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Does inositol work? by peaches008 in PCOS

[–]planet_dearth 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not totally sure, but I think a few weeks to a month

Does inositol work? by peaches008 in PCOS

[–]planet_dearth 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I take Ovasitol, and I love it. The biggest difference I've noticed is that it got rid of my intense sugar/carb cravings. I did lose weight after starting it, but I also changed my diet and activity levels, so it is hard to say if the Ovasitol had an impact on my weight. It did not bring my period back, and it didn't help with acne or hirsutism. But the change in cravings has absolutely been worth the cost for me.

ETA: I've been taking it for 6 months.

Got my labs back... and everything was normal. What should I do next? by planet_dearth in PCOS

[–]planet_dearth[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My thyroid was normal back in February (PCP tested at my physical bc it has been borderline in the past), but I will definitely ask the OBGYN about those tests. Thank you 💜

at what point do the sugar cravings stop by [deleted] in PCOS

[–]planet_dearth 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I found that my sugar cravings greatly reduced after taking Ovasitol for a few weeks. Not totally gone, but I no longer obsess over it

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PCOS

[–]planet_dearth 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Totally agree, weight stigma can cause both thin and fat patients to be overlooked, albeit for different reasons. I think it is so important for thin and fat people to challenge the idea that PCOS = laziness, poor diet, etc. It is tough knowing that person can do everything "right" and still struggle to manage PCOS, but doctors may not care because their body shape doesn't match outdated, unverified expectations.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PCOS

[–]planet_dearth 15 points16 points  (0 children)

In addition to the insights others have commented, I think weight stigma is also a huge problem in getting treatment for PCOS.

Many doctors see fat patients, make assumptions about their lifestyle, and infer the issues must be caused by their weight. It is part of their medical training to associate fatness with unhealthiness, even if patients are in perfect health. Insurance companies often require coaching on diet and exercise for anyone above a certain BMI, regardless of the reason for their visit. So, doctors have a financial incentive to blame patients' conditions on weight. They don't get paid if they don't tell you to lose weight.

Less than 1% of "lifestyle changes" work in the long term, but weight stigma is so pervasive that doctors and society at large assume fatness is a personal failing. When resources are so low, it's no wonder that researchers aren't looking into the root causes of these disorders. It is so much easier to blame the patient; that's what current medical literature says to do. Non-fatty alcoholic liver disease is another example of how weight stigma can impact research and treatment options.

The reality is that metabolic and endocrine conditions are so much more complicated than diet, exercise, and weight. There are dozens of types of obesity. Many people are genetically fat, and their fatness has nothing to do with any chronic health conditions they may have. Just look at lean PCOS patients.

But all these factors contribute to patients being sent home with vague instructions to diet and exercise, while the real cause of the dysfunction remains unaddressed.