150 to loose & PCOS

[tessa1]

HI I am new to this board! I have 150 to loose and suffer from PCOS! Just starting low carb diet. How many carbs does everyone eat in a day???

[Andy Davies]

Hi Tessa,

Welcome!

You should find plenty of support and encouragement here. What is PCOS? (please excuse my ignorance).

Your first task will probably be to set a small, achievable goal. This should set the pattern, in which you weekly achieve small, but important, goals. It is important to feel this sense of achievement, as there will not be obvious physical signs for a while that you are making any noticeable progress. It is a question of keeping yourself motivated for the long haul.

Good luck,

Andy.

[tessa1]

PCOS = Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
It has MANY symptoms so it is flustrating to get a dr to understand what is really going on. Infertility, odd & excessive hair growth, unexplained weight gain especially in stomach area, depression, insulin resistance, abnormal periods, and skin discoloration are some of the symptoms. No cure yet - just some drugs to calm some of the symptoms.

[Andy Davies]

Thanks for telling me - but I'm sorry you have it. Whatever we can offer in the way of advice, support or guidance on lowcarbing, please let us know. At least we can help get your weight in check.

Andy

[otenn]

tessa. welcome to the club.

I am very interested in the subject of PCOS. I tried to send you a personal message but was denied, I think because you are a new member and you can't use the pm thing until you've been on board for two weeks. I hope to chat with you again soon. Please stick around and good luck.

mari

[BaileyWS]

Originally posted by tessa1
HI I am new to this board! I have 150 to loose and suffer from PCOS! Just starting low carb diet. How many carbs does everyone eat in a day???

Hi! Just saw your note ... I have PCOS too. I was diagnosed 13 years ago or more, before my infertility work-up. I was able to conceive and my daughter's now 12 years old! I've been on the pill ever since to keep a regulated cycle, and it has helped with the hair growth too ... but not the weight.

My doctor was the one who recommended I look into the Atkin's plan, because of the connection with PCOS and insulin resistance. So far so good. It's about time for me to go back to the doctor and have my thyroid, cholesteral, blood sugar, etc tested again -- also time for the yearly exam -- my birthday's coming!

BTW, I eat <30 grams of carbs per day.

[Ka3n]

Hi Tessa :wave: and welcome! This link will take you to a forum for PCOS.
http://forum.lowcarber.org/forumdisplay.php?forumid=46&s=
As for how many carbs, you can check on people's journals to see what they're eating and how many carbs. You can find those on the first page of the forum.
I hope that this WOL (wa of life) will help your PCOS. Best of luck to you and Im glad that you're here. :p

[Victoria]

hi Tessal!
I am new to this forum too. But am thankful for the opportunity to touch base with folks that are dealing with the same struggles. I started low carbing in July of this year, and am totally encouraged with the results. I know it will take me over a year to get the excess weight off. But it took me a while to put it on, I expect it will take time to come off. I've seen friends lose much weight quickly only to put it back on. I don't want that to happen to me. So I'm OK with the gradualness of this way of life.
I think I eat between 30 and 50 carbs a day. I don't count them fanatically. I just choose protein and vegies instead of sweets and breads. If I need bread, I let myself have 1 or 2 low carb breads a day. But they are filled with fiber and not empty carbs. I had heard about the Carbohydrate Addict's Diet almost 5 years ago. But I dismissed it because I thought I could never live without sweets and bread. But once I read enough about it, and it made so much sense. I had to try and see if it would work for me.
I really believe I have found the solution to my life struggle. I had felt so hopeless. But not anymore. Thank God!

[RamonaK]

Hi Tessa...

Welcome to the LC Family.

I too think I have PCOS... never been actually diagnosed. But I can tell you since doing LC for the past month. I feel great! I actually seeing the color changes in my skin. I was always growing little stray hairs on my chin and lip (ewe). Those are going away...etc. For me, I think for years i starved my body while doing low calorie or low fat/protein diets.. that I was depleting my body of the essential fatty acides and amino acids that are the building blocks to healthy body. So I imagine my body is doing a bit of repair work with all this new protein etc.

Welcome aboard... use the board... post often.. no such thing as a silly question... and good luck!!!

Ramona

[cathyeu]

I too have PCOS. For years I had just given up on the idea of ever being able to lose weight. Everything I tried didn't work and then I was so controlled by food. For the last 5 1/2 months I have been low carbing and I feel like a new person. I have been off my anti depressants for about 6 weeks now. I am getting a little discouraged though. I have consistently lost 10 pounds a month until about 2 weeks ago and then nothing. My whole family has been low carbing and sometimes it gets discouraging because they eat way more carbs then I do and if I go over very much at all not only do I stop losing but I instantly start gaining again. I was staying around 20 - 25 carbs a day to get my weight loss but now, gosh I guess I will have to start including excersize :mad: Any ideas as to what else I could do. I hate to have to go back to the induction but I was wondering if I went back to it for 2 weeks if that would jump things up again. Has anyone tried that? Good luck and hang in there. I truly believe that this low carb thing is the only way PCOS'ers will be able to keep the diabetes from the door as well as feel a hundred percent better. :wave:

[pamlose130]

My daughter was just diagnosed with PCOS (and insulin resistance). She was put on low doses of glucophage, which is suppose to really help. It is used in higher doses for diabetes, but in low doses will control all the extra insulin her body is making. She acrtually lost 10 pounds eating everything over Christmas in about 3 weeks. We are going to go on the Insulin Resistance Diet together and are starting back to the gym, UG!!! Everything I read says diet and exercise are the biggest things you can do for PCOS. I look forward to sharing info. Blessings, Pam. :agree:

[Squeezle]

Hi there,

Pop in and have a look at my journal. I have finally gotten the combination of diet and meds right and things are moving!!! Just going to go change my stats as I am down another 2 lbs from last week woohoo!!!
so....it IS possible, it just takes a bit of perseverance!

[pamlose130]

I'm sorry I have no idea how to pop in and look at your journal. This is my first day. Pleae help.

[Squeezle]

:)

Go to the main page where there is the full list of forums. Scroll down till you see "Journals/Bootcamp". Then click on Journals R to S. Then scroll down till you see "Squeezle's Journal".

Let me know if you still have trouble!

Lori

[pamlose130]

I found it and will review later. All most time to leave. What program are you on? I don't recognize the letters. Have you seen the Insulin Resistance Diet? My daughter's condition sounds much like yours. Your menu's sound great, except we are vegetarians which is going to make this a little more interesting. Thank heavens there are many meat substitutes that are fairly low carb. Look forward to talking again. :daze:

[Squeezle]

Hi Pam,

I follow CALP (Carbohydrate Addict LIfespan Program) - it is the revised version of CAD (carbohydrate addicts diet). I have heard of the IR diet and had a look at it, but it has too many carbs for me spread during the day, so it wasn't appropriate for me. CALP is working great now that I added metformin to control my insulin so after quite a bit of trial and error, I have found what works well for me.

Regarding veggie protein - PCOS women need to avoid soy because of the phytoestrogens present in soy products. You may need to rethink the veggie thing. The last thing any PCOS patient needs is additional estrogen. Please have a good think about changing perhaps to fish or eggs, etc rather than soy.

[VickiP]

I have PCOS also. There is a PCOS section to this forum. Definately check out www.soulcysters.com. It will tell you everything you need to know. There is an awesome forum there too!
Vicki

[Andy Davies]

Hi Vicki, Welcome, and thanks for posting that link. I am often asked about information for PCOS, and it is great to have a site recommended by someone "in the know".

Good luck.

Andy

[BaileyWS]

Thanks for the soulcyster site, Vicki! It's great. I am only dealing with my PCOS issues in the background right now ... I am most interested in my thyroid problems now, as I am scheduled to have my thyroid removed in two weeks (Feb 6).

I was wondering if there were any correlations between the thyroid issues and PCOS ... my endocrinologist said no, they were separate issues. But I still wonder ... since they both effect the endocrine system and, specifically, weight gain.

I was diagnosed with PCOS over 13 years ago now ... when I was being seen by an infertility specialist. Now, my daughter is 12 -- a miracle baby. Anyway, the only treatment recommended for me long term was to take the pill.

I started thinking about the PCOS again when I turned 40 ... wondering what the effects will be during menopaus. Then, I heard about the insulin resistance connection to PCOS ... and a light went off in my head ... I changed doctors (to one who knew about PCOS) and she recommended a low-carb diet.

That's the long and short of how I came to this WOE ...

[Andy Davies]

Good luck in two weeks' time, Wendy. I'll be thinking of you and wishing you well.

Andy

[BaileyWS]

Originally posted by Andy Davies
Good luck in two weeks' time, Wendy. I'll be thinking of you and wishing you well.

Thanks Andy ... I'll welcome all the thoughts and prayers ...