PCOS/Insulin Resistance Support - March 09' PCOS WL Support (TTCer's are Welcome!!)

Hello and Welcome All to the PCOS WL Support March 2009 Thread!

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This thread is about PCOS and Weight Loss Support. If you have PCOS, or think you might, or know anybody that might have it, or your just curious or you just think we are totally awesome, so you just wanna chat with us, please join us! :grouphug:

Losing weight with PCOS is like trying to rollerskate up an icy hill. With all the wonderful lovely side effects, extra facial and body hair, skin tags, dark skin patches, weight gain, etc, etc, etc.........


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PCOS Definition:

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) (http://www.4woman.gov/faq/polycystic-ovary-syndrome.cfm) – A genetically-linked hormonal imbalance that prevents ovulation. PCOS also may cause overproduction of estrogen, abnormal thickening of the uterine lining, very heavy and/or irregular periods, as well as acne and facial hair. The latter are caused by an overproduction of male hormones, including testosterone. -- There are tons of info out there on the web, so if you want more info, just go to your favorite search engine (Google, Yahoo, etc) and type in PCOS. Another great site (besides this one of course for info is: Soul Cysters (http://www.soulcysters.com/). Also here are a couple links for Forum Abbreviations: Basic Forum Abbreviations (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83430) and the TTC/Infertility Abbreviations (http://www.soulcysters.net/updated-abbreviations-newbies-79160/)

So please come and join us, won't you? If you or someone you know has PCOS and you want support in WL and just general everyday support, please come and join us. You do not have to necessarily have to be TTC or not TTC. I am currently not TTC, but I hopefully will be soon this year. So if you are or aren't is just fine, we are here for support. If you do not have PCOS and maybe are just curious about the disease, then feel free to join us as well. Everybody is Welcome!!

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Wow A Whole Year, Gone.................and now yet another Month......:fr:


What Goals did I accomplish in 2008:

Changing my hair style and color, wearing make-up, dressing nicer. Being more open with people, continuing to lower my blood sugar/cholesterol, and basically being a more positive, happier person! :D

What have I accomplished so far this year:
1) I have lost 35 pounds!!! :carrot: I weighed myself and found out I was 35 pounds LIGHTER than I thought!!! WHOO-YEAH! :goodscale
2) I was able to fit into jeans that I hadn't been able too in awhile!! :cp:
3) Have consistently ate sensibly and tried to eat as healthy as I can, when possible, I haven't been an angel, but I think I am doing pretty darn good!
4) Made a Gyn appt for Feb. 25th!!! :D
5) I have Found a Reproductive Endocrinologist!! :carrot:

**I haven't gotten much done this last month due to us moving, but I have tried to do as well as I can. **




Goals for this month:

1) Make an appt. with a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE)
2) to continue eating healthy :eating2:
3) incorporate some sort of exercise :lifter:
4) To become pregnant!!! :preg: :bb:
5) To get our house unpacked and organized so I can get started on being as healthy as I can! :D

This isn't just about PCOS. It is about Life and wanting to get out there and LIVE IT. It doesn't matter if you have PCOS, Endometreosis, Diabetes, or just a bad hair day, :fr: we all want one thing: To Look AND most importantly: FEEL better. At least I do. If you feel the same way I do and are struggling with changing your bad ways and habits, then join me, won't you? :high:

Share your daily struggles, :woops: and/or your daily accomplishments!!! :strong:

Together, we can do this, I KNOW we can!!! :cheer2:

Everybody is :welcome:

Some come on in, get a cupa whatever :coffee2: and join us in a chat. :cofdate:

I also wanted to add a personal note here. I have come so far and this year is just the beginning of the new me yet to come! :D So if you are out there and struggling and think it will NEVER happen to you, it can! I am living proof! ;) I have struggled with my weight ALL my life and these last 10 years especially were tough. But I have FINALLY seen results and so I can say IT WORKS, so DON'T QUIT (http://www.absolutelypoetry.com/author/jill-wolf/dont-quit.html)! I am not pregnant yet, but that is my next step!!! :preg: Also this is the most AWESOMEST group of people you will ever talk too! They are completely and totally WONDERFUL! :hug:

****PLEASE NOTE: I also wanted to add a link for a book that I think is very important for every woman to read, not just women experiencing Infertility Problems: Taking Charge of Your Fertility By: Toni Weschler, MPH (http://www.amazon.ca/Taking-Charge-Your-Fertility-Achievement/dp/0060950536/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231516209&sr=1-2). It is very very informative about our cycles, how to tell when you are ovulating, etc, etc. It is a great book to have! I know with the economy a lot of us are "tightening" our wallets, but I bought mine at half-priced bookstore for $6. Also there is the library. Just giving out suggestions because it is a good book to read! Also another book I am currently reading: "Getting Pregnant and Staying Pregnant Overcoming Infertility and Managing Your High Risk Pregnancy" By Diana Raab, B.S. R.N. (http://www.amazon.com/Getting-Pregnant-Staying-Overcoming-Infertility/dp/0897932382) Very good with LOADS of great info!!;)


:grouphug:

Hello All. :wave:

I went ahead and started the March thread early because I will be in the process of moving this week and next week. So I will have very limited, if any, access to the net.

Please do not post here until March 1st!!! (There is a February Thread still open)

TY!

:hug:

Happy March!!!!!

Hi everybody! I hope we all have a good March. February was short, cold, and busy. March has to be better!

ugh. my weight loss is kinda stagnating the last few weeks, though admittedly i haven't been doing a bang up job with the clean eating and staying on plan. i had been making great strides at the gym though (did my first 6 mile jog today!! with 1/2 mile cool down) so i was kinda hoping that would result in loss. oh well. i guess i'll just have to keep trucking. don't have much food at home right now though. will prob be a lot of takeout until the weekend.

Hola.

Well my bf woke us up after she got off of work this morning. (she works the exact same shift as me -- we work together) Which was kinda good since DH has to go and get our breaks fixed on our car today. :p So I am here all alone today.

I am so not motivated either. I just want to go climb back into bed and go back to sleep!!!! lol. It is totally beautiful outside today though, its like 60 degrees outside. I have the heat off and a couple windows open. ;)

I know the sunshine and nice weather should motivate me, but it doesn't. I dunno what is wrong with me lately. I am just soooooo tired........and I've been on "vacation" since last week.......I knowe we have moved and all but I honestly didn't do much moving because we had so much help I didn't really need too. I have been helping put things away and I did clean the old apt. But still nothing like what the rest of the people have been doing.

Well I made an appt. with my RE (Reproductive Endocrinologist) my bf's mom recommended him and that was another reason she stopped by this morning, to give me the #, well she just went ahead and dialed and handed me the phone. lol. (yeah she is very um motivating to get things done.....lol)

So my appt. w/ the dr is March 26th @ 10:30 AM. I think I have a plan. I want to try to of course get pregnant ASAP. I will give myself until next September. That gives me more than a year to get pregnant. I am hoping that I can get pregnant right away and then get pregnant again after that because my um time is running out here. So if I do not get pregnant by next year, then that is it. I'm not trying no more because I will just be too old and I don't wanna be an old granny at my kids hs graduation. lol.

Then if I do not get pregnant by next September, I think I am going to go for the WL Surgery. That also give me that amount of time to lose weight on my own as well. I know I have been doing a pretty decent job, but I have a long ways to go yet and I am just really sick of carrying this weight around.

I found out today that I weigh the exact same as my fil does. Now my fil is a foot taller than me, so it doesn't look bad on him, it looks really bad on me. That is the bad part about being shorter, your weight shows.

Anyways, that is about all from my end.

Take Care Everybody!!!!

:hug:

good luck with the doctor!

i actually saw 147 for a brief moment on the scale this morning, but i'm sure it was fleeting. i was a bad bad girl tonight and have not exercised since monday. will try the elliptical tomorrow, on physical therapist's orders. i'm just worried that this forced rest is going to lead to a backslide for me. i was just starting catch my stride in exercising reasonably regularly (for me at least) which has always been a huge challenge for me.

Hi everybody! I am so happy that it's going to be good weather in my neck of the woods this weekend. I'm starting to feel pretty down from all the snow, rain and clouds. I'm ready for sunshine and warm air!!!

Sassy, good luck at the doctor. You just keep working at that weight loss as hard as you can and before you know it you'll be pregnant. Just relax and focus on your body, and let nature take it's course. I've seen so many people come through here TTC that finally made it after they made good headway with their weight loss. :cheer: You can do it!

sws, I'm sorry you are stuck on hiatus. Is there anything else that your PT will let you do? Maybe even some chair exercises to keep you in 'exercise mode' ?

Well - it's off to bed for me. I'm going to try really hard to sleep. I just can't do it lately.

Hola. :sunny:

Well yesterday I went out shopping with my best friend, then we got our hair done. I am a blonde! Ha ha. Well I have blonde highlights. It looks good, well so everybody tells me anyways. :lol: I like it, its short and refreshing........;)

Well this is my last day of vacation. :( I go back to work tomorrow night......UGH I dread going back to nightshift. :( I so enjoyed being "normal" again and enjoying the nice weather. Today is going to be even nicer, up to 74!!!! :faint: But alas, I have to get back onto a nightshift schedule...........:cry:

When I was at the beauty salon I met a fellow Cyster, who has a 5 yr. old. So yes it its possible and she is heavy and did not lose weight and still got pregnant, so I still do not believe that it is ALL about the weight. I know it does not help, and yes I still want to continue to focus on my weightloss, and be the healthiest I can be, but I just do not beleive that it is ALL about the weight. Esp. with Kate from Jon & Kate + 8 (on tlc) who has pcos and is thin and has always been thin. Just my personal and humble opinion. ;)

Jenn and sws19 -- Thanks I have a really good feeling about this time around with the fertility treatments. I have been to two other drs before but things got in the way, so I think my bf is right, I think its just timing. I think this is the right time. I honestly and truly feel it.........;)

I hope everyone else out there is doing well!!!!

Big :hug:

Sassy, good luck with your new doctor. I know it's not all about the weight, I'm sorry if I made it sound like that. :hug: I also wish I was a cyster that didn't have weight issues, like Victoria Beckham! Statistically, weight loss improves fertility chances in PCOS but it's not across the board, just as our symptoms aren't the same across the board.

I'm at work - it's beautiful out and everybody's window shopping and nobody is coming in the store. If I can't be out window shopping with them, I'd like it to at least be worth my while that they come in. :lol:

Hi everyone, Im new to 3FC & to these PCOS boards! I posted a bio, and would like to get to know you all, and support you all in any way I can :)

Hi everyone! Hope all is going well.

Sassy-I have two wonderful little boys. My first, I got pregnant just staying on my met. The second, I did have to go to a RE. I tried Clomid, that didn't work, then I tried Femara, that work. The last month I was to take it, I got pregnant. They are both my little miracles. I wish you all of the best. I'm here if you need anything.

I have got to get motivated. I haven't been able to go to the grocery store in a long time. As a result, no good food in the house. It's amazing how much easier it is to stay on track when you have good things in the house. I cleaned out the fridge yesterday. My husband said, if child services were to come by and look in the fridge, we would be in trouble. All we have is milk, salsa, cheese, and butter. Well, gotta run and try to clean some more.

Hi All. :wave:

Well I'm back @ work. Yay. lol. It was so much nicer though not having to leave so early for work. I am now only 5 min. or so away from work! :woohoo:

Jenn -- Oh I know. I was just stating my personal opinion about it was all. ;) I know that weight loss def. helps so that is why I am of course continuing my wl journey, just was making a statement was all. :)

:welcome: Vegaspunkermom!!!!

Xray -- That is so awesome. Gives all of us who are ttc hope. :)
We also have no good food in the house, except for bananas and yogurt. :p I've been SO bad since the move because our house is in caos..........I know that is no excuse. :no: DH did finally find those Healthy Choice Pasta things they advertise on tv so I will be trying those soon.

Big :hug: to my Cysters!!!!

Hello Ladies :D

Sassy - Thanks for the welcome! I know you're TTC and would Love to help in ANY way possible! Ive read TCOYF, and other books, and have 5 years charting experience! Tried naturally for 15 months, and on my first Clomid cycle, 50mgs. cd's 3-7, there was my oldest (now 4 and a half!) My middle child was a true miracle, an all natural oops at its finest. Heck, after being annov. for so long, who would have thought that was possible. My baby is another Clomid baby, second round success, 100mgs, cd's 3-7. The Met. never did anything for me, nor did it help me with weight loss. It will happen for you, I KNOW it. If you need anything, let me know!

Well, amazingly, AF is here. Last AF was early January after 5 months of not seeing her. THAT was a doozy. Here she is, on her own, after just skipping 1 month. Now I KNOW it has to be the weight loss, eating right, and exercise, because she would have NEVER come on her own otherwise! Although I despise her as always, it makes me feel good to know something positive is happening to my body!

Hope everyone is doing as amazing as can be for a Monday!

Hi Vegas, thanks. Yeah I've done the Clomid and Met thing, both didn't work for me. I also have read that book (if you see at the bottom of the very first post) My old RE told me that charting is a waste of time for me since I do not ovulate. So I just hope the new RE has some new ideas and does not make me start at the "beginning" again.

I know need to keep positive, but just been hard lately with other aspects in my life right now.

Anywho, glad your here. I know what you mean about those doozy AF's. I'm on a "Break" with mine right now. You know how it goes, flood for months, then dry up for a few months. lol.

:hug:

Sassy - I know the struggle & the emotions. Its a journey to say the least. Wondering if the new RE will try higher doses of Clomid/Met, or other stuff, such as Tomoxifen (sp?) or Femara. When do you go?

Usually I dred the every 4-6 month AF, however, this time I skipped only one month, and although she's her usual pain, she isnt extra heavy or ridiculously bad, and there was no PMS time. The cramps & backache only came when AF did. I hope this cycle continues.

Hi, Im new to this forumn and wanted to introduce myself. My name is Tami, and Im 40 and 1/4th. I've been trying to get pregnant since March 2002, and got diagnosed with pcos in 2006, however I've had it all along. The OBGYN's had no clue why I was annovulatory.

There are 3 parts to pcos, according to my doctor (in 2006)
1. physical - missed or irregular periods
2. blood work - for this you would have high testosterone/androgens, or possibly glucose issues (fast before your appt if your gonna ask for this test). Some other hormones can be out of whack (I dont think thyroid is one of them for PCOS)
3. cysts - for this you have painful periods and cysts that hurt on your ovaries, they tend to look like a chain of pearls on u/s

My doctor says if you have 2 areas out of the 3 above, you have PCOS. My old OBGYN had no clue. One doctor said I had hypothalamous ammenoreah, blah, not true.

Anyhow, I have been pregnant 3 times. The 1st time I took 2000mg metformin & Femara (clomid doesnt work). The 2nd time I took Tamoxifen & met, and the 3rd time I used soy and 1500mg metfomin. Of these pregnancies, none resulted in a new family member, so now Im 40 and TTC again. This cycle I took tamoxifen, but I am taking a med break next time. I find myself tired a lot and I've gained more weight from the injections taken the last few cycles before this cycle.

Its nice to see PCOSers, but so sorry your in that boat at the same time.

Hi All. :wave:

Vegas -- Yeah not sure, will find out the end of the month. My appt. is March 26th. So we will soon find out. Glad your AF is "behaving herself" on my way home from work this morning I thought I was starting mine, but I didn't............

Hello and :welcome3: Tamii!! So sorry for your losses. :hug: I hope that you and I and everybody here who is currently ttc, results in a healthy bouncing baby! :bb:

Big :hug: my Cysters!!!

Hey ladies! Sorry I've been MIA for a bit. February was a lost cause for me. I maintained for the month and exercised well but my eating was horrible! It still is a little bit. I did 2 good days this week and then I struggled again today. I have a lot going on in my head that I think is leading me to overeat. Grr. It's hard but I'll get it under control eventually. The positive thing is that I'm maintaining and not gaining but I really want to see the scale go down again.

I'm sorry to hear about your struggles Sassy and Tami. I hope you ladies get the results you're looking for. I'm hoping that by losing this weight now at 23 I'll be able to conceive naturally when the time comes, in the next 6 or 7 years approximately ;) I'm here if you guys need anything!

aaaaand so i weighed myself this morning and discovered i have gained 3 lbs since friday morning. i'm not gonna bother trying to pretend that i don't know how this happened, but grrrrrrrrrr. can't wait til i get the green light from my physical therapist to start jogging again. my friends are signing up for a 10K in central park a month from today. i really want to join them but am uncertain whether i'm just fooling myself seeing as how a month out i'm presently on doctor's orders not to run for the next couple weeks at least. i really think getting back on the hamster wheel will help me kick start weight loss again. or at least i'm praying it will....

I have been doing horrible!!!! It seems like, since the time change, I have been starving. I just can't get satisfied. Right now, I'm famished. I have got to get back on track!

Ive known Tami for over a year, and she is the woman from my old fertility board who educated me on PCOS, and clued me in to the fact I might have it as well. Thanks to her, I asked my Dr, and she was right, because after the testing I did have it!

Glad you're here girly!

Sassy - I will be waiting with bells on for an update come March 27th!

SWS - I hope your Dr gives you your green light soon! It must be VERY difficult to stay OP when you cant work out! Hang in there!

Xray - Im sorry you're feeling extra hungry. I have days like that too, and just try to eat healthy things, even though its more than what Im used to! Could the old monthly hag be on her way?

Well as for me, AF has been a dream this time. Ive only had 1 heavy day, and here I am on day 4, and its light. I usually have 2-3 heavy days and she stays for 7 days total. I hope this keeps up as a new pattern for me.

Ive been doing pretty well considered. I weigh'ed in last night, and was still at 177lbs despite the hag being here, and me not working out for 2 days due to her visit. I plan to get back on exercise plan tomorrow!

Sassy, thank you, and hopefully we will wind up being prego buds (nothing like spagetting growing in the garden in spring LOL, ok my joke is lame)

Hi gymlee, keep trying, your hard work will pay off. I know what you mean about diet being soo hard, I could really relate. I just quit drinking sugary/sweetened drinks of any kind. Its so accessable, its everywhere, just tatoo it on my ACE so I cant see it anymore already. I quit smoking when I was 27, piece of cake to me now that Im 40, so why cant I quit carbs and why do I go back to soda. Its because its everywhere. That being said, every day that I dont drink these things, and drink juice instead (natural sugar is still bad I know) my Wii Fitt has been telling me I lose about a lb a day. Now last week I ate out on the weekend and found a couple of the lbs back. This week I was sick and had a fever so not much excersizing.

sws, hope you get to running again soon

Hi Marcie, yay you passed me, Im around 182, and still down now that Im not taking the horid injections anymore, that and stopping pop and drinks like it. Im still not being 100% good, but Im working on it. When you coming to Missery? I cant wait to come back to vegas again, maybe when James is bigger so we can really go out on the town next time. September was a blast, glad I was able to get a free trip there.

Oh ya, Marcie, this is gonna blow your mind hon, you ready. Its been 2 years, remember my 1st ectopic pregnancy, found out April 2nd, I knew you in March that year.

vegas-yeah it is almost time for that. I forgot. That would explain a lot.

Tami- So then this month is our 2nd, or 3rd anniversary of knowing each other? Im guessing 2nd, because I was TTC James then, and he's almost a year old. YAY for us!

Xray - Sorry she's on her way, but glad I could help figure things out!

Ive stayed OP today. Did a workout, ate right, and tonight Im going walking with a friend. I hope to get 2-3 miles in! Hope everyone is having a good day!

Thanks Tami. But the natural sugar is better than the crap in soda. Not only is the HFCS really bad too but the carbonation in soda (and other carbonated drinks) takes the phosphorus out of your bones as well so no good :nono: I know the reason why I'm struggle for the most part. I'm stressed about finances since I've been out of work a while and also being home and having nothing to do I end up eating a lot out of boredom. It's awful. You'd think I'd spend a lot of time in the gym since I am so free to make up for the eating but I just don't haha.... Oh well... I'm hoping that once I have something to fill my days with I won't want to eat all the time.

Sometimes but not enough, I can justify working out b/c I actually do feel just as good, NO better than after eating sweets, after working out.

I worry so much about drinking anything with sweetener and or sugar. For the last few years I've been using sugar only, I get bad IR from sweetener. So I've actually decided only to drink that stuff on holidays or special days and to not drink anything besides milk and juice with sugar or sweetener in it. Well I did have Fuse with sucralose, not sure how much sweetener that is. Im being really carefull, and now I start losing weight too, so I think either that is helping or being off the meds is helping.

Have any of you tried Avandia or Actos instead of metformin for diebeties or IR? I just heard its really great for fertility, but you have to take it day 1-ovulation and stop, and take clomid days 5-9, so to give the Avandia time to work from day 1-5. Anyhow, I may try that in a couple cycles. If nothing else I'd like to cycle again for my healthy, but if I get pregnant its a bonus thats for sure.

I am getting new floors throughout the whole downstairs of my house. It it absolute chaos right now. I can't get in my kitchen to cook. As a result, it has been eating out so far this week.

AF came yesterday. I have been soooo tired! I think I need some red meat. I never eat it. But, it usually makes me feel better during this time of the month.

Hope everyone is well!

Hola.

I'm still here. Barely. :yawn: lol. TG its MY Friday! :woohoo: Its been bea-utiful :sunny: here, only when I am at work or sleeping. Then when I am off it gets colder. GRRRR. Guess that is how it goes though, right?

Unpacking is going well, slow. But I guess it will get done eventually.......DH's Aunt is in the hospital in intesive care and is not doing well. So we are just praying that she pulls through. Her vains keep collasping and they can't get a needle in so they are putting in a SWAN.........:(

Gymlee -- Hey there. I also need to clean up my eating. Because if I ever do get preggo (lets hope soon) :crossed: I will have no choice but to eat healthy. So I better get to doing it now.

Sws19 -- Sorry about the 3 lbs, but at least it was not more. I know that still isn't very comforting. I hope you get the green light from your P.T. soon so you can jog. :)

Xray -- I am right with ya GF. We have just moved into our house so its been caos. We just now have begun cooking, which is SO nice!!!!! Big :hug: GF! Hang in there!

Vegas -- Thanks. But my appt. was cancelled. :( So I have to call and reschedule. But I am still being optimistic!!! :D We have to be, right?? Glad that AF is behaving herself. Mine has been absent for a while and right now I am fine with it because mine is usually very heavy too when she is here. But I know its a necessary evil if I want a bambino. :bb:

Hi Tami and yes we WILL be Pregnancy Buds! :bb: I think I have taken Avandia at one point, but it must not have worked out because I'm not on it anymore. Wait.....I remember now, it caused me to have chest pain and I couldn't breathe if I remember right. I am on Foramet and Glipizide right now for my Diabetes.

Hi to everybody else out there!!! I hope your all well!!! :wave:

:hug:

Hey everyone! Hope you all are having a good week!

Xray - Im sure your new floors will look AWESOME! I hope the hag is good to you, and leaves FAST!

Sassy - Im so sorry they cancelled your appt. Hang in there, I know MANY women who saw crazy success with an RE! Im sure that'll be you too! Ill keep your DH's aunt in my thoughts for a fast recovery as well!

Ive been lazy with exercise so far this week, but I have been OP with eating. I plan to kick some bootie with Cardio this afternoon, to hopefully at least lose another pound come Fri/Sat!

i have not had any net loss in about a month. and have been off the treadmill on doctor's orders for about 3 weeks.
this is discouraging.
sigh.

Hey Babes.

Just stoppin' in to say hi and I hope you all are well.

My new appt. for my RE is April 2nd.......so not too much longer.......

:hug:

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA. It has been crazy! A dog found us a couple of weeks ago. I was outside playing with the kids and this little dog came up to us. She sat outside of our door for 3 hours when we went inside. So, we kept her. We put signs up, checked the papers, and online, nothing. She has been with us almost 3 weeks now. She is house trained and great with the kids. She mostly stays beside me when I'm home. She is a maltese-poodle mix and the sweetest thing.

THREAD CLOSED. PLEASE SEE APRIL'S THREAD!!!!