PCOS treatment options for Cysters TRYING to get pregnant

FINALLY I am getting a chance to post this. I have been so busy with work and life that I would get working on this post and then have to put it aside. Thanks for the patience! Likely only one or two of you is trying to get pregnant and has PCOS but if this helps you then I am a happy gal!

I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome when I was 13 and had more than one doctor tell me that children might not be in my future. I had not given up but had come to terms with that idea after going without birth control for years with no luck. That was until a doctor gave me not only hope but a plan. I am going to share that plan with you all.

1) Find out IF you are ovulating. I always assumed that if you had a period that you were ovulating but I was wrong. I had bought those ovulation kits  and because my cycle was so screwed up I just assumed that I was missing that right times to use the kit. As it turns out, I was not ovulating at all. No wonder I wasn't getting pregnant! I was sent home from my first appt with this hormone specialist with the homework of determining if and when I ovulated. You can imagine my surprise when the whole month went by and NOTHING. When you know better you can do better right?

(A little aside about ovulation kits. If you are trying to get pregnant do not time your intercourse to what the kit says, it creates stress and often if you have ovulated you are already too late. Instead, use them to determine if and when you normally ovulate (just to make sure you are) and then just try to have sex frequently with every 2nd or 3rd day being ideal. Those kits cost a fortune and are not necessary).

2) Once I found out I wasn't ovulating I was put on progesterone cream. Blood tests often show "normal" blood levels of progesterone but if the test is not done on the right day of your cycle, that can be misleading. Most women with PCOS could use progesterone therapy. Within one month of starting I was not only ovulating but having a normal, light period. It was amazing.

3) Take Metformin. Now I am not normally a big pusher of drugs but this can be a miracle for women trying to conceive with PCOS. It certainly was for me. By normalizing the insulin and blood sugar levels in my body, I normalized the hormone levels. Some research also shows that metformin reduces the risk of miscarriage if taken during the first trimester as well as gestational diabetes later in the pregnancy. Metformin can be hard to get used to, it wrecks havoc on your digestive system, but those symptoms generally improve within the first two weeks.

4) Once you do conceive stay on the progesterone cream for the first 12 weeks as it also reduces the risk of miscarriage (a big concern for PCOSers).

If you have been trying to conceive try these steps and hopefully the outcome will be positive. If you have a doctor who isn't taking you seriously, find a new doctor. Ask to see an endocrinologist and get a proper diagnosis. Many doctors see an overweight patient and don't give them the care they deserve. Advocate for yourself and read as much as you can about this disorder. Knowledge is power. Feel free to send me any questions you have about PCOS. If you are in the Toronto area, I can share some names of doctors who specialize in progesterone therapy (they are not easy to find!). I am here to help and from one Cyster to another...there is hope.

Week 12 Update: April 1st goal is around the corner!

HI everyone,

Happy Monday! As usual today is weigh-in day and I am pleased to say I am down 2.2 pounds. I am kind of surprised as I have been waffling a bit (excuse the poor use of terms....mmmmmm waffles). I have been playing with the program, falling off the wagon and just feeling over-whelmed and under-motivated. My weight watchers week begins on Tuesday so tomorrow morning it is right back on track with the program. I am going to stick gluten-free for the most part because I feel better off the wheat but I want to avoid going too low carb. Been there, done that.

Next Monday, April 1st, is my 37th birthday and my first goal of being down 30 pounds. I am 1.1 pounds away so I know I can do it. It is all about focus and not stressing out too much. Easier said than done with the crazy week ahead and then EASTER weekend but I know I can do it. I will feel so good once I hit that goal, much better than how good any chocolate easter bunny could make me feel. I just have to keep that in mind.

To all my fellow PCOS'ers I haven't forgotten about you and I will be posting my PCOS and Pregnant post soon. Last week was crazy nuts and this weekend my little monkey was sick. I am almost done researching and writing it so I am hoping to post tomorrow.

To everyone else, thanks for all of the support. I love hearing your updates and so many of you are doing so well. If you aren't where you want to be there is no time better than the present to get back on track. We all struggle from time to time and as you can read from my posts, I am no exception. This is a process and one which will have ups and downs but the freedom that comes from reclaiming your body and health makes it all worth it.

Why oh why am I afraid to fly?

This morning I was going to finish my blog on PCOS but I am compelled to fess up and blog about something else. As I sit her with hot oil on my head to try to pull some dye out of my hair (it is BLACK! Not exactly the look I was going for), I am trying to understand the way my mind works. I am falling into an old pattern that is so self destructive yet so common for me. Let me explain.

In 3 weeks from now at this exact time I will be waiting to get on a plane to Vancouver. Flying as a big person is stressful and for me I worry about it constantly. I am not worried about crashing, I am not worried about fitting in the seat or even having to ask for a seat belt extender. For me, I am worried about making the person I am flying beside uncomfortable and invading their space. It makes me feel literally sick to my stomach when I think about it. It goes back to a flight I was on to Halifax many years ago where I was in the window seat and this big man (not fat, just tall and broad) had the middle seat. There was another man in the aisle seat. The fellow in the middle seat called over the stewardess and DEMANDED a new seat. He said he was being squished (we all were) and wanted to move. The only option was a seat at the very back by the bathrooms. When he found that out he made a big stink that I should be the one to give up my seat since I was causing the problem (which actually wasn't the case, it was the combination of the 3 of us that was the main issue!). I was only 25 and now I would have stood up for myself but in order to prevent further humiliation I said I would move. So I gave up my window seat to this asshole and moved to the back walking by all these staring eyes (some sympathetic, others laughing) and sat there trying to hold back tears. It sucked big time!

I have known about this trip since I arrived back to work in December. It is one of our yearly trade shows. Now that it is less than a month away my stress about the flight is going through the roof. Add to it the first goal of being 30 pounds down by April 1st (my birthday) and I am feeling a lot of pressure to get as much weight off as I can. Cue the problem.......self sabotage. I have been eating like crap since Monday after my weigh in. Gluten-galore, chocolate, we even had pizza last night. I am paying the price physically (digestive issues, sore knees, mood swings) and I know I will pay the price on the scale. Why do I do this to myself????? It is a pattern that has repeated itself in my weight loss battle time and time again. I hope that I can get to the bottom of it and maybe that will require some outside guidance.

It is back on track today and I am buckling down. I have to stop these destructive patterns and focus again at what I want to accomplish: Lasting and healthy weight loss. So please send me positive vibes to get over this hump and carry on with the task at hand. I can't wait for the day that I look forward to flying high in the sky where my only worry is what movie to watch.

Week 11 update: Slooooooow and steady wins the race?

Well it is Monday and of course, weigh-in day. I was a little concerned about the scale this week. I just didn’t feel like I had lost anything and I barely did; - 0.6 pounds which is better than nothing I suppose. I want to be down 30 pounds by my birthday April 1^st so I have 2 weeks to lose 3.4 pounds. Fingers crossed.

Jon and I have been doing a candida cleanse since March 1^st. He is finishing today and I am going to continue on for another 15 days at least. He did amazing, it is not an easy process to undergo but in 3 weeks he lost 10 pounds! Way to go hon, proud of you!

I just wanted to send a big congrats to all of you my friends and followers of the blog that are experiencing their own successes. Weight loss, quitting smoking, getting out of debt…so much inspiration! It keeps me trucking when I am feeling like giving up so thanks for sharing and keep up the good work.

PCOS Treatment options for Cysters NOT trying to get pregnant!

Today I am going to discuss some treatment options for my PCOS buddies who are NOT trying to get pregnant. I will discuss options for pregnancy and infertility later on. There is some overlap but there are some very important differences in how you approach the disease if you are trying to conceive.

Diet is foremost as I mentioned in my last post but there are lots of conventional and natural treatment options to help deal with the symptoms of PCOS and it's underlying cause. These treatments below are in no particular order:

1) Liver Support: It is very important to support your liver so that it can effectively process and eliminate excess hormones and toxins. Starting your day with lemon in warm water primes the liver but more aggressive treatment is necessary. I recommend a liver support formula taken daily that combines common detoxifying herbs like milk thistle and dandelion. You want to make sure that it also contains alpha lipoic acid and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC for short). These are both supportive of the liver but also lower blood sugar. I use Renew Life Critical Liver Support and swear by it. It is not cheap but it has everything in one formula versus having to by the components separately.

2) D-Chiro Inositol or Myo-Inositol: These are of paramount importance. D-Chiro Inositol (DCI for short) helps the body respond to insulin more effectively. It has been shown that women with PCOS are low in DCI. Taking it as a supplement at a dose of about 1200mg per day has shown to reverse insulin resistance and greatly decrease symptoms of PCOS (excessive hair growth, acne, skin tags, lack of ovulation etc). The issue is D-Chiro Inositol is VERY expensive. The good news is that taking Myo-inositol is an alternative. The body can convert Myo inositol into DCI. You have to take 2000-3000mg per day of Myo-inositol so I recommend buying a powder form. AOR and Metagenics both make this and it works out to be much more economical than DCI.

3) Chromium: This mineral helps to stabilize blood sugar and thankfully is very cheap. Chromium GTF 250 mg can be taken with each meal.

4) Birth Control Pills: I put this in here with hesitation because I had a hell of a time when I went off them. They will help to normalize your cycle but there are other more natural ways to do that as mentioned above. However if you are being completely ruled by your periods (as I was) you have to do what you have to do. I was having extremely heavy periods that would last a month or longer. It was debilitating. I was put on the pill when I was 13 and stayed on it for almost 18 years. Too long for sure.

5) Spirolactone: This is another option that I mention with hesitation and I would try D-Chiro Inositol first but Spirolactone is very effective at lowering testosterone and eliminating hair growth. This is a very embarrassing problem for women and can be overwhelming to handle. I am blessed that my issues in this regard are minor and can easily be taken care of with a strip of wax and a trip to the spa.. Many women end up shaving their faces making things much, much worse. Spirolactone, traditionally used for blood pressure, will eliminate these issues in extreme cases. You definitely cannot use this drug if there is a chance you could become pregnant because it can cause the baby to develop as a hermaphrodite.

6) Fish Oils: Everyone should be taking omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils but especially anyone with blood sugar issues. They have been proven to decrease insulin resistance. They also reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes and stroke which are all common in women with PCOS.

7) Metformin: This drug, traditionally used for treating type 2 diabetes, is now the go-to drug for treating PCOS. I am going to get into this more when I discuss pregnancy but this is a good option for people not responding to natural treatment (although it doesn't come without some side-effects). More on Metformin next time.

Hey Soul Cyster!

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was thirteen. Back in the day they just put you on birth control pills and told you to lose weight. Easier said than done! Now there are many more treatment options for women with PCOS and many that are natural and proven effective. The problem is with so many women going undiagnosed; these treatments are often overlooked (especially when it comes to infertility). Infertility is BIG BUSINESS. Many women going through the process and spending their life savings have PCOS. The issue lies in that you don’t necessarily have to have cysts in your ovaries to have PCOS. Not all Doctors believe this though. If the ultrasound is clear, PCOS is not the issue. This is not the case. I have had many ultrasounds in my life, sometimes I have had so many cysts in my ovaries that it looked like a pile of pearls and at other times the ultrasound was clear. It is better to look at the list of symptoms I posted yesterday and decipher from there. Like I said, I can pretty much pick PCOS women out of a line up. The signs are clear even when the ultrasound results are not.

In today’s post I am going to talk about dietary intervention for PCOS. As I said yesterday, it all comes down to high insulin levels. If you control the amount of insulin the body releases, you produce fewer male hormones. The way to control insulin is to limit the amount of sugar and carbohydrate you ingest. In general, we eat way too much carbohydrate (and not nearly enough protein and good fats). Fat is not the enemy, carbs are. The underlying issue is insulin resistance. It is complex and there are many factors that contribute but here is the “Coles notes” version:

Insulin resistance occurs when cell receptors do not respond to the action of insulin. When this occurs the cells don’t get the glucose from the blood, blood glucose levels remain high and a signal is sent to the pancreas to make more insulin. High circulating insulin and high blood sugar lead to high levels of androgen (male hormones) and fat storage.

How do we fix insulin resistance? It all comes down to what you eat. To treat PCOS and reverse insulin resistance follow these dietary rules. They work, I am proof.

1)      Limit your carbohydrate intake to under 100 grams per day. Some people may need to reduce it to less depending on how insulin resistant you are. I find I feel my best and my symptoms are lessened if I keep my carb count to under 50 grams. Most people get over 200 grams of carbohydrate daily in North America….way too much!

2)      Eat a whole food diet and avoid artificial sweeteners. Try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. Look at food as your medicine and your healer.

3)      Fat is not bad but you want to make sure you are balancing your fats. I am not a fan of vegetable oils in general (corn, canola, vegetable), they are too high in omega-6 fats which can cause inflammation. We get far too much of them in our diet. What you want to be eating is good quality saturated fats like coconut oil and butter. Now there is some limited research that showed that a high fat diet caused an increase in insulin resistance in rats. I don’t put a lot of faith in it though because they didn’t control the calories or the source of fat. Make sure you also get omega-3 fats from fish, nuts and seeds. They have been proven to increase the cells sensitivity to insulin.

4)      Eat fibre and lots of it! Try to get 30-40 grams daily (the average Canadian gets around 10 grams per day). Fibre is proven to reduce insulin resistance. There are lots of benefits to fibre but that’s a post for another day!

Make these 4 dietary changes and you will notice a marked difference in symptoms such as hair growth, acne and abdominal weight. In time, your menstrual cycle should start to regulate as well. Control the insulin and you will control the PCOS.

I will talk about natural and conventional methods of treatment in my next post. It is amazing what help is out there that many people don’t know about.

Cysterhood: Part One

I have spoken a lot about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in this blog and I have had a few questions come up about it. Mainly WHAT IS PCOS? PCOS affects up to 10 percent of women. It may be genetic since women with PCOS are likely to have a mother or sister with PCOS however no women in my family seem to suffer from it besides myself. Most women who are determined to have PCOS are diagnosed after unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant yet many women are never diagnosed.

PCOS is caused by an imbalance of a woman’s sex hormones which may lead to:

• Irregular periods
• Skin problems such as acne and skin tags
• Darkening of the skin around the neck and armpits
• Thinning hair
• Increased hair growth on the face and body
• Cysts in the ovaries
• Obesity
• Trouble getting pregnant

The exact mechanism by which this imbalance occurs is a constant area of debate. It likely has to do with high levels of insulin and blood sugar. This high level of circulating insulin causes the body to produce more male hormones (androgen). I can pretty much look at a woman and determine if she has PCOS since I have spent so much of my life researching it and living with it. That said, the singer Jewel has PCOS and I would have never guessed.

The next few posts I am going to examine PCOS in more depth. If 1 in 10 women suffer from this, that means at least a handful of you reading my blog are affected. My hope is if I share what has worked for me that it can change someone else’s life for the better.