PCOS, GLP-1s, and Me: My Story of Healing &Hormones
My PCOS & GLP1 Weightloss Journey
Hey girl hey. If you’re reading this it is probably because you’re curious about PCOS or GLP1’s or both. Probably because you have PCOS or you’re considering starting on a GLP1 yourself.
My PCOS journey goes back a while. I only recently started taking the steps to actually control & manage it. & I was confused because I couldn’t really identify a reason why I hadn’t started taking steps earlier in life but it was never brought up to me as something that needed managing even when I went to the ER for a ruptured ovarian cyst. No dr. ever told me the real issues with PCOS & so I silently suffered because I thought it was all normal.
Part 1: So… What Is PCOS and Why Does It Feel Like a Whole Personality Sometimes?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome — or PCOS, for short — is a hormonal disorder that affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age. And yet, somehow, it still feels like a mystery even to the people who have it.
For many of us, it comes with symptoms like:
Irregular (or totally missing) periods
Insulin resistance
Weight gain (especially around the belly)
Acne, hair thinning, or hair growth in places you weren’t expecting like your chin, side burns, or chest.
Mood swings
Fatigue, cravings, and feeling like your body is working against you
& of course polycystic ovaries (meaning there are many cysts on the ovaries)
PCOS isn’t a one-size-fits-all condition, which makes it hard to diagnose — and even harder to treat. But one thing a lot of women with PCOS have in common is insulin resistance, which can lead to stubborn weight gain, energy crashes, and the feeling that your metabolism has ghosted you.
Part 2: Enter the GLP-1 Medications — What Are They & Why Are They Buzzing?
GLP-1 medications (short for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists — say that 3 times fast) were originally designed to help manage Type 2 diabetes. But recently, they’ve been making headlines & going viral for their ability to also help with:
Blood sugar regulation
Appetite suppression
Improved insulin sensitivity
And yes… weight loss
Some well-known GLP-1 medications include:
Ozempic
Wegovy
Mounjaro
Zepbound
GLP-1s work by mimicking a hormone your body naturally makes after eating. This hormone helps slow digestion, stabilize blood sugar, reduce cravings, and send signals to your brain that you’re full — which for someone with PCOS and insulin resistance, can be a game-changer.
Are they a magic pill? No.
But for some women with PCOS — especially those who’ve tried everything and are still struggling — they can be a powerful tool in a bigger healing toolbox.
Part 3: PCOS & GLP-1s — Why They Might Work Well Together
Here’s the deal: when your body is insulin resistant (like mine & many PCOS bodies are), it’s like your cells have stopped “hearing” insulin’s knock at the door as my endocrinologist has described. So your pancreas keeps pumping more of it out, which raises insulin levels — and that often leads to weight gain, hormone disruption, and more inflammation.
GLP-1s help quiet the chaos:
They lower insulin spikes
Help manage blood sugar
Reduce inflammation
Support weight loss in a sustainable, gradual way
And may even improve other PCOS symptoms like irregular cycles or fatigue
Are they for everyone with PCOS? No. But if you’ve felt like you’ve been eating clean, lifting heavy, doing all the things and still feeling like your body isn’t responding, it might be worth the conversation with your provider & getting a consult with an endocrinologist. Seeing a specialist was the best choice I ever made, they seem to care way more than general practitioners in my own personal experience.
Part 4: My Personal Story — A Soft Girl in a Tough Body
When I was first diagnosed with PCOS in 2024, I kind of thought,
“Okay… maybe this explains why I’ve been tired, bloated, and stuck in a loop of doing everything right but getting nowhere.”
I’m a coach. I lift. I eat pretty balanced. I care about my sleep and stress. I take supplements that help with my PCOS. But something still felt off. & it was frustrating not having the look of personal trainer even though I do everything right.
I found out about GLP1s the same year I was officially diagnosed, but it hadn’t dawned on me that it was a possible solution for me until almost a year later. Fast forward several months, I’m seeing women post before & afters of their personal stories, losing 50,60, or even 100+ lbs with these GLP1 medications. So I went down the rabbit hole & coincidentally found out a lot of women with PCOS were on it.
So at this point, I had been on supplements for my PCOS for about 7 months, but felt like my progress had plateaued. I had lost 5- 10 lbs on my own, but this was the case every time; I’d lose 5- 10 lbs & stay exactly where I was at for months. I always end up feeling defeated, especially because I have a long way to go still… like 50lbs to go. In 2025, I decided to look into GLP-1s for myself and made the decision to see an internal medicine doctor to discuss it.
I hesitated about trying a GLP-1 at first. It felt like a last resort. I worried people would judge me — or worse, I’d judge me. But then I realized: healing doesn’t always look the way you thought it would. Sometimes it’s not about pushing harder… It’s about working smarter with your body & my body has been working against me for years.
My experience with the internal medicine doctor, unfortunately, was not a good one. She was very quick to dismiss my concerns & said insurance wouldn’t cover it & left that discussion closed. She did start me on metformin, but just gave me a sour taste in my mouth, so I kindly asked for a referral to see an endocrinologist. She told me she could manage my PCOS & I respectfully just asked for the referral anyway.
I did have to wait several months for my consult & actually found a 6-week program for $80 that was offered through my employer's benefit perks. It was for a 6-week Semaglutide program with WeightCare. It was easy to get started, I filled out an online questionnaire & got accepted.
& it wasn’t bad at all. I actually got excited to start. I had a small bit of nausea to start, but it wasn’t really that bad because it didn’t linger for very long. The crazy part of it was that I felt the effects immediately. Well, several hours later lol. I actually felt full even with the smallest first dose. I couldn’t tell you the last time I had felt full from eating. I was hooked & said “This is for me”. This was such a huge game changer for me. I was excited for my future & knew that these medications could work for me.
So, I finished my 6 weeks on Semaglutide & lost 11lbs. I was so happy.
When it finally came time for my endocrinologist appointment, I had told the endocrinologist about my results from the 6 weeks & she was thrilled for me. She used that as evidence that I could benefit from this kind of medication. She wanted to know every single symptom I had, my story, my progress & my thoughts on PCOS. She pushed for my insurance to cover a different GLP & GIP combo, called Zepbound (also known as tirzepitide). She had stated she had a lot of success with other patients with PCOS being on it & discussed with me the issue with insulin resistance & how it can be a vicious cycle to lose weight, but she was optimistic with using this as a treatment.
I do want to mention that I know a lot of women do not get approval for it, and out-of-pocket prices are insane, but it may be because of being otherwise healthy. For me, I was measuring in the obese category but also had comorbidities, high cholesterol, elevated BP, hormone imbalances & deficiencies & high triglycerides. & studies show losing weight can help with those issues.
Part 5: What I Want You to Know If You’re Navigating PCOS or Considering GLP-1s
What I didn’t expect was how much grace this would teach me. Grace for my body, grace for my healing, and grace for the version of me that’s still showing up — even when things are hard.
I used to feel hopeless because I couldn’t ever lose weight & my body image & self confidence suffered for it. But knowing my metabolic syndrome is the reason & it’s not my fault has given me a sense of freedom & hope that my life can and will get better now.
If you’re here right now, reading this and nodding because your body has felt like a battleground — I see you.
You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. And you’re definitely not alone.
Whether or not GLP-1s are part of your path, you deserve tools that support you — not shame you.
Healing isn’t about earning your worth. It’s about remembering it.
I am 29 years old & I started my GLP1 weightloss journey in March 2025. My Goal is to weigh 135lbs by my 30th birthday in November. I share my journey honestly because I know how isolating it can feel.
Want to talk more about PCOS, lifting, hormones, and self-love? My DMs and coaching spaces are open. You don’t have to figure this out alone.
Part 6: What You Need To Make Your GLP-1 Journey the Most Effective… A Lifestyle Audit.
To truly maximize the benefits of these medications, a comprehensive lifestyle audit is necessary. You can’t just take the medications & hope the weight falls off… I mean you can but the medications will only take you so far. With the help of a healthy lifestyle, you can not only sustain your efforts but maximize them.
That’s where The Get Up & Glow Up Accelerator Steps in. It’s a 3-month lifestyle makeover, essentially. It’s 12 modules, all covering different aspects of your life, such as nutrition, sleep, stress management, self-love, and more. It comes with a lecture video & a workbook to go along so you can take actionable steps towards a healthier lifestyle, it’s not just a watch it & forget it type of program. Its full of ways you can take action. This program is legit perfect for beginners just starting their health journeys & especially important for GLP-1 users hoping to change their lives.
If this is you or someone that you know, send them to this link & start your Glow Up Today.
The best part is, you always have access to it, which includes updated & future versions! & it’s only $57!
I mean… $57 and it can help change your life?! Sounds pretty good to me! It’s literally less than a dinner out at a restaurant. What are you waiting for? Let’s Get Up & Glow Together! <3