PCOS-- Please help!

[Chefjen]

So Ive had PCOS since I was 17.. Ive been to doctor after doctor most of them saying Oh your just a late bloomer love it will be OK!

10 years later and many tears in IVF clinics and doctor clinics telling me Just to shed a few pounds.. But no one really GIVING me the tools to do so. I tried Fasting.. diet pills... diuretics and all sorts.. nothing was really working

I went on Xenical and FINALLY some weight loss.. little did i know magically overnight the weight came back as soon as i stopped the pills.

I ate a well balanced diet I was a chef I knew the bad and the good, but still no success.

So finally i took MY health into MY hands I stepped out of the doctors office and specialist offices and went to a naturpath. She did a fasting test on me found out i was insulin resistant (Hrmm maybe if the medical professionals had done this earlier I wouldnt be here in tears on a daily basis) She also found out about my cholestrol and many other hormones that are out of whack.

My husband and I are going for IVF (well thats if this doctor doesnt tell me to "shed a few") My weight is in the mid section only the rest of my body looks slim.. therefore i get a lot of "Oh when you due" jokes and taunts. always have!


My Question I guess im kinda lost.. Ive cut out ALL breads and carbos I eat nuts small amount of veg and lots of protein and STILL NO LOSS! im not sure what else to do.. im following what the Nautropath has put me on but the diet isnt doing anything?

Anyone have a even 2 day menu they could share with me so I can figure this out and maybe be able to have the child i crave!?


Thanking you in advance

[Squid]

Hey hon, breathe deep! People with PCOS generally can conceive - it's just harder.

Here's what I might eat in a day:

2 scrambled eggs with cheese, tea and cream for breakfast
Chicken with broccoli, a small salad for lunch
Some nuts for a snack
Salmon, another small salad and maybe a bit more cheese to fill me up for dinner.

You might pick up the Atkins book for some help with what to eat. You may need to increase the fat in your diet.

I have PCOS too. Eating low carb will help your insulin sensitivity. So will exercise. If you can get 45 minutes of walking a day, you will really be helping yourself. Weight lifting also helps insulin sensitivity. You could also talk to your doctor about metformin.

Give it time. Give it 3 months and see if you haven't really turned things around. I bet you do. :-)

And hang in there!

[kuukuu]

Hang in there, Love! I was diagnosed with PCOS in 1988 and I have 4 kids. All conceived naturally. I know a lot of the ladies in this forum are taking Metformin. Did your drs mention this to you as an option?

My menu for tomorrow, 1 egg, fried with 2 sausage patties, 1/2 celery stick, my own version of a Jamocha shake which is 1C soymilk at 1 carb, 1/2C heavy whipping cream at 0 carbs, 1/2 t instant coffee, 1/2 t unsweetened cocoa, both 0 carbs, 3-4 packets of splenda, blend well and pour over crushed ice.

For lunch, baked fish covered in garlic butter, fauxtato salad, (sub semi mashed cauliflower for potatoes) and LC cheezits, go here http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=184822

I'll snack on a few pecans for my last break.

Dinner is parmesan coated fried chicken breasts. I make mine by beating one egg w/ 2T heavy whipping cream, 2T ranch dressing. I boil the chicken first to just done, cut the chicken into strip and roll in egg mixture and roll in grated parmesan cheese. Pan fry to golden brown. I'll have alfredo broccoli with it. I have a 0 carb sparkling pear drink that will be wonderful with this. Last but not least, I get dessert! There are so many LC desserts on the recipe boards but I think I'll have a piece of LC candy by Russell Stovers.

Best of luck!!!

[Chefjen]

Yeah my old doctor had me on metformin before i was even diagnoised with IR.. My new doctor doesnt believe in it.. and im in an area tht doesnt have a lot of doctors

I am going for IVF.. which is great as its been determined i just dont ovulate.. my thing is i guess im just tired of every doc thinking im "fat" and im lazy

Truth is im on my feet 16 hours a day moving lifting etc. i eat good dont eat out.. and I wish one of them would recognize that rather then send me to a nutrisionist!

[pennink]

PCOS is a thing of the past for me now. I did conceive naturally, too.

I truly believe in Atkins.

[Chefjen]

Thanks! Wow.. well im hoping it works for me ive been trying for years.. hence the IVF.. i really hope it works :)

[KiaKaha]

OK - I have 2 kids.

I had PCOS too and that derailed me for a number of years. I was told - get over it - you've had years of fertility drugs, it wont happen. Have IVF. So I did.

I was lucky and they were able to retrieve 17 embryos.

The first 2 implants didnt take and then I said - Can we try Artificial Insemination?

(I only asked because my older friend who had had fertility problems told me they should always do this first). I had an egg maturing normally that wasnt supposed to be there that they wanted to flush out with a change in hormones - anyway, that egg became my now not so little boy.

Now why I am telling this anecdotal story is that I learned 2 things after many years of fertlilty treatment.

1. Dont accept PCOS as your only diagnosis.

Make sure you check everything else out as well.

After AI - the new doctor told me that I had a very steep cervix and that it was difficult to even perform the AI (light bulb moment) - I suspect this was the real reason for my failure to conceive.

2. I conceived (more or less) naturally and I have PCOS - also I was told that the reason I had developed an embryo (that was my son) when I was down regulating (trying to end one cycle to prepare for a chemically induced cycle) was that "this happens sometimes in women who dont have all their hormones kicking in at the right times". "We've had a number of people conceive when they are down regulating - it seems to slow down the progression of hormones in some people which aids their fertility".

So my impression at the end of it all was that in their rush to make money from IVF, they had latched on to the diagnosis of PCOS and hadnt looked thoroughly for other causes.

Because I was lucky enough to have so many eggs from only one cycle of IVF, I was then able to later go on and have my baby girl.

Fertility issues can make you crazy but one way or another a very high proportion of people do conceive. PCOS is just something else to overcome and as many people here will tell you - it can be done. So dont worry too much.

[kuukuu]

my thing is i guess im just tired of every doc thinking im "fat" and im lazy
Yeah, I've gotten that, too. At the time I got it I was working on my feet, putting in 12 hour days 6 days a week. I would go home and drop--not eat, mind you--I went home and went to bed. I actually was eating less. So I took her advice, went to the bathroom and flushed it. Didn't go back. Some doctors...makes me want to see their report cards from medical school.

[pennink]

I was suffering with the 'hairy' side effects of PCOS. Although after laser some of the white hairs are left, no new ones are growing.
this is a big deal for me. I'd had electrolysis before, but due to the PCOS more just kept cropping up. Now I can see such a difference! (atkins has deforested me)

[MamaMarie]

If I were in your shoes, I'd also have the thyroid looked at. Possibly the adrenals, as well. I know both of those can cause one to hang onto weight and that elevated cortisol will give one the slender extremities and overweight trunk.

Good luck. I understand the "craving" very well! :rolleyes:

[Chefjen]

Yes my naturopath tested my thyorid.. All is well :) --did a spit test for this very interesting!

and My hormones (elevated test. lowered progest.)
Cholestrol Elevated Bad Cholestorl Low good stuff...

wiating for one more hormones test to come back :)

[kuukuu]

wiating for one more hormones test to come back
Did you get it back yet? How are you doing?

[Chefjen]

Well heres what i know..

I have Insulin resistance (big surprise)

my ratio of 2/16 hydroxyestrones is not good

total chol is ok but the bad cholesterols ie triglycerides and LDLs are too high.

My Thyroids are fine!
high testosterone and low progesterone. One of the oestrogens are high

[SophieBlue]

Hi Pennink - I have just joined this site today & after seeing your ticker - you have completely inspired me. I have had PCOS for 20 years. I have gained & lost & gained & lost. Right now I am my heaviest I have ever been & you have inspired me to make a start. Thank you : - )

[pennink]

Hi Pennink - I have just joined this site today & after seeing your ticker - you have completely inspired me. I have had PCOS for 20 years. I have gained & lost & gained & lost. Right now I am my heaviest I have ever been & you have inspired me to make a start. Thank you : - )


Ohhhh gee!!!! That makes me so happy! Honestly, the time losing has just rocketed by. Before you know it, you'll be 100 pounds down and wondering why you ever thought it was hard (cuz the food is so dern good) ;)

[SophieBlue]

Hi Pennink - reading your reply has inspired even more now. Today is my start date. It is very ENCOURAGING to know that the time has passed quickly for you. I tend to look at the big pic & then always have the voice of doubt that I can't do it - when I have done it before in the past. Is there a way to chat privately with you on the site? I am new to it as I said but would love to get some ideas from you on the food, cause as you said ''its so dern good''. I think variety & planning are deffo two of the right keys. It would be good to get some creative ideas - to prevent boredom. I am excited and inspired now to shift this weight and get healthy. Thank you x