I have been trying to use the Insulin Resistance Diet and exercise to get control of my PCOS naturally but it's been incredibly difficult. I lost 10 lbs but re-gained 5 almost immediately. I finally went to the doctor to ask for some medications to help me out. She prescribed Metformin (which I have been on before for a couple of months before becoming pregnant), a cholesterol drug, Spironolactone, and I am going back on birth control for my crazy hormones. She also gave me an Rx for the strips for my Glucometer, she said even though I am not diabetic my insurance should cover it for PCOS. I am also being treated for depression. I am hopeful with all of these things I will be able to finally get some control over my body!

Hi Sophie!

How long have you been doing the IR diet? Do you find the diet hard to follow or it's just not controlling the PCOS?

Good luck with the Metformin! You said you took it before getting pregnant--did you get pregnant with Metformin alone?

How long do you have to wait to start birth control?
Gotta love those Crazy Hormones!!!((not!))

Sorry about the depression too. Are you starting med's for that too? For me, the crazy hormones and depression is definitely linked. I tried med's once and just gained more weight...argh.

Have a great day!!!

Hi Sophie - good for you for taking steps towards health. It is frustrating when we face challenges like PCOS, IR, and depression but they just make things a little trickier, but NOT impossible!

For me - I was following the IR diet and then have actually tweaked it a bit and cut back further on carbs and found that that worked better for me. Eating fewer carbs and more protein = diminished appetite and increased weight loss, plus I feel like I have more energy and improved mood. I am on Metformin and BCP as well.

You can definitely do this and we are here to support you! Just keep taking the next positive step and you will start to develop good momentum.

You can do this!!

I am also on Metformin and have been since I found out I had PCOS. I was on it up to 12 weeks of my pregnancy and then I came off of it. After my daughter was born, I went back on it. It seems to help if I eat correctly on it!

veggidawg -
I did the IR diet for the past 3 months. I actually find it pretty easy to follow compared to other diets I have tried in the past, but it is not controlling the PCOS. The doctor said with my numbers, it would be hard to impossible to bring them down with diet and exercise alone.

I did get pregnant with Metformin alone! I will start the birth control with my next cycle - which hopefully will start soon, but who knows, they are irregular. I have been on the depression meds for 6 months.

SuperCecilia -
The way I read the IR diet is you can eat UP TO 30 grams of carbs at a time, but this is a maximum not a minimum. I definitely don't eat that many for most meals/snacks!

SaraJP0804 - I was on metformin for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and then I came off it. They didn't want me to go back on until I finished
BFing, which I just did.

One interesting thing the doctor told me is that the PCOS symptoms and drugs are interrelated. Although the statin is primarily for cholesterol, it may also result in lower blood sugar, and although metformin is primarily for blood sugar, it may also result in lower cholesterol. Basically you have to look at all of the aspects of PCOS together.

It would be interesting if you staggered the start of one of the drugs and if you were able to test and see how much of a benefit it is on your blood sugar and cholesterol.

I think I would be a bit overwhelmed with the prescriptions, but it's great that your doctor is willing to work with you. Keep us posted on how things are going!

Well, I have been taking a ton of supplements - cinnamon, chromium, D3, inositol, magnesium, calcium, multivitamin. So I am already drowning in pills! I am planning to drop the cinnamon, chromium and inositol and replace with the metformin, statin, and spironolactone. Doctor advised starting them each a week or two apart in case I have side effects.

Wow! That is a lot of supplements!!! (geez, the things we do to improve our bodies!)
I tried cinnamon years ago--I mean eating more of it, not the pills--and started getting headaches. Blah!
And I do take the D3 (and Vit. C) but I'm so glad they are chewable!

So, I guess you'll be starting Metformin first?

Have a great day!

Yes, started the metformin this weekend. Last time I had the "metformin tummy" for a couple days or maybe a week. Once that's over I will add my statin.

I was severely deficient in D when I got diagnosed with PCOS. Under 32 is deficient, under 20 is "severely deficient." Mine was 12!!!