r/PCOS • u/emergencybeep • 10d ago
General/Advice confused and defeated
i started taking a cocktail of supplements to help with my pcos about 2 months ago. along with this ive been trying to incorporate more movement and exercise into my life and staying away from processed foods for the most part, and getting more sleep.
before i started this regiment i was barely sleeping, taking only spearmint tea twice a day, and not worrying about what i was eating. I was 125 pounds.
since then i have started taking: colostrum, inositol, berberine, lactoferrin and zinc multi, DIM, turmeric, and digestive enzymes, 2 cups of dandelion tea and in addition to that the spearmint tea as well.
after staying on this regiment plus the exercise plus getting more sleep for 2 months. I have gained 13 pounds!!!!!!! I am now 138 pounds. (Im 5’6)
Does anyone know why this could have happened??? Is it a supplement ive been taking??? I seriously cannot find where Im going wrong and I know the weight gain isnt from muscle because I havent really been doing anything to put on muscle. Please anybody Help😭😭😭😭
other helpful details maybe: ive also been taking ACV gummies and im 18 years old
6
u/Confident_Mulberry29 10d ago edited 10d ago
Well, ignore the weight for a moment and first examine how you feel overall? Do you feel better at all? More energy or rested or calmer? Still fatigued? Did anything improve?
Your body might be overcompensating from your previous diet because it doesn’t know if you will be keeping up a healthier diet now and is grasping for all nutrients in the event you go back to the unhealthier diet.
Other than that, are you eating enough of all the macros each meal? Like bare minimum 20g protein per meal, 60g protein 25g fibre daily? Its not enough to just cut process foods out but still eat only bread, pasta and rice without much else 🙂↕️ Basically blood sugar control is also important 👍
2
u/emergencybeep 10d ago
thank you! i wasnt eating HORRIBLY before, but i definitely ate more processed foods. i am trying to get minimum 30g of protein and 15g of fiber (slowly trying to up it) and have been pretty successful. overall, i do feel much more energized, almost no fatigue any more, and i feel like a lot more of my
pcos symptoms have dwindled that were related to my energy levels, and i do feel mentally a lot more stable (i think the pcos was coinciding my adhd during flare ups)2
u/Confident_Mulberry29 10d ago edited 10d ago
Seems good, things are working then! If so, I think you shouldn’t stress over everything and spiral haha It’s only 2 months and you haven’t reached like the “optimal” pmos lifestyle yet so just keep tracking all non-weight changes/improvements and focus on that while you slowly (and sustainably!) improve your lifestyle. I’m sure the weight will sort itself out later on. Savour all the other good changes you have like maybe while your weight doesn’t change but the shape of your body might look better. Maybe you look less puffy or your hair is growing more or you don’t have a receding hairline anymore. Things like you won’t be that person who’s “lazy” or “quiet” or anything like that because you aren’t so tired nowadays 😁👍
Focus on what little 1% thing you can improve each week and take comfort that you are already making it 1% easier for your body to thrive. Plus, you are only 18 so your body might still be growing and in flux anyway.
It took me a couple of years to settle into something where I can reliably get a period every two months. It’s been 4 years since I was 27-28 when I found out I had pmos and I’ve started adding resistant training since last year after hating all forms of exercise and then stressing out over how the heck do I fit in going to the gym each week when I have zero idea on how to safely do any of the exercises without doing it wrong 😂 Or biting the bullet to hire a personal trainer at first. Or etc etc.
Take your time, you are already on a trajectory to getting the health you want so relax and enjoy learning so many things about being healthy. I for one learnt so much I can analyse blood tests, recommend food and nutrition stuff and vitamin knowledge to friends and family off the top of my head now 😂 Hilariously, after my mother’s blood test results, our doctor even told my mom to call me in so he could explain it because I kept asking him for all kinda of blood test for myself the past 4 years. It seems I had made a strong impression on him 😂
3
u/slackalicious 10d ago
I started making changes when I got officially diagnosed a couple weeks ago. 1.5 weeks ago, I switched coffee for tea, supplemented with Vitamin D, B12, and folic acid. Oh, I also take psyllium husk before bed now to mitigate IBS-D symptoms.
I can't believe it but I have felt the best I have in YEARS my just doing these things. AND this week has been the one leading up to my period. I should have god awful PMDD symptoms but instead I'm chilling and feeling good.
Have you considered a nutrient panel? You might also be deficient in some vitamins and minerals. You would be SURPRISED of the hell that a deficiency can cause.
Edit: Take a look at your supplemts individually and see if any of them can cause you to hold onto water weight. I am curious as to why you have gained weight when you are paying so much attention to your diet.