Hello! I've been around here on 3fc before - but haven't been ON the site for a good year...anyways - last year I was back up to 197.5 (after being down to 160 four years ago) and I was exercising 3 - 4 times a week (plus walking 30 minutes daily during lunch breaks at work) - I was eating healthy and literally could NOT lose any weight...

So I went to the doc and she diagnosed me with Insulin Resistance (but NOT PCOS) back in October. She put me on Metformin and I also re-vamped my eating a little and started really following the weight watchers Core plan. Since being put on Metformin (end of October) - I've lost 13 pounds. It's EXTREMELY slow - but it IS coming off. I've upped my workout sessions to 60 minutes of cardio 4 times a week plus 20 minutes of weight resistance training...and it's STILL slow and steady (I'm averaging about 1 pound a week - which believe me, I know is very healthy and I'm VERY happy about...).

But anyways - I know that this is a PCOS board, for the most part - but I was wondering if there's anyone on here who HAS Insulin Resistance and is also on Metformin but does NOT have PCOS?...

Just wonderin'! Thanks!

I'm not really sure to be honest. I am also on Metformin and it has really helped me out. I think the only difference between us may be the LH/FSH numbers in or bloodwork which indicate hormonal issues (which are for the most part, caused by the IR). I think that for anyone IR, carbs and sugars are toxic to us and should be limited.

There might be some IR folks that don't have PCOS, but the IR is what makes the weight loss such a struggle, so you're in the right place.

And congrats on that weight loss. I know it's so slow that it hurts sometimes!

I've been diagnoses with IR, am taking metformin. I've not been diagnosed with PCOS. I have some hormonal issues, but they seem to be in the opposite direction of the PCOS symptoms I've read.

My IR may be inherent or it might be caused by being overweight so long. I don't know if it matters how we got here, because the struggles with weight loss are real.

I'm finally coming to grips with the reality that for me I really only seem to be able to lose weight with pretty restrictive low carb eating. I guess I should have taken the hint when my very old-fashioned (doesn't put stock in any new idea without tons of proof) doctor told me to try low carb as it tended to be more successful for some IR and diabetic patients. He warned me not to go "too low" but really didn't say how low that was -- only that because of the metformin Atkins induction was probably too low.

The past few months I've been experimenting with South Beach, and various carb counts and I just couldn't get the weight to budge. I'm on Atkins, but started with about 30 carbs instead of 20. I've only been on it a week, and I've already lost about 8 lbs (after months and months of treading water, gaining and losing the same 5 lbs or so over and over and over this really seems like a miracle). Though I do think being able to get off the steroid drugs (for asthma and bronchitis) helped tremendously. (As it turns out, the NSAID, relafen, I was taking was causing most of my lung problems. I stopped the relafen and I was able to stop all of my lung meds, but I can't take any NSAID or aspirin, as when you have a reaction to one you're likely to have a reaction to the others).

Any way, I post and read here alot, because the weight concerns are the same regardless of how you come by the IR.

My prime dx is IR but my dr through PCOS in there for the heck of it even though I have regular periods and 3 children.

I've never taken met or anything like that because my endo is not hot on meds.

My goal with my endocrinologist is 1 pound per month. So damned frustrating when exercising and watching what you eat seems like it's for naught.

You bring up a very good point about PCOS. You had regular periods and 3 children, that person over there can't conceive, that other person has smooth skin and the one beside her has cystic acne. Most of the people in this forum are overweight, and Victoria Beckham (also has pcos) is skinny as a rail.

But I can't think of any one symptom I'd trade in for another.

Thanks for all the replies!!! I just wanted to make sure I wasn't the only one on the board who has been dx with IR but NOT with PCOS. Sometimes - I am afraid to post on IR/PCOS boards because I DON'T have PCOS - but, according to the doc, i DO have Insulin Resistance.

The metformin HAS been doing the trick - all-be-it sloooooooooowly. I've upped my exercising from 30 minutes of cardio and 10 minutes weight training (which was usually 3 x week) like I was doing last year to 60 minutes of cardio and 20 minutes weight training about 4 x /week. And, again, I finally AM losing again - but it's soooooooooooo slow - which, again I know slow IS good. But it's about .5 pound/week average. I guess that just frustrates me because four years ago when I first lost 60 pounds I did that in like 6 months. Averaging 10 pounds/ month. And now - because I've developed this danm issue...I'm BARELY making 3 pounds/month. However. I'm not complaining about losing. I'm just happy it's going down again!

I'm also IR. I've been told to stay away from low fat/high carb diets. I'm doing gycemic.

KellyO

Howdy! I'm insulin resistant (never had PCOS that I know of). Been told IR comes from yo-yo dieting. Not sure how that works if you're young as I'm "old"..post-menopausal etc.
Today, after doing a bit of research etc., I began South Beach! I'm feeling hunger pangs and am doing it by the book. I had an egg for breakfast and veggie drink. For mid-morning snack had some partly skim, cheese sticks (2) and for lunch a chicken breast and a tossed salad with balsamic dressing. I probably will go through "withdrawal" with the carbs since before I was doing a low-fat plan and through reading found out this is "not" the way to go. I really need to get through this phase one and then on with the plan.
With IR...weight does come off slowly and it's not without work. I know this from the past. I do cardio and have managed to get in 4X this week.