PCOS question

[lyquidphyre]

My doctor wouldn't put me on metformin for my PCOS because my periods are regular. He just perscribed my birthcontrol pills to take care of the estrogen related side effects.
Now, I have heard that Cinnomon has the same affect as metformin w/o the nasty side effects (in fact I used to take it for a while and noticed the "pooch" in my stomach slim down) and was wondering if Cinnamon would have ill effects with the Atkins diet? I plan to buy all my vitamins but I was curious if I should stock up on fish oil and cinnamon as well.

Also, how well does this diet work with PCOS-ers? Should I continue to stay in induction stage.. or...?

[maiden guahan]

I was diagnosed with PCOS 10 years ago. I had just gotten married and had irregular periods my whole life. At the time I did have a son but could not get pregnant. I was around 230 lbs when I married. We wanted to have a child and I was told by my doctor that with the my type II diabetes and my PCOS, my chances for conceiving were near O.

5 years ago, I heard about a doctor from UC Davis who was doing studies on the effects of low carb diets and fertility. At the time I had not had a menstrual cycle in 10 years. My husband who had a son from a previous marriage, and I figured we were blessed with the two children we had and should consider ourselves lucky. I was amused by this doctor's studies and decided to give the atkins diet a chance. (not because I wanted to conceive but more because my diabetes was out of control even with medication, and the effects of PCOS was wearing me down.

After a month and a 1/2 I lost 20 lbs. At the end of 3 months, I was down to 195 lbs and all of a sudden I got my period. (Amazing after 10 years). At the 4th month I was down to 185 lbs but I felt really strange and began to get nauseated. I thought it might be due to my diet and so I went to see my doctor. (Who was the diabetes program administrator for Kaiser Permanente). He was amazed at my loss of 45 lbs. But worried it was too soon. He ran blood tests and my cholesterol dropped way down and my hemoglobin a -1-c was down to a 9. But the biggest suprise was that I was pregnant!

It was a shock and my husband and I did not know what to expect. He referred me to the high risk pregnancy clinic which told me to get off the atkins diet but did prescribe me a low carb diet and put me on insulin. Unfortunately, at 3 months we lost that baby but we decided at that moment to try again if I had a period. They told us to wait the 6 weeks but we didn't. Not that we were trying, but it just happened. I had one menstrual cycle then 5 weeks after losing the first baby, I was pregnant again.

Because I was diabetic, I did encounter complications and my daughter went into distress at 7 months along and I had to have an emergency c- section. My daughter will be 4 in May 2008 and we are amazed and would never have thought we would have had her in our lives. I have only gained back 10 lbs since her birth and have not been on atkins. But, I have had a healthy menstural cycle since her birth, (Although I miss not having them) The effects of PCOS have subsided, but I am looking to get back onto Atkins because my diabetes is still not in control. And I could stand to lose more weight to keep up with my very active 4 year old and to be around for her in the future.

I would not recommend going out and getting pregnant, but there are studies showing that a low carb diet has helped those with infertility and with PCOS complications.

[firelady]

Cinnamon is good for you. I take Metformin and should have been on it sooner. I blieve overall it is good for you.

Find another doctor.

[snicksD]

Maiden you have no idea how much your post lifted my spirits. Since I was 21 and after I lost a baby back in 1990 I have had very irregular periods to not being able to quit bleeding. They put me on bc and blamed my weight for all this, but then they discovered I had possible PCOS. We adopted 8 years ago and although she is the joy of my heart I still yearn to have a baby someday. I am 41 now and I am running out of time.I was even looking into possibly having my uterus yanked which I was not emotionally prepared for. This is my third week of Atkins I have noticed my blood sugars going almost to normal, I am losing weight and my blood pressure is normal now. I have a lot of weight to lose but reading your post makes me wonder if I should wait and see what happens after I have been on it for more then a year. Thanks for a glimmer of hope.