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-   -   2012 April PCOS Support Thread (https://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/pcos-insulin-resistance-support/255995-2012-april-pcos-support-thread.html)

astrophe 03-31-2012 12:25 PM

2012 April PCOS Support Thread
 
Spring time! We're kickin' PCOS one day at a time! :carrot:

So let's round up for April! (The old March 2012 thread is here. )

Who is here this month?
How are you?
How was last month?
How is your PCOS management last month?
What are you going to work on in April?


A.

Rana 03-31-2012 07:10 PM

Even though it's early, I'm posting! I am procrastinating some work I have to do.... :p

Who is here this month?

I am, said a little dejectedly.

How are you?

Annoyed. Frustrated. Scared. Mad. Annoyed. Frustrated. Scared. Super-mad. Feeling even a little hopeless.

Yet, maybe even feeling a little hopeful?
:dizzy:


How was last month?

Good and bad. March was a hard month because of the recent news that I received from my doctor (although the follow up appointment is next week) and mostly because I feel like I wasted three months of my life and gained a few pounds in the process and set back my blood sugar management.

Sure, I took my supplements, exercised, and ate all the wrong things...

How is your PCOS management last month?

PCOS for me is linked to the blood sugar stuff, so I guess it was NOT managed well.

What are you going to work on in April?

I'm going back to basics.

I'm angry and frustrated at the nutritionist (I have to still call her and fire her) and I am angry and frustrated at myself for not listening to my body.

No, it isn't working if I'm gaining weight.


THAT has to be something I need to really listen to rather than to someone who has a degree in nutrition.

The red flags were there. I just didn't listen to the alarm bells. I didn't want to listen to them because I thought that someone who was educated in nutrition and who claimed to have worked with people who did a lot exercising and PCOS/diabetes, actually did.

I'm really frustrated that I didn't listen to myself. At the end the day, I'm the one that's inside THIS body. This is MY body. I feel it every day. I work with it every day. It carries me around and when it hurts, I feel it. When something is off, I can sense it. Sure, I may not have a medical degree in my education, but I know my body better than my doctors. They just know how to label what I'm feeling.

And this nutritionist? Damn her. Sure, she was better than another one I had in the past. But my conclusion right now about the whole nutritionist field is that unless you're starting off eating the standard American diet, they can't help you. Chances are, you know more about food and nutrition for YOUR body better than they ever will.

Talk about a lesson learned...

My blood sugars today are out of control and I've been eating low-carb. The damage that I've done in the last three months can be reversed, but it won't be overnight.

My weight this morning was at 164.0. It's a good start. I'm going to start posting my weight on a weekly basis just for accountability.

I may even start my own thread about my diet and weight just to stay on track.

I think what scares me is that when I started this, I changed my way of eating. I sensed in February that something was off (about one month into the new food plan) and asked my doctor for a glucometer to verify what I was doing. I tested just a couple of times, because my own doctor, having seen my progress in the last two years, never suspected that I could be off. She thought I was crazy to be asking for it and worried my insurance wouldn't pay for it.

Those few times nothing was out of normal. I started noticing an issue when my fasting blood sugar kept creeping up. That wasn't normal.

Now, two hours after having lunch, my blood sugar was up at 137 and I had STEAK for lunch. That steak should have balanced my blood sugar down. It should not have been that high.

(Normal range after 2 hours of eating should be between 80 - 120, at least under 120.)

I haven't seen my blood sugar down in the 80s in FOREVER.

Anyway, my update for April is that I am going back to my plan. Whole foods, low carb, lots of homecooked meals to carry me through, and of course, testing with the glucometer to make sure that I'm improving as time goes on.

Of course, I'll keep up with the exercising, which I always do...

And when I travel, I just have to be more careful with what I eat than I have in the past. I can't "treat" myself right now. I need to get the weight off and normalize my insulin resistance.

This sucks.

astrophe 04-01-2012 09:32 PM

Hang in there, Rana! :hug:

Here is me...

Who is here this month?

Astrophe, rhymes with catastrophe. Though I'm not catastrophic. :D

How are you?

Great!

How was last month?


Good for the most part.

How is your PCOS management last month?

Chugging along. I'm still on my short run of Phentermine, the Metformin, off BCP, just got my period only 3 days late. So all chugging along like it should. I have doc appt later down in April for labs and follow up.

What are you going to work on in April?

I need more time, so same goals as March. Work on my PALA award, support DH in his quit smoking thing, and try to arrange dietitian over skype after endoc.

A.

mariposssa 04-01-2012 11:16 PM

Who is here this month?
Hey cysters! I'm new and I'm here. :wave:

[B]How are you?
I'm doing alright...making progress.

How was last month?
Last month was pretty good. Lost 13lbs, can't complain about that!


How is your PCOS management last month?
I am managing my PCOS naturally with low carbs and supplements right now. I haven't been to see my endo or ob/gyn in quite a while because my hubby changed jobs and insurance. Had a normal (for me) cycle 33 days this month and I am positive my insulin and sugar issues have improved because of the low carbs.

What are you going to work on in April?
Just keeping at it with the lower carb diet and trying to remember my supplements every day. I seem to get them down about 5 days a week. The weather has been SO nice this spring. We have been walking almost daily for about six weeks. :carrot: Our new insurance just kicked in and I need to stop procrastinating, check to make sure my doctors are on the plan, and make some appointments.

2phatinvictoria 04-02-2012 02:34 AM

Who is here this month?
I am


How are you?

Honestly, not very good. I was put on metformin , and im having a **** of time trying to figure out when the fack i should take my pills. Im seriously considering taking the release ones instead... actually do any of you know how many hours between each 500mg pill.. Im suppose to take 3 a day. My eating is okay. Ive been pretty ill, Major Migraines... Todays lasted 8 hours... wooohoo

Totally unrelated , found out my MIL snapped. I feel awful for her and Im sure she is feeling pretty helpless. She immigrated to Canada after she married my FIL 7 years ago. They have a 3 year old little girl who is special needs. So i understand there is alot of stress. I also noticed something fishy when i was there with hubby visiting. Well, something snapped and she pulled a knife on my FIL and her daughter was threatening to kill everyone, then headbutted My hubby's aunt. And now she is locked up for fear of her hurting herself or someone else. The men in that family dont live very long and I highly doubt the courts will let my MIL take my SIL back to Vietnam... God forbid anything happens. so needless to say Im freakin stressed and im sure that isn't very good. Is it bad that i dont want to take care of other people when I can barely take care of my self right now? I feel like a bad person.

How was last month?

It was okay.. maybe this one will be better, But i have noticed the major bloating going down in my tummy.. Now its just normal bloated haha

How is your PCOS management last month?

ok, I take it day by day.

What are you going to work on in April?

Everything.. Im going to working on everything!

geoblewis 04-02-2012 10:54 AM

Who is here this month?
Georgia, intermittently


How are you?

I am on a new med now, Janumet, to control blood sugar and insulin resistance. It's actually starting to work, but I feel really dizzy, my sleep cycle is all messed up and I can't focus on work during the day. Plus, I seem to be hitting a mid-life paranoia stage. Things are scaring me that never used to bother me before. I wonder if it's the meds.

How was last month?

Last month was erratic trying to figure out the blood sugar issues and trying to keep the weight I've lost off. Lots of skipped meals!

How is your PCOS management last month?

I manage what I can on a daily basis.

What are you going to work on in April?

Morning blood sugar has to be controlled first. It's most important. Beyond that, still working on a very, low carb diet and some daily exercise.

Rana 04-02-2012 02:13 PM

Welcome, welcome everyone!

My fbs is still too high for "normal" but eating back on my plan (brown rice, beans, leafy green veggies) has my post-meal tests back to "normal".

Rana 04-05-2012 09:10 AM

Just another update all:

I went to my GP, who was the one that convinced me to start treating my PCOS (instead of ignoring it). She took a look at what my nutritionist had recommended I eat, clearly she was shocked when she read "dried fruit in oatmeal" and asked my nutritionist's name and when I gave it to her, she said that it's a good nutritionist! She then sighed.

She told me to go back to my old way of eating (which I was doing anyway) and to eat more protein. I used to be vegetarian, so getting enough protein without shooting up my carbs is always hard.

They measured my blood sugar after lunch which was fine, at 116. She added something interesting, because my blood sugar rises when I exercise, that I eat something, rather than not eat.

And now I'm scheduled to go back in two months so she can keep track. She took my weight, of course.

geoblewis 04-05-2012 11:27 AM

Good morning ladies. I'm starting to feel a lot better on my new meds. The wooziness is diminished today and I feel like participating in life again. I'm focusing all my efforts on the insulin resistance. I hope addressing that will help me lose weight faster.

The new meds seem to help me a little in that department. I had gained back a few pounds over the last few weeks, but since going on the meds, the few carbs I eat don't affect me as much and the weight is very slowly coming back to my most recent low. Come on, belly! Give it up!!!!

I got a print out from my local healthfood store about things that help reduce/control insulin resisitance. There's a lot! Some I've already been doing that don't seem to help at all. But I was happy to see eating dark chocolate on the list! :D

astrophe 04-05-2012 11:00 PM

Just wanted to say "hi" and give everyone some encouragement on the PCOS front!

I'm kinda busy right now with a lot of house stuff but I am reading!

:hug:
A.

mariposssa 04-05-2012 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by geoblewis:
Good morning ladies. I'm starting to feel a lot better on my new meds.

But I was happy to see eating dark chocolate on the list! :D

I'm curious, which new meds are you taking? :)

mmmm....dark chocolate.

geoblewis 04-05-2012 11:55 PM

Mariposssa, I'm on Janumet, which is Januvia plus Metformin, 50/500, twice a day. I am type 2 as well as insulin-resistant and PCOS, so my doctor switched me to this since the Metformin alone didn't seem to do anything for me. Since I'm way past the having-kids stage, no one seemed to pay attention to the PCOS issues until I started making a big stink about it. Suddenly my thyroid is getting tested this week as well as all sorts of other stuff.

The diabetes isn't as bad as what some are dealing with as type 2s. Mostly I'm just cutting carbs (a lot), protein (I tend to eat too much), and fats (too much of that too and it causes an IR thing with me), and the Janumet helps my body access the insulin better. As a result, I just don't feel so hungry all the time. I'm finally able to not eat so much in the late afternoon and into the evening, which typically was my time to hoover in all sorts of things I hadn't planned on eating. My weight isn't wildly fluctuating now, and I'm hoping the downward scale trend will pick up speed.

mariposssa 04-06-2012 04:11 PM

Oh...the only meds I've ever been on are glucophage (metformin) spironaldactone and yasmin. Is Janumet only for type 2 or do they use it for pcos now, too?

geoblewis 04-07-2012 11:47 AM

It's specifically to address the insulin resistance. I don't know if it's used for those with PCOS specifically. It really works for the IR with me. In a week my bg levels have gone from highs near 200 to highs around 100. Kind of a booster for the metformin, I think.

I guess that the question would be if it's okay to take Januvia while trying to get pregnant. I don't know anything about that. It's not even on my radar any more!

Rana 04-07-2012 12:02 PM

As promised, I'm checking in on food and exercise today:

163.6 lbs

Food and exercise were good this week. I even had my boyfriend keep me away from the bread yesterday. We had a late lunch/early dinner and a movie and I told him, "Do NOT let me eat any bread." And good to his word (and of course, I know myself and what I'll do when I'm faced with it) he stopped me from eating the bread.

I've been basically wheat free since I got back on my diet (I eat other carbs like brown rice and legumes and vegetables/fruits and in dairy products) and my body is feeling so much better. I feel like I'm not as puffy as I was before. Whenever I eat wheat products, I get a distended belly and if I do it long term, I get puffy all over, like I'm retaining water or gaining weight.

I'm coming up to a period of traveling in the next couple of months, so this is going to be hard. I have to remind myself travel is NOT an excuse to overeat!!!!

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend and I hope all of you are focusing on getting your PCOS under control!

astrophe 04-09-2012 08:57 AM

Just checking in -- been busy in my garden getting the veg in. Also built some outdoor benches and looking at more woodworking later down once I clear the patio off. Basically awash in house stuff! Yay, spring! :)

PCOS management not as good -- not terrible, but I can feel the bloat from all the extra sandwiches (wheat) and whatnot for fast fixes since I'm caught up in other tasks. Heading out for crockpot ingredients so I can be wheat free today.

Hope you all had a good weekend!
A.

2phatinvictoria 04-11-2012 12:30 AM

Hey ladies!

So my week has been pretty good, bought some new clothes and spent Easter with my friends and family.

I had a Ultrasound today. Im sure ill know more when i see my dr at the end of the month but was wondering if any of you ladies could tell me what you think of this.. My left side there was nothing... is that good or bad.. and my right side had many little circleish things.. like a honey comb i guess.. is that good or bad.. I always feel confused after ultrasounds because they dont really tell you anything!

PghGal 04-11-2012 04:28 PM

Who is here this month?

I'm here ... better late than never, right?! Life has been pretty crazy lately, so my visits to this site tend to be "drive-bys" rather than posting.

How are you?

Not too bad. I am working on getting back OP since the last couple of weeks I took a hiatus from exercising/counting calories.

How was last month?

Eh --- well, the first part of March was great. I was OP and exercising daily. Then I had a beach trip, a baby shower for a friend, and then a trip to visit my parents all in the last few weeks, which pretty much ruined the progress I had made on the scale over the last month. I was still down 5 pounds for the month, and I'll gratefully take it.

How is your PCOS management last month?

Not bad. TOM arrived in mid-month, putting my cycle at about 45 days from late Jan-March. I am taking Biotin for my hair and nails. Drinking spearmint tea daily. Taking B vitamins and acai daily as well. Not sure if any of it is helping, lol.

What are you going to work on in April?

Getting back into a routine. One other thing I forgot to mention is that I started teleworking in mid-March as well, so it has thrown an additional monkey wrench into my gym routine during my lunch hour. It's a much farther drive from home to the gym than from my office to the gym. I think I will look into changing gym locations this month (I go to Planet Fitness and live in a city where there are about 4-5 different locations).

Once I get down to 220 I will go back to my PCP and get evaluated to start metformin or bcp (that will put me at a 25 pound loss since I last saw him). My doc had suggested these back in January, but I had to have my gallbladder removed since then, and I've put my PCOS on the back burner.

We'll see how it goes. :)

Kierra 04-11-2012 10:37 PM

Who is here this month?

me

How are you?

on my last rope

How was last month?

hm about the same as this month.

How is your PCOS management last month?

I really didn't do anything for my pcos. I haven't had a period since september and I'm not on any medication. Mostly I just spend every day fighting my facial hair.

What are you going to work on in April?

I made the appointment to see my doctor today for a physical. I haven't been in 2 years. I am hoping to be put on metformin again and anti depressants. I'm also hoping to get a referral to a nutritionist. I want to start managing my pcos and getting healthy.

Rana 04-12-2012 09:17 AM

Originally Posted by 2phatinvictoria:
I had a Ultrasound today. Im sure ill know more when i see my dr at the end of the month but was wondering if any of you ladies could tell me what you think of this.. My left side there was nothing... is that good or bad.. and my right side had many little circleish things.. like a honey comb i guess.. is that good or bad.. I always feel confused after ultrasounds because they dont really tell you anything!

If this was a pelvic ultrasound, then the honeycomb things could be the cysts in your ovary that aren't releasing (if the technician said it looks like a pearl necklace, it's classic PCOS!).

Hello Pghgirl and Kierra! Welcome, Kierra! There's tons of information here if you want to get a head start to your doctor's appointment.

An update from me, since I've been MIA for a few days now:

I've been sticking to a low-carb diet, post-doc appointment, and I've been following the 40/30/30 rule with the carbs/protein/fat and it's been working so far in the sense that I'm not gaining any weight. I did get my period, so I can't tell you yet if it's resulted in a loss because usually I'm bloated. Saturday is officially my weigh in day, although I'm using Mondays here? I think? I can't remember. My life has been CRAZY.

But my fasting blood sugar is lower (I really really really recommend a glucometer for anyone here who is IR and PCOS because it really gives you a lot of feedback about the foods you're eating) and I'm happy it's coming down. I totally notice when I'm eating crappy carbs because the next morning, my fasting blood sugar (fbs) is up again.

It's been in the 90s and then last night I thought I could eat sweet potatoes.... and well, maybe it might be the quantity that affected me... Right before going to bed, my blood sugar was 92, which is not bad, but it was a lot higher this morning and the only carb I had last night was those sweet potatoes. I might try it again but with a lesser amount.

When I'm eating brown rice or legumes, I don't get that spike.

It's been really informative about what I should eat, because ultimately, all of that gets turns into fat if my body can't manage it well (oh, aside from the future risks of diabetes and all that, of course!).

I'm still doing everything else... taking my supplements, eating well, not eating crappy carbs, and the only thing off this week is the exercise. I'll do a bunch of it during the weekend to make up for it.

astrophe 04-13-2012 09:04 AM

2phatinvictoria Not a doc, but sounds like the one side has a lot of cysts. Have you had the followup to go over the lab yet? Hang in there! Waiting for appt time to roll around is sometimes hard. :hug:

PghGal Do a "drive by" any time you want! How's the telejob? :)

Kierra WTG! :cheer: Taking the first step and getting a full physical is HUGE!

Rana: Are you getting the dawn effect on your bloos sugar?

My Check In:

Things here are going well. Still really busy with garden and volunteer work -- April's are always busybusy but I am SO enjoying it! Like "Yay! Normal busy rather than eldercare crazy! Yippee!" (Parents are doing super well - yay meds, therapies, etc!)

The bloat is letting off now that I'm watching the carbs more tightly and the sodium. Formal exercise has been exchanged for garden chores -- I made a bunch of hoops yesterday bending conduit pipe and I have more to do at my other garden at church.

I lost my fit bit which annoys me. It is somewhere in the house and I was hoping to track steps because in gardening that's the easiest. I don't want to wear an HRM all dang day! Hopefully it will turn up in the laundry. Sometimes I forget and it is still attached to the clothes.

Hope you guys have a great day! :)

A.

Rana 04-15-2012 11:50 AM

Hi all!

I now have a great reason to focus on toning up and maybe even losing those last few pounds,...... one of my friends is getting married (finally!!!) and the wedding is six months away!!!

I've never done anything like this... to work out and diet for a particular event.... but there is a first time for everything. My goal won't be X number of pounds because my body doesn't work that way. But it will be my motivation to start weight training.

MrsH2132012 04-18-2012 12:54 PM

Who is here this month?
I am
New to the site so I am late but here now and plan to be around :D


How are you?

I'm doing ok. Having a lot of health things going on since 3 months PP, Post- partum thyroiditis now Hypo so on meds but feeling better. Now I have a low cortisol issue that got me put on steroid but may be coming off Friday since my MRI came back clean and I responded will to a shot I got before getting blood work done.
Stress is killing me so my Dr wants me to go to a stress management class but she is stumped because I am high functioning even with everything I have going on :D I hide it well but my Body has caught on so thus the health issues they think

So staying positive and trying to sweat pounds away!

How was last month?

Not too good but once I started thyroid meds I felt better

How is your PCOS management last month?

I was good. I am now eating protein (egg whites) and sprouted bread at work so I am feeling a lot better. Trying new low GI foods and I think it is helping I reduced my gluten intake and maybe it helped too

What are you going to work on in April?

I have been working out so need to work out more, eat more Protein and try IP alternative!

dys24 04-22-2012 04:57 PM

Who is here this month?
I am here, I was active last year and stopped logging in lots happened had surgery for my gallbladder and finally got the all clear to exercise again. Gained 10lbs after surgery and lost 15 so a total of 5lb loss before surgery


How are you?

I'm doing good. Finally got motivated signed up for gym and the wieght loss for me has been great. So I'm feeling pretty good.



How is your PCOS management last month?

Good. I'm actually getting my period after a 29d cycle so I guess I managed it pretty well.
What are you going to work on in April?

Working out in the gym. I'm really hoping to loose the last 5lbs within couple of weeks... I think I might add 10lbs to loose to get down to 140 but we will see...

astrophe 04-22-2012 07:22 PM

Rana: THat's great for your friend! And great for you -- weight training wise! :)

MrsH2132012: I like the avatar"teal is the new black!" :) Welcome! Stress is one of my deals too so I hope your stress takes a chill so it isn't causing you health probs.

dys24: Glad you are past the surgery! Welcome back! Sounds like things are going ok for you.

My Check In:

I am soooo tired! But feeling great. I was busy getting ready for earth day festival and tenting and all that. It's so good to get back to my volunteering. Ate too many wheat things like sandwich because of eating at festival and trying to make the best choices I could but I'm feeling it today. Nose clogged up, kinda sleepy, etc.

I have a trip coming up and then labs so my April has flown by!

A.

MrsH2132012 04-23-2012 12:33 PM

Thanks Astrophe! Stress is better but it'll peak again soon (dealing with immigration for MrH) so I have decided I am going to a stress managment counsler on Thursday 

I know I'm down a few pounds as my stomach is less bloated right under my bra, this is my go to spot for weight check weird right  i hate the scale

Starting BodyPump tomorrow at 5:30am since my boss ok'd me to come in at 7:30!!!!! So excited 

Hope everyone is well

astrophe 04-29-2012 10:07 PM

MrsH2132012 -- how was the stress counseling and body pump?

My Check In:

I'm home from my women's retreat. Had a GREAT time! Hanging out and quality time with a good friend I don't always see in depth who came as my roomie and then meeting new women from other places in the state. Art, music, dance, journaling, mediation, long walks in the woods, and "eh" camp food. But hey, I'll go with the "eh" food because I wasn't going there to eat. :D

I was going for the restful reset!

I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on the next chunk of the year on. (Part of me is also looking forward to next year's women's gathering. So fun!)

I did my labs before I left and in another few weeks I see the endoc, so it's a good time to recommit to the whole PCOS front attack.

Now to find my AWOL fitbit! :cheer:

A.

astrophe 05-01-2012 12:20 AM

May Thread is up!

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/pcos...ml#post4315138

Come on over!

A.


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