Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine system disorder that affects between 5-10% of women of childbearing age. Many of the ladies we work with on Extreme Weight Loss suffer from PCOS, and from what I hear from many of you on a regular basis, it?s affecting you too. If left untreated, PCOS can cause menstruation issues, infertility, excess hair growth, acne, and even diabetes and heart disease.
PCOS can manifest itself through a variety of symptoms, so it?s so important to work with your healthcare team for a proper diagnosis and treatment plan. Some things you can do to help reverse PCOS are maintain a healthy weight (lose weight if necessary), eat a healthy diet (lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and whole grains), and exercise regularly. Sounds a bit like Carb Cycling! 😉 And again, please work with your healthcare team?they are an awesome resource to help you navigate the PCOS maze so you can not only reverse this disorder, but also achieve any goals in your life that are being negatively affected by PCOS.
Since dealing with this disorder can be so frustrating, I have an awesome PCOS success story to share with you today featuring one of my most favorite people in the world?Extreme Weight Loss season 2?s Jacqui McCoy. Jacqui?s #1 dream was to be a mom, but this dream wasn?t becoming a reality due to her obesity and PCOS. I am so thankful she was willing to share her struggles and triumphs with all of us, and the end of her PCOS/transformation story is actually the best beginning to a new story for her and her family! Hopefully Jacqui?s experience and words of wisdom can help all of you who are struggling with this disorder or who know someone who deals with PCOS on a daily basis.
Heidi: When did you first realize you had PCOS?
Jacqui: I was diagnosed with PCOS after college in my early twenties. At the time I thought of it and its symptoms as an annoyance, and I didn’t realize the toll it would take on my body or my fertility moving forward in my life. I got married in the summer of 2004 and was very excited about the future and starting a family, yet years later my husband and I were still trying for children with no success. I met with my doctor, and after testing my hubby and me, he said that my issues likely stemmed from PCOS.
H: Oh my…that must have been devastating! So how did you get from that low point in your life to where you are now?
J: When I researched PCOS more, I saw that weight loss (if overweight), nutritional changes, nutritional supplements, and exercise could greatly increase my chances of reversing PCOS. And you know what? Because of this, my desire to change my life had never been stronger. My PCOS and infertility battle were actually a blessing in disguise! I had accepted being unhealthy and overweight as my lot in life until I saw it might take away my greatest dream of starting my family and being a mom. So I applied for Extreme Weight Loss with Chris & Heidi, and I had the great honor of being chosen. Chris taught me his carb cycling program, and it really clicked with me because it was more balanced and didn’t completely eliminate certain food groups like most plans I had tried before the show. I started to enjoy exercise and made it a part of my everyday life. As seen on the show, the weight came off, and I eventually lost 207 pounds in one year!
H: Your transformation was beyond amazing! So how did all of that hard work you put in during that year affect your dream of becoming a mom?
J: It is important to note that I didn’t get pregnant right away after this weight loss, but I had greatly improved my PCOS and my chances of pregnancy because of my weight loss. I continued to work on my health after the show ended, and never gave up on the dream of being a mom. Three years after my initial weight loss I became pregnant with my miracle baby, and I know that getting healthy was the key to unlocking this lifelong dream. My baby girl Everley was born on September 2, 2014, and I?m continuing on my journey and working hard to be a healthy mom and a good example for my sweet daughter.
H: Chris and I are so, so excited for you, Shawn, and baby Everley! The day I found out you were pregnant was one of the best days ever! Do you have any advice for those who think they might have PCOS?
J: If you think you may have PCOS, see a doctor who is familiar with PCOS to evaluate your symptoms. And don’t wait to see your doctor. The earlier you are diagnosed and start taking steps to combat PCOS, the better.?
H: What about those who are already suffering from PCOS?do you have any words of wisdom for them?
J: I sure do! If you do indeed have PCOS, here are some suggestions:
- Get educated and read as much as you can about PCOS and how to reverse it.
- Connect with others who have PCOS through online support groups.
- Evaluate your lifestyle and form a plan to make healthy changes. Above all else, don’t give up, and never lose hope?the journey isn’t easy or a quick fix, but it is so worth it!
Thank you, Jacqui, for sharing your experience with all of us! Chris and I wish you, Shawn, and baby Everley the best, and we know your story will help so many others who struggle with PCOS.
For further information on PCOS, please visit these websites:
- PCOS Foundation
- WebMD
- Mayo Clinic
- Office of Women?s Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Want to connect with Jacqui?
And if you missed Jacqui?s amazing transformation episode, you can watch it on YouTube.
Related posts:
I Can?t!
Transformation Inspiration: Jacqui McCoy
Originally Posted September 21, 2015
44 Responses
i was unable to bear children and i discover a testimony through the internet and now i am happy because on facebook i found the man who help me for good and now am eight months pregnant and he told me that antelope give birth without losing a child, on facebook (Oduduwa Ajakaye)
I too suffer from PCOS and struggled with infertility for almost 2 years. I was able to get a regular period after losing weight through working with a dietitian. I had a baby girl in 2014 and am working on baby #2 (fingers crossed). I talk about my PCOS and the weight loss techniques I use to manage it on my blog.
In tears as i stumble across this. Battling fear of the unknown as i prepare for a doctors visit…a doctors visit that scares me as we begin to look at why we arent getting pregnant. Pcos was first diagnoses when i was only a 6th grader with an ovarian cyst. Battled with weight continually and fighting hard now to help get this weight off once again finding myself at one of heaviest points of my life. A mama is a lifelong dream and so this is a journey i can relate with and desire to see. Thank you
Hi Emily: Thank you for your comment. We wish you the best!
I just watched Jacqui’s episode last week and was blown away. She is a fighter and such a beautiful woman. I am happy to see her and her husband have started a family. So precious.
I was diagnosed with PCOS about 6 years ago after having ovarian pain and other symptoms. I have to say that we were surprised to get pregnant 8 months after saying I DO. After the birth of our daughter June 1, 2011, my Ob tried me on metformin and spironolactone for high free insulin and testosterone levels. Unfortunately I had to be taken off both in less than a month as the spironolactone caused me to start lactating again (I had stopped nursing abiut 1 yr when I started these meds) and the metformin caused my sugar to drop to low and I’d blackout. Now I’m currently 7 months pregnant with baby #2 after being told it was impossible due to how severe my PCOS had gotten. 2 wks after we were told it was impossible we found out we were pregnant. I am currently battling severe hypoglycemia, dizzy spells, and we were told our baby has an EIF. We have been blessed to be able to get pregnant without intervention but I can’t wait to be done with this pregnancy and start trying harder for weightloss. My hubby works out with a local team (Team Blacksheep) and I’m hoping to finally be able to see results. In college I was in ROTC and weighed 175lbs, got up to 20lbs while pregnant with #1, dropped to 194lbs, and now at 7 months I’m already up to 208lbs. Hoping for great results after the arrival of baby #2. Heidi and Chris, thanks for being an inspiration to so many.
Congratulations on both babies! That’s amazing! Thank you, also, for sharing your story with all of us. We wish all of you the best! ?
I saw Jacqui show last night and she is amazing. Is it realistic to think I can lose 90 pounds in 90 days without Chris or Heidi Powell moving in with me? Or should I lower my expectations?
Hi Michele: We recommend a goal of 10% weight loss for your first 90 days. Good luck – you can do this!
This post is wonderful. I appreciate those who share the experiences.Thank you for this post.
I hadn’t heard of PCOS until I saw Heidi’s tweet and read her blog post. I appreciate those who have shared their experiences. This little bit of awareness is valuable in helping me better support and relate to women who live with this or any other difficult condition. What intelligent, thoughtful comments many of you have posted. My heart goes out to you all, and my prayers will be for you tonight.
Thank you for shedding light on this condition. There is so much that is unknown, and it seems that so many women with so many different symptoms are being lumped into an unknown bubble labeled PCOS. I hope more research can be done in the near future to find answers for us, especially those who are struggling with fertility. Luckily, I did not have trouble with conceiving, but some women are constantly in agony as they face hardships with trying to have a baby.
While attending high school I weighed 125lbs, I was at that weight for 5 years. I couldn’t gain or loss weight. Then when I was in my late teens my doctors never put 2 and 2 together. My highest weight was 235lbs. They kept telling me that I had to lose weight. I was never a big or heavy eater. I found out I was 43 years old, so when I moved to Florida an found a new doctor, she had just looked over my medical records that I gave to her. In a 15 minute appointment, is when it was brought to my attention that I had PCOS. We need more doctors’ like her. But it’s so hard to loose the weight, I can’t get pass 190lbs. I’ve changed my diet and I’m more active. My new doctor says that I need to get down too 130lbs.
It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one that is suffering from PCOS.