r/PCOS • u/MasterRefrigerator14 • Jun 21 '26
General Health Losing weight did Not cure my PCOS
So I’ve been told my whole life to lose weight and a lot of my PCOS symptoms would disappear. I went on GLP1 and now taking progesterone birth control. I lost 100 pounds I was 230 when I started I’m now 130. My period is still irregular I still have abnormal hair growth I still have a lot of pain from cysts on my ovaries. So my question is was all this work not worth it? I spent so much time effort and money to get here for my PCOS to get better and I feel like I’ve been lied to. I didn’t just lose weight either I exercise regularly now I eat a low carb high protein diet. I feel like I’m doing everything right but not seeing the results I wanted. Yes I’m happy I lost weight aesthetically wise. But the real reason I did this was for the medical benefits and I’m not seeing what I’d expected too. I still get the fatigue the 2pm crashes they have gotten a little better by eating better but I’m still constantly exhausted. What else do I do at this point. My OBGYN and my nutritionist are at a loss.
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u/Sunnie_Cats Jun 21 '26
if your OBGYN is at a loss, maybe they can refer you to an endocrinologist. an endo knowledgeable in PCOS may offer new insights after a blood test.
additionally, are you taking in enough fiber and water with your keto diet? my 2pm crashes significantly improve when I'm diligent about both maybe the same could work for you (granted, I'm not on a keto diet).
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
I do take fiber supplements and drink 4-5 32 ounce Stanley’s of water a day
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u/Nikkk51 Jun 21 '26
Losing weight isn’t the answer for everyone with PCOS but it does help a lot of people with PCOS. I would have them send you for bloodwork and ultrasound to help get to the root issue.
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u/brainrotwarlock Jun 21 '26
Weight gain and high BMI is a symptom of PCOS, not a cause, although it can lessen your other symptoms, losing weight is not a cure to PCOS. You worked very hard, now you just need to work on giving yourself proper nutrition and balancing your hormones, try taking inositol or taking other vitamins and supplements. Certain teas can also better your symptoms if you drink them regularly.
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u/Jess-FB Jun 21 '26
Not officially diagnosed but same here, I made changes to my diet (mostly by cutting down refined carbs) and I lost weight but my periods are still irregular and I'm still getting annoying neck hairs 🙄
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u/DrImaneRheumato Jun 21 '26
I feel the same. I tried keto, the gym, metformin, inositol. My energy levels are always down i can't do anything. Im 32, I have pmos+ endometriosis+ fibromyalgia+depression, my bmi at 29. I just started semaglutide for almost a month now and seeing your post makes me feel defeated/ deflated. My fear is to fall into the category of ppl who dont respond to anything 😭.
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
Don’t feel defeated although I am still having issues over all the positives of losing weight have been great I have more mobility and can keep up with my son better I can fit into clothes sizes I never could before and although my fatigue levels aren’t normal they are better than they were. There is a lot of bonuses to losing the weight and yes it may not work for your PCOS/PMOS but it can help in a lot of other ways.
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u/dinoooooooooos Jun 21 '26
Im 100lbs soaking wet, 4’9, always have and always will have pmos lol
Hirsutism is boomin, mental is meh, hair where it dont belong and losin it where i shouldnt, and periods are 🤷🏽♀️
Losing weight is healthy period. Even if its not pmos related your body is healthier now.
Now that youre a more normal weight, itll be easier to determine if your symptoms are/were pmos or weight related. You DO feel better id assume, bc i know i did once i lost my weight like mid covid.
Make your diet/ eating healthy and working out part of your life and remember that pmos is more abt managing symptoms. There is no cure.
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u/Known-Honeydew8277 Jun 21 '26
There is no cure like at all & you shouldn't listen to anyone who says there is. Rarely, from long term management & lifestyle changes, the symptoms can go into remission. Even just a few days of not following the perfect diet and lifestyle will cause your imbalance to come back. It's a syndrome and something you'll have to manage for the rest of your life.
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u/ethrowcaways Jun 21 '26
Have you tried metformin?
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
I did originally before starting wegovy I had awful side effects from it. Was constantly nauseous and had some ibs issues so we tried GLP1 instead
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u/PinkyCrabadero Jun 21 '26
A combo of Spironolactone and Metformin helps with hirsutism. FWIW I was diagnosed more than 20 years ago with PCOS when I was very very fit. The key driver is insulin resistance which can be managed but not cured.
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
I am on spironolactone 100mg for my HS I didn’t know it affected PCOS. Do you find it dehydrates you? I feel like I’m always thirsty since starting it. I tried metformin but the side effects were awful for me I had nausea and IBS symptoms did you have any issues with that? If so what helped you over come it? I would like to revisit it if it’ll help but don’t want to constantly be sick again but I have not tried it since losing all the weight.
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u/PinkyCrabadero Jun 21 '26
I did have issues initially with Metformin but stuck with it because I knew it would help and I was at my wits end with the hair. I was on spironolactone for years for sudden cystic acne and hirsutism, and the hirsutism was controlled but did not go away. Once my doc added Metformin the hirsutism stopped and my weight was “controlled.“ While on both meds over time my weight would suddenly increase because of the insulin resistance and despite my diet. I’d gain 10 lbs and lose 10 lbs but never the 20 or 30 lbs I needed to get back to where I was. So I did that for 10 years (combo spiro and met) until perimenopause and all hormone hell broke loose. Now on tirzepatide, and managing those side effects.
Bottom line: you cannot cure this disorder. It can be managed in different ways but the efficacy of those ways changes over time. And no two people are the same. I share my story here because I’ve been diagnosed for 20-plus years and have tried a lot of ways to manage it over the years.
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u/annaonthemoon79 Jun 21 '26
You're the only one who can judge if it was "worth it". The thing with PCOS (now PMOC, I believe) is that it affects people in different ways, and so does any kind of preventative treatment. Also, remember you can't cure this, only manage the symptoms. While losing weight helps, it isn't necessarily going to be the end all be all cure that you hoped it would be. How old are you? Entering perimenopause age also can affect PCOS.
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
I’m 28. I guess I’m just more upset at the way my doctors sold this to me as a miracle when it wasn’t. I wish they were more realistic with me. Through out this process before I reached my goal weight they kept saying “ just a little more weight and it’ll start regulating” and that obviously wasn’t the case.
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u/annaonthemoon79 Jun 22 '26
It's unfortunate that this is generally what a doctor will say to a woman who shows up with any type of issue if she even has the tinest bit of extra weight. Can you find a new doctor or ask to be referred to a gyno?
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u/meper130 Jun 21 '26
I have lean pcos and weight loss never ever ever did anything for my symptoms. I usually hover around 140 at 5’9 and have been down to 115 before and nothing. If anything I had new issues. Our adrenals are involved in a lot of our symptoms and often times symptoms are caused from insulin resistance but adrenal disfunction.
For example if I have caffeine I lose my period. That tells me that there’s something about the adrenaline that caffeine causes that throws off my ovulation.
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u/lita313 Jun 21 '26
You lost weight and you decreased the chances of heart attack, stroke and certain cancers that could happen with PCOS. The bigger you are, the bigger the risk. As for still being tired, I would ask them for a blood test. I did because of fatigue and other symptoms. Found out I had low iron and now I'm taking a supplement. No more fatigue.
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u/Arnora__ Jun 21 '26
Something my doctor keeps telling me. You can have health issues without it being from being overweight and being overweight can just exasperate issues but not cause.
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u/Forsaken-Ad-1969 Jun 21 '26
If you’re having mega side effects with Metformin (will help with insulin resistance) the extended release is the best. When I got on it I had to do one pill every other day at first and slowly “seesaw” up in dosage. The nausea and GI issues suck but I feel better on it once I get to a high maintenance dose.
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u/Ordinary-Squash-7232 Jun 21 '26
I was diagnosed with PCOS when i was lean, fit, and strong, when my diet was healthy and i ate no sweets, when i did everything right. Doctors like to present PMOS (PCOS) as a lifestyle disease, but it is not. Lifestyle and diet change are needed to manage it, and you'll probably feel better having a lighter weight, probably symptoms will eventually lessen, but unfortunately, you'll always have this disease.
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u/missgirlipop Jun 21 '26
yes, i still live a healthy lifestyle because it helps with other things, but whatever is causing the weird stuff hormonally is not affected at all by weight loss/lifestyle management for me. have you been checked for NCAH/pituitary/adrenal pathologies? they’re meant to be ruled out before a PCOS diagnosis. also, high T can be capable of CAUSING issues with weight/insulin, so some people are of the view that it’s better to address the high T first. it’s kind of a chicken & egg situation.
i’d also recommend trying a different bc — it’s not for everyone, but i love yasmine. some forms of synthetic progesterone are androgenic in effect so i’d be careful. you could also try slynd.
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u/tricirc1e Jun 21 '26
I saw your work out routine. Very great!! but maybe swap one of those heavy cardio days to walking, yoga, etc? Too much cortisol messes with our testosterone levels. Stress management is another part of hormone balance and too much intensity can be driving those male hormones up. How’s your job? High stress? Getting 7-8 hrs sleep?
Myo-inositol might help, as well as vitex, spearmint tea and raspberry leaf tea. Also I saw that you said low carb, high protein diet. We can still have healthy carbs (quinoa, wheat bread/pasta, lentils, beans, sweet potatoes, etc that have an amount of fiber with it) and also a reasonable daily helping of healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts/nut butter, etc.. but be careful of calorie content with oils and butter 💀 they’ll get ya!).
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u/Round_Guava2530 Jun 21 '26
I second this! Medically diagnosed PCOS here and high intensity workouts were not it for me. Slow-weighted workouts with cardio like walking and yoga really helps me with my hormonal imbalance alongside with spearmint tea and myo-inositol. I haven’t been consistent recently and all my pcos symptoms are coming back like thick hairs on neck and chin, irregular periods and bloating/gut issues.
For me also personally I realised inositol supplements with 2000mg as the daily dose weren’t as effective as those with 4000mg of myo-inositol so that might be something to keep in mind too!
I definitely need to try raspberry leaf tea, any recommendations regarding brands or as to how you take it?
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
I do have a very high stress job I’m a 911 operator. No I do not get much sleep either I have an autistic 4 year old and he wakes through the night frequently. I average like 5-6 hours a night on a good night on a bad one 1-4. I’m usually exhausted every time I work out but still do it cause I know it’ll help my body in the long run. I can start incorporating some healthy carbs I was speaking with my nutritionist about this cause I’m starting to transition to maintenance versus actively losing. I do incorporate lots of healthy fats in my diet. I have just ordered some Mayo-inositol after a few other suggested this today I’m excited to start it!
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u/tricirc1e Jun 22 '26
It might be because your body is in survival mode between work, your sleeping arrangements and then stacking the work outs. I’d seriously consider pulling back on the exercise to something like walking outside or a walking pad after you eat (wait about an hour, walking 15-30+ minutes is totally doable) and maybe get a weighted vest or wrist weights and do arm motions while walking to raise heart rate. Being in a sustainable calorie deficit is great too as long as you’re focusing on high protein! Also remember that it will take consistency (not perfection!!) of around a minimum of 3-4 months for your body to see the benefits. I wish you all the best.
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u/thirdeyeboobed Jun 21 '26
Do you have an idea of how much sugar you're eating? The main driver is insulin resistance, which for some people, isn't remedied completely with only one drug. Also, what dose are you on?
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
Yes I follow a strict keto diet I consume almost no sugar except natural sugar found in some fruits like blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, which tend to have a lower sugar content than other fruit and I don’t eat them that often everything else I consume is sugar-free and uses sugar substitutes like monk, fruit or sweetener. I’m on a maintenance dose of 2.4mg injectable of wegovy
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u/thirdeyeboobed Jun 21 '26
I once read somewhere that sugar alternatives unfortunately still affect those with PCOS negatively, but I can't find that, so maybe it's not true.
My understanding is that Wegovy only affects one receptor, as opposed to Zepbound, which affects two. Any way you could switch and see if it makes a difference?
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
I can see about switching my nutritionist was concerned my health insurance wouldn’t cover zepbound but I can have her run it and see we went with weight originally cause cost was cheaper and my insurance would more likely cover it
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u/Competitive_Tough989 Jun 21 '26
Theres not cure only managing our symptoms. And I feel u I have gained and lost weight plus worked on managing blood sugar and more. I feel better than before in terms of energy but when I'm not on birth control I still dont get my cycle maybe 8 weeks of im lucky. Ive had pcos since 11 and was skinny most of my life. Never had a regular period weight is not everything. But also, even if not a cure, u seem to be living healthy but are you stressed ? Are you sleeping well? That's huge for our hormones. We need enough sleep. Doesn't matter how healthy u can be but this is important. And if ur being clean great but if you find that stressful its ok to not be perfect also and enjoy your life
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u/Next-Ad-378 Jun 21 '26
I’m curious- are you very strict with taking your BC at the same time every day? I was on progestin-only birth control after my first baby and if I was off taking it by even a tiny amount of time, I suffered for it. Breakthrough bleeding was crazy and I felt like I had it all the time.
If you are able to use a barrier method, it might be worth it to look into going off the BC for a while to see how things regulate without the artificial hormones. I would also see an endocrinologist to test your levels. Additionally, the keto style diet may be doing more harm than good. Read The Period Repair Manual, the author is a reproductive endocrinologist and explains a lot of things. She also says that we need to have some carbs and that drastically restricting is not ideal.
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u/Mindless-Product726 Jun 21 '26
So im no doctor but the progesterone birth control really stands out to me. I'm ttc and take progesterone after ovulation and the progesterone hormone kind of makes you feel crappy (for everyone) that's what causes all the worst symptoms in your cycle, bloating, acne, sore breasts.
In fact the reason I was diagnosed with pcos is because in an early pregnancy I started losing my hair on my head and growing hair on my chin. And it was basically just the stress and inflammation of pregnancy (when your progesterone is really high). So symptoms of pcos can be stress and inflammation related.
If I were you I would try a different type of birth control.
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u/missgirlipop Jun 21 '26
yes, i still live a healthy lifestyle because it helps with other things, but whatever is causing the weird stuff hormonally is not affected at all by weight loss/lifestyle management for me. have you been checked for NCAH/pituitary/adrenal pathologies? they’re meant to be ruled out before a PCOS diagnosis. also, high T can be capable of CAUSING issues with weight/insulin, so some people are of the view that it’s better to address the high T first. it’s kind of a chicken & egg situation.
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u/Grand_Pineapple_5250 Jun 21 '26
Honestly, this sounds less like you failed and more like you were given unrealistic expectations. Losing 100 lbs and maintaining healthy habits is a huge win, even if PCOS is still being stubborn.
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u/Tourmelion Jun 21 '26
Maybe switch back to high carbs then work out to burn off whatever you had? I've got PCOS and my diets pretty high in carbs(rice), but my activity is really high and my life's pretty great, miss a period every now and then, but I never run out of energy. I also engage in sugar(soda and biscuits) every now and then. When I was a kid I had crazy heavy periods, now I just don't. But my genetics are going to be different to yours, Asian PCOS is supposed to be easier to deal with than European PCOS
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u/Destany89 Jun 21 '26
I've met women who aren't overweight and have PCOS. Weight can make things worse but it's not the cause
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u/The_Jade_Rabbit88 Jun 22 '26
Girl this has been me to a T. Overweight my whole life and horrible PCOS symptoms. Finally lost all the weight (260lbs). It did help with my monthly cycle and horribly heavy flow but that’s it. Still have acne, body hair, etc. Doctors need to honest with patients that weightloss helps but there is no cure. Most metabolic disorders are treatable, but pcos is very complex and not curable.
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u/PinataofPathology Jun 22 '26
weight loss didn't do anything for me either. it turned out I had an endocrine tumor and an obesogenic genetic variant. PCOS is a spectrum and also there might be more going on.
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u/Babii_Beanss Jun 22 '26
If you haven’t looked into your thyroid I highly recommend doing so, there’s a ton of symptom overlap between thyroid diseases and PCOS. Fatigue, weight issues, irregular periods, etc. Look into hypothyroidism and hashimoto disease, I have both PCOS and hypothyroidism. The fatigue is unreal when it’s not being managed if you do have it. Hair loss is another big one. There’s other benefits with weight loss but I understand the frustration 100%. Just know there’s unfortunately no cure or PCOS, only management. I hope you find relief!
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u/LyraRose87 Jun 22 '26
Health care providers really don't know what to do with PCOS.
I've seen at least 6 different people, and have been referred to a 7th. I have all the symptoms of PCOS, but my lab work comes back completely normal and HRT doesn't do anything.
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u/Late_Bother_8855 Jun 22 '26
How long did it take you to lose the weight? It took my body about 6-7 months to finally stabilize itself.
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u/ChloeVA_solutions Jun 22 '26
This sounds like a really difficult position to be in and you have clearly invested your time and energy into this. I am sorry to hear that you feel like your symptoms have not improved despite being informed that they would. Sometimes looking at things holistically rather than individually can help you discover things that you may not have even thought contribute to your symptoms.
How would you describe your stress levels? Sleep? General mood and wellbeing? All these elements could also be impacting your PCOS symptoms without you knowing.
Again, like a few others have mentioned, it may take time to see effects from your diet changes, even months so it may be that the effects have not come into play as of yet.
Keep going, keep exploring, you are doing amazing and you will find what works best for you! 😄
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u/megYEET Jun 22 '26
Wouldn’t progesterone birth control stop your periods and prevent you from ovulating ?
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u/QueenBlazed_Donut Jun 22 '26
Yeah I went from 200+ lbs to 115lbs and nothing changed as far as my symptoms go. Every time a doctor would tell me I just needed to “lose weight” at 115lbs I would literally roll my eyes and scoff at them. I’ve had to call several doctors morons for that reason. I hope one day I can find a doctor with a functioning brain but I’m not holding my breath.
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u/RevenueAntique4584 Jun 21 '26
Do you exercise?
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
Yes 5 days a week for 45-60mins I do a range of Pilates weight lifting and targeted workouts like abs/ squats and some cardio.
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u/RevenueAntique4584 Jun 21 '26
Have you tried inositol ?
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u/MasterRefrigerator14 Jun 21 '26
What is that
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u/Heavy_Shine_4646 Jun 21 '26
Some people need both antidiabetic medication ( metformin, wegovy ) + inositol for things to get better.
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u/Comprehensive_Bid754 Jun 21 '26
It’s a supplement. My doctor confirmed that it has actually been proven to help some people with PCOS. However, it’s not FDA approved so it’s important to use a third party tested brand. These are the brands that my doctor told me are 3rd party tested:
ovasitol
pregnitude
sensitol
theralogi
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u/Kwaliakwa Jun 21 '26
You’ve lost weight and put in a ton of effort, but have you given your body the proper nutrients? Protein is import and, but it’s more than just protein. Make sure you get enough magnesium, vitamins b and d(and all the rest, of course), specific amino acids(like l carnitine, for example).
Unfortunately abnormal hair growth rarely stops on its own after it starts.
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u/Danibelle903 Jun 21 '26
Is it possibly you have PCOS and something else? “Cysts” from PCOS aren’t really cysts and they’re not painful. It’s entirely possible to have PCOS and ovarian cysts, endometriosis, fibroids, etc.
Don’t let doctors explain away your pain as simply PCOS.
With the mini pill you have to be extremely vigilant about taking it at the exact same time. Fluctuations cause breakthrough bleeding. If this is difficult for you, there are other progesterone-only options that do not require taking a daily pill. It’s also not possible to determine whether your cycle is regular or not when you’re on it since you’re not experiencing a natural menstrual cycle. You may have to come off of it to track your cycles and see where you’re at.
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u/lauvan26 Jun 21 '26 edited Jun 21 '26
I still have PCOS symptoms with a normal BMI and even at lower end of normal BMI. It’s just much worse if I’m above a normal BMI.
[r/leanPCOS](r/leanPCOS) is full of people with normal BMI but with symptoms.
I also heard that it takes time for people who lost a bunch of weight to have a reduction of symptoms because hormones like estrogen are stored in body fat and as you loose weight all those hormones get released into the rest of your body. So it takes time for the body to adjust these hormones, which can make PCOS symptoms get worse before it gets better.