PCOS/Insulin Resistance SupportSupport for us with any of the following: Insulin Resistance, Syndrome X, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, or other endocrine disorders.
I am insulin resistant.I also am at high risk for all of the illnesses that it can turn into.diabetes and heart disease and high blood pressure.My best friend also have PCOS.So between the two of us we are getting to know alot about it.I am 29 and currently weigh 219.I also think that I have a sluggish metabolism which can also be caused by insulin resistance.
I am insulin resistant.I also am at high risk for all of the illnesses that it can turn into.diabetes and heart disease and high blood pressure.My best friend also have PCOS.So between the two of us we are getting to know alot about it.I am 29 and currently weigh 219.I also think that I have a sluggish metabolism which can also be caused by insulin resistance.
WELCOME, ANGEL-BABY!!
Glad you could join us!! My real name is Angel...use to be called "Angel-Baby" when I was a kid.
I am IR. I take metformin. It has worked for me with the combination of exercise and a major eating habit change. I lost 50 pounds!! I did bring my blood sugars back down to a normal level and reversed my type 2 diabetes.
I have heard of people losing 10 pounds or so just taking the metformin and not doing anything else, but IMOP I believe it needs to be used with a diet and exercise plan for the maximum results.
Here are some articles in our articles forum on Insulin Resistance & Metformin.
hey noodles
Thanks for the info.
I weighed myself today and it looks like I have lost 4 pounds and I haven't been doing this for very long.But right now my focus is not so might about the weigh it is to lower by blood sugar and to speed up my metabolism and the weigh loss will follow I hope.
I was just told a month ago or so that I am insulin resistant and I also have a low thyroid. I am up there in the weight too and do cardio and weights and it won't come off! Its hard to stick to a diet when you're not losing weight! I am wondering if anyone has had success losing weight on metformin. I am currently on 2,000 mg. My gyno told me it is unlikely that I have pcos because my periods are regular.....I'm not sure that is true.
Ermat, you can defintely have regular periods and still have PCOS. There is a long list of signs, but you don't have to have them all. The only way to know for sure is to get a hormone panel drawn. Do you have an endocrinologist in your area that you can see?
They are the experts. I'm not saying you DO have PCOS, but just letting you know that it can still be a possibility.
What is your cardio and weight plan, and what diet are you following? You are more likely to lose weight with a lower carb and/or lower glycemic meal plan.
Welcome, AngelBaby! Good luck on your weight loss. It's good you have a friend you can do this with.
Jennifer
Thanks for the info. I am going to an endocrinologist - I didn't know they could see if I had pcos from labs. That puts my mind at ease then!
I do cardio 45-60 minutes 5x a week and weights 3-4x for 30 minutes a week. I've tried weight watchers - too hungry and didn't lose weight. I just got Body for Life tapes....but, they say you can have potatoes and other carbs....so that worries me. I've just tried to eat low carb - but I know I need to work on my portion sized.
How did you lose 50lbs....thats awesome! Do you have PCOS, IR, ect?
Well there isn't exactly a test for PCOS, but by looking at your testosterone, androgens, etc, they can make the decision paired with your symptoms. They'll probably also look at your ovaries on an ultrasound and see if you have cysts. It's possible you just have Syndrome X. Read all those links that Noodles posted above for Angel. That should answer your questions.
BTW, here is something from INCIID :
Quote:
Much of the bloodwork that should be done in diagnosing or ruling out PCOS is the same as a basic fertility workup; however, there are a couple of additional tests for insulin resistance that should be added, as well as some cholesterol screening to evaluate general health status because of the future risks associated with PCOS. A good basic screening would include:
Fasting comprehensive biochemical and lipid panel;
2-hour GTT with insulin levels (also called IGTT);
LH:FSH ratio;
Total testosterone;
DHEAS;
SHBG;
Androstenedione;
Prolactin and
TSH
And here is an explanation for each one from Keratin.com
An explanation of test results for sex hormones in women
Testosterone - Testosterone levels should be fairly low in women as compared to men. It is possible for a woman to have no testosterone production and still be healthy other than perhaps a diminished sex drive. In healthy women the majority of testosterone production (up to 70%) is derived from the conversion of DHEAS and androstenedione by enzymes within the skin. The rest is secreted direct from the ovaries and adrenal glands. An excess of testosterone, above the normal range signals a potential problem. Most doctors would consider a level above 50 ng/dl to be somewhat elevated. Above 100 ng/dl of testosterone in women is symptomatic of some kind of hyperandrogenism. If the testosterone is over 200 ng/dl an ovarian ultrasound is used to look for any ovarian tumors. The higher the testosterone level the more risk of hirsutism or androgenetic alopecia if there is no corresponding rise in androgen antagonists (estrogens and SHBG).
Estrogens - Estrogens come in several shapes and sizes but the common one and the one usually tested for is estradiol (E2). Estradiol concentrations in women vary considerably depending on age and the stage of the reproductive cycle. The normal range may be anywhere between 50-700 picograms per milliliter. At the time of ovulation the range may be between 100-400 picograms per milliliter. Estrogens antagonize (cancel out) the actions of androgen hormones so more estrogen in effect reduces androgen hormone activity. As such, an estrogen level at the higher end of the normal range is preferable in terms of reducing susceptibility to androgenetic alopecia. Currently, there is much debate about how estrogens may directly act on hair follicles. Hair follicles do express estrogen receptors so the follicle are directly responsive to estrogen hormone molecules. However, there is confusion as to what estrogens do to the follicles - whether they stimulate or inhibit hair growth. There may be a different response depending on the estrogen type. Abnormally high estrogen levels on day 3 may indicate existence of a functional cyst or diminished ovarian reserve - however, there are no reports of hair loss in association with abnormally high estrogen levels so the risk of hair loss seems to be a minor one.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) is the sulfated form of Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). DHEA is a relatively unstable molecule and it mostly gets converted to DHEAS before circulating in the blood stream. For the purpose of understanding androgenetic alopecia, DHEA and DHEAS can be regarded as basically the same thing. If DHEAS is over 700 micrograms per deciliter, an MRI is ordered to rule out and adrenal tumor. If the DHEAS is between 500 - 700 micrograms per deciliter, then further endocrine testing is usually needed to rule out adrenal hyperfunction such as adrenal hyperplasia. An elevated DHEAS level may be improved through use of dexamethasone, prednisone, or insulin-sensitizing medications. DHEA can be converted into more potent androgen forms, ultimately it can be converted into dihydrotestosterone by enzymes in the hair follicles. As such, A high DHEA level potentially suggests an increased susceptibility to hirsutism or androgenetic alopecia if there is no corresponding rise in androgen antagonists.
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) - FSH is often used as a gauge of ovarian reserve. In general, under 6 is excellent, 6-9 is good, 9-10 fair, 10-13 diminished reserve, 13+ very hard to stimulate. In PCOS testing, the LH:FSH ratio may be used in the diagnosis. The ratio is usually close to 1:1, but if the LH is higher, it is one possible indication of PCOS. For healthy hair growth then, the ratio of FSH to LH should be roughly equal.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH) - A normal LH level is similar to FSH. An LH that is higher than FSH is one indication of PCOS.
Prolactin - Increased prolactin levels can interfere with ovulation. They may also indicate further testing (MRI) should be done to check for a pituitary tumor. Some women with PCOS and associated hair problems also have hyperprolactinemia.
Progesterone (P4) - An elevated level may indicate a reduced fertility. A progesterone test is done to confirm ovulation. When a follicle releases its egg, it becomes what is called a corpus luteum and produces progesterone. A level over 5 probably indicates some form of ovulation, but most doctors want to see a level over 10 on a natural cycle, and a level over 15 on a medicated cycle. There is no mid-luteal level that predicts pregnancy. Some say the progesterone test may be more accurate if done first thing in the morning after fasting.
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) - Increased androgen production often leads to lower SHBG. This is a potential problem in terms of hair growth as SHBG is an antagonist to testosterone. SHBG binds to testosterone and renders it inactive. Bound testosterone cannot interact with androgen receptors on cells so it has no impact on hair follicles. A reduced SHBG level suggests a possible increase in susceptibility to hirsutism or androgenetic alopecia. The more SHBG there is the better in terms of healthy hair growth.
I've lost weight through a few methods. I lose sooooooo slowly, so I know right where you are coming from. When one diet putters out, I try a new eating method to fool my body into dropping a few more pounds. I don't know if it really works that way, but it has managed to work for me. I lose about a pound a month, sometimes 1/2 a pound. Yep, it is frustrating to stick with it!
I've done Atkins and South Beach (well I've done more but these were most successful) and then after a 4 month plateau on South Beach I went to BFL. I lost 4 pounds after 8 weeks, and then I had surgery and had to stop all diet and exercise for 2 months until I was released. I managed to gain back the 4 I lost, so I am back to square one. I've been doing it for about a month now but I haven't lost anything. From what I read, it isn't uncommon to not lose much until 8 weeks after starting.
You might want to try and lower the cardio and up the weights. Get some good muscle tone and muscle weight, and you will burn more calories for the same amount of exercise. You can have white potatoes, but you dont' have to eat them. You can sub them for sweet potatoes or brown rice. Just mix and match to what suits you. The endo will do a fasting insulin test on you and you will be able to see how strong your insulin resistance is. Just stick with it as hard as you can and you'll eventually see some loss. Unforunately it takes a lot of time for some people with insulin resistance. Meanwhile, you should check the Ladies Who Lift forum for more info about weights. You'll get lots of info!
Jennifer,
Thanks for all the info. Geez I was hoping with the metformin that when they got my insulin levels down I would lose weight like others. Are you on metformin?
I'll have to ask my ednocrinologist if they've done those test mentioned and if they think I may have PCOS. This site is really helpful....it gets to be confusing looking for the right information on the internet.
Anyway, my two year old is giving crying...I'll write later.
Thanks!
Ermat
Ermat, many people do lose weight when they take the Met. I did, by way of diarrhea! Seriously - it will help you if you are insulin resistant. Some it helps more than others, but hopefully you will see results. Just stay away from high sugar and highly refined foods like white bread and white pasta and white rice (see a trend?) .
Ermat, I have regular periods, too, but I have some of the other symptoms.
I had irregular periods in my teens, but it improved either when I lost a bunch of weight and jogged, or maybe when I went on the pill around age 20. I'm trying to remember when that improved...
Having regular periods probably helped keep me from getting diagnosed for a long time.
Yvonnef or Jennifer,
Hello! I haven't been able to write in a few weeks. So, my best bet is to ask my endocrinologist if my blood work shows I have pcos....and then if I have it, will losing weight and being on glucophage get rid of it? I hope thats not a stupid question!
Thats good for me to know that I can have it and have regular periods.
Thanks!
Ermat
new to insulin resistance
Here's a quick link. 
new to insulin resistance too!
Seriously - it will help you if you are insulin resistant. Some it helps more than others, but hopefully you will see results. Just stay away from high sugar and highly refined foods like white bread and white pasta and white rice (see a trend?)
