Hey, Frapilu, that is excellent for not really making an effort. Maybe I should wait a couple of months before I weigh myself; I won't no how to act!!! I would be overjoyed to lose 8 pounds; that is awesome!!! I definitely agree with you about being rid of the periods; that is why I said that if it wouldn't be for trying to get pregnant, I wouldn't even bother. It really does get frustrating having this when you are trying to get pregnant. I am still hanging in there, though. I am just really glad that I have an awesome husband who is very supportive and this site really helps a lot. In regards to the bad periods; I definitely feel for you with that cause I have had those bad ones also. I am happy for you that everything is under control, though. Thanks for wishing me luck; I will definitely keep you posted. Talk to you soon.

Ruthxxx,
Yessssssssss!!! I know that the doctor said that it could cause weight loss, but, never expected something like this. I don't know if it is a good or bad thing. I feel for you cause my husband and I have been trying for a year now to get pregnant and still not yet. In regards to being upset with the doctors; well, let's just put it this way: if at least half of these doctors had to experience either PCOS or IR, they wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the problem and be a little more sympathetic. Please do keep me posted on how the increase in dosage goes. Talk to you soon.

Princess

Hey, Frapilu, just thought that you would like to know that I did weight myself (by accident, if that makes any sense) and to my surprise, I found that I did lose around 8 1/2 pounds. I am so excited, especially since I wasn't even trying. I hope that it continues. I should have been on this dosage a long time ago!!! Hope to talk to you soon and I hope that you had a good Christmas!!!

Princess

Congrats Princessdurr! My weight is screwy these days because of the holidays but hopefully that will settle out as I get back into my routine. Love the holidays but they play havoc on weight!! Had a great Christmas & tomorrow is hubby's birthday. Happy new year!!

Frapilu

Juju, I moved the posts we were writing to each other to it's own thread, since this is a general info sticky. You can see our posts and my last reply to you here:

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...threadid=23258

I'm brand new--and hoping to learn about insulin resistance here. I am diagnosed Metabolic Syndrome, and very interested in learning everything I can to overcome this. The posts are really informative, and I feel blessed to have been sent here to learn and get back on track.

Hello all,

What a wonderful web site! I am glad found it (via sugarbusters.com).

I read an article about insulin resistance in Family Circle or Woman's Day and faxed it over to my doctor. She told me to come in for testing and the results showed that I do have something "going on." She told me to go on The Zone and go back in 3 months. I didn't follow through basically b/c I was too busy to sit down and figure the units and what I could eat.

I have joined Weight Watchers in the past with some success but I seem to fizzle out after 25 lbs. I think part of the reason for that is I have not been making the correct food choices for my body. My hope is to combine SugarBusters with WW--counting points for food chosen as per the SB book. Anyone out there try that? I'd be very interested in hearing comments on this. I'd like to lose 100 pounds.

I am also a vegetarian which, in some cases, complicates the issue.

Anyway, I will be visiting often and look forward to everyone's postings.

Best wishes,

Sara

Hi Sara! I am not combining WW and SB, but that is pretty interesting! I bet it isn't too hard, there are a lot of low fat foods on SB. I am however a vegetarian these days, and that is proving to be the harder thing of the two! Have you been on the SugarBuster forum here? There is bound to be a points counter there!

To Wingnut:

I am considered a thin person. I was just diagnosed this week with PCOS, after years of suffering with irregular periods, facial hair and acne. I even had an ultrasound in 2000 which showed I had many cysts on my ovaries. After gaining 10 pounds in the last 3 months for no apparent reason and no diet change I finally went to an endocrinologist who told me that I had PCOS. My weight at this time is 146. More weight than I want but no one would call me overweight. I too am intrigued by those women who were very overweight who lost weight and their symptoms went away. I just don't think that all of us fall into that catagory.
I had all the symptoms when I weighed 115 lbs.

I have been to many Doctor's in my life and no one helped me. It was only when I took my health into my own hands and took all the evidence to an endocrinologist after reading about PCOS on the internet. Even the OBGYN that performed the ultrasound did not diagnose me.

My sister who has been overweight all of her life and is obese, has had all of the classic symptoms of PCOS including a full blown beard, severe acne, the brown patches, unable to get pregnant, etc. She heard about PCOS on TV and went to her Doctor who told her that is not what she has. So she went to another Doctor who finally diagnosed her.

Doctor's don't seem to be up to date on PCOS. It is up to you to be informed about your health. You know yourself better than the Doctors know you.

I agree with you whole heartedly....Sometimes it takes doing the research on your own and presenting it to your doctors, to get the ball rolling. That is why I am here today. I was diagnosed years ago with PCOS, but went untreated til several weeks ago, and I am now on yasmin. I go to my general DR tomorrow though, to see about treatment of IR. Twelve yrs ago, I was 135 lbs, and I am 5'9.....I started getting symptoms, and my wieght shot up by gaining another 135 lbs in 3 months time, with no diet change. No one would help me.....and the depression kicked in REAL quick. It took years to realize that yes my body has changed.....but I HADN"T inside.....although I have become alot stronger than I was then. Now, since technology has advanced greatly.....we can find our own information, and we can press the issue to some of these Doctors who dismiss us as hypocondriacs. There are things wrong with my body, these are the symptoms......and this is what I have found to be some possibilities.....check them out.....if you won't, I'll find another doctor that WILL!

I agree with both of you! I had been going to see my family doctor for 4 years for irregular periods or periods that would go on for 6 weeks at a time...each time she just prescribed a bcp, told me it was perfectly normal, and sent me on my way. Then, when she finally got around to doing blood tests etc., she called me on the phone while I was at work to tell me that she thought I had PCOS and IR. She said it was "nothing to worry about and that I just needed to eat healthy and exercise but that it should regulate itself since I wasn't overweight to begin with. Then she put me on Provera every three months to see if I would get a period.

Well, I did a lot of research on my own - to the point where it almost became an obsession and I found out so much about PCOS and ways that it can be controlled. A couple of months ago, I finally asked her to refer me to a gynecologist, especially since my husband and I are ttc and I had read about metformin and wanted to start on it right away. My gynecologist was much more knowledgeable in PCOS, took me off prevera right away, and prescribed metformin and a low-carb diet.

Just goes to show...it's always better to educate yourself - doctors are not perfect and may not be as well-versed in a subject as you could be if you're doing your own research!

I am new to this but I have a problem. . My friend has PCO's and is going to an endocrinologist. I went to my doctor to ask if i should go, she said no, you can go on the pill, take a different medicine for any other side effects and I need to lose weight. If I lose weight then I will have less side effects. Which I know I need to!!

The problem is that...1) I am having a heck of a time losing weight. 2) I hurt my knee when I was younger and so when ever I try to do walking or something like that my knee kills the next day. So I bought a bike so hopefully I can try to lose weight that way!! 3)I also have depression, I tried to go on the Atkins diet and my depression went wacky!!

Is there any thing I can do? Plus my self image is shot!! I hate the way I look now. I need to lose 50 pounds.

I am just so frustrated!! I also want to get tested for insulin resistance but only an endocrinologist here can do that.....ARGGG!

This is so frustruating!

Mom4davidngabi...

My suggestion is to find another doctor who will refer you to an endocrinologist. If you have PCOS and/or insulin resistance, it's not something that should be ignored! I had a doctor who ignored my symptoms for a long time and just told me to eat healthy and excercise (I wasn't even overweight) and everything would just work itself out. It wasn't until a year after that she finally agreed to refer me to a gynecologist, who immediately prescribed metformin for me. I really wish I had started taking it sooner as my husband are currently trying to start a family. Healthy eating and excercise are of course wonderful for PCOS and insulin resistance, but it's important also that you get a proper diagnosis.

Also, I was wondering...are you showing any other symptoms of PCOS and/or insulin resistance?

I have irregular periods, overweight, depression, excessive hair, acne..... you name it I probably have it.

I have been diagnosed with PCO's officially for 4 years now. I didn't think there was anything that could be done!!

Do you have a gynecologist? My ob/gyn is the one that diagnosed me to begin with. He did the insulin resistance test and also the hormone panels. If you specifically ask for a fasting insulin test, maybe they can check for you? I hope you can get a referral soon!

Oh, about the bad knee - I also have a bad knee and I bought a Gazelle and have had no problems. Very low impact!

No Idon't have an ob/gyn. So I have to go to my doctor again. She gets very defensive whenever I ask for a referral. Oh well. She is not dealing with my stuff!!

what is a gazelle?