Thanks ChouChouBou! It always helps to hear support. Maybe after all my body has been through the last few months, it is on strike? LOL

I have a dr appt this after to talk to him about Metformin. I have struggled to lose weight since being diagnosed with PCOS. I have consistently gained weight since age 21 which has greatly decreased my activities, I used to play a ton of team sports and bike but don't feel comfortable doing so again until I get some of this weight off.

I have done everything to lose weight and was making progress (almost 40 pounds) until I was put on a new birth control (which they are hoping will level out my hormone levels so I am no longer producing cancerous cells and tumors). However since being on the new meds (3 weeks) I have gained 12 pounds. The only thing that has changed is that I stopped drinking diet soda and am only drinking water and skim milk. Both of my parents have diabetes and I want to talk to him about possibily being IR.

Any thoughts, ideas, things I should ask or mention to the dr?

PGH: I'm trying to get better about regular workouts too. Post yours with your check in when you do them! Maybe it will inspire me.

Paramedic: Yeah... I know Spiro is a diuretic. I'm having labs again in 6 weeks so I'm thinking I may just try it out for that time and see.

LaughingGirl: Wow -- you've been through so much! Def ask the doc about IR and ask for a full work up if you haven't had it already. And maybe if you need to use a monitor for checking your blood sugar levels at home. The PCOS faq at inciid suggests these tests:

* 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

(I did ok with my first granola GTT but I kept throwing up glucola GTT so I had to do with A1C that time.)

The rest of the faq has some good reading.

whencatsattack: Sorry to her about the finance challenges... hope they improve. Great about the Sprintec agreeing with you though.

MY CHECK IN:

Not so great today. I'm trying to just get back on the wagon and move past it. Long story short?.

Had Mom sniper phone call me right before I started to make dinner about Dad's PTSD. It hogged up a lot of time and I ended up ordering pizza online so dinner would still be on time for when DH got home from work. And over the night I ended up eating too much of it from the fridge because it was THERE and I was stress/anger/guilt eating and picking at it. After kid fell asleep, I ended up crying at DH and stayed up all night unable to sleep myself. Blah. I don't want to get into further details... It just sucked.

So I took kid to summer camp this morning and got some much needed sleep and I'm trying to have the rest of the day be as normal as possible. One day being disturbed is more than a sniper call like that deserves, I'm not giving it two!

A.

hugs to you atrophe. i have a parent that liked to sniper call despite being told not to contact, and actually could ruin a day or days for me. Not that I am an example at all for you but i had to cut them out of my life...Some people can be so toxic. I'm still in process to learn the skills needed to handle those types but for now I have to protect my soul. You have to get strong to be stronger for others and some people do such a great job of shaking your foundation..lol

As for me this week has been so-so. been trying to push through some things but its just slow going. So hard to get myself to workout everyday and the pound i lose keeps coming back my body just doesnt want to go under 170.

BUT! I completed Siddartha via audiobook last night and it was really a wonderful story about the cycles of life. I really do reccomend it. It applies to everyone's journey, and makes you think about the directions your own life can take.

Here's the audio:
http://www.archive.org/details/siddhartha_ap_librivox

Hope we make good choices today...!

Who's here this month?

Me me!!! I'm new and here! *Jumps up and down and waves madly*

How are you?

CLEARLY over excited and over caffeinated!

What are you working on?

Just joined the group last night, just started a new diet today. Right now, I'm working on REALLY wanting something crunchy and fatty and yummy for breakfast, and trying to talk myself into being totally fine with 2 egg whites and plain oatmeal. Thank goddess that this thing still allows me coffee, or I'd be sunk!


How's your PCOS management going?

I've had PCOS since I was young, but had a HORRIBLE doctor that refused to listen to me. Finally diagnosed myself from a Woman's Day article about 12 years ago and had a better doctor at the time. My GP out here is good, but I'm going to a new GYN on Monday, so we'll see how that goes. SO glad I found the forum and all the great gals here that know what my challenges are!!

I'm here! My PCOS is acting up in a major way. Period has vanished once again and I'm gaining weight as I type despite my daily workouts. I'm feeling really depressed HOWEVER I'm not over eating and or sleeping more than normal. I've spent all morning doing more research on a GI diet. and I'll start that diet plan this weekend! I'm going to start taking my Metformin 500mg twice a day as well and NOT skip days. I swear this stuff makes me want to vomit or poo -

I'm also going to start dancing in my living room again. Somethings gota give~

Thanks, Chou! I'm doing better. This whole aging parents thing with the PTSD bonus on top is a doozy!

ShelBL -- And good luck with the dr appt!

trafficjambooty: Aww... hope you feel better soon! Did you already do a week at 500 before going to 1000? Although starting it up can have queasy/pooey feelings it should settle down. And it if doesn't... you have other choices. Like Glucophage XR (extended release) or Glumetza or...

MY CHECK IN:

I had a better day today.

I cooked barley-lentil soup (lunch soup o' the week!) and tried a new recipe for breakfast muffins. I also bought frozen food / made some dinner to freeze so I'm not caught by the pizza crazy again!

I got more sleep, so even though my sleep pattern is still a bit weird it's getting normalized.

So here's to a GREAT tomorrow for all of us!

A.

Trafficjambooty...ok that is just fun to type lol. I started Metformin on Tues after my dr appt. It is my first time taking it. I am starting on 500mg a day for a week and then moving up to 1000mg next week. I will eventually be taking 2000mg a day.

Since Tuesday (when I took my first pill) I have lost 3.6 lbs! I can't believe it. I am still food journaling and keeping a low carb diet. My dr. said the Metformin won't help me lose weight unless I stick with counting carbs and making sure I match my proteins and carbs.

I hope I can keep on track. How is everyone else doing this week? My fear is that I will lose this week and then stall next week and give up. (my usual pattern). I have to break through those stalled periods and not give up!

Does anyone else have trouble sleeping? Is that part of PCOS? I can't fall asleep at night but then when I am supposed to get up in the morning, it is like trying to swim through pudding...it is so hard to wake up. The dr also put me on some some sleeping medicine (he said the more REM sleep I get the better my weight loss will be as well). I have to wait until this weekend to start it because it makes you groggy the first couple of days.

Astrophe--new breakfast muffin recipe....please share! What are the carb-protein exhanges?

LaughingGirl78: I've read that trouble sleeping can be a part of PCOS. I don't have time to look up all the sources or all possibilities but here's what I remember in reading...

Some is because trouble breathing is part of PCOS, and if we can't breathe, we jerk awake. Allergies, asthma...some have full on sleep apnea.

Some is because of the restless legs thing that can be part of PCOS.

Some is the hormone shifts. This is good overview of those -- http://hubpages.com/hub/Poor-Sleep-Q...-Gain-and-PCOS

The original recipe for the Blueberry and Zucchinni bread is something my DD picked out. This will make 2 loaves, 4 mini loaves, or 12 muffins. Adjust baking time accordingly.

We replaced all oil with plain applesauce, some of the flour with whole wheat, and cut down on the sugar -- 2.25 cups is soooo overkill! I think it was 1.5? 1 cup? Even so, it's a carb heavy treat so best eaten sparingly and paired with a protein. I made it like mini loaves and gave 3 away. Sorry I can't be more accurate. I always feel like a spaz trying to cook with my kid and preventing her from doing anything too bizarre.

One she picked I liked better was the Zucchinni Brunch Bake. That has a better 2:1 Carb : protein ratio.

We haven't tried the Zucchinni hashbrowns yet but that seems good too.

HTH!
A.

Hi Guys! Woo hoo! Just finished working out! ok. so yes, i normally take 500mg metformin when i stick to the plan...but sometimes I'll go weeks (I know. bad TJB) without taking the metformin at all. so this will be the first week takign the met 500mg in like a month and then i'll do double time next week.

I'm glad this forum is here too and I can have the peace of mind that I'm not the only one.

Hi everyone. I'm here, just don't say much lol. I have to have a root canal next week and its consuming all my brain power with how worried and scared and anxious I am.
My period is still MIA....its been just over 4 weeks since I had my D&C....there is a part of me that is freaked out that I'm pregnant, but I doubt it.
I haven't been very good about taking my Synthroid but trying to get better, especially because my hair started falling out in chunks again...my freaking dr said he didn't need to see me for 6 months but only gave me 2 refills...huh??? Still trying to figure that one out.
Just wanted to say helllo, say I'm alive, and still checking in with you all!

@ laughinggirl - I have the weirdest sleeping patterns. my body needs more than 8hours. i have the sleep schedule of a 2nd grader. If I'm working and I dont go to bed at 9:30 or 10 it will be impossible to wake up w/ energy at 7am. I always just thought that I was a Night Owl - it's interesting to know that this could be because of the PCOS.

I never share too much here about my TOM...but its seems like my body is really fighting to be normal this month. 1 day TOM 2 days nothing 1 day sptting 2 days nothing...1/2 day TOM...All the while going up and down in disposition and energy. what a week..

Hi everyone! I have a question about your diets. I just checked out the Low GI Diet Cookbook from the library, so I'm going to start sorting through that... Can anyone recommend anything to me as far as what has worked for you to lose weight with PCOS? I've been doing Weight Watchers a little bit, but I don't feel like eating the carbs is going to be helpful. Any little tidbits of what has worked for you would be appreciated!! =)

@ laughinggirl So the lack of sleep is a PCOS thing. I've started having a cup of chamomile tea (no sugar, no honey) just before going to bed. Just boiled water with a tea bag. It helps relax and does help putting you to sleep. Much better then taking sleeping pills on a regular basis. You can try it.. and it takes only 2 mins to make.

Lots of interesting topics I want to reply to... but I'm off to get at least a tiny workout in. So more when I get back...

This "work out regularly" bit is my personal obstacle right now. Yargh. So let it be known -- I'm gonna do it!

A.

I think regular workouts and what we eat is so very key! I take daily naps in my car at work so I too am a 2nd grader!