really need advice Re Polycystic ovaries

[ThatVikRinA22]

ive posted about this before...please bear with me!

went to see gynae today. she wants to put me on Dianette (sp??) contraceptive pill to sort out my cycle. i explained that what is really bothering me isnt so much the irregular cycle - its the weight gain. Plus when i was on a combined pill i got thrush so often it became canestan resistant, so really not keen on going back on a combined pill at all.

she wouldnt prescribe metformin but went on to say that POS isnt so much of a problem when weight is lost...so im totally confused.she wouldnt help me lose the weight by prescribing anything to rid me of it, wouldnt do anything much really tbh.

im eating really healthily and ive taken up running 3 times a week. i explained that if my BMI goes too high my new job would be on the line - catch 22 here - if it goes to 30 they can prescribe something for weight loss but if it ever gets to 30 id be out of a job! you cant be a police officer and be fat!

does anyone else have this problem? is anyone on metformin and did it work? why wont she bloody prescribe it for me! what else can i do to shed some weight? help me please!!

[ThatVikRinA22]

btw - my BMI at the min is 26, but its gone up from 22 in 5 years and is pissing me off big time...
ive piled on 2 1/2 stone and it won't bloody shift.

not bothered in terms of my cycle as ive had my kids and dont want any more. the hair i can also cope with - it just gets waxed/plucked!

im sooo pissed off, dont know why i bothered going to see the bloody consultant!

[ThatVikRinA22]

no one? any one? pretty please....bumpety bump

[RTKangaMummy]

I have PCOS but don't really take anything apart from something with really long name if the period is heavy but can't remember its name atm

I am very very very voluptuous too but no idea of what my BMI is

[gothicmama]

i had metformin for pcos although it was prescribed to help regulate my body, it did the trick I think

[ThatVikRinA22]

so why wont this consultant prescribe it for me? i went years with no periods at all. ive had 2 since feb when i came off the mini pill. i think my body needs regulating.

wonder if i should ask for a second opinion?

[RTKangaMummy]

transexamic acid

and before that I had mefanamic acid

[ThatVikRinA22]

need to pop out to take DD to watch fireworks in local park.....id rather have my teeth pulled than freeze to death but there we go!

[ShrinkingViolet]

metformin hasn't had good results in big trials - what it does is make it easier for the body to regulate it's insulin levels, so if you then are doing the sensible eating/regular exercising thing, then you can help the weight. Metformin in itself doesn't help you lose weight. The top specialists are divided as to it's benefits, but seem to be coming down on the side of not prescribing it regularly, and that's filtering down to the rest of the specialists.

That being said, you may have more luck with an endocrinologist rather than a gynae (anecdotal evidence suggests gynaes are good if you want to get pregnant, but a bit keen on Dianette otherwise (which can help with acn and excess hair, but not weight).

Low GI diet is the best way to go, and make sure you are having enough quantity of food so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode, expecially if you've just upped the level of exercise you're doing.

If you haven't already found it Verity has lots of info. They are also working with NICE on some guidelines for dealign with women with pCOS which should mean that all medical professionals are doing the same thing, and not making it up as they go along (or just sending women off with instructions to "go and lose some weight", which annoyingly is the best means of dealign with the majority of the symptoms, but spectacularly unhelpful when you've tried everything and are still several stone overweight....)

[bran]

Ask your GP for a referral to an endocrinologist, Dianette is a bit outdated as a treatment for PCOS especially if you don't have PCOS-related acne. (I'm not a doctor of any sort but have had PCOS for decades.) A GP can't prescribe Metformin for PCOS as it's not approved for that yet I think. A consultant could prescribe it for you. If your GP won't refer you, then consider changing GPs, some are far more up to date with this condition than others.

I lost weight when I started on Metformin. My GP was able to prescribe it because I was border-line Type 2 diabetic. I found that my body behaved like a normal person's in response to dieting and increasing exercise, whereas before Metformin I lost weight only very slowly no matter how strict I was with the diet.

Have you read the Colette Harris PCOS diet book? You might find it helpful.

[AuntieMaggie]

Agree - metformin itself doesn't make you lose weight. When I first was diagnosed I was having major blood sugar problems which is why I was prescribed it. However, I'm not taking it anymore but am losing weight by following slimming world.

I stay away from eating too any carbs as I've read and was advised by my specialist that they don't go well with PCOS because of the insulin resistance.

My sister who had severe PCOS has lost over 5 stone following a pescetarian diet with very few carbs (she was advised to steer clear of rice and bread) and by taking supplements.

The pill helps to regulate the hormones - not sure about dianette but I'm on mercilon which is quite a low dose pill and helps manage my symptoms really well.

I wouldn't take metformin if you don't really need it - especially just to lose weight. There are plenty of other ways to do that without making your body dependant on something that is meant for people with diabetes.

[bran]

It's also worth knowing that Metformin can be very unpleasant when you start taking it, with the main side-effect being terrible diarrhea. If you're a police officer then you wouldn't be able to be out on patrol for instance as I found that I had very little time to get to the loo. It all settled down after about 6-8 weeks and I don't have any side-effects now so long as I take it on a full stomach.

[choufleur]

Bram I'm on Metformin from my GP for PCOS (i am trying to get pregnant though). It has helped me lose weight, but mainly cos I've stopped drinking alcohol and feel so queasy all the time I'm not really eating. Probably not the right way to lose it.

I've not had diarrhoea but awful nausea and headaches. I've just been back to GP though who has changed my prescription to slow release version of metformin which should hopefully help.

[ThatVikRinA22]

thankyou - so it might not have been the answer anyway then?
its just so frustrating to be told the symptoms go if you thinner but not to be able to GET thinner!

think ill ask for a referral to an endocrinologist then.

whats one of those do? should i google....

[magnummum]

I'd second the Collette Harris PCOS "diet" book. In my case weight gain luckily hasn't been an issue but her book makes so much sense I try and follow it anyway, just in terms of keeping your blood sugar balanced etc. Anecdotally on the Verity forums etc loads of women have said following the low GI diet that she advocates (don't know if you do this anyway) have really helped their weight. Verity would give you great support too.