Thread: A little advise please..

Hello everyone,

I wonder if you could give me some advise.

I've always been overweight since birth, and have had awful facial hair and horrible periods from the very beginning.

I was put on dianette to control my periods when I 19 but stopped after seeing another doctor who said that because I was over weight it was really dangerous for me to be on it.

I was very fortunate to go to a check up to get my kidneys checked and they found a whopping 12cm cyst on one my ovaries and in sept 2011 I had it removed as well as a labial cyst I had.

When they did the op, the gynae found 2 small cysts on one of my ovaries which he said were eggs that weren't fertilised that had attached onto the ovary and I can't remember if I'm honest whether he classed me as PCOS or not.

I have all the symptoms though..

Overweight
Hairiness
Dark patches under the arms and groin
Irregular periods

I started sw last year and have lost 3 stones. Before then I didn't have a period for a whole year but slowly started to get a period every 5-6 week and would last a week.

After my last period last month a week later I had spotting for 4 days- I called the gynae and he said not to worry as it was the first time I was experiencing it and it will be a really good sign if I had a period a few weeks after as I could be ovulating which is why the spotting may have occurred.

And that's what happened. 2 weeks later I had a period.. How it's now been exactly 2 weeks and I'm still bleeding (although I'm hoping it's finished today). I have been really struggling to lose weight now, and my goodness I have been so depressed, angry and had the most horrible mood swings ever.

Has anyone experienced these symptoms before?

I hear a low carb diet is good, but has anyone been to a nutritionalist for this or did the doctor advise you?

Ive booked an appointment to see the gynae next week but wanted to get your thoughts beforehand...

Hi there, yes I can understand where your coming from. I have had these sort of problems for years. I started my periods when I was 15/16 and they were very heavy and irregular, then I went on the depo injection, I had 5 of these and they stopped my periods and I didnt have a period for about 2 years after this. I then went to the Dr who sent me to a consultant who put me on Provera and I had a really really heavy and painful period, after this they came back but were still irregular, once every 2/3 months? Then I went and had an ultrasound, they lady who was doing this said they look like small cysts so said it may be that I have PCOS. Anyway, I noticed if I ate healthier I would see a period more often. I decided to be strict with myself last year and lost about a stone then put the weight back on again. I would have periods that would sometimes last about 6 weeks. It was heavy at the beginning and then small amounts for 4 weeks plus and at the time I hade HUGE clots and was just awful. I started Slimming World last month and lost over a stone so far and find that my periods are coming more and more regular. I started keeping a period diary on my computer, and just put in everyday if I had anything, even when I am not having a period keeping track of whats going on! I find this has helped me alot and hopefully will see a patern forming in time. I would say not to worry too much, It seems as though you are coming more regular too. You will find the more weight you lose the better your periods will be. I dont have many clots as what I used to and not as painful. I went to see a counsellor who told me just 15 minutes of exercise will make a big difference, and it does. I know they reccomed a low carb diet, but, to be honest anything that your doing which will make you lose weight is ideal. But deffinitly the exercise will benefit too, its just as important as eating healthy. I think you should go to the appointment as he/she can give you a bit more advice, but, I wouldnt worry, well done on losing 3 stone so far thats fantastic! And it seems like your already seeing the benefits

Thank you for replying super vixen. I feel as if ive come to a brick wall with my weight loss which is what's worrying me now.

I've decided now to cut carbs in the evenings or if I have it's very little. Exercising 30 mins everyday to see if that helps. Ive just started the no carbs in the evenings this week so I'll see how I'll go...

Clots sound horrible...

Yeah it wasnt very nice, but it seems to have stopped now. The exercise is brilliant, keep it up, it will make you feel happier aswell

I bought a book from amazon about pcos. Had good reviews on amazon. I'll let u know if I agree!

Interesting! Please do let me know, I would like to read up more about it

I've always has fairly awful PMS with my PCOS too because of the crazy hormonal imbalances- I have never had such good PMS as I have since I started exercising at the end of March. It's awesome. I only have a couple of moody moments as opposed to crying, and being totally irrational for up to two weeks before my period. For that reason alone, I'd keep on exercising!

I've got the Dummies Guide to PCOS which is good. With PCOS it does seem to be all about diet and exercise. Anything else seems to be a maybe it will, maybe it won't! I've heard low GI is supposed to be good, not sure about low carb. As long as you're eating the right ones and not overloading on them I'd say you'll be fine.

The trouble I had with SW is that in theory you can eat as much pasta, potatoes, rice as you want on the extra easy plan - and I would even though deep down I know that I don't lose weight if I do that!! I've switched to Rosemary Conley now, it's about portion control so whereas I'd not bother weighing pasta or potatoes before I have to now and I have a lot less of those as a result. I feel much better now after a meal, satisfied rather than stuffed!

I suppose I could have switched to the original plan at SW but at my class all the consultant talked about was the extra easy plan, I was just a bit disheartened and decided to try something else. Perhaps you could give that plan a go if you've found a good SW class?

Originally Posted by supervixen*

Interesting! Please do let me know, I would like to read up more about it

It's called the ultimate guide to pcos- get great skin etc (something like that) been reading it and it does have some things that I weren't aware of before that I'll definitely take into consideration now.

Originally Posted by faery_lights

I've always has fairly awful PMS with my PCOS too because of the crazy hormonal imbalances- I have never had such good PMS as I have since I started exercising at the end of March. It's awesome. I only have a couple of moody moments as opposed to crying, and being totally irrational for up to two weeks before my period. For that reason alone, I'd keep on exercising!

Oh wow I was wondering why I've been crying an feeling so upset lately. So reassuring to know I'm not alone.. I will continue to exercise. Have a bad back which has only developed in the last year and hoping that the weight loss will help with that too...

Originally Posted by ange s

I've got the Dummies Guide to PCOS which is good. With PCOS it does seem to be all about diet and exercise. Anything else seems to be a maybe it will, maybe it won't! I've heard low GI is supposed to be good, not sure about low carb. As long as you're eating the right ones and not overloading on them I'd say you'll be fine.

The trouble I had with SW is that in theory you can eat as much pasta, potatoes, rice as you want on the extra easy plan - and I would even though deep down I know that I don't lose weight if I do that!! I've switched to Rosemary Conley now, it's about portion control so whereas I'd not bother weighing pasta or potatoes before I have to now and I have a lot less of those as a result. I feel much better now after a meal, satisfied rather than stuffed!

I suppose I could have switched to the original plan at SW but at my class all the consultant talked about was the extra easy plan, I was just a bit disheartened and decided to try something else. Perhaps you could give that plan a go if you've found a good SW class?

Yeah you're right. The book I'm reading keeps on going back to diet and exercise to control the PCOS. I've been reading about metformin and really don't want to be put on that. Haven't spoken to the doctor about it but will when I see him on Tuesday.

One of the girls on here read up to substitute metformin with a chromium. I'm gonna discuss that with the doctor to see if taking that is a good idea.

That's a shame about your group. I joined group at the beginning of the year and it was rubbish so been doing it on my own. I suppose I kind of an doing the red plan now. I'm not following SE strictly now. I don't count my hex's or the number of syns religiously but am mindful of what goes into my mouth. My meals are all sw friendly and I've cut out carbs completely in the evening.

I've finished my 2 week and I think the 7 lbs that I put on in those two weeks will hopefully come off soon. Has to have been water retention. I haven't 100% but not 0% to warrant that much gain!

Just catching up with threads on here - re low carb/GI, the thing is that with PCOS we tend to be insulin resistant. So we have high levels of insulin in our system (because the receptor cells that check the level and tell the body to stop producing the stuff have become resistant and think there isn't enough, wrong wrong wrong) and because of all the insulin going round, it is very hard to get into fat burning mode - can be very hard indeed for some of us.

However no getting around the fact that with insulin resistance, if we eat too many carbs then our body will use them as fuel before anything else, and store the rest as fat (the insulin does that) - when what we actually want is to be burning our own body fat for energy. The two functions can't run alongside each other, either we burn carbs or we burn fat. Raised insulin levels switch off the fat burning.

How to stop being insulin resistant and have less of the stuff in circulation, well I wish I had the answer. It is complicated. Metformin makes the cells more sensitive to insulin, so the body knows it doesn't need to produce so much. Chromium is supposed to do the same - I was taking this and doing ok, but have stopped it as I have some surgery coming up soon and there are interactions with some painkillers..... actually started gaining weight when I started to reduce it, have managed to lose a bit of that now, but still not back to where I was (12-10).

Anyway will start up the chromium again after the surgery. In the meantime I am being careful about fat/protein balance per Atkins induction and hoping to lose a bit more.

Will be very interested to see what your doctor says, Roziee. At the moment all anyone will say to me is, wait til after the op and we'll see.

Thank you for your input

I've noticed so much more hair in the last 2-3 weeks gosh, makes me feel so manly.

Just want to lose weight. Hoping my tweaks this week will result in good losses now. My 2 week period has now finished so the water retention will have gone now. So tired of being in the 19 stone zone now! Just want to see the 18's now!

Hello everybody! I'm new to the forum! My husband and I have been trying for over a year with no results. I am overweigh, my underarm skin is alot darker and I have Hashimoto disease (underactive thyroid) do you think I may have PCOS? How did you go about getting diagnosed? It's so scary! Any help would be appreciated!

Originally Posted by Roziee

Thank you for your input

I've noticed so much more hair in the last 2-3 weeks gosh, makes me feel so manly.

Just want to lose weight. Hoping my tweaks this week will result in good losses now. My 2 week period has now finished so the water retention will have gone now. So tired of being in the 19 stone zone now! Just want to see the 18's now!

How are you getting on?

Originally Posted by MissSophie

Hello everybody! I'm new to the forum! My husband and I have been trying for over a year with no results. I am overweigh, my underarm skin is alot darker and I have Hashimoto disease (underactive thyroid) do you think I may have PCOS? How did you go about getting diagnosed? It's so scary! Any help would be appreciated!

Hi Sophie, the main symptoms are being overweight, lack of periods, excess hair, oily skin / spots, there are others but those are the main ones. It's best to visit your doctor and discuss it with them. I was diagnosed through a blood test and ultrasound. The blood test looks at follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) levels which are a pretty good indicator, the only thing bad about the ultrasound is that you have to have a full bladder!

Ange x

Originally Posted by supervixen*

How are you getting on?

Not good