I posted this on the PCOS board and thought I'd look here for some input as well.

I was diagnosed PCOS about 5.5 years ago during our struggle with infertility. We have stopped the infertility treatments and are thrilled to be adopting a daughter from China. However, I am still dealing with other aspects of PCOS.

I do not get periods without taking medications and I am about 90 lbs overweight. I have tried low carbing in the past and found it worked well, but I never stuck to it long enough to see any real results. However, every time I low carb my periods return without taking meds.

I think it is time to try low carbing again. I really want to be healthier and in a better state of mine when my baby comes home. I have read up on many plans and just do not know where to start. I would like a plan that is healthy and is fairly generous with its fruit allowances.

ny suggestions? Thanks.

Nancy

Capernan...
I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS, but have also had problems with infertility.
I saw a specialist today and was just waiting for him to mention my weight, but shockingly he didn't!
The LCing has been great for me. I don't know what the deal with your periods would be, why it would relate to the diet?? I would check on that!!
I started on the Protein Power Plan, but once I got into it I kind of made up my own way...I still stay close, but needed my oranges too badly to stick to it!!
This is a great place for support! Keep coming, it keeps me on track and you'll be amazed at the friends you'll make!
Congrats on the new baby, how exciting!! When will she arrive??
I also noticed your from Nova Scotia. I just moved from there to Houston about 7 weeks ago! We were there for 3 1/2 years, I miss it soooo much. We were outside of Bedford...
Take care and post often!!

Here are some links to some good articles about PCOS and low carbing:

http://www.lowcarb.ca/articles/article135.html

http://www.lowcarb.ca/articlesb/article305.html

http://centerforpcos.bsd.uchicago.edu/

Hope it helps you in some way!

As far as individual diest i think that if you feel that you need your fruit then i would think seriously about CALP. that alows you a reward meal and there you can have your fruit as long as it was with a balanced diet during the 1 hour.

the other choices depending onhow fast you want to lose weight. as we are getting in the o fresh fruit season what about doing a strict low carb like PP or atkins thill you lose much of the weight or atleast till summer then during that tile be more leanient and take more carbs of fruit. some diets that also come to mind is the low glycemic diets. there wa a post last week regarding low glycemic websites. Pat is the one to ask abooooout that. I will see if i can direct her toyou rpost if she has not seen it already. there are many choices. for you that will alow you fruit some more than others.

good luck and let us know what one you decide. and post often we love to hve newbies and love them more when they have babies!!!!!!

Hi Nancy,
If I remember correctly, the Hellers talk about PCOS in the CAD (Carbohydrate Addicts Diet) book - the book they wrote before CALP. I think they were saying that this is a great plan for people with PCOS.
I am following it again, just because it fits me and my lifestyle better than any plan I've ever found. That one hour Reward Meal is just wonderful. I never feel deprived and the weight comes off steadily. Hope you find some answers!
Chickadee

Thanks for all your replies. I am still researching plans. When I am following a low carb woe I feel so much better that I wonder why I don't stick with it.

I'll keep you posted on what I decide. Thanks again and best of luck to you all.

Nancy

You know ---- I am 62, had fertility problems, have always had a weight problem which won't leave, had ovarian cysts when I was younger, am having bleeding problems now although on HRT and am starting to wonder if I've had PCOS all these years! Gotta read up more stuff.
Last ultra-sound clearly showed a right ovary - which was removed in 1959! Maybe, just maybe, it's a cyst.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm!

WELCOME, Nancy. Sorry - digressed a bit there.

I have done some research and know that Low Carb is part of the solution to insuilin resistance. Hang out with us as much as you can - lots of good chicks and support here.

Hi Nancy
Welcome.

I am a PCOS and infertilty sufferer. Congrats on teh baby.

I did some research this summer and finally decided to try lo- carb woe. I can't tell you how much better I feel. I stsrted in mid July. SInce then I am on my second regular period and this period 's cycle was only 25 days long, you can't imagine my suprise( non PCOS woman are shaking theur heads is this woman insane?) PMS symtoms are decreased. I have lost close to 20# in that shaort time, it took 7 months to lose lesss athn that. I still have facila hair some acne but I am hioping taht decreases. I am thinking of asking for some glucophage at my next OB appt.

The plan I decided on as there are so many, was based on the one for syndrome X using the glycemic index. I choose foods w/ a GI less than 50. The reason I chose this was knowing myself. The simpler the better. I eliminated flour, macaroni, sugar rice from my diet. I think that this is similar to teh sugar busters woe. If you have'nt already go to that forum here at 3FC. Open that weekly thread and they have saved many great educational stuff, also check out the thared in teh PCOS section where Jennifer introduces the forum as she has listed other sites.

There is a book on Syndrome X, I did a google search on that and teh glycemic index. as well as the other plans, and pick a plan that best suite whop you are.

I really have gone on. If you have any other ques please e-mail me. I hope I have helped I will find that thread here( on web sites) and bring it up

Hope you don't mind me throwing my 2 cents in...was just searching the boards for SUGAR BUSTERS and saw the post mentioned (thanks for plugging our board again Pat ) Not that I know much about PCOS, just thougt I'd tell you my little story of infertility, hope you don't mind

I've always been overweight, 17 years ago I weighed in at 284lbs, and I'm only 5 feet 1 1/2" tall, so you can just imagine what I looked like, want to see what I looked like, just click on this link and scan down the page til you see my 9/5 post and my fat picture: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...?threadid=7954

Anyhow, I NEVER had a regular period when I was this heavy. Actually, I can't remember ever having regular periods throughout my entire life, guess that's because I've always been heavy I could go for months without having one. Like Pat, I had facial hair as well, bad too-thank goodness my mother knew how to do electrolysis, but that was after I had already gotten in to the bad habit of plucking them out on a whim and making a mess of my face at the time.

I had my stomach stapled right after that picture was taken, June, 1984. I lost well over 100 pounds, gained all but 40 back. In the meantime, I started going for fertility treatments cause just "doing it" wasn't working, I was on clomid, then on to pergonal, did conceive but lost them all fairly early on. I finally decided to give myself a break and 3 months later, lo and behold, I got pregnant with my son (who is now 15), 17 months after that, I had my daughter (who's 13 1/2). Pregnancies were not easy ones, being so overweight, having gestational diabetes and open sores from surgery that wouldn't heal (forgot to mention after stomach stapling, I had to have my gall bladder removed).

Once between now and back then was I able to lose weight, but not keep it off for good-found the root of my problem was I was an emotional eater-finally recognized that problem! By that time I had inched my way up towards 200lbs again, a place I swore I'd never be!

Anyhow, it wasn't until I lost the weight that I have in the past year and a half that my periods became regular, and it truly amazed me-people would think I was nuts to find joy in that, but when you haven't ever been regular, it's a big deal! Now, my TOM comes usually every 27-28 days, twice in the past year I've been a week late, but other than that, clockwork-AMAZING!

I don't think PCOS was even a word way back then, so I can't say that's what I had, if I did.

Anyhow, don't give up hope in trying to conceive, trust me, when you least expect it, it can happen, and happen again!

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!

Debbie
194/125.5/129
SB since 3/22/00
Reached goal 6/10/01

Do not despair! I was told at the age of 20 that I had PCOS. At the time (8 years ago) I could find no information in books, neither was my Dr. very helpful. He didn't do any bloodwork or ultrasound, just from the fact that I had VERY irregular periods he made his diagnosis. He also told me I'd never be able to have children unless I was on fertility drugs. Talk about breaking someone's heart!!

I weighed 267 then, he put me on BC pills (the first of what seems like millions!!) and by starving myself for the next 2 years I managed to get all the way down to 198. Then, guess what!! I got pregnant. Nobody ever told me BC was also a fertility drug. Imagine his surprise when I went for my first prenatal checkup!!

At this date, I have not only stayed at my post-pregnant pounds, I gained 20 more to go along with them. I have trouble with acne, light facial hair, and just this past year I almost died from having an out of control period. Girls, be careful when you have long cycles!! My hemoglobin was 6, it's supposed to be 13 or so. My new Dr. told me I was at risk for septic shock and even stroke! Then I had a D&C and he wants to do a hysterectomy but I won't let him. I think this woe will work to get everything regulated and I can prove him wrong.

We can't let the medical professionals tell us we cannot lose weight, we cannot have children, we cannot do anything! We can and will prove them wrong.

Whooooo! Power to the people! Sorry I rambled on so, I just needed to vent!

Good luck to everyone with this problem, I know what a pain it can be.

Sherrie

DH is yelling and I don't have much time to post, BUT !!!!

DEBELLI~~ I hope that you will always feel free to post here! I KNOW WHAT A SWEETHEART YOU ARE ( not to mention your knowledge of lower LC)~~and your knowledge is an advantage to sooooo many that will come to know you!

Pat~Sue~Ruth~Nancy~Good 4 U Hey Ya'll!

As all of us know, we gather strength from the knowledge that we gain here. That is how we tackle our WOE!!

Just wanted to say thanks for the warm welcome and wealth of information. I have decided to chose my foods according to the glycemic index. I'll be posting often and looking for lots of support and ideas. Hopefully I can offer some too.

Nancy