with Kelly.

Metformin is not a miracle drug and it doesn't necessarily mean that taking it will lower your weight. It's not a weight loss drug. It may help your IR (or slight IR in your case) but it doesn't mean you will lose weight.

Exercise and diet will do it -- with or without IR.

What it means, unfortunately, is that you may have to play around with your food (lower carb, eliminating carbs altogether is not an option, you need carbs), eliminating the processed foods, and exercise are going to get you there.

But you may have to just play around with what you're eating. Some people can't handle artificial sugars, for example. You may be one of them. You may need to exercise every day, instead of 2 or 3 times a week. You may be okay eating a cheat meal every week or every month or maybe none at all.

In fact, I would say, be happy you don't have IR. IR means your pancreas isn't working right. That's not what you want to have -- that's the path to being diabetic. You are only 22 and being diabetic may not mean much to you, but that's NOT what you want to start dealing with when you are so young.

Be happy you're not, and start working on your diet and exercise plan. And remember, the weight will come off, it may not come off as quickly as you want it to come off.

And if you want advice, start posting your diet and exercise plan and we can try to help.

If you have MyFitnessPal to track your cals/carbs/fat/protein ect add me if you'd like, MrsH2132012

Here are some great Facebook pages with fab low carb recipes!
PCOS friendly protein powder would be a Brown Rice or raw for the recipes they are needed for

https://www.facebook.com/CarliFindingFitness

https://www.facebook.com/FITHAPPENSLLC

Agree with all this!!

I agree with Dragonfly33, Ive recently started a IR diet, and the first week ive lost 4lbs. Have also been exercising every day (walking home form work, takes me roughly 50 mins to get home).

Good Luck, im sure you will find whats right for you xx

Cutting carbs does play a huge role in losing weight with PCOS. I don't know anything about the IR diet, so I can't comment on that, but there isn't any way to 'cut out carbs completely' and still be healthy.

Carbs are in fruits and vegetables, not just bread, pasta, sugar, etc. There's even some in milk, yogurt, and very small amounts in cheese.

Certainly, cutting out high carb things like bread, pasta, soda, anything sugary...that will help you. But your body still needs veggies, and in smaller amounts, fruit.

The best advice I can give you is research your brains out. Learn about PCOS, diabetes, the digestive system, insulin, everything you can find about carbohydrates. Watch the movie Fathead for a good starting point on what high carb diets do to the body.

Oh, and on Metformin: it is not a solution. I was put on this once. I had severe GI problems because of it. Three days of constant vomiting and nausea, and I'd had enough. Not everyone has such bad problems with it (I could hardly keep down water), but still, it's not a solution, it just treats a few of the symptoms while not dealing with the problem.

Hope you find a plan that works that you can keep up with for life.

Don't be upset about the doctor not giving you the Metiformin. I took it a few years back but had to stop because I found out I was in stage 3 kidney failure. Just remember that it is better to stay as natural as possible. The Metiformin didn't cause my kidney problems but you can't take it if you have kidney problems. Good luck!

I would try a lower carb diet. There are some great ones here on these boards and I suggest looking at them all to decide what fits you best. Ideal Protein Diet, South Beach diet, and Atkins comes to mind.

Good Luck!

I also have PCOS was doing the same thing as you eating under 1500 cal and doing 1.5 hour workouts everyday but still stayed the same. I was on Metformin for a while but that sucked because it made me very sick. I started Ideal Protein 3 days ago and I stepped on the scale this morning and -3 wow I don't even feel the erge to cheat and i am eating under 1000 cal a day the protein fills me right up along with all the veggies full of fibre. Good luck on your journey