Hello -

Before I found out I had PCOS, I found out my blood pressure is borderline and my cholesterol is high, since I was trying to conceive she didn't want to put me on any meds and suggested diet & exercise, not to mention I am also over weight. Anyways I did very well with a low carb, low-no sugar diet and walked at least 30 minutes a day. It worked really well, I lost 25lbs. and hoped to lose at least another 25 or more.

Besides the B.P., chol., & weight, I have most of the symptoms of PCOS and once I finally knew what was causing the problems, it all made sense. Anyways, I started infertility treatments and my cycles became regular (oh, I'm also insulin resistant & on Metformin), the bad thing is I started craving choc. & junk food during that time of the month and I started to not watch what I was eating, not to mention it was winter now (live in MN.) so there was no exercise, unfortunately I gain back almost everything I lost - bummer! I need to be more faithful to diet & exercise again and stick to it, its tough!

Anyways, try to lower your carb & sugar intake, also do your research, you'll be surprised what has sugar in it or breaks down as sugar in your body. Try to drink alot of water & exercise.
Good luck!
djb_97

[kiwi]

Having done a bit of research on weight loss (mostly asking people who have been sucessful) I learned that there are several very important things to be done. First off, know yourself, know if you are the type to get up at 4am to jog or if something else is more appealing- know what you weigh, your cholestoral and from there set your goal weight. If you don't know what you are shooting for it makes it harder. Setting a time table for target weights is good too (i.e. loose 5 pounds a month till i'm at XXX weight) going slow helps to make sure to keep it off rather than a crash diet.

Having a partner makes a big difference too. Weight Watcher's meetings really do help you focus on what you've done and have left to do. If you are inclined to go to a gym (there are such things as women's only ones) hiring a trainer is VERY worth it... as mentioned before, the time and money you put into it really helps you stay accountable. Trainers don't just make you a body builder. A lot of them have degrees in nutrition and can offer great meal plans tailored to your needs.
Hope I said something helpful. Good luck to those wanting to make a difference!!

I'm a little confused about the inital question though. I'm overweight and have been since I had my first child(I gained 75lbs) and didn't lose and when I got pregnant with my daughter I was 240lbs starting and both pregnancies were unplanned. So I don't think JUST being overweight will cause IF. If there are other medical conditions/issues going on, then the weight probably adds to it. I too am just basically tired of being "fat". I have no health, medical, or joint problems. As my doctor puts it "You're healthier than many of my patients, you're just fat. I too have a problem with portion sizes and I LOVE sweets. I think I go into withdrawl if I go more than a week without having a soda. I just lack motivation, and being a single parent, I have to cook for the kids and can't devote hours to exercising. Maybe we can start or own support group here and privately email each other daily. Report our successes, failures, stumbles, frustration, etc. And maybe plan to meet up in a centralized location in a year from a whatever out starting point is just to meet and celebrate. If anyone is game, please email me. If nothing else, it might just be the thing I need to get me going and keep me going.

WoW... I think I like this forum already!

BradyHagz... I seem to see you everywhere! I have been in the adoption forums, convinced that adoption is my best chance of having another child in my family. However, there is no way I can afford it right now, so I am going against everything I know and trying to get pregnant again. I am 32 and went through fertility treatments and eventually artificial insemination to have my now 4 yr. old son. I DESPERATELY want another baby, preferably a girl, but a healthy baby of either gender first and foremost. I had a horrid pregnancy and post-partum period. Plus, I am VERY much heavier now than I was before, thus, significantly making my infertility even worse. I figured on not even trying to conceive and decided to start researching adoption. The costs are just beyond my means, any way I look at it. For the past few months, I tried to "guess" when I might be ovulating by calculating what would be the middle of my cycle (which is horrendously irregular), and made sure hubby and I had sex 2 days during that time. Sadly, nothing happened. This month, I went out and bought an ovulation predictor kit, but it seems I am not ovulating, b/c the lines never get darker. I am afraid of going back to a fertility doctor b/c he might just tell me there is nothing he can do for me until I lose weight. I have been struggling with weight loss for years and years, ever since about 6 months after my son was born. (I actually gained weight AFTER delivery). I have tried WW, but not my thing. I don't want to wait until after I lose the 100 pounds I need to lose before trying to get pregnant.

Can anyone share their stories about being morbidly obese and getting pregnant?

Good morning, ladies!

This is my first post, but I have been reading some of the diff. threads on the diff. boards, and I love this site! I have been married for 2 years, but we have not been able to get pregnant yet. I have always had very irregular periods, but I have had two periods in 4 months, since I have lost about 30 pounds so far! I have been exercising 5-6 times a week, and it has been awesome! I still have about 90 pounds to go until I hit my goal weight, but I am feeling great already! All my hard work is showing, and my husband is really proud of me!

Good luck to you portswife. Sounds like you're on the right track.

I was overweight 10 years ago when I started my infertility journey. Dr. really impressed upon me to lose weight. I did, with Weight Watchers and daily exercise (which I hated). Lost 60 pounds and got pregnant, and m/c shortly thereafter. After many, many many cycles (I was very young) decided on adopting. 9 months later a stunning baby boy entered our lives and hearts forever. He is now 6 1/2 and we are waiting for #2. I have gained the weight back I'm afraid and actually feel like it is impacting our ability to be "chosen" by a birthmom. I was young and skinny the first time around... not so today. I believe that I have PCOS but have never been diagnosed. I would love to see this thread take off, as many of us I think are in the same boat. I was considering going back to WW the beginning of the year, it worked for me before and usually they have a special at the New YEar.

Anyone else in???

Bumpkin

I have always been overweight, but only in the last few years did I become really obese (I hate that word!), so I decided to really do something about it. I have been a vegetarian since I was 12, but I don't eat the things I should. I eat a lot of breads and Mexican food (lots of cheese and fried stuff), but I have become very devoted to exercise. Last night, I was feeling emotionally terrible, so I went jogging for an hour, instead of some other more destructive activity, like shopping or pigging out. I do need to do something, though, to start paying more attention to what I eat and the portion control, so maybe something like WW would be good to teach me how to eat, until I learn the personal discipline to do it myself. I know that losing weight and changing the condition of my body is making me feel WAY better, even if we still can't get pregnant. I have already gone from a size 22/24 to a size 18, and I feel a lot better. I have muscles where I used to only have flab. I do still have flab but not nearly as much. And I am committed to success this time!

Hi everyone -

Just that I'd give you an update on my weight/health situation.

In Oct. of this year, DH and I started a very strict low carb diet and walk at least 30 minutes every day. So far I've lost 30lbs, I'd like to lose at least 30-40 more. Hubby has lost 53lbs.!!

Since the diet, my cycles are regular and my blood pressure is now normal - YEAH!!!! I'm due for a check up in March, so I'll find out if my cholestrol has improved - I imagine it has.

We're hoping if my body gets back to working normally, I'll be able to conceive, that would be great, but it's no longer a priority.
We want to become parents more than wanting to be pregnant, so we are now hoping to adopt - we've just started the application process and will be attending a two day adoption training workshop next month. Hopefully within the next few months, we'll know if we're approved to adopt and await a match.

Good luck to everyone with their weight loss and families, may we all have success in reaching all our goals!!

Take care,
Deb

That is so awesome for you! I pray that your checkup will go very well and that you will continue to get your body healthy, even if it is not the vehicle used to bring you your child. Your attitude is so wonderful. So often people get so caught up in the desire to physically carry a child and lose sight of the true goal which is to provide an ongoing, loving, stable home to your child. The adoption workshop should be so helpful to you and your hubby in formalizing this desire and ironing out final details. Best wishes and prayers as you move forward in this! And keep up the walking -- it will continue to make such a difference!

Thanks so much for all the kind and encouraging words, it really means alot!!

Hugs,
Deb

I went the Weight Watcher route and lost 60 lbs! My cycles were normal, by blood pressure back to normal and I tried to join a cholestrol study and they kicked me out because it was normal.

BUT, then life happened! I was threatened with losing my job, which would have made me halt my adoption process - Stress, Stress, Stress.

I gained back every ounce and maybe a tad more. But, now that my son is home, I'm back to losing. A little at a time. I did eventually lose my job, so I can't go back to Weight Watchers. The $10 a week is alot at this time.

I don't weigh myself, but my 24's are way to big and my 22's a a little lose too. I'm not ready to even try the 18's. I don't have any 20's and I'm not spending the money just yet.

I have PCOS and that is a hinderance to weight lose. It's a sugar/carb balancing act. Although I have to say that after I lost the weight, the cysts were considerably more painful. My last sonogram should 3 cysts on the left ovary and and 9 cm cyst on the right.

There are so many people, but women in particular, who don't understand what we are going through because they got pregnant as soon as they wanted to. We carry a special burden, especially when we desire to adopt, because we really become mothers to the world's children, and the actual adoption is simply a finalization or formalization of what we already feel in our hearts, as mothers already. I know that my heart is more tender toward the children that I know are out there crying for a mommy to love them, just as I am crying to do just that.

We understand this pain in an almost primal way, and those who have not felt it cannot speak the language of that special kind of heartache like we can. We MUST be here for each other, every step of the way, encouraging, building up, accepting, understanding, etc. I am here for you, Deb (and everyone else), and I know that you will be there for me when I need an Internet "shoulder" to cry on.

Hello. My dh and I started the Atkins diet on New Years day. No one has ever Told me directley. That weight had any direct link to my fertility problems but I think it could . Actually I think I have PCOS. I went to four Doctors and they ran some test but it always comes back the same saying nothing is wrong. My sympoms are unable to lose weight, thyroid problems, skin tags, irregular periods, facial hair and more. They say my insulin levels are still in the okay zone so they won't do anything. I found several web sites that link an increase in fertility and a decrease inPCOS symptoms when doing the atkins diet. So we will give it a try. I have had pretty much every fertility test ran and taken pretty much every drug and nothing has worked. So we are trying atkins. If anyone has had any luc with atkins please let me know.

Originally posted by toby1
I would join and pay the money if I didn't have to do it all by myself...I have never seen anything about WW meetings on base...And I don't trust myself to just check-in online. I am afraid that I would just waste that money because it would be easy not to log-in. However, if I had a friend or if I knew someone that would help keep me accountable, I'd pay WHATEVER it took to get this weight off!

You want to come to Germany and set up meetings for us!?! I'd love that!

So, what do you think I should do from here...? I'm willing to give it a try, but if I am going to join a program like WW, I really do need the support for the first little bit, you know?

Thanks for all your help! I do appreciate it!

toby

Hi toby,

I just wanted to give you a few options to look into. My husband is also military and although we have not been stationed in Germany yet we have been to Korea. You should be able to go down to the gym there on post and sign up for some kind of exercise class. I know in Korea they didn't charge anything, but the post we are at now charges $2-3 per time. The hospital usually has a nutritionist who you would be able to ask about any meeting that might be offered on post. Also, you could check with ACS and see if they might have a list of any meetings. All of the posts that we have been stationed at have had a post paper which lists any activities that are going on in the area. You could see about putting an advertisement up in your exchange asking for anyone who knows of a meeting to contact you. If none of the options I've listed so far pan out to anything, you could call your husband's unit and get the phone number of your FRG leader. Find out when your next FRG meeting is and see if they would give you a minute or two to anounce that you would like to start a weight loss support group. ACS might also be able to help you in getting one started if you aren't able to find one. I know it's been awhile since you posted, but I hope this will help you. I pray all is going well for you.

God Bless,
Amy