PCOS? Anyone else dealing with it?

[rocketlegs]

Is anyone else out there dealing with poly cystic ovarian syndrome and what have you found to help the most?

[unicornassassin]

South Dakota! I grew up there.

I don't have any advice about PCOS, but fyi there is a Women's guild for us to post stuff about our junk so guys don't get all weirded out

[rocketlegs]

South Dakota! I grew up there.

I don't have any advice about PCOS, but fyi there is a Women's guild for us to post stuff about our junk so guys don't get all weirded out

Oh those guys, they just can't handle the hard stuff can they?

[rocketlegs]

I actually can't find the Women's Guild. Where is it?

[unicornassassin]

On the "forums" page, scroll down to "specialty guilds."

[rocketlegs]

OMG. I was always clicking the 'Rebellion Headquarters' to go back! Doh. Now I found it. Thanks!

['Roos]

Hey dude - totally there with dealing with the PCOS. I've found going paleo to be a huge help (or going high-protein, low-carb, if you don't feel like doing the paleo thing), as well as religiously taking some metformin. That stuff does more than I gave it credit for (And is like, the only long-term medication which doesn't appear to have horrible toxicity problems).

That said, PCOS is a huge range of symptoms with an unknown basis for disease - what sort of issues are you suffering from? I'm mostly in the insulin metabolism/bad hormone balance problems, but don't stuffer from the anovulation or bad periods. The up side of unusual androgen balance for me is I can put on muscle way easier than the average female (yay too much testosterone ?) but find it way harder to lose fat than the average individual.

[HorrorGeek]

My sister has it. I was doing a lot of reading to help her and came across good information about low carb being excellent for dealing with PCOS. One book was "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It" by Gary Taubes.

[rocketlegs]

I've found going paleo to be a huge help (or going high-protein' date=' low-carb, if you don't feel like doing the paleo thing), as well as religiously taking some metformin.

That said, PCOS is a huge range of symptoms with an unknown basis for disease - what sort of issues are you suffering from? [/quote']

I tried taking metformin but kept having diarrhea several times a day, every day for over a week and just gave up. I have horrible facial hair growth, acne all over, huge stomach fat issue, ovarian cysts, horrible menstrual cramps.

Any non metformin things to try? Any recipes you can point me towards for low carb high protein that's doesn't taste like cardboard?

[rocketlegs]

My sister has it. I was doing a lot of reading to help her and came across good information about low carb being excellent for dealing with PCOS. One book was "Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It" by Gary Taubes.

Thank you! I will look it up.

[tigersheart]

I don't have any advice about PCOS, but fyi there is a Women's guild for us to post stuff about our junk so guys don't get all weirded out

Can't help on the PCOS obviously, but why would guys get weirded out? Or is it just me that is not bothered by the human body and its functions?

['Roos]

A'right - I'm going to go bit by bit with symptoms for you. First off, your doctor will tell you to go on the pill. That may be the best option for you - it forces your hormones to even out and it gets thoze crazy testosterones all in check, so hopefully stops facial hair growth. That said, if it's there, IT IS NEVER GOING AWAY. If you have dark hair and light skin you can do the lazering route (painful! Expensive!), but if you're any other complexion you're stuck with electrolysis (painful! Expensive!). I went with electrolysis - awesome ladies did it for me, and I continue to be awesome to this day. That said, I am so so so not kidding on the painful and expensive warnings.

Belly fat will only get dealt with if you deal with your insulin imbalance. Metformin is the best option, honestly, but if you can't/don't tolerate it (ask what your dose was - see if you can start on a 250mg/day or 500mg/day dose if you were higher - I tolerate a 2000mg/day dose really surprisingly well, so they just blast my poor little insulin receptors with it, but if there is some way you could try tolerating it again, perhaps coupled with diet choices, I can not say how much it tamps down irrational appetite, helps with highs/lows of blood sugar, and makes you feel as though you can get up in the morning).

As far as low carb food, what is your diet like now? What do you eat regularly? Do you eat mostly carbs, mostly veg, mostly cheese, what? Because if you're currently on a high carb/dairy/sugar diet, low carb stuff will taste a bit cardboardy until you've adjusted. That said, you can eat wonderful things like thai curries, indian curries, (no rice!!!!) all kinds of stews and roasts, roast chickens, there's just so much awesome food you can eat. But let me know on your current diet and we can work on weaning you towards better choices that are still tasty.

Also, do you have an endocronologist? Often it's best to see someone at a good reproductive clinic (EVEN IF YOU DON'T WANT THE BABIES) because they're really good at their jobs generally. Would you be willing to go on the pill (probably the only thing that is going to fix your acne/hair growth/crazy meunstration right quick)? Have you talked with your doctor about it?

[leadchipmunk]

Can't help with the PCOS thing, Just wanted to say 2 things.

I came here mistaking PCOS for PClinuxOS, and was wondering what kind of problems people were having with it. I haven't heard anything bad about it. Haha

I don't have any advice about PCOS, but fyi there is a Women's guild for us to post stuff about our junk so guys don't get all weirded out

Can't help on the PCOS obviously, but why would guys get weirded out? Or is it just me that is not bothered by the human body and its functions?

You aren't the only one that isn't bothered by it. I never understood why guys were bothered by it either.

Now, if you will excuse the interruption. G'day ladies (hat tip). Man, out!

[Krystle]

I have PCOS as well...and had some of the awful side effects. Dark hair growing on my nice olive skin tone (thank goodness summer is here and I'll be tan so it wont be noticeable as much) my cycle is WAY off, if I go off the pill for any amount of time I stop menstruating, weight has been an issue (mostly bad food and no exercise did that though) and it is ridiculously hard to lose fat around the tummy.

I was put on Metformin but it gave me HORRID migraines until my pharmacist told me to start taking it BEFORE a nice sized meal...so that helped.

As for the hair, the only place it was really bad and bothered me a lot was under my chin on my neck...it was super noticeable...I did a Living Social deal where I got 6 treatments for $150 so that is an option. Check groupon too.

Massages really helped with all my other issues though.

Hope this helps!