Thanks
@catherinecherub
Hi and welcome
@Mimi's
You said
And there is a lot in there
so i will try and take things one at a time (although please remember that i am not a medical professional, just someone with PCOS!)
Ok, so PCOS is a situation where your hormones are not working as normal - they are being produced on the wrong quantities - causing multiple cysts on the ovaries, with all those symptoms that we know and love, eh? Furriness, weight gain, insulin resistance, hunger, carb cravings, infertility, etc.
The insulin resistance is a result of the hormones (it happens to type 2 diabetics), and quite a few PCOSers become type 2 by middle age. It sort of comes with the territory, I am afraid.
The insulin resistance => hunger and carb cravings and (usually) weight gain.
The fatter we get, the more insulin resistance we get, and the more symptoms of PCOS we get.
As you can see, it is a vicious circle.
But worry not! There are answers to each of the steps in the circle.
You have been given metformin - that works to lower blood glucose a little, suppresses appetite a little, and reduces
insulin resistance (this is key). What it doesn't do is work on the hormones themselves, or why your hormones are out of wack.
Diet is the biggest weapon you have. PCOSers usually respond excellently to Low Carb diets - so you may want to think about that, if you havent started already.
Low Carbing also helps reduce carb cravings (which is GREAT) and often enables weight loss. You have already discovered how difficult it is for us PCOSers to lose weight. I have the same problem. But orthodox low fat high carb diets and portion reduction make the carb cravings worse, and the weight loss well nigh impossible. I would starve myself until the cravings overwhelmed me, then binge. Now i low carb, i am never hungry, and i don't crave. It is bliss.
So, can you see how it all fits together?
High carb, low cal diet => cravings and weight gain => increased insulin resistance => escalating spiral.
On the other hand
Low carb diet + metformin => reduced insulin resistance, reduced cravings, hopefully weight loss => reduced insulin resistance.
If we can get slim, our hormones tend to improve. The fatter we are, the worse all our symptoms seem to get.
Hope that helps!
And please, if there are any other PCOSers out there, let me know if you agree/disagree.