Hi everybody! Just thought I'd introduce myself before I jump in and start posting all over the place.

After two years of TTC unsuccessfully, my RE diagnosed me with PCOS and insulin resistance. Finally I have an answer for all these bizarre symptoms!! Some of what I endure (as do most of you) are:

• irregular periods (lots of spotting and...well, more detail would be TMI)
• coarse dark hair on my chinny chin chin
• facial acne
• painful cycles (again the details are not pretty)
• LH is higher than FSH in bloodwork
• Low progesterone indicating annovulatory cycles
• high testosterone
• high blood pressure
• etc etc etc...i could go on for hours

Anyhoo...

The good news in all this is that I joined the YMCA and WW online in July this year, and just the other day I hit the 10% goal!! It's been a lot of work, but the results are worth it.

The next step for me is a laparoscopy in December to find out if I also have endometriosis or not. It's a real possibility given the pains I have. I'll be glad to have the whole picture so we can start fixing everything.

LOL When I got married, I should have told my husband he was getting a "fixer upper"!

So that's me in a nutshell...I'm looking forward to getting to know you all, and hope I can support you in your struggles as well.

Happy Friday!
Cass

Hi Cass! I'm new too. I read that you've been doing WW online - how do you like it? I'm wondering if something like that would help me or not. Congrats on reaching your 10% goal! I know what it's like when you struggle to conceive & my heart goes out to you.
Michelle

Hi Michelle!
For me, I think WW is working really well. I started out at 225 pounds in July, and now I'm 202.2 already!! It's a great feeling, and the online program has a lot of awesome features like the Points Tracker to help you remember and plan your eating. They also have amazing recipes...I've found that if I make some of the meals they have in the Recipes section, it really helps the weight come off.

Second, I think joining the YMCA was a major factor in my weight loss. It is an expense, but I think it's worth it. Now, I'm really enjoying AquaFit classes and programmed workouts in the gym.

I just read your intro too...I know it must be even more challenging when you have little ones to look after, but you have to make sure you can make the time for YOU to exercise. It's important to your family too. I'll be around to give you all the support you need, girl!

Nice to meet ya...
Cass

WELCOME, CASS!!

We're glad yer here!!!

I usually post more but my arm/shoulder is killing me from hauling rocks for 4 hours so..Hello and welcome. Feel free to join us in our monthly chat thread. Just click on the link below to get there.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=47387

I am also new to this forum. I read both of your intros. I just stumbled on this one today. I have been participating in the WW forum for some time. I too joined WW in January 2004. I joined the YMCA a couple of years ago, but started back this year. I've recently just returned again after a 6 month break. Ever since returning from vacation, I haven't gone back.

I could write a book about my symptoms of PCOS, but you've probably seen/heard them all before. Only in the last couple of years have I made the connections to between PCOS and "symptoms" I had years ago. It's like the lightbulb went on and I said "Oh, that's why all that weird stuff was happening to me back then." The road has been long & winding the last few years.

I am 30 years old, 5' 7" and I started WW in January, as I said, at my highest: 271 lbs. I've lost 54 lbs. and am at 217 now (on the WW scale...at home in my birthday suit, I'm between 213-215 depending on the day). I feel great other than the PCOS & the loom of possible ovarian cancer. I will know Wednesday for sure (I am having laparoscopy & possibly conversion to laparectomy (?) depending on if they find cancer). I feel like I am beginning to look "normal" again instead of feeling like a worthless blob. Now if I could just get rid of those pesky wiskers on my chin and the acne, I could live with the rest.

Also, an added bonus of the weight loss....after I lost about 20-25 lbs., my periods returned w/o drugs. They are almost regular and on time now...definitely every month. The downside....they are unbareably painful. But, I'm hopeful that the weight loss is having a positive effect on my PCOS and my hormones i.e. progesterone levels.

I hope we can support each other...especially because it appears were are all new to this, all on WW and at least 2 of us having laparoscopy soon. Who knows, after Wednesday, I may not have to worry about many "female" problems again. Unfortunately, I will probably lose my fertility and I don't have any children, but it won't be the end of the world for me. I wanted a child, but I enjoy my life without one and can be happy.

I will post after my recovery to let you know how laparoscopy goes and what we find out. Hopefully it will be some help to someone else here.

amcap74

Okay... I have to throw this out there... I could be wrong...

Isn't it true that women who are overweight store female hormones? And if so, that would be where the problems with menstrual cycles come from.

I guess I'm asking becuase I produce almost NO female hormones despite being overweight. Certainly not enough to have a period with or without drugs. I never have one. Didn't have one when I was 150 pounds thinner (before I gained 180 pounds in a little over 2 years), and don't have one now that I'm on birth control pills. I had one briefly in the few months following a extremely high dose of progesterone... 2 weeks worth of pills. My endocrinologist was rather surprised it took so much.

WELCOME, amcap74!!!!!!!!!!


Glad to have ya here!! I know what you mean about thoes pesky whiskers. I get them too!! I have to shave daily to keep the face looking female! I'm glad I have an understanding hubby who loves me unconditionally, whiskers or no whiskers. He just said don't grow a penis or he's outta here!!

I have to get my ovaries out. I had a feeling it was coming. My body is doing funny things and my ovaries are just not doing their thing anymore. Ahh well...I just hope I feel better once they are out!!

Come join us in the monthly chat thread!! We'd love to have you.. I'm starting up a new one for November.

howdy all,
just joined and thought i would start here with my introductions. last yr was diagnosed with pcos but have had it for a while but docs could never figure out what it was,they thought it was but never really gave me a diagnois so im learning things on my own though and how to deal with pcos. i was just diagnosed with being insulin resistance but at the present no meds just the "famous losing weight and exercise way".on the core program with weight watchers at present but have a way to go.this sounds like a super group of ladies to get to know and to share our ups and downs with dealing with pcos.