[dogdaysofdiets]

I'm coming into the home stretch of my goal weight (I think...may change my mind once I get there, LOL!) and I'm starting to think a lot about maintenance and what it means to be a maintainer with PCOS and IR.

Admittedly, I'm scared to death about coming off the Metformin because it helps me maintain my weight (when I'm not trying to actively lose) but at the same time, I've been on it for 12 LONG years and have worked so hard and deserve to kick it to the curb. I feel like I'm stuck in a circular reference. Being on the Metformin, I show no signs of PCOS (obviously thanks to the drug) and my hormone levels are fabulous. The medicine also helps with my insulin resistance...not as much as controlling my diet, but I still think it acts as a crutch for me at times (mentally).

So I guess my question is...how do I know when it's safe to stop taking the Metformin and how do I know if my IR is in remission? I have this fantasy that it will all magically disappear and I'll become 'normal' now that I've lost all this weight, but that's not realistic is it? I just want to kick this PCOS to the curb, but I wonder...is it ever really cured?

If anyone has reached maintenance with PCOS and IR, what has been your experience? I plan to talk to my doctor about all of this at my appointment in May, but it's been swirling around in my head more and more lately, so I'm curious to hear other people's experience.

[mariposssa]

Well, unfortunately I don't have any answers for you....but CONGRATULATIONS on your success!! It is an awesome achievement!!

The only experience I can add from a normal weight perspective come from my teenage and college years. I was really skinny in high school (125-130)and average/normal most of college (135-145) but I had PCOS symptoms back then, without a doubt. I have had symptoms since 4th or 5th grade when I started showing signs of puberty. So, in my mind, my PCOS symptoms will not go away just because I get back down to a normal weight. I believe the IR Pre-diabetic issues will improve, but I will still have PCOS.

So, at least one thing you probably need to consider is which came first the PCOS or the weight gain? Your experience or type of PCOS may be completely different than mine. Good luck!!

[Rana]

Congratulations on almost reaching goal!

I don't think that you'll be "cured". It can't be cured, but you can be as "normal" as other "normal" people. The difference is that if you don't take care of your health (what you eat, exercise, etc.) then your symptoms will come back.

There is no cure for IR.

[dogdaysofdiets]

Thank you for your helpful replies. Like you Maripossa, I definitely had PCOS symptoms when I was thin - before I was diagnosed. Which is why my gut is telling me my magical fantasy of my syndrome disappearing is completely unrealistic. I'll get over it...just felt like dreaming for a moment, LOL!

I've read several posts on this site where folks were referring to their IR as in remission. How do I know that for me? Does that really happen or is it in remission because folks aren't eating food that would trigger IR related issues. I guess I'm trying to figure out how careful I will or will not need to be with my carbs at maintenance. I have no interest in blowing them out, but during my weight loss journey, I've been keeping them to about 50-60/day on 1200 calories. Recently, I started slowly increasing my carb intake to 80 to see if it would impact my weight loss, but it hasn't. So it made me think perhaps I've finally reached the point where I'm not as sensitive to my carb intake and I'm losing due to my calorie deficit. Previously...both early on in my journey and in prior weight loss attempts...I could cut calories to 1200/day and not sustain consistent losses if I didn't drastically lower my carbs too.

[mariposssa]

You could have your blood work done again and the doctor would be able to tell if your IR was in remission. Or, a lot of times you can pick up one of the monitors for free or very cheap at CVS or Walgreens and you could test your fasting blood sugar yourself. I actually have several monitors that I picked up for free. But, I don't have any of the strips left right now. That is how they get you...free monitor, expensive testing strips.

I know what you mean about the sense of hope and I think it is partly due to the hype. I think a lot of research, doctors, articles assume that the weight gain causes a lot of the PCOS problems. You will even hear doctors telling PCOS women if they lose weight their infertility will improve. Not saying it isn't true. It may improve with weight loss or it may not. Kind of depends on what kind of PCOS symptoms you had before you gained the weight in my mind. PCOS isn't necessarily caused by IR and maybe in some cases the IR is a result of the PCOS. Who knows.