Ok.... here's my problem. Before I knew I had PCOS & before I went on Glucophage, I could go forever without eating junk food. I was doing high protein/low carb but couldn't lose weight even though I was NEVER cheating. Since I started Glucophage, I have dropped 59 pounds but..... my cycles have regulated and now I get HORRIBLE pms & food cravings. I just got done eating dill chips, doritos, & pop tarts & I have bread in the toaster. Any other time I am fine - what can I do! Is there a medication that I can take BEFORE my period to get me through the days before my period? I can't do this anymore - I am litterly sick to my stomach because I have eaten too much.... I have tried drinking more water. I have tried having snack foods available that are low carb - I'm exercising 5 days a week. I don't know what else to do.

Hi,
There are basically 2 options: (1) prevent the TOM binge; or
(2) minimize the damage from a TOM binge

(1) IDEAS FOR PREVENTING
(a) Cut carbs in advance of TOM
I read in one of the threads that one of the women starts cutting her carbs down a few days before (maybe even the entire week before) TOM. Then, by the time TOM comes, she is very in control of her appetite and she does not do the pre-TOM binge.

(b) Stay focused
Another idea would be to re-read ANDR - the chapter entitled "Eating in the Real World" (subsection "Temptation") Something that keeps me focused is that I remember that our metabolism surges/goes up right before TOM. So, I know if I can hold my eating to reasonable levels, I might actually lose a pound or two.

(c) Take a supplement
Among other things, Dr. Atkins recommends 500-1000 m of L-glutamine prior to each meal to curb cravings.

Other than that, I am not sure what to recommend as far as prevention is concerned. I am not one of those people who will tell you "it's o.k., don't worry bout it." I am more of a problem solver and I think this is an important problem to solve. Esp. since you can probably predict you will get TOM on a fairly regular basis - why not develop a strategy to cope with it?

(2) IDEAS FOR MINIMIZING THE DAMAGE

(a) Eat only acceptable food items
Something that works for me is that when I know TOM is coming, I just let my body have what it wants (usually peanut butter and chocolate) BUT I ONLY stay within acceptable foods. So, yes, I will eat a bunch of peanut butter with chocloate, but of course it is UNsweetened and the chocolate is, too (I like unsweetened chocolate). That's just an example.


(b) prepare a legal alternatinve in advance
I have in the past made a pie before TOM (stevia-sweetened pumpkin cream) and so when I needed to do the TOM binge thing, I had my pie and I worked my way through it. I would much rather eat en entire legal pie than touch a poptart, know what I mean?

Anyway, best of luck to you. I very much understand the TOM thing.