What comes first PCOS or Diabetes?

[HVinnie]

Hi everyone,
Just feeling very confused at the moment.
I've dealt with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) most my life, I could write a book on it. I've still struggled over the years, having lost 3 stone a few years ago, I took my eye off the ball and 'forgot' all my hard work and lifestyle routine and find myself now the heaviest ive ever been in my entire life at 46.

I'm in a lot of pain all over, and find it difficult to lift my legs, and walking hurts.
Last week, bloods showed that my HbA1c level was 51.
As I'm PCOS, I'm already on metformin. I just feel so lost knowing I may now have diabetes and not sure if I should go back to my very stringent diet of completely cutting out all forms of sugar in my diet.
I'm wondering how to approach this. Most diabetes cookbooks have recipes I'd normally consider off limits for PCOS as even fruit has sugars. Thanks for reading.

 

[lucylocket61]

My advice is to reduce your carbs and ignore the diabetes cook books.

Fructose from fruit is a know issue for us. It turns to glucose very quickly. I avoid it.

I have had pcos for a long time. Best wishes.

 

[Juliapb]

Hi I can only say I understand ( had PCOS diagnosed since 21) have lost the same 4 stone about 6 times!
the only thing that works For me -is extreme low carb diet / fasting and exercise - recently lost 2 stone in 2 months being super strict on this and lost my lock down pounds - I’m 47 and weight loss certainly doesn’t get easier as u get older ! Read Jason Fung / grain brain books it really helps understand what’s going on - Keto ( and trying to stay in Keto is my aim but very difficult with blood sugar fasting at 6.3! )set yourself a Mini goal, read up on PCOS research - I can’t believe my doctors have never mentioned insulin resistance or recommended low carb diet. You can do it - your health body and mind will thank u for it. It’s just a slow process that takes dedication commitment and time. Dr Mindy on you tube also has some great info on what’s happening metabolically too. Hope this helps good luck


QUOTE="HVinnie, post: 2306426, member: 530312"]Hi everyone,
Just feeling very confused at the moment.
I've dealt with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) most my life, I could write a book on it. I've still struggled over the years, having lost 3 stone a few years ago, I took my eye off the ball and 'forgot' all my hard work and lifestyle routine and find myself now the heaviest ive ever been in my entire life at 46.

I'm in a lot of pain all over, and find it difficult to lift my legs, and walking hurts.
Last week, bloods showed that my HbA1c level was 51.
As I'm PCOS, I'm already on metformin. I just feel so lost knowing I may now have diabetes and not sure if I should go back to my very stringent diet of completely cutting out all forms of sugar in my diet.
I'm wondering how to approach this. Most diabetes cookbooks have recipes I'd normally consider off limits for PCOS as even fruit has sugars. Thanks for reading.[/QUOTE]

 

[JoKalsbeek]

Hi everyone,
Just feeling very confused at the moment.
I've dealt with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) most my life, I could write a book on it. I've still struggled over the years, having lost 3 stone a few years ago, I took my eye off the ball and 'forgot' all my hard work and lifestyle routine and find myself now the heaviest ive ever been in my entire life at 46.

I'm in a lot of pain all over, and find it difficult to lift my legs, and walking hurts.
Last week, bloods showed that my HbA1c level was 51.
As I'm PCOS, I'm already on metformin. I just feel so lost knowing I may now have diabetes and not sure if I should go back to my very stringent diet of completely cutting out all forms of sugar in my diet.
I'm wondering how to approach this. Most diabetes cookbooks have recipes I'd normally consider off limits for PCOS as even fruit has sugars. Thanks for reading.

PCOS messes with our hormones. Insulin is a hormone. Alas. So yeah, PCOS leads to insulin insensitivity/resistance and can progress to T2. It did with me. https://josekalsbeek.blogspot.com/2019/11/the-nutritional-thingy.html is what got me back into the normal range, diabetically speaking, but for other conditions I've now progressed to a carnivorous way of eating. (Which is a tad more extreme. Just meat, fish, poultry and eggs. Little bit of dairy too.). I doubt you'll have to go that far, but the main solution does seem to be carb cutting. Sorry. Does mean you can get to feeling better with "just" an adjustment in food intake though... Also, with your legs hurting, do you have any idea how your vitamin D and various B's are doing? Metformin messes with our ability to absorb B12, so you could be deficient. Could fit with the pain you're experiencing. And a lot of people are deficient in D, which could have the same effect. Plus.... I don't know if you're on statins, but they can cause all kinds of pain as well, on top of raising blood sugars.

Your life should be better. You're entitled to better. I hope things'll improve for you soon!
Hugs,
Jo

PS: Diabetic cook books are often written by people who are thoroughly clueless. Just stick with sensible low carb eating and you should be fine. Check dietdoctor.com for recipes if you need them.

 

[Brunneria]

I have PCOS too.
I have to do keto for the PCOS and blood glucose control, and carnivore because my guts don't tolerate veg any more. I also have some other hormonal shenanigans going on.
But if I stick to those regimes, I feel pretty good.

Weight loss is something I used to flog myself to achieve (for over 30 years), living a thoroughly miserable life for months at a time, battling hunger and irritability and knock on sleep disturbance, and then the weight used to creep back on slowly when I returned to anything like an adequate and nutritional diet. Isn't the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different outcome this time?

So a few years ago I decided that I would NEVER put myself through all that angst again.
My goal is now to keep to keto (and carmivore) until/if I ever find something better, and not stress the weight.
If it happens, I celebrate each little pound. If it doesn't, I shrug and carry on.

I would rather be fat, reasonably healthy and happy, than fast endlessly and/or beat myself up in the gym, and still only make infinitesimal gains.

So far, it is working very well indeed.