Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

Advice on low-carbs

Question:

Hi there.  I have PCOS, and have been on Metformin for over a year now. I’ve lost about 30lbs, but seem to have plateaued.  I need to lose about 30 more lbs. I know that a low-carb would help me, but I don’t know how to do it.  I don’t want to do an Atkins diet type of thing, as eating high-fat foods makes me ill.  I also don’t eat red meat and pork.  What I would like to do is just cut back on my carbs.  What’s a good substitute when I get a carb craving?  Is it OK to eat fresh fruits and veggies in larger amounts?  I know they are still carbs, but they aren’t the evil refined flour and sugar carbs. I might have to stop taking Metformin, as my liver enzyme levels have my doctor concerned.  I went for a bunch of blood tests, and I have an U/S tomorrow for my gallbladder.  I want to at least maintain my weight loss if I have to go off Met.  My suspicion is that I’ll have to have my gallbladder out, which hopefully will resolve the liver enzyme problem.  Anyone else have liver or gallbladder problems after taking Met? — -Kelly Check out www.snittens.com

Response:

if the gallbladder us is negative they might try a liver us because I have the same problem and I have a fatty liver which caused the LFT’s to be elevated. Misty "KellyH" <ke…@nospamfarringtonsnospam.net> wrote in message

news:iIjea.152003$3D1.17140@sccrnsc01… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi there.  I have PCOS, and have been on Metformin for over a year now. > I’ve lost about 30lbs, but seem to have plateaued.  I need to lose about 30 > more lbs. > I know that a low-carb would help me, but I don’t know how to do it.  I > don’t want to do an Atkins diet type of thing, as eating high-fat foods > makes me ill.  I also don’t eat red meat and pork.  What I would like to do > is just cut back on my carbs.  What’s a good substitute when I get a carb > craving?  Is it OK to eat fresh fruits and veggies in larger amounts?  I > know they are still carbs, but they aren’t the evil refined flour and sugar > carbs. > I might have to stop taking Metformin, as my liver enzyme levels have my > doctor concerned.  I went for a bunch of blood tests, and I have an U/S > tomorrow for my gallbladder.  I want to at least maintain my weight loss if > I have to go off Met.  My suspicion is that I’ll have to have my gallbladder > out, which hopefully will resolve the liver enzyme problem.  Anyone else > have liver or gallbladder problems after taking Met? > — > -Kelly > Check out www.snittens.com

Response:

It turns out that I have gallstones.  At least I have an explanation for what’s going on. — -Kelly Check out www.snittens.com "Bill and Misty Dowd" <billdo…@erols.com> wrote in message news:b5csu7$d9c$1@bob.news.rcn.net… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> if the gallbladder us is negative they might try a liver us because I have > the same problem and I have a fatty liver which caused the LFT’s to be > elevated. > Misty > "KellyH" <ke…@nospamfarringtonsnospam.net> wrote in message > news:iIjea.152003$3D1.17140@sccrnsc01… > > Hi there.  I have PCOS, and have been on Metformin for over a year now. > > I’ve lost about 30lbs, but seem to have plateaued.  I need to lose about > 30 > > more lbs. > > I know that a low-carb would help me, but I don’t know how to do it.  I > > don’t want to do an Atkins diet type of thing, as eating high-fat foods > > makes me ill.  I also don’t eat red meat and pork.  What I would like to > do > > is just cut back on my carbs.  What’s a good substitute when I get a carb > > craving?  Is it OK to eat fresh fruits and veggies in larger amounts?  I > > know they are still carbs, but they aren’t the evil refined flour and > sugar > > carbs. > > I might have to stop taking Metformin, as my liver enzyme levels have my > > doctor concerned.  I went for a bunch of blood tests, and I have an U/S > > tomorrow for my gallbladder.  I want to at least maintain my weight loss > if > > I have to go off Met.  My suspicion is that I’ll have to have my > gallbladder > > out, which hopefully will resolve the liver enzyme problem.  Anyone else > > have liver or gallbladder problems after taking Met? > > — > > -Kelly > > Check out www.snittens.com

Response:

On Thu, 20 Mar 2003 13:52:14 GMT, "KellyH" – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -<ke…@nospamfarringtonsnospam.net> wrote: >Hi there.  I have PCOS, and have been on Metformin for over a year now. >I’ve lost about 30lbs, but seem to have plateaued.  I need to lose about 30 >more lbs. >I know that a low-carb would help me, but I don’t know how to do it.  I >don’t want to do an Atkins diet type of thing, as eating high-fat foods >makes me ill.  I also don’t eat red meat and pork.  What I would like to do >is just cut back on my carbs.  What’s a good substitute when I get a carb >craving?  Is it OK to eat fresh fruits and veggies in larger amounts?  I >know they are still carbs, but they aren’t the evil refined flour and sugar >carbs. >I might have to stop taking Metformin, as my liver enzyme levels have my >doctor concerned.  I went for a bunch of blood tests, and I have an U/S >tomorrow for my gallbladder.  I want to at least maintain my weight loss if >I have to go off Met.  My suspicion is that I’ll have to have my gallbladder >out, which hopefully will resolve the liver enzyme problem.  Anyone else >have liver or gallbladder problems after taking Met?

Hi Kelly! I was dx with PCOS in Dec/00 and have been on Metformin ever since.. like you, I lost over 30 lbs in about 3 months and stopped.. I was able to maintain that for the past 2 years by modifying the types of carbs I eat.. eg.. eat moderate amounts of whole wheat or rye bread instead of white bread, brown rice instead of white rice, very little pasta(only as a treat once in a while), rarely potatoes, rarely sweets. This past January I decided that I wanted to lose another 20 lbs so I started to lower my carb intake even more by completely cutting out bread, pasta, white sugar, and potatoes. I eat fruit but only in the mornings because it gives me that ‘get-up-and-go’ and burns off quickly. I snack on peanuts and Atkins Advantage Bars. I make sure that I drink at least 6 or more 8oz glasses of water a day and I take a high potency multi-vitamin. I have increased the amount of vegetables I eat, as well as salad. I exercise at the gym 3x a week and try to take a walk for 1/2 an hour on non-gym days. To date I have lost an additional 12 lbs and I’m feeling great.   Nothing good comes without sacrifice and believe me it is worth it! As for the gallbladder thing, I had mine removed in 1993, so I can’t comment on the effects of Metformin on the gallbladder, but I do know that high fatty foods are very hard on the gallbladder. But I do seem to recall reading somewhere that the liver CAN be affected by metformin. I had my liver checked about a year ago and everything was OK. Hope I was able to help.. good luck! Lori

Response:

> Hi there.  I have PCOS, and have been on Metformin for over a year now. > I’ve lost about 30lbs

Congratulations! > What’s a good substitute when I get a carb craving?>

Ice cream, but not the low fat kind.  Believe it or not, the fat and protein slow down the glycemic response, so even with the sugar ice cream won’t cause an insulin spike.  Not really good for losing weight, but good for maintaining menstrual cycles. If you’re not pregnant, you can make low carb snacks from Splenda. You can mix low fat cream cheese (or the non-dairy soy kind) with cocoa powder and splenda to make a nice chocolatey snack. > Is it OK to eat fresh fruits and veggies in larger amounts?  I know they are still carbs, but they aren’t the evil refined flour and sugar carbs.>

Yes, all vegetables except potatoes and large amounts of carrots are fine.  You should eat some protein with them though (sprinkle sunflower seeds or nuts on your salad, or mix in beans with your veggies, for example).  Beans have carbs but the fiber and protein in them slow the glycemic response.  Fruit is trickier but probably fine (I believe the worst offenders are grapes and bananas).

Response:

Silly One wrote: > If you’re not pregnant, you can make low carb snacks from Splenda. > You can mix low fat cream cheese (or the non-dairy soy kind) with > cocoa powder and splenda to make a nice chocolatey snack.

Cautionary notes on both soy and Splenda: Soy contains phytoestrogens. These are generally bad for PCOS people, who usually tend to be estrogen dominant already. Also, it can block the action of your thyroid, aggravating existing thyroid problems, causing them in people who don’t already have them, and just generally slowing you down. Lot of info on soy danger here: http://creativehealth.netfirms.com/soyindex.shtml I personally think Splenda is too new for us to be sure of its full dangers. It’s made by chlorinating sugar molecules. Supposedly they pass through you unaltered, but I really don’t trust it. I like stevia, but it’s a bit expensive. A lot of people think Mercola is a whacko, but I like what he has to say about Splenda: http://www.mercola.com/2000/dec/3/sucralose_dangers.htm > Yes, all vegetables except potatoes and large amounts of > carrots are fine.  You should eat some protein with them > though (sprinkle sunflower seeds or nuts on your salad, or > mix in beans with your veggies, for example).  Beans have > carbs but the fiber and protein in them slow the glycemic > response.  Fruit is trickier but probably fine (I believe > the worst offenders are grapes and bananas).

I think it depends a lot of which of the lowcarb programs you’re following. Some are stricter than others. There’s a carb counter here that might be helpful: http://www.atkinsfriends.com/carbcounter.shtml . Usually you subtract the fiber from the carbs and whatever’s left is the effective carb content of the food. Jeni. — I have not lost my mind. It’s backed up on the server. (and the network is down again)

Response:

>>>>What’s a good substitute when I get a carb craving?>>>>>

I just discovered ranch flavored almond slices.  Sunkist sells sliced almonds with different coatings: ranch, cinnamon sugar, honey mustard, barbeque, etc.  The ranch ones taste just like ranch flavored wheat thins (which I love but are a low-carbers "no no").

Response:

Filed under: PCOS Diet

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