PCOS and Phentermine

[sassygal33]

I have recently been diagnosed with PCOS. I have gained about 30 pounds in the last year. Weight gain is a major symptom of PCOS as well as it being very difficult to lose weight. Has anyone here been diagnosed with PCOS (or any other weight loss hinderance) and taken Phentermine and had positive results? TIA for any feedback!

[seabeeluvr]

I am interested too, I also have PCOS AND and underactive thyroid so I am hoping someone on here has had success with the phen.

[Miper70]

I was diagnosed with PCOS, put on Metformin and am also hypothyroid. I have lost about 27 lbs. and am now off of the Metformin because my blood sugar stabelized. I also exercise quite a bit, so that helps I'm sure.

[JewelryQueen]

I was diagonosed with PCOS 4 years ago, And I lost 75lbs on Phentermine. I also take Metformin because it helps regulate your hormones (not just your blood sugar) It is supposed to help you lose weight also. I am starting over after having a baby.
Good luck

[me_n_phen]

What the hec is PCOS??

[EBONY POETESS]

polycystic ovarian syndrome and endometriosis but I think my doc is crazy
they put me on birth control pills but I didn't take them, bc pills make me big as hell
It occurs in obese woman and others as well
I have had it for a year
I have facial hair that i get waxed
My periods are crazy and painful
I have not excercised in a week in a half because of the low back pain and warm legs and bliatchyness,I sleep on a heating pad too

[me_n_phen]

Shoot girl! If you get chance you might want to get a copy of Kevin Tredeau's book "The Natural Cure" Awesome book about natural way of healing all kinds of stuff. Best of luck to you and thanks for the reply about PCOS.

[Paula G]

Wow, there are people out there with PCOS. I noticed something different with me.. I was loosing my hair and gain weight like crazy and the hair growth is out of control, under neath my chin I was getting hair really bad. My Dr told me that I had PCOS. But on track with that as well. Man this is great, there are people out there that have the same thing as me.. This site is great.. Much Love..

[Every1LuvzAngie]

I have it too, hence the fact I got most my weight around my middle... :-\
So does Phen really help with ppl with PCOS or should I be on Metformin still in conjunction with the Phen...like will the Phen alone help me lose?

[pjzsnowangel]

I also have PCOS, I was on Phen for about 2 months but stopped taking it because it lost its effectivness(appitite suppressant). I take Glucophage (metformin), it has helped my period become normal for the first time in my life!!!!
With regular exersise, and a healthy diet, anyone can lose weight, so dont let PCOS get you down, look how much Ive done and its been on my own with God's help!

[jacy]

Hey all,

I came on this site specifically looking to see if anyone who has PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) has used Phen in conjunction with their Metformin.

About 3-4 years ago, I lost about 55 pounds on my own with low-carb diet and took my Metformin on a regular basis ... gradually put on about 8 pounds but as I managed to maintain that weight for about 3 years, I thought it was clear sailing from there. So about a year ago, I stopped taking my Metformin, as my blood test results showed that all my hormones are balanced, with only slight elevations in testosterone.

So I stopped taking the Metformin....

Biggest mistake of my life!!! As a result. I found I was so sensitive to sugar and carbs, and even a normal person's serving of carbs made me pack on the weight! I have now in the past year put on about 40pounds and am so astounded! I only made the connection with the not taking metformin and weight-gain a few months ago when my doctor asked me why I stopped.

My understanding is, that your doctor has put you on Metformin for a reason. If you have PCOS and are overweight, you more than likely have what's known as INSULIN RESISTANCE, and no amount of diet pills will fix that. ONLY Metformin!

Metformin (also known as Glucophage or Diaformin) is a diabetic medication that assists in helping the person's insulin receptors take on Carbohydrates and utilise the carbs for energy like NORMAL people. If you are insulin resistant, your body will not be able to utilise carbs for energy, and will have to store most of it as fat. So it is not a case of supressing your appetite ... and it is NOT a case of cutting out carbs as they are very important for your energy levels and brain functions ...
If you have PCOS and insulin resistance, it is the imbalance in your insulin that has created other imbalances in you hormones (like your oestrogen, progesterone etc etc) ... which in turn created PCOS. Most women with PCOS have a family history of diabetes.

Take your PCOS seriously, and investigate it all you can.

There is a fantastic book called "PCOS DIET BOOK" by Colette Harris. It explains natural supplements, foods, and medicines that all help eleviate and manage PCOS.

NUMBER ONE RULE when you have PCOS - do not be duped by your gynaecologist into taking a simple contaceptive pill to eleviate problems with your cycle. It makes your symptoms WORSE! It is a synthetic hormone, and will make you pack on the weight, have a fake period, make you MORE insulin resistant and may cause greater risk of infertility - the exact OPPOSITE of what you need when you have PCOS.

Go natural where ever you can. Look for natural supplements to help your symptoms. Metformin however is a great synthetic drug for taking care of what you have in terms of insulin resistance. And as I found out, absolutely ESSENTIAL when it comes to managing your weight. If I don't take Metformin, and I eat a NORMAL healthy diet that someone say on weight watchers was having with cereal for breakfast and wholegrain bread for lunch I would slowly put on weight or find it EXTREMELY difficult to lose that weight. Metformin makes your body react like a normal person's body to carbohydrates.

Trust me, I am eat very healthily with the odd treat - so it is definitely because I wasn't taking my Metformin.

So now, as a result of packing on this weight in the space of 12 months, I want to lose this weight, but I now have terrible knees!!!! My knees are grinding from the sudden impact of all this weight, going down the stairs is a killer, and doing any aerobic exercise or brisk walking is hard, because after 20 mins my knees start to ache.

I have seen my doctor, and taken x-rays. At present, no cartilage or bone damage is detected, and the only cure for this is losing weight. But how can I lose weight if I can exercise for long enough??

This is why I want to take Phentermine. I want to get about 15 pounds off, and that will eleviate my knee problem enough for me to lose weight on my own.

BIG QUESTION - HAS ANYONE TAKEN METFORMIN IN CONJUNCTION WITH PHENTERMINE??? I ALWAYS THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T TAKE A DIET PILL WITH METFORMIN.

Thanks,
J xx

[jacy]

I'm answering my own question here .... went to the doctor a couple of days ago, and he said there is no problem in taking Phentermine with Metformin.
Started taking phentermine a couple of days ago, and have already dropped 4.5 pounds! I'm eating healthily, no junk food, and drinking heaps of water... i think the trick is not to starve yourself when on phentermine, even though you may have no appetite, because the weight will pile back on when u stop taking it.
Cheers!

[pjzsnowangel]

Jacy, great to hear your having good results with the Metformin and Phen!
Im going to check out that book you suggested, thanx!

[Every1LuvzAngie]

Originally posted by pjzsnowangel:
I also have PCOS, I was on Phen for about 2 months but stopped taking it because it lost its effectivness(appitite suppressant). I take Glucophage (metformin), it has helped my period become normal for the first time in my life!!!!
With regular exersise, and a healthy diet, anyone can lose weight, so dont let PCOS get you down, look how much Ive done and its been on my own with God's help!

I stopped taking metformin because I was gettin so sick on it I couldn't stand it, I would puke everyday and everything I ate, and I had constant diarehha....so i quit taking it...I was just wondering because I prolly shouldn't have stopped taking it...I'm not sure if my insulin levels or testosterone levels are normal or not cuz I havent had them checked in a couple years because my insurance ran out :-\ oh well...the phen is working great for me...

[pjzsnowangel]

With most people when you first start taking Metformin it does make your stomach sick and give you the runs. My doctor said it is normal and it only lasts for a week or 2 because your body is getting used to it. And it was true, because a week later I was fine!

[Every1LuvzAngie]

nothing really helps with the facial hair tho...and thaz the biggest bummer

[jacy]

There are a number of things you can do to assist excess facial hair, or reduce it if you have PCOS, "Every1LuvzAngie". First off excess facial hair is a symptom of elevated testosterone levels. Believe it or not, being fat contibutes to elevated testosterone levels (put simply, your body synthesizes testosterone from body fat!)reducing your body fat (not just your WEIGHT - and there's a big difference there), reducing refined carbs in your diet, can significantly contribute to reduced testosterone levels in PCOS sufferers.
A natural herbal remedy that is commonly used in men to prevent prostate troubles, can, believe it or not, work for women with high testosterone levels and excess facial hair. it is called SAW PALMETTO and is quite safe to take. You need to understand that with any herbal supplement, you need to take it regularly for a number of weeks to see results. I have heard some people swear by it, and they have noticed excess hair reducing while on it.

[jacy]

Hey pjzsnowangel, hope you have found the PCOS book ok. I think you might be able to get it on Amazon.com if you can't find it at your library or book store. Good to read you are losing weight on your own and Metformin. Keep it up, and keep taking your Metformin regularly. I swear by it now. I'm only taking the Phentermine ("Duromine" here in australia) for a very short term basis to get some weight off as an emergency to relieve weight on my knees.

ADVICE FOR THOSE OF YOU WITH P.C.O.S.
If you are taking Metformin/diaformin/glucophage, you will notice that it is important to take your pill WITH a meal. This will reduce your "queeziness". I take it JUST before my meal for the best effect.

Metformin is also known, in rare cases to cause "lactic acidosis", a very serious disease. It usually occurs in people with prior renal (kidney) problems, and made worse still by drinking alcohol.

Probably one of the most important things you can do for your diet while on this medication, and in general, is reduce your intake of "acid-forming foods". If you are not aware of what foods are acidic and which ones are alkaline, just "google" it for more info. Generally speaking, most RAW fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk, chicken, SOME fish are alkaline producing foods. (the optimum type of diet to prevent disease and reduce body weight). However, acid forming foods are as follows: rice, most grains, red meat, fish, processed foods, fizzy drinks like pepsi, alcohol etc etc. Over-indulging in acid forming foods can probably effect you even more so when you are taking Metformin. (alcohol especially).

Make sure you take a B vitamin supplement as Metformin can reduce your levels of B-12.

For those of you with PCOS, the most important piece of advice is KEEP IT NATURAL where ever possible. Do your research on the subject, and don't feel as though you are a helpless victim in all of this. It is a very very common disease, even more so these days with our highly refined diets. I say to keep it natural, because many doctors are misinformed about the best way to manage this condition, and would rather pump you full of the latest contraceptive pill and synthetic hormones, rather than deal with the under-lying issue.

This is a problem with your ENDOCRINE system (most likely, your insulin levels) which has manifested itself as a GYNAECOLOGICAL problem, not the other way around. So to see a gynaecologist for something which has deeper roots is a misinformed thing to do.

All research on PCOS will tell you that the best thing you can do for your long-term health is to have a healthy, balanced diet, and lose any excess weight. It's amazing how much your symptoms are relieved by merely reducing your body fat levels. The diet you follow needs to be one that is long-term and easy to manage. Always think long-term, because this is a disease that is TREATED and not cured. It doesn't stop, so just like diabetes, you need to have a sure-fire strategy to keep it under control. (otherwise, you will do what i did and pack on the weight again, because you think you can relax, and not watch your diet or take your meds).

The best thing I ever did, was see a natropath who specialised in hormonal issues. I was able to understand exactly WHY certain hormones were elevated and certain ones were low, and I was able to receive an understanding of how my diet and supplements could effect my symptoms. NO DOCTOR will spend that much time with you to explain these things. Even specialists in this field quite often pass you off as a simple overweight woman, who needs to take these pills to relieve her lack of period, and when and IF she wants to fall pregnant, we'll just fill her up with fertility drugs if there's a problem.

Take preventative action for your present health and future health. Be armed with KNOWLEDGE - know EXACTLY what's going on in your body, and don't take a backseat when your doctors tell you that you have this condition or you need to take this medicine. Ask questions, know why, be informed, and talk about it. It's your body, and you need to be in touch with it.

Hope that helps you all. We can beat these symptoms if we help each other.
God bless.

[lovinit06]

I can't help to see the huge coincidence in the fact that I was diagnosed with PCOS on Thursday (the day of the previous post)and my gyn gave me a prescription for Phen. I am new to the boards just today, so imagine my surprise when I saw a thread just about this! Thanks for the advice, I sure didn't know it is such a common condition. I'll consider your suggestions, jacy.

~ Tori

[sds1arm2]

I also have PCOS. I am encouraged to see that the Phen does work for some of you. I had started to take it a few months ago, but was having a really hard time sleeping.
I am so fed up with my weight so I am going to try to take it again, but start at a real low dose.

Ali

[PsyGlowKitten]

Originally posted by pjzsnowangel:
Jacy, great to hear your having good results with the Metformin and Phen!
Im going to check out that book you suggested, thanx!

You went from 358 to 219!? Omg thats sooo good.I wanna follow in your footsteps!!

On topic, i found out i have pcos and metabolic syndrome.I take 1,500 mg of glucophlage a day.Iam 31 and me and my boyfriend of 11 years havent conceived yet..My time is running out.I hope that making my body more healthy, that maybe it will increase my chance of pregnancy.
I lost 18 lbs in 2 months when my dr prescribed phen.Now he wont refill it.He says i dont need it and pills wont keep it off, blah blah...I have Hap so he can be my only dr.He is a good dr and i know he cares about my health, but i need a boost...2 months wasnt enough.In the last month and a half i lost 1lb...Im very discouraged.I was going to give up.
I heard about lipodrene so i started that 2 days ago..so we'll see..

[Fatty9609]

Hello!! I am new to this site. Saturday I have my first appt w/a weight loss specialist. I heard that he is big on prescribing phen and will give you an ** that day. However, I also have PCOS, and I am going to a fertility specialist next week b/c my husband and I have not been able to conceive either. Do you know if the phen will worsen my chances of conceiving?

I was put on the metformin for a while also to help my hormones, and I was told it helps some conceive, but I had to stop after a month, b/c it gave me really bad stomach problems. I was just wondering if anybody had any info about the fertility aspect of PCOS? Thanks!!

[chrissyz]

fatty9606, Hi there did the doctor put you on the time released glucophage? I started on the regular ones 500 mg three times per day at meals and then the time released one came out. I have one child (Shes 10 now)and I think I was blessed with her because I had birth control trouble, changed bc different type for three months.(EX made me sick, break through bleeding , Ect.)and then just said 4 get it. And 1 month later I was prego. After I had my daughter was put back on the pills and ballooned up in weight again. I always new there was something wrong but the doctors just put me on birth control I have been on and off of it since I was seventeen (now 35) with no explanation just if you want to get your period you have to be on this . After I had my daughter The problems got worse. I was about 24 years old my hair started to fall out and again my weight went up. Then I went to an endocrine doctor and he advised that all of my problems were because I had PCOS. I told my gyno who claimed to be a fertility specialist that my endo had diagnosed me with pcos and he said you don't have that. All you need if you want to get pregnant again is this drug I have. I could have killed him. Here I had gone to a specialist and had all of the tests and he is going to sit there and not even listen to me and what the other doctor had said I was furious becase at this time there was not alot known about PCOS and I figured if he would listen it might help others in my situation. I shouldn't have to have help to get pregnant you stupid doctor if there is no problem. Well the doctor that made sense put me on gluchopahge and I had to choose to stay on the pill ot take progesterone to bring it on once per month. I lost over 30lbs. But after a while he wanted to put me on an additional medicine I can't remember the name but it made me feel dizzy and nautious and hot, so I stopped taking that. Eventually I stopped the gluchophage it made me feel like I had IBS. I agree with the previous posts that if you lose the weight your symtoms will be reduced. I also think that this depends on how bad you have it because my sister has it and she still gets her monthly friend and shes not on the pill. but I dont. I still do not cycle I can go longer than I did when I was prego. And that is not good for endo problems, so I stay on the pill and I am hoping if I get my weight down low enough one day my body will work on its own. If you want you can pm me and we can talk more.

[Fatty9609]

Hi There,

I need to look up the ** i was taking for Metformin, but I am not sure if I was taking a time released one. She put me on 750mg 2x a day, but it gave me horrible diahrrea, so I had to stop, I didn't even have a chance to see if it would work for me b/c it made me so sick.

My PCOS, has always been bad though. Even in high school when I was smaller (size 13). I think out of the last 12 months, I had my period for 9 of them. i don't have the problem of not having a period, I have it all the time, and it is really, really heavy. I used to have a wonderful doctor in Texas...he always told me that when I was ready to have kids to let him know and he would help me b/c he knew it was going to be a challenge, but now I am in Illinois, and the only thing the doctors want to do here is put me on birth control, and that is not going to help my fertility issue. I don't know it makes me very angry all the time, and I feel like it is never going to get better. And my fat butt is not helping it either, I know. So I have an appointment Saturday, to start w/a specialist on weight loss, so hopefully I will start feeling/looking better!!

[chrissyz]

I went and am still going through the same thing all they can say is BIRTH CONTROL

[chrissyz]

I went and am still going through the same thing all they can say is BIRTH CONTROL and it makes me sick . But the doctors that really want to help are far and few between. The metomorphin is just another name for gluchophage you might ask her for a smaller dose like 500 two times per day? Somedays were worse thatn others I had the same symptom especially when I would excercise that would make me have to run to the bathroom very quickly. That is why I finally stopped taking it. When it was given to me back in 1998 I was told by my doctor that it was not approved for pcos but they have had great results in giving this to pcos sufferers because they believed that the cause of pcos is the insuline resistance. I stopped because they were testing me every three months for kidney and liver problems. I thought well if I am going to have either I would rather have it be natural not a side effect from a medicine that was not even approved for the condition. And as far as the monthly cycle I dont get mine at all unless I use either the progesterone pills or stay on the BC to bring it on. The BC adds to the weight gain I believe I have been on it for sooooo long it isn't funny anymore. I hope your appt. goes well on saturday mybee this doctor will be one of the few?? I hope so take care.

[themunch_tx]

I'm new and just posted this big note on the new members board about PCOS, amongst other things. I wish I had known about metformin when I was diagnosed (10 years ago). The doctor put me on birth control. My next doctor kept me on it, but added some other meds to fix other hormone imbalances. Now I have diabetes, and I can't help but wonder if taking metfomin would have fended off diabetes longer. I got Type II diabetes at a young age - only 30! At least I'm on metformin now. How ironic.

I also take cinnamon pills, which is "nature's metformin." Perhaps those of you who can't tolerate the side effects of metformin can try cinnamon. For what it's worth, the metformin side effects do go away. It took me about 6 weeks. Luckily I was a full-time, stay-at-home student at the time!

Also, I take spironolactone for the "appearance" side effects of PCOS. It helps keep your hair from falling out, prevents new facial hair from growing (although it won't make the existing hair go away), and clears up your acne. It's also good for blood pressure (that's what it's usually prescribed for). Electrolysis works for facial hair, but is expensive. I "lucked" out. I had cancer and the radiation therapy killed off my nasty little follicles. The one silver lining in a very big cloud...

I'm glad to hear phen works on folks with PCOS. I call myself an endocrine nightmare because I have PCOS, hypothyroidism, and diabetes. Talk about a weightloss challenge!

[mechimpaired]

My endo and my gyno are in the same physicians group and after 3 rounds of fasting and blood work, not to mention 3 ultrasounds of my uterus, they came to the conclusion that I have PCOS but I just have high levels of male testerone, they tested my sugar over and over and it was perfect every time, I have no cysts anywhere or any period problems, but I do gain weight around the middle like a man and I do have a little to much hair. They concluded that my hormone levels were a genetic abnormality,so I have PCOS because of the hormones but not because of my sugar or that I was insulin resistant. My thyroid was also tested and it was great, so was cholestrohl(sp?), and I actually have low blood pressure. They said I was very healthy, they put me on phen but said it may not work with bc shot which is what I chose, I said ok. Well that was last year, and phen did not work. I went off the shot last Dec. and recently I was at the doctor and I asked for phen again she agreed, but said if I dont see some decent results within 2 months she would put me on Metformin, to stabilize my hormones along with the phen. I am now just wary of the side affects of Metformin.

5*8
CW-195 5/17/07
GW-145

[toobig]

Well here is my story. I have been diagnosed since age 12 with hypothyroidism, I have been big my wholle life except for 3 years in High school when I lost weight thru weight watchers. My cycles have always been extremely irregular and I was always told it was because of my thyroid. That is until 5 years ago when a endroconoligst diagnosed me with PCOS and put me on Metformin then Spironolactone. I never had a problem getting pregnant unless you think it being to easy is an issue and I do not have excessive hair growth on my face etc. I never have had cyst on my ovaries either. I had a hard time agreeing with this doc because I never had heard of this before, she insited Thyroid problems don't mess with your cycle. I feel she was looking for a diognosis to throw at yet another over weight patient. I took the Metformin, went to weight watcher joined a gym worked my butt off and only lost 30 pound in 2 years. The spirinolactone had me leeding all the time (at least that is what my gynocoligist came up with after various test to see why I started spotting two weeks a month in addition tomy period) So seeing that I had no extra hair growth I stopped taking the Spiro. I continuied with the Metformin though, now fast forward to two years ago my weight lose stopped I felt sick all the time nauseas, sudden bouts of diarrea and my thyroid level keeps changing but not for the better. I never feel hungry and only eat for routine, for instance I have to cook for my family so I eat with them even though I don't feel hungry at all, I usually jsut eat 1 meal a day. Now forward to this year, in October I was rushed to the Er for sevre pain in my lower right abdomine, I was tested over and over while tere and once the Doc heard I was Diagnosed with PCOS he said "well you ruptured a cyst" even though I told them I had no cyst. Two days after I started bleeding irregulary again and went to the GYN figuring that if a cyst had ruptured this might be an issue. Well he looked me and the records from the hospital over and said there is no way I ruptured a cyst and if they had looked at there results in the hospital then the Docs at the hospital they would have seen that diagnosis was wrong. His answer it was a virus. QUACK!!! It was the worse pain I ever had and I have had three c-sections. I was very angry about this and went to my regular doc explained the whole thing and what does he say it wasn't a cyst but a folical that burst the cause ? He says the Metformin is causing me to produce too many eggs and that this will happen again. My solution so I won't ever have this horrible experience again? Stop the Metformin. Meanwhile though I was seeing a nutritionist who said my Metabloism is all screwed up (DUH !!!) and I never feel hungry cause my body has gotten used to not eating and that I cant' lose weight because my body thinks it is starving, at the same time as all this though my thyroid meds have been increased up to 375 micrograms the highest I have ever had and the doc can't get the meds right. I am sick to death of being overweight but I feel no doc is on my side, I am just another fat lazy person that doesn't know any better with a minimal IQ according to them. I am sick of being put on all kinds of meds that give me awful side effects and don't help the weight loss but throw my system into all kinds of trouble. My doc wants to put me on a deit pill now but I have a fear of taking something that is gonna have me in the bathroom all the time. Does Anyone have any advise? Thanks

[augustbloom]

My gyn. first suspected I had PCOS around May 2006. Before I even went to to her, I Googled my symptoms and kinda diagnosed myself. She did blood tests and from the results, it looked like I had PCOS (high testosterone, oily skin, high cholesterol, excessive hair growth, irregular periods, skin tags).

Since I was 19 I've had chin hair but it had spread all over my jawline and was incredibly embarrassing. It had gotten to the point where I was shaving my jawline every day! Also, I had gained 35 lbs in about one year and carried most of my weight around my middle. My periods had always been very regular but then started to get outta whack around March 2006. There'd be months where I didn't get a period at all and then times where I'd get my period within two weeks of each other.

My gyn. put me on birth control pills to get my periods back on track and to possibly help with some weight loss. My periods became predictable again, but I would only have light spotting for a couple days. I didn't lose any weight so I went to my general doctor, who put me on metformin. The metformin always gave me diarrhea-like symptoms so I really didn't take it consistently.

At around September or October, I stopped getting my period altogether. I was still taking the birth control pills and taking the metformin sporadically. In December, I quit the birth control pills since they obviously weren't working.

Around Christmas 2006, I started working out at the gym consistently and decided I was gonna give the metformin a serious run even if it made me spend all morning in the restroom. In January, I actually got my period again! In March, even though I was still going to the gym, I had only lost about 5 lbs--very disappointing. I went back to my general doctor who put me on Phen. I was taking Phen and metformin at the same time for about a month but since I don't really like taking medication in the first place and my periods were normal again, I quit the metformin and stuck with the Phen.

Since I've been on Phen, I've lost 25 lbs, but that's also because I'm consistently working out. I don't have the embarrassing chin hair anymore cuz I started laser hair removal back in December. I couldn't wait until I lost 70 lbs to get rid of that beard! I still have a lot more weight to lose but I give a lot of credit to the Phen. The metformin was great for getting my periods back on track, but weight loss isn't one of the major effects. To me, the weight gain and the inability to lose it was the issue I wanted to tackle the most because then everything else would fall into place.

The thing about PCOS is that it's suspected that it's caused by obesity. The thing about obesity is that it's mostly caused by unhealthy lifestyle habits. If you lose the weight, the symptoms of PCOS will go away. With PCOS though, it's more difficult to lose the weight and if you can't lose the weight, how do you get over the symptoms? Are you just supposed to treat the symptoms with pills for the rest of your life? Really, you don't wanna just treat the symptoms anyway--you wanna correct the problem that's causing the symptoms. For me, the Phen is treating the source of the problem because it helped with the weight loss, which in turn has kept my periods regular, made me more insulin sensitive, and will get my cholesterol down (my cholesterol was only in the high end of what was considered normal anyway). Also, being on Phen allows you to make better food choices, which builds healthier lifestyle habits. I rarely crave anything unhealthy anymore and food is only used for sustenance--not to fill a void when I'm bored. I eat more fruits and vegetables now without feeling like I'm missing out on junk food! I continue to lift weights in addition to doing cardio at the gym because it helps the weight come off even faster and because I don't wanna be flabby as I continue to lose weight.

A lot of my opinions come from what I've read on *****.com, wikipedia.com, about.com, among other sites. Hope this helps

[micahsmommy]

thought I'd bump this thread to see if there are any active women on here with pcos taking phen or phen and metformin.

[MNUNEZ]

How did you go about getting diagnosed with PCOS - I know there is blood work that has to be done, but what are the other tests? I've always had irregular periods - most of my weight is around my middle. I know I have high testosterone levels - just by my moods and behavior and such. I've been having some issues with TOM and it staying too long since I've started phen, I called the OBGYN, but I have to wait until it goes away for them to see me. Also what type of doctor diagnosed you? General doc or OBGYN?

[kimmieq]

I have done the self diagnosis thing myself. I have to shave my "beard and mustache" daily, I have about 15 skin tags under my arms, and my TOM is weird. I had it twice last month. I dont skip months, but sometimes get it twice in the same month. They are very painful, and I bleed very heavy. I take metformin because I am diabetic. I was on phen for about 4 months, lost almost 40 lbs. We moved to Ca and now I cannot find a dr to prescribe it for me. I am convinced I have PCOS, but have an appt with a GYN on the 5th of next month. I am hoping that she will prescribe it for me, to help me get this weight off. Since being off the phen, I have gained back all but 13 lbs of what I lost, and I am so upset about it. I cannot control my eating. The phen worked sooooo good for me. If anyone has any advice or suggestions, please feel free to contact me.

Have a great day

[austexgirl]

I was diagnosed with PCOS back in 1989. Typically, most women find out they've got it after trying to conceive. Infertility is one of the symptoms. Here is a list of some other ones:

Apple shaped body
Inability to lose weight
Excess hair growth on face
Male pattern baldness
Irregular periods
Aggressiveness

Not everyone experiences all of these symptoms; these just seem to be the common ones.

Those who've posted about staying away from bc pills are right. Only thing bc pills will do for you is regulate your cycles. At least, in most cases they will. If you suspect you have pcos, best thing to do is have some blood work done. Fasting insulin, total and free testosterone, as well as estrogen and progesterone levels should be checked. Have your triglycerides checked, too, as they tend to be high in pcos'ers, while cholesterol tends to be low.

The culprit, as has already been mentioned, is insulin resistance. Excess insulin leads to excess testosterone, which leads to weight gain, which leads to more testosterone, which leads to ovulatory issues. As it was explained to me many years ago, the ovulatory issues contribute to the problem as well. In simple terms, women with pcos go through the first half of their cycles fine, but the eggs never release from the ovaries. After a while, these mature eggs turn into cysts which - you guessed it - give off testosterone. If you can lose weight, you'll be able to drop the testosterone level, but you cannot lose weight cause the testosterone won't let you. You basically end up chasing your tail.

It took me over 10 years to find a doc who actually knew what pcos was and would do something about it. She put me on metformin and I dropped 40 pounds in two months without changing a thing. Wonder of wonders, my cycles regulated, too.

I've still got a lot of weight to lose, and I went on Phen to even the odds a bit. Women with pcos face an even more uphill climb in order to lose weight, and I wanted all the help I can get. I'm still taking the met, and I will forever if the doc will let me. I also take spironolactone for the excess hair growth, but I cannot say it's made a huge difference.

[moanie77]

I found out about 5 years ago that I have PCOS. I have a Dr. that I really trust and he's an ob/gyn, infertility specialist, and handles high-risk pregnancies. I chose him as my Dr. in 1999 when I was pregnant w/ my daughter (I had miscarried 2x before that point). I ended up having my daughter via c-section because her cord wrapped around her neck.

Before getting pregnant I had never had weight problems, facial hair problems, etc. I am 5'9" and weighed 150 pounds dead on. I was completely happy with that weight as I was a very athletic person. I also figured my chest had to account for a some of it......lol. I wore a consistent size 7 and found that in the summer time I would wear cut-offs over my bikini because my hip bones stuck out too much (sure wish I had THAT PROBLEM again! lol)

Because I was high-risk I was put on bedrest for the first 5-6 months of my pregnancy. During my last trimester my Dr. allowed me to take 1 class at the local college, but it had to be a 2x per week class ~ not a M-F thing. I think he did it mostly for my sanity, as I was going crazy sitting at home.

The day I went into labor I weighed 253 pounds. Ten days after my daughter was born my mother suddenly passed away & I went into a deep depression. The only thing that saved me was my daughter and her father (who is now my husband), because of my daughter I had to get up everyday & take care of her.

In 2002 I went to see my Dr. because I wasn't having regular periods. I would only have 2-3 per year. I weighed 315. The Dr. gave me a medication to take for a week or two (can't remember exactly) but it kick started those periods going. And boy did they start going......lol.

The Dr. also told me that I had the symptoms of PCOS and explained to me that in most cases it is brought on because of a woman being overweight and not the other way around. Yes, once your body wears down enough and PCOS develops you will likely gain weight at a slow & steady pace (fast forward from 2002 @ 315 to 2007 @ 352) and it is difficult to lose the weight, but if you can lose the weight the PCOS almost always corrects itself & dissappears altogether.

Currently I have the almost ever constant bleeding. In the course of a month I will probably bleed very very heavily for about 2 weeks. I spend about another week bleeding more lightly, and I have about 5-7 days a month (and it's never a constant stretch of those 5-7 days ~ I'm lucky if I get a 2-3 day window) where I don't bleed.

I have the every dreded facial hair that loves to grown under my chin and of course where a guy would usually grow his side-burns at. I was them both with avengence and find that this helps me quite a bit as I'm afraid to actually shave it & have it turn into a full-blown beard. I usually have to wax it about every 3-4 weeks.

Of course I ended up with the ever so exciting "happy trail" too......lol. This one I deal with a little better, as it's not noticable to the public. I wax it like 4x per year and that seems to do the trick.

My favorite one though is the WONDERFUL patch of back hair I have aquired in all of this........lol. It is about 7 inches below my hair line located smack dab in the middle (crossways). It's LOVELY to try & attack that one, considering I cannot even reach that portion of my back....lol. The strip is about 4" wide & maybe 1 1/2" tall where the hair grows & I get about 40-60 of the pesky things.

My wonderful 14-year old (she's my cousin that I am in the process of adopting & have had her since she was 7 ~ but that's another story) takes perverse pleasure in waxing it & watching me cringe.......lol. Luckily I only have to endure that one about 3-4 times per year also......lol.

Needless to say that I am ecstatic about Phen. I'm in my 3rd week now & at my 2nd week weigh in I had lost 13 pounds. When I get to my goal weight I will definitely be having laser hair removal done to get rid of the pesky hair.....lol.