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Any successful Whole30ers with PCOS? Losing weight is a huge struggle for me and I'm wondering if there are any success stories out there (yes, besides the ones featured in the testimonials section). Were the any modifications you made to the plan to see results? Were you on meds while doing it? 

 

Thanks! 

 

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N-why, I'm in the same boat. My start date is not until July 15, but I did loose 4 lbs. after quitting wheat. I'm purposely doing the Whole30 in order to avoid taking meds as my doctor said if I don't loose weight by August, he wants to put me on Metformin and I really don't want that. Have you started the program yet?

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I was diagnosed with PCOS a while back.  My doctor put my on metformin, then I got pregnant and stopped.  I have been un-medicated since then.  I am post Whole 30, but due to my success in that 30 days, I'm continuing to follow it (more or less).  I'm definitely staying off wheat (check out the book Wheat Belly).  Anyway, I lost 15 lbs in that month.  I take yoga once a week and occasionally walk.  Nothing major.  Post Whole 30, my weight continues to go down, but it's not melting off like it did at first.  I highly recommend it.  The only change I made was eating goat cheese.  Man, if I'm going to eat a salad every day, it's going to have goat cheese in it.  

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I've been on metformin before (For about 3 years) lost 60lbs while on it but recently regained about 20. Ideally, I'd like to lose another 30-40 (but in 20lbs I'd be at a healthy BMI for my height - just as a frame of reference). Really do not want to go back on met, so hoping this is the answer I'm looking for. That's great to hear you've had success Lisa! I'll take any sustained weight loss, no matter how slow. 

 

Kellis, I started on Sunday. I'm feeling good so far. I feel I ate pretty healthy to begin with so the detox wasn't as extreme for me, but I could end up regretting those words ;). I would definitely try this before going on met because a) met was no fun and B) for met to work properly you need to consume a certain number of carbs. Met works but moderating the glucose spike so if you're not eating enough carbs it's basically not doing anything. 

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I just started three days ago on my first whole 30. I have had PCOS for a long time. Even as a child I never had regular cycles but it wasn't until I started trying to get pregnant in my 20's that I was diagnosed with it. I have never been over weight but I was a dancer through college. Now I am in a normal weight range but not where I would like to be and have lots of problems with bloating and migraines/headaches. So far for me the diet has helped a lot with feeling bloated but I still look very bloated at the end of each day but at least it isn't painful. But the headaches are out of control right now. Really hope it gets better soon. Did anyone else experience this in the beginning? Good luck to you.

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Ok, are migraines and bloating considered to be related to PCOS?
 

Just for reassurance: yes, the headaches in the first two weeks or so of whole30. I had headaches, sore muscles and was very sleepy for about such time. And then suddenly, I got tons of energy, felt great and never had another headache! It's worth it.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was diagnosed with PCOS almost 10 years ago. I did a whole30 back in the spring and followed it 100%, didn't cheat once (that I know of).  Before I did whole30, I was about 80% Paleo and together with my doctor/natureopath, decided to try whole30 to see if my diet was contributing to my issues, since it was already pretty clean.  I am about 30lbs overweight and despite weight lifting 3-4 days a week, could not put on muscle, or my body burned the muscle that I did gain.  So, I tried whole30.  And while I had better digestion and started to sleep better, I didn't lose a single pound and my energy levels felt the same (i.e. never hit the 'magic' level).  I should've probably taken before/after measurements to compare, but based on the way my clothes fit, I think the difference would have been marginal. The other curious thing was that I had my periods  30 days apart during whole 30 (though extremely light and nothing near normal) and I have never had my periods be anything closer than 45 days apart since I started. My glucose levels are normal and I'm on metformin which hasn't seemed to help much.

 

So, why do I post this not so glowing review of whole30? Partly because PCOS doesn't look the same on every woman that has it  nor does one way work for every PCOSer..  I have fellow PCOS-ers who did whole30 and saw a dramatic difference, I saw very little.  I still believe that this diet is the best out there for women with PCOS but while the miracle stories are motivating, it was very discouraging for me when I worked my butt off and reaped little results, i.e. the results I got were not worth the effort I had to put into it.

 

However, I am considering giving it another shot and doing a longer whole30, like a whole90 or something.  Having PCOS and getting the weight off feels like trying to climb a mountain with tornado-like winds coming at you, so I think I want to see if doing a longer bout with whole30 auto-immune protocol might give my body time to adjust more positively.

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I was diagnosed with PCOS in January 2012 after a 50-lb weight loss (with Weight Watchers) did nothing to regulate my periods. (I went from every once in awhile, to none). I was on birth control for awhile, then stopped because I didn't like the way it made me feel. My doctor wasn't very helpful (read: not at all), so I did my own research and read many articles saying that Paleo, or at least grain free, was the way to go. I did my first W30 starting in April 2013, and I was able to lose some weight even though I was already close to the "healthy" weight for my height. However, I am hoping to do a Whole 100, or some longer duration, to see if that will regulate my cycles, as the W30 I finished just made it weird again.

 

Best of luck to you!

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I was diagnosed with PCOS 8 years ago and have been on Metformin ever since. I use to also take Spironolactone, but now my endo has me taking Propecia. I am not sure if it's working.

 

My weight keeps going up and down, and I would really like for it to just stay down. I carry most of my weight in my belly, which I know is really unhealthy.  I am already doing a paleo diet, but I am starting the Whole 30 on Monday to really kick things into gear.

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  • 2 years later...
  • Administrators

Hi Gem,

This has been discussed at length on the forum. In the interest of avoiding duplication, I have merged your question with an existing PCOS thread. You are also welcome to google "Whole30 PCOS" for other threads and discussions.

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Hi Gem,

This has been discussed at length on the forum. In the interest of avoiding duplication, I have merged your question with an existing PCOS thread. You are also welcome to google "Whole30 PCOS" for other threads and discussions.

Thank You

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi everyone, I'm Leigh and I'm on day 24 of my first Whole30 and I'm nowhere near feeling like I have Tiger Blood yet and I was wondering if any other ladies with PCOS (I was diagnosed at 18 and have never had normal periods) had the same experience or if it's just a me thing. I'm still really tired, haven't really noticed any improvement to my skin or hair and my clothes still feel the same. I'm still enjoying my Whole30, I like the way I'm eating and I never feel hungry and definitely feel less tempted by the treats in the office (though I do have a slice of brownie sitting in my freezer that a colleagues chef daughter made and I wasn't prepared to miss out on completely). But it's still a bit disappointing to not feel awesome yet.

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Yup I'm on day 28 and similarly disappointed. I also have digestive issues, though, and some mods have suggested going low fodmap and that I might have issues with eggs, so I'm making it a whole45(-60) and cutting out those foods as well.

I have noticed improvements with my hormonal migraines and acne, so at least there's that.

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I'll hit 60 days this week and I would not say I have found the "tiger blood". I feel more even, fall asleep quicker and wake earlier, skin is somewhat better and I am down 15 pounds plus my cycle seems to be pretty easy.

I do think our hormonal challenges and thryoid issues/cortisol issues may make tiger blood something that takes longer to manifest. I am not dragging as much as I did during the first 40 days and I have even had some seriously long days(unintentionally) --I think it just takes longer for our systems to heal.

Did you feel the food changes were harder or drastic for you? It may be there is more work inside your system that still needs to work itself out?

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lcar28 - oh gosh, you poor thing. A life without garlic, onions and eggs just seems to awful to contemplate. That's great that your migraines and acne have improved though! Now to mention it I have been having fewer headaches. My digestion is lots better too, I used to have to go multiple times a day and I always blamed my lack of gallbladder but as I'm eating more fat than normal now I'm guessing something else must have been to blame. Hopefully reintroduction will reveal what!

 

Growing123 - I think cortisol might be one of the big problems for me, my gp was monitoring that for a while and I suffer with depression and anxiety so I think that probably doesn't help. I think like you and lcar28, I'm just going to have to commit to a longer period of whole30 style eating. I'm not finding the change in diet too difficult to be honest, not snacking on fruit is probably the hardest adjustment but generally I ate quite clean anyway - just ate office treats like cake and sweets on top of it and ate quite a bit of rice, other grains and the odd bit of pasta. Eating a proper breakfast was a big change too - I used to have a bowl of porridge made with coconut milk at about 10 o'clock at work, so forcing myself to eat just after getting up was hard at first.

 

Well done on your weight loss and improved cycle! Sleep is a difficult one for me to gauge because like you I'm falling asleep quicker and getting up a bit easier but I also keep waking up in the middle of the night so I think I'm sleeping lighter and not actually getting good quality sleep.

 

I think just staying whole30 most of the time but having the odd nice thing when it's worth it will be the way forward. 

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CluelessLeigh, if you suffer anxiety and depression with the pcos, have you had your vitamin d and b levels checked? These are very commonly deficient with pcos women and both can make a huge impact on the feeling of emotional well-being. They are also needed by all cells in the body to function well. If you haven't had the test, you might find discussing it with your gp helpful. Depending on where you live environmental factors may add to the d3 depletion.

Hang in there! You'll find your cycle will improve with age too-I never would have believed it but it is true. What used to be months is now 28-30 days...lots of work over the years but it can happen. :)

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  • 3 months later...

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2011 and lost 18kg in about 10 months (Weight Watchers) after being diagnosed. About 8kg of those have crept back on in the last few years, despite following a relatively healthy diet. I completed my first W30 in Oct 2014 and lost 4kg, bringing me closer to my Weight Watchers lowest weight of 65kg. But then the weight crept back on so I did another W30 and again, lost 4kg ending up at 66. Once again, my weight rocketed after finishing the second W30 and since then I have completed 2 more W30s but both of these with 1-2kg weight loss (from about 72kg to 70).

 

My endocrinologist put me on vitamin D3, DHEA and Burnout for adrenal fatigue. I'm also taking 1500mg Glucophage, birth control and an antidepressant. Still not having any luck with weight loss. Wondering if I need to go low fodmap but also can't bear the thought of cutting out even more things! I don't have lofty ambitions of weighing 55kg and having a BMI of 20 - I just want to get back to 65kg (BMI 25.5) but I just can't get there, despite my best efforts!

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I am glad to see so many people getting results from the W30. I understand some aren't, and for me I think it might take more than 30 days to fully "reset" because I've had binge eating issues and a poor diet for so many years I doubt 30 days will be enough.  I'm going to be starting my first W30 on Feb 24th because that is the beginning of my almost 2 week vacation time.  I'll be able to make everything at home, and no one will be around if I'm a grump or have headaches.  Like everyone else here, I have PCOS and am trying to conceive.  Hopefully this will kick start me in the right direction.

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  • 1 month later...

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2000.   At the time, I had early stage symptoms but over the next decade, my weight hovered between 199 and 215.  In 2012, I had surgery to remove a massive ovarian cyst (which caused me to lose my left ovary), and fibroids.  I did my first round of Whole30 in 2013 and lost 7lbs and more importantly 2" from my waist.  I never got the "Tiger Blood" feeling but my acne and sleep improved.  I did reintroduction incorrectly and opened the floodgates by putting my PCOS triggers - dairy and refined carbs - back in. My weight went from 215 to 223 in less than a year and I work out 3 to 5 days per week. I did another round of Whole30 this past February and lost 5lbs with 2" off my waist.  But this time, my sleep, acne and facial hair growth did not improve.  I probably should have given it 60 days and I'm contemplating doing it again as removal of grains, sugars and dairy does help considerably.

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  • 1 month later...
drnicol1922, on 29 Mar 2016 - 5:36 PM, said:

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2000.   At the time, I had early stage symptoms but over the next decade, my weight hovered between 199 and 215.  In 2012, I had surgery to remove a massive ovarian cyst (which caused me to lose my left ovary), and fibroids.  I did my first round of Whole30 in 2013 and lost 7lbs and more importantly 2" from my waist.  I never got the "Tiger Blood" feeling but my acne and sleep improved.  I did reintroduction incorrectly and opened the floodgates by putting my PCOS triggers - dairy and refined carbs - back in. My weight went from 215 to 223 in less than a year and I work out 3 to 5 days per week. I did another round of Whole30 this past February and lost 5lbs with 2" off my waist.  But this time, my sleep, acne and facial hair growth did not improve.  I probably should have given it 60 days and I'm contemplating doing it again as removal of grains, sugars and dairy does help considerably.

 

I'm hoping to revive this topic a little bit and see if there are any more current w30'ers who also have PCOS, so that we can compare notes to see how we're all doing.

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  • 1 month later...

I am glad to have found this thread! I also have been diagnosed PCOS with metabolic syndrome leading to T2 diabetes. I have read several successes on the T2D end of things and am glad to see success stories wtih PCOS as well. I am just starting my Whole30 today (June 8,2016) but am very excited to see where this takes me! 

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  • 1 month later...

I'm on day 4 of Whole30... I was diagnosed with PCOS and Hashimoto's about 3 months ago after visiting a fertility specialist. I've probably had Hashimoto's since I was 19 or 20 (14 years), and since no doctor ever ran an antibody test, only TSH, it was never caught. Now my antibody levels are 687 (should be under 35). The PCOS has been an issue since my teens, and I was just never diagnosed since the BC masked it. I'm on Metformin, which seems to have mildly helped some of the PCOS symptoms (my blood sugars are fine and my A1C is great so I'm on a low dose). I have struggled with my weight since I was 20. I work out with a trainer twice a week, but I've never had weight loss. Has anyone here had success with PCOS and Hashimoto's with whole30? Is there anything I should be doing differently that has worked for others?

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  • 10 months later...

I'm 33, and have been diagnosed with PCOS since I was 18. When I did my first Whole30 last February (was on no medication for my PCOS at the time) I followed it to the letter, was fanatically religious about checking labels for everything, and stayed 100% on plan. I didn't add any additional exercise to my relatively less-active lifestyle. But, I honestly never felt better in my life than I did during those (well, the second half of) 30 days. I lost 34 lbs. My skin cleared up, my sleep & energy improved, my anxiety & depression were almost non-existent and on day 28, a neighbor commented that even my horribly thin hair was looking fuller than she'd ever seen it. I wish I had stayed on it longer than just the 30 days to see if it helped regulated my periods. But I believe that for me, the key was cutting out the dairy, gluten/processed carbs, and the non-fermented soy products. And the sugar! Definitely cutting out all the sugar! Whole30 helped regulate my mood, my binge-eating, my cravings, and even helped me get over my cheese addiction.

Now, it's a year later, and after a huge stressful change at work, I fell back into my old habits, gained back most of those 34 lbs, and feel miserable. With the possibility of a job change costing me my insurance, I went in at the beginning of this month to a series of doctors for check-ups, and have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, pre-diabetes, and put back on the 1500mg of Metformin and birth control. Having been on the medications for almost 4 weeks now, I am honestly a hormonal mess and feel physically and mentally worse than I did a month ago. I decided this week to start a Whole30 (possibly Whole90) and see how being on the medications affects the results, and if they will be better or worse than last February. If they are worse, I'm going to speak with my doctor about stopping the medications and trying a Whole90, unmedicated, to see if I can get the same amazing results as my first Whole30, AND find out if the Whole30 will help regulate my very irregular, hellish, life-destroying unmedicated menstrual cycle, because if it does, I'm never going off Whole30 again.

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