For those who have PCOS

JulieBaby · 12-03-2007, 01:38 AM

So I need some advice ladies....

I'm 21 and was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago. I lucked out by not having any extra hair growth, but do have severe Acanthosis on my neck (talk about annoying).

I was blessed to have the band in early August but weight loss has been at a snail's pace. I know that I haven't reached my proper fill adjustment but I feel like there is a piece of the puzzle I'm missing.

I am at the gym 6 times a week, walking all over campus, and being careful with my food choices.

Any suggestions about what to do to help boost my weight loss and spirit?

Thanks!

Julie

juno610 · 12-03-2007, 07:22 AM

I don't feel like I need to go so far as grinding pills. I can swallow most things. I was on metformin a few years ago, and I remember them being really big. I wouldn't see it as a problem at night, but I would worry in the morning. I guess I could just crush then.

For those that take the time release, how many times a day do you take it? Does it depend on your dosage?

Thanks,
Maria

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzyGayle

Juno610

Go to any drugstore and get a pill grinder...I was grinding my meds post-op as I was taking 5 metforming plus 3 other pills.....am now able to get it down with no problems..

georgia girl · 12-03-2007, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JulieBaby

So I need some advice ladies....

I'm 21 and was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago. I lucked out by not having any extra hair growth, but do have severe Acanthosis on my neck (talk about annoying).

I was blessed to have the band in early August but weight loss has been at a snail's pace. I know that I haven't reached my proper fill adjustment but I feel like there is a piece of the puzzle I'm missing.

I am at the gym 6 times a week, walking all over campus, and being careful with my food choices.

Any suggestions about what to do to help boost my weight loss and spirit?

Thanks!

Julie

Hi Julie! I had never heard of acanthosis before so I looked it up on the medical dictionary website. Hopefully, as you loose weight, it will get better for you. As far as the weight loss goes, people lose at different rates, so try not to get discouraged. What type of foods are you eating now? Did your nutritionist give you a specific food guideline to follow?

JulieBaby · 12-03-2007, 01:55 PM

Yea she did give me specific things. I'm all around campus all day so I'm just eating small portions of non fatty foods.

I'm also workin on stayin away from simple carbs!

Any advice on good supplements or vitamens that help PCOS and insulin resistance?

:kiss2:
Julie

renewedhope · 12-03-2007, 02:27 PM

I have acanthosis as well. It is on my neck, under arms and inner thighs. The discoloration is not as bad as the texture of my skin being different. I am hoping it will resolve with weight loss. From all I have read, I think the best thing any of us can do for PCOS is to lose weight. For me, that is the hardest of all solutions.

I am getting my second fill tommorow, and I really hope it helps, because i have very little restriction right now.
Amy

JulieBaby · 12-03-2007, 04:45 PM

Hang in there!

I'm 3 fills in and still not at the right restriction.

I'm hoping weight loss fixes the ecanthosis- I'm sick of it!

Do you use anything special for it to reduce different coloration or texture?

:kiss2:
Julie

renewedhope · 12-03-2007, 05:53 PM

No. I don't have a lot of discoloration, but the texture of my skin in those places is much rougher. My neck is starting to get a little darker. I am hoping that losing weight with my band will help get rid of it. I don't know if it will ever completely go away.
Amy

lapinND · 12-05-2007, 11:13 AM

I was on spiro for a year or so with no real relief. It also made me swell up from many fluids.

ALOCO53 · 12-05-2007, 12:14 PM

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2003. My sympthoms:infertility, diabetes, cystic ovaries and breasts, hair loss (hair on chin though). They say after this surgery to be prepared to lose hair but that it will grow back. My hair is thin now, I may have to buy a wig.

dacer123 · 12-09-2007, 08:52 AM

I have PCOS too. I was having fertility trouble and thats when we found it. That was about 7 years ago. It took 3 1/2 years, but we finally managed to have our daughter when I somehow managed to lose some weight. I took Metformin to do it though. I had my band on June 21st and I've lost about 34-37 lbs, depending on the day. The weight has slowed to a snails pace now, which is frustrating. When I exercised, it didn't come off either. I'm just a really slow loser. I stopped my metformin almost immediately because it made me jittery like my blood sugar was too low. I never tested my sugar (I don't have diabetes...yet) so I don't know if it went low or not, but it made me feel like it was low. I'm considering trying it again to see if it will help my weight loss efforts. Has anyone else had any experience with this?

JulieBaby · 12-09-2007, 06:41 PM

I was taking Metformin as well before surgery then stopped afterward. I was noticing that after even 2 fills but weight loss was SO slow going.

I started back up again to help and also because my PCOS symptoms were flaring more.

I haven't seen any huge differences but I also haven't felt as tired. I'm not sure if that is the exercise or the Metformin.

I'm just gonna wait and see how it goes because I've only started taking it again for a month.

:kiss2:
Julie

AppleSmith1226 · 12-09-2007, 08:29 PM

Hey ladies I'm back .... I went to the doctor on Friday and it's confirmed cyst or on the left ovary but not the right. I seen the on the screen as the doctor looked to them... They look like little peas. I don't know how long I have had PCOS ... I think it wasn't until about 16 I got it ... maybe even 15. But my period was always normal ... and never had the stupid hair growth until the pass 2 years! The first sign was Acanthosis and now it's really bad. And I am a brown skinned african american woman ... and this makes the skin completely black(not pretty at all) I hate it!! But I am just ready to do whatever it is that I have t odo to get this under control. I can't believe that I have been walking around with this disease all this time!! I hate it !! And the depression and the anxiety attacks ... It's a crazy thing... And all the women in my family are very fertile no one has had a probably with having babied LOL too many babies. So I know it all sprang from my poor eating habits as a child to now and the obesity. I bought a book on PCOS and I am trying to read as much as I can on the disease. I want PCOS to live with me ... not me living with PCOS. But with banding are all PCOS patients slow losers... is anyones weight at a steady pace???

12-09-2007, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AppleSmith1226

Hey ladies I'm back .... I went to the doctor on Friday and it's confirmed cyst or on the left ovary but not the right. I seen the on the screen as the doctor looked to them... They look like little peas. I don't know how long I have had PCOS ... I think it wasn't until about 16 I got it ... maybe even 15. But my period was always normal ... and never had the stupid hair growth until the pass 2 years! The first sign was Acanthosis and now it's really bad. And I am a brown skinned african american woman ... and this makes the skin completely black(not pretty at all) I hate it!! But I am just ready to do whatever it is that I have t odo to get this under control. I can't believe that I have been walking around with this disease all this time!! I hate it !! And the depression and the anxiety attacks ... It's a crazy thing... And all the women in my family are very fertile no one has had a probably with having babied LOL too many babies. So I know it all sprang from my poor eating habits as a child to now and the obesity. I bought a book on PCOS and I am trying to read as much as I can on the disease. I want PCOS to live with me ... not me living with PCOS. But with banding are all PCOS patients slow losers... is anyones weight at a steady pace???

My loss has been fairly steady. I wish it was faster, but I'm happy with just losing weight.

AppleSmith1226 · 12-09-2007, 08:59 PM

Dang girl ... you are doing pretty good to have PCOS!! But I am starting off wayyy heavier than you were also. But I am happy for you that you are in the ones!!! LOL I can't wait to see them too!! I haven't see a 1 on the scale since maybe 3rd grade ... sad I know it breaks my heart!! But has anyone picked up Muhummad Ali's daughter Khaliah Ali's book Fighting Weight!! It's good thus far I am on chapter 3!! And she alos lost weight with banding!! I can relate to her story ALOT!! And I know alot of us can that have been overweight as children to now!! Please pick up she looks fantastic and she says that she hasn't had any work done. But she loves her band ... She had her surgery done at NYU by Dr Fielding!! And Dr Fielding also has a band!! crazy rite the Dr himself has a band!! But it goes to show when you try and put kids on diets it only scars them worst cause they don't understand why they shouldn't be able to eat like they want. And immediately you feel ugly like something is wrong with you and when you go to school you feel really out of place cause all the other kids are smalled than you are... and of course kids can see the difference. I know I did and my parents tried putting me on diets and taking me to all sorts of doctors and it just further crashes your self esteem. And that makes you wanna eat more. Cause you feel so awful inside. I remember thinking that I was so very ugly as a girl and it didn't help me any as I got older and got kinda curvier with my looks ... I started to get attention from men and I was rape at 15 sadly ... but whom ever made the statement what doesn't kill you will only make you stronger and that is sure as hell true!! But after my rape I gained weight sooo rapidly it was crazy. I balloned to 280 at 16 years old. But I'm saying that to say this. It's a hard life being an overweight child I could seriously write a book to on my life trials and tribulations and I will only be 20 in a couple weeks... And society today plays a big part and it sucks but this is the world we live in ... Fat people want to be accpeted but at the same time if we glorify being fat as we do being skinny ... everyone would want to be fat and everyone would be unhealthy and dying off at an early age... so it's kinda a catch 22. What do we do... and I want to grab the overweight girls in EVERY school and just hug them and say you are beautiful baby and keep your head up!! It's ok... Cause I didn't have anyone there to do that for me as a girl. In high school I became more popular but the skinny girls still looked at me like I was just the "fat friend" that all the skinny girl cliques have. But I don't wanna ramble on LOL thanks listening and letting me share!! LOTS OF LOVE APPLES!!

AppleSmith1226 · 12-09-2007, 09:14 PM

Pick Up That Book Guys!!!