Conceiving on a low carb diet

[beachtent]

Hi all,

I'm convinced i have PCOS although i had a testosterone blood test last week which came back negative. It sounds like there are a few more hormonal tests that could/should be done. i have a lot of PCOS symptoms such as being overweight, hairy , having irregular but rather frequent periods, etc.

I have read about how PCOS is related to insulin resistance, and also about how losing weight can dramatically improve symptoms of PCOS. I have therefore started a low carb diet a few days ago. I've done this before a few years ago and successfully lost 2.5 stone, which slowly crept back on

I do have one ds who is 2.5 years. So i know I can conceive. But we want to TTC no2, and since my periods are all over the place, I'm anticipating it might be a bit of a struggle. I got pregnant very quickly the first time around though, but I'd literally just come off the pill and I've heard that this can make you super fertile (?)

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else had explored a low carb diet with a view to balancing their hormones? And if it helped at all, either with any hormonal imbalance symptoms or with TTC?

PCOS is a very individualistic disorder and affects each woman with it very differently.
Not all PCOSers either are insulin resistant which makes things even more tricky; the underlying causes of PCOS are not fully understood.

Not all GPs recognise PCOS by any means even if presented with a clear case (and all your symptoms do fit the PCOS bill) and you will need to be persistant in order to get answers. In your case I'd be now asking the GP to refer you to a specialist for further evaluation. What you need is a diagnosis first and foremost.

You need to have a day 2 LH/FSH test done as a matter of course (tests can be done according to calendar days).

If you are bleeding very often too then the cause of that issue could well be fibroids.
In any event the GP should refer you and not mess around any more with them arranging blood tests (the gynae specialist should do that instead). This is not a problem within their remit.

Low carb is not really sustainable in the long term and some PCOSers have had more success overall with following a low GI/GL eating plan. Collette Harris (who has PCOS) has written several cookbooks with this condition in mind.

Verity's website is also helpful if you have not already come across it:-

www.verity-pcos.org.uk

Atilla is right (as always! )

Thought I'd add my two pennies-worth as a fellow PCOS sufferer.

I also had the symptoms (like yours) and a scan confirmed it. Like you, my periods are much more frequent (I get excited if I make CD21!!) and also very light.

I have read that losing weight is a key to conceiving. I understand PCOS to have a link to insulin - our bodies produce too much, because we are resistant to its effects. Instead of food being converted successfully into energy and used, it tends to get stored as fat. But the more fat stores you have, the more insulin is produced and the more resistant you become. A vicious circle if ever I heard one!

The idea of a low carb (or better to be low GI as Atilla said) is that the body can use protein and veggies better and it is more likely to store the sugar element. Also sugar causes a peak in insulin, triggering it all off again.

Some studies I think have shown that losing weight (they said about a stone or two, but I don't know what weight the people were starting from) doubled the chances of conception. It also keeps PCOS symptoms at bay (apparently).

A diagnosis is important, but losing weight whilst you are getting it would be great. Sadly my GP is insisting on having results for all tests before a referral is processed. So we have been waiting a few months and the referral still hasn't been sent off!! But it gives me time to get myself in tip top shape so my weight is not a reason to disregard me.

Last thing - I too had heard that coming off the pill can make you super-fertile to begin with. I so wish I had taken advantage of that! I know that I had two proper periods straight off, before I went totally bizarre, but thought I should let myself settle first. Grr!!!

Good luck!

Congratulations on your low-carb diet!

During my TTC journey I was sent to a dietician here in The Netherlands. It seems to me you fully understand insulin resistance/Syndrome X type diseases so I shall not bore you with the details! Although I would like to point out that Attila is quite dismissive of low-carb, and yet advocates low-GI, which of course is to all extents and purposes; low-carb! I think when people hear the words "low carb" they think of eating 17 packets of pork scratchings a day!

Basically my dietician specialised in women TTC, pregnant women and those wishing to lose weight post-partum. For those struggling TTC she recommended a low-carb diet (along the lines of South Beach/paleo) because of the links found here in The Netherlands between a low-carb diet and successful pregnancies and lowered rates of PCOS. It's also been found (in this country) to regulate PCOS and reduce the length and irregularity of cycles. Surely worth a pop!

Best of luck to you.

Durrrr... I mean congratulations on your WEIGHT LOSS! (my brain is made of chalk and buttons this morning !)

Hi, I have PCOS and have been TTC for two years. I found out six months ago that there might be a link between carbs, insulin and fertility.

Since then, I've been sticking to a GI diet (mostly!) and have had regular cycles for the last three months (between 28 and 30 days - previously they could be up to 45 to 50 days). My FSH / LH ratio has improved as well and is now pretty much normal whereas before my LH at day 2 was just over twice my FSH.

I don't know if it is the low GI itself or the fact that it has helped me lose weight that has helped but something seems to be working.

Good luck with it!

thanks for all your replies! i think low GL/GI you can eat wholewheat grains etc, but (at least initially) in low carbing you tend not to, although I believe now even Atkins includes wholegrain/ low GI carbs in his previously very high-fat meaty extravaganza. I'm sticking with it for now - first few days were tough but have got through the worst i think! Feeling pretty good on it now. Although slipped up and had some toast this morning as the cupboards were bare except for bread!

Glad to hear of your positive experiences of it, ladies, and miffles sorry to hear you found out too late about the post-pill fertility thing. I didn't know about it till way later either, just turns out we didn't really think much about what we were doing.

Good luck to the rest of you low carbers/ low GI-ers!!!