PCOS/Insulin Resistance SupportSupport for us with any of the following: Insulin Resistance, Syndrome X, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or other endocrine disorders.
I called my doctor this afternoon and asked what I could do about this (PCOS). She said my options are birth control for the hormones and Glucophage (Metformin) for the weight. Or I could control the weight with diet, which is what I think I'll do. I'm not even 100% sure that I'm insulin resistant. Does that show up as a high number on a glucose meter?
You should see a reproductive endocrinologist who will run a panel of blood test and tailor a treatment that best suits you. BC+Glucophage is a very generic treatment which may or may not be the best for you. If you are indeed IR (which is a high probability for most of us with PCOS), glucophage will not only help you lose weight with a controlled diet, it will also delay the onset of diabetes. BCP doesnt really treat PCOS and it only masks the symptoms related to high androgens.
It isn['t a treatment for everyone but being placed on Metformin worked wonders for me....until they said that the distributor ran out and placed me on generic fortamet which is definitely not doing the same thing for me....
Just dropping in to let you know my official weigh in this week. I lost 3.5lbs Which is halfway to my first mini goal of 7lbs by the 5th September
I'm so pleased as I've not followed a specific plan as such, just cut down on things and tried to make healthier choices. I have tried to loosely base things on low GI though. I've started to exercise now too. Went to my 1st Zumba class in ages.
Shalyn, you need a fasting glucose blood test to determine IR. As the others have said BCP only masks the symptoms. Metformin can be so helpful with weight loss but it needs to be combined with a healthy diet such as low GI.
There's at least 5 ways PCOS can manifest in patients. See your endoc for full labs to determine if you are IR.
My Check In:
Well, I'm doing better, but yesterday was very tense... a friend was leaving a domestic violence type situation. She's on a plane now to relatives, so I think she's going to be ok. I hope! (We were worrying if her nutty soon-to-be-ex would try to pull some kind of stunt to stop her leaving.)
My period only lasted 2 days and stayed pretty light... Blood never seemed to reach the pads, but was very evident when I wiped. I started my birth control (Trinessa) on Sunday, no side effects or anything yet, but I'm only 3 pills in. Just waiting to see what happens next...
It is TOM and I have been switching between 158-159lbs this entire week. Sucks because I was on plan the entire week and I was hoping to see 157. My husband and I are taking my in-laws to a Korean bbq place this weeked. The kind where they give you raw meat and you grill it by yourself on your table. I hope the Korean food is kinder on my body than the Chinese food last week.
In other good news, my lab results came in and the dexamethasone had done a good job of suppressing my androgen levels. I have to go in 6 months for another blood test to see if my androgens are still down.
I have been really nauseous for a few days. Is this a side effect of birth control (Ortho-Tricyclen)?
I'm curious to see if I menstruate on BCP. Hubby and I have been talking and, if all goes well, we'd like to give Clomid a try after 3 months on the pill.
I'm back on plan diet-wise. I haven't had much of an appetite lately, so it isn't too hard yet.
My legs still suck. I've only had one new bruise in the last week, but lots of pain and I'm having very frequent twitches (muscle? I can't tell) in random places from my buttocks down to my ankles. I had called and left a message to ask my doctor what the next step is, but I haven't heard back.
Last edited by JustSharing83; 08-14-2011 at 03:49 AM.
I'm doing okay. I've been sticking to my plan and on Thursday I went out to eat with friends and of course, like any restaurant, it was sodium laden. Probably more than usual because I could taste how salty it was... normally I like my food salty. Immediately the scale jumped up 2 lbs and I'm drinking water trying to get down again.
I know it's not fat weight, but I swear, eating out is a freaking minefield for me right now.
I'm been working out (even on Friday's which is normally one of my days off) and I'm eating pretty well.
I did have ice cream today, which is my once a year treat. I don't like ice cream that much (I know people love it) so I can eat it once a year and be happy with that amount. I've had this craving now for three months so I decided to succumb to it.
It means my calories will be up to 1600 today, but I think that's fine. I had a spinning and pilates class this morning anyway.
JustSharing83: Sometimes it is a symptom. I notice you take the Tri... if it keeps up consider the Ortho-Cyclen instead of the Ortho-Tri-Cyclen. Some PCOS people (like me!) can't take the changing hormones each week and need a steady dose all through the active pills. There was a longer thread over there.
Rana: I like kettle corn too. It's the only popcorn I like! Stick to that portioning!
nina125: Cool! Better androgen labs is great!
My Check In:
Well, the food log was maintaining on a Sat -- which is good. But since the computer crash I'm still in recipe entry mode... so that part is still a bit of a drag. I'll be glad when all my recipes are in the database again and I don't have to keep inputting things.
Walked around the museum and enjoyed the family date.
JustSharing.... I'll second Astrophe's comment on the "tri". When I was taking BCP, the best thing any doctor did was get me off the Orthotricyclen and put me on Yasmin. Eventually, I made the decision that BCP wasn't for me, but by moving to Yasmin (which is monophasic) the wild mood swings disappeared.
My own update today....
I am feeling so disheartened about my weight gain. It feels like I am digging a tunnel on Mount Everest, useless and with no progression.
I've been eating on plan, I've been taking my supplements and vitamins, I've been exercise (as proven through the Exercise thread) and it just feels like I am not really going anywhere. I weighed in this morning at 168.8.......
Man.....
I know the PCOS and it annoys and frustrates me. Anyone else on this plan and this level of exercise would have seen the scale go down steadily the last few weeks... *sigh*
I have my goal at 150, but I don't know if I'll ever make it there. Maybe I should be happy if I hit 160?
Hi astrophe.... I do a mix of cardio and strength training. I do three hours a week of Pilates and then 3 hours of spinning class. I also ride my bike on the weekends for about 1.5 hours each time I go (usually once a week, but last week, I rode twice)....
I met my 5% weight loss goal at WW. I'm actually really happy with how well WW is working for me considering how hard I've had to struggle to lose weight in the past. On weeks when I stay in plan I always lose over 1kg.
Which is halfway to my first mini goal of 7lbs by the 5th September 
