PCOS-Going Gluten Free, anyone else?

[wishin4bump21]

My husband and I did the Whole30 challenge last year and recognized that we have bad reactions to gluten.

I wasn't as serious as my husband about cutting gluten out of our lives (I mean who doesn't love a chocolate chip cookie?!) But as I got another BFN this month and have yet to get May's visit from AF (at this point I'm 14 days late), I started to do research about how diary and gluten can be factors in infertility, especially when you've been diagnosed with PCOS.

I'm frustrated and desperate and willing to do whatever at this point to get our bundle of joy so I'm going to go completely gluten and diary free starting Monday (we have some food stuff we need to go through).

I just want if anyone has had an experience where you cut gluten and diary out of your diet and got pregnant. I'm also looking for a support group to go through this gluten and diary free thing. I'm happy to share my email and share recipes that I've found, notes, etc. I hope to hear from y'all soon!

 

[Inkedlady88]

I've been gluten free for three years now but was only finally confirmed with PCOS last month. We haven't had any successful cycles yet(currently on cycle 10 of ttc, but cycle 2 with Clomid.), but DH's spermies are also mediocre motility-wise. DH still consumes "normal" food, although he eats what I make gluten free when I cook dinner (because most nights that I cook, I refuse to make two diff meals.)

I know I should give up dairy, as it's not good for pcos, but I love cheese just a little too much. For the most part, I don't consume a whole lot of dairy, just occasionally ice cream, cheese, and maybe some cream in my coffee here and there, but I haven't given it up completely. I have become a master at modifying recipes to make them gluten free though.

I too have horrible reactions to gluten, which is why I refuse to reintroduce it into my diet in order to be tested for celiac. For me, it's just not worth it to go back to the way my body felt while consuming it. I had painful joint inflammation throughout my body, frequent migraines, depression, brain fog, bloating, tummy troubles.... Ugh.

I'm here if you need a fellow GF PCOS buddy!

 

[KylasBaby]

I've cut out dairy, soy and gluten (although didn't specifically try cutting gluten but low carb pretty much cuts it out). I'm on a low carb high fat diet which is supposed to really help PCOS. Lost 25lbs so far!

It sucked at first. Really sucked. I love dairy! I'm a huge fan of cheese. But I really do feel much better off of it. My daughter is cow milk and soy protein intolerant and I wasn't knowledgeable about it months ago to cut it out then to be able to continue breastfeeding so I'm hoping to do it much longer the second time around. So helps to cut it now. So when I do get pregnant and have the baby I won't feel like I'm cutting my favorite things like I did with DD. I'll already be used to it.

 

[Ali33]

I am right there with Kyla with the LC/HF. I am down 46 lbs so far. I cut out all refined sugars, starches (miss my potatoes!), most dairy and most grains. I have a lot more energy and feel much better overall. I actually just started cutting these things out almost 2 weeks ago and am down a little over 9lbs within that time frame. I haven't been diagnosed with PCOS but I am insulin resistant.

I am also late for AF, 23 days today, CD56. I bought progesterone cream and started using it Monday twice a day to hopefully bring on AF. Once it comes I am going to be using OPKs and temping to make sure I am ovulating.

 

[KylasBaby]

Yep sugar and potatoes/rice and such here as well. Pretty much chicken, turkey, eggs, fish and veggies. All day long haha. I don't eat other meat as personal choice since I was 9 lol

I will admit to cheating a few times and I've felt terrible! Immediate food coma. It's so bad. I legit couldn't get off the couch I was so tired.

I'm also taking inositol which is suppos d to help as well. But I feel much better. More energy, better mood. It's great. I wasn't doing my diet correctly for a while. I didn't know with low carb you're supposed to do high fat. Whoops. But now that I am I've lost more weight so that's awesome! Cd11 today and can't wait to see if I ovulate. I don't on my own. Used vitex to conceive DD.

 

[Ali33]

I use MyFitnessPal and I trying to keep my carbs at 25% or less, protein 35% and fat at 40%. That seems to work for me pretty well.

I hope you ovulate on your own this month! That would be awesome!!

 

[KylasBaby]

I used that for a while too. Now I pretty much know what I can have and such so I don't really anymore but it's very helpful. My goal is 160 and my super goal is 140. I'm really hoping I can make it to my super goal! I lost 40lbs the summer before I got pregnant and still didn't ovulate on my own so for me losing weight doesn't help with my cycles. Tho I went from 220-180 and now I'm at 186 and counting so maybe if I get to a lower weight it will? We shall see. Having watery cm so it's promising.

 

[Ali33]

Hopefully it will. You aren't that heavy so who knows. I had regular periods when I was heavier. Now they are regular for a few months and then I get a wonky cycle like this one. I am hoping the progesterone cream helps.

 

[KylasBaby]

Fingers crossed!

When we start ttc I will be using progesterone cream. I did with dd

 

[Ali33]

Have you had your levels checked? Maybe you are estrogen dominant?

 

[KylasBaby]

No I haven't. I was diagnosed at 13 so it's been a long time.

 

[Ali33]

oh ok.. I think estrogen dominance is my issue for irregular periods. I have all the symptoms. I am a lot heavier than you though.

 

[KylasBaby]

I'm not sure what my issue is haha. I could always get them checked I suppose, but I kind of feel like if I could conceive DD without medical help and using vitamins and such I can do it again. Hopefully.

I know back in the day I had too much testosterone. I have the excess acne and facial hair though not as bad as I've seen it can get. More annoying than really noticeable.

 

[Ali33]

I have some of that too. Very annoying. Thankfully the hairs are really light. I just Nair them lol..

 

[KylasBaby]

Oh not mine haha. Thick and black. Which is weird bc my arm hair is really light and a lot with PCOS have an issue with that too. My issues are my upper lip, sideburns and chin. But even at that it's just a couple hairs I can pluck. I'm hoping the inositol helps.

 

[Ali33]

I heard progesterone helps for it too so we will see if it does. I hate it lol

 

[klabro]

Hi ladies! I'm in the process of making this change as well. Dairy free isn't much of an issue for me as I have dairy sensitivities anyways and rarely drank milk. The hardest thing for me was cheese but I am finding it surprisingly easy. I've recently been trying to cut way back on carbs and only ever eat whole grains when I have carbs anyways. I'm not doing any of this to lose weight, just for the health benefits with PCOS.

 

[2ducks]

Hi! I went Gluten free about 8 weeks ago. I am on the PCOS diet. Haven't got my BFP yet. There are so many good gluten free options out there that I didn't find it that difficult. You just have to watch out for hidden gluten like in salad dressings and marinades. For me, going sugar free was the hard part of the PCOS diet. I didn't realize how bad gluten impacted me until i ate some by accident and my belly swelled so much I looked like I was 5 months pregnant!

I also make a delicious sugar free, gluten free, dairy free banana bread. I use a regular recipe and Instead of regular flour I use 2 parts buckwheat flour and 1 part flax meal. I put a TON of Bob's Red Mill dried apple pieces in the mix and I use unsweetened applesauce instead of butter. It comes out great and gives me the carb/sweet fix I often crave.