[Rana]

Hello everyone! Happy August! I'm sure people are still on vacation or preparing for school to start, so this may be a very short, unattended thread, but if you're around, jump in.

July 2014 Thread


So, jump in, tell us how you're doing and what you're doing:

- How's the PCOS?
- How are you?
- What are you working on now?
- How successful are you?

[Rana]

Obviously, I'll go first.

So, in July, I traveled a lot and as a consequence, my weight is up. I need to get back on track and I'm having to really think about it. It's hard, after a month of probably some really bad habits, to get back on track. I think that's the issue right now with me -- 30 days is a lot of time to get used eating off-plan and I know that the solution is to not eat off-plan.

And I guess that's the hard part that I'm dealing with mentally. How to travel and not eat off plan -- how to figure out that it's not a time for excess or special treats I don't have...

The problem is that I travel a lot. If I just went on vacation 1 time per year and in that vacation I ate whatever... I think I wouldn't be in this problem. But since I travel for work, I can't treat every trip like a mini-vacation from food!

So, in the month of August, I'm going to start focusing again on the basics, back to eating healthy and when I have to travel again in September, I'll stay on plan. I have to start learning the mantra of "no, thanks, I can't eat that" and have it roll off my tongue easily and without much thought.

I'm up about 3 or 4 pounds from the end of June. My goals for this month are going to be consistent exercise (for stress), focus back on a paleo-like diet for health/weight loss, tons of water, and lots of sleep.

[astrophe]

Thanks for getting us started, Rana!

- How's the PCOS?

Stable ish? I currently am struggling with bloat, pimples, joint pain, dizzy, hot flashes... perimenopause weirdness? It amuses me that as my cycles get more regular after a lifetime of wonky, it's just in time to go "normal people haywire" again.

I see my endow in Sept and I will talk to her about it then. In the meanwhile the whoosh of weight gain bothers me the most after the moods. Uncomfortable in my pants.


- How are you?

Ok, but been better. The other part of it is the moody up and down. I feel ok and BAM! I feel sad. Or once I was suddenly overcome with anxiety/dread and NOTHING was happening other than regular calm life. Weird.

I don't remember being teen moody as periods cranked up but I remember my sister being moody. Maybe this is like that? Perimenopause hormone moods? rather than menarche?

- What are you working on now?

Cleaning up my diet, the new fitness challenge for myself. Too much wheat again so I have to crank that down.

- How successful are you?

Better, but still learning how to stay on top of the PCOS management.

Astrophe

[zinkemomx2]

- How's the PCOS?
Pretty much out of control.

- How are you?
I'm gonna go with out of control. Again.

- What are you working on now?
Taking my metformin and other vitamins (D and Fish Oil) while keeping my blood sugar levels more normal.

- How successful are you?
I'm still alive so we'll say it is working. I could be doing much better though.

BTW, I'm Billie (or Zinke). I'm a 39 year old SAHM of nearly 10 year old twins. I'm pretty sure I've had PCOS symptoms my entire menstruating life but I wasn't diagnosed until I was 27. At the time I was having 100-120 day cycles and trying to get pregnant. Managed to get the PCOS under control long enough to conceive but that is about it. Now that we are done having kids I really don't care if I ever see another period again. But yet my body is going all wonky again and instead of super long cycles I am getting tons of breakthrough spotting and two week periods. So the PCOS, along with super low levels of vitamin D and climbing A1C levels have led me back to 3FC for some personal accountability. I'll get things straightened out somehow.

[Rana]

Welcome, Zinkemom!

I also used to say that I didn't care if i never got another period again, but I later realized that my PCOS wasn't solely about the period... My lack of periods were a symptom of other stuff going on. I have IR and I needed to get the IR under control!


I got back a quick lab one of my doctors recommended because my weight loss is stalled/gained from travel. They really don't believe me when I say that I lose weight super slowly unless I go on a very low calorie diet. I think she wanted to check if my body was off in some way. The labs came back and my A1C was 4.9!!!!!

OMG, it has never been that low. Obviously, I'm balancing my blood sugars, not sure if it's through food and diet, one or the other, or whatever the case may be (since I do so much to balance it, it could be anything).

But I am still not dropping weight like a normal person, I guess, so this is just my body.

Now that I am not traveling until the end of the month, my goal is to be good and focused... I'm still working on that, although this week I haven't gained or lost. And no, it's not my period (water weight).

[astrophe]

Welcome, Zinke!

Me too -- I do not love the PMS stuff. I could be happy without a period. My PCOS was that way -- no periods! But I am not happy with the other stuff like the weight and insulin resistance so... yeah. I have to get that under control.

Hang in there as you get yours under management too!

Rana -- hang in there as you try to learn to cope with so much job travel. That's a challenge for sure! I can relate to not dropping weight like a normal person. PCOS metabolism is wonky sometimes.

MY CHECK IN

Organizing for start of school. School stuff, house stuff, then for me? Fitness and food log stuff. I'm going to give myfitnesspal.com a try.

A.

[1Bluerose68]

I have been diagnosed w/ 2 problems, ovarian cysts(5) of them, and Uterine fibroids(the size of lg lemons-6 of those). I haven't sought reactive treatment for these.

I have scans done every 4-5 months to see if any cysts dissolve or fibroids enlarge. The cysts may disappear but the fibroids are the real problem, I cant possibly fathom where 5 of these orange sized things would have room to even fit inside my female organs.

Does this count as Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome? Does this problem really affect weight loss, or make women have glucose issues, because lately my blood sugar has been like 160 after eating a mild sandwich and say a fruit for lunch.

Also my weight has been like roller coaster at the slightest sugary snack, or day off from the gym, or days when I have had too much water to drink, and not enough diuretic to move the water through my system it just pools there in my tummy and it takes forever to lose the water weight.

So do I retain extra water and blood with these cysts in my female organs? So do you ladies suffer similar issues as myself with this double DD whammy dual diagnosis gyny pproblem???


1Bluerose68

[astrophe]

1Bluerose68 -- that's a lot to handle!

I really don't have that kind of experience with fibroids or the effects on diet/weight management. But I certainly can see where it could be very frustrating for you.

On the cysts -- I've had ultrasounds and mine weren't super big. I don't like it when they pop -- it hurts. Ouch! I hope yours are not causing you lots of pain.

Hang in there!

A.

[Rana]

I'm sorry you're suffering through that, BlueRose!

I don't have the same, but there are different types of PCOS, some that include IR, others that don't. It's not an easy diagnosis and there is enough variety to make each PCOS patient different. IR is a normal response, however, so a lot of women get that too.

You may have IR, as well, regardless of whether you have PCOS. That means that you will be affected by how many carbs your eating and the types of carbs.

What are you doctors saying? You can have a variety of IR tests if you want to know if you are -- A1C, glucose tolerance test, and so on.

[Deztiny]

Hiyas all! I am new to the forums and trying to understand PCOS. I have not been diagnosed yet, but I am 100% positive I am. I kind of gone through life just dealing with these problems not knowing what they were. Till a friend saw this topic on t.v and told me to look into it. I'm 37 and I have been having these symptoms since I began my cycle. It is so horrible! I have almost every symptom I swear except acne and it is extremely frustrating. I have gained so much weight so quickly. Now I am really trying to get my life back on track with diet and exercise.
It's super hard when you are kicking butt and you are not seeing the results you should be seeing. I exercise daily and for some reason I can't lose a lb unless I eat like 700calories which is crazy and not normal. How are you all dealing with the weight issues?
I use to have very luscious long thick hair. I'd say my hair is about 30% of what it use to be. It has thinned drastically. I don't have any bald spots but its a scary thought. I am at my wits end.

[appyfizz]

Hello ladies!! I have been on this website since a while now..new to this support group!! Was procrastinating posting here, thinking I will join when I vist a gynac again and get back on the right track.....but don't see that happening anytime soon....so here I am!!

- How's the PCOS?
No words for it. haven't got my preriods since October last year, even after losing a bit of weight

- How are you?
Screwed up. Had terrible stomach ache, turned out to be kidney stone. Feeling better but screwed up, don't know why!!

- What are you working on now?
Need to find a good gynac. And start taking metformin regularly along with my thyroid medicine. For me metformin gives no nasty side effects, but still can't explain the extreme reluctance to take the meds regularly!

- How successful are you?
Not even the slightest so far. Need to get off my *** and search for a gynac.

[NamasteMorningGlory]

Hello!! I'm new here so I thought I would jump in!

- How's the PCOS?
It's okay. As long as I stay on my Metformin I am pretty symptom free. I do deal with some of the side effects of my metformin.
I was officially diagnosed when I was TTC in 2005.
My periods are pretty normal, roughly every 30-33 days.

- How are you?
I am okay. Mad at myself for gaining weight again.

- What are you working on now?
I am working on not beating myself up for gaining the weight. Keeping active everyday. I'm doing WW, seems to give me the most consistent results.

- How successful are you?
Well, I guess I am doing pretty well. I have lost 11 pounds. But I need to be more focused.

Tara

[astrophe]

Welcome to all of you!

Deztiny -- I share your frustration. I can do it all perfect in a food/exercise log but unless my thyroid med is ALSO right and my metformin is right -- nothing budges. My meds have to be correct. It's actually one of my clues -- if my food log says one thing and real life says another, I look up when my next labs are and expect to see wonky labs.

I hope you are able to get that looked at.


appyfizz -- hope you search for a gyn. you can work with is fruitful. Glad you are past the kidne stone!

NamasteMorningGlory - Hang in there with WW and refocusing!

CHECKING IN:

I took time away as I planned and then hosted my kid's birthday. She had a GREAT time and my Alzheimer Dad was ok during it (which is an accomplishment right there.) I was a bit nervous about having Dad in a party environment. But it worked out. Setling into the school routine smoothly.

Now I can refocus on just me rather than my family life issues.

A.

[astrophe]

Come over to September!

A.