24F, South Asian, PCOS since 15 — really need advice/support
Hi everyone. I’m 24, South Asian, 5’7”, and around 86–87 kg (190–192 lbs). I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15, and I honestly feel like I’m at a point where I really need advice from people who understand what living with PCOS is actually like.
I was initially put on birth control, but I reacted terribly to it — anxiety, nausea, and generally feeling awful — so I stopped. Since then, my periods have remained extremely irregular/absent. In almost 10 years, I don't think I've ever had a genuinely normal cycle, maybe once.
Weight has always been one of my biggest struggles. I carry most of it around my stomach, which is also my biggest insecurity. I've gone to the gym before and actually love working out. I gain strength and muscle relatively easily, but fat loss — especially belly fat — feels incredibly difficult.
A few months ago I was walking around 6,000–7,000 steps most days, but recently I've become much more sedentary and I know I need to change that.
I've also tried metformin XR. I was okay-ish on 750 mg, but when my doctor increased it to 1000 mg, I developed significant nausea, couldn't really eat, and constantly felt sick. I'm currently not taking it.
Right now, I'm taking inositol (40:1) and planning to start magnesium and berberine gummies. I also have IBS, which makes figuring out food and supplements even more complicated.
The reason I'm posting now is because I'm getting married in a few months, and my body image is probably at its lowest point ever. I know my worth isn't determined by my weight, but I also can't pretend this isn't affecting me. I want to feel beautiful at my wedding and look at my pictures without immediately focusing on my stomach.
I'd love to lose around 10–15 kg (22–33 lbs) over the coming months, but I don't want to crash diet or spend the next few months starving myself, obsessively weighing myself, hating my body, giving up, and starting again. I want to do this sustainably.
I also live in a Desi household, so completely separate meal prepping isn't always realistic. Family food is family food 😭. I'm happy to work around it with portions, more protein/vegetables, modifying meals, walking, strength training, etc.
I've also just finished my master's and am currently looking for a job, so I'm not completely financially independent yet. That limits some things, but I also don't want to keep waiting for the "perfect" circumstances to start taking care of myself.
So, if you were me, where would you start?
I'd especially love to hear from women who have dealt with very irregular/absent periods, stubborn abdominal weight, IBS, metformin/birth-control intolerance, or losing weight while living in a South Asian household.
What actually worked for you? Walking? Strength training? Higher protein? Calorie counting? Lower carb? Inositol? Berberine? Something I haven't considered?
And if you started somewhere around my size (5'7", ~86–87 kg), I would really love to hear your experience.
I'm not expecting Reddit to magically fix almost a decade of PCOS. I'm just overwhelmed right now and could really use some direction, personal experiences, and honestly, a little kindness from people who understand. ❤️
Any advice, experiences, encouragement, or questions are welcome. I'm an open book.