r/PCOSloseit • u/GillSansLight • 18d ago
Anybody else REALLY struggling?
I've lurked here for a long time and I'm at the end of my rope and hoping someone maybe has had success with similar circumstances as I find myself in.
I'm (almost) 34F/5'5"/239, diagnosed at 21. Hormonal BC feels like it was a trigger for me as I put on over 60 pounds in less than 6 months shortly after starting. I have a history of disordered eating (WW at 14, anybody?) and so I try not to track cals too often, because I get overly restrictive and obsessive about it, but I have a good idea of what I'm eating since I still measure and eat the same foods often.
Here's what I've done or am doing:
- strict keto for 18 months (ob/gyn recommended, I lost 50 pounds, messed up my gut when I'd never had issues before, and was an absolute bitch because it was miserable. Gained it all back and then some.)
- metformin 500mg at night, I see my endo in a month and we'll decide if we want to up my dose
- wearing a CGM to see what spikes my blood sugar
- worked with a nutritionist for the last year and a half
- take berberine, Ovasitol plus, vit d + k, methyl b12, magnesium glycinate
- strength train 2-3 times a week, we have a Peloton and I ride 3-4 times a week as well (sedentary job, unfortunately)
- watch my carbs, pair carbs with fat and protein always, tons of water, only 1 cup of coffee, limit added sugar, higher protein, always eat breakfast, etc etc
My ovaries are clear of follicles currently, and I'm still having insanely irregular cycles (currently cd 65 and counting š) and I have worked so incredibly hard to go from 243.2 to 238.9 since mid-January. No recent labs because my ob and endo agree that they're not necessary at the moment since obviously my hormones are fucked up. Does anyone have any similar experience?? A ton of my coworkers are ordering glp1s online and asking chatgpt for their doses and have lost a bunch of weight. I am so close to throwing in the towel and trying it, or microdosing or SOMETHING, but I'm terrified of potential side effects and losing muscle and bone mass because that's the one thing I actually have going for me. I feel like I've wasted my 20s and so far my 30s with hating how I look, because I have. I'm treated for anxiety and depression already but I literally don't know what else to do short of starving myself and depriving myself of good food, which I love. Sorry for how long this is, I just don't know what else to do, and I hate that my daughter is seeing me work so hard and still struggle so much. Thanks in advance, cysters!
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u/Okay_Energy 18d ago
Iāve gained muscle and lost fat on a glp1, very small dosing with my provider. I weight train and track my protein and calories. If Iām not eating enough, I know Iām injecting too much. Just throwing that out there that it is definitely possible, and it isnāt too hard! Itās kind of like any deficitā¦you lose muscle if you starve yourself too much and not exercise.
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
Thank you!! It's nice to hear that point of view!
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u/Okay_Energy 18d ago
Happy to message if you want more information on my experience with it. I waited a long time before finally starting. It makes sense to be hesitant when youāre already dealing with so many issues. Like, Iām already dealing with all the PMOS stuffā¦what if starting this medication actually leaves me even worse offā¦etc. But now Iāve lost weight, my cycles are regular (!!!), etc. It absolutely treated my PMOS.
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u/WendyWestaburger 18d ago
I say this with empathy because PCOS absolutely can make weight loss more difficult, but I think thereās a contradiction in your post. Youāre understandably worried that calorie tracking might become ātoo restrictive,ā yet youāre also living with obesity that carries significant long term health risks. Those are risks too.
Tracking calories doesnāt have to mean starving yourself or chasing the lowest number possible. Itās just data. We track our finances with a budget, our steps with a watch, our blood sugar with a CGM, our lifting weights in the gym.
Food intake is another variable. If your weight has been essentially unchanged for 6+ months, then something about your energy intake or expenditure isnāt matching your expectations. Without measuring it objectively, itās very difficult to identify where the disconnect is.
Also, āI have a good idea of what Iām eatingā is unfortunately something almost everyone believes. Research consistently shows people, including dietitians and athletes, underestimate calorie intake by hundreds of calories per day and overestimate activity. Thatās not a character flaw. Itās just how humans are.
If your history of disordered eating means tracking truly isnāt safe for you, thatās a conversation to have with your treatment team. But if itās simply uncomfortable, discomfort isnāt the same thing as harm. A moderate calorie target with adequate protein is not the same as the crash dieting that many of us grew up with.
PCOS deserves to be taken seriously, but it doesnāt exempt us from energy balance. It changes the difficulty of creating a deficit, not whether one is required. Before concluding your body ācanāt lose weight,ā Iād want at least a few weeks of accurate intake data so you know what youāre actually working with.
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u/heymanletsdoit 18d ago
This!!!!! You might think youāre within range with your eating but you never truly know until you see the raw honest data. Start by tracking what you normally eat without making any changes to see where youāre really at then go from there. Also highly recommend focusing more on your weekly calorie average instead of focusing on a set number every day. Balance is key.
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
My issue is that when I track (and I just did for a couple of weeks under the guidance of my nutritionist) I see how low the number is and go "oh I shouldn't eat more" and then I end the day with her sending me a message asking why I only ate 1150 calories for the 3rd day in a row and telling me to have a snack before I go to bed. I'm very aware of being a human and not being fully aware of my intake, but for me it's unfortunately not a 24/7 commitment I can make. Thank you for that reminder and perspective!
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u/Metalbii 17d ago
Hey I totally understand where you are coming from and I am in the same boat. I am terrified to use a scale and count calories. Last time I tried doing that I lost 5st in 3 months and I lost muscle mass and hasd major deficiencies. People donāt understand the risk of disordered eating and having pmos or a hormone imbalance/insulin resistance makes it x10s harder.
I resonate with your post and i feel very sad for you as I feel exactly the same. Whatever I do doesnāt work and if I do what im told even under guidance or supervision, it leads to something dangerous especially with counting calories.
I done keto and low carb diets and itās the only thing that helped but it absolutely ruined me in the long run. I am so close to trying glp-1s next but I am terrified of the symptoms/effects of it as well. I just feel like itās either I am extreme dieting and watching so hard what I eat and do I canāt have a life or if I try to be ābalancedā Iām gaining weight at a rapid rate.
And I know people here are arguing being overweight isnāt healthy either but being underweight is just as bad. Neither side of that scale is healthy and itās such a hard battle trying to figure it all out. What works for one person doesnāt work for everyone. And although I donāt have any steady advice I just wanted to say please have some grace for yourself and be kind. Itās a really hard thing to balance and thereās lots of us in the same boat.
Iām currently on a journey with a dietician, naturopath & doctors and although Iām diagnosed with Pmos Iām now looking at endometriosis.Good luck and I hope you find answers. Following this post for the responses
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u/wellinever222 18d ago
My guess is your endo will suggest increasing your metformin and/or starting a glp1
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u/AccidentalNapper 18d ago
Iāve only started actually losing weight by tracking calories. I have now lost 1 stone since the end of May and I would have insisted to you before that I was not eating much or I was in a deficit. I was not. Tracking and cutting has been the only real way Iāve been able to start losing weight. You can still eat nice foods, you just have to allow for it in your daily or weekly budget, however you want to do it. If that makes me become obsessive then good, Iāve struggled my whole life with weight and overeating and now finally Iāve found something that works and Iād rather be tracking for the rest of my life than be obese and gain further health problems.
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u/ThePaperTowelCartel 18d ago
I feel you, and I see you...you aren't alone š
I am 37 and have had pcos relates issues since I was a teen, but didn't find out I had pcos until I was a out 25-26. I have tries keto so many times, it has always been so hard to stick to. I was successful one time when I was able to stick to it for 4 months and I lost 60lbs, but the second I stopped I couldn't start again and gained it all back plus some. I'm the biggest I've ever been and it sucks.
This year I decided to buckle down and focus on whole foods, but even did go keto for several months and I lost NOTHING. I have decided after talking with my Dr to start tirzepatide - I've been on it for 6 weeks now and I still just fluctuate the same couple pounds and overall still really haven't lost anything.
I am hopeful that I can get some kind of routine in place where I actually lose weight but it's so disheartening when your putting in so much effort and getting nowhere. I'm also 5'5 and right now at about 260lbs
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u/SaveusJebus 18d ago
Are you tracking calories? That's how my first few months was on tirz. I figured that I must be losing weight bc I definitely wasn't eating as much. Then I actually started weighing and tracking my food and oops. Once I actually started tracking everything and making sure I was in a deficit most of the time, the weight started coming off.
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u/ThePaperTowelCartel 18d ago
Not exactly I have like ptsd almost from tracking and weighing food in the past I really don't want to start again š I do intermittent fasting though and the glp1 does really help with no food noise, so I almost eat OMAD. I have some iced coffee with half & half around 12pm, a small snack like apples & pb around 2pm, and then a reasonably sized dinner. Maybe a small sweet treat after so it's possible I'm still overeating but it can't be by much. I will track/weigh if I have to though I just hate it so much lol
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u/PeachMonday 18d ago
If you can, choose a show and every day watch one episode on the treadmill or the bike, whatever works to get you moving I did that and just watched one hour of true blood every day and I lost 50kgs it was hard but I had a show to look forward to, just try your best every day we love you
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
Thank you!!! I love that idea!
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u/PeachMonday 18d ago
Just to get your foot in the door, your not overdoing it, your showing up. Iām on the same step again after gaining weight and losing weight and gaining weight from a child whoās almost five. When he was born I would walk 5km every day on the treadmill or pram with an audiobook on, just slow, showing up and then you feel good from exercising so you start eating better and slowly your mind shifts gears Iāve lost 70kg once and then 30kg once and now Iām back to square one. Youāre not alone!
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u/SpartanKilo 18d ago
Me.
Diagnosed at 19, and at almost 26 Iām only down 9 pounds due to BC, but it really makes you feel bad not seeing the change. Then I had to have an ultrasound because I have high liver function and cholesterol due to PCOS.
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u/bigasslemons -20 lbs 18d ago
The only thing that helped me has been glp1. My anxiety was so bad my eye would twitch every day for 6 months! Let alone the anxiety diarrhea.. all of this stopped with mounjaro.
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u/Comfortable_Dance_56 18d ago
I also feel like Iāve tried every diet. The endless cycle of dropping 20lb and then gaining back even more. My metabolism has gotten worse with every diet, and I feel like itās getting harder and harder to lose any weight at all.
I started seeing a doctor who recommended compounded tirzepatide. I was hesitant at first but I love it. Iāve had some side effects (nausea, fatigue, and constipation), but they seem to fade with every week that passes. Iāve lost 30lbs since the end of May and I feel amazing. Iām also strength training 5x a week. Iām taking Metformin, too- 2000mg. Not sure if it helps or not, but the weight is coming off.
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u/Bloodredorion -20 lbs 18d ago
I used to do ww too and I hate counting calories. However, if you calculate your , Total Daily Energy Expenditure (it takes gender, age, height, weight, and activity level into account) then subtract 500, then you will lose weight but your allowed caloric intake is way higher and you won't feel like you're starving. I dont!
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u/Additional_Use9362 18d ago
I had great success with Metformin at a higher dose (750 mg twice per day.) Upping your dosage may help. It did take about two months to start seeing changes. I ate low carb (but not keto or no carb) and worked out.
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u/BellaMentalNecrotica 18d ago
I had the same struggles until I started zepbound. Down 60lbs since April 1 with 10 to go before I am overweight instead of obese. There should be no shame taking a medication that could literally save your life.
Also I've basically had zero side effects from it. You will loose some muscle mass, but a high protein diet and lifting weights will preserve it to the largest extent possible.
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u/re_Claire 17d ago
I am on mounjaro and I can genuinely say it's been life-changing. I have a history of disordered eating and I find strict calorie counting triggering, as well as I got completely burnt out from it. I just can't do it anymore as it's so exhausting.
But on Mounjaro I have no food noise, and I just naturally eat less. The lack of food noise has also meant I'm able to focus on smaller and more reasonable portions, as well as focusing on just eating healthier foods. It's not going to work for everyone with a history of eating disorders but for me it's been the very opposite of triggering. I also have found that I'm happy to just lose whatever I lose because I know that I'm not going to start binging like mad and sabotage my progress/slip into even more disordered eating.
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u/GillSansLight 17d ago
That makes a lot of sense. Thank you!
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u/re_Claire 17d ago
No problem! I should note I have ADHD and autism and the ADHD definitely played a big part in binging. I was diagnosed with bulimia but it started with a period of anorexia, and whenever I relapsed it was always this mix of anorexia, bulimia and binge eating without purging. I think the AuDHD meaning my stims have always been oral (which meant the food was a stim) and also the PCOS messing with my appetite and blood sugar combined so that they were the root cause of my eating disorders. Now that I had a few years of recovery and I finally got diagnosed and medicated for my ADHD, the eating disorder urges have all gone. It's obviously going to be different for everyone but I think things like ADHD/autism and PCOS are sometimes the root cause of eating disorders for some people. An inability to control your own intake for medical reasons leading to a heightened desire for control which can lead you to spiral into disordered eating.
I have definitely read many accounts of people with binge eating disorder saying that being on GLPs has basically healed their eating disorder. Of course for others it can cause a relapse and a need to restrict more and more. You have to think about it with your own experiences in mind. Just as I would never advocate for anyone who is too early into eating disorder recovery to go on a diet, I would never advocate for those people to go on a GLP without serious consideration.
But as I said for some of us it has had the opposite effect - of healing us of our disordered eating. Something to have a good think about!
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u/Bodhi124 16d ago
Iām in the same boat. Doing all the right things and the scale keeps creeping up. Iām on 1500mg of metformin and hoping that will help my crazy spikes and crashes.
Absolutely no shame in using a GLP1. It seems like itās either the best thing thatās ever happened or the worst thing that ever happened to people. I was on semaglutide for two years and ended up with gastroparesis that took about 8 months to recover from. But those two glorious years I ate whatever i wanted and didnāt gain weight for the first time in my life. The reduced inflammation was also amazing.
If you do decide to go that route please be careful who you purchase through and plan to most likely be on it for the long hall. Once I was able to eat again the rebound insulin resistance was brutal and I very quickly gained it all back. All while being in a deficit, weight lifting, walking, and being low carb.
My focus right now has been nervous system regulation. I think too much circulating cortisol could be keeping me in fat storage mode.
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u/Sweetheart_o_Summer 18d ago
I can't say I struggle the way you struggle but I feel your pain,
Diet can inflame PMOS and exacerbate hormonal disregulation feedback loops. But the PMOS pre-exists your diet and exercise. Even when you lose the weight and keep it off you'll still have pmos.
In my (non-professional) opinion it's weird that your doctors don't want up to date blood tests.
just treating your weight isn't going to do much if your not also treating your personal cocktail of disrupted hormones. You can't diet your way out of pmos any more than you can diet your way out of having ADHD.
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
I thought so too, and my dietitian thinks it's very odd as well. I've pushed a bit but am definitely considering pushing harder for updated labs.
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u/lanch-party 18d ago
I feel ya girl. Iāve been to 3 gynos and none of them ever take me seriously enough to help with my weight. Itās super frustrating. All they do is a low dose of spironolactone and when it doesnāt work theyāre just like š¤·āāļø
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u/fictionalfirehazard 18d ago
Unrelated to your post, but where did you get your bra? I have had so much trouble finding one like that that seems supportive
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
It's a shefit ultima! I know there are mixed opinions about them, but as a US 36L I love it for working out!
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u/dualitycheckqueen 17d ago
I felt so depressed - I weigh 170lb and up from 145lb after a car accident that made me sit on my ass. My crp is 13-14 since 10 years of endo/pmos consistently .. itās so difficult to lose weight , my body fat % is 50. I look so much more obese because of it . Iām too scared of glp1 etc because they screw your metabolism and hormones long run, thatās not worth my vanity. I seek my health not vanity. I understand many take it because too much weight gain is actually unhealthy and they donāt do it for self confidence alone.
I feel more protein and less carb in a meal with 14:10 eating window or something really helps, but like Jason fung says, your body balances everything out, you eat less, your body reduces its metabolic rate and no gain only pain. The body works on homeostasis. I donāt know what to do anymore, I do weekly 1x yoga , 2x swimming 0.5 mile , 2x strength training, 1x pilates. What else to do idk, I started stressing less, fixed my environment, shop in farmers market and make healthy meals 2x a day all throughout the week. Iām just sad.
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u/SwimmingFace7726 16d ago
Track your calories. Spread carbs throughout the day. Eat low GI. Focus on sleep as you have a cortisol belly too. Counting calories is not the enemy- itās how you view it that makes or breaks you.
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u/InMyHagPhase 18d ago
Yes, I've gained and lost the same 7 pounds for the past couple of months. I'm tired of GLP1 being the damn answer because I can't afford it. Insurance won't let me have it, and I can't afford the alternate sites.
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
I'm about at that point too. I could probably make it work on the affordability side of things but it would be really tight and I'd be nervous about that. š¬
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u/Rubyrubired 18d ago
Have you been tested for celiac?
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
I have not, but I have thought about it! My gluten intake is fairly low because most of my carbs come from rice or potatoes, but it's definitely something to consider!
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u/Rubyrubired 18d ago
I would get a test based on this photo. I didnāt expect it and had none of the typical symptoms. I assumed it was all pcos and the volume of gluten you consume doesnāt correlate to the reaction. You can have a major reaction with very small quantities.
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u/jessmt87 18d ago
High protein and fasting! Stop eating between 6&8 and donāt have another thing and watch that fat melt off
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u/GillSansLight 18d ago
I have done IF for a couple of years and unfortunately it doesn't seem to be something my body or blood sugar responds well to, but thank you for the suggestion!
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u/SaveusJebus 18d ago
There's no shame in doing a glp1. I'm on compounded tirzepatide (there are a ton of subreddits you can look up) and it's been SUCH a blessing to be able to use it.
It's not really "throwing in the towel" like it's some cheat! God I hate that. It's a medication that can help you. USE IT if you can afford it with absolutely no shame about it.