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The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting?
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The thing about making changes is it will likely go away. :) Good luck!
Doctors are not much help with metabolic issues and happily the tools to change it are in our hands. They do not get trained on this stuff at all. Anything up to prediabetes gets dismissed but that is the time to make changes like you are doing.
This was really helpful to me too. Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Even cutting out snacking and not eating from dinner to breakfast made more of a difference than I expected.
Pls come back with updates, best to you on your health journey!
PCOS is also called type 3 diabetes. I would suggest you to read the following book :
The PCOS Plan by Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Nadia Brito Patrguana
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1771644605/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_C4ZDS4RQHMWKR1FS7W5N
Fasting and keto are well known to reverse PCOS fully and restore fertility.
I recommend this book, Dr. Fung and The Fasting Method have worked with women with PCOS for many years. In fact, co-author, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms, as did TFM co-founder Megan Ramos. We are all different but if interested, try it and see. The kindle version of the book is very affordable and it has some good recipes.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting Paperback by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
Fasting is amazing for insulin resistance and PCOS. I found this book really helpful, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms and mood issues. Congrats on the weight loss!
Dr. Fung also co-wrote a book specifically about PCOS
This is a great resource, IF can be done with any eating plan and to fit your schedule.
also r/intermittentfasting
Yes. Cutting sugar and starch, intermittent fasting and supplements - inositol, NAC and berberine.
This book was really helpful to me. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms which is good for inspo, and there are a lot of recipes included too.
Brain fog sucks, mine progressed to reactive hypos which were even worse. Best to walk it back sooner than I did. Good luck!
Good luck, it CAN be done! I also really liked The PCOS Plan, IF is a powerful tool and it works with any eating plan. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS, as did Megan Ramos, who also works with Dr. Fung, good inspo.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Thanks! I've seen your posts before and they're always super helpful and informative.
I am definitely going to get the books and start educating myself as I clearly can't rely on doctors for anything more than a diagnosis and pills. While the current doctor did take me seriously and prescribed meds, he didn't even mention lifestyles changes.
The last link you gave is broken, though. This is the book I assume: https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Just a quick question though, what difference does a high DHEA-S make for someone who does have IR? I'm not aware of any relation between the two. I haven't even tested my DHEA-S.
It might be your insulin levels... there's this book about Intermittent Fasting, called "The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting" by Dr. Jason Fung and dr. Nadia Pateguana. Found it on amazon, btw: https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
It's excellent in showing how our diet is so harmful to the ovaries, because of the insulin being triggered all the time. And how you can lower insulin trough intermittent fasting and watching your sugar intake. It's all a mechanism. Maybe you wanna check out that book, it's been useful for me. I don't have PCOS but I have been interested into reading about it. It might be useful to you too!
Worth to give it a try and discuss with your doctor about this aspect.
It’s less of a diet a more of a collection of research-based strategies that help reduce insulin resistance and inflammation. He’s big on intermittent fasting but also covers topics like carbs, calories, and lifestyle. He and Dr Natalia Brito Pateguana co-wrote The PCOS Plan
This is what I was going to say. Check out The PCOS Plan on Amazon.
The book above was written by a doctor at Duke who has been publishing on PCOS for decades. His approach is very simple and very successful. No tracking, obsessing about food, etc, and it really worked for both weight loss and maintenance which is where a lot of approaches fail. Most importantly it improves metabolic health and my symptoms reduced or reversed. My hair even grew back.
This book is also excellent. The co-author has her own PCOS story and is active on IG and podcasts. Dr. Fung has loads of articles, YT vids, etc. The book is not as in depth on the science as say, The Obesity Code, but it does a good overview and it has recipes. I got it from the library and ended up buying it bc I like to cook from it. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
I have PCOS as well. I personally follow 16:8 or 18:6 and limit myself to 2 meals a day. Typically low carb. I also try to add as much fiber as I can. Part of my first meal typically includes chia seed pudding ( 1 cup almond milk + 2 tbsp of chia seeds with 1/8-1/4 cup of blueberries or blackberries). I typically have 2 eggs with 2 pieces of bacon in addition to the pudding. I’ve been reaching a lot about PCOS and a lot of doctors say getting enough fiber is crucial with regulating hormones with PCOS. 20g+ daily is suppose to help regulate hormones. There are a few medical studies around fiber.
PCOS is no fun and it’s a slow and steady race to understand what works for your body vs. others. IF is beneficial for everyone. I’d check out Dr. Fungs book it helped a lot and there is a ton of information on YouTube with other Drs. Sharing similar info.
r/vegetarianketo and r/veganketo may have some recipes you might like
I found layering in IF to be really helpful with IR, works with any eating approach. Some ideas re: whole foods plant based included too. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
1-3 lbs a week is a reasonable expectation
This book and the fact that Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms was inspiring to me. Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books
This is a great reference
both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts.
It is my understanding that fasts of 42 hours or less are often recommended as longer fasts can spike cortisol, also an issue for PCOS. I had great success in weight loss and lowering IR with alternate day fasting, so rolling 36-42 hour fasts.
If you have not fasted before, I would start with eliminating snacks and not eating from dinner to breakfast and work from there. Once you have experience with how your body responds to fasting you can experiment with longer fasts to see if cortisol seems to be a problem or impact your results.
Lots of inspo at r/intermittentfasting and r/AlternateDayFasting, good luck!
I take Berberine and Inositol together. I found intermittent fasting really had a big impact on insulin too.
r/intermittentfasting
Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms and is active on Insta. She and Dr. Fung both have loads of vids on YT. He recently did one with Megan Ramos, who also works with them and who also reversed her PCOS symptoms, lots of inspo.
Good luck!
Both authors have a lot of info on YT too, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms with diet and fasting.
Lots of PCOS success stories at The Fasting Method and r/intermittentfasting
I have seen it recommended not to do super long fasts with PCOS since it might spike cortisol. But, we are all different, see how you do. In
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Nadia Pateguana seem to recommend an ADF schedule for PCOS, so 36-42 hours.
But if you feel good and get the results you want, no one can argue with success. :)
I found ADF easy to do consistently. When I had done say 3 day fasts I did not get better results and sometimes I weirdly seemed to retain water, even with drinking a lot and electrolytes. Slow and steady is harder for my personality but really seems to work for my body. I can see signs on IR improving all the time. It is a long process but I am determined!
You will feel better so fast, will be awesome. I used to be afraid of salt.
Be sure to get some salt with iodine too, which pink does not have. We need iodine for thyroid function. Read the labels, I grabbed kosher salt at the store the other day and realized it did not have iodine either.
Btw, in case you did not know, hangovers on keto can be epic and your tolerance really drops, so be forewarned. Ask me how I know, lol. Answer there is electrolytes too.
I am a huge fan of
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dr. Nadia has some great recipes including several for "mocktails" to get your electrolytes, defo makes it a bit more festive and fun. :)
This article and these 2 books helped me turn my health around, hugs to you! Both docs/authors have decades of experience helping women with PCOS improve/restore their metabolic health, that is the driver, weight adjusts as we improve insulin sensitivity and lower cortisol.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html (She talks about inositol which also helped me)
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting Paperback – April 14, 2020
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 (both authors have loads of podcasts and YT vids, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms, so, inspo. She is active on Insta too. Some folks on this sub have been clients of TFM so that is another option.)
End Your Carb Confusion: A Simple Guide to Customize Your Carb Intake for Optimal Health Paperback – December 15, 2020
by Dr. Eric Westman (Author), Amy Berger MS CNS (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
Small changes over time can start thing going in a different direction. For PCOS it is important to keep insulin and cortisol low. So besides the ideas in the resources above, managing sleep and stress are important. My doctor is big on a daily 30 min walk for relaxation, and bed by 10 pm, seemed so simple but it helps.
https://www.doctornadia.com/single-post/2020/05/19/Tuesday-Tips-My-Five-Pillars
It can get better, My hair even regrew and I feel so much healthier now. No more reactive hypos or brain fog, HS flares or weird skin issues. Small changes over time really add up!
Same. Inositol and berberine were game changing for me. OP, weight loss is almost all down to diet, exercise is great for health and can help with maintenence but watch intense cardio as it may make you hungrier or spike cortisol. Walking is great, so is weight training. IF is a powerful tool with LC, you might want to check out r/intermittentfasting and https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Dr. Nadia has loads of YT vids and is active on Insta. She reversed her own PCOS symptoms, so, inspo. Dr. Fung also has a LOT of vids and podcasts.
This book was also really helpful to me, very simple and straightforward info on regaining metabolic health (PCOS success stories included) and then how to eat for life to keep weight/health gains. https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298 Here is a vid of the doc explaining his approach, could not be easier, teaches intuitive eating within a framework https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNZsfluh0Uo Dr. Westman published a study on PCOS way back in 2005, it is on PubMed, he knows what works.
The co-author, Amy Berger, wrote this http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
1-3 lbs a week is a reasonable expectation. We did not gain it all overnight so it takes time to regain metabolic health, at that point the weight adjusts. Good luck, pls come back with updates!
The fatigue is caused by insulin resistance. Some info here and success stories
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
This helped me a lot
Supplements like inositol, berberine and NAC can be helpful or meds like metformin.
If you search fatigue in the search box you will get a lot of hits.
Also, do you wake during the night or wake up with a dry mouth? If so, NAC or a cpap can be helpful re: apnea, a magnesuim supplement like Natural Calm and Breathe Right strips can help too. Mouth breathing at night or poor quality sleep spike cortiosl, which also increases insulin resistance.. Keeping cortisol and insulin both low is the key to managing PCOS symptoms.
I have done a lot rolling 42s, also see r/AlternateDayFasting. It is also recommended in the book The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting Paperback by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
Both authors have loads of podcasts and YT vids, including esp @ PCOS. Dr. Nadia reversed her own symptoms.
For some people, longer fasts than AD can be counter productive, the keys to managing PCOS are keeping insulin AND cortisol low. Cortisol can be released as a counter-regulatory hormone on longer fasts. Experiment and see which group you fall into. One of the benefits of ADF for me was the consistency, I did not do longer fasts as consistently but I have done them without any issue. My symptoms pretty much reversed, so it is defo worth a try.
HTH, good luck!
They usually do not until you are prediabetic, they are taught to watch glucose not insulin. But, as you and the rest of us have learned, the high insulin can be causing issues, like PCOS symptoms, for years before that point. Plus, best to make changes to reverse the PCOS and lower the risks of diabetes. This article and this book helped me. Any of the 3 authors are great resources, they all have talks on YT, etc. Understanding the role of insulin makes it easier to successfully lose weight too, you've got this!
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin - YouTube
It is elevated insuln that leads to elevated testosterone from the ovaries, reverse it and symptoms of PCOS begin to reverse for almost all.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
If you cannot get a prescription for metformin, that leaves diet, the most powerful tool, intermittent fasting and supplements like inositol, berberine and NAC that have insulin sensitizing effects similar to metformin.
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
You likely would be bigger if you were not making such efforts, good instinct, and over time insulin resistance grows, making weight loss harder and weight gain easier. This helps explain
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin - YouTube
PCOS is one expression of metabolic syndrome, the most effective intervention is diet but doctors are not taught nutrition in med school, just symptomatic treatment. Unfortunately that can make IR worse and increase risks for heart disease and strokes.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
The symptoms you describe are due to chronic high insulin. Many of us were able to reverse them and even fully regrow our hair with cutting starch and sugar and sometimes adding IF or supplements.
Symptoms
Insulin resistance does not present with symptoms until it leads to high blood sugar levels, which may cause:
- Darkening of armpits, neck, and groin
- Absence of menstruation
- Lethargy
- Brain fog
- Hunger
- Frequent urination
- Extreme thirst
- Abdominal obesity
- Skin tags
- Inflammation
The power to change it all is in your hands. Metformin can be helpful but so can supplements and diet and spacing out meals plays the biggest role. Doctors are taught to look only at glucose and IR can be hard to catch on current blood tests until it reaches the prediabetes stage. The symptoms you describe are apparent well before then. It can all be reversed is the good news. Good luck!
Inositol
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Intermittent fasting is a powerful tool to reduce insulin resistance as well. r/intermittentfasting and https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
Lots of recipes, info and success stories here https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Good luck!
Loads of people. Follow this
How to Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally – Diet Doctor
or this
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor and/or Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books
You may also want to read this
Supplements like inositol, NAC or berberine or meds like metformin can help but what makes the biggest differnce is changing what you eat and how often you eat.
There are lots of success stories on this sub too, you can do it! Good luck!
Read and follow this.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
It will work if you follow it.
Hi and welcome!
I just posted this in another thread, hope you find it helpful. :) If you eat enoough your weight will be stable but keto will drop the insulin that is likely driving your testosterone high. Good luck!
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I found this super helpful
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
I find a lot of inspo at r/intermittentfasting, r/keto and r/xxketo lots of PCOS folks finding success at each.
Inositol really helped me with hunger and cravings and PCOS symptoms. Spearmint tea has an anti-androgen effect, 2 cups a day and my skin and hair are less oily and my skin is clear. Some find that spearmint tea helps bring their cycle back.
Both of these books are excellent as are any vids on YT by any of the 4 authors. The docs have many years of success helping women with PCOS lose weight. Both books focus on eating intuitively within a LC framework, no counting.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting: 9781771644600: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com by Fung & Pateguana
Dr. Nadia Pateguana had PCOS, diabetes and mood disorders and was able to reverse her symtoms, restore her health and now she is helping others. She has a lot of YT interviews, podcast interviews, and is on social media, she is very inspiring to me (and she grew her hair back).
Here are just 2 vids, I love her "eye on the ball" mantra.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Hope something here helps. Depending on your degree of insulin resistance, dropping carbs lower may actually feel quite freeing after you adjust. I used to ping pong between the driving hunger and reactive hypoglycemia, do not miss it at all.
My PCOS symptoms are well controlled and my hair grew back and a host of other ailments from GERD to migraines to tendonitis are all gone, so awesome and so worth it.
NAFLD responds well to diet changes - cutting sugar, processed carbs and esp FRUCTOSE can reverse it. A friend of mine who drank a lot of fruit smoothies developed it and prediabetes, he was able to reverse with LC and some fasting. IF Is great for NAFLD and for PCOS. r/intermittentfasting is full of folks changing their health.
https://pcosdiva.com/2014/01/nafld-non-alcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-in-pcos/
Video by Dr. Jason Fung re: reversing NAFLD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oBkdmsRu0Y
The PCOS Plan book would be great for you. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Take care, hope there are no more accidents so you can heal! Congrats on the new job!
What helped me a lot is cutting out cream when I fasted, just having black coffee (cold brew is less bitter), plain tea or unflavored water. It made way more of a difference than I expected.
Have you seen this book? Was helpful to me. Has some good recipes too.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Prioritizing protein when I eat was helpful too, I aim for 35g+ per meal and usually eat two meals a day on eating days.
Re: PCOS, the supplement inositol was also very helpful, more info here http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Sounds like your are doing great, good luck!
This book was super helpful to me, even has some good recipes.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Here are some vids with the authors that are good
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
It could but so could supplements like inositol. Diet changes and some IF could be really helpful too. Metformin often stops working over time, so it is a tool but not a replacement for other diet changes. Being more active and weight or resistance training are really useful for reducing IR too.
Some helpful resources
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Books and any podcasts or vids by the 4 authors, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS, so, inspo
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND and Dr. Jason Fung
End Your Carb Confusion: A Simple Guide to Customize Your Carb Intake for Optimal Health Paperback by Dr. Eric Westman (Author), Amy Berger MS CNS (Author)
This was really helpful to me, along with inositol.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts and Dr. Nadia reversed her own symptoms. For me, increasing protein to aim for 30g+ per meal and eating that and high fiber veg FIRST helped, I was able to eliminate snacking by starting to eat 3 meals a day, then gradually shifted to two, I have coffee for breakfast. I started a 30 min walk each day at first, my doctor is big on that, and it helps a lot re: stress, my doc is also a proponent of in bed by 10 and waking up naturally. Small changes over time really create progress.
This article has good info too. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Dr. Nadia has a blog and is active on inspo. Meghan Ramos who works with her and Dr. Fung also reversed her own PCOS symptoms. https://www.doctornadia.com/single-post/2020/05/19/Tuesday-Tips-My-Five-Pillars Controlling insulin and cortisol helps reverse PCOS symptoms.
Lots of folks with PCOS having great success over at r/intermittentfasting
Good luck!
That's great! For me the structure, tracking my eating times, etc came first and then my food choices changed afterwards. It helped me first figure out why I was hungry, what I was feeling (emotionally) at the time, and to drink more water at those moments instead! Which I was always bad at, but now I'm super hydrated lol
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Here's some things I found (sorry if they're not super accessible from a paywall or wording perspective, academic research is not as easy to access as it should be). Hope they're helpful in some ways!
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The paper these commentaries are about shows some benefits from fasting (done during Ramadan) for women with PCOS - but not on all the markers like lipid levels:
https://www.sid.ir/en/Journal/ViewPaper.aspx?ID=511784
this is the study they are referring to:
http://www.aimjournal.ir/PDF/68_Dec012_003.pdf
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This summary (that you can request from the authors for free on this site) reviews lots of research on whether intermittent fasting can help with PCOS, and it suggests that yes it can improve insulin and glucose levels:
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The PCOS plan is about what and when to eat to reduce PCOS symptoms and insulin resistance (one of the authors had PCOS and talks about her journey through various diets, fertility issues, and medication plans):
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/
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You may also want to do a sleep test, in case you also have any sleep issues as this paper showed 30x higher risk of sleep obstruction and excessive daytime sleepiness in people with PCOS:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11158002/
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I found this article on how insulin impacts PCOS to be fascinating; it explains how follicles develop and what affects them at various stages:
https://thefastingmethod.com/pcos-and-hyperinsulinemia-pcos-8/
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Visceral fat, which some researchers find can be reduced first with a structured eating schedule, is higher in women with PCOS:
Vids from an OB embedded here
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
also Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube (cutting sugar and starches also maximizes male fertility)
getting metabolically healthy before pregnancy and keeping insulin controlled during pregnancy will help minimize risks to the pregnancy and future health of the child (many studies of risks will come up in a search) Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube PCOS and Miscarriage
lots of inspo and success stories here Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books
Good luck, the changes you make in your health now will benefit you and your kids, minimizing their risks for metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity and autism
This book was very helpful to me, also these articles.
Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS, diabetes, NAFLD and mood issues, so inspo.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Lots of us have kids, u/Rich-Response3919. This article and this book were really helpful to me in making changes that reversed my symptoms.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
Re: acne, some find improvement in that symptoms in cutting dairy, you could try it for a bit and see. 2 cups a day of spearmint tea can also help.
Spearmint Tea For PCOS: A Natural Anti-Androgen With Many Benefits (sepalika.com)
Work on getting as metabolically healthy as you can, lowering insulin levles, getting good quality sleep and managing stress. You may find your symptoms improving and/or even reversing.
My Five Pillars (doctornadia.com) Dr. Nadia co-wrote the book above. She has lots of YT vids and podcasts, and is active on Insta. She reversed her own PCOS, diabetes, NAFLD and mood issues and has a couple of kids herself.
Best to you!
I used to get that, sounds like reactive hypos. I would get it other times of the day too. This might help explain the role high insulin plays in your symptoms and how lowering it by reducing sugar and starches might help. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia This might sound familiar How the Ketogenic Diet and Intermittent Fasting Cured My Non-Diabetic Hypoglycemia | by Julia Odom | Better Humans
These books were very helpful for me. Hope you feel better soon. Aiming for 30g of protein per meal helped me too.
Inositol can be helpful, along with cutting sugar and starches and some IF, weight or resistance training can also lower testosterone. To control other androgens be sure to manage stress and sleep.
Many of us have regrown our hair eating keto or LC, for me, adding in some IF and inositol got my hair to grow back thicker than it was originally. Focus on protein, I aim for 30g per meal. If you lose weight, that can cause temporary hair loss, TE, but it will grow back.
Work on leading an insulin sensitive life and as you get metabolically healthy, symptoms will resolve. If your scalp is unhealthy, check out r/sebderm. Seb derm is another source of hair loss with common drivers to PCOS - high insulin, high androgens and some autoimmune component. If issue, there are recommended protocols on that sub, also google trigger foods, cutting nightshades and cinnamon helped me a LOT.
I also found that 2 cups a day of spearmint tea seemed to help make my hair and skin less oily, that can also be helpful re: androgens, it has an effect similar to spiro. Has to be spearmint but you can add other teabags to vary the flavor.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
Hair loss/low carb screenshots : PCOS (reddit.com)
Good luck!
Yes, Diet changes (cut sugar and starches), intermittent fasting, inositol
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
Weight training or resistance work can also be really helpful.
Sleep and managing stress are also important.
My Five Pillars (doctornadia.com)
Bcp and smoking also raise insulin levels, offset if either applies to you.
Good luck!
I found these articles
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
and this book
and these videos
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' - YouTube
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
very helpful. PCOS is an expression of metabolic syndrome and with having 1 we are at more risk of the others - diabetes, NAFLD, heart disease (bcp increase this risk also), some cancers and Alzheimer's. Metabolic syndrome can be reversed, reducing risks for all of the expression and controlling or reversing PCOS symptoms. Inositol and/or metformin can also help with egg quality, insulin resistance and limiting risks of pregnancy with PCOS. Good luck!
This approach was great for my PCOS symptoms and also controlled my HS (along with avoiding gluten). Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms. Both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts too.
This article is also super helpful Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
Lots of us have kids. These vids are great re: TTC w/PCOS and there is a separate sub too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zv590d3qaU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcpFX_e2Bk
Best to you!
Usually it has to do with increasing insulin resistance or increasing cortisol or a combo, it is as though we each have a tipping point and after that gain weight very easily. But, you can walk it back. This article explains it
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
This book was very helpful to me and there are loads of people having success over at r/intermittentfasting
Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms, so, inspo. Both authors are active on YT and have loads of podcasts. Dr. Nadia is also active on Insta.
Supplements like inositol, berberine or NAC or meds like metformin can help but diet changes are a big key. Exercise is good for health and can help with maintenence but sleep, managing stress and limiting sugar and starch are the keys for many. Good luck!
Yay, so happy for you! Good health feels amazing.
Cutting carbs and sugar changed my health and my life, only wish I had done it sooner. It took a while for my hair to come back, but now it is thicker than before it started shedding. Good luck!
For those who are unfamiliar with insulin as a driver of PCOS for 80% of us, highly recommend The PCOS Plan and any vids by the authors. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS and diabetes. She is active on insta.
This article is great too. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
Not having to worry about diabetes or feel controlled by sugar and carb addiction is so freeing, so happy for you OP!
This.
Actual medical doctors, Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Eric Westman have decades of experience treating women with PCOS. They both speak of IR as being reversible and of LC & IF as being tools that promote metabolic healing.
Based on their training and extensive clinical experience, the symptoms that qualify for a PCOS diagnosis ARE reversible, without those symptoms, you may no longer qualify for a PCOS or diabetes diagnosis. It does not mean that if you start eating the SAD again it might not make you sick again, but that is a different issue. Dr. Ben Bikman's book, Why We Get Sick also delves into th issue of metabolic healing.
Both of these books are excellent for metabolic healing, as are any interviews with or articles by any of the 4 authors.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting by Fung and Pateguana (Dr. Nadia has reversed her own PCOS, NAFLD and diabetes diagnoses)
End Your Carb Confusion: A Simple Guide to Customize Your Carb Intake for Optimal Health
by Dr. Eric Westman and Amy Berger MS CNS | Dec 15, 2020
This was super helpful to me and has some really good recipes too.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic ... - amazon.com
Vids by the authors
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
They have a lot of experience working with women with IR. Several posters on this sub have worked with their clinic directly.
Another doc with a huge successrate with PCOS is Dr. Eric Westman at Duke. He takes a no counting approach. If you vibe with him, he is a bit like Mr. Rogers, you can google around and find his page 4 online. He authored one of the only studies on PCOS and diet, he knows his stuff.
Agree so much with this.
PCOS is one manifestation of metabolic syndrome. We, and everyone on that spectrum, has higher risks of the other manifestations - obesity, diabetes, mood disorders - anxiety, depression, biopolar, heart disease, NAFLD, cancer and Alzheimer's. Treating symptoms with anti-androgens alone does not address the root causes and bc heightens the risk of heart disease.
Metaboloic syndrome IS reversible, and that includes PCOS. Diet changes are key, weight lifting can help, supplements that help with insulin signaling like inositol, NAC or berberine or meds like metformin can be layers in and can be really beneficial.
50% of women with uncontrolled PCOS will become diabetic by age 40.
OP, sounds like keto worked for you once, it is very effective for reversing metabolic syndrome. IF or time restricted eating is VERY effective too. The Diabetes Code by Dr. Jason Fung or his book on PCOS are great places to start.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic ... - amazon.com
These vids were super helpful to me, wish I had know this before having my kids.
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
This article does a good job of explaining how PCOS works, where the high androgens come from and what we can do to reverse thes symptoms, which often helps hair to regrow.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From ...
Start gradually and make sustainable changes. Stop drinking fruit, then limit added sugar, then chose low glycemic index carbs and focus on protein and fiber. Go for a 30 min walk a day. Manage stress and get in a regular sleep routine. Keeping insulin and cortisol low helps all with PCOS, lean or not. Any limiting of carbs will help your metabolic health and benefits start right away.
Treating the metabolic drivers of PCOS used to be the default treatment, there are studies on pubmed going back decades on the benefits for PCOS of inositol, berberine, metformin, etc. It is in our hands to improve our health and minimize our risks starting today. With 88% of US adults believed to be metabolically unhealthy and over 40% obese and with soaring rates of diabetes, which is life shortening unless reversed with diet, we are far from alone. With PCOS we have the motivation of hair and appearance (galvanized me) to get us going until the better heatlh benefiits become self reinforcing. Good luck to everyone on your health journey.
OP, you had a great response to keto if it helped your IR enough to get pregnant. You've got this, keto and IF are very powerful tools. Dr. Westman says it is more effective than many prescription meds. Please come back with updates, and thanks for sharing your experience, it will defo motivate me. For people who might be interested in keto, Dr. Westman does an no need to count anything version, super simple and effective. r/keot has a great FAQ and Getting Started piece and the ladies at r/xxketo are very helpful. You may not need keto, start making small changes and see where you get. For me, it took keto and inositiol to re-grow hair, you may be differnet.
Dr. Jason Fung and Dr. Nadia Pateguana have a lot of experience using LC diets and IF to treat PCOS, diabetes and other expressions of metabolic syndrome. He is a nephrologist who treats primarily diabetics, so has a lot of experience with that exact population. His work has gotten a lot of pushback as there is no $ for big pharma to make re: fasting and insulin is quite lucrative. Reversing metabolic conditions pays huge dividends for patients but is not very lucrative for those treating them. Fasts of no longer than 36-42 hours may be best for PCOS if longer fasts trigger cortisol. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS and prediabetes and mood disorders. As the PCOS treatment shifted from metabolic syndrome treated with inositols and metformin to BC and REs, it became quite lucrative to treat the symptoms, not the drivers. Some REs now use inostiol and metformin to improve egg quality and reduce miscarriage rates but few gyns promote them. They may not even be trained to do so although the research is on pubmed going back decades.
As Dr. Fung says, there is no money to be made in fasting. Lowering hyperinsulinemia by what you eat, when you eat and how often is a very effective treatment for metabolic syndrome in all expressions, including PCOS, diabetes and NAFLD, not to mention heart disease, many cancers and what is now being called Type 3 diabetes, Alzheimer's disease. Our addictions to carbs and sugar come with a terrible personal price.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Dr. Fung has a new book out on cancer, many cancers are also linked to insulin resistance. Dr. Ben Bikman is also focused on IR as a driver of metabolic disease that can be reversed through diet changes. He also practices time restricted eating and generally eats a ketogenic diet himself.
You need to give it several months, hair grows on 3-6 month cycles.
I had my hair completely regrown with keto, some intermittent fasting, insotiol + choline
It is best to take inositol on an empty stomach, I was told, with water. How much are you taking? That also needs 2-3 months to really start showing changes in skin and hair. Have you noticed changes in hunger or cravings? I take 2g 2x per day. Also, see if you can work on shifting your snacking foods to meals and gradually getting down to eating just at meals, it lets the insulin fall and stay low longer.
This book was super helpful to me, it is a paperback, so pretty affordable.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
The way the ovaries react to high levels of insulin in the body is what causes the high androgens that impact hair, for almost everyone with PCOS, including lean PCOS. It takes time to reverse and the hair cycle lags. Give it a few months.
Any significant weight loss can cause hairloss, which grows back, but you would not be experiencing that 2 weeks in.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321590
Good luck! What you are doing has worked for many of us to get regrowth, give it time. If you are not taking 4g of the inositil per day, might want to try that, seems to be the standard recommended dose and common on here. Hang in there!
Going LC can be very helpful for both female and male fertility, no diagnosis needed.
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' This OB talks about how important metabolic health of both parents is prior to conception for the health of the pregnancy and of the future child. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zv590d3qaU
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4
Vids by an OB embedded at link below
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Lots of PCOS pregnancy success stories in The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
You might want to look up inositol, a supplement that helps increase insulin sensitivity, it is helpful for fertility, egg quality and helps reduce the chance of miscarriage. A prescription alternative is metformin. Info on how it helps ovulation here http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Good luck, you may also want to check out r/TTC_PCOS a lot of what is talked about there applies even w/o a diagnosis. I personally found accupuncture really helpful re: fertility.
My PCOS got way better when I stopped being a vegetarian and began eating meat again, it is much easier to reduce starches when eating meat, esp when trying to reverse underlying IR. How about hard boiled eggs or canned tuna?
This article and this book helped me a lot, eating simple, 1 ingredient whole foods was health changing for me. I used to eat a lot of processed fake meats, etc. Aiming for 30g+ of protein per meal kept my blood sugar on an even keel and kept me from being hungry.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Just start making tweaks and little changes and see what works for you. I cut out foods that made me hungry or have cravings. Whey has that effect on me so I cut out whey shakes and only have greek yogurt occasionally, for example, we are all different, lots of people do great with whey shakes.
Good luck, glad IF worked so well for you. Are you at r/intermittentfasting? It is a great group.
This book and articles helped me a lot. Bcp increase IR so that needs to be offset with diet choices, managing stress/sleep, weight training/resistance training can help IR, etc.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
and from The Cleveland Clinic https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Good luck!
Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts re: fasting. r/fasting and r/intermittentfasting are great too. This one is recent, Megan Ramos also reversed her PCOS.
Intermittent Fasting for Women | Jason Fung ft. Megan Ramos - YouTube
There are also lots of free resources at The Fasting Method. Good luck!
I cut starch and sugar and do some intermittent fasting. I also take supplements that help with insulin sensitivity, inositol was game changing. I also drink spearmint tea and do weight/resistance training.
This book and these articles were very helpful to me
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
My Five Pillars (doctornadia.com)
Red meat is a very bioavailable source of iron, you may be low if you bleed that heavily often. I was.
Good luck on your health journey, it can get a lot better!
These 2 books were extremely helpful to me.
For almost all with PCOS, overweight and not, chronic high insulin drives symtoms. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia PCOS is one expression of metabolic syndrome, and with 1, we are at more risk for others - diabetes, NAFLD, mood disorders, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's. By reversing the drivers we can reduce or even reverse symptoms and lower our risks of all of these things.
There is a LOT you can do to change things, focus on that and feel empowered. Vids or podcasts by any of the 4 authors of the books above are great for inspo and information. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS, diabetes, NAFLD and mood issues, she is also active on Insta.
There are vids from an OB embedded here Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor, this OB has great ideas on getting metabolically healthy too. Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube Inositol and metformin can be helpful re: insulin sensitivity, egg quality and reducing risk of miscarriage, they can also reduce risks to the health of kids when taken during pregnancy, along with eating/living an insulin sensitive lifestyle. More info here Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
It can all get SO much better, the tools to change things are in your hands, best to you on your health journey! Limiting sugar and starches, managing sleep and stress and weight or resistance training can all have powerful effects on insulin resistance, along with intermittent fasting as another powerful tool. Lots of people changing their health at r/intermittentfasting My Five Pillars (doctornadia.com) Eating earlier in the day can also be helpful. Even cutting out snacking, eating 3 times per day and not eating from dinner to breakfast can have an impact. Please come back and let us know how you are doing.
I found this book helpful, if you like fasting might be worth checking out? Also, an alternative to metformin could be inositol and/or berberine? Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books This touches on inositol Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia. For me, really focusing meals on 30g of protein and healthy fat (avocado, olives, etc) made me full so sugar and starch were not as appealing. Supplements and some IF helped with hunger and cravings, as my IR was reduced cravings kind of faded and my PCOS symptoms got way better. Good luck!
Lots of us have children. This book was really helpful to me re: my PCOS
Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS and has kids, so, inspo. Both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts.
Both of you getting metabolically healthy will increase male and female fertility and minimize risks of PCOS to the pregnancy and health of the child. Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities' - YouTube and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4
Inositol and metformin can improve egg quality, decrease risks of miscarriage and GD, you can find lots of studies on Pubmed. Good luck!
For me, layering in inositol and some intermittent fasting really helped lower the insulin resistance driving weight gain. With PCOS we have more insulin and clear it more slowly so spacing out eating gives it time to fall and stay low. I started with cutting out snacks and eating dinner early, then not eating until breakfast, so 14 hours or so. This article and book were really helpufl to me. Good luck!
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
All 3 authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms and diabetes, so, inspo. Lots of inspo at r/intermittentfasting too. Good luck!
These are resources I wish I had had when I had my kids, lots of focus on ttc in the book
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana - YouTube
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
There are many studies pointing to risks of miscarriage and other issues being minimized by keeping insulin low before and during pregnancy so getting metabolically healthy is the best thing you can do. Metformin and/or inositol can also help re: egg quality, lowering chances of miscarriage and GD, so good plan there too. LC is not only good for your fertility but it also maximizes male fertility, so make it a couple plan.
This study focused on metfromin, but inositol would have a similar effect and diet is more powerful still, high insulin levels can be toxic to the placenta https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(18)32227-1/pdf
There are some good OB vids embedded here, plus recipes, TTC w/PCOS success stories, etc.
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
If need be, I found accupuncture very helpful for fertility and ovulation.
Good luck!
Lots of us have kids and chances are that you will be able to as well.
These vids and this link have loads of good info, the link has vids by an OB embedded. You are on the right path, cutting sugar and starch is now recommended by REs because of the effects of optimizing male and female fertility, both.
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor (vids by Dr. Michael Fox embedded)
Change can seem scary, but maybe you can all begin to enjoy new family ways to show love and spend time together - walks, gardening, board games, etc? And when that way of eating catches up to them, you will be a great example of other options 88% of US adults have metabolic dysfuncton and 70% are overweight or obese, diabetes and NAFLD are soaring, you are FAR from alone in having metabolic issues, but a straight up HERO for addressing them. Women with PCOS have risks during pregnancy and for the wellbeing of the child that can be reduced by diet changes, inositiol and metformin, exactly what you are doing. And that is not easy but you are doing it! Let them in, they may be happy to help support you.
Btw, I personally found accupuncture great for fertility. Only wish I had known about the benefits of inoitol and met for pregnancy.
Hugs to you, change is hard and the future is unknown. It will likely be ok though. They sound lovely, you are all blessed to have one another. Sugar is just sugar, but the relationships are precious.
Check out r/TTC_PCOS, maybe it will help set your mind at ease. Lots of PCOS pregnancy success stories in Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books too. Best to you on your jouney!
The birth control pills are a symptomatic treatment, they are not changing the drivers of your PCOS and actually increase insulin resistance and risks of future heart disease. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Some birth control pills do have weight change as a side effect for some people, it is listed on package inserts, but, they also increase insulin resistance, as you have repeatedly discovered, not just with the reactive hypos you experienced but with the AN, which is a sign of significant insulin resistance and with eventual weight gain as IR increases. https://www.dietdoctor.com/differential-diagnosis-pcos-4
All of this points to not only PCOS as an issue but also a risk of future diabetes (50% of women with PCOS will have full blown diabetes by age 40 with the rate going up after, diabetes is a huge risk factor for heart disease, that risk is also heightened by birth control). AN is notihing to take lightly.
The most effective way to lower those risks and to reverse PCOS symptoms is with a change in diet and IF, perhaps with supplements like inositol, berberine or NAC or a med like metformin layered in.
This explains how cutting sugar and starch reduces testosterone produced by the ovaries in a high insulin enviroment. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
This book was very helpful to me and has lots of recipes
Good info, success stories and recipes here too
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
Changing what you eat and how often will regulate your hormones and your weight and will lower the chronic high insulin, reducing risks for future heart disease and diabetes. Best to you on your health journey!
Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS. She is active on instagram too.
This might also be helpful. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
Loads of recipes (and success stories for inspo!) here
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
I use recipes in this book a lot and found this book super helpful, so are vids by the authors. The great thing about fasting is that is works with any eating style and it is very effective for PCOS and insulin resistance.
Lots of info, recipes and success stories here.
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
This was super helpful to me too
Plant based can be a poor fit for many with PCOS due to the typical high level of carbs, my PCOS got much worse when I was a vegetarian.
Actually, both PCOS and heart disease are expressions of metabolic syndrome, lowering insulin and reversing insulin resistance is the best way to reverse it. Bcp raise insulin resistance and our higher risk of heart disease and stroke later in life, if you are on them, consider the risks and try to offset with other choices, such as avoiding seed oils which are very inflammatory.
What really causes heart disease? - Diet Doctor
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
I just cut sugar and reduced starch, which is good for everyone. As your IR decreases, you will experience less hunger, fewer cravings, lose skin tags, etc, have PCOS symptoms begin to reverse. Lots of signs of progress.
This was really helpful to me re: how best to go about diet changes.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Lots of good resources, recipes and inspiring success stories here too
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
Good luck! Lots of support and resources and recipes at r/xxketo, r/keto and r/ketomentors.
MANY of us grew out hair back with keto & sometimes some IF. Inositol + choline also helped me.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/du062x/hair_losslow_carb_screenshots/
This was helpful to me.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
My "perfect formula" as another poster put it was significantly reducing carbs to bring down insulin, which stopped my shedd. I kept going in reducing until it stopped falling out, adding in some IF helped. Then inositol (4g per day, 2g x 2) + choline (I take a b complex with choline, folic and biotin) got it to regrow. Those same steps helped my scalp get healthy, if you have seb derm, common with PCOS, that can be an overlapping source of hair loss. Great info over at r/SebDerm.
Inositol for Hair Loss (Adding Choline Makes It Extra Powerful
If you reduce insulin levels enough it will control the androgens that are driving your PCOS symptoms.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Through Diet and Fasting
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS and prediabetes, very inspiring that she is now helping others. Good luck!
So I'm very deep into the process. I did naturally for a year, then saw an RE, took supplements for a while, did a year and half of medicated cycles, and finally proceeded to IVF last month. We also had some male factor involved, so getting me ovulating wasn't quite enough to achieve pregnancy in my case.
At this point your best options are to start working on your health to see if you can ovulate naturally. For PCOS women, this usually means lowering your testosterone levels by lowering your insulin. There are a couple different strategies that work to lower your insulin: intermittent fasting (timed eating windows) and low carb eating. It's not required that you go as low as keto but a lot of women find keto very successful at restarting their natural cycle. This is independent of whether you are heavy or not: you can have insulin resistance and still be normal weight. The trick is to reduce the insulin so that you naturally reduce your testosterone. A good book on the topic is The PCOS Plan. You can also read the article What Causes PCOS to learn about how all this works.
If dietary changes aren't sufficient to get you ovulating regularly, there are medications that can be taken monthly to induce ovulation, such as letrozole. These medications would be prescribed by either your obgyn, or more likely, a reproductive endocrinologist which your obgyn would refer you to. (I did ovulate on letrozole regularly and for many women that would be enough.) If you have male factor, then an RE would eventually add in IUI. If none of the previous worked, you'd eventually be recommended to move to IVF.
As far as supplements, my reproductive endocrinologist recommended the following that should be taken at least 3 months in advance of your intended pregnancy: vitamin d, folic acid, a prenatal, and Ovasitol. My IVF team later added in CoQ10 and Fish Oil.
Good luck!
This is a good resource too, touches on TTC and pregnancy with PCOS.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Good luck!
Same!
NAC and inositol changed my life, heard of them here.
These are professionals whose advice actually DOES help, helped me at least. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcpFX_e2Bk
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2KD-nTiJ14
And for keto success w/o counting Dr Eric Westman Duke University Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss and Brain Performance FULL VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNZsfluh0Uo
Dr. Westman has a manner similar to Mr. Rogers and a great success rate with his patients losing weight and keeping it off. He authored one of the only research studies on PCOS.
The effects of a low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet on the polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16359551/
These doctors have had a lot of success with partients reversing PCOS, including the author who had PCOS
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Lots of people do keto without eating dairy, that leaves proteins, veg, nuts, seeds, berries, etc.
This article discusses lean PCOS and explains how high insulin leads to high androgens which is driving hair loss. Keto is not a diet on which you are hungry, it is the insulin roller coaster of your blood sugar going up and down currently, and insulin resistance that is making you get hungry easily.
These doctors have had a lot of success helping women with PCOS. Dr. Nadia put her own symptoms into remission.
This book was super helpful to me, even has some good recipes.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Here are some vids with the authors.
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Organic is great for health but except for maybe the hormones in conventional dairy, would not seem to have anything to do specifically with PCOS.
This book was super helpful to me, even has some good recipes.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
To answer your question about gainng easily, here are some vids with the authors.
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
This book has so much great info, wish it had been out years ago.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author) https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dr. Nadia's own story and "keep your eye on the ball" mantra are inspiring to me.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcpFX_e2Bk
I think supplements have a role. There was some research that suggested that some women with PCOS excrete inositol rapidly and end up with a functional deficit. Makes sense to me since many of us are strong responders to it. Many of the symptoms of inositol deficiency track PCOS symptoms, such as hair loss. When taking inositol my hair completely grew back. I was also doing keto and making lifestyle changes that slowed/maybe stopped the shedd, but the change in hunger/cravings, hair growth, mood came from inositol. So, maybe I will not need it some day when IR is lower, but maybe I will. Re: high androgens, changes in insulin levels and cortisol may bring that back into balance, so then the tea would not be needed.
Health is a journey, but PCOS can be a blessing. IR drives most major diseases and many of us make changes early on that lower our heightened risk of diabetes, cancer, NAFLD and Alzheimer's, diseases common in my extended family. My vanity about my hair was powerful motivation to change, now feeling better is motivating, but hair was the catalyst.
Finding things that work are reasons to celebrate. :)
You might want to check out this book. Insulin resistance can be missed with blood work, it is a driver of PCOS for almost all overweight women with PCOS and for an estimated 75% of women with lean PCOS.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS with lifestyle changes. She talks about it in this podcast. This podcast in general has a lot of good info. The host pushes gluten & dairy free a lot, it helped her own PCOS, but they typically tend to have good guests. Despite the title it goes into way more than fertility.
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana!
These videos were helpful to me in understanding what happens with PCOS and how it impacts hormones and how it relates to a higher risk for other conditions like diabetes or NAFLD. It is great to address now, doing so will lower your risks for those other things as well.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
What symptoms were the basis of your diagnosis? Remember just because something is in the normal range, does not mean it is not causing symptoms for your particular body. What did your doctor recommend?
This book is amazing at explaining both PCOS and fasting. It has some great recipes too, for things like LC naan that I have not seen elsewhere.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The authors both have vids talking about fasting and PCOS too.
Good luck!
No, not if you lower insulin consistently, PCOS can be reversed and then you will not be at risk for diabetes.
This book was super helpful to me.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These vids too.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana!
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Supplements like inositol or berberine or NAC or meds like metformin can be really helpful in lowering insulin resistance too. Weight lifting is great for IR too.
PCOS can be the canary in the coal mine that will save us from lots of other health conditions down the road if we take steps to reverse it.
Good for you for investigating, OP. Lots of things to try.
I hear your frustration. Inositol was really helpful to me, it is a supplement.
The key to losing weight with PCOS is lowering insulin levels/resistance - when it is high from a carb heavy diet or from frequent eating, the body is in fat storage mode.
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin
If we cut calories and keep insulin high with carbs or frequent eating, often our bodies lower our resting metabolism to compensate. They are being told to store fat by the insulin and have less energy coming in, so they reduce body temp and energy outputs.
How to fix your broken metabolism by doing the exact ...
The importance of reducing insulin is why cutting carbs worked, but you may be able to get a good result just reducing and pushing other levers.
Another lever re: insulin resistance, is supplements, see above, or a med like metformin that help with insulin signaling.
Another is incorporating some intermittent fasting, timing when you eat basically, letting insulin fall and stay low for periods of time rather than eating frequently. This can be as simple as starting with 3 meals a day with no snacks and trying to have dinner on the early side.
Some other resources:
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
Too much intense exercise with PCOS can be counterproductive if it spikes cortisol, the other fat storage hormone.
Is Your Workout Causing High Cortisol Levels? | Shape
Cortisol and insulin staying low are key. Sleep is super important as is managing stress. If you freqeuntly wake up tired, be evaluated for a CPAP or consider trying a supplement like NAC which is great for PCOS and also used to treat apnea and congestion. Daily walks, yoga and weight lifting are helpful if you are not seeing the results you want from intense cardio, many have found by stopping it, their symptoms improved.
I try to keep focused on decreasing insulin resistance and getting metabolically healthy. There are so manyy ways that insulin resistance expresses, PCOS and mood disorders are just 2. By working on metabolic health (benefits start right away, not when an arbitrary number is reached), we can lower our hightened risks for diabetes, NAFLD, heart disease, some cancers and Alzheimer's. We are all worth that investment in health.
The symptoms of PCOS are caused by how our ovaries respond to persistent high levels of insulin, when insulin is allowed to fall, so do the high levels of androgens that cause the hair loss, acne, etc. Ir begins to change right away, not when an arbitrary number on a scale is reached.
WW can be great, but also consider how your food choices impact insulin levels. Whole foods cause less of an insulin response. Some have found that making changes leads to symptoms starting into remission even before lots of weight is lost. Others who do not focus on reducing insulin have lost lots of weight with no change in PCOS symptoms, more of an iffy outcome.
I take inositol and NAC and have found that they are great for mood in addition to being good for PCOS. I just get cheap bulk supplements on Amazon but has been life changing. So grateful for the folks who talked about them on this sub.
I really get the struggle, was there for years, too. But, my symptoms are pretty well controlled now. With PCOS, our health is so impacted by insulin and cortisol levels. Once I understood that and started making changes re: them, I found that my health has really improved and I am much happier. I even had my hair grow back, so, there is hope. Hang in there.
For me, bumping protein and healthy fat is key.
Beef and salmon keep me from getting hungry. Eggs are great too. I eat avocado and guacamole quite a bit. If you have been eating low carb low fat, try bumping the other macros up and eat until you the point where you are not hungry. Different than the point of full or stuffed, takes some being mindful. Eating things like broccoli w/cheese or cauliflower with cheese or spinach or brussels sprouts keeps me full too. A fav dish for me in fall/winter is kind of deconstructed stuffed cabbage with beef/pork, cabbage and a tomato sauce, so good. Kind of like my aunties made, but less effort, lol. HTH! Good luck!
Also, for the part that is not strictly hunger, Dr. Cywes vids were really life changing for me.
Understanding Carb Addiction Part 1 - by Dr. Robert Cywes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKEmTZRShII
Are you open to doing any intermittent fasting or time restricted eating? I found that really helps regulate hunger and cravings.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This book was helpful to me.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
Some videos that I learned a lot from
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4
Dr. Nadia at the link above emphasizes that insulin resistance is mostly about what we eat and when/how often. That is a great place to start, cutting processed foods and sugar. Inositol has been super helpful to me and others, if you put it in the search box at the top you will get hundreds if not thousands of hits here and at r/PCOS. I hope metformin works great for you, inositol can be used with it if you do not quite get to where you want to be.
Exercise is great but improvements are mostly diet. Exercise like walking and yoga are great for PCOS and weight training can help with insulin resistance.
Please come back and let us know how you are doing. Good luck! The great thing about insulin resistance and PCOS is how responsive the ovaries and hormone balance are to changes in insulin. You can see changes in weeks such as cycle returning or losing skin tags, not when an arbitrary weight is reached.
Doing it is stages is a great plan, maybe cut out liquid sugar first - juices, fruit smoothies, sugar added to coffee or tea, soda? Then build from there. The great thing about fasting or time restricted eating is that is work with any eating plan.
If you do decide to really cut carbs at some point, there are LOTS of women with PCOS over at r/keto and r/xxketo, some have cycles return within weeks. Best to you!
I thought this book had a lot of helpful information and the approach does not involve hormones. A driver of PCOS for almost all is high levels of insulin, it is also connected to some types of cancer, so bringing insulin down could have multiple health benefits for you.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
Some videos that I learned a lot from
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4
Dr. Nadia at the link above emphasizes that insulin resistance is mostly about what we eat and when/how often. That is a great place to start, cutting processed foods and sugar. Inositol has been super helpful to me and others, if you put it in the search box at the top you will get hundreds if not thousands of hits. Exercise is great but improvements are mostly diet. Exercise like walking and yoga are great for PCOS and weight training can help with insulin resistance.
Please come back and let us know how you are doing. Good luck!
Edited: if you kind of click with Dr. Nadia's vibe, she has several videos on You tube and I think she was/is pretty active on Facebook Live as well, at least she was in the spring/summer after the book launched.
These 2 books were game changers for me, skip Audible you would miss key lists and graphics
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
Short vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
Slightly longer vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Also, many free resources here https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Good luck!
Insulin resistance drives PCOS symptoms for most and treating it has enabled many of us to fully regrow our hair as well as reducing or putting other symptoms into remission. https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/du062x/hair_losslow_carb_screenshots/
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
https://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
These 2 books were game changers for me. Skip Audible, there are lists and graphics that are key that you will miss. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
Inositol is great for PCOS and for hair growth https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
Diet Doctor has a lot of free resources re: LC and PCOS, recipes, etc. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Good luck! Hair is a lagging symptom, it can take 6 months or so, but before that I lost skin tags, belly fat, skin and hair were less oily, cycles were shorter and less heavy, etc. You can do it!
Ideally fasting insulin should be 4.9 or lower
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
https://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
These 2 books + inositol allowed me to lose weight, keep it off and reduced or reversed my PCOS symptoms. Don't do Audible, there are key charts, lists, recipes, etc that you will miss.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/
Good luck!
This book re: PCOS and fasting is great, the authors also have a YT talk. You may also want to check out r/intermittentfasting and defo read the advice on electrolytes in the sidebar at r/fasting, no commercial products needed, they have excellent info on what is needed and quantitates.
I'd skip Audible, there are graphs and recipes that you will miss. My library had the book, I later picked up a copy to have the recipes. The Obesity Code by Fung is also excellent, and his team does The Fasting Method podcast, both hosts had PCOS and other insulin resistance linked conditions put into remission with diet changes and fasting.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Good luck!
He recommends Phase 1 for an initial 6 weeks (or longer if you choose) to drop insulin resistance, which is very helpful re: things like PCOS. symptoms. Try it and see if you get the results you are seeking. For me, my IR was resistant to weight loss until I initially dropped carbs quite low. The satiety of his method is amazing, losing that driving hunger from IR was a gift.
I do a lot of sheet pan cooking and make sides for family that I don't always eat. Works great. https://www.ibreatheimhungry.com/25-best-keto-sheet-pan-dinners-low-carb/ Or pasta for them, zucchini noodles or Maria Emmerich's protein noodles for me, everyone has meatballs in Rao sauce with a salad.
I combined LC with IF. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY It really benefitted my symptoms, my hair even fully regrew by really dropping insulin. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Westman's guidance on figuring out personal carb tolerance once at or near health and weight goals is a super helpful part of EYCC, really helps stop the yo-yo.
Good luck!
IF https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
+
LC https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
+
inostiol http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
+ adding muscle have largely reversed my symptoms
Good luck!
This book may be very helpful to you - The PCOS Plan. dplnkId=fba08d23-d493-4686-947d-9baefc9d8715)
IF may have more of an impact if the fasting window is longer than a break in eating at midday. You might want to check out https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 (don't do Audible, there are recipes you will miss) The authors also have a YT talk re: PCOS. The Fasting Method Podcast is also really good.
Targeting IR was a weight and health game changer for me
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html and she co-authored this simple to follow book, it also covers maintenance. https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298 (skip Audible, there are key lists you need to see) The book also covers maintenance, so, no more yo-yo. You may see progress toward health and weight goals by dropping starch lower than current levels and adding healthy fats like olives, avocado, eggs, salmon, etc. When closer to your goals it coaches on experimenting with optimal carb levels for your body to keep the weight and health gains. What may be "healthy" for some was still too much starch for my body when IR was high.
Lots of free info here too https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos https://www.dietdoctor.com/high-protein
Exercise is great for health and adding muscle can help IR, but weight loss is mostly diet changes. https://time.com/6138809/should-you-exercise-to-lose-weight/
With PCOS, targeting IR is key https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fung+quick+insulin https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Videos by The Gallen Foundation re; IR are also really good. Good luck!
Check out this book by Dr. Jason Fung and the vid he and Dr. Nadia Patequana (who reversed her own PCOS symptoms) have on YT re: PCOS
The book has some great recipes, don't do Audible. My library had it. The title is good inspo.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
IF is great for lowering IR, the driver of PCOS for almost all (except some who are very thin and who have high DHEA-S)
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
The Fasting Method podcast with Dr. Pateguana and Megan Ramos is great for info and inspo and touches on PCOS frequently (both had diagnosis but have reversed symptoms)
I don't have relevant experience but wanted to say, well done, keep going u/pepperpix123! You have made a lot of changes and that your A1C is coming down is fantastic!
I also found IF really helpful for IR and PCOS https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and inositol was life and health changing for me.
Keep going!
You might also want to check out r/TTC_PCOS.
These links might be of interest too
OZ OB who treats PCOS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zv590d3qaU
Success stories and a US OB who treats PCOS https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Inositol is great for IR and for fertility too http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Very empowering book with TTC success stories https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 (don't do audible, there are good recipes) and YT by authors https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
This book was a game changer for me re; IR and the doctor has reported many patients have conceived, similar to the above but with a bit more guidance to take the guesswork out. Don't do audible, you will want the lists that are in the book. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16359551/
You may find that when you reduce your IR you may not need IVF. Low carb or keto has been shown to maximize fertility in BOTH partners. Targeting insulin specifically will benefit metabolic health immediately. Weight loss may or may not target IR. Doctors equate it but it may not work that way, a poster here lost 100 lbs and THEN was diagnosed with PCOS. With LC and weight training she reversed her IR and her PCOS symptoms were reduced or reversed.
Good luck!
Sorry OP.
Inositol + these 2 books changed my health and weight
If you have HSA funds and like groups, both Adapt Your Life and The Fasting Method have occasional groups and TFM also offers individual coaching.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp
Do you have insurance coverage for something like Ozempic?
I also had to work a lot on how I used sugar and starch to reward, rev up, tamp down anxiety, etc. MRIs show that they can impact the brain like cocaine and opiates and once I made the connection of feeling less anxious after bread or pizza, I wanted to change that pattern. Dopamine Nation, Food Junkies (the book and the podcast) and YT vids by the Carb Addiction Doc all helped, plus I googled ways to get serotonin and dopamine and made a list and started doing them. My life has been enriched by that in ways that cookies or ice cream never could. That also helped reduce the drive to get all my endorphins through my mouth.
I feel so much better now that I would not want to go back, no more GERD, tendonitis, migraines, hair grew back, cycles normalized, no more chronic sinus infections, HS flares, better moods, no more reactive hypos that felt like panic attacks, etc. The books linked above have tools to deal with maintenance so that helped with the yo-yoing. I changed my mentality to see changes as a choice and not deprivation and kind of shifted food from a super primary focus - what I ate, what I had not eaten, when I would eat x again, etc. It really dominated my life and health and way I saw myself and now there is more mental space and room in my life for other things.
Look for posts by u/spinningcenters, she lost 100 lbs and has kept it off and reduced or reversed many PCOS symptoms.
Best to you, sorry it was such a rough day!
Check out this book Dr. Jason Fung wrote re: PCOS with a naturopathic doctor who has it herself
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Inositol can also help http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
These books and articles really changed my life
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html (inositol is very helpful for IR and also re: hair regrowth but it can take months once your insulin is significantly lower)
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
To avoid symptoms, fasting insulin is optimally 4.9 or less. Get it down and keep it down and the symptoms you list should be significantly reduced or resolved.
This book is another good overview re: IR with practical advice on everything from food and meal timing to adding muscle (very metabolically protective) and sleep. https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Sick-Epidemic/dp
Good luck!
Fasting insulin is optimally 4.9 or lower to avoid symptoms, that is easily checked. You could also get an OGTT.
Re: PCOS, it is diagnosed if you have 2 of the 3 Rotterdam criteria.
You could also assume that lowering your insulin might be helpful, these 2 books are very useful. The first has a particularly empowering title. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 There are PCOS success stories in this book, too https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/ The co-author wrote this, which might be helpful http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html along with this https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/ It's estimated that 88% of US adults have some degree of metabolic dysfunction and IR increases with age, so, never hurts to work on reducing or reversing it. You may find the symptoms you have reducing or reversing too. Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
You may also want to check out The Fasting Method podcasts, both Dr. Nadia and Megan Ramos have reversed own PCOS symptoms and other health issues with fasting.
Have you had your thyroid checked? Are you taking any meds that impact glucose or insulin such as bcp, blood pressure meds, many allergy meds including Flonase spray, meds for mood and/or anxiety, etc? Google should help you identify any and you can speak to your doc about more weight neutral alternatives.
A lot of us have found IF helpful, esp if we have symptoms of IR such as skin tags or the following https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/, https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Inositol was also really helpful to me http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Good luck!
I resisted that one and the heavy cream in coffee in fasting window for a long time despite listening to loads of Megan Ramos podcasts where she says fasting clean gives the best results. Alas, having worked with thousands of clients at The Fasting Method, turns out she was right.
Once I switched I also saw better results. She also really advises to focus on therapeutic fasting and get to weight and health goals in a finite time period. I wasted SO much time doing lazy LC with frequent cheats, loads of flavored drinks and cream in coffee in fasting window, etc. I felt both deprived and frustrated that I was not making much progress. Once I really dialed it in the changes were significant, my hair even grew back. Ramos talks about women losing more and faster the as they get more established in fasting, that was also my experience, as IR decreased, weight shifted more easily. Men tend to lose more at first, then slower, women kind of the opposite pattern.
Best to all on your health journeys. IF is a great tool for improving metabolic health. This book has a very empowering title and also some good recipes. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
What has worked for a lot of us: targeting IR with LC/keto, supplements like inositol, berberine or NAC or a med like metformin, IF, prioritizing protein, high fiber green veg and some healthy fat but not unlimited fat. Many have found tips from Glucose Goddess on IG or her new book helpful in regulating glucose and thus insulin. As IR improves, weight will shift more easily.
Your diet is high in starch which is connected to skin symptoms and belly fat https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
To see insulin resistance improve longer fasts might be needed. You may want to check out https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Muscle mass is very metabolically protective, you can see if weight or resistance training helps preserve yours even with the extreme diet.
You may want to check out the Glucose Goddess book or IG https://www.instagram.com/glucosegoddess/ many at r/pros have found her advice on how to consume carbs yet moderate the glucose impact useful. Maybe try more vegetables and less grain and see if that helps improve IR?
Get a referral to a dietician or nutritionist from the doctor who recommended this diet, it is important to treat the IR too and will be very hard to balance the 2 as you have described it. Also, the body needs some amino acids, you will want to make sure you are getting those. If this is not a short term treatment your risks of sarcopenia, osteopenia, diabetes, etc are real and your doctor should have a plan for addressing that.
Yes, likely related. Sugar and starch (chains of sugar) make a huge difference re: hirsutism for me. Limiting them, inositol and spearmint tea help loads.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Eating more protein, high fiber green veg and healthy fats like avocado and olives and minimizing processed food has reduced or reversed my symptoms. You might also want to check out this book https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and the YT vid the authors did re: PCOS. This is good too https://www.dietdoctor.com/high-protein
Good luck!
Eating carbs for a few days should give you a good baseline, you could do a week if that feels better.
IR drives PCOS for almost all so come back to keto and you may reverse your symptoms completely and put them in remission.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
IF can also be great to layer in, this book is great and has a very empowering title. The authors also have a good YT vid re: PCOS. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
IR can express as PCOS, or as ED in men, as diabetes, as NAFLD, mood disorders, heart disease, some cancers and ultimately, Alzheimer's. Keto or LC and IF are powerful tools to reduce or reverse it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY and https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 (direct and very empowering approach)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html and https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298 (simple, life and health changing)
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Many of us have had this experience of symptoms improving or disappearing by managing IR http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html. Virta Health research shows the same results re: T2, as does Level 2.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://healthstage.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Lots of us have had our hair grow back as part of improving metabolic health https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/du062x/hair_losslow_carb_screenshots/
For anyone with skin tags or any of these symptoms https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/, worth a try.
An estimated 20% of those with PCOS who are and have always been thin and who do not respond to an IR protocol tried for a few months and who have high DHEA-S, see posts by u/bunnyhoney1233 for how she improved her symptoms. Most with lean PCOS and almost all who are overweight see improvement in symptoms by lowering IR.
Except for an estimated 20% of those who are and have always been lean, and who test with high DHEA-S, insulin resistance is the driver of PCOS for 80% of those who are lean and most of those who are not. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html Inositol is very helpful to many of us.
https://healthstage.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 (very empowering title, clear advice, some good recipes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Glucose is completely separate; insulin can be quite high and rising for a decade before tested glucose starts to climb. You could have fasting insulin checked, below 4.9 is optimal to avoid symptoms and an OGTT, or you could simply make changes and see how symptoms respond. I had all of these but AN, instead I had skin tags. https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
When I got consistent with low carb and some intermittent fasting, plus inositol and berberine, my symptoms began to reduce and reverse. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
This book is also great and has loads of suggestions to lower IR from sleep to weight training you can do at home. https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Sick-Epidemic/dp/1953295770 Besides PCOS (and ED in men), IR is also linked to NAFLD, diabetes, mood disorders (doubles risk of major depression!), heart disease, some cancers and Alzheimer's. The silver lining of PCOS is that it can get us to make health changes at a younger age that will pay lifelong dividends. And things like losing my hair were powerful motivators to make the changes that grew it back. https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Sick-Epidemic/dp/1953295770
There can be pregnancy risks with PCOS, not just fertility but during the pregnancy, higher risks of miscarriages https://www.fertilitytips.com/high-insulin-levels-may-lead-to-miscarriage and stillbirths and higher risks of developmental issues like autism or higher risks of metabolic diseases in the child such as future diabetes. All are linked to high insulin. Lowering it prior to pregnancy and both parents optimizing metabolic health prior to TTC is one thing I wish I had known, it also maximizes fertility in both parents. I had complications when eating a high starch veg diet (no GD prob because insulin was so high) that did not repeat with later pregnancies after changing to an omni lower starch diet. This vid by an OB is good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2KD-nTiJ14
Best to you on your health journey!
One thing I have heard Dr. Fung and his team suggest is varying the time of the OMAD, say lunch one day, dinner the next, so every other day there is a longer fast.
OMAD is not always the best for every purpose.
https://blog.thefastingmethod.com/omad-should-you-eat-one-meal-a-day/
For me, it works better for maintenance than weight loss. I have PCOS though, ADF with two normal sized meals on eating days worked really well to lose, but I had a lot of insulin resistance. I also eat pretty LC, it has really helped my health, no more migraines, chronic tendonitis, sinus infections, asthma symptoms, etc. I found this book helpful, for anyone who has PCOS https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 It has some good recipes, too. And he has a vid on YT on this topic.
OP, if I was you I would examine what you are eating and experiment with your schedule. The 3rd key for me was eating full meals, no snacks, when I ate, I used to be a big grazer. I think that was keeping insulin high all the time for me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
Re: my experience: I did like of lazy LC on and off fasting, etc and basically saw no sustained weight loss or health changes, I'd gain and lose 5 lbs over and over and just be inconsistent. I wasted a HUGE amount of time that way. Once I dialed in food and IF it all changed and I wish I had been more goal oriented sooner. This book was very simple and a game changer when combined with IF. https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp Once at health and weight goals he coaches through finding personal carb tolerance to keep the gains, finally no more yo-yoing and I could never have imagined my health could be this good and my quality of life is SO much better. I have hobbies and better relationships, my endorphins don't all come from eating now. I thought I had a "why" but my actions were not reflecting it with consistency.
Good luck and pls come back with updates!
Low carb
A1C measures average glucose, insulin can be very high to keep glucose down. Fasting insulin is a better measure, optimal is 4.9 or lower, the "normal" range can go very high, well into territory that causes symptoms. 5.7 A1c is prediabetes range, but the book I linked will help you reverse it, esp if you also layer in some intermittent fasting. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605, it is very effective to reverse insulin resistance and PCOS symptoms.
This article is by the co-author of the book I linked earlier, it may also be helpful http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Good luck! I could never have imagined how much my health could improve and how much I enjoy my life now. IR can express not only as PCOS and as diabetes but also as NAFLD, heart disease, mood disorders, some cancers and Alzheimer's. Reducing and reversing it will pay health dividends for life.
Take care and please come back with updates!
Insulin can have a big impact at the level of the follicles for both men and women, here is one study for example https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4144211/ A1C tests glucose which is not the same thing, very high insulin can be keeping glucose down. When you say IR is treated are you on metformin or something like that?
If diet is locked in and inositol did not help, another lever to try pushing is IF https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Has DHEA-S been tested? Cortisol? If cortisol is high, IF is not helpful.
Good luck!
Changing how you eat and how often can help not only PCOS but also mood and attention
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/mental-health-guides
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/adhd
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Inositol is also great for PCOS and for mood, this article touches on it http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
This short vid explains why targeting insulin is key for weight loss https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
It can all get SO much better! Focus on metabolic health and the weight changes will follow. Good luck!
A1C measures glucose NOT insulin.
To get a sense of your insulin levels, get a fasting insulin test and an OGTT. Or, know that you have symptoms of high insulin (as do an estimated 88% of US adults) and take steps to address it. That will also maximize fertility.
Do you have skin tags, a waist height ratio (measured at biggest point of belly) greater than .5 or any of these? https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 (note the empowering title), the authors made this vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Many PCOS fertility success stories here https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos, this talk by an OB is also excellent. LOTS of things to focus on that you can completely control, diet and spacing eating are the most powerful levers, you have the power to change your health and enhance your fertility. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2KD-nTiJ14d Doing so will not only reduce your health risks but will also lower health risks posed by pregnancy with PCOS and re: the wellbeing and future health of the kids. Good luck!
Intermittent fasting
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
I switched to cold brew coffee, way less bitter and acidic and ate pretty much protein and some veg, occasional berries and some 21 and 30 day stints on r/zerocarb
This book was a game changer for me re: IR, weight loss and maintenance, finally no more yo-yoing and my health is so much better than I ever could have imagined. https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298 The Phase 1 has minimal dairy, pretty much hard cheeses. I really wanted to make as much headway with IR and symptoms as fast as I could at that point. I had done lazy LC with lots of slips with no or little progress and I was really wanting to get to heath goals including hair, so I followed that until at or close to goals. Dairy increases congestion for me so I avoid it during allergy seasons anyway. Dropping it for an extended period broke my ice cream addiction and my sugar obsession, I was big on ice cream and cookies and milk, cereal and milk, etc. Switching to eggs, meat, fish and veg had amazing satiety and I started to lose skin tags, have belly fat shift and eventually hair started to regrow. Now it is occasional cheese or cream in my coffee if out at brunch.
Best to you on your health journey!
Maybe check out https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605, intermittent fasting can help IR with any diet. The Gallen Foundation has good YT vids re: reversing IR and restoring insulin sensitivity, here is one
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LohrbZwaXr4
Supplements like inositol, berberine and NAC can help and things like avoiding seed oils and managing sleep and stress. Best of luck to you!
r/AlternateDayFasting discussed in https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
r/AutoImmuneProtocol
Have you ever worn a CGM? Even a few weeks could give you interesting data, your body could be reacting to foods that you don't suspect are problematic. I had a friend who ate Paleo and made a lot of curries with coconut milk. Should not spike insulin but for him it did and it impacted weight loss. In the US it usually requires a prescription but they can be obtained from Level 2, I think.
Your reactions to inositol and magnesium are interesting. I think you will have to play detective and maybe more data points can help?
That is interesting, inositol is used to treat depression in higher doses. If it was not a good fit for you there is always NAC, berberine or metformin.
I did lazy low carb with pretty frequent slips for a LONG time and saw no improvement, ugh for all the wasted time. I also did some Alternate Day Fasting with 2 full meals on eating days, that seemed to help my IR a lot. It is one of the schedules discussed in https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 I also did better with really clean fasting and distinct spaced meals on eating days, my old pattern of grazing/snacking seemed to derail progress.
As my IR improved, skin tags vanishing, hirsutism improving, skin and hair less oily, cycles less crazy heavy, then weight seemed to adjust more easily. With water weight a factor the scale stressed me out, I ended up putting it away, weighing once a month when cycle ended and using measurements, photos and tight clothes to track progress.
Keep trying things, don't give up! Someone on here said that once and it was the best PCOS advice.
I also found sleep and stress mgt very important. My doctor is big on a 10pm bedtime and a daily 30 min walk for relaxation. I laughed it off but it did help. I used to have very erratic sleeping hours and poor quality sleep, I had apnea symptoms and IR can mess sleep up too, along with cortisol. NAC is also good for sleep as is magnesium, I take that about 1/2 an hour before bed and also minimize screens for a while before sleep. It was hard to make changes but I do feel better.
Good luck, please come back with updates!
Lower IR, cutting sugar and processed food and IF can help a lot. Bcp actually increases IR so that will not fix the symptom and needs to be offset as much as possible. Weight/resistance/bodyweight training can help a lot, new muscle is insulin sensitive.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ug90krgdhGo
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
r/sugarfree
Regardless of tests and diagnosis, you have symptoms. And there are things you can do to not have the symptoms anymore and to address the underlying issue causing the sympotms. If you do not address the hypos it is a risk for future prediabetes, NAFLD, etc.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
The title of this book might be of interest https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Take care!
Cutting out sugar, inositol and 2 cups a day of spearmint tea helped mine a lot. My pores are even visibly smaller now.
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19585478/
Plus this was helpful, title is very empowering https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Skin symptoms suck but they can literally be visible signs of progress, too. Good luck!
I've never tried metformin but I will say that cutting out sugar had a huge impact on both hirsutism and hair loss for me. Even now, if I eat sugar I have more hair by the next day. r/sugarfree is a great source of support. IF was also really helpful to me in lowering the insulin resistance that drove my hair loss. Neither of those would have any side effects except possibly sugar withdrawal.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Other alternatives to consider layering in might be NAC and/or berberine.
Good luck!
You probably need more magnesium re: cramps and electrolytes in general. There is an excellent guide to electrolytes in the sidebar at r/fasting. If you are new to fasting your body is still in the process of becoming fat adapted. Symptoms like being cold should pass in time, in the meantime try hot tea.
When fasting if you feel bad it's always good to stop and restart another day.
This is a great guide to IR and to PCOS https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605, they also have a vid re: PCOS on YT.
r/intermittentfasting and r/fasting are great supportive and informative communities.
Glad you are feeling better!
r/TTC_PCOS
r/TTC_Protocol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zv590d3qaU
Lots of success stories in https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Good luck!
For almost all, PCOS symptoms are an expression of IR. IR can worsen over time. These articles may be helpful, also this video and book
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
You can google the Rotterdam criteria, only 2 of the 3 are needed. More importantly, what is your plan to address your symptoms? The above should help if you have any signs of IR, include skin tags with the AN https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms
IR is the driver of PCOS for basically all who are overweight (insulin is the hormone that tells the body to store fat) and an estimated 80% of those who are thin. The remaining 20% of those with lean PCOS don't get benefit when they try and IR protocol and their DHEA-S tests very high. In that case look for posts by u/BunnyHoney1233 re: what she did to lower high DHEA-S. With changes laid out in the links above, symptoms caused by IR can be reduced or even reversed or put into remission.
Look up Rotterdam criteria, only 2 of 3 are needed. That still leaves, what to do re: your hirsutism, etc. These might be helpful re: what to do re: your symptoms
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19585478/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
OP, hugs to you.
Some things I found that helped a lot with hirsutism, maybe you could try some? Cutting sugar and starches (chains of sugar) - if I have a lot of sugar I have more hair by the next day, huge impact on my symptoms. Inositol, 4g in 2 doses of 2 per day, studies re: hirsutism on PubMed. 2 cups a day of spearmint tea, study re: hirsutism on PubMed.
The book End Your Carb Confusion by Dr. Eric Westman really changed my health and my symptoms. The co-author wrote this. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html The changes from the book, the tea and the supplement helped my physical and mental health, inositol is good for hirsutism but also mood. It also helped me to feel like I could impact my symptoms. I have done a few carnivore challenges for 21 or 30 days that drop carbs to basically zero and have found that for me, hirsutism vanishes, the insulin/androgen trigger is real.
Some find spiro helpful re: hirsutism, another route to consider. I could not tolerate it but ymmv.
Don't accept that this is how it is, symptoms can change. For me the biggest lever was changing food and also spacing out eating so insulin had time to fall and stay low. This was a great resource too. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Once your symptoms begin to reverse and hormones are better balanced, something like electrolysis or laser can help.
Huge hugs to you. Please don't give up on your life or on changing your health. Take care, OP and let us know how you are doing.
I found this book and vid helpful, both authors have YT vids and are active on social media. Dr. Nadia has her own PCOS story, so, inspo.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Inositol has also been really helpful for me.
The book End Your Carb Confusion also really helped my own reactive hypos. You will probably relate to this. https://betterhumans.pub/how-the-ketogenic-diet-and-intermittent-fasting-cured-my-non-diabetic-hypoglycemia-841968623949
You might want to read a bit about IR, here are some links to get you started
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html (inositol could be great for your symptoms)
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Sick-Disease_and/dp/194883698X
This book is super helpful in explaining PCOS and what to do to turn symptoms around.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
The authors made this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
This book really helped my health along with inositol https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 I had similar symptoms that have reduced or resolved. This article might be helpful too http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html and https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/.
Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 or r/fasting or r/intermittentfasting
I would cross post at r/pcos. I highly recommend this book https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605, this book https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298 and these 2 articles, the first is by the co-author of EYCC and it touches on inositol, very helpful for IR and also for mood, https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Insulin resistance can manifest as PCOS or as ED in men, as diabetes, as mood disorders, as NAFLD, as heart disease, some cancers and Alzheimer's. Reducing or reversing it could help your cycles but also mood. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/09/insulin-resistance-major-depressive-disorder.html also https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/mental-health-guides
Sorry to hear about your mom, hope you both are feeling better soon. With the symptoms you describe it is very likely that you are IR. Insulin is the hormone that tells the body to store fat and it is linked to cycle and mood issues. https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
You may not be diabetic now, but more and more expressions tend to manifest over time unless the IR is reduced or reversed. IR also increases with age, so, now is a great time to tackle. Good luck!
Inositol, diet tweaks and spacing out eating + 2 cups a day of spearmint tea has really helped my symptoms and a lot of us have regrown our hair with a LC diet.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19585478/
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/du062x/hair_losslow_carb_screenshots/
Good luck!
Lots of us have children, I would not assume you will not.
Eating a whole foods high protein diet, cutting sugar, incorporating IF and taking inositol turned my health around. Loads of success stories in this book, including the co-author who has 2 kids. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 The authors also have this YT vid https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Inositol is discussed here, also very good for mood http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Take care, there is lots you can do to benefit your health and many with PCOS have kids.
A lot of the symptoms are due to hyperinsulinemia, and respond to lowering insulin through approaches like lowering carbs, cutting sugar and IF.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html, she co-wrote the book End Your Carb Confusion which helped me lose and maintain and turn health around when nothing else seemed to work.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
High levels of insulin can dysregulate other hormones and impact vitamins such as vitamin D. Sugar can also impact nutrient levels. Hormones that are dysregulated cause a lot of miserable symptoms from heavy sweating, to irregular cycles, facial hair, balding, reactive hypos, etc. After making changes, those symptoms for me have reduced for reversed, including my hair growing back.
2 cups a day of spearmint tea can have an effect similar to spiro w/o the side effects, inositol, NAC and berberine can have effects similar to metformin w/o the side effects.
Changing food to focus on protein and high fiber green veg with some healthy fat like avocados and olives and eating whole one ingredient foods and cutting down on processed foods is one big lever the other is spacing out eating so insulin has time to fall and stay low. With insulin we have too much stored energy and spacing eating lets the body draw down some of those stores, like a battery. We are meant to run on incoming food or stored energy like a hybrid car. For many of us we are stuck in burning sugar/glucose mode, which keeps insulin high so we can't easily access fat stores.
This book was also a game changer for me https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 along with these vids by the authors
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4 and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
This book was really helpful to me
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and the authors made this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Also these articles, the first touches on inositol, a supplement that has helped many of us, Amazon carries it. Helpful for facial hair. So are 2 cups a day of spearmint tea.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
and https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
No, that required for success with his approach but that rec is here
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Very effective additional too, ime. Loads of people with PCOS have found IF useful, lots of ways to do it. Starting with eating full meals and cutting snacking is easy. Then I moved a meal slightly over a period of time until I was eating twice a day and just have black cold brew in am. And I used to drink super light super sweet coffee, so it was a process.
Lowering IR has changed my health and given me my quality of life back, I feel so much better - cycles not crazy heavy, less hirsutism, hair grew back, no more HS, migraines, GERD, lower bp, no more tendonitis, chronic sinus infections, skin tags or reactive hypos that felt like panic attacks. I was a vegetarian for many years, too high in starch for my metabolism, and I grazed all day. An omni diet low in starch and eating full meals spaced out were like cheat keys to reducing some PCOS symptoms and reversing others.
The other book that taught me a lot about IR was Why We Get Sick by Dr. Benjamin Bikman. He covers how IR can manifest as PCOS or ED in men, as mood disorders, as NAFLD, as diabetes, as heart disease, some cancers, and Alzheimer's. He includes loads of tips and tweaks for everything ranging from diet to sleep (cortisol increases IR) to weight training, new muscle is insulin sensitive and metabolically active.
Best to all on your health journey!
It is all that they are taught in med school. This might be helpful.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
My guess would be yes to both of your questions.
This book was super helpful to me. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 also inositol http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
The pill increases insulin resistance which can make weight loss more of a challenge, but not impossible https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/. This might help too https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
Good luck!
The tools to turn it around are in your hands, this may also help https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Doctors are often not all that helpful when it comes to metabolically based issues, unfortunately, they may only get one hour of nutrition education in med school. But, many of us have reversed hirsutism, normalized cycles, etc, by changing what we eat and spacing out eating so insulin has time to fall and stay low. It is estimated that 88% of US adults have some degree of metabolic dysfunction, so, we are not alone, and the sooner it is reduced/reversed, the easier it is. The silver lining of all of this for me was that it got me to make changes at a younger age and facial hair and losing hair on my head was super motivating. A vegetarian diet was too high in starches for me, once I switched back to an omni diet, cut sugar and ate full meals with no snacks I saw a big change. Inositol and spearmint tea helped too.
Good luck!
A lot of bcp list weight gain as a side effect and they can increase IR which leads to weight gain.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
The 2 books that turned my weight and health around and stopped the yo-yoing finally
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Books that changed my health and quality of life
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298 (low carb, moderate fat, high fat keto is for seizures not weight loss or metabolic health)
Also insositol, good for IR, PCOS and also for hair growth, see article by co-author of EYCC http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
If you can, getting access to a CGM, esp if you can work with a group like Level 2 or Virta Health is a very effective way to see how food effects your ind body. No more guessing or justifying, just data.
Vids by the Gallen Foundation on reversing IR and regaining insulin sensitivty are great, here is one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LohrbZwaXr4
A lot of us have done really well on a higher protein high fiber green veg, some healthy fat like olives and avocados diet, loads on that here, or the work of Ted Naiman and his P:E diet, basically increasing protein and decreasing energy from carbs and fat pretty much the same as Westman and Fung above, not tons of added fat, oil in coffee, etc which is a medical ketosis approach for neurological conditions. More here https://www.dietdoctor.com/high-protein Good luck!
https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/du062x/hair_losslow_carb_screenshots/
Books that changed my health and quality of life
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
Also insositol, good for IR, PCOS and also for hair growth, see article by co-author of EYCC http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Hair loss in women and early hair loss in men is strongly linked to IR, reversing that is how I fully regrew my hair. https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
If you can, getting access to a CGM, esp if you can work with a group like Level 2 or Virta Health is a very effective way to see how food effects your ind body. No more guessing or justifying, just data.
Good luck!
The Cleveland Clinic put out this
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
The book End Your Carb Confusion by Dr. Eric Westman was what gave me the tools to finally, effectively turn my health around, and it also includes what to do at that point to keep the gains, coaching you through determining personal carb tolerance. This article by the co-author is great and touches on inositol, which has been very effective for many of us. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html Intermittent fasting can also be very effective to reverse IR when combined with diet changes, bcp actually increase IR. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 The Gallen Foundation also has EXCELLENT vids re: reversing IR and regaining insulin sensitivity. Here is one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LohrbZwaXr4
If you have access/means/coverage using a CGM and working with a group like Virta Health or Level 2 that does remote coaching, education and group support to reverse metabolic disorders like PCOS removes any guess work, it shows how your body reacts to individual foods, exercise, sleep, etc.
Good luck, OP. Focus on what you can control, it is those factors that will reduce or reverse your PCOS symptoms. https://www.doctornadia.com/single-post/2020/05/19/Tuesday-Tips-My-Five-Pillars
Try to eat unprocessed foods as much as you can, ie, meals made from 1 ingredient foods - eggs, meat, veg, cheese, fish, chicken, berries, etc.
Inositol also helped me, and layering in intermittent fasting, which gives insulin time to fall and stay low.
These books and this article by the co-author of EYCC were game changers for me:
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Vids by the Gallen Foundation re: IR are great too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LohrbZwaXr4
Fung and Pateguana have loads of vids including one specifically re: PCOS. Westman and Berger have loads of vids too.
What really matters with IR is what you eat and how often, I found. With IR we tend to produce too much insulin and to clear it more slowly, so when I used to graze all day it just got higher and higher all day long. The book End Your Carb Confusion really helped me, along with this article by the co-author. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html She touches on inositol, which was a game changer. Vids by The Gallen Foundation re: insulin resistance and regaining insulin sensitivity are great and this book was also excellent. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Subs like r/sugarfree and r/fasting and r/intermittentfasting are great sources of support and info too, also loads of free info here https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Is it possible? Yes, many of us have kids. I would suggest working on your metabolic health in the meantime. These resources might help, both books have PCOS fertility success stories.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2KD-nTiJ14
More success stories and advice from OB re: IR here https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Best of luck to you!
These 2 books were game changers for me.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
The co-author wrote this helpful piece re: PCOS. She touches on inositol, which can be taken with metformin. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Since you have a diagnosis, you might want to consider a CGM and working with a company like Virta Health that provide education and coaching. A friend said the CGM was fun and interactive, and she reversed her IR, prediabetes and many PCOS symptoms. You likely have insurance coverage for it. https://www.virtahealth.com/
If you are interested in fasting and have a HSA check out group coaching from The Fasting Method. I have followed a lot of the work of Dr. Fung and Megan Ramos and Dr. Nadia Pateguana, who both have reversed their PCOS symptoms. People have posted on here who worked with their coaches and sometimes that group support and the expertise they bring might be helpful. I can't speak from personal experience but could be worth a look. They seem to typically recommend shorter consistent fasts which also build healthy sustainable habits. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Sure, check out https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
also r/vegetarianketo and r/veganketo for ideas
Lots of routes to the same destination. Supplements like inositol, NAC and/or berberine or meds like metformin + resistance or weight training also help a lot re: IR.
Hair loss is connected to insulin resistance for most of us, esp if overweight, so target that specifically, not just weight loss. Several have posted here of losing even 100 lbs and not having a change in symptoms until they targeted insulin resistance specifically. Metformin will defo help but consider lowering sugar and starches and increasing protein too. Inositol is ok to take with metformin and it is independently good for hair growth. How long? Hair growth cycles are long, up to 6 months, so give it time. Another powerful lever to lower IR is intermittent fasting, check out https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and the talk Dr. Fung and Dr. Nadia did on PCOS, it is on YT. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms, including hair loss, so, inspo. She is also active on IG and does a podcast on The Fasting Method.
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/du062x/hair_losslow_carb_screenshots/
Good luck!
A stint on carnivore along with berberine helped my gi issues a lot. Not only re: candida but turns out that my body does really well with a lot less fiber. There are lots of folks improving gi issues at r/carnivore and r/zerocarb, it is also great for candida and IR esp if you skip dairy at least for a while. My skin and hair are way less oily on carnivore, my pores even look much smaller, and my skin clears, insulin can really impact skin. https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
I will let others chime in re: the OGTT. I think it should be dropping more by hour 2 and that yours is a typical result based on what others have posted here, that seems to be where insulin wonkiness and some degree of IR that shows up for a lot with PCOS in that the hour 2 reading is about the same or in some cases, higher.
IF can also be very healing re: candida and re: IR. We tend to over produce insulin, which IF helps, and to clear it more slowly, as your OGTT may indicate. So, by consciously spacing out eating we give it a chance to fall and stay low, otherwise it may just climb higher and higher all day, which increases IR over time.
These resources might also be helpful
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
IR is strongly linked to mood issues. NAC, inositol and/or metformin can help, along with diet changes and IF
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/mental-health-guides
OP, you may want to check out these resources re: TTC with PCOS and how keto can help both male and female fertility. Diet Doctor has lots of free recipes. Once you have some easy ones in rotation it gets simple. I find the lower I am on carbs the less I crave sugar and starch, ymmv.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zv590d3qaU
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
This is useful as is inositol which is touched on. Great for PCOS and TTC, see studies on Pub Med. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Some IF also really helped me, eating more full meals and spacing out eating. With PCOS we tend to over produce insulin and clear it slowly so over the day it can climb higher and higher unless we are mindful about giving it a chance to fall and stay low. This book has some recipes and lots of PCOS/TTC success stories. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
I personally found acupuncture really helpful re: fertility, good luck!
You can see a lot of signs of it, here are some examples, it is estimated that 88% of US adults have some degree of metabolic dysfunction, so we are far from alone. PCOS is driven by IR for most, esp if overweight.
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/kc03r3/do_most_women_with_pcos_have_insulin_resistance/ (lots of ideas as to how to measure)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUp6JBMTw0o
Or, you can have fasting insulin tested, but it is not necessary, you will see the symptoms of IR disappear over time.
This book was also helpful https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and if you want to delve into the science more, Dr. Fung's Obesity Code is excellent, as is the book Why We Get Sick by Dr. Benjamin Bikman.
Give IF time, as you get more metabolically healthy weight will shift more easily. Eating a whole food low carb diet, avoiding seed oils, IF, supplements like inositol, NAC, berberine or metformin and managing sleep and stress are all helpful.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 Dr. Nadia co-authored The PCOS Plan, she and Megan Ramos who both work with Dr. Fung have their own PCOS stories, so, inspo, they are active on YT, IG and do a podcast.
Good luck!
Here’s a few faves:
- The PCOS Plan by Dr. Natalia Brito Pateguana has info on the physiology of PCOS, effects of intermittent fasting, and recipes too. Very much grounded in research.
- Insulin resistance Diet Plan and Cookbook
Carbs - sugar and starches, cause our body to hand onto water, so dropping them is one of the most powerful tools against inflammation. Seb derm is strongly connected to IR and is an independent source of hair loss but IR alone, with or without high androgens (in PCOS IR tends to cause high T from the ovaries) is itself linked to hair loss. There are lots of studies about it, not sure why none of my doctors seemed to know about the link. And of course, IR can cause high T from the ovaries, also linked to hair loss. IR is even linked to early hair loss in men, as well as ED, so strange doctors do not seem aware. https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/r0jv9n/study_the_association_of_androgenetic_alopecia/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUp6JBMTw0o Studies re: hair loss and IR linked in show notes, way more on PubMed.
Inflammation sucks, before changing diet, IF and supplements I used to get migraines, joint pain and have chronic tendonitis. Wish I had known what to do sooner, not being in pain is a gift.
Dr. Nadia, the co-author, has her own PCOS story, so, inspo. She also regrew her hair and reversed diabetes, mood disorders, and NAFLD. She was lean PCOS who eventually gained weight as her metabolic health worsened. Now she helps other people. She is active on IG and does podcasts. She advocates eating a whole foods diet, that defo helped me get away from seed oils.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Good luck to all struggling with this symptom, it is so hard emotionally. Lots of us have regrown our hair, either with IR protocols or with fish oil and vit E to lower high DHEA-S. Don't give up and pls come back with your success stories!
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
Lots can be done, some ideas here http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html and here https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4 and here https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Sick-Disease\_and/dp/194883698X
How is your DHEA-S? If high, search for posts by u/BunnyHoney1233 about how she brought hers down.
Yes. You might also want to incorporate some IF or time restricted eating, it can be very helpful in reversing IR. This book was very helpful for me and has some great whole foods recipes too https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 The co-author, Dr. Nadia, has reversed her own PCOS symptoms, diabetes, mood disorders and NAFLD, so, inspo. She is active on IG, I like following her to get more info and ideas. These are her 5 pillars, very useful https://www.doctornadia.com/single-post/2020/05/19/Tuesday-Tips-My-Five-Pillars
Weight or resistance training can also be really helpful, it boosts resting metabolism and new muscle created is insulin sensitive.
Keep doing all that you are. If your insurance will cover it, try a CGM for even a few weeks. The info about how your individual body responds to various foods, amounts of sleep, etc, is super valuable.
For almost all with PCOS it is driven by hyperinsulinemia, insulin is also the hormone that tells the body to store fat. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html. She touches on inositol which has been a huge help to many of us.
Reversing IR and living an insulin sensitive lifestyle can improve or reverse symptoms, this book helped me a lot "The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting" https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 The co-author has her own PCOS story and changed her own health, so, inspo.
This might also be helpful https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
Cysts can come and go, they are just one symptom.
IR/metabolic syndrome is a spectrum, PCOS is just one expression, others are NAFLD, diabetes, heart disease, mood disorders, some cancers and Alzheimer's. Reversing or reducing IR lowers the risks. IR tends to increase with age, so now is a great time to work on it. The longer we have it the more the risk for developing other expressions. This book is a great overview of IR and what to do about it. https://www.amazon.com/Why-We-Get-Sick-Disease_and/dp/194883698X We are not alone, it is estimated that 88% of US adults are metabolically unhealthy, PCOS just gives an early heads up and motivation in my case (hair loss) to make changes and get consistent.
Many have found that adopting an insulin sensitive lifestyle causes their PCOS symptoms to greatly improve or vanish. Good luck!
IR is known to be linked to fatigue, so much so that Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is associated with insulin resistance. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20102774/
Insulin resistance/hyperinsulinemia/metabolic syndrome is the driver of PCOS for most of us. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
For years I was exhausted and had bad brain fog and terrible reactive hypos. Reducing sugar and starches, increasing protein and healthy fats, and layering in inositol and some intermittent fasting reduced my insulin resistance and gave me my energy and health back. A daily walk and 10 pm bedtime (both suggested my my doctor) helped energy over time and kept stress and cortisol down.
For me, the reactive hypos caused by hyperinsulinemia/IR felt like panic attacks, much like is described here https://betterhumans.pub/how-the-ketogenic-diet-and-intermittent-fasting-cured-my-non-diabetic-hypoglycemia-841968623949
There are lots of ways to eat "Mediterranean" try lowering starches and layer in inositol and gradually reduce between meal eating and see how you feel. There are some good whole food recipes in here that you might enjoy. https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Good luck, hope you are feel better very soon!
This article and inositol, which it touches on, http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
and this book helped me reverse or reduce my symptoms https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605, this is a vid re: PCOS by the authors.
Inositol helps with insulin sensitivity, much like metformin, what we eat and how often controls the amount of insulin. IF was really helpful for my PCOS.
Good luck!
Intermittent fasting for the win!
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
I use the recipes in this book all the time
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
This article might be helpful
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
These books were gamechangers re: my health, also vids and podcasts by the 4 authors
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
also https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Loads of info, free recipes and success stories here https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
PCOS is one expression of insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome, insulin is the hormone that tells the body to store fat. Other expressions of metabolic syndrome include NAFLD, diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and Alzheimer's, you may have people in your extended family with those conditions. The longer we have unreversed metabolic syndrome, the higher the chance of developing other expressions. The good news is that reversing the underlying insulin resistance by reducing sugar and starches and by spacing out eating (IF) we can reverse or reduce our PCOS symptoms and lower the risks of becoming diabetic, developing NAFLD, etc. There are lots of people doing that here, at r/intermittentfasting and at the low and zero carb subs.
This book was like a litghtbulb going off for me https://www.amazon.com/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight/dp/1771641258/
Good luck! Once I understood the drivers it was possible to turn it all around.
You could also try intermittent fasting? This book also has recipes https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
For me, I wanted to reduce/reverse my PCOS symptoms so lowering insulin was key for that. Changing the food and/or changing how often we eat both help accomplish that goal. Inositol also helped.
In my case, working out the ways I was using food for endorphins, to rev up, to reward, to deal with stress or anxiety was really important. This book was useful in sorting out the different issues and figuring out what to do about them. That is kind of key because the book points out how people go from one thing to another until learning other ways to manage feelings (going from an addictive substance to exercise addiction or alcoholism or sugar addiction or an ED to alcoholism) https://www.amazon.com/Food-Junkies-Truth-About-Addiction/dp/1459728599
Take good care!
These 2 books really helped me
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
and this article by the co-author of EYCC, she touches on inositol which helped my sugar cravings a LOT http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
What ultimately reduced my symptoms and put most in remission - keto, some intermittent fasting and supplements - inositol, berberine and NAC are all great. Weight or resistance training is great for reversing IR/metabolic syndrome too, new muscle will be insulin sensitive.
These are good too
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
and loads of success stories, info and free recipes here https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
For me, diet changes (I had been a vegetarian for years and my PCOS kept getting worse and my hair was falling out, just too high in starch for my body), and spacing out eating with IF helped a lot. With PCOS we release a lot of insulin and clear it slowly, so when I grazed rather than eating meals it just climbed higher and higher all day without a chance to fall. I am amazed at how much my health has improved, feels like I got my life back. It was hard breaking up with sugar but now I only wish I had done it sooner. Good luck and pls come back with updates!
http://content.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1914974,00.html
Intermittent fasting can help with any eating plan. For most of us, high insulin is the driver of PCOS symptoms, so lowering it by spacing out eating can help.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Supplements like inositol, berberine or NAC or meds like metformin can help with insulin sensitivity but what we eat and how often controls the amount of insulin. With PCOS we tend to produce a lot of insulin and clear it more slowly, so over the day it can get higher and higher. Having times where it can fall and stay low really helps, as does eating a whole foods diet without added sugar.
Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and r/intermittentfasting and r/fasting
Re: inositol: http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Have you had blood work done or a cortisol test? IR caused the same symptoms for me. I used to live on caffeine and even No Doze. Addressing that turned it around, inflammation dropped, moods got better, no more tendon or joint pain, etc. https://www.rd.com/health/conditions/insulin-resistance-symptoms I thought I had adrenal fatigue for years. IR is easier to reverse. This helped too https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 and http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Hugs to you! Being tired sucks!
A lot of us have issues with both cortisol and insulin. Generally people seem advised to lower insulin under 4.9, so you could try to target that for 6 months or so.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/ajd.12285
https://www.thehealthy.com/diabetes/type-2-diabetes/insulin-resistance-symptoms/
These were a helpful resource for me https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/comments/r0jv9n/study_the_association_of_androgenetic_alopecia/ co-author wrote this http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html and https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
LC or a combo of LC/keto w/ or w/out supplements has helped many of us regrow our hair. Inositol is good for IR and independently good for hair, for me it took keto and some IF together with inositol to regrow mine.
To lower DHEA-S, check out posts by u/BunnyHoney1233, she lowered hers with fish oil and Vitamin E and regrew her hair. Managing sleep and stress can also help with DHEA-S. Also use the search box up top, there have been a lot of posts about DHEA-S.
If your scalp is at all unhealthy, check out r/SebDerm too, it has high insulin and high androgens as drivers and is an additional cause of hair loss. Cutting out a few of the common SD trigger foods helped me a lot.
Good luck, it really is one of the hardest symptoms.
I found 2 books super helpful:
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 (the co-author, Dr. Nadia Pateguana has her own PCOS story and is active on IG)
https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298
the co-author wrote this post re: PCOS, she touches on inositol which was a game changer for me re: hunger and cravings http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
It can all get better, take care! If you want a deeper dive into the science than the PCOS Plan, The Obesity Code is great. But the PCOS Plan focuses on PCOS and also has great recipes.
Are you supplementing electrolytes? There is good info in the sidebar at r/keto.
Try this approach, it has been successful for many with metabolic issues
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNZsfluh0Uo
The author, Dr. Eric Westman, wrote a great book called End Your Carb Confusion. He knows what works with PCOS, he published a study back in 2005. His co-author wrote this helpful article, inositol was a game changer for me. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Intermittent fasting is also a powerful tool re: IR
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3d7KkyXnyB4
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
It can get WAY better but it takes time. Good luck!
Insulin resistance is a spectrum. Diabetes is the end point.
Inositol is Vitamin B8. Your body will not become addicted to it.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29498933/
Besides being helpful for insulin resistance and fertility, inositol is beneficial for hair http://www.msfullhair.com/inositol-for-hair-loss-adding-choline-makes-it-extra-powerful/ in both men and women, may help hirsutism and acne https://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/inositol-acne-hirsutism-testosterone.html#:~:text=The%20researchers%20concluded%3A%20Inositol%20%22is%20a%20simple%20and,it%20appears%20to%20reduce%20acne%20and%20hirsutism%20problems it is helpful for sleep and is also used to treat depression and anxiety.
If you take steps now to reduce IR you should see an improvement in your PCOS symptoms and you will reduce any future risk of diabetes. The stat is that 50% of women with PCOS have full blow diabetes by age 40 and diabetes before 60 ups the risks for Alzheimer's. Reducing sugar and starches, becoming more active and weight training help cut all those risks. Some of us have seen our PCOS symptoms completely reverse, including having our hair re-grow, when we reduce IR.
Other helpful resources: The PCOS Plan book or any YT vids or podcasts by the authors The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting Paperback by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
From The Cleveland Clinic Controlling Your Blood Sugar Can Improve Your PCOS and Hormone Imbalance https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
From Diet Doctor (loads of free recipes and success stories) Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
Losing weight alone may or may not help IR. Some of us lost a lot of weight and did not see any improvement in our symptoms until incorporating LC or intermittent fasting. One of the upsides of skin symptoms like skin tags is that you can see them disappear as you make progress.
Good luck!
Keto/LC is great for maximizing fertility in both partners
Lots of great info at these vids
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Zv590d3qaU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4
More vids by an OB and success stories here
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
More success stories here The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting Paperback – April 14, 2020
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
Lots of us have kids. I found accupuncture helpful for fertility as well. Good luck!
You may have prediabetes, you should see your doctor and get checked, or you could have a condition short of that, insulin resistance. There are many things you can do to reverse it, so you will not be at risk for diabetes.
Symptoms
- Darkening of armpits, neck, and groin or skin tags
- Absence of menstruation
- Lethargy
- Brain fog
- Hunger
- Frequent urination
- Extreme thirst
- Abdominal obesity
- Reactive hypoglycemia
There is a lot of useful info here
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
Good luck!
Lots of women with PCOS have kids, aim for metabolic health and it should be ok. Focus on what you can do to lead an insulin sensitive lifestyle and symptoms may subside or begin to reverse. There are some vids by an OB embedded here
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
Lots of inspo and success stories here too, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms. Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books
more excellent advice from an OB Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities' - YouTube
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' - YouTube
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
This is a great overview, inositol has been game changing for a lot of us, for others it is the med metformin. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
Focus on health and what you can control and you may be surprised at your health gains and with the results when you TTC one day. Good luck!
You can make changes that will reduce your symptoms and help your hormones to rebalance. This book and these articles were very helpful to me. My libarary had the book.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Lots of info here
Diet Doctor Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
You searched for vegetarian - Diet Doctor
r/vegetarianketo
r/DesiKeto
In addition to diet changes, inositol and incorporating some intermittent fasting or time restricted eating can really help. r/intermittentfasting
Good luck!
Insulin resistance is the driver of PCOS for almost all of us. You mentioned a few symptoms.
Symptoms
- Darkening of armpits, neck, and groin, etc. or skin tags
- Absence of menstruation
- Lethargy & fatigue
- Brain fog
- Hunger
- Frequent urination
- Extreme thirst
- Abdominal obesity
This article and this book and podcasts or YT vids by the 3 authors were helpful to me
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia
also Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
This might also be helpful The Connection Between Hypothyroidism and Insulin Resistance (restartmed.com)
Best of luck to you on your health and TTC journey! r/TTC_PCOS is also a sub you might want to check out.
Metformin can lose effectiveness over time.
Layering in the supplement inositol might help with insulin sensitivity.
Intermittent fasting was super helpful to me in lowering insulin. This book was great, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms and diabetes, very inspiring. Both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts, Dr. Nadia is also active on Insta. Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Even just cutting out snacking, eating dinner early and not eating until breakfast lets insulin fall and stay low. With PCOS we have more insulin released and are slower to clear it. Lots of inspo and success stories at r/intermittentfasting too.
Why managing insulin matters Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin - YouTube
Congrats on the engagement and new job and good luck!
I found layering in intermittent fasting and inositol along with keto/LC really helpful. As we get older IR tends to increase, so those were additional levers to push on. This book has basic info and great recipes, for more info on the science, The Obesity Code is great. Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms. She and Dr. Fung have loads of YT vids and podcasts and Dr. Nadia is active on Insta. For support and inspo on Reddit check out r/intermittentfasting, r/fasting and r/AlternateDayFasting
This article has a lot of good info too Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From Hyperinsulinemia.
If you have not, getting a thyroid panel and being checked for vitamin and mineral deficiencies - D, iron, etc, can rule out other issues or guide you to address them.
I found that the pill made my insulin resistance worse and when switched to that brand I gained a lot of belly fat suddenly. I think you may want to focus on insulin resistance again, and also consider how sleep and stress are, cortisol increases insulin resistance, as does bcp. If you do not want to take metformin again, maybe layer in some of the supplements that help with insulin sensitivity like inositol, NAC or berberine. IF is also very helpful re: PCOS and IR.
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
My hair completely regrew on LC + IF + inositol.This really gets into how insulin resistance > higher testosterone > hair loss and worsening PCOS symptoms. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc 2 cups a day of spearmint tea and dropping carbs more helped me re: oily skin and hair, I did not tolerate spiro well.
This was also really helpful to me, Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms.
Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts. There are lots of folks having great success at r/intermittentfasting, r/alternatedayfasting and r/fasting. Shifting eating to earlier in the day and getting more and better quality of sleep helped a lot.
https://www.doctornadia.com/single-post/2020/05/19/Tuesday-Tips-My-Five-Pillars
Good luck!
This was helpful to me, both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts and Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms.
This was good too Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
and https://health.clevelandclinic.org/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pill-not-remedy/
Inositol has helped a lot of us and spearmint tea, 2 cups a day, has an anti-androgen effect similar to spiro.
Good luck!
These 2 books were really helpful to me, all 4 authors are experienced re: PCOS and all have loads of YT vids and podcasts for info and inspo.
Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Dr. Nadia was able to reverse her own PCOS symptoms. The Obesity Code is also a great source of info on the current science behind weight gain and loss.
End Your Carb Confusion: A Simple Guide to Customize Your Carb Intake for Optimal Health: Westman, Dr. Eric, Berger MS CNS, Amy: 9781628604290: Amazon.com: Books Here are some testimonials re: the approach, including how it helped re: PCOS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FoF6w-aEKvU
With PCOS, controlling insulin and cortisol are key, which includes magnaging sleep and stress. For some, intense cardio can trigger cortisol which can lead to weight gain.
https://www.shape.com/fitness/tips/high-cortisol-levels-exercise-stress
Layering in something to help with insulin sensitivity, whether a supplement like inositol or a med like metformin may also help along with spacing out eating so insulin has a chance to fall and stay low for periods of time. Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin - YouTube
Good luck!
For me, keto controls HS, plus avoiding gluten, so the processed keto foods. The LC tortillas caused a flare for me. Keto + some intermittent fasting + inositol reversed my PCOS symptoms.
This book was very helpful. Both authors have loads of YT vids and podcasts. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS and is very active on Insta.
There is a sub for HS, keto & gluten free has been really helpful for many.
The fatigue is likely insulin resistance, that should also resolve with diet changes, supplements like inositol or meds like metformin will also help.
This book was also extremely helpful and there is a case study of somone with HS and several people with PCOS.
Both of these authors have loads of YT vids too and Amy Berger also wrote this
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
Also check out this vid, HS is a skin sign of insulin resistance or chronic high insulin levels. The whole list is
Early Onset Male Pattern Baldness (in women, w/PCOS)
Skin Tags
Acanthosis Nigricans
Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Acne
Rosacea
Psoriasis/Eczema
Good luck, it can reverse!
7 Skin Signs of INSULIN RESISTANCE (Root Cause 2021) WARNING: Graphic - YouTube
This book was very helpful to me, along with inositol. Blood tests are ranges, so what causes symptoms in your individual body can be less.
Both authors have loads of articles, podcasts and YT vids. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms. She is also very active on Insta.
I also had sudden weight gain, went from lean PCOS to not. Different bcp can have different impacts on weight. Also, get your thyroid and DHEAS checked.
If you have not seen this, it is informative.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
Managing cortisol and insulin should be helpful in reversing PCOS symptoms, including losing weight.
https://www.doctornadia.com/single-post/2020/05/19/Tuesday-Tips-My-Five-Pillars
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin - YouTube
Good luck!
Intermittent fasting can also be very helpful with PCOS. Megan Ramos reversed her own PCOS symptoms with IF and a LCHF whole foods diet, but it can be beneficial with any diet.
Intermittent Fasting for Women | Jason Fung ft. Megan Ramos - YouTube Dr. Nadia Pateguana, who co-wrote The PCOS Plan also reversed her PCOS symptoms as well as prediabetes and mood disorders.
r/intermittentfasting, r/AlternateDayFasting
Inositol and reducing sugar and starches helped me regrow my hair, worked for others here too. Inositol helps hair and insulin resistance and other PCOS symptoms, it is touched on here
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
More on inositol here http://www.msfullhair.com/inositol-for-hair-loss-adding-choline-makes-it-extra-powerful/
Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Dr. Fung also wrote The Diabetes Code and The Obesity Code, they go more into the science. The PCOS Plan also has recipes.
Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms and prediabetes, so, good inspo. She has lots of vids on YT also. Here are some https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcpFX_e2Bk and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OdUxPcvGy4 more inspo at r/intermittentfasting
Getting your thyroid checked and getting iron, vit D and other common deficiencies checked can all be helpful.
Hair loss/low carb screenshots : PCOS (reddit.com)
Making changes gets easier over time and starting young will make a huge difference for your health and possibly your hair. Good luck!
Fasting is great for PCOS
Fasting drops insulin levels immediately which then drops testosterone Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
Cortisol can increase insulin levels, so can nicotine and it increases with age unless steps are taken to reverse.
This was very helpful to me
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana - YouTube
Episode 46 - PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms, very good inspo.
https://www.doctornadia.com/single-post/2020/05/19/Tuesday-Tips-My-Five-Pillars
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
Besides changes to diet, IF, managing stress and prioritizing sleep, I found inositol helpful, some get similar effects from metformin, which is a prescription med. If you have any sleep issues, address, otherwise cortisol stays high all night. If you wake up tired or with a dry mouth try NAC, nose strips or a cpap. My doctor recommends a daily 30 min walk for stress relief and going to bed by 10 and waking up naturally.
Many of us went from lean pcos to sudden weight gain and worsening symptoms, you can walk it back. Changes you make now will benefit health in the long run, not just pcos but lowering risks of diabetes, etc.
Good luck! Pls come back with updates!
I found making changes allowed me to regrow my hair, fighting with doctors was frustrating and not esp helpful.
Cutting sugar and starch has allowed many of us to regrow hair.
Hair loss/low carb screenshots : PCOS (reddit.com)
I found cutting sugar and starch, some intermittent fasting, inositol and choline very helpful.
These resources were also helpful to me
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
r/intermittentfasting
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana - YouTube
Episode 46 - PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities' - YouTube
Good luck, my symptoms are well controlled now. Keep making changes and do not give up until you find what works for your body!
Ask your doctor for a CGM or if outside the US you do not need a prescription. Wearing one for a few weeks gives a lot of useful data.
This might be helpful if you have not seen Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
This book was really helpful to me to reduce IR, inositol too. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms and is active on Insta.
r/intermittentfasting
These vids may be helpful
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Vids by an OB embedded here Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
Also Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms, she is active on Insta, the book has many success stories re: TTC.
Also, do some research on PCOS and inositol and/or metformin for minimizing risks to PCOS pregnancies and improving egg quality.
Good luck!
Inositol is a supplement you can get from amaon, it has a similar effect re: insulin sensitivity. With diet changes and some weight or resistance training you should be able to start lowering your IR again. This book was also very helpful to me. IF combined with diet changes and supplements is really impactful.
Any chance you can see the first doc again? He sounded informed. Can you ask the GP for a rec?
These vids could be helpful re: TTC with PCOS
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Inositol and metformin can also help re: egg quality and reducing the risks we have with pregnancy and PCOS, they can also help prevent and treat GD.
Good luck!
Glad you are ok! This book was very helpful to me.
Inositol, a supplement, really helped my hunger and cravings and PCOS symptoms. It helps hair a bit, 2 cups a day of spearmint tea helped a lot re: hair.
Changing food and IF are really powerful re: lowering the insulin>high testosterone>hair and other symptoms and can reverse symptoms. http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
So sorry for your loss.
There are some good vids re: TTC with PCOS by an OB embedded here
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
These vids are helpful too, another OB and a naturopath who has PCOS herself
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
This book was useful to me and has a lot of info re: TTC with PCOS. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS symptoms. I use the recipes pretty often too.
Inositol has a lot of benefits re: pregnancy with PCOS so that should help. Hugs to you!
Binge eating is extremely common with insulin resistance. If you work on lowering it BE may well resolve. Doing so will also likely control or reverse your PCOS symptoms.
http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
Insulin Resistance and Binge Eating
This book was helpful to me, both authors have many useful vids on YT as well.
Look up the Rotterdam criteria, you need 2 out of 3, which you have. None of it has to do with blood work.
There is lots you can do to reverse your symptoms. This sub is a great source of info, this article explains a lot Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc, these are great too
Some people find fasting really effective with PCOS. Amazon.com: The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (9781771644600): Brito Pateguana ND, Nadia, Fung, Dr. Jason: Books
This explains what is driving your symptoms. Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
LC has worked well for many too, lowering your insulin levels by reducing sugar and starch will lower the androgens causing symptoms, see link above for more details. Lowering sugar and starch will likely help your migraines, too, it eliminated mine. Also, it lowered inflammation a lot so pain I was having from things like tendonitis went away. It sounds like you are really suffering, could be worth a try?
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
How to potentially reduce migraine headaches ... - Diet Doctor
This is also the approach that has enabled many of us to not only limit or reverse our symptoms but also to regrow our hair.
Hair Loss - There Are So Many Posts @ This, Wanted to Bump Old Thread : PCOS (reddit.com)
Good luck!
This should help you feel a lot better, both physically and re: the future
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana - YouTube
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube
Lots of us have kids, changes are good you will too, esp if you work on your metabolic health.
These books were super helpful to me, the docs who wrote them have a lot of clinical experience helping women with PCOS get to metabolic healing, that is when losing weight gets easier and symptoms reverse. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS, diabetes and mood issues. Cutting sugar and starch is great for mood as well, mood issues are another expression of metabolic syndrome, just like PCOS, diabetes and NAFLD. Both have a very simple, straightforward approach.
Low Carb and Mental Health: The Food-Mood Connection — Diet Doctor
Vids by any of the 4 authors are helpful too, good luck!
Weight gain is a common symptom of bcp, it increases insulin resistance. Insulin is the hormone that directs our body to store fat.
This explains what causes the weight gain and what to do about it
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
This is also very helpful, Dr. Nadia was able to reverse her own PCOS, so lots of inspo. She also has several vids if you search YT.
Sorry for your loss.
This was helpful to me, it has lots of success stories re: fertility and PCOS.
This link has a lot of vids embedded by an OB and fertility success stories
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
These vids are helpful too. Best to you!
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' - YouTube
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana - YouTube
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! - YouTube
Dr. Tim O'Dowd - 'Reproduction Nutrition' - YouTube he is a big proponent of BOTH parents becoming as metabolically healthy as possible before TTC
Inositol and metformin can be helpful re: egg quality and also lower the higher risks of miscarriage with PCOS as well as helping prevent and treat GD.
I personally found accupuncture really helpful for balancing hormones and fertility.
Miscarriage is so common, even more so with PCOS that is not well controlled. Until it started happening to friends, I had no idea how common. You are not alone, huge hugs to you.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
I love Dr. Nadia's "eye on the ball" mantra and for PCOS that ball is keeping insulin and cortisol low - cut sugar, reduce starch, manage stress and to to bed early. Your PCOS symptoms will likely reverse. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS.
This explains why reducing insulin matters so much and has been game changing for many of us.
It increases IR and risks of strokes and heart disease, so make choices to offset that as much as possible if you choose to take it. LC and IF are great ways to improve metabolic health and to keep weight under control with PCOS.
Some bc is high in androgenic effect, research yours.
This book is excellent
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605 Videos or podcasts by the authors are really helpful. Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS.
Many have had that experience. These sources strongly suggest the answer for many/most is yes. The 2 books listed were written by doctors who have many years of experience with PCOS do just that, in fact, look at the title of the Fung book. The Westman book specifically mentions PCOS and a PCOS case study, he published a research paper on PCOS way back in 2005.
Can Low Carb and Keto Help Reverse PCOS? — Diet Doctor
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting: 9781771644600: Medicine & Health Science Books @ Amazon.com Fung & Pateguana
I have, it is super helpful, I do both.
I knew Dr. Nadia had PCOS but had not known Megan had that diagnosis too.
It is so interesting to me that they had so many expressions of metabolic syndrome, not only PCOS but diabetes, NAFLD and mood disorders like depression and ADD as Megan described in the vid. By changing what and when they ate, they were able to reverse all of it. I know Megan is big on weight lifting but Dr. Nadia is not an exerciser, the food and how often really matter. So awesome that word is getting out, IF is SUCH a powerful health tool. Cannot beat it for free and convenient too. Some posters here are clients of TFM.
I also like The PCOS Plan book that Dr. Fung wrote with Dr. Nadia Pateguana, great info and good recipes too.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND and Dr. Jason Fung
So happy that you are finding success, u/thechanchanman!
Both of these docs have many years of clinical experience helping people, including women with PCOS, lose weight and keep it off. Highly recommend videos by any of the 4 authors.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting (this book also has some great recipes)
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND and Dr. Jason Fung
Dr. Westman does a no calorie counting method re: keto and has a very high success rate, his approach is super simple, the book goes into different ranges of LC once you have lost weight and/or reveresed your PCOS symptoms or other expressions of metabolic syndrome.
This article by Amy Berger is a great overview of PCOS.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc
Keeping insulin and cortisol low are really helpful for weight loss and for managing PCOS.
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Good luck!
Hairloss is a result of high androgens which are a result of high insulin for almost all with PCOS - almost all overweight and 75% lean PCOS. Androgens from the adrenals plays some role for the majority but a small one, and a primary role for the 25% of lean, most likely. It is a primary and common symptoms of PCO and it is reversible for many if insulin levels are lowered and stress is managed.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From ... http://www.tuitnutrition.com/2019/06/pcos.html
PCOS Hair Loss: My 5 Step Plan to Help You Grow Your Hair Back https://thepcosnutritionist.com/blog/pcos-hair-loss/
Insulin Resistance: Hair Loss and Diet - Sandra Bloom https://sandra-bloom.com/insulin-resistance-hair-loss-diet/
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2KD-nTiJ14
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author) https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
I really like the recipes in this
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary ...
They even have mocktail recipes for getting electrolytes which is kind of a fun approach.
r/ketorecipes is great and there are a lot of recipes posted over at r/vegetarianketo I also like Easy Keto Recipes and Menu Plans, Low Carb, Squeaky Clean Keto, & Gluten Free Recipes | I Breathe I'm Hungry and The Paleo Running Momma | Run Fast, Eat Clean, Live Messy! has a lot of keto recipes too.
Congrats on all the progress!
This book was super helpful to me. Dr. Nadia had PCOS and infertility herself and has had clients successfuly get pregnant with diet changes. Her story is pretty inspiring. It is a paperback so pretty cheap and she talks about fertility.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
These videos have some good info re: PCOS and fertility too
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana!
Supplements that help with insulin resistance such as inositol or meds such as metformin, can also have benefits for fertility, worth googling.
Dr. O'Dowd talks about the importance of metabolic health for sperm too, so changes can be a team effort.
Good luck!
Keto lowers your insulin levels. With PCOS we are at high risk for diabetes. Glad you are following up with your doctor. Managing stress and sleep are also important, high cortisol can also contribute to insulin resistance.
This article goes into how keto helps lower insulin levels which helps PCOS and any other insulin related issues.
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From ...
You might also want to check out these 2 books by Dr. Jason Fung
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and
The Diabetes Code: Prevent and Reverse Type 2 Diabetes Naturally (The Wellness Code Book Two)
Part of: The Code Series (2 Books) | by Dr. Jason Fung and Nina Teicholz
Good info here too
I took it in hot coffee for months, live an learn. Was nice, kinda miss it.
I have been doing alternate day fasting, I used to do longer but did not see big results and I would oddly seem to retain water. You could always do time restricted eating but if you are trying to lose, I have found ADF super helpful.
I do not eat a lot of beans, maybe the vegetarian keto sub could help? I am really trying to knock my IR down and even with keto and supplements and exercise, it is still there. If I eat rice at a wedding I get a skin tag the next day and it lingers for a week. I do incorporate a sweet potato or lentils or chickpeas occasionally, say in a soup, but really am keeping carbs very low. Supposedly over time, IR can be reversed, I have had mine for most of my life, so giving it time.
I really found this book very helpful. Had gotten from library and just bought my own copy. There are some really good recipes in it, including fun "mocktails" to get electrolytes.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dr. Fung is the fastiing guy. I also liked these vids
Dr. Nadia is goals re: her own health changes and I love the "eye on the ball" mantra.
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcpFX_e2Bk
Dr. O'Dowd is a good reminder that what I do today will benefit my health for a lifetime.
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2KD-nTiJ14
Good luck, there are lots of paths to the same goal!
His book is great and has some good recipes and Dr. Nadia reversed her own PCOS
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Dr. Tim O'Dowd is fantastic too, he is in Oz for anyone there looking for a doc.
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
The same is really true of most disease, look at the hyperinsulinimia of Type 2 diabetes, which we are at high risk for, and how it is treated with more, and very expensive, insulin.
Lifestyle changes + supplements or metformin + weight lifting or resistance & walking = great improvements in insulin resistance and PCOS
I thought this book was really helpful. The authors also have lots of videos.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Taking inositol was super game changing for me, lots of posts about it here. Good luck!
It takes a while. What changes have you noticed in health and/or PCOS since starting keto?
For me, it was a combo of keto, some IF, inositol and choline.
When I added the inositol, I noticed changes in hunger and cravings very quickly. Then skin changes and I lost more skin tags. Hair regrowth started close to 3 months, I think. My hair has fully grown back in.
I highly recommend
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It even has some good recipes including mocktaisl for electrolytes, a fun touch. My life would have been so different if this had come out years ago, glad it is here now. PCOS symptoms can be reversed and in doing so we lower our risk of diabetes, NAFLD, cancer and Alzheimer's too.
This article is good too
Tuit Nutrition: The PCOS Post: Hormonal Havoc From ...
Give it 6 months, maybe a day off for Thanksgiving and Christmas if you celebrate.
Weight training is a great addition, if you do not have access to weights, resistance works. Daily walks too.
More inspo:
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Fwiw, I also drink 2 cups a day of spearmint tea, it is like a weaker spiro without side effects.
Please come back with updates.
Lots of women with PCOS have children, chances are that you may too.
This info was helpful to me.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.reddit.com/r/ketoscience/comments/c24m7g/the_pcos_post_hormonal_havoc_from/
That was kind of an odd word choice but cycts are a common feature of many with PCOS. This video is super helpful in explaining
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
So is this book, it is a paperback, so pretty cheap
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
There is a lot of info about lean pcos here
https://www.verywellhealth.com/unique-challenges-of-lean-women-with-pcos-4155138
Weight lifting or resistance training, walking and yoga are all really helpful for PCOS.
Also bringing over from another thread...
This is solid info. Your symptoms can be reversed or well controlled.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome' (Dr. Nadia had PCOS herself and has reversed her symptoms and Dr. Fung addresses the mechanisms of PCOS. Really helped me understand.)
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! (not just @ fertility, love her "keep your eye on the ball! mantra")
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Supplements like inositol, berberine, NAC and meds like metformin can be helpful too.
Cutting sugar and processed food is a great first step in addressing a key driver of PCOS symptoms. Eating whole foods and less sugar is great for health anyway but esp good for PCOS. Your symptoms may well stay the same or improve, OP, everyone's body is different.
Welcome!
This is solid info. Your symptoms can be reversed or well controlled.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana! (not just @ fertility, love her "keep your eye on the ball! mantra")
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Supplements like inositol, berberine, NAC and meds like metformin can be helpful too.
Cutting sugar and processed food is a great first step in addressing the root cause of PCOS>
Welcome!
I found watching Dr. Cywes videos to be super helpful. He changed his diet due to health issues too, so that is kind of insp for me. Linking just a couple. He really focuses on learning to love yourself and for me, that helped food lose it's hold, I wanted to be healthy and feel good and food was more, just food.
Understanding Carb Addiction Part 1 - by Dr. Robert Cywes
Understanding Carb Addiction Part 2
Why me? Vulnerability to addictive behavior part 1- by Robert Cywes
Ep35 Beating Food Addiction with Expert Robert Cywes MD PhD
This one is interesting too, it is something that comes up anecdotally a lot at r/keto and r/xxketo, people who previously had ED suddenly feel more in control.
Can a keto diet treat binge eating disorder?
There is another recent study over on r/ketoscience linking improvements in anorexia to a high fat diet. There is a lot of focus now on using low carb or keto to treat mental health issues, our brains often really like ketones and a steady supply of energy instead of a blood sugar roller coaster.
Are you getting good control of your symptoms or your symptoms in remission with your diet? If not, maybe incorporating some intermittent fasting could help and could give you better results and more flexibility? This book really helped me. Getting good results has been super motivating to me, esp my hair growing back.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Also, supplements like inositol, berberine, NAC or meds like metformin can be really helpful.
There are a lot of different routes to the same goal. You do not need to be perfect to get results, just pretty consistent.
If you are open to supplements, both inositol and NAC are great for PCOS and for mental health, anxiety, OCD, depression. There is lots of info out there if you Google. I take both and feel like it helped me have a more normal rx with food. A lot of what I experienced before was due to insulin resistance driving cravings and kind of a preoccupation with food that was stressful. I used to get reactive hypoglycemia too, and it would feel like panic attacks. Sucked.
Since I have been working on my insulin resistance, my PCOS is much better and I feel happier too. Both PCOS and mood issues are connected to insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome.
I found this book very helpful in explaining PCOS and tests re: other conditions to rule out, and if it is PCOS what can be done to reverse it. It is a paperback so pretty cheap on Amazon. She also covers what to do to be as metabolically healthy as possible before and during pregnancy to minimize the risks posed by PCOS.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I have also linked a few videos that were very helpful to me.
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep53 Dr Nadia Pateguana ND Insulin PCOS and Fertility Resolution Explained
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Dr. Jason Fung: To Lose Weight, You MUST control Insulin
Also, this article had a lot of helpful info, including about fertility. There are some helpful vids embedded in it by Dr. Fox.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/benefits/pcos
This article is really good too
https://fit.thequint.com/her-health/how-to-manage-your-pcos-with-some-lifestyle-changes
In addition to using diet or intermittent fasting to lower the insulin driving PCOS symptoms, many of us use supplements like inositol, berberine or NAC and/or meds like metformin. Lots of info here if you surf around, there is a search bar up top.
Lots of women with PCOS have multiple kids, including the book co-author and me, do do not despair. Lots of things to try. I personally did acupuncture and Chinese medicine and got great results.
This sub is a great source of information. There are a lot of reasons for hope. Many here have reversed their PCOS symptoms or have them under good control. There are lots of things to try.
I also had my hair grow back on omni keto, hope you have luck too. I also added the supplement inositol and choline. This book has a lot of info re: PCOS and using keto diets to reverse. My library had it or it is cheap on Amazon. r/keto and r/xxketo have lots of info too.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting 1st Edition
by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung (Author)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For me, keto stopped the shedding. I noticed a ton of baby hair 2-3 months after adding inositol and choline. Inositol is good for insulin resistance, and for mood, also can be helpful re: hair. Hope it works for you. Good luck!
I had hair regrowth with keto + some IF + inositol + choline
For me, keto & IF pretty much stopped the shedd, after 2- 3 months of inositol and choline I got a lot of baby hair. Before that I had skin changes, lost skin tags and my scalp got healthier and less oily.
I found the book The PCOS Plan helpful in understanding what causes the symptoms of PCOS and what to try to reverse them.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
These vids were helpful too
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcpFX_e2Bk
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
My hair used to make me cry, I totally hear you. But there are things to try that might help make it better.
Inositol was great for me, along with reducing sugar and carbs. I got hair regrowth from keto + some IF + inositol + choline
I found this book and these vids helpful
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana!
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Throwing in a plug for The PCOS Plan, full of great info, esp re: fasting. It came out last spring and got a bit lost w/the shut downs. I read it from the library but just ordered a copy. It is a paperback, so pretty affordable. The thing about IF is it works with any diet and the ovaries are super responsive to insulin falling. People have results pretty quickly, not when some weight is reached. When insulin falls, so do androgens, which is the driver of most symptoms.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1771644605?ref=ppx_pt2_dt_b_prod_image
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaouRuqqEfY
Episode 46 - How to Improve Fertility with PCOS w/ Dr. Nadia Pateguana!
Dr. Nadia has a YT page and was pretty active on FB Live when the book came out. She had PCOS along with diabetes, fertility issues, NAFLD, thyroid cancer and mood issues, but she has reversed her symptoms so she no longer qualifies for a PCOS diagnosis or a diabtetes diagnosis, both are based on current tests and symptoms. It is shocking to me every time I hear her say it, but it is goals for sure. She had lean PCOS herself.
Curious what fasting schedules people are following?
I have tried a couple, right now and trying ADF for about 36 hours.
I found the book The PCOS Plan very helpful.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
These videos were great too.
Ep. 30 - Treating PCOS Early & The PCOS Plan with Dr. Pateguana
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXcpFX_e2Bk
Dr. Nadia Pateguana & Dr. Jason Fung - 'Polycystic Ovary Syndrome'
Dr. Tim O’Dowd - ‘PCOS and Insulin Resistance: A lifetime of opportunities'
Inositiol is helpful for egg quality and is used to prevent and treat GD in pregnant women. It is also helpful re: insulin signaling. For me it helped a lot re: hunger and cravings and for hair regrowth. Controlling insulin levels while pregnant can help reduce the risks to pregnancy with PCOS to the pregnancy and to the child, so could be quite helpful.
See how the RE does. Many are now recommending inositol and LC diets, they can be that helpful in conceiving. I did acupuncture and Chinese medicine for fertility with great success, so that is another option out there too.
Good luck, please come back with updates!
Intermittent fasting, not dumb at all.
Highly recommend The PCOS Plan
If you check over at the r/PCOS board, many have used keto and improved their health.
PCOS is driven by insulin resistance, whether your are overweight or have lean PCOS. Women with PCOS have a high risk of being diabetic by age 40 and insulin resistance puts you at risk of cancer, heart attack, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's too. Reducing IR is a big gift to your future health.
Keto/LC, IF and meds/supplements are the commonly recommended treatments for insulin resistance. Weight lifting can also be helpful as new muscle will be insulin sensitive.
My library had this.
https://www.amazon.com/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
Glad that keto is working so well for you!
Doctors don't emphasize diet enough. Follow their advice and take the medications if you need it But, even if you aren't overweight you should try to reduce your insulin resistance through diet.
This is the book I read:
https://www.amazon.ca/PCOS-Plan-Prevent-Polycystic-Syndrome/dp/1771644605
But, I think some of her rules in the above book are a bit extreme, so I follow a diet more like this book - https://www.amazon.ca/Obesity-Code-Unlocking-Secrets-Weight/dp/1771641258
You have 2 of the 3 Rotterdam criteria, cysts and hirsutism, 2 of the 3 is all that is needed for a diagnosis.
A book that was really helpful to me, along with podcasts or YT vids by the authors, it has some good recipes, too. Kindle version is super cheap.
The PCOS Plan: Prevent and Reverse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome through Diet and Fasting by Nadia Brito Pateguana ND (Author), Dr. Jason Fung
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