PCOS , Could LC lifestyle cause it?

[Martha256]

I have been on the LC diet for 5 months. In that time I have lost 30 lbs. I love the diet. I have finally found a diet that I can live with. My husband and I have been tring to get pregnant for about a year now ,with no success. My periods have always been bad but the past couple months they've become unbareable. So, I went to my ob/gyn. He ran some blood test and simply called and told me I have PCOS and hes prescribing me fertility pills. I've decided to get another opinion because I just feel like he was rushing into things. Anyhow, I've been doing some research on this syndrome and find that your insulin levels effect the hormone levels. So, I eat no sugar , starches or breads. It may have nothing to do with the diet but its awful ironic that my periods got terrible around the same time I started the diet. Any suggestions, Comments???

[April]

Martha:

I found an article here which may be of interest to you concerning PCOS and low carb.

The low carb lifestyle does not cause PCOS. The root cause of PCOS is insulin resistance. Since the premise of eating low carb is to regulate and control insulin levels in order to lose weight and be healthy, and since the root cause of PCOS is insulin resistance, it stands to reason that following a low carb eating regimen would help someone with PCOS instead of hinder.

There's another article here that discusses people with PCOS trying to conceive, and the advantages to following a low carb way of eating.

NOTE: I am not a doctor. Above all, follow your doctor's orders. I am just offering my opinion and it in no way reflects the opinions of this message board.

[Lawbooks]

Martha,

Your thinking on this is actually REVERSED from the truth and shows that you need to do more research on your condition.
I, too, was diagnosed with PCOS -- five years ago. Eating Low-carb is what *cured* me of it!
More likely, you have had PCOS for awhile. It's just that your irregular periods prompted you to see a physician and the necessary testing was finally done. The fact that your periods are going through noticeable changes is a *good* thing (albeit not pleasant! ). It means that your hormone levels are shifting and your body is trying to *right itself.* I'll bet your hormones have been "out-of-whack" for some time. If you were having irregular periods or even long phases of time without periods, I can almost guarantee it!

I was told (5 years ago) that I would probably not be able to have any more children. I was 100 pounds overweight and my periods had become increasingly irregular. I had become very moody and irritable and had started having acne!
I sit here typing this with my 16-month-old baby girl in my lap.
Turning to a low-carb lifestyle SAVED MY LIFE!
I lost weight, I rid myself of PCOS, and I even *reversed* my type II diabetes (OFTEN associated with PCOS -- even if it's just in the "severe insulin resistance" phase -- so get this checked as well!).
I have never felt better!

I would like to recommend a book that will help you understand all this a LOT more. It's written primarily for diabetics, but it pertains to ANY hormone-related illness and touches on PCOS as well... The Schwarzbein Principle by Diana Schwarzbein, MD. She is a renowned endocrinologist in California who was astounded by her research on low-carb's effects on hormone levels. You will be astounded, too, and you will see *WHY* this way of eating is so good for those with PCOS.
Research your diagnosis and read, read, read everything you can pertaining to it.
I hope that you are blessed with the same success I have had eating this way!
Best of luck to you,

[Staci]

Hi Martha,

I just had my "well woman" exam yesterday, and was discussing PCOS with my Doctor; I've had symptoms of it since my early 20s. She was the first doctor to explain to me it's connection with insulin resistance and diabetes. She explained it as a potential precursor of diabetes, and since I have a strong family history of diabetes, I realized the importance of continuing my LC lifestyle.

She also mentioned that doctors sometimes prescribe a drug traditionally used for diabetics to PCOS women who are having trouble conceiving, and it often helps. Anyway, it's something you might want to ask your doctor about (sorry, I don't remember the name of the drug).

So I have full confidence that a LC lifestyle can do nothing but help this condition. My best wishes to you with your fertility issues.

[mrssnoops]

PCOS comes first and the low carb diet will help it for sure--it is also something you never get rid of being an endocrine disorder--many times women with PCOS are obese and have other problems fertility being one of them.Ususally low carb is one of the only ways to lose weight when PCOS is present.

[quebedo]

I suspect that I have PCOS and I must say that LC is usually the only way that I lose weight. DH and I have 3 kids through adoption and I was at one point needing to lose 100 lbs, now I am under that but I am almost sure that if I had heard of LC in the beginning then I would have conceived. We have been not preventing for 16 years..........

I think like everyone else said you had pcos before and that the LC lifestyle is helping.

[PoohBearGS]

I believe the drug sometimes being used now for some women with PCOS is Glucophage. I know at least one person who conceived successfully after taking Glucophage...she was never officially diagnosed with PCOS, but she did have many of the symptoms.

There are also MANY PCOS support groups on the Internet. Just try a Google search of "PCOS message boards" or "PCOS support groups" to find some of them.

[LizaJane]

PCOS is an endocrine disorder. The medical community, for the most part, believe that you are born with it. I've had symptoms ever since I hit puberty, but was finally diagnosed about three years ago after the symptoms were horrible.

With losing/gaining weight, it upsets your hormonal balance. The more fat on your body, the more estrogen your body produces, which is not what you want when you're trying to lose weight. As you lose the weight, your hormones will be in a mess. I'm on a low-dose birth control (Yasmin), and if I start losing a bit of weight, I can tell it effects my hormones even with the bc. Due to the weight loss, your body can still be pretty messed up hormonal-wise. It may take awhile for your body and its hormones to level out. (Also, remember you have your pituitary, pancreas, thyroid and ovaries that deal with your hormones. Have you had any of these checked?)

I'm on metformin (generic glucophage) and haven't seen too much of a difference. It did help with the symptoms of extreme exhaustion, but it's not a magic pill that one doctor lead me to believe. Don't go on any meds that you don't feel comfortable with. I left one doctor because they didn't seem to know too much about PCOS or either they couldn't be bothered to spend time explaining things to me. I finally found a doctor's office that did (then I had to move. :( ) I ended up with a fertility specialist (and I haven't been trying to get preggers yet). Search for a good doctor.

[R in R]

Martha,

I also have PCOS. I have had the disease for 30 years. My symptoms has changed over the years. Some times things seems to be exasperated and other times dormant. This may be something that is occuring with you right now. Your body is responding well to low carbing and trying to even out your hormonal balance. I believe that over time with each period your body will even that area out as well. Hang in there and I agree get a second opionon about taking fertility drugs just yet. Give your body some time to adjust to the changes you are putting it through right now.

Lizajane - I didn't have any luck with met either. I now take insulite. I feel that it is the "magic pill" Check out there web site www.pcos.insulitelabs.com

Rebecca