To think this is just my life now?

[pcossucks]

I'm a 28 year old female, mum to a 7 year old daughter.

4 years ago on my 24th birthday I was 9 stone 4 (5 foot 3). I was eating a low carb diet and walking about 2 - 3 miles most days, however I was drinking wine mostly every night.

About a year after that my periods stopped and I had really bad cystic breakouts on my face, lots of extra hair growth etc and was diagnosed with PCOS. Since then it was like a switch was flipped. I am now weighing just under 15 stone, mainly in my stomach area.

I have tried every diet/lifestyle change the past 4 years and nothing seems to work. I feel constantly full and bloated yet at the same time have constant cravings for carbs and feel shaky if I don't eat it go a few hours between eating.

Fast forward to this year, I started sleeping loads, thirsty and just feeling generally shit. I got diagnosed with pre diabetes and put on 500 mg metformin which has made no difference. I'm a very active person by nature also and workout at least once a day.

Today I was out shopping and I feel in physical pain carrying my stomach around, I have this ache in my stomach on my left side under my ribs whenever I eat or drink and am so embarrassed about my size.

I am 28 and haven't had sex in over a year because I am so ashamed of my body. People just say "eat healthy" but I don't feel like it ever makes a difference. I have absolutely no energy and think I must come across as really lazy as I am always looking for a seat in people's homes or when I am out shopping etc because I am in physical pain carrying the weight.

I took a picture of my stomach tonight which I was going to upload but mumsnet not letting me and I look about 6/7 months pregnant, the pic was taken about 3 hours after my lunch which was a small burrito which I couldn't finish due to the uncomfortable feeling in my stomach.

I have had scans on ovaries recently and we're all fine so no underlying cause, have had thyroid, b12 etc all checked and all normal.

I am at my wits end and being treated by everyone as if I'm not making the lifestyle changes to fix it when my lifestyle was fine to start with.

AIBU to think this is just my life now or has anyone else been through the same and able to offer hope?

That sounds really rough. What does your Gp say?

@Ettie my GP just says eat healthy and take the metformin and they will do my HBA1C every 3 months to keep an eye on things. Finally after years of asking they have referred me to endocrinology however she wasn't happy to do that as she said it could be managed in the surgery.

Gosh that sounds really difficult OP, I am so sorry.

I don’t have any advice other than to get some advice - because I am sure there will be ways to improve things.

First off, get your GP to refer you to an endocrinologist - if all the basic tests are normal you are beyond GP help and need some specialist advice.

Secondly I know there are some PCOS organisations, can you see what advice there is on their forums?

Thirdly can you afford to see a dietician w experience of PCOS? As far as I know a low carb diet and eating every few hours to keep blood sugar level is good for it, but am no expert. If you can afford it privately get GP to put you on the list for Dietician, and also check books/websites.

I think with things like this you have to make a real fuss to get help, but there is help.

Sorry to read this I would speak to your Gp about the stomach pain and also start keeping a food diary.

The bloating maybe related (I developed a gluten intolerance at 26) and whenever I have it (by accident now) I am ill for a few days but also look very pregnant.

I can really recommend slimming world my friend has pcos and has had success with it as she can still eat so many things and it's really family friendly.

It's also worth speaking to your GP if they would recommend putting you on the diebetes diet it's incredibly tough about 800 calories a day and results in weight loss but has been shown to reverse type 2 diebetes or pre diebetes in some people. You have to be closely monitored for it.

Things will get better but you need to focus on what you can do to improve your health not focus on what you currently can't do.

I'm so sorry you're struggling so much, PCOS can be a really demoralising condition. Out of interest has the doc checked your vitamin d levels? If these are low, then two of the main symptoms are pain and fatigue. It's so hard to get the basics done when so tired and it might help if your levels are low to get them topped up.

I also think you should get the pain in your abdomen checked out again and definitely ask to be referred for PCOS

Also, reading your post again I wonder if there's a gastric or digestive reason for your post-meal bloating and discomfort - so I definitely think you need to address this with the GP again or via a referral.

This sounds very tough OP.

What’s your diet like now?

I have pcos and it is tough! I have lost half a stone. I find that certain foods make me bloated . With pcos you need higher protein lower carb meals . I would keep a food diary and see how certain foods affect your bloating etc .I don’t do well with onions, nuts and a few other things . You may have to cut certain foods out or cut back on them .

I do get it is a vicious cycle I get ravenous hunger at times that is hard to explain .

@Merryoldgoat honestly? My diet isn't amazing but it's not awful either, it would be a perfectly normal diet for someone not with PCOS but it is filled with a lot of veg and healthy carbs (not so much fruit as I don't like).

@TaraR2020 sorry I should have said that, my bloods did show low vitamin D which I am now taking vitamins for.

I wish I could put up the picture because it is unbelievable.

Oh also should add I don't drink now

I have PCOS and an eating disorder (yay!) but the only thing that has worked in terms of reliable weight loss is VERY low carb.

I’d suggesting focusing on a really healthy low-carb diet with some intermittent fasting and gentle exercise.

It’s not sexy but I suspect you’d benefit health wise.

@Kitten11x

I also get unbelievable hunger at times. It’s quite shocking.

Hello, the first thing that sprang to mind is gut dysbiosis. Especially the swelling after food.
Read up on a supplement called alflorex and gut health. I would also strongly look at keto and fixing your gut flora. I was diagnosed with IBS and resolved it in a few months on pre and probiotics, gut friendly food. Hope this helps you.

Have you been tested for coeliac disease? Bloating and stomach pain is a huge symptom.

Take advice from your GP and then, if okay to do so do the fast800 12 week plan - incredible results.

It's heart breaking when your GP isn't taking you seriously.

There seems like some good valid suggestions on this thread of conditions to get ruled out/in.

Oh OP this sounds terrible. I have a friend with PCOS and apart from metformin she had to go on a very low carb diet. To me it looked nearly zero carb, honestly, certainly it was close to zero sugar. It was very tough, but she lost quite a bit of weight and her cycles returned to some normality. I think you definitely need a referral to an endocrinologist and I agree, a dietitian specialising in PCOS. If you're willing to try alternative therapies, acupuncture can support your treatment too.

And yes it could also be something else, like IBS or coeliac disease/wheat intolerance. Have you tried a food diary to watch your symptoms for a few weeks? This could give you an idea. I have IBS, peppermint tea and tablets are helpful and lots of water regularly. I also avoid some foods which I've noticed make me feel bloated and uncomfortable.

I'd recommend a supplement called Myo inositol (I have pcos and take MyOva - see Amazon). Much more gentle than metformin (which I also take but am on 1500mg a day).

Pcos is debilitating but there's lots of social media support out there. Dairy and gluten can both be triggers for making pcos symptoms worse so you could trial being gluten/ dairy free for 6 weeks and see if things improve.