Hi all. I am not new to the whole PCOS/IR thing, but it's been a lesser issue in my life over the past couple of years....and now I fear it's rearing its ugly head again.

In 2011, I decided that I'd had enough and I wanted to lose weight (after finding out that I was teetering on the edge of Type II diabetes.) My doctor prescribed Metformin for me in January (1/2 tablet twice a day.) I also joined Weight Watchers. Over the following 16 months, I lost 65 pounds and as a result, was taken off of the Metformin in May of 2012.

Over the past year, I have regained 20 of the 65 pounds that I lost, and am having a devil of a time getting it off again. I'm finding that my cravings are back with a vengeance, and it seems that some of my PCOS symptoms are returning as well. And I guess my inability to re-lose the weight is a symptom as well.

The thing is? I don't want to go back on Metformin. I mean, yes, it helped the insulin resistance, and yes, I have no doubt it helped the weight loss...because hey, half the time I was too nauseated to eat. I just want to at least try and do something halfway natural, you know?

I read the sticky about supplements that are useful in controlling IR, but there's just so *many*. And I do take a couple of supplements daily already to help with other things, so I'd rather not have to be swilling down pills all day long. *L* I take a B-complex vitamin, 2000 mcg of biotin, 1,000 mcg of B12 daily (my iron is sort of low), and 400 mg of 5-HTP daily.

And so I ask: is there any one thing that you've tried that has worked, that you swear by? I've heard lots about cinnamon, but have never tried it myself. I live in a small town and there are no health food stores, but I am going to visit my best friend in a week -- she lives in a much larger city and I will most likely be able to hit up a health food store (or at the very least, a GNC.)

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I can't offer any thoughts for what supplements might be helpful, but I'd suggest that whatever you decide to try, ordering it online instead of waiting to go to a GNC will be much cheaper!

Chelated chromium. In a minimum of 800 mg doses. That's what I used when my doctor wanted me on Metformin and I decided not to go on it.

This FAQ on supplements is actually really great to look at ways to manage your PCOS. Take a look! http://pcosfaq.com/

You will have to change your diet, as that's one of the first ways of managing PCOS/IR.

Good luck!

800 mg? Hm. I'm going to have to do some more searching, then. All the ones I'm finding online are in doses of mcg, not mg.

ETA: Are you *sure* you don't mean 800 mcg? I can't find *any* formulation of chromium that's even dosed in mg.

Yes, it's probably mcg. Mary's PCOS faq has the studies with the doses that proved effective.