PCOS/Insulin Resistance SupportSupport for us with any of the following: Insulin Resistance, Syndrome X, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or other endocrine disorders.
Let me say that I have never been diagnosed with PCOS, but I have been reading about some of the symptoms. One symptom that I have and have had for several years is excessive facial hair.
Before starting the WOE, I had to remove hairs from my chin and neck area constantly - part of my daily routine. Ever since I have been LC'ing, the quantity of facial hair has been cut by 75%!
I was wondering if anyone has also made this connection on this WOL or if it's just a happy coincidence for me???
Facial hair is connected to the levels of testosterone and other androgens. These are controlled by the insulin. PCOSers tend to either produce too much insulin (not common) or the body is just ignoring it. Eating too much sugar (sugar=carbs) creates more insulin OR quicker insulin responce which inturn makes the PCOS body have problems. L/Cing (or Diabetic Type 2 diets) help the insulin production/responce therefore helps to decrease the androgens/testies. So yes, there is a huge connection there.
Last edited by HopefulSpirits; 09-07-2002 at 09:54 PM.
I don't have PCOS either but am diagnosed with Insulin Resistance and Impaired Fasting Glucose. I am also overweight (253 on 5'3" body). I've been doing electrolysis for face & neck for perhaps 3 years. They're greatly reduced, but new ones keep coming in. I was told it was because of ingreased hormones due to my fat.
Hey!! i have been diagnosed with pcos and do have some facial hair!! I cannot stand it, it drives me insane. I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions of what to do for longer results, besides dipilatories, bleaching, and tweezing. Thanks!!!
Electrolisis. This lasts LONGER but not forever. Its also expensive.
Waxing lasts longer
There is a drug out there Vinequa $40. a tube. This helps keep hair away.
Diet!!!! This is very important. Read the diet posts. Getting rid of the excess testosterone will alleviate some of the hair.
GlucophageXR. This treats PCOS.
Lastly, spirolactane (sp?). This is a pill you take every day. It can take up to 6 to 8 months to even show signs of working. I myself wont do this because I dont see the point in taking a medication for ONE symptom every single day. Im quite happy on Gluc. The hair process has slowed.
Thanks for letting me know!!! Where do you get that Vinequa? Is it a prescription or can you get it over the counter and if so, where can you get it cause i have never heard of it. Also, that spirolactane, is that strictly for treating pcos and works like the glucophage, which in turn, slows the hair growth down, or is it strictly for slowing hair growth? I appreciate you letting me know about these alternatives cause those are meds I never heard of. Also, I was on glucophage for about 7 or 8 months and my doctor really wanted me on 2 a day and taking 2 a day was making me light-headed. I stuck to 1 a day and he decided to take me off of it cause he said that I would really need 2 to get the effects of it. He feels that as long as I stick to a diet and lose the weight, it will alleviate everything on top of my ultimate goal right now, which is to get pregnant. I have been trying since January of this year. I have been on prometrium(progesterone) and clomid(fertility medicine). The clomid was supposed to ensure that I ovulate, which, go figure, I didn't ovulate at all. I guess that is the breaks. I try not to get to annoyed about it cause I learned the hard way that it doesn't help!!! Anyway, thanks for you suggestions cause I will definitely be looking into it, but, like I asked earlier, please let me know if I need prescriptions or it is over the counter. Thanks again!!!
Vinequa is new, a cream, script only. Spiro is script too but ONLY works for the hair and thats it. Spiro does NOTHING for PCOS. Thats important to know. Its strictly a cosmetic pill.
I suggest looking back into gluc. He's right, 500mg does nothing for the majority of PCOSers. Most dosages are in the 1500mg to 2500mg range while the majority is on 1800mg or 2000mg. There are ways of dealing with the symptoms. Also, look into the glucXR version which is a one a day dosing and is MUCH better on the side effects. I take mine at night just before bed. I know I get dizzy on it too from when I missed a dose once and had to do it in the AM. But, during night, Im asleep. By morning, Im myself so its like nothing ever happened. In my opinion, gluc is SOOOO vitally important. Somethign to try to work through. The first several months, took me 4, are the worst of course. After that, it should be smooth sailing.
As for the clomid. No surprise. Clomid doesnt always work for PCOSers. Sounds like your PCOS is pretty severe. I didnt do anything until my 3rd month on 150mg of clomid alone. BUT, I did respond to 100mg clomid when I started gluc. Gluc can make the difference here too.
Last edited by HopefulSpirits; 09-08-2002 at 04:04 PM.
I don't think I have PCOS. I had an ultrasound just before Christmas. They found a fibroid tumour but said my ovaries were perfectly ok. Wouldn't PCOS show up in my ovaries (I really know nothing about PCOS)?
Thanks anyways. I've started Metformin for the Insulin Resistance -- low dose to start: 2 x 1/2 pill of 500 mg per day. I've lost 6 lbs in the 1 month I've been taking it. I'm seeing my doctor again Sept 20. I wonder if the Metformin could help with the hair? That would be soooo nice; I'm soooo tired of electrolysis!
I've started using Biore's new Beyond Smooth moisturizing cream that's suppose to reduce facial hair so we'll see how that goes.
Wow, your doc needs some educating. PCO and PCOS are NOT the same. PCO is simply a symptom. You can have PCOS and not have PCO (infact 30% of all PCOSers do not have PCO), you can have PCO and not be PCOS. This is the number 1 misunderstood issue about PCOS. Cysts DO NOT diagnose PCOS. The ONLY thing that diagnoses PCOS is blood work, which you have. YOu stated yourself on top of the symptoms you have...if I were a doc...Id diagnose you right now. You are a classic PCOSer. I didnt have cysts for YEARS and YEARS! I dont have them once again too. I had them a very short time but Im still and have always been PCOS.
Your met dose is sooo low that I doubt its doing ANYTHING for you. Again, the average dose is 1800mg to 2000mg a day. 500mg a day is sooo minute, its RARE that this will improve anything. Dont be surprised if everything comes back the same as it was pregluc or barely adjusted.
The ignorance is mine, not my doctor's. We've just started the whole process. I consider her amazingly wonderful to have suspected Insulin Resistance and to have tested me for it. I tried to get my husband's doctor to test him (I'm sure he has it) and the jerk refused since my husband isn't diabetic (nor am I).
My doctor has started me on a low dose of Metformin because the side effects are supposed to be not so bad when you start low and increase gradually. I have not had any side effects at all. As I said, I'm seeing her Sept 20 and I'm sure she'll be increasing my dose then.
I'll definitely read the sites you mention. So what bloodwork diagnoses PCOS? I've had fasting glucose & serum insulin level tested, both abnormal. Presumably, once I get up to a higher dose of Metformin, you believe this would help with the facial hair?
Appologies, I assumed because she hasnt diagnosed you yet and because she didnt say that it didnt rule out PCOS when your u/s came back normal. Im so used to hearing about docs that exclude PCOS because of things like lack of cysts.
Yes, metformin will help with all the symptoms because its treating the PCOS and IR. Insulin controls the hormones. When there are IR issues, the hormones are out of wack. Its the hormones that cause the cysts, acne, hair, etc. Fix the insulin issue, and the rest start to get better.
As for the graduality of the medication, its really only necessary for a minimum of 7 days. Thats the normal protocol. Increasing every 7 days. Some do it every 2 weeks. GlucXR is the best though in my opinion. Ive had both.
Back when I had the u/s, we were looking for fibroids since it's in my family & my periods were driving me crazy. The Insulin Resistance came later. U/s was before Xmas. Insulin Resistance was Aug 1. In fact, with hindsight, I remember my doctor saying that the Insulin Resistance meant that I might also have PCOS, then she muttered about the u/s, then shook her head and said something like "let's do one thing at a time here. Treat your Insulin Resistance and get you to diabetes education and we'll see about the rest". Later when I was getting my next depo-provera shot, I was complaining that I've been bleeding continuously (it's my 3rd shot, periods had stopped then started up again -- will they ever stop!!??), she referred back to my Insulin Resistance and said that the Metformin would likely help the problem with my periods.
Facial Hair
