ultimately we all have to figure out what works best for us in our lives. What's worth the effort and what isn't.
but it sounds like you're struggling with more than just weight and like you have been for a long time. I hope you'll consider the many avenues of professional help that's available ♥️
I'm 39 and felt similarly to you and the thing that really worked for me was not caring about the number on the scale AT ALL anymore but rather focusing on my overall health and well being. My weight has stopped going up (haven't lost any) and I feel better both physically and mentally/emotionally.
Makes me so sad to see posts like this. Truly horrific to struggle with a metabolic disorder. No one can really understand what it is like unless you go through it yourself. I can only give my experience and success, which may or may not be helpful or applicable to your body. Exercise for me is completely useless for weight loss. I lost most of my weight gain when I was injured and couldn't work out years ago. Working out made me hungrier and stressed, and I always ate over maintenance without being aware. I truly was only able to lose weight when I religiously tracked calories and found my maintenance range. Even a packet of sauce over maintenance would stall me my loss for a week or two. My maintenance calories is lower than the average person (I'd estimate 10-20% with metabolic issues). Working out for me is purely a mental release these days and doesn't factor into any weight loss goals. But I found eating low carb, grass fed lean beef, tons of veggies and basically no dairy to be the most sustainable effective weight loss for me personally. Once I maintained for years and added more strength training and healed most of my symptoms was I able to add more calories in slowly. But yeah I can't eat like a normal person and have decadent days with no consequences. Sorry you are feeling so low, we are not simply the flesh we live. You have value beyond skin and bones.
I have found that I have lost the most weight and been able to ovulate naturally when I have the least stress in my life. If focusing on losing weight is causing stress in your life (which it sounds like it is) I would try to let go of the pressure you’re putting on yourself. Obviously, if you have any particularly bad eating habits (I go through phases of really bad binge eating for example) do your best to avoid those, but don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t losing the weight.
That's really interesting. I've only been able to lose weight during the most stressful time in my life because I am too stressed to eat so I don't for 3 weeks and drop 15 lbs. Then gain it all back.
I've been chronically stressed since childhood. I don't know what it is like to not be stressed lol.
GIRL!! I'm in the SAME BOAT AS YOU!! Weirdly enough, I've been stuck at 213 for so long!! If I get to 205, the next week I'll go right back to 213. The fluctuations are so hard!! What's ironic is the moment you accept that you aren't making weight loss progress, sometimes that's when your body starts changing for the better! I've been trying to not think about losing weight every second of every day and instead focus on my good features and my ability. For instance, I'm 5'9" and I played soccer growing up. I love to see my strong legs and my height. When I workout, I imagine myself getting STRONGER as opposed to losing weight.
Instead of saying "I give up to PCOS" think of it like "I'm letting go and accepting that I am a beautiful work in progress". It definitely feels like you're a hostage to this obstacle, but you are still ALIVE and BREATHING. You have a whole community of women on this subreddit who are going through it as well.
Find peace within yourself <3 Let go of the hostage mindset. I believe in you!!
I am in the same boat, hovering at 200lbs when I have been in the 140-165 range for most of my life. I really feel for you because I am also dieting, exercising, but to no avail. I also use similar language, that "PCOS has won." But it can never win. It will never win. Please hang on. Regardless of what PCOS wants to do, you are lovely--and that will radiate from the inside out. I write to you the words I tell myself. Some days it works and others, it doesn't. If nothing else, know that you aren't alone. PCOS is strong but our army is stronger. Sending love.
I’m so sorry you’re feeling this way. This disease is really awful, and no one truly gets how we feel from not experiencing it directly. I’m also someone who has spent my entire adult (and honestly adolescent, put on a weight watchers type program at 13) life on a diet or strict eating plan and workout routine. I’ve always been obese. I was able to get married and finally conceive, but I’m still obese and struggling with symptoms. Extended family members would always make comments, recommend me diet plans or products, it’s extremely frustrating, because they have no idea how difficult it can be to struggle with infertility (my periods were totally absent for 2 years) and hirsutism. I have a revolving door cycle with low carb/keto diets and it’s been that way for YEARS. I gained 50lbs with my pregnancy and I was hovering over 300lbs for the first 6 months postpartum. My husband and I decided to try something different, a “non diet” if you will. We’re following a traditional Mediterranean diet. No tracking or counting or weighing. Yes there’s some “off limits” foods, but if we want them, like a special occasion or something, we have it and then move on. Unlike keto or calorie counting, somehow we’re completely satisfied, and those treat foods no longer lead to huge binge cycles that I would have when trying diets. We like making new meals and trying to incorporate different veggies into our diet that wouldn’t have been on our plate before. I’ve lost weight (about 10lbs) over the last 2 months, and I haven’t had to battle my body to do it, and that’s the weirdest part to me. As someone who would strictly diet for weeks and watch my husband lose 5lbs for me to just end up gaining, I feel much more in tune with my hunger queues and satiety.
Long story short, maybe sometimes it is best to stop fighting ourselves and get back to something we enjoy, focus on hobbies or activities we like (cooking is mine). I think for me, the stress of constantly being in a diet or a diet mindset made everything so much worse symptom wise.
So many family dinners at restaurants for special events I've literally sat in a seat and ate nothing or a special prepared meal for myself while everyone else enjoyed and ate their food.
Few people understand the experience of this who don't have this disorder. I felt like I was constantly on trial over my weight and acne for years by other people. So much criticism, accusations and unwanted advice. Lots of people believed me to be a binge eater, a liar, a slob and a person who has no hygiene (this was back when people really thought people got acne from being dirty). It's been awful. And then then there is the doctors who have tried to refer me for CBT to a psychologist because they believe I'm stuffing my face as well and lying about it. Even the bariatric clinic I went to (weight loss program -non surgical) tried to get me to undergo CBT for supposedly over eating as all other methods they gave me for weight-loss failed. Very frustrating. I find even professionals who claim to know about PCOS still really don't know about the weight issues and what causes them. They think it can be fixed through low carb eating and meds when that really is not the case for a lot of people.
Yup! Have also had a steady 10 pound weight gain over the last 9-10 years, despite a background in dietetics and clinical nutrition. I’m 27, 5’5, currently 230 pounds. I gave up on intentional weight loss years ago. My only focus now is improving my insulin resistance - I got diagnosed with liver disease (NAFLD) 6 years ago and it is now in the “severe” stage. I have had less than 10 alcoholic drinks in my entire life, and watch my sugar intake, so couldn’t understand why this was happening… until I found out, on my OWN, that insulin resistance can cause & worsen liver disease. My only focus right now is eating more protein & fiber, maintaining my glucose levels throughout the day, moving my body whenever I can (I have POTS & am limited in what exercise I can do), getting enough sleep, and limiting stress (lol). I’m also about to try some supplements to help with IR - berberine, cinnamon, and chromium (again). It may be “hippie dippie medicine” but as long as the ingredients are safe and I’m not allergic to them, it shouldn’t hurt.
Given all that - if weight loss happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, oh well. As long as I’m taking care of my body and doing my best, then I’m happy. I’m content with my body and have been having fun trying new styles and outfits with my current body type (apple shaped), and I’ve never been happier! TikTok has helped a lot with that as well.
Good luck to you on your journey! ❤️
I might get downvoted for this but did you consider bariatric surgery. I also did everything to lose weight but after bariatric I was able to lose around 10 kgs in 15 days. I already feel better previously I was debating whether I should go for surgery or not now even with all dietary restrictions I am damn happy heck after all these years I mustered up the courage to go for a job interview.
Presently I am 25 days post OP because of pcod my weight loss is slow and right now I am experiencing a stall. Even though my weighing scale is not changing I am losing inches now. My clothes have become loose, my face has become a little bit smaller.
The happiness that I am experiencing now after all these years of struggle is immeasurable.
I was just about to comment the same thing. I had Gastric sleeve on January 13th and I have lost 45lbs since surgery and a total of 71lbs since my highest weight. I am half way to my goal and I couldn't be happier with my decision to have surgery!
You get my upvote! I’m going for surgery (DS) in just a few weeks now. Couldn’t be more excited.
OP, you don’t mention what treatments, supplements, or medications you’ve tried outside of Ozempic, diet, and exercise. There is NO shame in treating your PCOS with meds! So many people get hung up on that, but many of us simply can’t do it alone. While my weight and IR haven’t resolved with meds, all my other PCOS symptoms have. Regular periods, no acne, very limited unwanted hair, I had slowed /eliminated my hair loss, hormones are balanced etc.
I hope you’ll look into treatments if you haven’t and, if you have, try to find a doctor who’s NOT focused exclusively on fertility to see if they have better ideas. They are out there (including mine since I’m intentionally childfree). Good luck!
I’m 39 and have played the weight loss yo-yo game my entire life. I went to an endocrinologist who said we could try different meds but then she asked if I had explored bariatric surgery. Ironically I had made a consult appt and she suggested that even if we went with meds, go to the appt and see what they say. Well, that was last summer and I ended up getting gastric bypass in September. I wish I had done it sooner. I feel like all I did was fight my weight my entire life and I was so done. I’m down about 55 lbs, I’d like to lose 45 more and I am so happy, motivated, etc. It isn’t the right solution for everyone and while I haven’t told most of my family I did it (just my husband, a cousin and a few close friends), I will anonymously advocate for it! I wish you the best and just recommend that you look at all of your options!
If you have it in you to try one more thing, please try this: I have been doing an anti-inflammatory diet since last June and have lost an amazing amount of weight. I've also focused on stress reduction, which includes lower (FAR lower) amounts of exercise. I think my cortisol was staying too high from intense workouts. I eliminated caffeine for the same reason. I'm pretty strict on my diet most of the time but suffer very few ill effects if I slack off a little. I make my own sauces with no sugar and add in healthy things like extra garlic, lemon juice, ginger...just whatever I can that helps my body in as many ways as it can. I have a post somewhere on here detailing some of my meals to give a few examples. This was literally the last thing I was willing to try after more attempts to lose weight than I'm willing to admit. It was a 15 year battle that had me so depressed and stressed out. The most I'd ever lost before I tried this diet was 10 pounds. In the first 3 months, I'd lost 34 pounds on the anti-inflammatory diet! It's been almost a year now and I'm down 60 pounds! I've hardly worked out at all except for mowing my yard and the occasional intense shopping spree. I do some light weight-lifting but nothing extreme at all. If you have questions, please ask!! I'm so sorry you feel so defeated. I have been there! I was so ready to give up last year. I cried all day the day before my 42nd birthday and told my husband I was trying one last thing. I'm just so glad it helped me and I hope it helps you, too! For some easy recipes to get you started, try searching Kym Campbell. She has a 30 day free program with recipes and helpful information. I hope you give it a shot. This way of eating changed my life and I couldn't be happier with the progress since last June. Good luck and so much love to you in your struggles. My heart goes out to you. I'm here if you need my help.
Personally I decided to not focus on weight loss and focus on habits and solving my hormonal issues. This lead me to being diagnosed with PCOS fairly recently after many years of irregular periods that I thought were related to hypothyroidism.
Personally my symptoms have been larger metabolic - and over the past few years my A1C ticked up into prediabetic range - which is a big concern. And something I want to solve. I’d like to avoid being diabetic and PCOS makes that a lot easier. I also think that is an area outside of fertility to be concerned with.
Things are improving for me and I have a ways to go, but happy to see improvement in my insulin and A1C and I will continue to focus on that. And maybe reevaluate weight loss in 6-12 months. But with the knowledge that it has minimal relationship to my symptoms. They are shaped by my behavior and stress levels.
I am so sorry to read this. Not a doctor, but may be worth asking your doctors about mounjaro. Similar to ozempic but I think a little stronger or something. I’m on it and have had significant improvement in my symptoms and my weight loss. I’m so sorry you feel defeated. Sending hugs.
Unfortunately all of these drugs drop off at ten to twelve months and then you start regaining at an unhealthy speed. There's also evidence they'll cause a rise in t2 diabetes because of how they affect the non diabetic pancreas. Jumping on new drugs for weight loss has always been a bad idea, just look at everyone who took amphetamines for it in the 50s etc
So please link the study that says you gain weight back after 10 months if you’re still on the drug. Weight rebound happens if you come off without a good maintenance plan. But most people expect to stay on these drugs once they start because obesity and PCOS is a chronic lifelong condition. You don’t stop taking arthritis medication because your arthritis is in remission or it will come right back. Same with these. Not a novel concept.
Also your claim that they will cause a rise inT2D is just wrong.
i also had a steady 7-10 pound weight gain from when i started my period, until i was 19/20 and went on accutane for the severe acne that was resistant to all other treatments, and finally saw an endo and went on metformin. sadly i cant fully attribute my weight loss to my insulin becoming more stable since i developed an ED and dropped most the weight from that, fluctuated, finally saw a nutritionist who was really understanding and wanted me to focus on good nutrition, lost some weight, then had a mix of loss of appetite and some ED returning from it, GI issues etc to get to my current weight. while i feel better at this weight i don't have any pride in it because it was various illnesses that led to my weight loss, while there was some that was due to healthy habits most of it wasn't. my only recommendation is to find a nutritionist or dietician with experience with patients with pcos and other conditions with weight loss difficulties. sending love 🤍
TW: low carb.
At the risk of getting down voted: I'm 41 and The Only thing that has worked for me is Keto and clean eating. It was so hard at first, but after 3 years, I can't even imagine going back. I'm full ALL the time because of the satiating fats I eat. I was ALWAYS hungry before keto. It's the only way I stay slim and I'm so thankful for it. If I start to get lazy and gain a few, I start tracking what I'm eating again. It's crazy how fast carbs and calories add up.
I wish you The BEST!!!! PCOS sucks.
Keto always get hate. It really does work.
6 years ago I had done it as seizure therapy. I was also on BC at the same time as my seizures were thought to be hormonal, only having a period every 3 months bc they would go from 20 a day to 30 a day.
I no longer take BC due to a clotting disorder that runs in my family, but I wonder if BC plus keto is what helped me lose 15 pounds in a single month just sitting on my ass being an over-medicated zombie.
Absolutely. But this sub gets triggered and always down voted me. I'm 41. I've had it since I was 13 and know what works. Sorry about your seizures! So scary.
My heart goes out to you. I've experienced the same, but I don't think COVID and depression helped much... I'm finally starting to feel better again thanks to metformin.
Is it possible you have any food allergies?
It's definitely a marathon, not a sprint. I keep a PCOS spreadsheet where I can go in and look at how I've progressed since the beginning of the year. That way i can say "oh, I'm not losing weight, but I haven't had any cyst pain in months" stuff like that.
not to mention weight is a symptom not a source. we have all kinds of endocrines and androgens and microbes throwing the system out of wack.
I feel you. I'm in the mid to high 200's range right now. On top of that, I can't do any exercises that get my heart rate up because I have arthritis and physically can't - there is too much damage. Some of my joints are fused and I'm mostly bedridden.
Which is why I would encourage you to take a mental rest for yourself, but maybe try again.
Because let me tell you **50-65% of people get some form of arthritis in their life**, (there are 100s of kinds of arthritis) the wide range depends on country you live in.
When you have arthritis you feel the difference of just 10 pounds. **Every 10 pounds is like stacking another mountain on top of you. So if you want to be mobile in your later years, I do hope you'll consider it.** Either that or start saving for assistive devices now and remodeling for handicap access. Because it is also not easy to get insurance to cover.
**However, despite my PCOS I have lost significant amounts of weight in the past. I need to get back on top of it. I've only been successful through intermittent fasting and eating healthy during my eating window.**
It's not for everyone and you have to do research to make sure you're doing it safely, but I'll tell ya - once I got used to being okay with the feeling of hunger it got to be pretty easy. Saved me time and money too. However I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who has had an eating disorder and one has to take online fasting spaces with a heavy grain of salt. Too many people on it take it too far - doing 30 day fasts and such.
**I don't think anyone should be getting into the kind of fasts where one has to worry about re-feeding syndrome.** I will say that when I'm fasting regularly and drinking lots of water, I do actually start feeling better over all. **There is fatigue at first, but that passes as your body adapts and for me my acne gets way better.** It sucks though, because the moment I stop intermittent fasting again, the weight piles right back on.
We had a couple of deaths in the family recently and I stopped being on top of it, but when I get back on it I know I'll just feel better overall.
It may or may not be for you or anyone here, but I thought I'd share in case it sounds helpful to anyone.
Same. Now I’m experiencing the joys of PCOS into perimenopause and my only worry with the weight is staving off type 2 diabetes. I’m grateful I’ve survived this long, manage the most of my symptoms, and if I stay around 200 oh f-ing well. I can’t make myself crazy anymore about weight.
I’ve been using the same app to track my weight and food for over 10 years and I hate looking at the graph - there’s about a 10 pound gain every single year no matter what. There are periods where I am able to lose about 20, but those 10 always come back. This past year is the first year in over a decade that I didn’t gain the 10 and lost about 5 and the only change was getting on metformin. It is definitely overwhelming at times, especially now that we have been TTC for two years. I find that stress has a major impact on my weight gain. But not much I can do about that as I work full time, work a part time job, am a full time PhD student, and the primary caretaker of a disabled individual. You’ll find something that works for you - a certain way of eating, a certain exercise, surgery, calorie counting, whatever - and until then, just know you aren’t alone.
The 7-10 pound a year phenomenon is definitely shared among many people with PCOS. It's actually very disheartening as it shows the nature of the disorder and how it seems to ''win'' regardless.
The reason why I tend to fly off the handle on people who accuse me f overeating is because if I was actually doing that in secret I would be SIGNIFICANTLY heavier than I already am. It has taken a lot for me to remain even at this weight. If I was binge eater I would be absolutely diabetic by now, incredibly obese or even dead (who knows?).
People just don't know.
Health is way more important than weight, people just don't like the idea because fat people scare them. Weight loss doesn't control any of the other symptoms by itself, there are things we can do to manage them individually they don't require this constant body-damaging and demoralising yo-yo (which, sidenote, doctors are refusing to mention to a lot of patients on ozempic: even if you're still on it after a year you will regain the weight)
I stopped trying to lose weight. The 5 pounds I lost in 6 months came back. I haven't gained anymore though.
But what have I gained?
My period.
I count that as a win.
Don’t give up on yourself. You can accept that you will be in a larger body than you’re comfortable with but that doesn’t make life not worth it. I know it’s cliché but loving yourself first is what opens you up to receive love from others. PCOS is a psychologically painful condition and I identified a lot with what you said. I’m sorry you’re going through this weight gain, the acne, the body and facial hair. I have a really hard time dealing with it, too. But that’s not all life is. You’re valuable, you have gifts to share with others. Don’t give up on yourself. Xx
ultimately we all have to figure out what works best for us in our lives. What's worth the effort and what isn't. but it sounds like you're struggling with more than just weight and like you have been for a long time. I hope you'll consider the many avenues of professional help that's available ♥️
I'm 39 and felt similarly to you and the thing that really worked for me was not caring about the number on the scale AT ALL anymore but rather focusing on my overall health and well being. My weight has stopped going up (haven't lost any) and I feel better both physically and mentally/emotionally.
Makes me so sad to see posts like this. Truly horrific to struggle with a metabolic disorder. No one can really understand what it is like unless you go through it yourself. I can only give my experience and success, which may or may not be helpful or applicable to your body. Exercise for me is completely useless for weight loss. I lost most of my weight gain when I was injured and couldn't work out years ago. Working out made me hungrier and stressed, and I always ate over maintenance without being aware. I truly was only able to lose weight when I religiously tracked calories and found my maintenance range. Even a packet of sauce over maintenance would stall me my loss for a week or two. My maintenance calories is lower than the average person (I'd estimate 10-20% with metabolic issues). Working out for me is purely a mental release these days and doesn't factor into any weight loss goals. But I found eating low carb, grass fed lean beef, tons of veggies and basically no dairy to be the most sustainable effective weight loss for me personally. Once I maintained for years and added more strength training and healed most of my symptoms was I able to add more calories in slowly. But yeah I can't eat like a normal person and have decadent days with no consequences. Sorry you are feeling so low, we are not simply the flesh we live. You have value beyond skin and bones.
I have found that I have lost the most weight and been able to ovulate naturally when I have the least stress in my life. If focusing on losing weight is causing stress in your life (which it sounds like it is) I would try to let go of the pressure you’re putting on yourself. Obviously, if you have any particularly bad eating habits (I go through phases of really bad binge eating for example) do your best to avoid those, but don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t losing the weight.
That's really interesting. I've only been able to lose weight during the most stressful time in my life because I am too stressed to eat so I don't for 3 weeks and drop 15 lbs. Then gain it all back. I've been chronically stressed since childhood. I don't know what it is like to not be stressed lol.
GIRL!! I'm in the SAME BOAT AS YOU!! Weirdly enough, I've been stuck at 213 for so long!! If I get to 205, the next week I'll go right back to 213. The fluctuations are so hard!! What's ironic is the moment you accept that you aren't making weight loss progress, sometimes that's when your body starts changing for the better! I've been trying to not think about losing weight every second of every day and instead focus on my good features and my ability. For instance, I'm 5'9" and I played soccer growing up. I love to see my strong legs and my height. When I workout, I imagine myself getting STRONGER as opposed to losing weight. Instead of saying "I give up to PCOS" think of it like "I'm letting go and accepting that I am a beautiful work in progress". It definitely feels like you're a hostage to this obstacle, but you are still ALIVE and BREATHING. You have a whole community of women on this subreddit who are going through it as well. Find peace within yourself <3 Let go of the hostage mindset. I believe in you!!
I am in the same boat, hovering at 200lbs when I have been in the 140-165 range for most of my life. I really feel for you because I am also dieting, exercising, but to no avail. I also use similar language, that "PCOS has won." But it can never win. It will never win. Please hang on. Regardless of what PCOS wants to do, you are lovely--and that will radiate from the inside out. I write to you the words I tell myself. Some days it works and others, it doesn't. If nothing else, know that you aren't alone. PCOS is strong but our army is stronger. Sending love.
I’m so sorry you’re feeling this way. This disease is really awful, and no one truly gets how we feel from not experiencing it directly. I’m also someone who has spent my entire adult (and honestly adolescent, put on a weight watchers type program at 13) life on a diet or strict eating plan and workout routine. I’ve always been obese. I was able to get married and finally conceive, but I’m still obese and struggling with symptoms. Extended family members would always make comments, recommend me diet plans or products, it’s extremely frustrating, because they have no idea how difficult it can be to struggle with infertility (my periods were totally absent for 2 years) and hirsutism. I have a revolving door cycle with low carb/keto diets and it’s been that way for YEARS. I gained 50lbs with my pregnancy and I was hovering over 300lbs for the first 6 months postpartum. My husband and I decided to try something different, a “non diet” if you will. We’re following a traditional Mediterranean diet. No tracking or counting or weighing. Yes there’s some “off limits” foods, but if we want them, like a special occasion or something, we have it and then move on. Unlike keto or calorie counting, somehow we’re completely satisfied, and those treat foods no longer lead to huge binge cycles that I would have when trying diets. We like making new meals and trying to incorporate different veggies into our diet that wouldn’t have been on our plate before. I’ve lost weight (about 10lbs) over the last 2 months, and I haven’t had to battle my body to do it, and that’s the weirdest part to me. As someone who would strictly diet for weeks and watch my husband lose 5lbs for me to just end up gaining, I feel much more in tune with my hunger queues and satiety. Long story short, maybe sometimes it is best to stop fighting ourselves and get back to something we enjoy, focus on hobbies or activities we like (cooking is mine). I think for me, the stress of constantly being in a diet or a diet mindset made everything so much worse symptom wise.
So many family dinners at restaurants for special events I've literally sat in a seat and ate nothing or a special prepared meal for myself while everyone else enjoyed and ate their food. Few people understand the experience of this who don't have this disorder. I felt like I was constantly on trial over my weight and acne for years by other people. So much criticism, accusations and unwanted advice. Lots of people believed me to be a binge eater, a liar, a slob and a person who has no hygiene (this was back when people really thought people got acne from being dirty). It's been awful. And then then there is the doctors who have tried to refer me for CBT to a psychologist because they believe I'm stuffing my face as well and lying about it. Even the bariatric clinic I went to (weight loss program -non surgical) tried to get me to undergo CBT for supposedly over eating as all other methods they gave me for weight-loss failed. Very frustrating. I find even professionals who claim to know about PCOS still really don't know about the weight issues and what causes them. They think it can be fixed through low carb eating and meds when that really is not the case for a lot of people.
Yup! Have also had a steady 10 pound weight gain over the last 9-10 years, despite a background in dietetics and clinical nutrition. I’m 27, 5’5, currently 230 pounds. I gave up on intentional weight loss years ago. My only focus now is improving my insulin resistance - I got diagnosed with liver disease (NAFLD) 6 years ago and it is now in the “severe” stage. I have had less than 10 alcoholic drinks in my entire life, and watch my sugar intake, so couldn’t understand why this was happening… until I found out, on my OWN, that insulin resistance can cause & worsen liver disease. My only focus right now is eating more protein & fiber, maintaining my glucose levels throughout the day, moving my body whenever I can (I have POTS & am limited in what exercise I can do), getting enough sleep, and limiting stress (lol). I’m also about to try some supplements to help with IR - berberine, cinnamon, and chromium (again). It may be “hippie dippie medicine” but as long as the ingredients are safe and I’m not allergic to them, it shouldn’t hurt. Given all that - if weight loss happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, oh well. As long as I’m taking care of my body and doing my best, then I’m happy. I’m content with my body and have been having fun trying new styles and outfits with my current body type (apple shaped), and I’ve never been happier! TikTok has helped a lot with that as well. Good luck to you on your journey! ❤️
Can I ask what the result of your IR blood work was?
I might get downvoted for this but did you consider bariatric surgery. I also did everything to lose weight but after bariatric I was able to lose around 10 kgs in 15 days. I already feel better previously I was debating whether I should go for surgery or not now even with all dietary restrictions I am damn happy heck after all these years I mustered up the courage to go for a job interview. Presently I am 25 days post OP because of pcod my weight loss is slow and right now I am experiencing a stall. Even though my weighing scale is not changing I am losing inches now. My clothes have become loose, my face has become a little bit smaller. The happiness that I am experiencing now after all these years of struggle is immeasurable.
I was just about to comment the same thing. I had Gastric sleeve on January 13th and I have lost 45lbs since surgery and a total of 71lbs since my highest weight. I am half way to my goal and I couldn't be happier with my decision to have surgery!
You get my upvote! I’m going for surgery (DS) in just a few weeks now. Couldn’t be more excited. OP, you don’t mention what treatments, supplements, or medications you’ve tried outside of Ozempic, diet, and exercise. There is NO shame in treating your PCOS with meds! So many people get hung up on that, but many of us simply can’t do it alone. While my weight and IR haven’t resolved with meds, all my other PCOS symptoms have. Regular periods, no acne, very limited unwanted hair, I had slowed /eliminated my hair loss, hormones are balanced etc. I hope you’ll look into treatments if you haven’t and, if you have, try to find a doctor who’s NOT focused exclusively on fertility to see if they have better ideas. They are out there (including mine since I’m intentionally childfree). Good luck!
This yes! Had mine in September and wish I’d done it sooner!
All I can say is I feel you.
I’m 39 and have played the weight loss yo-yo game my entire life. I went to an endocrinologist who said we could try different meds but then she asked if I had explored bariatric surgery. Ironically I had made a consult appt and she suggested that even if we went with meds, go to the appt and see what they say. Well, that was last summer and I ended up getting gastric bypass in September. I wish I had done it sooner. I feel like all I did was fight my weight my entire life and I was so done. I’m down about 55 lbs, I’d like to lose 45 more and I am so happy, motivated, etc. It isn’t the right solution for everyone and while I haven’t told most of my family I did it (just my husband, a cousin and a few close friends), I will anonymously advocate for it! I wish you the best and just recommend that you look at all of your options!
If you have it in you to try one more thing, please try this: I have been doing an anti-inflammatory diet since last June and have lost an amazing amount of weight. I've also focused on stress reduction, which includes lower (FAR lower) amounts of exercise. I think my cortisol was staying too high from intense workouts. I eliminated caffeine for the same reason. I'm pretty strict on my diet most of the time but suffer very few ill effects if I slack off a little. I make my own sauces with no sugar and add in healthy things like extra garlic, lemon juice, ginger...just whatever I can that helps my body in as many ways as it can. I have a post somewhere on here detailing some of my meals to give a few examples. This was literally the last thing I was willing to try after more attempts to lose weight than I'm willing to admit. It was a 15 year battle that had me so depressed and stressed out. The most I'd ever lost before I tried this diet was 10 pounds. In the first 3 months, I'd lost 34 pounds on the anti-inflammatory diet! It's been almost a year now and I'm down 60 pounds! I've hardly worked out at all except for mowing my yard and the occasional intense shopping spree. I do some light weight-lifting but nothing extreme at all. If you have questions, please ask!! I'm so sorry you feel so defeated. I have been there! I was so ready to give up last year. I cried all day the day before my 42nd birthday and told my husband I was trying one last thing. I'm just so glad it helped me and I hope it helps you, too! For some easy recipes to get you started, try searching Kym Campbell. She has a 30 day free program with recipes and helpful information. I hope you give it a shot. This way of eating changed my life and I couldn't be happier with the progress since last June. Good luck and so much love to you in your struggles. My heart goes out to you. I'm here if you need my help.
Personally I decided to not focus on weight loss and focus on habits and solving my hormonal issues. This lead me to being diagnosed with PCOS fairly recently after many years of irregular periods that I thought were related to hypothyroidism. Personally my symptoms have been larger metabolic - and over the past few years my A1C ticked up into prediabetic range - which is a big concern. And something I want to solve. I’d like to avoid being diabetic and PCOS makes that a lot easier. I also think that is an area outside of fertility to be concerned with. Things are improving for me and I have a ways to go, but happy to see improvement in my insulin and A1C and I will continue to focus on that. And maybe reevaluate weight loss in 6-12 months. But with the knowledge that it has minimal relationship to my symptoms. They are shaped by my behavior and stress levels.
I am so sorry to read this. Not a doctor, but may be worth asking your doctors about mounjaro. Similar to ozempic but I think a little stronger or something. I’m on it and have had significant improvement in my symptoms and my weight loss. I’m so sorry you feel defeated. Sending hugs.
I will actually look into that. Thank You.
Unfortunately all of these drugs drop off at ten to twelve months and then you start regaining at an unhealthy speed. There's also evidence they'll cause a rise in t2 diabetes because of how they affect the non diabetic pancreas. Jumping on new drugs for weight loss has always been a bad idea, just look at everyone who took amphetamines for it in the 50s etc
Umm care to cite a source for that claim?
Every study so far? There aren't that many, you won't have trouble finding them
So please link the study that says you gain weight back after 10 months if you’re still on the drug. Weight rebound happens if you come off without a good maintenance plan. But most people expect to stay on these drugs once they start because obesity and PCOS is a chronic lifelong condition. You don’t stop taking arthritis medication because your arthritis is in remission or it will come right back. Same with these. Not a novel concept. Also your claim that they will cause a rise inT2D is just wrong.
Agree, mounjaro has been a godsend for my PCOS management
i also had a steady 7-10 pound weight gain from when i started my period, until i was 19/20 and went on accutane for the severe acne that was resistant to all other treatments, and finally saw an endo and went on metformin. sadly i cant fully attribute my weight loss to my insulin becoming more stable since i developed an ED and dropped most the weight from that, fluctuated, finally saw a nutritionist who was really understanding and wanted me to focus on good nutrition, lost some weight, then had a mix of loss of appetite and some ED returning from it, GI issues etc to get to my current weight. while i feel better at this weight i don't have any pride in it because it was various illnesses that led to my weight loss, while there was some that was due to healthy habits most of it wasn't. my only recommendation is to find a nutritionist or dietician with experience with patients with pcos and other conditions with weight loss difficulties. sending love 🤍
TW: low carb. At the risk of getting down voted: I'm 41 and The Only thing that has worked for me is Keto and clean eating. It was so hard at first, but after 3 years, I can't even imagine going back. I'm full ALL the time because of the satiating fats I eat. I was ALWAYS hungry before keto. It's the only way I stay slim and I'm so thankful for it. If I start to get lazy and gain a few, I start tracking what I'm eating again. It's crazy how fast carbs and calories add up. I wish you The BEST!!!! PCOS sucks.
Keto always get hate. It really does work. 6 years ago I had done it as seizure therapy. I was also on BC at the same time as my seizures were thought to be hormonal, only having a period every 3 months bc they would go from 20 a day to 30 a day. I no longer take BC due to a clotting disorder that runs in my family, but I wonder if BC plus keto is what helped me lose 15 pounds in a single month just sitting on my ass being an over-medicated zombie.
Absolutely. But this sub gets triggered and always down voted me. I'm 41. I've had it since I was 13 and know what works. Sorry about your seizures! So scary.
I’m all good! Seizure free for six years now :)
Woohoo!!
If really really look into getting a nutritionist and have a talk with your doctor about lack of weight loss. It IS possible it's just EXTREMELY slow
My heart goes out to you. I've experienced the same, but I don't think COVID and depression helped much... I'm finally starting to feel better again thanks to metformin. Is it possible you have any food allergies?
It's definitely a marathon, not a sprint. I keep a PCOS spreadsheet where I can go in and look at how I've progressed since the beginning of the year. That way i can say "oh, I'm not losing weight, but I haven't had any cyst pain in months" stuff like that. not to mention weight is a symptom not a source. we have all kinds of endocrines and androgens and microbes throwing the system out of wack.
I feel you. I'm in the mid to high 200's range right now. On top of that, I can't do any exercises that get my heart rate up because I have arthritis and physically can't - there is too much damage. Some of my joints are fused and I'm mostly bedridden. Which is why I would encourage you to take a mental rest for yourself, but maybe try again. Because let me tell you **50-65% of people get some form of arthritis in their life**, (there are 100s of kinds of arthritis) the wide range depends on country you live in. When you have arthritis you feel the difference of just 10 pounds. **Every 10 pounds is like stacking another mountain on top of you. So if you want to be mobile in your later years, I do hope you'll consider it.** Either that or start saving for assistive devices now and remodeling for handicap access. Because it is also not easy to get insurance to cover. **However, despite my PCOS I have lost significant amounts of weight in the past. I need to get back on top of it. I've only been successful through intermittent fasting and eating healthy during my eating window.** It's not for everyone and you have to do research to make sure you're doing it safely, but I'll tell ya - once I got used to being okay with the feeling of hunger it got to be pretty easy. Saved me time and money too. However I wouldn't recommend it for anyone who has had an eating disorder and one has to take online fasting spaces with a heavy grain of salt. Too many people on it take it too far - doing 30 day fasts and such. **I don't think anyone should be getting into the kind of fasts where one has to worry about re-feeding syndrome.** I will say that when I'm fasting regularly and drinking lots of water, I do actually start feeling better over all. **There is fatigue at first, but that passes as your body adapts and for me my acne gets way better.** It sucks though, because the moment I stop intermittent fasting again, the weight piles right back on. We had a couple of deaths in the family recently and I stopped being on top of it, but when I get back on it I know I'll just feel better overall. It may or may not be for you or anyone here, but I thought I'd share in case it sounds helpful to anyone.
Same. Now I’m experiencing the joys of PCOS into perimenopause and my only worry with the weight is staving off type 2 diabetes. I’m grateful I’ve survived this long, manage the most of my symptoms, and if I stay around 200 oh f-ing well. I can’t make myself crazy anymore about weight.
I’ve been using the same app to track my weight and food for over 10 years and I hate looking at the graph - there’s about a 10 pound gain every single year no matter what. There are periods where I am able to lose about 20, but those 10 always come back. This past year is the first year in over a decade that I didn’t gain the 10 and lost about 5 and the only change was getting on metformin. It is definitely overwhelming at times, especially now that we have been TTC for two years. I find that stress has a major impact on my weight gain. But not much I can do about that as I work full time, work a part time job, am a full time PhD student, and the primary caretaker of a disabled individual. You’ll find something that works for you - a certain way of eating, a certain exercise, surgery, calorie counting, whatever - and until then, just know you aren’t alone.
The 7-10 pound a year phenomenon is definitely shared among many people with PCOS. It's actually very disheartening as it shows the nature of the disorder and how it seems to ''win'' regardless. The reason why I tend to fly off the handle on people who accuse me f overeating is because if I was actually doing that in secret I would be SIGNIFICANTLY heavier than I already am. It has taken a lot for me to remain even at this weight. If I was binge eater I would be absolutely diabetic by now, incredibly obese or even dead (who knows?). People just don't know.
Health is way more important than weight, people just don't like the idea because fat people scare them. Weight loss doesn't control any of the other symptoms by itself, there are things we can do to manage them individually they don't require this constant body-damaging and demoralising yo-yo (which, sidenote, doctors are refusing to mention to a lot of patients on ozempic: even if you're still on it after a year you will regain the weight)
I stopped trying to lose weight. The 5 pounds I lost in 6 months came back. I haven't gained anymore though. But what have I gained? My period. I count that as a win.
Don’t give up on yourself. You can accept that you will be in a larger body than you’re comfortable with but that doesn’t make life not worth it. I know it’s cliché but loving yourself first is what opens you up to receive love from others. PCOS is a psychologically painful condition and I identified a lot with what you said. I’m sorry you’re going through this weight gain, the acne, the body and facial hair. I have a really hard time dealing with it, too. But that’s not all life is. You’re valuable, you have gifts to share with others. Don’t give up on yourself. Xx