The diary of a PCOS girl.

Oil Pulling.

2012-03-01T11:40:00.000+00:00

I had a inbox on facebook from a friend asking me if i'd ever come across 'Oil Pulling'.

I'd never heard of it till then so ive spent an hour reading up on it.

I found this link about it; http://oilpulling.com/FAQ.htm

It sounds very interesting, from what i can gather, it is also known as Oil Swishing, its an alterntive medicine that Originated in India, it can be used to reduce enamel wear from stomach acid from vomiting. one study i have read about it showed that there was a remarkable reduction in bacteria after 2 weeks use.

This process makes oil thoroughly mixed with saliva. As the process continues, the oil gets thinner and white. First, the oil is put in the mouth, with chin tilted up, and slowly swished, sucked, chomped and pulled through the teeth. Then, the oil changes from yellow and oily consistency to a thick viscous consistency. A second round of oil pulling may be done with fresh oil for further cleansing. The oral cavity is then thoroughly rinsed and washed with normal tap water and fingers or tooth brush. This procedure is typically performed daily.

The oils that can be used are; seseme oil and sunflower oil, they are the two that are highly recomended. Coconut oil can also be used.

Heres aYoutube video ive found on it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQe8etKJ9a4

So how will it help with PCOS?... Its all about the Detox, it can help with hormones, dry skin, and even those cramps and Insulin resistance.

Hope this has helped to explain it :)

Nadine xx

PCOS FAQ...

2012-02-04T13:22:00.000+00:00

Theres often alot of questions that need to be answered when it comes to PCOS, from the obvious to the not so... i hope i can answer some of your questions.
So here it goes...

What are the symptoms of PCOS and how do they relate to IR (Insulin Resistance).

The symptoms vary from woman to woman, a few of the most common are,

weight gain
facial hair
cysts
enlarged ovaries
raised/lowered hormone levels
skin tags
absent/irregular periods
male pattern balding
infertility

Contry to belief studies have shown that PCOS is NOT directly caused by excess weight infact it may be caused by a gene past down from father to daughter, mother to daughter etc, alot of controversy has happened because they think its past down from males but its understood this may be the case (raised testosterone etc)
IR is basicly pre diabetes, so in theory its better to treat yourself as a diabetic, healthy diet and light exercise willmore or less help with IR.

What tests can i have to see if i have PCOS?

Theres 2 ways, 1 is a blood test testing LH FSH and other things such as blood sugar levels, the 2nd is a pelvic ultrasound to see if there is any visible cysts.

What is the medication?

Theres only a handful of things medicly cleared for us cysters, Metformin, Birth controll pill, Clomid plus a few others, not all doctors believe all the cleared medications work as well as herbal suppliments and vitamins (please see previous post on supplements)

How many women suffer with PCOS?

It is now estimated that 25% of women of childbearing age suffer with PCOS to put that in context out of 100,000 women 25,000 have PCOS!

Will i ever be a mum?

the good news is 96.7% of cysters go on to be mums and have healthy pregnacies! albeit with some medical help or naturally, but it can happen!

What is Amenorrhea?

its means absent periods, a cycle of more than 6 weeks with no cycle.

Is PCOS a Syndrome or a Disease?

PCOS is generally considered a syndrome rather than a disease (though it is sometimes called Polycystic Ovary Disease) because it manifests itself through a group of signs and symptoms that can occur in any combination, rather than having one known cause or presentation.

Are there are other names for PCOS?

Other names for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are Stein-Leventhal Syndrome, hyperandrogenic chronic anovulation, functional ovarian hyperandrogenism, and Polycystic Ovary Disease.

Is there a cure for PCOS?

No, it is a condition that is managed, rather than cured. Treatment of the symptoms of PCOS can help reduce risks of future health problems.

How should i prepare for a medical appointment to discuss PCOS?

Write down any questions before the appointment. It is usually faster and more orderly to have a list, no matter how long it may get. Many questions will be answered in the of conversation.
Be ready to supply family history, especially about insulin resistance, diabetes, lipid abnormalities such as high cholesterol, obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and infertility. Include information from both parents and their families. PCOS characteristics may be passed down from either side of the family.
Familiarize yourself with the symptoms of PCOS and discuss any concerns with the doctor.
If looking for help in getting pregnant, consider bringing in basal body temperature (BBT) charts to initial evaluation.
See if it would be helpful to arrive for the doctor's appointment in a fasting state, and clarify any other requirements.

What are some questions to ask the doctor?

What tests are used to confirm PCOS?
What tests are done to confirm insulin resistance and/or diabetes?
Are insulin-sensitizing medications prescribed for insulin resistance, or only for diabetes?
What recommendations or medications, if any, are typically given for the symptoms of PCOS, such as weight gain/obesity, acne, hirsutism, balding, lack of periods, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance?
After initial diagnosis of PCOS, what kind of future monitoring is recommended?

Will diet and exercise information and support be provided?
What kind of birth control is recommended for women with PCOS?
What kind of treatment is offered to women with PCOS who are trying to conceive?
Is weight loss in obese patients a requirement before any stage of fertility treatment? For example, would i be allowed to try Clomid, but not allowed to pursue IVF?
Can insulin-sensitizing medications be used while trying to conceive?
Can insulin-sensitizing medications be continued in pregnancy?
Which medications used to reduce PCOS symptoms, such as those for acne and hirsutism, can be continued while trying to conceive or when pregnant?

Is it possible to have polycystic ovaries without having the syndrome?

About 20-30 percent of women will have the appearance of polycystic ovaries, while only an estimated 5-10 percent of women would be diagnosed as having Polycystic Ovary Syndrome as based on signs and symptoms. It may be best to consider the finding of polycystic ovaries as a possible sign of PCOS, but not to rely on this as the sole reason in making a diagnosis.

A large percentage of women with polycystic ovaries have at least some subtle hormone alterations, even if they do not clearly exhibit other signs of the syndrome.

Is it possible to have PCOS without having cysts?

PCOS will in fact have the polycystic ovaries for which the syndrome is named, but it is possible to be diagnosed with the syndrome without this particular symptom. Some doctors diagnose PCOS based on the appearance of other physical symptoms or hormone abnormalities, regardless of ultrasound findings.

It is difficult to make a firm diagnosis of PCOS without the presence of either an increased number of small cysts or ovarian enlargement. Polycystic ovaries may not have been recorded as an official finding on an ultrasound even though they were seen. Often ultrasounds have been performed to exclude pathology and may not have diagnosed minor increases in cystic structures or ovarian enlargement. Some ultrasonographers may consider the milder forms of PCOS as variations of normal. Ovarian enlargement is not always associated with ovarian cyst development, but still can be a variant PCOS. In other words, if one has the signs and symptoms of PCOS it is likely that there is some alteration in the appearance of the ovary, even if it has not been recognized.

What are normal values for the blood tests?

this is for general guidance only!

Hormone Levels
Hormone to test	Time to Test	Normal Values	What value means
Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH)	Day 3	3-20 mIU/ml	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.
Estradiol (E2)	Day 3	25-75 pg/ml	Levels on the lower end tend to be better for stimulating. Abnormally high levels on day 3 may indicate existence of a functional cyst or diminished ovarian reserve.
Estradiol (E2)	Surge/hCG day	200 + pg/ml	The levels should be 200-600 per mature (18 mm) follicle. These levels are sometimes lower in overweight women.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)	Day 3	< 7 mIU/ml	A normal LH level is similar to FSH. An LH that is higher than FSH is one indication of PCOS.
Luteinizing Hormone (LH)	Surge Day	> 20 mIU/ml	.
Prolactin	Day 3	< 24 ng/ml	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 also have hyper-prolactinemia.
Progesterone (P4)	Day 3	< 1.5 ng/ml	.
Progesterone (P4)	7 dpo	> 15 ng/ml	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. Some say the test may be more accurate if done first thing in the morning after fasting.
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH)	Day 3	.4-4 uIU/ml	Mid-range normal in most labs is about 1.7. A high level of TSH combined with a low or normal T4 level generally indicates hypo-thyroidism, which can have an effect on fertility.
Free Triiodothyronine (T3)	Day 3	1.4-4.4 pg/ml	Sometimes the diseased thyroid gland will start producing very high levels of T3 but still produce normal levels of T4. Therefore measurement of both hormones provides an even more accurate evaluation of thyroid function.
Free Thyroxine (T4)	Day 3	.8-2 ng/dl	A low level may indicate a diseased thyroid gland or may indicate a non-functioning pituitary gland which is not stimulating the thyroid to produce T4. If the T4 is low and the TSH is normal, that is more likely to indicate a problem with the pituitary.
Total Testosterone	Day 3	6-86 ng/dl	Testosterone is secreted from the adrenal gland and the ovaries. Most would consider a level above 50 to be somewhat elevated.
Free Testosterone	Day 3	.7-3.6 pg/ml
Dehydroepi-androsterone Sulfate (DHEAS)	Day 3	35-430 ug/dl
Androstenedione	Day 3	.7-3.1 ng/ml
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)	Day 3	18 — 114 nmol/l	Increased androgen production often leads to lower SHBG
Fasting Insulin	8-16 hours fasting	< 30 mIU/ml	The normal range here doesn't give all the information. A fasting insulin of 10-13 generally indicates some insulin resistance, and levels above 13 indicate greater insulin resistance.

Blood Glucose Levels
Type of test	Time to Test	Normal Values	What value means
Fasting Glucose	8-16 hours fasting	70-110 mg/dl	A healthy fasting glucose level is between 70-90, but up to 110 is within normal limits. A level of 111-125 indicates impaired glucose tolerance/insulin resistance. A fasting level of 126+ indicates type II diabetes.
Glycohemoglobin / Glycosylated Hemoglobin (HbA1c)	anytime	< 6 %	An HbA1c measures glucose levels over the past 3 months. It should be under 6% to show good diabetic control (postprandial glucose levels rarely going above 120). Good control reduces the risk of miscarriage and birth defects.

Cholesterol, Triglycerides and C-Peptide
What to test	Time to Test	Normal Values	What value means
Triglycerides (TG)	8-16 hours fasting	< 200 mg/dl	Borderline high is 200-400, high is 400-1000, and very high is >1000. Elevated levels are a risk factor for coronary artery disease.
Cholesterol Total	8-16 hours fasting	< 200 mg/dl	A level of 200-239 is borderline high, and a level 240+ is high. Increased levels are associated with increased risk of heart disease.
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL)	8-16 hours fasting	< 160 mg/dl	This is the "bad" cholesterol. In someone with one risk factor for heart disease, <160 is recommended, with 2 risk factors <130, and those with documented coronary heart disease the target is <100
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL)	8-16 hours fasting	> 34 mg/dl	This is the "good" cholesterol which may be increased through a healthy diet and exercise. The HDL level is usually estimated by taking total cholesterol and subtracting LDL, rather than by direct measure.
C-peptide	8-16 hours fasting	0.5 to 4.0 ng/ml	Levels increase with insulin production.
Creatinine		<1.4 mg/dl	Levels 1.4 mg/dl and higher may indicate renal (kidney) disease or renal dysfunction.

Some doctors will suggest an oral glucose tolerance test in addition to the tests above for insulin resistance.

How often should tests be repeated?

Most of the blood work, unless monitoring a fertility treatment cycle, does not have to be repeated unless there is abnormal result. Most infertility clinics will repeat basic labs annually.

How important is the LH:FSH ratio?

The emphasis doctors place on the ratio of luteinizing hormone (LH) to follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) varies. Most pre-menopausal women have a ratio close to1:1. In PCOS, the LH level may rise above the FSH, sometimes significantly. Any case where the LH is higher may be suggestive of PCOS and further investigation may be warranted. Some doctors say that an LH:FSH greater than 2:1 or 3:1 indicates PCOS.

Are PCOS and hypothyroid related?

No. It may be that PCOS and thyroid disease are both common, so will sometimes be seen in the same patient.

A good number of PCOS patients have under-active thyroid glands. Since many of the symptoms are the same, evaluation of the thyroid gland with a blood test for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) should be a part of the evaluation for PCOS. The TSH is almost always the only test needed to evaluate thyroid function.

Likewise, PCOS should be evaluated in the patient with under-active thyroid gland.

What are the long-term health risks associated with PCOS?

PCOS is associated with increased risk for endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial cancer, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease.

I hope this has helped to answer some of your questions :)

Nadine xx

PCOS and hair loss!

2012-01-17T15:39:00.000+00:00

There has been alot of questions lately about PCOS and hair loss. so i thought id try and explain what causes the hair loss and how you could treat it.

Ok girls, hands up if you have the dreaded 'i'm going bald' chat with family/friends/partners... yup my hand went up!
The good thing is you're not alone! theres lots of us out there with the same problem.

What causes it?

Your hair follicles and adjoining skin are active every second of every day. They receive and respond to hormonal messages from other areas of the body or from nearby cells. They also create their own hormones.
What you have is an unbelievably complex web of interacting hormones and other signaling molecules that either cause hair loss or prevent hair loss. Here are a few hormones that affect your hair:

Androgens (male hormones)
Cortisol (stress hormone)
Estrogen
Growth hormone
Melatonin
Prolactin
Thyroid hormones.

Most commonly, the biggest concern of women with polycystic ovary syndrome is the high levels of their androgens.
Women with PCOS frequently have a condition called "androgenetic alopecia". which appears to be caused by excessively high levels of androgens.
Androgens are male hormones such as testosterone.
The primary culprit appears to be a male hormone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is converted from testosterone and binds to hair follicles.
DHT (dihydrotestosterone) causes hair follicles on the scalp to contract and miniaturize, which in turn causes the hair growing from that particular follicle to become thinner and more fragile.
These hairs become progressively shorter and thinner with each successive hair cycle. Over time, only fine, miniaturized hairs remain. Eventually the hairs die out, leading to a scalp with decreased hair coverage.
Meanwhile, the DHT is making your facial hair coarser.
So you end up losing hair where you want it, and growing hair where you don't want it.
Another common hormone issue with women who have PCOS is an underactive thyroid, known as hypothyroidism.
Besides causing you to gain weight and become infertile, hypothyroidism contributes to hair thinning.
It's fairly common for PCOS women to simultaneously have hypothyroidism and too much testosterone. This imbalance presents a real challenge for maintaining hair health.

Although bald-ing is a pain in the rear there are ways you can help slow down the process...

Biotin.
Biotin contributes to the process that releases energy from food and in the maintenance of normal skin and mucous membranes. It also contributes to the normal function of the immune system and the maintenance of normal hair.

Vitamins for the hair...

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=101&prodid=271&cid=241&sid=0

Salts...

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=1381&prodid=1082&cid=241&sid=0

Theres many options but they're just a few, hope you found this helpful

Nadine xx

Vitex

2012-01-09T19:10:00.000+00:00

Vitex, what does it do and how does it work?

Vitex (vitex agnus castus) is a medicinal herb that may be beneficial for hormone irregularities in women, including infertility, lack of periods and relief of PMS symptoms. Low doses of vitex increases estrogen and progesterone levels. Why is this important to women who have PCOS?

PCOS is an imbalance of sex hormones, including progesterone and estrogen. Women with PCOS commonly have few, if any, periods and may be infertile due to lack of ovulation. “During the reproductive years, the pituitary gland in the brain generates hormones that cause a new egg to be released from its follicle each month. As the follicle develops, it produces estrogen, which causes the lining of the uterus to thicken. Progesterone production increases after ovulation in the middle of a woman's cycle to prepare the lining to receive and nourish a fertilized egg so it can develop into a fetus. If fertilization does not occur, estrogen and progesterone levels drop sharply, the lining of the uterus breaks down and menstruation occurs (http://www.healthywomen.org/condition/estrogen )”. Without a balance in these two hormones, fertility drops. In women with PCOS, a decreased amount of progesterone may also contribute to the formation of cysts. Increasing progesterone may help with suppressing that formation resulting in fewer cysts.

While vitex is not a hormone, it works with the pituitary gland to secrete hormones. Vitex increases the level of LH (luteinizing hormone: regulates the menstrual cycle and egg production) while suppressing FSH (follicle stimulating hormone. To much FSH can cause overstimulation of the ovaries). This normalizes and restores balance to the hormones, leading to restoration of ovulation (vitex does not work for everybody! Please keep that in mind.).

By balancing hormones, vitex may help irregular periods, moodiness, sore breasts and bloating associated with PMS. While vitex is considered a “safe herb”, like all medications there may be some side effects. Itching, rash, headaches, nausea dry mouth and increased menstrual flow are some of the possible side effects. Severe allergic reactions include trouble swallowing, difficulty breathing, hives,tightness of the chest and should be cause for seeking immediate medical attention! Vitex is safe to take up to 18 consecutive months.

It is not recommended to take vitex with any of the following as the POTENTIAL for interactions is always there even though vitex is safe: Antipsychotic drugs (Such as: Abilify, Thorazine), Dopamines (such as: Mirapex, Symmetral), Birth control (pills, rings or patches). As always talk to your doctor before starting a new drug, even herbs!

New feature for A Diary Of A PCOS Girl...

2012-01-07T17:54:00.001+00:00

hi girls, i often get asked if there was a way you could contact us and ask us for information about your PCOS Questions...

Well now there is...

The new 'Ask us' feature is where you can e-mail us your PCOS questions and worries and we give you the answers on the blog, it will all be confidential and your name will not be used, the answers will be on the blog to help you and other readers.

if you wish to take part then e-mail us on nadinespcosdiary@hotmail.co.uk and your questions will be answered as soon as possible :)

Nadine xx

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!

2011-12-31T19:08:00.000+00:00

Hey girls, I hope you all had an amazing Christmas and i hope you all have a fab new year!

i hope 2012 brings you all what you wish for, good health, BFP's and just a brill year with the people you love :)

Sorry this has been a bit inactive these past few months but ive been very busy, in the new year there will be more regular posts from the girls and I xxx

Nadine xxx

Let's get awareness out there...

2011-12-01T12:35:00.001+00:00

As all us 'cysters' well know the most annoying thing to be asked is 'what is PCOS?' Along with 'when are you going to have children?'
So I'm asking you all a favor.
As we need to raise more awareness could I ask you to share our blog to get the information out there and educate people on our daily struggles. And maybe, we can raise enough awareness to finally get some more research done to help find a cure.

Hope you have an amazing day :)

Nadine xxx
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Bromocriptine, is it any better than Clomid?

2011-11-10T12:32:00.000+00:00

Bromocriptine... Never heard of it? Neither did i until about 3 hours ago, Its less used than Clomid as its only used for ovulation problems with with a particular cause, Women with ovulation problems caused by an excess of the hormone prolactin (hyperprolactinemia which is produced by the pituitary gland) may benefit from this particular medication. Excess prolactin can be caused by a pituitary adenoma (a benign tumour on the pituitary gland), by a reduction in dopamine in the brain or by an unknown cause.
Excess prolactin reduces levels of the hormone oestrogen and inhibits ovulation making it difficult to get pregnant. Too much prolactin can also cause you to produce breast milk even though you haven't been pregnant or breastfeeding.

Anyway... Ive been reading quite a few web articles about it and i like what I'm reading, with a 50% success rate I'm loving it...

So how does it work? Bromocriptine, also known by its brand name Parlodel, comes from the group of drugs called dopamine receptor stimulants. These drugs are commonly used to treat Parkinson's disease, but they are also used to treat fertility problems specifically related to too much prolactin. The drug acts on the pituitary gland, reducing the production of the hormone prolactin. It is taken orally in the form of tablets, capsules or vaginally.
You need to take the pills two to three times a day. The dose is increased slowly, under the supervision of a specialist doctor. Once your prolactin level is within a normal range, you will begin to menstruate and ovulate again.
You can then try to conceive naturally, unless you have other types of fertility problems as well, in which case you may need to try assisted conception treatments like IUI or IVF. As soon as pregnancy is confirmed, the drug is discontinued. This treatment is considered safe even if it goes on for several years.

Some women experience nausea, dry mouth, nasal stuffiness, dizziness, low blood pressure and headaches. Bromocriptine can also make you feel drowsy, On rare occasions the drug has caused people to fall asleep suddenly. If this should happen, seek advice from your doctor as soon as possible.
Side-effects are most severe at the beginning of treatment, but often subside as your body adjusts to the drug. Taking the medication with meals or just after a meal can help. Women who use the drug vaginally often report fewer side-effects.

so..... 50% of women taking Bromocriptine ovulated within 3-5months of treatment, and all apparently conceived, I'm going to do a bit more research but i might ask the doctor about it...

I'm sorry i haven't done much blogging lately, Ive been very very busy, still waiting on my sister to have my niece, so afterwards i'll be posting more often <3

Nadine xxxxxxx

Please don't say........

2011-11-06T05:11:00.003+00:00

Please don't ask me when I am going to have children. It breaks my heart. I try and try and try but I have PCOS. It doesn't come naturally to my body, apparently. One of the girls I work with who is one of my best friends said to me the other day," I never met anyone like you before. I always knew that some people had a problem getting pregnant but I never knew what it was like until I met you." Yes, it is awful. There is no easy or nice way to say it. It is awful. If you don't know someone's personal business, please please please don't ever ask someone when are you going to have kids? The last time I heard that question I burst into tears. I try every day of every month. I have tried for years. I desperately want to have children. I think about it every day. I cry every month when it doesn't happen. I try every cliche idea that someone has. I try vitamins. I count days. I have a calender marked with circles and dots and highlights. I have tried infertility drugs. I have tried not trying. Anyone else remember that episode of Roseanne where she was laying on the bed with her feet in the air? Yep, tried that too. Not every one works the same way. My body just doesn't find having children a natural thing I guess. The worst thing some one can say to me is "Your getting older now. You should start thinking about having children." I just want to scream at the top of my lungs,"don't you think I have been trying for years!!" I just nod my head politely and say I will see what I can do.

The other awful thing someone can say to me is "You're so lucky you don't have children." This is usually uttered by a parent of two, three, or even four children. Usually who just got pregnant. They didn't have to work at it. They didn't have to try. A very dear friend of mine who is a single father of three beautiful boys once looked at me and said," I am so jealous of you. You don't have any kids. You don't have any worries." All I could say to him in the sweetest voice possible and trying to hold back the tears was," I am so jealous of you. You have wonderful children." Yes, I understand that having children is a job but unless you know someone is childless through choice please don't say that.

This is really more of my ranting and venting my frustrations but I know that many of you will understand and identify with me. Please know you are not alone. When someone says something insensitive like either of these two options you have two choices. One- really lay into them. Let them have it. Give them a piece of your mind. Two- Just leave the room when the tears start to form and you can't hide how choked up you are getting. I choose option two because I am very non confrontational. I wish I could be more like the first choice but it is not who I am. Why can't everyone just be a little more sensitive to what others may be going through. Just because you have a random thought in your head does not mean it needs to come out of your mouth.

My Journey with PCOS

2011-10-30T01:00:00.003+01:00

When I first thought of sharing my story it was overwhelming. The idea of making my very private struggle public was scary. I am the type of person that is very private. I keep my internal struggles to myself and haven't even shared this story with many people who I am the closest to. After much thinking and soul searching I have figured out that it is important I share my story in hopes of helping someone else who is going through something similar.

Knowing what I know now I believe I have had PCOS my entire life. When I was small the pediatrician told my mother that I was over weight and I needed to be on a diet. I was in 2nd or 3rd grade. My mom had good intentions of following the doctors orders. It was then that she began logging all the food I ate and weighing me each morning. That is when the struggle with my weight started. Up until then I was ok with my body. After that I was conscience of every pound, every inch, and every new bit of fat or lump on my body. I first got my period the summer between 5th and 6th grade. I couldn't really talk about it with my mom. You just didn't talk about things like that in my house. I had learned in health class that it takes a while for your period to become regular so it never alarmed me that my period was never regular. As I got older my period became less and less frequent. By the time I had graduated from high school I was lucky if I got my period once every 6 months or so. Like most teenagers, I was very moody. I was often depressed and had my first encounter with a therapist at the age of 14 or 15. My teenage years were something I would really like to forget. I was overweight my whole life and high school was awful. I tried exercise and eating very little. When that didn't work, I tried not eating at all. I could not loose any weight. That is where my horrible self esteem began. The therapist blamed it all on depression. At one point, my hair began to thin. My once long thick hair started to fall out. That is the only thing I did complain to my mom about. She said "Oh, it's normal". Then I showed her my hair brush filled with hair and she thought it might be an issue. A trip to the doctor later I was given the task of counting all the hairs that fell out of my head. Every night I had to one by one count all the hairs in my brush. Up until then I didn't know that you loose on average 75 to 100 hairs a day. I was loosing twice that. Based on my thinning hair and my being overweight, the doctor tested me for diabetes. Those test came back normal and I was given a prescription for Rogain. As the years went on I became more comfortable with my body. I was no longer ashamed of the way I looked and once I was in college I actually allowed myself to do normal teenage things. My period was still abnormal. I started bleeding and for almost two months I suffered in silence. One day I finally was so sick that I broke down and told my best friend the problem I was having. She took me and we went to her Gynecologist. I had never been to one of those doctors before and it was a very scary experience. Her doctor was a man. How was I suppose to have a man down there? One who I didn't know? That was a problem for me so to fix the situation I was allowed to see the nurse practitioner. She put me on the pill after my describing all the problems I had been having for years with my cycle. She told me that what I was experiencing was not normal. The pill was not a solution to my problems though. After being on it for a few months I realized I was gaining a lot of weight. I tried and tried to loose it but it wouldn't go away. I took myself off the birth control pills because I needed to stop gaining weight. My cycle went back to being once every 6 months but I stopped gaining all that weight. When I was 20 or 21 I started having awful anxiety attacks. The first time I had one I thought I was going to die. I was sure I was having a heart attack. I took myself to the doctor who referred me to another doctor, a Psychiatrist. I was once again diagnosed with depression and given Anti-depressants. Those drugs made me feel like a zombie I couldn't take them for very long and eventually took myself off of them again. I learned to know when I was about to have an anxiety attack so I could control them on my own. Months went by and my cycle was never regular. I had been with my boyfriend for a long time at that point and thought "maybe I'm pregnant." Several pregnancy tests ,all negative, later and still no period for months I took myself back to a new OB-GYN. This one was a woman. I though I would be comfortable and she would understand my issues. I went in to the office and a tiny little woman of Indian descent came in to talk to me. She had a very thick accent and was hard for me to understand. She talked to me for just a few minutes and said she was going to do an ultrasound. I was confused because I knew I was not pregnant and I though that an ultra sound was for pregnant women. I laid back and she started pointing at all these spots on my insides. She said "do you see that?" I said yes. She said" I believe you have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. You are fat and you will probably never have children." She told me to get dressed and left the room. I was 22 years old, in tears because all my life I had dreamed of having children and this cold hearted woman took that away in 2 minutes. I couldn't even think straight. I cried the whole way home. I got home, laid on the couch,and cried more. When my boyfriend came in he didn't know what to say I couldn't breath I was crying so hard. He said "What do you have?" I really didn't have an answer because she really didn't explain it to me. I had to do something so I called my insurance company. I needed a referral to a new doctor who could tell me about this. The sent me to see the most wonderful man, Dr. Steve. He explained to me what I had and that I could have children some day. He put me on Metformin. Since my period had never been regular I didn't think twice about it when I started to bleed for months at a time. It wasn't until I was so tired I couldn't keep my eyes open and still bleeding I decided there was a problem. I called and ended up in the hospital to have a DNC. A few months later it started again and back into the hospital for another DNC. I am so happy to say that every since the second DNC my cycle has been like clockwork. Things were going along quite normally and my husband and I had decided we were ready to start trying to have a child. I was on Clomid with no results. The prescription was doubled with still no results. As the years had gone on I tried to stop obsessing over the idea of having a child but with each year that went by and each baby shower I went to it got harder. My friends all had children and still I had none. I would cry myself to sleep at night. When I turned 30 I took it really hard. In my head, by the time I was 30 I should have already had two children. It had always been my plan. I didn't have any. I wanted to get pregnant so desperately and it just wasn't happening. I found myself again very depressed and sad. Then I started having problems I was getting so sick. I just didn't feel right. I thought I was getting a yeast infection but it never started to itch it just hurt. I was in excruciating pain all the time. I went to see Dr. Steve and he looked at me and said that this could be bad. He did an ultra sound and discovered I have cysts on my ovaries that were huge. One was the size of a plum. The other ovary had a cyst the size of a grapefruit. He said he would have to operate on my yet again to remove the large cysts. I was scared but he fixed me before. I went to the hospital that day with my husband and my mother and it was then that I was told the most horrific thing I could ever have been told. That the large cyst had grown to be the size of a grapefruit and it grew around my ovary. My ovary was crushed and would have to be removed. I started to scream. Why was all this happening to me? I just wanted to be normal and have a child. I had so many problems and the PCOS made it so much harder to get pregnant and now here they were, telling me that they were taking out my ovary! I just started to cry. The last thing I remember as they were putting me out was Dr. Steve telling me it was going to be ok and tears streaming down my face. When I woke up I was in so much pain. What hurt the most wasn't the idea that I had an incision like a c-section with no baby to show for it but that when I woke up I was told that my sister in law had just had their baby. That was awful. The day I got out of the hospital we went to see the new baby. I couldn't even look at it. That little boy was 6 months old before I was even able to hold him. I have been told I can still get pregnant with one ovary. Just a few months ago I was checked to see why I haven't gotten pregnant now that my cycle is regular. I have been living with PCOS for 13 years now. I now see that all the problems I have had over all these years were the beginnings of my PCOS. I believe in my heart that I will have a child one day. I have come to accept the idea that it may only be one but it will happen. I have to have hope.

NEW.... wanna' buddy??

2011-10-18T13:45:00.000+01:00

Hey girls :)

Ive set a new PCOS BUDDIES scheme on facebook...

This groups aim is to bring more Cysters close together and get some much needed face to face support :)

If you would like to join in and get some support then join the group :D

http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/135861053181051/

Nadine xxx

Eating Healthy with PCOS

2011-10-10T00:37:00.000+01:00

Insulin resistance (IR) is common in women with PCOS, with as many as 40% of women being diagnosed with IR. IR is a state in which your body can't use insulin effectively, thus raising blood sugar to dangerous levels. Constant high levels of sugar (glucose) in the system can lead to diabetes. What does this have to do with PCOS? In PCOS, high levels of insulin can increase the production of male hormones (androgens such as testosterone) in the ovary. Both of these, high insulin and high testosterone, can lead to no periods, excessive hair growth, acne and trouble ovulating. For these reasons, and because there is no cure for either diabetes, or PCOS, it is important to live a healthy lifestyle, including eating well.

There are three different types of carbohydrates that your body uses: Starches (complex carbs), Sugars, and Fiber.

Starches include foods like beans, pastas, corn and potatoes.

There are two main types of Sugars, natural sugar (sugar that is already in food, such as fruit) and added sugar, which includes syrups, such as those in pop, added sugars in fruit juices, and drinks or baked goods.

Fibers include whole grains, veggies and fruits and nuts. Most people don't get enough fiber in their diet (recommendation is 25-30 grams/day), so added fiber is a benefit.

While there isn't any agreement on diets for PCOS, it is recommended that women follow a low carb diet. Eating well includes getting the recommended amount of fiber in a day, eating foods in their whole state (basically eating fruits and veggies that aren't canned, and other foods in their most basic state), limiting sugars, eating whole grains instead of white or enriched, and limiting starches.

Here are a few tips to help with making the change to a more healthy you:

Substitute sweet potatoes for regular potatoes. They taste great and have less carbs. You can use them the same way (in fact, I think they taste better than white ones when they are baked). You could also use cauliflower in place of mashed potatoes.

Choose foods low in salt. I use Mrs. Dash Original in place of salt. I don't even miss it, except on my eggs.

Eat plenty of pasta, preferably whole grain. Complex carbohydrates keep you feeling full, and it takes them longer to turn to sugar in your body. This reduces the high sugar spikes after eating.

Bake, grill or steam food instead of frying it. It's more flavorful, less fat and keeps the nutrients locked into the food.

Include fish in your diet, as it provides many vitamins and is a powerful brain booster. It also improves heart health.

Eat every 3 to 5 hours. 3 meals and snacks. Make sure to include protein or fat in each meal.

Portions matter!

Find a registered dietician to help you set up a meal plan. They are able to help figure out just how many calories, and carbs you need per day and figure out a meal plan.

These are just some of the things that I try to follow. I am in no way a professional! I hope to have a small recipe collection coming soon, with some healthy food. Nadine has a list of low GI foods on the site, so please look those up. Remember that exercise, nutrition, a good doctor and great support are necessary for a healthy life, not just physically, but mentally as well!

Soy Isoflavones... The final chapter

2011-10-07T12:43:00.000+01:00

OK girls... in all i think SI is totally worth it, in reality now i look back on it i would have waited till i had my cycle regularised before trying, but i defiantly recommend it. 1... It is cheaper than clomid, 2... Its natural and 3... Any thing is worth a try :).

I'm almost sure that i have Ovulated,but still AF isn't rearing her ugly head, i have taken 5 tests but still BFN, hoping that its just a case of being too early to test. I will keep you all posted :)

Join us on facebook (click on the facebook tab at the top of the page) and if you have anything you want written about just ask :)

Hope you all have a fab day <3

Nadine xxx

A freinds blog...

2011-10-07T12:30:00.000+01:00

i have an amazing friend that has started a personal blog, http://wiccanpcosmummy.blogspot.com/
she is so inspirational! she has been through so much on her journey, she has also got a Facebook page... http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/216834345045560/

i hope you will all take a look :) you wont regret it :)

Nadine xxx

SI review Part 2.

2011-10-03T11:22:00.001+01:00

So Soy Isoflaveones... What do I think?
I'm all most sure I have ovulated this month and have been having little 'signs' of pregnancy, so going to do a test in 2 days time, AF hasn't turned up which could be a very good thing but at the same time if I am not pregnant the SI has failed!
I would take them again. I have to admit I haven't had and horrid side effects, which is unusual for me as I always get them all full pelt lol. If you are interested in taking SI I would highly recommend it! Anything is worth a try right? And at half the price of Clomid you can't go wrong! I got mine in Tesco (UK) for just a little over £4.

I'll keep you all updated on the HPT results :)

Nadine xxx
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

PETITION!!

2011-09-26T19:23:00.000+01:00

OK ladies, if you are in the UK you will know about the story of postcode lottery when it comes to fertility treatments, a friend of mine has set up a petition which needs 1000 signatures to be even looked at by the Health Minister, so lets help her help us :)

http://www.gopetition.com/petition/43913.html

I also have the second part of the Soy Isoflavones review coming soon :)

Nadine xx

Amanda's story

2011-09-17T02:07:00.000+01:00

Amanda's Journey with PCOS

I had no idea what my doctor was talking about when she told me I had PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). In fact, I don't think she knew.

I was 16, and had been having horrible pains in my lower stomach for about 6 months. Pains that sent me to the emergency room twice a week for months. The doctors would pump me full of pain pills and send me on my way. They had no idea what was going on. I was getting ready to move in with my fiance at the time, trying to finish high school, you know living life. And then, I had a health issue that no body could help me with. I had the stomach pains, no period and I was growing hair in spots that I was sure there wasn't supposed to be hair, at least on a girl. I shaved almost everyday, going to great lengths to not let my fiance know I was shaving as much as he was. I was a healthy weight, so what was going on?

When I was finally able to get into the doctor, she did an ultrasound and showed me the white circles all over my ovaries. Telling me they were cysts, and there was no cure for them, that I would never have kids as I couldn't release an egg from my ovaries. She handed me the pamphlet (a whole page long), prescribed birth control pills, and sent me home. I was shocked that there was no research on this, no one I could call and ask questions about, no internet pages to look things up on. I was on my own. I started a support group on line, the first in my state. It took 1 year and a lot of practice, but I was finally able to hand it over to women who had more time to devote to the site.

I was the youngest person to be diagnosed in the state with PCOS at the time (according to the doctor) and the first in my family. My mom and grandma had similar symptoms, but back then, there wasn't any thing they knew about PCOS, in fact they didn't ever find the cause of my mom's symptoms. She had 5 miscarriages before she was lucky enough to have me ( she had my 2 sisters after wards). My grandma had diabetes and my mom developed it. The doctors said it was genetic, to prepare ourselves and eat better, so we would have less of a chance to get it. No one made a connection between it and pcos.

I had always wanted a family. My fiance and I got married, intending to start filling our home right away, as he wanted kids as much as I did. 6 months later, we still had no luck. When I went back to the doctor, I had to explain to her what PCOS was. I had continued to do research, still finding little out about everything I needed to know. I was horribly moody, to the point of picking fights just to fight. I was up one minute, down the next, crying and hiding in our room. I had no desire for sex, I felt horribly “ungirly”, and was severely depressed. One night, I was in the emergency room, my husband had long ago stopped going with me, and found out I had my first miscarriage. I was devastated. I went home, went to bed and never even told my husband. We had no clue that I was even pregnant, as we were told we would never have kids. I wept for days, and felt bad about not telling my husband that we lost a child, but I thought if he couldn't care enough to go to the hospital, why did he care about the outcome. Irrational maybe, but that was the feeling I had. The harder we tried for kids, the worse our marriage got, until a little over a year of marriage, we ended up divorced.

The internet became a wonderful thing. More and more women were being diagnosed with PCOS and looking for answers. There were more sites that had experiences of these women and the symptoms they were having. I began to feel less alone, but more frustrated at not getting answers. I couldn't even find a doctor who knew what I was talking about. I joined chat rooms, support groups, and talked to every doctor I could.

I finally met a guy that wasn't worried about having kids. I never fully explained what pcos was; how could I when I didn't fully understand it? I knew I couldn't have kids, that I had unexplained problems and that was about it. We got married and moved from my home town to Wisconsin. There, I had to find a new doctor, but, surprise! I found one that I DIDN'T have to explain what I had. She already knew! She was even considered an expert. She told me that fertility is a large problem with women who have pcos, as was insulin resistance. I wasn't diabetic, had no problems with my blood sugar, so I didn't get that connection. My doctor told me that many doctors thought that pcos was genetic, passed down from mother to daughter. That's when we made the connection that my mom and grandma probably had the same thing. I was put back on birth control to slow down the hair growth, and induce a regular period. When I was ready to try for pregnancy, I was to go back. Other than that, there was really nothing else to be done.

Fast forward about 10 years. I have gotten divorced, again, found a wonderful husband, and moved back home. My husband knows all about the pcos, in fact he knows as much as I do. I have learned that pcos is connected to insulin resistance, high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as a host of other health problems. I am on Metformin for diabetes, take natural remedies to help control some of the symptoms, and am other wise healthy. I am finally ready to try for a family. One of my pap smears came back abnormal, so I was sent to a specialist. I had a biopsy, the next pap was still abnormal. The doctor scheduled a leep to try to take some of the abnormal cells off my cervix. The day I went in, I told my doctor I was having cramps, sore boobs, all the signs of a period (of which I have had a total of 3 on my own, ever!), which made me happy as it was proving the Met was working (I was no longer on BC pills). She did a pregnancy test, which came back negative (no big shock) and then did my leep.

I was in the hospital the next day for cramps. The doctor did another pregnancy test, that one came back positive. I was stunned! My husband was shocked, we were both thrilled. I was high risk, with one miscarriage already, but was allowed to continue work, as much as possible with the horrible nausea I had. I was so ready for this little miracle, so happy to finally be a normal person again. It didn't last long, at 7 weeks, we lost the baby. This month, we would have been parents. The doctor said that most first pregnancies end in miscarriage, but that doesn't make it any easier. I am 32, if it took this long, will I ever have the chance to do it again?

After we lost the baby, I had 2 normal periods and then, a month long one. They doctor put me on progesterone to induce a period and clean my body out, reset my uterus is what she said. I am going back in 2 months to find out about clomid.

Pcos has taken a lot away from me. My ability to have children naturally, my womanhood, control of my emotions, and has affected every aspect of my life. Have I given up hope? Hell no! There is always hope. I have been through heartache, pain and sorrow. I have lost 2 children, and still don't have answers to many of my questions. But, I have found a good doctor, many natural remedies that help, a great husband, and I still have time. Maybe not a lot, but it's still hanging around. :)

My heart still hurts for the babies I have lost, and this month hasn't been easy for me. But, I will try again, I will fight through the heartache, the pain, the mental fatigue and every other issue that comes with pcos. I am a woman, no matter how this disease makes me feel. And I will win.

You can reach me at Amanda_781@msn.com. I am happy to answer questions, clarify any concerns. Be nice! It's my first blog! :)

New bloggers :D

2011-09-14T17:07:00.001+01:00

Just want to say welcome to Amanda, Beth, Deepti, Racheal and Melissa :) im sure you girls will do an amazing job :D xxx

A Cyster has a Youtube account :D

2011-09-10T14:42:00.000+01:00

Hey ladies :)

A friend of mine has a Youtube account, shes just starting out and it's going to be A-MAZ-ING :D

she will be uploading every week!!

so here she is http://www.youtube.com/user/PCOSux

pleaseeeeee subscribe :)

Next blog: Maximise your fertility :D

i will be writing this after my anniversary (11th sept) eeek :D excited :P xxxx

Food glorious Low GI and easy Food :)

2011-09-05T15:07:00.000+01:00

Ladies... Hold your hands high if you find it hard to find easy, cheap and tasty Low GI recipes?

I feel your pain! I really do!

Ive got a few cheap and simple meals for you to get your teeth around. they might even leave you saying mmmmmmmm!

There area few rules when it comes to GI...

Rule 1: Eat the food near to its natural state, that doesn't always mean raw, it means don't eat it processed as processed lacks many minerals that are needed by us cysters.

Rule 2: Even though dairy is low GI, try and limit your intake... certain dairy products cause raised insulin production.

OK now its time to get to the recipes, i must tell you that these recipes will be measured in cups, just because i find it easier to measure out that lbs and Oz's or grams, all of these are personal favorites and trialled on the husband :) please note these are measurments for 1 serving.
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OATMEAL PANCAKES...

Ingredients
1/2 cup oatmeal
6 egg whites
1 tbsp raspberry jam spread (double fruit, no sugar added)
Directions
Heat a small frying pan over medium heat for several minutes. Mix oatmeal, egg whites and fruit spread together. Spray pan with non-stick spray. Pour mixture into pan. Flip after approximately 5 minutes and cook for an additional five minutes on other side.
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APPLE-BRAN

Ingredients
1 medium apple, peeled and chopped
1/3 cup Oat Bran
1 cup water
1 tsp wheat germ
1/2 tsp sugar or sweetener
1 tbsp sliced almonds
You can add nuts or raisins if you like :)

Directions
cook your Oats with 1 cup of water to the consistency of your choice, stirring continuously avoiding lumps, take off the heat and stir in your sweetener/sugar, place in a bowel and add the remaining ingredients.
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HAM N CHEESE TOASTIE

Ingredients
2 slices of wholemeal bread (soda bread would be even better)
2 slices of thinly sliced low fat cheese
2 thin slices of ham (non processed)

Directions
heat a frying pan over a medium heat until really hot, meanwhile, lightly brush one side of both slices of bread with extra virgin olive oil, on the other side of the bread place the cheese and ham, and place the other slice of bread on top, remember the oiled sides must face on top (so it touches the pan) cook for 3-5mins on both sides.
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CHICKEN FRIED RICE

Ingrediants
1 small chicken breast
2 tbsp of soy sauce
1 cup od fresh veg of your choice
1 spring onion (maybe known as scallions for you in america)
1egg or 2 egg whites
1 crushed garlic clove
2/3rd cup basmati rice
1tspn of olive oil
2tspns of almonds

Directions
cook the rice as it states on the packageing don't salt unless neccisary, heat up a wok or frying pan,
cut the chicken brest into strips, chop all the veg and spring onion, beat the egg, spray the pan with the spray oil, and add the egg and stir untill scrambled and cooked through, remove the eggs and set aside, place the olive oil in the pan and cook the chicken , remove the chicken and stirfry the vegatables for around 5mins, add the soy sauce to the rice and stir untill it is all coated, add the garlic to the pan then add the rice, egg, veg and chicken and stirfry for a further 5-10 mins, serve and sprinkle on the almonds.
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LEMON SALMON

Ingrediants
1 small salmon fillet
1 tsp fat free mayo
1 tsp lemon juice
1tsp dill(herb)
little pinch of salt and pepper
new potatoes
small green saled

Directions
spread the mayo ontop of the salmon with a pastry brush, sprinkle over the lemon juice, dill and salt and pepper and bake for 20mins in a medium heat oven untill the salmon flakes easily.
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CHOCCY NUTTY ICE CR
Ingredients
1/2 cup non-fat, no sugar added, vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup NUT OF YOUR CHOICE
1 tsp good quality cocoa powder
Directions
Sprinkle scooped ice cream with nuts and cocoa.

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Here are some side dishes to put with any meal,

ASPARAGUS AND PEPPERS
Ingredients

12 medium asparagus spears
2 medium red bell peppers
2 cloves garlic
4 tbsp balsamic vinegar
4 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt/pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Trim ends off asparagus and cut into bite-sized pieces. Cut red pepper into large cubes.

Mince garlic. Combine minced garlic, vinegar, and olive oil. Toss asparagus and red pepper with garlic mixture. Season with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes or until tender-crisp.

LEMON BROC N COLI

Ingredients

2 cups fresh broccoli
2 cups fresh cauliflower
1/4 cup lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Cut broccoli and cauliflower into small bite-sized pieces. Steam until tender-crisp, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Drain well.

Lightly beat lemon juice, mustard, and oil. Toss well with vegetables. Serve.
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THE MOST AMAZING SOUP EVER....... SPLIT PEA CURRY SOUP!!

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups dry yellow split peas
4 oz lean deli ham, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh thyme)\
1 bay leaf
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup skimmed milk
salt/pepper to taste

Directions

This soup can be prepared in a slow cooker or stove-top.

Rinse and drain peas. Chop vegetables and ham.

For slow-cooker method, combine peas, ham, onion, carrots, curry, thyme, bay leaf and chicken broth in slow cooker. Cover and cook on high setting for 4 to 5 hours or the low setting for 10 to 12 hours. Stir in 1 cup skim milk. Season with salt and pepper.

If using stove-top method, combine peas, ham, onion, carrots, curry, thyme, bay leaf and chicken stock in a large deep pan . Bring to a boil, them reduce and simmer for approximately 2 hours. Stir in skimmed milk - but do not return to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
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so there you go, simple, cheap and easy :)

enjoy ladies :D xxxx

Soy Isoflavones... What is it? How does it work? and what are my experiances?

2011-09-03T14:01:00.000+01:00

Soy Isoflavones. The natural clomid, it works just like clomid, you take it just like clomid. and at the moment im trying it out, im currently on day 5! The final day of the coarse.

Soy Isoflavones are a natural supplement (Natural plant hormones that is found in many foods), it is proven that Soy Isoflavones can help with fertility, taken just like clomid (if taking Clomid 100mg take 200mg Soy Isoflavones for 5 cycle days such as 1-5, 2-6, 3-7 etc).

They are typicly sold in 40mg doseages from chemists and food stores. Usualy they are sold with 'Ease menopausal symptoms' but it is the right Soy Isoflavones. They must be taken at the right time in the cycle. (like what i mentioned above).
DO NOT TAKE FOR MORE THAN 5 DAYS!!!
It could have a negative impact on ovulation and could delay your cycle. You may wish to chart your cycle using the 'Basal temping' method.
(Basal temping is when women ovulate it causes an increase of one-half to one degree Fahrenheit (one-quarter to one-half degree Celsius) in basal body temperature (BBT) monitoring of BBTs is one way of estimating the day of ovulation. The tendency of a woman to have lower temperatures before ovulation, and higher temperatures afterwards, is known as a biphasic pattern. Charting of this pattern may be used to chart the best time to ttc).

It is believed that Soy Isoflavones works by tricking the body into producing more estrogen.

i have been taking these now for 5 days, so far all i have had is a very slight head ache but apart from that ive had no side effects, there are a few common side effects such as the Head aches, Constipation, Bloating and Nausea. Alot like Clomid, it suprised me how simular they really are.

I am overall quite happy with this trial, i may take another cycle if this one doesnt work, but im still un-decided.

i hope this has helped you in some way to understand what Soy Isoflavones are and how they work, i will be updating to tell you if it worked or not :) wish me luck :D xxxx

Support! Have you got yours?

2011-08-27T21:17:00.001+01:00

Whether you're going through a illness or going through day to day life, we all need support. From partners, friends, family, even online support groups, there's a lot of it out there.

I'm very lucky, I have an amazing support network, there's 3 amazing cysters who I love like mad! The beautiful...Jenni, Sammy and Tash. Not one word in the english language could describe how important these ladies are to me, there's also my sister, we've been together through thick and thin, still going strong :) and my husband Simon, he has been to every appointment, researched new medications and even helped me set up the blog :) He is amazing :)

I can't stress enough how important it is to have support while you are going through PCOS and other things! Even if its a laugh with friends, a hug or even a internet support group, (there's a few on facebook) every little helps :).

How to tell loved ones you have PCOS?

Just casually drop it into a conversation, ok I know it sounds silly, but seriously its a great start! You never know they might even want to hear more about it. Even print some info off of the internet to show them, drag them along to a doctors appointment or even ask them if they've heard of it and then say... Well I was diagnosed with it...

Don't worry about reactions, keep a strong mind and think positive :) xxx
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Depression, Anxiety and a good old moan...

2011-08-13T21:44:00.001+01:00

So girls, ever have them days when you just want to punch every-one in the face? Yep me too!

A lot of cysters suffer from Depression and Anxiety, I for one wishes it would just bog off! :-P

As you can probably tell, this is a random, spur of the moment blog, and I'm afraid it may get rather random ha ha

Firstly I'm waiting for AF to show her ugly un-welcomed face! Armed with pain, greasy skin and acne! She's so inconsiderate! She never shows up on time, she hardly ever makes a call to say she's on her way and to be honest it's annoying!! Just for once, can you be good please dear AF! Oh and just a few days visit instead of 2 weeks would be fab, or even, don't show up at all, but send a lil' bundle of joy my way! Or is that asking too much?

Lately I've found that I'm very agitated and I want to smack everyone whom gets in my way, my poor husband got a telling off last week for opening the fridge too loudly lol,

I also have a haribo addiction at the moment, I have heard a lot of cysters have 'sugary addictions' some worse than me! The only thing is haribo send me crazy! Like, running around like a airplane CRAZY!!

......................

If you have any topics you would like to be discussed, contact me on facebook, twitter(just click on the tabs) or on the e-mail address at the top of the page xxx
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone

Exercise & Diet...

2011-08-05T17:07:00.000+01:00

STRENGTH TRAINING IS THE WAY FORWARD!!

You may not believe it but strength training is the best tool too loosing those extra lb’s…

It’s often thought of as a toning exercise but infact its a fantastic fat burner.

The majority of the calories you burn throughout the day are used to support your body and its functions, such as digestion. Highly active tissue such as muscle requires more fuel than fat, which means the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn at rest.

Each pound of muscle burns 35 calories a day -- this might not sound like a lot but if you have several pounds of muscle, you could increase the calories you burn daily by the hundreds just by being more muscular. strength training two to three times a week for about 30 minutes. Examples include using free weights and doing pushups, squats and lunges.

Ok... i have a tip for the diet part of this post.

EAT WHAT YOU WANT!! just make it healthy! If you want do eat a burger, then eat one! just make it home made and healthy.
Instead of frying it put it in the oven.
Instead of bread, wrap it in lettuce, or use whole grain bread.
Instead of deepfried chips (fries) par boil in slightly salted water untill the potato is tacky (thats the starch) but not cooked take out of the water and put in the oven and use oil spray instead of lashings of oil.
Make your own ketchup!!
instead of fizzy drinks try a smoothie or even no-added sugar diluted juice...

ul be suprised how much calories you will save just making tiny changes, And you never know... healthy might taste better ;D

Soon il be putting some recipes up :) xxx

Sleep? What's that?

2011-08-03T13:30:00.000+01:00

I and many other cysters find that insomnia is a major pain in the backside when it comes to bed time, i have been taking 'kalms' http://www.boots.com/en/Kalms-Sleep-50-Tablets_16650/ and ladies it works :D... Theres actually a way out of the sleep monsters grip :)...

there are two reasons why PCOS and Insomnia is connected

(1) glucose intolerance / insulin resistance
(2) an imbalance of the ratio of oestrogen to progesterone

Insulin Resistance / high blood sugar levels put pressure on the adrenal glands, which as a conciquence release of too much cortisol. This excess of cortisol causes anxiety and makes it difficult to relax, and ultimatly fall asleep.

Also, an excess of oestrogen and lack of progesterone are huge factors these are two female hormones. Progesterone is the ‘feel good’ hormone.

Here’s a list of some of the things it does:

Reduces mood disorders (eg. anxiety, depression)
Relieves endometriosis and PCOS
Increases energy and libido
Balances blood sugar levels and thyroid function
Is necessary for fertility and maintaining pregnancy
Relieves menopausal symptoms
Reduces hair loss
Improves sleep

Progesterone levels can be increased by using a progesterone cream.

Sleep pnea is also connected to PCOS as many cysters suffer with it due to the hormoanal imballence and weight issues that cause a rise in the insulin resistance. there are 3 different types of Sleep Apnea.

central sleep apnea (CSA),
obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and
mixed sleep apnea (both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea).

During sleep, the brain instructs the muscles of breathing to take a breath.

Central sleep apnea (CSA) occurs when the brain does not send the signal to the muscles to take a breath, and there is no muscular effort to take a breath.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the brain sends the signal to the muscles and the muscles make an effort to take a breath, but they are unsuccessful because the airway becomes obstructed and prevents an adequate flow of air.
Mixed sleep apnea, occurs when there is both central sleep apnea and obstructive sleep apnea.

If you have any questions then leave them in the comments below, or join us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/groups/209288612428596/

xxx