PCOS advice needed please.

[mummyloveslucy]

Hi, I've had PCOS for at least 8 years. I had Clomed to concieve my daughter and tried it again but it didn't work. I was offered ovarian drilling but chickened out. I have a bit of a phobia of opperations.
I'm going to try to change my diet and do more excersise to hopefully combat it naturally. Are there any books you would recommend on PCOS diets? I know it'll be really hard as it's going to be low GI and I have a very sweet tooth.
If you know of any good books/websites, or have any other advice I'd be greatful.

Depending on your take on all things chinese medicine and alternative therapies etc, then Randine Lewis' 'The Infertility Cure' has a chapter on PCOS and recommended dietary changes and herbal supplements etc.

Thank you both, I'll look those up.

I got the good housekeeping one when we were TTC. love the chicken tikka recipe & at least 3 others that we still do 3 years later.

Good luck.

Oh, thanks. That sounds good.

Hi, my gp last week suggested I try a diabetic diet to help. I was only finally diagnosed recently although I knew in my heart ages ago that I was a sufferer. I have just started metformin to try and help, and if that fails my gp suggested he could add clomid. I have 1 fallopian tube after an ectopic pregnancy ruptured, so it's not going to be easy.

How are you getting on with the Metformin? I tried it twice but felt so sick, came off it. I then got severe depression, I think I came off it too quickly.
I'm wondering if there's anything else simillar.

On the pluss side, I did loose weight, but that was because I felt too ill to eat.
I'm going to try a sugar free diet and see if it helps. Does honey count as sugar?

Hi
I've got PCOS, had it for years. Had first child successfully after a couple of years of consultant supervision and metformin and good diet and lots of exercise. Am TTC #2 now and its proving harder....

Metformin is tough to start with but the side effects get better once you are used to it. I had to go from 1/4 tabs once a day to 2 full tabs daily in very slow 1/4 increments... made me feeel dreadful - like travel sickness or morning sickness. Its worth perservering imo though. Do get it supervised by a consultant if you can though....

The best thing I did for my PCOS was daily exercise, 30mins of cardio (enough to make me properly sweat) every day. That has huge benefits, also low GI diet was good.

Colette Harris has range of books on PCOS including some on fertility. Worth a read

All the best MlL.

The Metformin is making me feel queasy but I am going up on the dosage as the doc suggested - very slowly. I am dieting but it's hard as I have a sweet tooth like you wouldn't believe. The only thing I can't help is exercise as I am disabled with limited walking mobility. I am doing what I can with hydrotherapy but might look out those books gingerbreadlatte.

That was probubly the mistake I made with them. I started on 2 a day as I'm impatiant and thought it'd be fine. When I felt so awful I had to stop, I stopped them right away. I might re start them but I'll try the diet first.
I have such a sweet tooth too. I can be full up from a meal, but still want something sweet.

I've bought the Zumba DVD's but I'm not sure when I'll get chance to do them. (My daughters home educated) maybe she could do it with me.
I hope everything goes well for you.

How old is your dd? I bet she would love the Zumba, my dd loves trying just dance on the wii, it's quite cute to watch too

You have to break the cycle of wanting sweet. I know what it is like. I am the same. Try going cold turkey early in your cycle (that is when I always find my appetite and sugar cravings are easiest to control). The first couple of days you will be craving sugar and carbs. After a few days, it will get a lot easier.

Thanks eurochick, I will try. I managed to do it with tea and coffee, so there is a ray of hope.

cherrybird, she's nearly 7 but her co-ordination isn't fab. It would be a laugh though.

I did a strict low gi diet and accupuncture and whilst it took about 4 months to start seeing improvements after 6 months my skin was much better and I ovulated on day 20 (versus day 60 or so before) and found myself pregnant. An early internal scan showed that my ovaries were clear!! I found once I got used to the low gi diet it was easy to follow but I was very strict and could probably count the instances on one hand when I ate white carbs - if anything it was getting towards an obsession as I felt so guilty every time I ate something bad but I was scared of undoing months of hardwork. (Now I have morning sickness - it seems to have gone out the window but I am still managing to avoid very sugary things.

Good luck.

Congratulations LIG! That's brilliant.

Not that cheap but I have PCOS and used Tesco GI diet (tescodiets.com) and am losing weight and don't have to think about meals etc.

Sounds interesting. I'll look that up.

I also have pcos & when ttc I also followed what I thought was a low gi diet. I managed to get pregnant as I obviously ovulated (about twice a year!) & was diagnosed with gestational diabetes so then had to monitor my blood sugar levels closely. I realised what I thought was low gi/low sugar wasn't really - eg dried fruit is full of sugar! Also portion sizes are a major issue as a huge plateful of brown rice & lentils can still send sugar levels soaring. I'd also say make sure you eat protein with every meal & snack if you can as it really helps regulate blood sugar levels & reduce carb/sugar cravings. Since having my dd my periods are much more regular which I think may be partly due to my new diet?! Exercise also really helpful especially cardio. Good luck!

Thanks everyone, some great advice and things to look up. Teaandchocolate- snacking is not a problem for me! I don't tend to eat huge meals, I get full quite quickly but feel hungry sooner.
I've got my Zumba DVD and tried it out for the first time today.