Anybody out there have PCOS?

[ThePowderPuff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funtabulous Another question, if you don't mind, Katjamo: Did you ever get anxiety and/or panic attacks, and has that gotten better since Metformin/Low GI diet? When I think about it, I usually get them after a high sugar food, like an ice cream. I hope that symptom will clear up more than any of the others; it can be debilitating.

I have suffered very badly from panic attacks. I am still on antidepressants, and I can't really tell you for sure, if the metformin and Low GI diet has helped. So much has changed in the last coupke of years for me, and my anxiety has almost dissapeared. But whether it's the metformin, the diet, my son being born, my carrierchange or my weightloss and better selvesteem or... I have no clue. I feel amazing after years of feeling misserable, and it's probably a combination of all the things, that has happened.

I am not sure about panick attacks, but there is no doubt, that there is a link between PCOS and depression. And that when the PCOS is treated proberly, the depression gets better. I have read that several places and my doctor who is THE best and a professor of the subject has also told me. He thinks I can probably be without my antidepressants, once I have lost more weight and is all better.

 

[ThePowderPuff]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LoveMakeup4Real Glad I found this thread. I think I may have PCOS. The bold made me laugh but that's what I've been going through too! It's a pain in the ass to tweeze those stray chin hairs ha. I feel like a dude I was recently told that I have high testosterone levels, I have the lab report and the numbers were off. I was also told that I'm prediabetic. I have not had my period in almost a year! It wants to come (I can see it starting then it stops right away). It's a tease each time. I know what is causing this though---I eat very unhealthy! WTF is wrong with me! Every time I am stressed out, I eat (but not good foods). I've noticed that when I eat healthy everything is back to normal, my period is regulated, hormonal balance is fine. So eating healthy is my first tackle, if no improvements in a month, I will see an endocrinologist about this. I need to lose a lot of weight and get back to my original size which was perfect. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your stories ladies!! I felt so alone.

Sounds like that! Hope you get a good doctor and the proper help. Good luck!

 

[Funtabulous]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katjamo I have suffered very badly from panic attacks. I am still on antidepressants, and I can't really tell you for sure, if the metformin and Low GI diet has helped. So much has changed in the last coupke of years for me, and my anxiety has almost dissapeared. But whether it's the metformin, the diet, my son being born, my carrierchange or my weightloss and better selvesteem or... I have no clue. I feel amazing after years of feeling misserable, and it's probably a combination of all the things, that has happened. I am not sure about panick attacks, but there is no doubt, that there is a link between PCOS and depression. And that when the PCOS is treated proberly, the depression gets better. I have read that several places and my doctor who is THE best and a professor of the subject has also told me. He thinks I can probably be without my antidepressants, once I have lost more weight and is all better.

Good for you!

Panic attacks are dreadful.

Is it possible to have high testosterone without excess hair? Aside from the areolas, I don't really consider myself hairy. For me my skin is more affected, and have absurdly oily skin and have ever since puberty, and BC pills have failed to solve the problem. It has a very negative impact on my day to day life. I am constantly having to wipe off excess oil, or blot (every couple hours). I am self-concious in pictures because my ENTIRE face reflects light from a flash. If I were to touch my face it feels slimy all over. I am disgusted with myself most of the time. I break out along the chin and jaw frequently (almost always have a pack of whiteheads on the chin to deal with), along with the chest and back (and as unhealthy as it is, tanning is the only thing that helps those areas). The only time I've ever seen women with skin as oily as mine is if they are taking testosterone supplements! I seriously don't think it's even possible to exaggerate how oily my skin is. Surely this must be a sign of SOMETHING?

The weird thing is that anti-androgen pills like Yasmin made my skin produce even MORE oil, but I suspect that may be because it also increased my anxiety levels significantly (stress), which can cause oily skin. The estrogen also made me very depressed, and even have migraines, so I don't think I can (or want to) go on BC pills again.

And, day 37 and no period. My cycles have gotten longer and longer since I went off the pill. I've felt cramps for a few days now and yet nothing! I'm considering even taking a pregnancy test soon.

I made an appointment with my doctor on Friday, what do you think I should tell him? Any tests I should ask for? Thanks for any advice, ladies!

 

[HeatherNicole]

so what do you gals do for the pain?

 

[laguayaca]

@ Funtabulous

I had high testosterone and really i only got hair around my areolas and perhaps a very little bit on my belly.

 

[laguayaca]

Hello Dolls!!!
I have awesome news! After being told this would NEVER be ….IM PREGNANT! Im beyond excited. Theres hope Dolls under the right treatment for your body anything is possible!

 

[Funtabulous]

Congrats laguayca, that's excellent news!

 

[ThePowderPuff]

Funtabulous: Ofcourse it's possible to have high testosterone and not too much hair. I am not that bothered with hair. PCOS is very individual. So glad to here you have made an appointment You just need the basic PCO test. It's a blood test, where they meassure your hormones and more. It takes quite a while to get the answers though. It's a test that take quite some time, I am not sure why? Good luck!

Laguayaca: That's SO amazing. Congratulations, I am so happy for you. Wow! Did you get any help to get pregnant or did it just happen the oldfashiond way? I also managed to get pregnant without medical help. I didn't even know I had PCOS at that time although I suspected it.

 

[HeatherNicole]

Hello Dolls!!!
I have awesome news! After being told this would NEVER be ….IM PREGNANT! Im beyond excited. Theres hope Dolls under the right treatment for your body anything is possible!

AWWW COngrats!!!! I'm so very excited for you!

 

[EmpressD]

Hi
I also have PCOS discovered this in March. One of the reasons I discovered for the weight gain with women who have PCOS is insulin resistance. Speak to your doctor bout what can be done in that area or better yet speak with a nutiritonist on ways to deal with it. The docs will want to put you on med, I however I am not an adovcate of taking a bunch of med when I can find other ways to deal with the issue. Here is the link to my blog where I share my story, issues and other helpful infor regarding PCOS please stop by share your story. http://www.empresseswithpcos.blogspot.com

 

[HeatherNicole]

I don't know much about this illness. Even in diagnosis they didn't give me much information concerning it, they simply said we can't do much, so here's some metformin to deal with the weight gain and vaniqa for the hair, called it a day.

So here I am 23 diagnosed with PCOS and I don't know what do to.
I'm contemplating going off of metformin, as it seems to do nothing for me, but what else is there? I've heard the whole raw food diet things and etc, but its not just weight I want to tackle.
Any advice.

 

[ThePowderPuff]

Any advice.

Raw food is of absolutey no use. You need to be eating low glycemic, doesn't matter if it's raw or cooked.

The low GI diet helps with the weight but most important of all it helps with dealing with all the other symptoms of PCOS. I suffer badly from fatique and the right diet combined with metformin makes wonders for that. The correct diet will balance your hormones and insuline levels and help you with all the symptoms of PCOS, not only the weight. The weight thing is for me a minor side of eating correct. When I eat low glycemic, I get much much much more energy, my sexual dysfunctions dissapear, my period get normal, my skin clears up etc. etc. Weight is really the smallest part of the picture.

 

[HeatherNicole]

See thats my whole point, but again the only thing my dr presented to me was we can only treat that which annoys you. If its the weight then metformin, and the hair.
The weight bothers me 1 because its not my body and 2 I dont' want to end up with diabites. but its other things im dealing with - with this stupid thing. Maybe I'm just having a moment.

 

[ThePowderPuff]

See thats my whole point, but again the only thing my dr presented to me was we can only treat that which annoys you. If its the weight then metformin, and the hair.
The weight bothers me 1 because its not my body and 2 I dont' want to end up with diabites. but its other things im dealing with - with this stupid thing. Maybe I'm just having a moment.

Trust me, with the right diet and metformin, you can get much better with all your symptoms.

 

[laguayaca]

Thank you everyone! Were so excited!

I am under care of a natural doctor who helped me to get pregnant but not only that she had helped me to keep PcOS symptoms under control. I feel like myself...i have control of my body and emotions. So far the pregnancy has gone so good. I'll be four months this friday my baby bump is just emerging.

 

[Funtabulous]

So I am finally seeing an endocrinologist and she wants to test my hormone levels. I have a blood test ordered but I am not sure when to take it. She said something about a week or two before my period, but I don't remember which one. I told her acne and oily skin was my biggest concern. She did throw out the term PCOS because of that combined with my 35+ day cycles. She suggested spironolactone but it sounds so similar to Yasmin which did not help me and had unpleasant side effects like dizziness and low blood pressure.

I of course have tried calling her but she has not been in; I left a message but she hasn't got back to me. I will go with her advice first and foremost but I wouldn't mind hearing from you ladies!

All of those on Metformin, how does that effect testosterone? Will that lower it at all? I have had fasting glucose tests and they were ok, are there more in depth tests or am I fine in that regard? Will metformin only help with blood sugar issues?

The acne and oil is just getting worse and worse. I am starting to break out all over my back despite my benzoyl peroxide and tanning. I am also getting deep painful pimples (cysts?) on my chin and cheeks. I am hoping that is just from the Retin-A I am using bringing them out, not a new trend. As soon as my period hits my skin goes mad and about 2 weeks in I am breaking out all over my chin and jaw. I am most clear during the week before my period (now) but even then I have 2 deep pimples on my face (cheek, chin/jaw). Last time when I ovulated (I think) I had about 7 pimples all around my mouth/chin. It's getting worse. I am starting to get very nervous.

Are birth control pills the only answer? Yasmin and Alesse both failed to help.

Thanks to anyone who actually reads all of this.

 

[ThePowderPuff]

Funtaboulous: The faste blood sugar tells you nothing. That is only to see if you have diabetes. I have very serious blood sugar issues due to my PCO and my faste blood sugar is normal. When I had a normal blood sugar test I also thought that metformin would not be relevante, but that is wrong. Metformin helps me very much.

Metformin will lower your testosterone level as well. Metformine has helped me with both acne and hair problems, even though I haven't had that many problems with that. Once the metformine stabels your blood sugar your hormone levels will get normal.

Birth control pills.. they absolutely worked for my back acne, but I get sooooooo PMS and sooo crazy on them. So I stick to metformin.

 

[fieran]

@kaliraksha

Hi

Just wanted to be a bit motivating about the working out part.

I've been going to the gym since beginning for 2009 and it's done wonders for my self esteem and health. I haven't lost much weight - but I've toned up quite a bit and gone down a size in clothing.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Buy yourself a nice pair of workout clothes to motivate yourself. If you feel good in your workout clothes - you're more likely to go to the gym.
2. Try to join group classes, or something similar as it's much more motivating than trying to motivate yourself to sit on the spinning bike for 55 minutes.
3. Start small - tell yourself you'll do the elliptical for 20 minutes and do just that.
4. Put on some great music to keep you going.
5. Keep going to the gym - start with twice a week, then up it to three times a week and so on. Once you see some improvement, motivate yourself even more to go to the gym.
6. Working out is a lot of fun - really, keep telling yourself that and you'll soon believe it.
7. Persevere - keep going to the gym, trying out different types of activities. Do strength training twice a week and cardio three times a week or something similar - and you will definitely see an improvement.

Good luck!

 

[laguayaca]

Congrats on your regimen working out does so much for you. I was walking 4 miles a day during the summer but now its got to cold to go out =(

25 weeks today yay!

 

[Funtabulous]

Funtaboulous: The faste blood sugar tells you nothing. That is only to see if you have diabetes. I have very serious blood sugar issues due to my PCO and my faste blood sugar is normal. When I had a normal blood sugar test I also thought that metformin would not be relevante, but that is wrong. Metformin helps me very much.

Metformin will lower your testosterone level as well. Metformine has helped me with both acne and hair problems, even though I haven't had that many problems with that. Once the metformine stabels your blood sugar your hormone levels will get normal.

Birth control pills.. they absolutely worked for my back acne, but I get sooooooo PMS and sooo crazy on them. So I stick to metformin.

Thanks. I am going to talk to my doctor about Metformin next time I see her; I am very keen on trying it.

Birth control pills made me crazy too so I am glad to hear they aren't necessary!

Right now my main focus is improving my diet. Are there any books you would recommend on the subject? I'd like to pick one up today and show some people in my life to help them understand my needs. Is it low carb, low GI, or both? Right now I am about to eat a bowl of whole grain oats with wheat bran and flaxseed with a generous amount of cinnamon and berries. How is that?

Thanks again, you are a great help!