Keto diet not for me despite having PCOS?

#1

Hi everyone!
I’ll appreciate any opinions from you sooo much - I really don’t know what decision to make.
I have PCOS. According to my blood tests, I don’t have insulin resistance yet - my glucose and insulin are within a normal range.
Still, I couldn’t lose weight no matter what I was eating, and I had terrible blood sugar swings - I had to eat very frequently, had headaches all the time when I had any longer break between meals etc.
On September 1st I’ve started ketogenic diet.

Pros:

  • I’ve lost 20 lbs which is crazy - I wasn’t able to lose any weight before keto, even while eating very healthy
  • After really terrible first weeks I stopped having blood sugar swings and could go without eating much longer time, which obviously changed my life in a very positive way

Cons:

  • I’m tired all the time, REALLY fatigued. I eat healthy, I’m not in a calorie deficit (I don’t want to lose any more weight so I eat to be satisfied). I’m taking supplements and electrolytes. I had cheat meal (well, more like few cheat days) on Christmas and I felt so much better, after eating carbs I had mind clarity and energy I haven’t felt in months - I was able to do so many things I was putting off
  • My PCOS haven’t improved in any way - still no period, but maybe 4 months isn’t long enough to judge this
  • My mood is way worse. I’m struggling with anxiety and lack of motivation and while on keto diet, I feel terrible. I’ve started taking meds and they seemed to make no difference, but on days I ate carbs I felt so much happier, calmer and more motivated
  • After eating carbs I slept like a baby and I realized how poor my sleep was these last months

To sum up, I really wanted to give keto more time to do something in terms of my PCOS (I’m struggling with severe androgenic alopecia) but I feel so fatigued and depressed on this diet I wonder if it’s a good idea. I feel like putting my life on hold on this diet, I simply don’t have energy to do anything.
I’m really frustrated as I’ve read so much about feeling more energized and happy on keto and it looks like my brain just can’t work on ketones.

(Janelle) #2

Is your doctor treating you in any other way for the PCOS? Hormones/Metformin? How many carbs are you eating while following keto? When you say you feel better when eating carbs - what kind of carbs?

As much as some here like to say it’s a simple formula for everyone, I’m convinced it’s not. Maybe there’s an “in - between” for you? Maybe you’re not getting enough of something.

I hope you find the help you need.

#3

Hello!
After few years on hormones I stopped taking them and switched to more natural ways of treating PCOS (supplements, herbs)
I was eating less than 20 grams of carbs a day while on keto.
I felt better after eating pretty much anything higher in carbs - bread, fruits, even sweets.

(Hungry Julie) #4

After being on keto for 7 months I started having regular periods for the first time in thirty years of my life. I think if you’re tired and have mood swings the issue might be unrelated to PCOS itself and you might be lacking a few nutrients like a natural B vitamin and potassium.

One of the main issue I’m seeing here is that you seem to pop between carbs and Keto, sugar ups and downs are definitely going to ruin your mood and sleeping is the key ingredient in most mood and health-related issues.

#5

Hello,
maybe I wasn’t clear - I started keto on September 1st and had cheat meal on Christmas :slight_smile:

(Janelle) #6

Maybe the cheat meal just brought you back to a carby, happier time.

Here’s my take - I’ve been keto a few weeks less than you. Have lost about 13lbs. I prefer my old diet. I really do - but I was gaining weight in all the wrong places with no sign of slowdown. I don’t get any kind of mood improvement from keto - none. I don’t get more energy either (although I’m not more exhausted either). If I was sleeping really poorly, I might be. I take Magnesium Citrate before bed and it helps me sleep plus keeps me regular. I think about my next meal more now because it involves planning - I stress a little more. I’m trying not to do that.

If you’re willing to try a little longer, you might see some of the benefits @j.saltsea mentioned for the PCOS.

(Hungry Julie) #7

My bad! Misread that line about cheat meals.

But def try boosting potassium and vitamin B see how that goes for a few weeks and dont skip your salt either :slight_smile:

(mole person) #8

Are you tracking? Do you know how many grams of protein and fat you are having daily. Things are a little more restrictive, in a way, when you are at your maintenance since you aren’t “eating” your own body fat. When you have fat to lose, the ratio of protein to fat can be much higher and people will feel fine since the energy source is coming right off their own bodies. But when you are at maintenance weight and eating low carb then you really need a lot of fat for your energy. I’m at maintenance and feel really shitty if I overdo the protein/fat ratio but I feel amazing if I keep my fats high.

(Betsy) #9

Have you tried taking Myo-inositol?

#10

Yes, I’ve been taking it for a few years now.

(MelissaH) #11

Sorry to hear your having such a hard time @whoknew08! Could you give us more details like a full day of eating, your weight and age. I have a few thoughts, and more info would help😉 I have PCOS as well and know it effects everyone differently

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #12

Another thing to consider is what kind of fat you’re getting. Fat from fatty cuts of meat, butter, lard, tallow, and avocado, coconut, and olive oil will be higher in saturated and monounsaturated fat, and lower in polyunsaturates. Vegetable oils, on the other hand, are all rich in polyunsaturates and can lead to feeling ill and run-down. Turns out the true healthy fats are they ones they’ve been telling us to avoid for so many years!

#13

Could you need to tweak some aspect of the diet? Many people need to make adjustments and tweaks. I think that is the norm.

Are you eating too little? That’ll slow you down and make you feel blue.

You said 20g carbs but what are they coming from, mainly from steamed fresh vegetables or some industrial product - a food facsimile in a jar?

Too much protein? That’ll incur some insulin. Or just too much food in general?

Type of fat? Butter or machine oil (yeah they call it ‘vegetable’ oil)? Truly natural or some factory gunk.

  • Are you getting plenty of salt? And drinking lots of water?

Are you counting carbs using a good app and making sure nothing is missed or …

Hopefully it is just some minor tweak which is required.

#14

Have you tried increasing your carb intake? Forget about 20g, focus on how you feel. Some people function better on more carbs. Try incorporating tubers or other starchy veggies, legumes, or fruit.

Nuts and seeds are an excellent carb. They’re a good source of minerals, which can help address a deficiency that may be latent. They’re also calorie dense so adding them to a diet makes it easy to ensure there’s sufficient energy intake.

Lastly, if you’re not already doing so, you may want to use a glucometer to ascertain if your energy or mood vary according to blood glucose levels.

(You've tried everything else; why not try bacon?) #15

Great term! Right up there with Pollan’s “edible food-like substances.” :+1: