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
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I have had PCOS since i was 17 and am now 50. I struggled with conception, but was able to have 2 healthy babies. I have all the regular symptoms….My biggest problem is after i turned 37, i cannot lose weight for the life of me. I could eat plain lettuce every day and still no weight loss. I now have fibromyalgia and have had to take medication to manage this which has caused my to gain another 50 pounds. I am desperate for input. I can start a diet and lose weight the first 2 weeks and then while remaining faithful to the diet, i actually gain fat back again…so disheartening. I was put on Metformin, lost weight for 2 weeks, then as usual, started gaining again for no apparent reason. It seems, i am guessing here, my body quickly plateaus and the weight comes right back even while dieting. So I am wondering if the carb cycle would be worth a try for me, are there any other menopausal women, overweight with PCOS with any input for me? I would be so grateful….I have tried everything including every doctor possible to help with this and still end up in the same place. I have a good 70 pounds to get off and would so appreciate input from PCOS women who are older and how to manage weight gain. Thank you so much!!!!
Hi Kim: You could definitely try carb cycling, and I’d discuss the program with your healthcare team and then follow any modifications they might recommend. You can do this!
Kudos to your success, of all women with PCOS, regardless if that success is weight loss, maintaining weight loss, or becoming pregnant after a battle to do so. However, I get frustrated reading any article stating that PCOS happens in the childbearing years. It seems more properly to state that it often becomes apparent in the childbearing years. It affects many of us before (acne, period and/or weight issues, etc), and it still will after. I’m 46, very close to menopause, and over the last 5 yrs the peri-menopause symptoms are bad enough, but it has also exasperated my PCOS symptoms. It doesn’t go away post childbearing, it’s lifelong. I will always battle my weight (more so now), never having had a pregnancy, my blood sugar, and my acne…Ugh. That’s a lot to bear! Though I’m happy seeing articles slowly increasing on the topic of PCOS post childbearing since that’s the boat I’m in now. I can deal with the weight battle, the thinning hair, the chin hair that in 4 yrs went from 4 to 85, excess hair in a place that should solely be in that place on a man…I’d love more than anything to have no more acne! I can deal with the scars from it, I just hope someday I will know what it’s like to have one day without any pimples on my face! *sigh* A girl can dream 🙂
If you have PCOS like I do, you probably have chin and neck acne along with some chin hair growth. I just started spironolactone, a medication that blocks the testosterone from going into your bloodstream. It’s a miracle worker for me. It has cleared up my skin and only a few chin hairs now. There are some important things to note. If you are trying to get pregnant, don’t take spironolactone as it can cause severe birth defects (because it blocks hormones for baby growth and development). Also, it’s a diuretic, lowers blood pressure and can potentially cause you to store too much potassium. My doctor had me get a blood test two weeks after starting this to make sure I didn’t have too much potassium. Thought this might help you…
Love this! We were roommates in college back in 2000. Love this dear friend! She is a hard worker. Thank you for working with her and featuring her in your blog. God is good!
Having pcos myself I can relate! Beautiful story!