Well its been a while since I posted anything about my health and its relation to PCOS, so here goes nothing.
Its been 11 months since I was first told I had PCOS, though I was told that I’d likely had it since I was 9 or rather that would have been when things starting fing up within my system. It took them over 15 years to be able to tell me what I had, all those tests, all those medical appointments and all that freaking time spent in the hospital having test run year after year, glad it over, but it still makes me mad that I had to go though that stuff, I know full well that 15+ years ago PCOS research was still young, but it was know maybe not as wide as it is now, but it was known, which to me means by age 16 I should have been able to get the correct diagnosis, not “you over weight, thats your problem” type comments, which always pissed me off since I was not over eating, and I was working out several times a day.
I have since I was diagnosed with PCOS, i have learned that I am also insulin resistant (which is apparently fairly common for those who have PCOS), which has also taken me for a loop to say the least. Having now to watch my sugar in take is a real bitch, not to mention having to prick my finger twice a day to get my sugar reading (which I still am not use to, even after 10 months of having to do so). I’ve only experienced a couple times of problems which where related to my insulin levels in play, when they dropped to freaking fast and to freaking low, which caused me some minor problems, which really got Master worried about me and my health.
Being insulin resistant, hasn’t changed my life totally. I’m still getting use to the fact of the matter, yes its changed how I do some things, but since I am not use to doing them, I am still not in the routine of doing things, such as taking the necessary medications when I should, or always taking my blood twice a day as I should be. I know it took my mom almost 2 years to come to terms with her type 2 diabetes and through it all she put my dad and I through a form of living hell. She micromanaged everything that she ate, and what she served us both. I don’t know if my current reaction is because I can’t bear to put anyone I love though, the hell I went through or what, but I don’t feel that I’ve fully accepted what’s happened to me, regardless of what i’ve told my folks. Even my own doc i’ve told that I’m still not use to all this, that I’m happy to know what is wrong with me, but for what ever reason, I just am having a hard time getting it all though my thick skull.
My diet has changed to a degree, I’m now eating healthier then I was able to. I’m more or less back to the same type of diet I had when I was in university, and about the same activity level, thus my weight has started to go down, at least weigh-in I’d lost 15lbs which is a pleasant surprise (since at that times it had only been eating my “new” diet for about 2 months, and trying to walk daily for a minimum of 20 minuets a day) since I’ve always had a b and a half to louse weight in the past, save in university, where I managed to louse 25lbs over the course of 4 years (wasn’t as active as I could have been, but then studying can do that to you), but gained it all back and a few when I was forced to move back home. Its amazing what a difference being on your own can make for ones health, i’d never have thought that living at home was actually effect my health so negatively, had I not had this experience first hand.
Like others who are insulin resistant and have PCOS I’ve been put on two different drugs (glucophage and rosiglitazone), which do appear to be helping my system (one I’m sure is the weight loss), unfortunately for me one of the drugs, even after being on it for almost 10 months I’m still having reactions to (what goes in goes out in short order). My endrocronoligist knows all this, and has said that I can self medicate with that particular drug, since my system appears not to be liking it that much yet, as in my tolerance level to it has not increased as it should have buy now, I’m not even on the recommended dosage yet, I’ll still on the dosage someone would be who was just starting out on it is put on (an average of 500-mg a day, instead of the 1000-mg a day that has been recommended).
I am also taking vitamins to help my system get what its not able to get though the foods I’ve been eating, but to also help my system work to the best of its abilities. I’ve started to take Garlic pills twice a day, Calcium/Magnesium once a day, and Omega 3-6-9 once a day … the Calcium/Magnesium is actually taken because of the killer cramps that I’m still having, and thankfully its helping to a degree, not as much as I’d like, but it appears to be helping somewhat at this stage in my life. And I’ll continue to see how things go as they do since I’m all for getting my system back up and running as it should be. The Omega 3-6-9 well that one I’m still not sure about yet, I’m thinking of just going on the Omega 3 when the 3-6-9’s run out, but i’ll see how things go till then and of course what my endrocronoligist says about the matter. The garlic pills, well for myself garlic has proven to help my system fight against getting colds, so if its helped with that, I’m all for taking what I can to maintain my system without it getting overly ill, which I really can’t afford ta happen, not when it would mean an average of a month of being ill, which no one likes.
I also was put on the pill slightly over 6 months ago, and had what my OB/GYN called major complications from it, thus she really wasn’t willing to try other forms of the pill on me, so asked if I’d be willing to go on Depo, which of course I was more then willing. But now, after my second shot, I am not happy. I have been bleeding for 6 months (just about 7 months) non stop now, some days are better then others, but it doesn’t matter everyday I’m bleeding and everyday the craps come back and will not leave for what ever amount of time they choose to stick around for. I’m actually now looking for a doctor in my city which specialized in PCOS, but as yet not luck finding one. I’m going to call or look though COPS (College of Physicians and Surgeons) web site and see what I can turn up, if anyone. Actually I did a look though COPS and unfortunately all I could come up with was doc’s which specialize in anything but PCOS, which kind of pisses me off. Having to phone them is not what I want to do, but if I have to I will, since my own Doc doesn’t know of any Doc’s that specialize in PCOS.
The following are some interesting books that I have found to be good reading in regards to PCOS and being Insulin Resistant.
New Glucose Revolution Guide to Managing PCOS: The Essential Guide to the PCOS Glycemic Index Connection
Author: Jennie BrandMiller
Format: Trade Paperback · Published: September 2004
ISBN: 156924457X · Published by Marlowe & Company
What To Do When The Doctor Says it’s PCOs: Put An End To: Irregular Cycles, Infertility, Weight Gain, Acne, and Unsightly Hair Growth
Author: Milton Hammerly
Format: Trade Paperback · Published: March 2003
ISBN: 1592330045 · Published by Fair Winds Press
Pcos: A Woman’s Guide To Dealing With Polycistic Ovary Syndrome: How to Cope with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Author: Colette Harris
Format: Trade Paperback · Published: May 2000
ISBN: 0722539754 · Published by Thorsons
PCOS: (Polysystic Ovarian Syndrome) The Hidden Epidemic
Author: Samuel, S. Thatcher Phd.
Format: Hardcover · Published: September 2000
ISBN: 0944934250 · Published by Perspectives Press
The Insulin-Resistance Diet: How to Turn Off Your Body’s Fat-Making Machine
Author: Cheryle R. Hart ,Mary Kay Grossman
Format: Trade Paperback · Published: February 2001
ISBN: 0809224275 · Published by McGraw-Hill
Syndrome X: Managing Insulin Resistance
Author: Deborah S. Romane
Format: Mass Market Paperbound · Published: December 2000
ISBN: 0380814447 · Published by Harper Torch
Well i hope everyone is doing well, take care all.