The FastDay Forum

It is the build up of un-released eggs which causes the small multiple cysts which you see with women with pcos. These small cysts are completely different from the large cysts that some women get. That is not to say that your friend didn't have PCOS, just that she also had different ovarian cysts too. It is quite common for women who have PCOS to also get ovarian cysts.

It gets quite confusing all this talking about cysts, they sound like the same thing but they are not

I 100% agree with you we all need to make our own choices regarding health.
However if you are over 35, have migraines ( esp the ones with visual disturbances) smoke, have a BMI over 35, or have a history of blood clotting issues, family history of stroke etc …...... the risks of taking the pill may outweigh the benefits

There are other ways of balancing your hormones, the 5:2 diet sounds quite helpful, acupuncture, diet, exercise etc

There is no right or wrong answer, though I think it is quite cool that you get a scan every year, I would like that

I woke up today thinking I should come back and say that personally, 5:2 diet wise, I wouldn't restrict protein like Dr. Mosley suggests because we have PCOS. Everything suggests women with PCOS should eat more protein. If you've been on 5:2 for a while and it's working and you're eating less protein, that's great. I just think since my doctor has always told me to eat more protein I'll not really listen to that... though I might up the amount gotten from plants (ie beans probably) v animal protein if it seems doable.

It is the build up of un-released eggs which causes the small multiple cysts which you see with women with pcos. These small cysts are completely different from the large cysts that some women get. That is not to say that your friend didn't have PCOS, just that she also had different ovarian cysts too. It is quite common for women who have PCOS to also get ovarian cysts.

It gets quite confusing all this talking about cysts, they sound like the same thing but they are not

I 100% agree with you we all need to make our own choices regarding health.
However if you are over 35, have migraines ( esp the ones with visual disturbances) smoke, have a BMI over 35, or have a history of blood clotting issues, family history of stroke etc …...... the risks of taking the pill may outweigh the benefits

There are other ways of balancing your hormones, the 5:2 diet sounds quite helpful, acupuncture, diet, exercise etc

There is no right or wrong answer, though I think it is quite cool that you get a scan every year, I would like that

I really don't know much more but she was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries. I feel scared even now that I talk about it, bad memories.

Anyway, I am over 35, a do get some migraines*** and I smoke as much as the doctor allows me to (less than 2 packs a week, usually less than 1,5). No family history of blood clots though, only heart disease, kidney failure, arthritis, blood pressure and many more, LOL!

Yes, I get a scan since my 20s. It's a weird test but I like the fact that I get it!


***I was getting horrible migraines till someone from Holland and Barrett recommended a couple of vitamins. Since I started taking them (once or twice a year, not daily) I get almost zero migraines. Would you like me to get my notes and tell you which ones?

I have been wondering about protein too. Before discovering 5:2 I had been following the link and balance methods advocated in the Insulin Resistance Diet.

Many people with PCOS have insulin resistance, which means that they have higher levels of insulin than others, and that they over react to carbohydrates with higher than normal insulin spikes.

Insulin's main job is to regulate our blood sugar levels, when we eat carbohydrates they are broken down into sugars, if our blood sugar level is too high then insulin turns the sugar into fat.

When we eat high carb foods, the ones with simple sugars, like sugar, breads, potatoes, pastas, corn, we are more prone to have rapid and high insulin spikes.
By combining protein with these high carb foods we lower the overall glycemic response, which therefore keeps our blood sugars more stable and stops the conversion into fat.

The link and balance method involves having no more than 15 grams of Carbohydrates in a 2 hour period, and combining these carbohydrates with 7 grams of protein.

However not all carbohydrates are the same. Complex carbs the ones with a lower GI are digested much slower and therefore don't spike our insulin and blood sugar levels to the same extent. Therefore if we eat a meal consisting of plant based / complex carbohydrates ( ie lots of vegetables ) and avoid the starches etc then we don't need to worry to the same extent about combining with protein.


Also 5:2 is great for us as losing weight will reverse the effects of insulin resistance too.


Hi TML13 ….yes please, my friend suffers from terrible migraines, perhaps these supplements could help her too

http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10 ... 011.564686 says....

There were no changes in lipid profile in either group. In contrast, body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, percent of body fat, and sum of trunk skinfolds decreased significantly after both diets in both groups. Total testosterone also decreased in PCOS and controls regardless of diet. In conclusion, calorie reduction, rather than protein content, seemed to affect body composition and hormonal profile in this short-term study.

Delly,
One is DLPA Phenylalanine and the other is N-Acetyl Cysteine. I take a bottle of each, at the same time, twice a year. You can take them more often, with a month's break every six months. I used to take them once a year but as I grew old it wasn't enough.
A friend of my mum's takes them three times a year. They work miracles, I can't believe I was living without them!!!

Hi Sue, if you are overweight and have PCOS as a part of the metabolic syndrome (also called syndrome X, with insulin resistance and the lot)), losing weight is an important therapeutic option. I am not aware of any reason why 5:2 wouldn't work. It may be a good idea to watch the glycemic index of what you're eating (also on the feed days).
I.e. avoiding simple starches (sugar, white bread and pasta, etc), but still maintaining an overall weekly calorie deficit (i.e. not substituting carbs with bacon and cream).
Good luck and keep us posted!

<<(i.e. not substituting carbs with bacon and cream).>>

Ιs combining them OK then???

I think we need a double-blind randomised study to answer that question!

I'll help!!!

Thanks TML13, I will tell her today
Also thanks for research PhilT

You are most welcome!!!

So, just to make sure I understand, you girls have cysts in your ovaries and you do nothing about them???

Sorry, crazy weekend. Thanks for the replies.

For years I was on various drugs and trial drugs to try and sort it out. I was on Metformin like SingingPilgrim was for quite a long time as that seemed the best one. Nothing seemed to work properly though. It was never suggested that I try the pill. When I didn't succeed in getting pregnant that way and they refused me IVF because of my weight I gave up. No one ever told me the cysts were dangerous in and of themselves. Better go and get them checked I guess.

Gonna read the rest now.

Read all the responses now. It all sounds very promising and I'm definitely going to give it a go. I tried a diet a bit like Atkins last year and it didn't work at all. I read the book that went along with it twice and the only thing I seemed to be doing wrong was that I didn't take in enough fat but I couldn't cope with the amount they wanted me to eat!! I gave up eventually after about 4 months when I didn't lose anything after the first month. This all sounds so much more sensible and normal. Fingers crossed.

Thanks everyone.

Sue

So, just to make sure I understand, you girls have cysts in your ovaries and you do nothing about them???

Sorry, crazy weekend. Thanks for the replies.

For years I was on various drugs and trial drugs to try and sort it out. I was on Metformin like SingingPilgrim was for quite a long time as that seemed the best one. Nothing seemed to work properly though. It was never suggested that I try the pill. When I didn't succeed in getting pregnant that way and they refused me IVF because of my weight I gave up. No one ever told me the cysts were dangerous in and of themselves. Better go and get them checked I guess.

Gonna read the rest now.

I'm no doctor but where I come from (Greece, that is), if you have polycystic you go on the pill and it goes away in 3-6 months assuming that you didn't have them for too long. If for some reason you did have them for too long, it might take a year but it's quite rare.

Even if a woman wants to get pregnant, they start her on the pill for 3 months, then she quits and then she immediately tries to get pregnant. If she doesn't and the cysts come back, she goes on the pill and then tries again.

Some women only take the pill for one year (minimum therapy duration unless there are reasons why they should take it for less time) and they are cured for life. Other are unlucky and it comes back after some time. I tried to quit twice but the polycystic came back both times so now I'm on the pill for life (assuming that all goes well with that). I do, of course, get my scan and other tests every year

That is the practice in Greece and I'm not saying that it is the only one.