question about general pcos

ihatepcos · 07-05-2006, 11:28 PM

if some pcos'ers are thin, and others are overweight.. what is the main difference? if weight loss works for some pcos'ers, and theres thin ones.. what helps them? i hear so much about being over weight and weight loss helping pcos, then why are there thin pcos'ers? are their cases as bad or worse? im just trying to understand, thanks

Paulalouise · 07-05-2006, 11:49 PM

There are quite a few factors that contribute to the obesity side of PCOS but possibly the largest cause is something called insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is basically a pre-diabetic condition. Not all women with PCOS are insulin resistant but having PCOS means you have a higher chance of developing IR, if you're not already.

Insulin resistance basically means that your body can't handle sugar or refined foods, these foods break down into sugar and then your body stores the results as weight, usually around the middle in women with PCOS, (although everyone is different).

I have had PCOS related problems since I was a teenager but I have never been obese. I have a sister with PCOS and a similar bodytype and prediabetes, she is obese, the only difference between us is our diet.

I recently decided to slim down 20lbs, I'm half way there. Before I limited sugar and to lose the last 20lb I've cut sugar and refined carbs out altogether and it's working. It's a lifestyle thing though and not a diet.

It is best to consult your Doc though because as I said before IR is only one of the factors that lead to IR related weight gain and you could have something else going on.

Best,

Paula

ihatepcos · 07-06-2006, 07:13 AM

i am IR, but i just don't understand what to do. i'm really lost, my mom doesn't help one bit. i'm pretty much just stuck.

Paulalouise · 07-06-2006, 03:14 PM

If you go on Amazon.com you can get a book - I believe it's called the Insulin Resistance Diet Book, amongst others. In the absence of help, I didn't have any either, the best thing is to read as much as you can.

To get you started though here are a few of the nasties that I avoid:

Soda of all kinds - this one is the very worst offender!
Sugary breakfast cereal
Chocolate, cakes, treats (used to be my faves).
Try to avoid products with hidden sugar, those are often labeled as being high fructose corn syrup.

I also avoid refined white flour products such as pastries and white bread.

I read a study that says that if you stick at something for 10-14 you have a better chance of training your body into whatever new regime you're trying to pull.

Unlike a diet, this is a lifestyle thing, I don't cut calories or avoid any foods - I just don't eat sugar and refined flour products.

Oh yeah and don't forget to drink tons of water

Good luck,

Paula

jen34 · 07-06-2006, 05:11 PM

I've been off bcp for nearly 2 yrs. I lost about 25 pounds, and for the first time began getting regular periods on my own (without bcp or provera). I've been only slightly irregular for the last 8-10 months, with cycles varying from 27 to 34 days. As far as my last round of b/w showed, I am still not ovulating. I did do more b/w for this last cylce, but will not have results until July 17. I know from the u/s that my ovaries are cystic. I am now up to 2000 mg of metformin, and my RE also had me start taking fish oil and Udo's blended oil. She thinks added EFAs will help. I am 5'4" and fluctuate between 115 and 120, so do not consider myself overweight. My RE doesn't want to prescribe Clomid. She thinks diet and exercise will be enough for me to get pg. I am getting incredibly impatient (and depressed) over not being able to get pg. I am worried about the insurance coverage if I go for a second opinion. What should I do? How many cycles of just metformin and EFAs do I go through without ovulating before I need to go somewhere else?
Sorry for the long post. This is my first one.

Paulalouise · 07-06-2006, 05:27 PM

I wish I could help but I have no experience in this area. There is a TTC board here with some really nice ladies on their. They deal with this kind of thing themselves everyday so I don't doubt that they will have some helpful advice to give.

Big hugs,

Paula

Cameryn · 07-06-2006, 11:01 PM

I have the IR diet book, which is pretty good, but I recommend borrowing it if you can, because the concept is pretty simple.

For example, it recommends 'linking' your carb and protein intake. IF you have carbs at a meal or snack, it should not exceed 33g. For every 15 grams of carbs, you should have 7 g of protein, which they call 'balancing'. I fudge a little if the carbs involved are whole-wheat/complex, but other than that, it's pretty easy to stick to.

The whole idea is to keep your glucose/sugar levels even, which is how protein helps. Small, frequent meals with water in between are also recommended. They also believe that the body treats artificial sweeteners the same way as sugar, so keep that in mind when drinking Crystal Light or diet soda, etc.

anala000 · 08-19-2006, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulalouise

If you go on Amazon.com you can get a book - I believe it's called the Insulin Resistance Diet Book, amongst others. In the absence of help, I didn't have any either, the best thing is to read as much as you can.

To get you started though here are a few of the nasties that I avoid:

Soda of all kinds - this one is the very worst offender!
Sugary breakfast cereal
Chocolate, cakes, treats (used to be my faves).
Try to avoid products with hidden sugar, those are often labeled as being high fructose corn syrup.

I also avoid refined white flour products such as pastries and white bread.

I read a study that says that if you stick at something for 10-14 you have a better chance of training your body into whatever new regime you're trying to pull.

Unlike a diet, this is a lifestyle thing, I don't cut calories or avoid any foods - I just don't eat sugar and refined flour products.

Oh yeah and don't forget to drink tons of water

Good luck,

Paula

Hi Paula...Im just wondering what do u eat that is good?? vegetables i suppose?

flyfisher · 08-20-2006, 04:54 AM

You may want to even try diabetic exchanges. You can have anything you want, but in moderation. I lost 40 pounds in about a year eating a 1200 calories a day and exercising. I was dx type 2 last year and went to diabetic teaching classes. It is easy once you understand what to do. It is basically portion control. Eating healthy foods is a start, but if you over eat and that is just as bad for you as eating unhealthy. I would recommend you talking to your doctor about seeing a dietician. You can also go to the american diabetes association website and read about it or go to the library and read up on it as well. Good luck and I hope this helps.

R0xyg4l · 08-20-2006, 07:51 AM

I don't know if the difference is in terms of a thin PCOS'er having it better than an obese PCOS'er or vice versa. It's just that every condition effects people differently. Just like if three people in one household gets a cold, one may have a sore throat, one may have nausea and the other may have a cough.... Not everyone with PCOS has IR as well. IR is a big factor in the abdominally obese PCOS'ers. I have a cousin who is nearly positive she has PCOS and we call her "Teeny" for a nick name because she is really small. I'm am far from small and never have been. From her symptoms it appears as though she may have higher androgens than I do but I have more problems related to the obesity side of PCOS. What would help her out is something like spirnolactone to help with the increased androgens and she'd probably be ovulating in no time. I think a large part of my PCOS problem is my weight. Ironically, we were both pg at the same time with our DDs and I gained a ton of wt and she didn't. I'm kinda tired and hope this made sense. But you did pose a good question and I see already lots of good answers. HTH!