Have been to see Gynie today and now am so upset and angry..

[singyswife]

I have PCOS, have had it for years and have been to see Gynie twice before. Today I was basically told, get the coil fitted and lose weight or live with it. Then I was told that the hormone made it really difficult to lose weight. Surely this cant be it, I am soooo upset. I have put up with this shit for 18 years and I have finally had enough and this is what I am told. Can anyone help???? Thanks

bump

I am sorry you are upset .. but losing weight can help control the symptoms of PCOS so your Gynae hasn't really said that much of out of order

PCOS sufferers tend to be carbodhydrate addicts (it's something to do with the insulin) there is a carb-diet that could help

I have a book on it somewhere .. will try to find later

I've got PCOS and must admit losing a stone made a big difference to my symptoms (periods came back and now on a six week cycle, skin is much better etc). I don't think they like to do anything until you have lost a bit of weight as it is known to make a difference

this book

She didnt offer any help in the weight loss department though she said there was a dug that limited fat but that if I ate fat I would be ill. Thats all she said, have been down the dieticiian road and she gave me a book. I wanted some advice and basically was told to live with it.

Yup that is a great book Twiglett. Colette also says that the high levels of testosterone in pcos sufferers means they make natural athletes so that helps with weight loss

Thanks for the link.

Losing weight is advice, though.

sorry you had a bad time.

I hope i can give you a little hope.

My sister has PCOS (also has a cyst on her liver which is hormone fed) she can not take any pill as they make her cyst on her liver grow.

She has had a coil fitted about 5 yrs ago as it is a local hormone and doesn't effect her liver cyst. She has lost about 5 stone and has maintaned her weight loss. SHe has gone from a size 18/20 to a 12/14.

They offered me the Mirena coil but everyone I have spoken to says they gained weight with it. Maybe I should cut my losses and try it, I cant feel any worse.

twiglett is on to something there. I know many pcos sufferers who managed to lose weight following a low-carb diet. And only that way.

try www.low-carbdiet.co.uk/ There are some wonderful people there who have used lc dieting to combat many health problems. I used it for ages just trying to get weight and diet under control. Can't beleive I had actually lost it from my favourites . Have a look.

You don't generally gain weight with the Mirena coil, the hormone is localised.

I have bought the book, will have a look. Thanks

I have PCOS and I'm sorry you're having such a bad time. Have you tried Metformin? it improves the insulin resistance problem. It tends to make me less dizzy and emotional and inclined to overeat although the side effects are annoying (metallic taste, diarrhoea, it's a very safe drug. Controlling blood-sugars though diet and exercise really is the only long-term way forward.

PCOS is a horrible vicious cycle as the more weight you gain, the more out of kilter your hormones get and the easier it is to gain weight and the tougher it all gets.

I didn't think it would work, but I'm now losing weight really well (over 20lbs since the beginning of Jan) by using Paul McKenna's book/CD. The good thing about it in this situation is that it really help you to feel better about yourself and to break the vicious cycle. It is possible to fix this and get better, the gynae is right but, it's very easy to feel awful about how you can do it when you're stuck in the vicious cycle. The hrmones do make it tougher, but certainly not impossible.

I like Colette's book as it also tells you to be kind to yourself but I did try her suggestions many years ago and found it to be very expensive in supplements.

What symptoms are you finding most difficult to cope with?

I'd personally find a more sympathetic gynae. The person you saw was appalling.

If you do want to try an eating plan I would suggest you try a low GI/GL plan rather than a low carb one. Low Carb is not actually of much benefit to PCOSers as it is not sustainable in the longer term.

www.verity-pcos.org.uk has a lot of information on PCOS.

HTH

HI there, sorry I went to bed early as I had had enough of myself. I am finding it so difficult to think of a way of losing weight. I am like most overweight people and I pretend to be happy with myself. I KNOW full well that the extra weight is not helping the symptoms but how the hell do you shift them. How do I fit in excercise when I work 3 days a week, have 2 kids (one under school age), 2 dogs and a house to keep (husband too but he looks after himself). I am really really at a loss, I think this is probably the worst I have ever felt and I know that losing weight would help a great deal but I dont know how to find the bloody time. HELP:

are you ttc? If not, then ask for a referral to an endocrinoogist rather than a gynae, as they tend to know more about PCOS as it's a hormonal thing. Some areas have specialist PCOS clinics (Reading, Coventry adn Leeds spring to mind, also one of the London hospitals - basically anywhere there's a PCOS specialist).
But, yes, going away and losing some weight is (sadly) the best thing women with PCOS can do - low GI/GL and moderate excercise. Would also highly recommend any book by Colette Harris.

to OP I have PCOS too and frankly a low GI diet and exercise is the best way to go in term of elf help.
Unfortunately it is hard work and the mood does tend to get affected - as in being prone to depression, that is where the regular exercise can help.

it is hard it is 'unfair' but I feel that the fact that you can try and do something to improve the condition is quite empowering.

I think Metmorfin and Clomind have been mentioned already but afaik only some doctors prescribe this as it is not an 'approved' treatment as such despite some successes

best of luck and sorry if not what you want to hear but you certainly have my sympathy it i hard and at time dispiriting

sorry trouble with s key

can't help you with pcos but wanted to say I have the mirena and I didn't gain any weight on it, am the slimmest I've been since pre-chilren without dieting/exercising to loose weight IYSWIM. With the deepo injections I was huge gained about 2 stone. If the mirena doesn't agree with you, you can have it removed again.

I second the mirena. I didn't gain weight with it. Bear in mind that the people who come on wedsites and grumble about it are the ones who are unhappy with it - there are lots who are perfectly happy with it. It's been great for me, but I have seen folk on websites blaming it for everything which is not going well in their lives, up to and including the cat eating the budgie, it sometimes seems.

I also would second Paul McKenna's book. It makes you rethink your attitude to food and how you deal with it and is really empowering.

singyswife - exercise is the very best thing for lifting your mood apart from all its other benefits. I go running 3 times a week. I have 3 kids and I work 30 hrs a week. DH works looong hours so I can't rely on him to do much with the DCs in the evenings. It is hard but I love it so much that it becomes something I won't miss.

If you find something you think you would enjoy just give it a go. You may well find it becomes a pleasure and not a chore.

I would second Ormirian, running, jog walk is great and fits around buy lives can be done in most places.
not to mention the advantage of having headspace time as I call it

'headspace time' is actually one of the very best aspects! Stops me from boiling over like a a kettle

quite nothing like pounding the pavement when you are annoyed and be all calm and lovely afterwards

seriously singywife don't despair it can be done, even weightwatchers helps if nothing else to keep up your motivation you can make the right low GI choices to fit with the plan and by all mean read Colette Harris, it is very informative