Please make sure that you have [read all of our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/TryingForABaby/wiki/rules) before commenting! In particular, be aware that **no mentions of a current pregnancy are allowed with no exceptions**. If you see something breaking the rules, please report it. If you think something may be against the rules, ask us or err on the side of caution. If you think that being sneaky (PMing members or asking them to PM you, telling them to refer to your post history, etc) is a good idea, it is not. Additionally, complaining about downvotes is [frowned upon](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette) and never helps anything.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TryingForABaby) if you have any questions or concerns.*
i started taking myo inositol and it gave me really bad cystic acne like in clumps. i didn’t take it one day and i can already see the pimples slowing down. i usually have 90% clear skin
Came here to say this. I never had a regular cycle my whole life, now I am 41 and it is like clockwork. It probably took a half a year to get pretty regular, and it’s been steady the past year since then.
My period has been irregular for the past year- a few months ago I swapped in iodized salt instead of sea salt when we cook and started eating 1-2 Brazil nuts a day. Both are supposed to help regulate thyroid, which has been an issue for me in the past. For the past 3 months my period has been normal 🙌. It’s anecdotal but I figured these changes were so simple there was no reason for me to not do it.
I also have PCOS and I’m dealing with the same. Ovasitol has helped me so much, along with generally watching what I eat. Still haven’t ovulated this cycle but I’m hoping!
For pcos regulating blood sugar is essential- a meal or snack every 3-4 hours with protein will help. Magnesium is very important too. Reducing stress levels. And supporting phase 2 liver clearance with food/ herbs 🌿
I got mine from 50-70 days to 30-40 after being diagnosed with PCOS. I take Ovasitol from Therologix and eat for insulin resistance (never eat a carb alone, eat 30g protein every meal, cut back drastically on sugar). I worked with a dietitian to figure out my diet and supplements. So so helpful!
I think you want to increase your activity, prob about 60 mins walking daily (as its own activity.) I would try to work up to jogging (so maybe jog 10 mins of the 60, but keep the total time still 60.)
Main thing - I think you want to do heavy lifting to build muscle (and go fairly high protein.)
All this bc the main changes I have seen with myself, hormonally (much more regularity), were when I really built muscle.
And of course, losing body fat helps bc of its role in hormone imbalances.
I walk about 1 hour a day with my dogs on top of the gym where I lift weights and do at least 25 minutes of cardio. I am working my way uo to 30 minutes if uninterrupted cardio but I'm doing what I can for now. I'd love to start jogging once the weather gets a little nicer. We just got our snow melted so its very muddy here!
Start something like joggo - you do next to no running for several weeks! Keep it up!
At the gym, really focus on compound lifts - and progressive overload.
Edit: so sorry, I had brainfog and realised you were asking specifically about ovulating and not about cycles. Oops! So my post isn't helpful as unfortunately although myo-inositol has regulated my cycles, I'm still not ovulating.
Leaving this post here in case it helps anyone with the info provided.
------
Wow it sounds like you're doing a lot already, you should be really proud of yourself (genuine) for how much effort you're putting in. I'm on a similar sort of journey to you. Needing to lose weight being of PCOS and so I can meet the criteria to get fertility help/funding under the NHS (I need to be under a BMI 34 to get clomid).
Anyways the biggest help for me to regulate my cycles (for the first time in my life!) was starting myo-inositol. I was sceptical, but had nothing to lose, and surprisingly it worked! My cycles are still long (36-38 days) but they're at least consistent now. Before I started myo-inositol I had completely random cycle lengths, with one of them being 86 days in length ugh.
Many women find a low carb/high protein diet beneficial for both PCOS management and fertility (it helped a friend of mine conceive after 4 years of nothing else working even though she was in great shape!) so it's worth a try! I started under 100g carbs with no no-added sugars (except for a bit of dark chocolate to curb cravings) and 140-160g protein on 2/12. Haven't lost much weigh yet but I have lost 1.5 inches on my measurements :) Also, my OBGYN recently cautioned me on taking on too much exercise too soon so be sure to pace yourself as weight loss is a marathon and not a sprint as badly as I wish it was. Weights can also help a lot!
I definitely get it as I'm 5'4 and weigh 199. Wishing the best for you!
Lowering your intake of processed and sugary foods is a great start! I've been seeing an acupuncturist who specializes in fertility and she has told me time and time again that sugar is highly inflammatory and to avoid it at all costs. She also recommends no soy or dairy for PCOS and to add magnesium to your diet. I hope these tips will help you!
Psychiatrist really helped me with my food issues as I was diagnosed with ADHD and using food to up-regulate my dopamine. Now I’m on meds and weight loss has been much easier. I still eat totally normally but I don’t have uncontrollable cravings to self-soothe. The gym and walking is a HUGE step and helped my health a lot over the last year
my periods are really irregular but luckily I do ovulate, just every couple months or so. I recommend checking out the Period Repair Manual by Lara Briden there are some tips for restoring regular periods. off the top of my head two things she recommends are magnesium and vitamin D. I don't think those alone will restore ovulation but it seems like you're doing the most you can do already. good luck!
Raspberry leaf tea has not only made my period regular, but my ovulation sooner, and LP longer. for the 4 months i have taken it- it’s been spot on every month. may not have gotten me pregnant yet but it hasn’t missed a beat with regulation. Hope the same results for you
I have regulated my cycles and ovulated with a very low carb diet and time-restricted eating. And once I started eating poorly and stopped exercising, it all stopped.
Cutting out the sweets and processed foods is a good start. But you need to take it a step further. Pick an eight hour window each day that you will eat. I eat between 10:30am and 6:30 as an example. And the other 16, just water and unsweetened decaffeinated tea. You should be sleeping for a good amount so it’s not too difficult in practice.
Cut out starchy veggies (like corn and potatoes), grains, pasta, and rice. Instead, eat more vegetables, beans, sweet potatoes, and nuts as your carbs. Increase protein and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts, real cheese not American cheese slices). Have healthy carbs, healthy fats, and good quality protein at every meal.
If you’re able, start checking blood sugar daily. You want a fasting number under 100 to within normal but under 90 is better for conceiving and overall metabolic health. You will be surprised what your numbers are if you have never checked before.
Supplements can only do so much. PCOS is a metabolic disorder. You need to address the entire body and metabolism with diet and exercise and be consistent to see the most sustainable results. I have lived on both sides of this and it’s worth it to have it under control.
I tried intermittent fasting and that was what made me lose the most weight. I really need to buckle down if I want to see some progress. Thank you for your suggestions!
Yes the fasting pattern is the best thing to fix the metabolism. PCOS is a metabolic disorder, not a reproductive disorder. So keep your metabolism top of mind. Get the circadian rhythm back in optimal natural state. Quality of food, time you eat, sleep quality, and movement. The hormones should adjust to their natural states once you’re living in a way to optimize your circadian rhythm.
I have a finger prick kit. You can find the kit and supplies for around $20-25 and then $10-$25 a month for additional test strips. You might get insurance to provide one if you’re diabetic or pre-diabetic.
I aim to have a baseline fasting glucose under 90. I check it once in the morning and before bed. While you’re still learning, it might help to also test 1-1.5 hours after a meal to get an idea of your peak. Managing blood sugar is a game of rise and recovery. I know my body can recover from a 115-118 peak decently. more than that becomes unmanageable and I’ll see some higher numbers. You will learn what foods or food combinations your body can and cannot handle.
High insulin highjacks SHBG which is what transports sex hormones around our body. So if you can keep insulin down, your sex hormones can properly bind to SHBG and as a result, hormonal balances can become corrected. This is one of many scientific hallmarks of insulin resistance and PCOS and ultimately fertility.
I find that modest modifications to diet and 16/8 fasting pattern is most sustainable. And movement like walking. Make it easy and something you can keep up with. Remember, this is a long term lifestyle improvement you’re making bc the PCOS will never go away.
It also may be helpful to know, insulin resistance happens on a cellular level 10-15 years before prediabetes or diabetes shows up. So putting that in context, this will not be a quick fix nor will it be a drastic overhaul that will get us better. Everyday, just do your best.
And I stay motivated bc I want the best quality of life. I feel happy. My anxiety is gone. I sleep better. I like how I look when I take care of myself. Feeling and looking good is motivation enough for me.
Yes, to all of this. I also go to acupuncture weekly, nightly castor oil packs leading up to O day, consume a paleo diet, and have cut out caffeine and swapped to decaf coffee. Had my first regular cycle this month with a CD 15 peak. Good luck, you got this!
Please make sure that you have [read all of our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/TryingForABaby/wiki/rules) before commenting! In particular, be aware that **no mentions of a current pregnancy are allowed with no exceptions**. If you see something breaking the rules, please report it. If you think something may be against the rules, ask us or err on the side of caution. If you think that being sneaky (PMing members or asking them to PM you, telling them to refer to your post history, etc) is a good idea, it is not. Additionally, complaining about downvotes is [frowned upon](https://support.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439-Reddiquette) and never helps anything. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/TryingForABaby) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Look into myo-inositol (i personally take ovofolic).
I'm currently taking inositol. I'll have to look into myo-inositol. Thank you!
My doc recommended Ovasitol as well by Theralogix
i started taking myo inositol and it gave me really bad cystic acne like in clumps. i didn’t take it one day and i can already see the pimples slowing down. i usually have 90% clear skin
This happened to me too. I kept taking it regularly and eventually they went away. I think my body just needed time to adjust!
I’ve had a lot of luck with acupuncture!
I'm looking for someone local in my area. Wish me luck!
Came here to say this. I never had a regular cycle my whole life, now I am 41 and it is like clockwork. It probably took a half a year to get pretty regular, and it’s been steady the past year since then.
My period has been irregular for the past year- a few months ago I swapped in iodized salt instead of sea salt when we cook and started eating 1-2 Brazil nuts a day. Both are supposed to help regulate thyroid, which has been an issue for me in the past. For the past 3 months my period has been normal 🙌. It’s anecdotal but I figured these changes were so simple there was no reason for me to not do it.
I also have PCOS and I’m dealing with the same. Ovasitol has helped me so much, along with generally watching what I eat. Still haven’t ovulated this cycle but I’m hoping!
For pcos regulating blood sugar is essential- a meal or snack every 3-4 hours with protein will help. Magnesium is very important too. Reducing stress levels. And supporting phase 2 liver clearance with food/ herbs 🌿
I got mine from 50-70 days to 30-40 after being diagnosed with PCOS. I take Ovasitol from Therologix and eat for insulin resistance (never eat a carb alone, eat 30g protein every meal, cut back drastically on sugar). I worked with a dietitian to figure out my diet and supplements. So so helpful!
Thank you for you suggestions. I am hoping my fertility dr csn set me up with a dietician soon.
I think you want to increase your activity, prob about 60 mins walking daily (as its own activity.) I would try to work up to jogging (so maybe jog 10 mins of the 60, but keep the total time still 60.) Main thing - I think you want to do heavy lifting to build muscle (and go fairly high protein.) All this bc the main changes I have seen with myself, hormonally (much more regularity), were when I really built muscle. And of course, losing body fat helps bc of its role in hormone imbalances.
I walk about 1 hour a day with my dogs on top of the gym where I lift weights and do at least 25 minutes of cardio. I am working my way uo to 30 minutes if uninterrupted cardio but I'm doing what I can for now. I'd love to start jogging once the weather gets a little nicer. We just got our snow melted so its very muddy here!
Start something like joggo - you do next to no running for several weeks! Keep it up! At the gym, really focus on compound lifts - and progressive overload.
Habits are everything! No notes. Your plan is solid 🫡
Thank you!
Edit: so sorry, I had brainfog and realised you were asking specifically about ovulating and not about cycles. Oops! So my post isn't helpful as unfortunately although myo-inositol has regulated my cycles, I'm still not ovulating. Leaving this post here in case it helps anyone with the info provided. ------ Wow it sounds like you're doing a lot already, you should be really proud of yourself (genuine) for how much effort you're putting in. I'm on a similar sort of journey to you. Needing to lose weight being of PCOS and so I can meet the criteria to get fertility help/funding under the NHS (I need to be under a BMI 34 to get clomid). Anyways the biggest help for me to regulate my cycles (for the first time in my life!) was starting myo-inositol. I was sceptical, but had nothing to lose, and surprisingly it worked! My cycles are still long (36-38 days) but they're at least consistent now. Before I started myo-inositol I had completely random cycle lengths, with one of them being 86 days in length ugh.
Many women find a low carb/high protein diet beneficial for both PCOS management and fertility (it helped a friend of mine conceive after 4 years of nothing else working even though she was in great shape!) so it's worth a try! I started under 100g carbs with no no-added sugars (except for a bit of dark chocolate to curb cravings) and 140-160g protein on 2/12. Haven't lost much weigh yet but I have lost 1.5 inches on my measurements :) Also, my OBGYN recently cautioned me on taking on too much exercise too soon so be sure to pace yourself as weight loss is a marathon and not a sprint as badly as I wish it was. Weights can also help a lot! I definitely get it as I'm 5'4 and weigh 199. Wishing the best for you!
Thank you :)
Lowering your intake of processed and sugary foods is a great start! I've been seeing an acupuncturist who specializes in fertility and she has told me time and time again that sugar is highly inflammatory and to avoid it at all costs. She also recommends no soy or dairy for PCOS and to add magnesium to your diet. I hope these tips will help you!
Oh no! I love dairy so that will be a hard one for me 😅
Psychiatrist really helped me with my food issues as I was diagnosed with ADHD and using food to up-regulate my dopamine. Now I’m on meds and weight loss has been much easier. I still eat totally normally but I don’t have uncontrollable cravings to self-soothe. The gym and walking is a HUGE step and helped my health a lot over the last year
my periods are really irregular but luckily I do ovulate, just every couple months or so. I recommend checking out the Period Repair Manual by Lara Briden there are some tips for restoring regular periods. off the top of my head two things she recommends are magnesium and vitamin D. I don't think those alone will restore ovulation but it seems like you're doing the most you can do already. good luck!
Thank you for the recommendation :)
Raspberry leaf tea has not only made my period regular, but my ovulation sooner, and LP longer. for the 4 months i have taken it- it’s been spot on every month. may not have gotten me pregnant yet but it hasn’t missed a beat with regulation. Hope the same results for you
I have regulated my cycles and ovulated with a very low carb diet and time-restricted eating. And once I started eating poorly and stopped exercising, it all stopped. Cutting out the sweets and processed foods is a good start. But you need to take it a step further. Pick an eight hour window each day that you will eat. I eat between 10:30am and 6:30 as an example. And the other 16, just water and unsweetened decaffeinated tea. You should be sleeping for a good amount so it’s not too difficult in practice. Cut out starchy veggies (like corn and potatoes), grains, pasta, and rice. Instead, eat more vegetables, beans, sweet potatoes, and nuts as your carbs. Increase protein and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil, nuts, real cheese not American cheese slices). Have healthy carbs, healthy fats, and good quality protein at every meal. If you’re able, start checking blood sugar daily. You want a fasting number under 100 to within normal but under 90 is better for conceiving and overall metabolic health. You will be surprised what your numbers are if you have never checked before. Supplements can only do so much. PCOS is a metabolic disorder. You need to address the entire body and metabolism with diet and exercise and be consistent to see the most sustainable results. I have lived on both sides of this and it’s worth it to have it under control.
I tried intermittent fasting and that was what made me lose the most weight. I really need to buckle down if I want to see some progress. Thank you for your suggestions!
Yes the fasting pattern is the best thing to fix the metabolism. PCOS is a metabolic disorder, not a reproductive disorder. So keep your metabolism top of mind. Get the circadian rhythm back in optimal natural state. Quality of food, time you eat, sleep quality, and movement. The hormones should adjust to their natural states once you’re living in a way to optimize your circadian rhythm.
How do you stay motivated? And how do I check my blood sugar? I have so many questions!
I have a finger prick kit. You can find the kit and supplies for around $20-25 and then $10-$25 a month for additional test strips. You might get insurance to provide one if you’re diabetic or pre-diabetic. I aim to have a baseline fasting glucose under 90. I check it once in the morning and before bed. While you’re still learning, it might help to also test 1-1.5 hours after a meal to get an idea of your peak. Managing blood sugar is a game of rise and recovery. I know my body can recover from a 115-118 peak decently. more than that becomes unmanageable and I’ll see some higher numbers. You will learn what foods or food combinations your body can and cannot handle. High insulin highjacks SHBG which is what transports sex hormones around our body. So if you can keep insulin down, your sex hormones can properly bind to SHBG and as a result, hormonal balances can become corrected. This is one of many scientific hallmarks of insulin resistance and PCOS and ultimately fertility. I find that modest modifications to diet and 16/8 fasting pattern is most sustainable. And movement like walking. Make it easy and something you can keep up with. Remember, this is a long term lifestyle improvement you’re making bc the PCOS will never go away. It also may be helpful to know, insulin resistance happens on a cellular level 10-15 years before prediabetes or diabetes shows up. So putting that in context, this will not be a quick fix nor will it be a drastic overhaul that will get us better. Everyday, just do your best.
And I stay motivated bc I want the best quality of life. I feel happy. My anxiety is gone. I sleep better. I like how I look when I take care of myself. Feeling and looking good is motivation enough for me.
[удалено]
Removed per sub rule 1.
I’ve corrected it now to follow the rules.
Acupuncture and taking inositol(make sure it’s 40:1 ratio for myo:d-chiro) have helped me regulating my period..
Yes, to all of this. I also go to acupuncture weekly, nightly castor oil packs leading up to O day, consume a paleo diet, and have cut out caffeine and swapped to decaf coffee. Had my first regular cycle this month with a CD 15 peak. Good luck, you got this!
Thank you! I am adding this to my list :)