[astrophe]

Who's here this month?

Me! Astrophe.

How are you?

A lot better. But still on a rocky path.

What are you working on?

Well, more self care. Eldercare for my Dad was hogging up a lot of time and causing a lot of stress. It is still stressful, but I took a bit of a break from the eldercare part and I'm trying to figure out how to restore balance to my own life.

How was last month?

Better than Aug!

How's your PCOS management going?

Endoc labs -- all solid, except need to remember to take my vitamins. The B12 and D were starting to get a bit low.

Weight still a big prob so I need to focus on exercise.

Even little bits is better than nothing, though I'm still struggling in that area.

I talk to Mom next week. I wish she'd just be ok moving her and Dad to an assisted living place or something. Sigh.

A.

[Rana]

Glad to see you're back, Astrophe! I'm sorry that things are still crazy with your father. I really hope they start to calm down so you can take care of yourself!!!

An update from me.... I lost weight this past week, which is great news. I think the MyFitnessPal thing is really working. I like knowing how much I go over or under and to see the impact of my mistakes. I like that it tells you, when you're done filling everything in, how much you would weigh if you did every day like that... it motivates me to eat healthier.

I don't know how to include a picture here, otherwise I would show you what it will say for me after the day is over.

I'm also drinking green tea like a freak, but I don't know if that helps. Keeping the liquid in my belly does help some of the hunger and I stay hydrated, but other than that, I'm not sure if the green tea works? It's supposed to be good for managing IR, antioxidants, hunger, blah blah blah...

It does hurt, so I'll keep it for now.

[dys24]

yey Rana!! good job! can I ask you what kind of green tea are you drinking? I started the lipton diet tea drink and I lost additional weight to what i expected so not sure if it was the tea or me doing more activities ( i went pumpkin picking with the kids etc..)

[Rana]

Right now, I'm just drinking Japanese green tea (Sencha). I can look at the box for a brand, I picked it up at my local Fresh Market.

[astrophe]

My Check In:

Well, I think my biggest focus this month has to be stress management. You know PCOS people and stress, right? Oy.

I've had two massages and I'm trying to work more yoga in my life. Exercise I know would help a lot so even though I struggle there, I'm trying. I'm back on the vitamin so my energy and sleep are doing better.

DH and I are def in better relationship -- the stress was killing us. Child is better too.

My parents -- well, it's still there. All the Alzheimer stuff takes a toll but I really don't want to talk about it much over here because part of the stress is it being like the 24/7 Alz channel! I need times and spaces where I am NOT talking or thinking or doing Alz stuff.

So yeah. Working on boundaries, stress, being as healthy as possible under stressful situations.

Thanks for being there, guys!

A.

[ems81wales]

check in hospital said i wont be seen until march im so hacked off with this i need to know whats going on in the mean time im going for another scan x

[ems81wales]

Check in i made it to goal last night woohoo my new aim is to loose another 7lbs with no time limit x

[Rana]

CONGRATULATIONS!

[pgh]

Thats awesome ems81! Congratulations!!

I needed to have a minor breast abcess surgery this past week. its been very stressful and I really want to continue breastfeeding my 3 month son. just working on that and making sure my hormones dont go wacko on me again.

have a good weekend folks

170 / 152 / 120

[ems81wales]

thanks both

Hope things are all ok pgh xxx

[Michelle125]

Who's here this month?
Me I've had PCOS since I was 20 years old

How are you?
Very good this morning, lost another 2lbs on Dukan!

What are you working on?
I started out going Paleo and saw DRASTIC improvements in my health like getting my period after only a week of cutting out grains. But then my stomach started bothering me, and I think it was from the animal fat. I'm now on Dukan, which is lower in fat, and my stomach is much better. I'm also losing weight much faster. All in all I know that animal fat is healthy so I'm hoping when I reach my goal I can go back to eating fattier cuts of meat and having my stomach handle it.

How was last month?
Last month was better, was getting my stomach under control. Saw marked improvements in mood, decreased skin rash (which flares when I eat grains), and gained lots of energy.

How's your PCOS management going?
After trying many scary drugs like metformin, Byetta, and the pill for the last 10 years, I decided to quit pharmaceuticals and started reading on how to heal myself through an ancestral template. The first step was cutting out wheat and immediately my brain fog, skin rashes, and fatigue almost completely disappeared within days. The next step was to cut out the rest of the grains: rice, quinoa, sugar, beans and start eating lean and fatty animal products. My stomach started bothering me and I have pinpointed it to dietary fat. I'm still recovering from a stomach virus in July so that could be contributing to not being able to handle fats. Probiotics are helping me return to normal.

So now I'm on the Dukan Diet and I LOVE it. The weight is dropping off me and my stomach is calm. I'm also feeling some PMS which I haven't felt in months, so hopefully another cycle is coming. My moods are excellent, my sinuses are clear, and I can finally think without needing caffeine. I am so convinced "whole grains" are just plain evil (especially for PCOS)! I can see my goal weight clearly now for the first time ever!!!

[astrophe]

Ems81wales -- Bummer you have to wait til March. But yay on the progress elsewhere with making your goal!

pgh -- how are you post surgery? How's the nursing going with baby? Hang in there with it!

Michelle125 -- glad to hear you are making progress with the rash, tummy probs, etc! WTG!


MY CHECK IN:

Had a really emotional visit with Mom on Friday about Dad. He's got more doc appts lined up for him. She's chugging along bit by bit. We're all doing what we can. But it's still disheartening to deal with. Alzheimer is a terrible thing. Sigh.

Anyway, I'm starting to pull it together for myself. I'm going to for baby steps ANYWHERE I can put them and I'll worry about connecting dots later. Right now it's just put some dots ON the table somewhere, anywhere, however I have to do it, however tiny.


I'm doing better for sleep. We got a new bed set since our old mattress set was practically 10 yrs old. DH says I'm still kicking my legs in my sleep and sounding stressy but at least I'm getting better quality sleep even though I have to work on the stress end. I'm having weird dreams.

I went back to BistroMD for 5 days, lunch and dinner. That will take care of my breakfast and lunch and I'll eat dinner with the fam. I'm just not able to think of too much meal planning for myself but at the same time, I'd like a better shot at wheat free, so there. Some kind of solution for the meanwhile.

Housekeeper is coming weekly to help restore order in the home. It's still crazy from the neglect with me over with mom and dad, but its better. We've decluttered 3 car loads and it shows. Now just the final push to finish all the closets in the house and then deal with the horrible garage.

My garden is neglected, but I decided to just go sometime this week and treat myself to some basic landscape packs and plant a few bright flowers here and there. Even if I don't get on with my veggie garden this term, at least there some happy color out there to look at.

I got a haircut Friday. And I scheduled a facial appt for tomorrow to get my crazy eyebrows in check again. The strain and stress has me looking horrible, and I think pulling that together again will help me feel more human again instead of all feeling.

I'm going to try to catch some exercise this week -- don't know how or what yet, but even a 20 min round on the Wii will do for me.

I keep telling myself -- just get some dots ON the table. That's all it has to be right now.

Whew.

A.

[nelie]

I'm checking in. This past year has been such a struggle and I do think it had to do somewhat in my change of BCP. Anyway, saw a new gyn today who actually has studied PCOS and keeps up with current research. He said it was my choice but he thought I should go on Metaformin so I start tomorrow. He is also changing my BCP to loestrin 24.

So hopefully things will start looking better. I have a recheck with him in a couple months.

[ems81wales]

cheers astrophe alzimers is a terrible thing and its horrible to see the ones closest to you suffer from it xxx

[Michelle125]

Thought I'd share I got my cycle this morning! So far cycles are 75 days apart (lol, progress after being 18 months apart!!)

Last night I split a bar of dark chocolate with the hubs after pounding down a few steamed chicken breasts with garlic. Guess now I know why the chocolate was doomed to be consumed <3 Have a great Thursday all.