Hello,
I have PCOS and food cravings are definitely an issue for me. I strongly believe they are 2 causes to that: a phsychological cause and physical cause.
In regards to PCOS, I am like most of you.... the diet is so important. I took metformin for 10 years. The doctor said that metformin on it's own doesn't work. You MUST exercise. Which I did. I think it did help a little.
WHen I got pregnant, I had to stop metformin. I had gestational diabetes (like the other person mentioned) and was put on a super strict diet.
The good news is that I only had 3kg to loose after giving birth! And the other great news is that I did not feel I needed metformin anymore!!!!
I am taking a natural gluco support thing which I think I could do without as well.
Now something interesting happening: I am 42 and I started having many migrains (didn't happen since I was 13 when I got my first periods), I was sweating a fair bit at night... and had more cravings. I felt something was going wrong... and I wanted to have another child.... so I went back to my endocrinologue (sorry I am French I don't know how to spell it in English). the results were amaising: I do not have PCOS anymore!!!
But the doctor explained to me that it is a transition period... I will have PCOS again in a few months. It's like the myope who sees very well just before getting presbit like all old people!!!!
The funny thing is that even the cysts on the ovaries go away during that period!!!!
In parallèle, I went to see a hypnotiseur to support me with the physycological aspect of things (I stopped smoking with a hypnotiseur, so I thought why not try for food cravings!!!).
Now that's amaising: it has been 8 weeks that I do not have ANY CRAVINGS! I just simply don't eat between meals and eat normal meals like everyone. It's amaizing: the horrible craving feeling, the fight in my mind between the craving and the willingness not to go for it, the feeling horrible afterwads because I feel guilty I gave in... oh well, you know what I mean.
At first I thought, WAOW, that's great that hypnotiseur thing! No more cravings. Now I start to worry because I am thinking the cravings might come back when the super hormonal transition period has gone!!!!!!
I will talk to my doctor about it and ask her to do some analysis if the cravings come back.... I so hope they won't!
Will let you know.
Whatever the answer, I am sure hpynotiseurs can help .. .same principle as medidation... but I think I will have to go back to the small meals regularily and all the rest of it to keep in control.
Good luck to you all ladies... it does feel good to know I am not alone!
Will keep you posted if you are interested
Take care of yourselves