Today I am doing something a little bit differently. Most the time when I post a blog its about information regarding something specific. I will add a few personal thoughts and feelings in, but the most the time its about the information. Today its about the feelings and emotions that go along with it.
I have been keep track of a lot of women and the struggles that they are facing everyday. Whether they are ttc for the first time or if they have children already and are ttcing for a second or third time. I understand the struggles that go with ttcing. I have struggled for 6 years now trying to have a precious baby. I prayed and prayed that it would happen, went through surgery hoping that would help, took the bc pills that the doctor said would work and nothing worked. I watched friends and family get pregnant and was happy for them, but at the same time was depressed that my husband and I were having no luck.
During this time all I wanted was for someone to wrap me in a hug and say "keep your chin up, keep trying, one day it will be your turn." I have had plenty of friends and family offer to be a surrogate for us if that was what we needed. That was never the problem, I can carry a baby its just the matter of having an OV. So many of the stories that I have read remind me of those days. The heartaches, depression and just being ready to throw in the towel. Trying to figure out how to move forward and how to stay on the journey of making your dreams come true.
I wish that I could reach out to each one of you that is going through this right now and give you a big hug. Let you know that there are so many people out there that have been in your shoes and are supporting you through your journey. If you need help, support or just someone you can rant and rave at, please reach out for that help. Dont try to go through it alone, it makes things easier when you have a support group walking your journey with you. We will catch you when you start to fall, wipe the tears away when they fall, give you a shoulder to lean your head on when you just need to rest, and an ear to listen when you just need to talk, and we will give you advice and information when you are ready to ask for it.
I am sending warm wishes, baby dusts and hopes to all of you out there that are going through this journey and please know that I am going through this journey as well, I am always here for you.
Thank you
Tabitha
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Pregnancy and Hypothyroidism
I have been searching for information on PCOS +Hypothyroidism and getting pregnant. I have found a lot of woman who have both disorders and have been able to get pregnant. SO there is hope for all you ladies who are dealing with it. Keep your hopes up and have faith, you will get there!
Here's what I have found so far:
-2 out of 1000 pregnancies will be complicated
-Elevated TSH levels may lead to poor intellectual development and a lowered IQ
- If levels are normal before pregnancy your risks of complications are lowered
Everything that I have read so far on this mentions being on some form of medication for your thyroid issues. I have not come across anything that talks about it being natural. From what I have read I would talk to your doctor about it, get checked and get on the meds to lower those levels. Just my suggestion and opinion :)
Here are some of the complications you may or may not have with hypothyroidism
- Placental abruption
-Premature Birth
-Still Birth
These all sound really scary, but keep in mind you may or may not have these issues. When I read them I had to stop and ask myself "Do I want to have a child of my own so bad that I would risk these possible complications?" My answer to that question is"YES". I think for each woman it is going to depend on how you feel, what your thoughts are on all of it. Its going to be a personal question and decision that only you, your doctor and your significant other can answer. No one can answer that question for you.
Here are some of the ways that they monitor it during pregnancy:
- blood work every 4-6 weeks
- You may find towards the end of your pregnancy that you need to adjust the level of the medications you are taking
--There should be no noticeable symptoms during labor.
From everything that I could find the medications that the doctors prescribe for hypothyroidism are very safe for you to be on during pregnancy and while breast feeding.
Here are the sites where I found my information and they have stories of other woman who have the same issues, and their success on different meds as well as the success in getting pregnant.I hope this helps you out and please know I am here if you have any other questions, comments or concerns.
http://pregnancy.about.com/od/thyroidopregnancy/a/hypothyroidism.html
http://community.babycenter.com/post/a26198593/getting_pregnant_with_hypothyroidism
www.medhelp.org/posts/maternal--child
Baby dust, warm wishes and Happy thoughts to you all!
Tabitha
Here's what I have found so far:
-2 out of 1000 pregnancies will be complicated
-Elevated TSH levels may lead to poor intellectual development and a lowered IQ
- If levels are normal before pregnancy your risks of complications are lowered
Everything that I have read so far on this mentions being on some form of medication for your thyroid issues. I have not come across anything that talks about it being natural. From what I have read I would talk to your doctor about it, get checked and get on the meds to lower those levels. Just my suggestion and opinion :)
Here are some of the complications you may or may not have with hypothyroidism
- Placental abruption
-Premature Birth
-Still Birth
These all sound really scary, but keep in mind you may or may not have these issues. When I read them I had to stop and ask myself "Do I want to have a child of my own so bad that I would risk these possible complications?" My answer to that question is"YES". I think for each woman it is going to depend on how you feel, what your thoughts are on all of it. Its going to be a personal question and decision that only you, your doctor and your significant other can answer. No one can answer that question for you.
Here are some of the ways that they monitor it during pregnancy:
- blood work every 4-6 weeks
- You may find towards the end of your pregnancy that you need to adjust the level of the medications you are taking
--There should be no noticeable symptoms during labor.
From everything that I could find the medications that the doctors prescribe for hypothyroidism are very safe for you to be on during pregnancy and while breast feeding.
Here are the sites where I found my information and they have stories of other woman who have the same issues, and their success on different meds as well as the success in getting pregnant.I hope this helps you out and please know I am here if you have any other questions, comments or concerns.
http://pregnancy.about.com/od/thyroidopregnancy/a/hypothyroidism.html
http://community.babycenter.com/post/a26198593/getting_pregnant_with_hypothyroidism
www.medhelp.org/posts/maternal--child
Baby dust, warm wishes and Happy thoughts to you all!
Tabitha
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
PCOS and Hypothyroidism
There are so many things that can come up when you are dealing with PCOS. One of the main things that doctors are now saying could possibly be causing PCOS is Hypothyroidism. The verdict is still out as to whether PCOS causes Hypothyroidism or if it is the other way around. Here is the information that I have found regarding the two. I hope this helps you out and answers any questions that you may have.
What is Hypothyroidism?
-under active thyroid
- releases T4 (thyroxine) and T3 ( triiodothyronine)
- T4 and T3 are what controls your metabolic rate
What can happen to your body with Hypothyroidism?
- Not enough Hormones and your metabolism slows down.
- can lead to low levels of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)
- Lower levels of SHBG can lead to higher concentrations of free testosterone and increased testosterone throughout the body.
- High levels of testosterone is one factor which contributes to PCOS Symptoms.
Ok so now to get to the important part. What are the symptoms of Hypothyroidism? A lot of these symptoms are also a part of having PCOS. If you have these symptoms speak with your doctor about getting test for Hypothyroidism. Its always better to be safe rather than sorry.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
- irregular/ heavy periods
-depression
-mood swings
-weight gain
-hair loss
-exhaustion
-joint pain
-muscle weakness
-inability to focus
- heat/cold tolerance
- headaches and migraines
-dry skin and hair
-constipation
-irritability, anxiety, and panic attacks
-fluid retention
-low sex drive
-testosterone and vascular issues
There is more information that you can find at the below webpages. I put together the most basic information on this. If you are worried and concerned that you may have Hypothyroidism, or if you think that you might have it please speak with your doctor about getting tested. I am not a doctor and I do not have any medical degree, all my information is based on hours of research that are done in legitimate sites.
I am always here if you have any questions, comments or concerns. Please feel free to leave me a message and I will do everything I can to get the answers you need.
www.ehow.com/about_5086863_thyroid-polycystic-ovary-syndrome.html
www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/pcos_and_thyroid_disorders.php
Best Wishes,
Tabitha
What is Hypothyroidism?
-under active thyroid
- releases T4 (thyroxine) and T3 ( triiodothyronine)
- T4 and T3 are what controls your metabolic rate
What can happen to your body with Hypothyroidism?
- Not enough Hormones and your metabolism slows down.
- can lead to low levels of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin)
- Lower levels of SHBG can lead to higher concentrations of free testosterone and increased testosterone throughout the body.
- High levels of testosterone is one factor which contributes to PCOS Symptoms.
Ok so now to get to the important part. What are the symptoms of Hypothyroidism? A lot of these symptoms are also a part of having PCOS. If you have these symptoms speak with your doctor about getting test for Hypothyroidism. Its always better to be safe rather than sorry.
Symptoms of Hypothyroidism:
- irregular/ heavy periods
-depression
-mood swings
-weight gain
-hair loss
-exhaustion
-joint pain
-muscle weakness
-inability to focus
- heat/cold tolerance
- headaches and migraines
-dry skin and hair
-constipation
-irritability, anxiety, and panic attacks
-fluid retention
-low sex drive
-testosterone and vascular issues
There is more information that you can find at the below webpages. I put together the most basic information on this. If you are worried and concerned that you may have Hypothyroidism, or if you think that you might have it please speak with your doctor about getting tested. I am not a doctor and I do not have any medical degree, all my information is based on hours of research that are done in legitimate sites.
I am always here if you have any questions, comments or concerns. Please feel free to leave me a message and I will do everything I can to get the answers you need.
www.ehow.com/about_5086863_thyroid-polycystic-ovary-syndrome.html
www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/pcos_and_thyroid_disorders.php
Best Wishes,
Tabitha
Friday, May 25, 2012
Memorial day weekend
Hi everyone. I just wanted to let you all know that I am going to spend this weekend with my family and friends. So I will post about PCOS and Hypothyroidism on Tuesday.
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Be safe and have fun!!!!
Best wishes,
Tabitha
I hope you all have a fantastic weekend! Be safe and have fun!!!!
Best wishes,
Tabitha
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Should I take Metformin for my PCOS symptoms?
There are so many different drugs, treatments and advise out there its hard to know who to trust and what information you find is real. First being diagnosed with PCOS you want to find all the answers to your questions and you want to know what is going to work the best, the fastest and be the most efficient when it comes to taking care of your body and its issues. In the next couple of blog posts I am going to be answering questions and posting information on treatments as well as questions and concerns that you may have . So please let me know what questions you have and I will be more then happy to research and come up with answers.
Starting today off with Metformin. I have never used this drug because it only treated a few of the problems and the side affects were not worth it for me. Here is what I found out about it.
What is Metformin and what does it do?
- Pharmaceutical drug that has been developed for elevated blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
This was the original purpose of it. Now they are also prescribing it to women with PCOS. The FDA has not approved it for PCOS as of this time.
- It decreases the amount of sugar produced by the liver
- Increases the amount of sugar absorbed by muscle cells and decreases the bodies resistance to insulin.
- By doing all of the above things it can help regulate menstrual cycles, start ovulation and lower the risk of miscarriage.
- Long term use can lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease related to high insulin levels.
It may lower the risk of miscarriage or gestational diabetes in woman with pcos, again this has not been confirmed by any studies.
- By lowering the insulin levels studies have shown that Metformin has helped to rid the body of testosterone.
For somebody who is dealing with PCOS and is new to it this sounds like the perfect drug to get things going the right way. I thought at first that it might be a good thing for me to take. But once I started doing more research there were two things that stuck out for me. One it was not proven by any studies to help the other issues that come with PCOS. The depression, anxiety and many others.For me I wanted to find a system that helped in every aspect of the battle. Plus there were the side affects that came along with Metformin. Here are just a few of those side affects. You can read more about them and others at the webpages listed at the bottom of the page.
Side affects of Metformin:
-Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal gas
- A metallic taste
The ones that scared me off of it are:
- Possible liver failure
- Possible malabsorbtion, leading to anemia
That was it for me. I never gave a second thought to this drug after reading about that. I was scared to death that it would lead me to other issues that I really did not want to deal with.
The choice to use Metformin should be a decision that is between you and your doctor. Make sure to ask questions and get all the information that you can before deciding on what you are going to do.
You can find more information at:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/Metformin-and-PCOS.php
http://women.webmd.com/metformin-glucophage-for-polycystic-ovary-syndrome
http://www.endocrineonline.org/pdf%20box/pcos%2Bmet.pdf
There are many other places to look but these where the three that I found most helpful while doing my research.
I am here for any questions,comments, or concerns that you may have. If you have more information on Metformin and how it works please leave a comment on it so that other woman can read it as well.
Thank you,
Tabitha
Starting today off with Metformin. I have never used this drug because it only treated a few of the problems and the side affects were not worth it for me. Here is what I found out about it.
What is Metformin and what does it do?
- Pharmaceutical drug that has been developed for elevated blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
This was the original purpose of it. Now they are also prescribing it to women with PCOS. The FDA has not approved it for PCOS as of this time.
- It decreases the amount of sugar produced by the liver
- Increases the amount of sugar absorbed by muscle cells and decreases the bodies resistance to insulin.
- By doing all of the above things it can help regulate menstrual cycles, start ovulation and lower the risk of miscarriage.
- Long term use can lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease related to high insulin levels.
It may lower the risk of miscarriage or gestational diabetes in woman with pcos, again this has not been confirmed by any studies.
- By lowering the insulin levels studies have shown that Metformin has helped to rid the body of testosterone.
For somebody who is dealing with PCOS and is new to it this sounds like the perfect drug to get things going the right way. I thought at first that it might be a good thing for me to take. But once I started doing more research there were two things that stuck out for me. One it was not proven by any studies to help the other issues that come with PCOS. The depression, anxiety and many others.For me I wanted to find a system that helped in every aspect of the battle. Plus there were the side affects that came along with Metformin. Here are just a few of those side affects. You can read more about them and others at the webpages listed at the bottom of the page.
Side affects of Metformin:
-Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal gas
- A metallic taste
The ones that scared me off of it are:
- Possible liver failure
- Possible malabsorbtion, leading to anemia
That was it for me. I never gave a second thought to this drug after reading about that. I was scared to death that it would lead me to other issues that I really did not want to deal with.
The choice to use Metformin should be a decision that is between you and your doctor. Make sure to ask questions and get all the information that you can before deciding on what you are going to do.
You can find more information at:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/Metformin-and-PCOS.php
http://women.webmd.com/metformin-glucophage-for-polycystic-ovary-syndrome
http://www.endocrineonline.org/pdf%20box/pcos%2Bmet.pdf
There are many other places to look but these where the three that I found most helpful while doing my research.
I am here for any questions,comments, or concerns that you may have. If you have more information on Metformin and how it works please leave a comment on it so that other woman can read it as well.
Thank you,
Tabitha
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
The battle against Weight with PCOS
I have never been the skinny size 2 model. Through out my life I have varied from a size 6 to a size 24. Through out school I was picked on for being chubby and had people say things like "wow look at that whale". I have never been happy with the way that I looked. I came close a couple of times but was never fully satisfied. I felt like nothing that I did was going to help the fact that I was "big boned". All I wanted was to look like my friends and be able to share clothes with them.
After I was diagnosed with PCOS I learned that part of the issue with me never being able to become "skinny" was because of the hormone imbalance that I was dealing with. How are you suppose to be able to lose weight when you have excess glucose in your body, which promotes more insulin to be released into your body. It's a never ending battle.
Today I am not at my heaviest weight, I have gone from a women's 24 to a women's 18. Not bad in just over a year. I am continuing everyday the battle that I have had my entire life. But now I have a way to fight back, I have the knowledge that I need to lose the weight and get to where I want to be, A healthier happier me. This is me now:
That to me didnt sound to bad. I could cut out the carbs and lower my sugar intake and start eating more during the day. I left the doctors office thinking I was going to be ok and that I would figure out how to make it all work.
About 4 months later I realized that I had gained about 30lbs and it seemed like it came on out of nowhere. I took a look at what I was eating and realized that I had not listened to anything that the doctor had told me. I was still eating only once a day and was still drinking soda. The meals that I was consuming where whatever fast food place was close by. Duh! This isnt going to help me lose the weight.
To make a long story short here is what I do today to make sure that my insulin levels are lower and that I am able to lose the weight and keep it off.
Before breakfast I take my Polyplus pills ( these are part of the PCOS system that I am on)
I do a 30 minute walk/run on my treadmill
For breakfast I have a protein shake so I am getting 48 grams of protein with my shake and have a small bowl of frozen fruit. With breakfast I take my rejuvaplus pills and my insulx pills (also part of the PCOS system).
About 2 hours after breakfast I will eat a small bowl of fruit again and take my Glucx pills (PCOS system)
For lunch I have another protein shake and a salad. I take the rejuvaplus and insulx again.
About another two hours after lunch I eat some nuts or fruit again taking the polyplus pills again.
Then for dinner I will do a small piece of meat, salad and some type of vegetable. I make sure that all my portions are small and I do not eat seconds.
Before bed I will have a piece of fruit to kick the sweet cravings I always get before bed and will take the glucx to end my day.
This is what has been working for me. I change up the salad, add different things to it everyday so that I dont get sick of it.
I hope that this will help give you ideas and information that you may have needed. I am always here if you have questions,comments, or concerns.
You can find more information at
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com
http://women.webmd.com/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-and-weight-gain
After I was diagnosed with PCOS I learned that part of the issue with me never being able to become "skinny" was because of the hormone imbalance that I was dealing with. How are you suppose to be able to lose weight when you have excess glucose in your body, which promotes more insulin to be released into your body. It's a never ending battle.
Today I am not at my heaviest weight, I have gone from a women's 24 to a women's 18. Not bad in just over a year. I am continuing everyday the battle that I have had my entire life. But now I have a way to fight back, I have the knowledge that I need to lose the weight and get to where I want to be, A healthier happier me. This is me now:
I look at this picture and I can pick out everything that I feel is wrong with me. Most people look at it and tell me that it is a beautiful picture of me and they can see how much weight I have lost. I dont see it yet, but I am hoping one day I can look at it and go "wow look at me, look at how far I have come."
The question becomes "what is it that is keeping me from losing the weight?" "what is going on inside my body that is making me gain weight and not be able to take it off?", " What are some of the side affects of being over weight?".
Here is the answers that I have been given. To start out I am going to answer the question of "What is going on inside my body that is making me gain weight and not be able to take it off?"
When the diagnoses of PCOS was first brought to me, I was scared. The doctor told me that there was a good chance that I was going to gain more weight and was going to have to watch my diet and work really hard at keeping the weight off. I was athletic in school playing volleyball and swimming, so I thought ok I can do this. Then the doctor goes on to tell me that my diet is going to be restricted and that I cant eat any of the foods that I normally eat and I have to cut out carbs and sugar. Ok you are talking to some one who was drinking 3 or 4 Pepsi's a day and eating whenever I had the chance because I was always on the go. After all that he goes on to tell me that I am at a higher risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Whoa wait a minute, this really isnt good. Diabetes runs in my family, heart disease runs in my family and so does cancer. Now I am really freaked out. The only thing I could spit out was "Why?". Here is the answer's that I got from my doctor as well as websites that I have done a lot of research on:
Woman with PCOS have Insulin Resistance.
- when you have insulin resistance it allows glucose to flow freely through your blood system.
- When you have free flowing glucose in your blood stream it triggers the pancreas to release insulin into the system until all the glucose is absorbed by the cells.
- With the free floating glucose in your system what isnt absorbed by the insulin is then transferred to the liver and is processed into excess body fat.
- Insulin resistance promotes fat storage in your body, due to the fact that the glucose is not able to get into the cells and be used for energy.
Woman with PCOS also have high levels of Male hormones
- high levels of male hormones trigger the body to gain and hold on to weight
- most woman gain weight around their abdominal area due to the high level of male hormones.
- Tummy fat is the most dangerous kind of fat.
Ok now that I had the why answered the next question was, what all can happen to me? I felt like I was sitting there getting information that was going to end my world right there. I felt lost and had no hope that I was going to be able to follow my dreams.So the doctor gave me what I asked for. A list of the major issues that I could/would deal with.
Possible health concerns with PCOS
-Can cause Infertility
- Weight gain (already had this)
- Obesity (was on my way there)
- Type 2 diabetes
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Sleep apnea
- Heart disease
So most the stuff on the list were already things that we had talked about, but hearing them again was heart braking. Now I have all the information, what do I do with it? How do I help myself get better and lose the weight and keep it off. The main thing that the doctor stressed was my diet.
Food and PCOS
- low carb
- high fiber
- low sugar
- load up on fruits and veggies
- eat 4 to 6 small meals a day instead of 3 big ones to help maintain the insulin levels in my system.
That to me didnt sound to bad. I could cut out the carbs and lower my sugar intake and start eating more during the day. I left the doctors office thinking I was going to be ok and that I would figure out how to make it all work.
About 4 months later I realized that I had gained about 30lbs and it seemed like it came on out of nowhere. I took a look at what I was eating and realized that I had not listened to anything that the doctor had told me. I was still eating only once a day and was still drinking soda. The meals that I was consuming where whatever fast food place was close by. Duh! This isnt going to help me lose the weight.
To make a long story short here is what I do today to make sure that my insulin levels are lower and that I am able to lose the weight and keep it off.
Before breakfast I take my Polyplus pills ( these are part of the PCOS system that I am on)
I do a 30 minute walk/run on my treadmill
For breakfast I have a protein shake so I am getting 48 grams of protein with my shake and have a small bowl of frozen fruit. With breakfast I take my rejuvaplus pills and my insulx pills (also part of the PCOS system).
About 2 hours after breakfast I will eat a small bowl of fruit again and take my Glucx pills (PCOS system)
For lunch I have another protein shake and a salad. I take the rejuvaplus and insulx again.
About another two hours after lunch I eat some nuts or fruit again taking the polyplus pills again.
Then for dinner I will do a small piece of meat, salad and some type of vegetable. I make sure that all my portions are small and I do not eat seconds.
Before bed I will have a piece of fruit to kick the sweet cravings I always get before bed and will take the glucx to end my day.
This is what has been working for me. I change up the salad, add different things to it everyday so that I dont get sick of it.
I hope that this will help give you ideas and information that you may have needed. I am always here if you have questions,comments, or concerns.
You can find more information at
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com
http://women.webmd.com/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-and-weight-gain
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
PCOS and Infertility
Most woman dream from the time that they are little about the big white wedding, the huge house with the picket fence and the 2.5 kids. Its the American Girls dream :). I was one of those girls for the most part. I wanted kids from the time I was little, watching my cousins having their babies and becoming amazing mom's. The older I got I started putting a plan together. I would be married by the time I was 22 and have 3 kids before I was 28. I had it all worked out...
Now at almost 30 I have been married for 6 years, so oops I missed that deadline I was married at 23 rather then 22. We have not been able to have kids as of yet because of the PCOS so I missed the other deadline as well. Good thing I did not put a lot of stock into my plans from when I was a little girl. Being heartbroken and depressed over it is all that I can handle, thinking that my dreams were never going to come true would be 10 times worse. The older I got I knew that I would get married when I was ready and that I would have kids when we were ready. Or so I thought, our wedding was beautiful and everything that I dreamed about. But now that we are coming up on our 6th wedding anniversary I look at our life and love everything about it, but I feel like something is missing. We have stable jobs, a roof over our heads, friends and family that we love, but we don't have any kids running around the house. We don't have to worry about what activities are coming up or school plays, or dance recitals or anything else like that. Some of our friends look at us and make comments like "man I wish our life was as easy as yours," " I wish we could pack up and go at a moments notice and not have to worry about what the kids have going on, or who's going to watch the kids for our date night." I know that all my friends who have kids are wonderful parents, they love their children very much and it show's everyday. But every now and then parents need a brake, to spend one on one time with the partner that they fell in love with. Looking at things from my point of view, I want to grab a hold of them and scream at the top of my lungs "I WANT YOUR LIFE"!!!
PCOS has taken the plans that I had and shattered them. But that doesnt mean that the dreams are gone and that there is no hope to making those dreams come true. Plans can be broken and shattered, but the dreams hold strong. I have found that hope and have been working on doing what needs to be done in order for our dreams to come true. Now that I have shared my thoughts on it I am going to give you some information on why PCOS makes it hard to get pregnant and a few things that may work to correct some of the problems that you may be having. Please keep in mind I do research all of the information that I put in my blog,but I am not a doctor so if you have questions about any of the medications and such please speak to your doctor about it.
Here is what I have learned about PCOS and infertility:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com
- Most woman with PCOS have 9 or fewer periods per year.
- Those periods are normally heavier in flow then a regular period is
- In a woman who has PCOS the ovaries are failing to produce the hormones that are needed to keep the menstrual cycle normal.
- Because Insulin resistance is the major cause of PCOS, it is also the cause of high levels of testosterone that keep woman from ovulating.
www.justmommies.com
- With PCOS woman have a harder time producing enough hormones to cause the follicles to mature enough to produce eggs.
- Progesterone is a hormone that allows the lining of the uterus to thicken, without progesterone a woman's cycle will be irregular or absent all together. The only way for the body to produce progesterone naturally is by ovulation, no ovulation no progesterone.
So there are a few of the reasons why woman with PCOS have a hard time getting pregnant, and a little explanation as to what is going on with our bodies. Next I am going to list a few of the different treatments out there that can/will help solve some of these problems. I have only found one that takes care of them all together.
1. Weight Loss
- Weight Loss can sometimes help to improve hormone imbalances and restore normal menses.
This has worked for me so far. The more weight that I lose the more balanced my periods have become. They are not as heavy and they are more regular. I will explain more on weight loss further down the list.
2. Metformin
- This helps your body use insulin better, with the better usage of insulin it cuts down the amount of male hormones in a woman's body.
- If it is successful then ovulation should resume
3. Clomid and other fertility drugs
- These drugs block the estrogen receptors in the brain. In doing this the brain thinks there are lower levels of estrogen, which triggers the body to produce more FSH and LH, which are the hormones that signal the body to ovulate.
4. Ovarian drilling
- This treatment is done by using a small needle to puncture tiny holes into the ovary. The electrical current that is used destroys a tiny part of the ovary.
- By doing this it may result in lowering the male hormone levels and may restore ovulation.
I don't know about you but that doesn't sound like anything that I would want done.
5. Surgically removing the cysts
- a day procedure where the surgeon goes in with a scalpel and removes all the cysts from the ovaries.
I had this done. I do not recommend that anybody goes through this unless they absolutely have no other option. Recovery time is almost a full year and in the end it did not help because my body just reproduced the cysts.
6. Insluite labs PCOS system
- an all natural system that consists of 4 different pills that you take at different times during the day.
- this system works on all aspects of PCOS at one time, rather then fixing a problem here and another one there.
I have been on this system for a while now. I have truly begun sticking to the program in the last month. I feel better then I have in a long time. The weight is coming off easier, I am not as depressed or anxious any more. I finally feel like I am getting back to the "normal" me. My periods are still a little off but they are getting better every month. This system is giving me hope that there will be children in my future and that I will one day be me again with out the complications.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to speak up. I want to hear from you and what has worked for you.
Here are some websites that you can go to, to get more information on anything that I spoke about above:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/
www.justmommies.com
Best wishes,
Tabitha
Now at almost 30 I have been married for 6 years, so oops I missed that deadline I was married at 23 rather then 22. We have not been able to have kids as of yet because of the PCOS so I missed the other deadline as well. Good thing I did not put a lot of stock into my plans from when I was a little girl. Being heartbroken and depressed over it is all that I can handle, thinking that my dreams were never going to come true would be 10 times worse. The older I got I knew that I would get married when I was ready and that I would have kids when we were ready. Or so I thought, our wedding was beautiful and everything that I dreamed about. But now that we are coming up on our 6th wedding anniversary I look at our life and love everything about it, but I feel like something is missing. We have stable jobs, a roof over our heads, friends and family that we love, but we don't have any kids running around the house. We don't have to worry about what activities are coming up or school plays, or dance recitals or anything else like that. Some of our friends look at us and make comments like "man I wish our life was as easy as yours," " I wish we could pack up and go at a moments notice and not have to worry about what the kids have going on, or who's going to watch the kids for our date night." I know that all my friends who have kids are wonderful parents, they love their children very much and it show's everyday. But every now and then parents need a brake, to spend one on one time with the partner that they fell in love with. Looking at things from my point of view, I want to grab a hold of them and scream at the top of my lungs "I WANT YOUR LIFE"!!!
PCOS has taken the plans that I had and shattered them. But that doesnt mean that the dreams are gone and that there is no hope to making those dreams come true. Plans can be broken and shattered, but the dreams hold strong. I have found that hope and have been working on doing what needs to be done in order for our dreams to come true. Now that I have shared my thoughts on it I am going to give you some information on why PCOS makes it hard to get pregnant and a few things that may work to correct some of the problems that you may be having. Please keep in mind I do research all of the information that I put in my blog,but I am not a doctor so if you have questions about any of the medications and such please speak to your doctor about it.
Here is what I have learned about PCOS and infertility:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com
- Most woman with PCOS have 9 or fewer periods per year.
- Those periods are normally heavier in flow then a regular period is
- In a woman who has PCOS the ovaries are failing to produce the hormones that are needed to keep the menstrual cycle normal.
- Because Insulin resistance is the major cause of PCOS, it is also the cause of high levels of testosterone that keep woman from ovulating.
www.justmommies.com
- With PCOS woman have a harder time producing enough hormones to cause the follicles to mature enough to produce eggs.
- Progesterone is a hormone that allows the lining of the uterus to thicken, without progesterone a woman's cycle will be irregular or absent all together. The only way for the body to produce progesterone naturally is by ovulation, no ovulation no progesterone.
So there are a few of the reasons why woman with PCOS have a hard time getting pregnant, and a little explanation as to what is going on with our bodies. Next I am going to list a few of the different treatments out there that can/will help solve some of these problems. I have only found one that takes care of them all together.
1. Weight Loss
- Weight Loss can sometimes help to improve hormone imbalances and restore normal menses.
This has worked for me so far. The more weight that I lose the more balanced my periods have become. They are not as heavy and they are more regular. I will explain more on weight loss further down the list.
2. Metformin
- This helps your body use insulin better, with the better usage of insulin it cuts down the amount of male hormones in a woman's body.
- If it is successful then ovulation should resume
3. Clomid and other fertility drugs
- These drugs block the estrogen receptors in the brain. In doing this the brain thinks there are lower levels of estrogen, which triggers the body to produce more FSH and LH, which are the hormones that signal the body to ovulate.
4. Ovarian drilling
- This treatment is done by using a small needle to puncture tiny holes into the ovary. The electrical current that is used destroys a tiny part of the ovary.
- By doing this it may result in lowering the male hormone levels and may restore ovulation.
I don't know about you but that doesn't sound like anything that I would want done.
5. Surgically removing the cysts
- a day procedure where the surgeon goes in with a scalpel and removes all the cysts from the ovaries.
I had this done. I do not recommend that anybody goes through this unless they absolutely have no other option. Recovery time is almost a full year and in the end it did not help because my body just reproduced the cysts.
6. Insluite labs PCOS system
- an all natural system that consists of 4 different pills that you take at different times during the day.
- this system works on all aspects of PCOS at one time, rather then fixing a problem here and another one there.
I have been on this system for a while now. I have truly begun sticking to the program in the last month. I feel better then I have in a long time. The weight is coming off easier, I am not as depressed or anxious any more. I finally feel like I am getting back to the "normal" me. My periods are still a little off but they are getting better every month. This system is giving me hope that there will be children in my future and that I will one day be me again with out the complications.
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to speak up. I want to hear from you and what has worked for you.
Here are some websites that you can go to, to get more information on anything that I spoke about above:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/
www.justmommies.com
Best wishes,
Tabitha
Monday, May 21, 2012
PCOS and Family
I am the type of person that runs and runs and runs. There are times that feel like I am the energizer bunny and never stop. This has always caused problems with the family. I was always told that I needed to slow down and relax, take life one day at a time. During my teenage years I was not able to find a happy medium of balancing out time with my family and what makes me happy. I was not able to find that until I was in my early twenties.
It seemed like a switch was flipped and I started to understand that family was more important then what I thought. But they did not understand what I was going through. The mood swings, the irritability, the pain, the depression, nobody understood that I was not making it up and that I was really suffering. I tried to explain to them what little I knew about it and they thought it was all an excuse for why I wasn't doing something. I could not get them to understand what was going on.
So how do you help people understand what is going on with you and how do you make them see that this is not something that you can control on your own?
For me it was easiest to print out the information that I found and have them read it. This gave them the information that was needed for them to start understanding what was going on in my body. The worse things got the more information I would share with my family. They started to understand that things weren't going to get better until I found a system that actually worked. When I found the PCOS system things started to change. I was able to get my hormones back on track and started feeling better, the mood swings were starting to go away and I just felt happier and healthier. As long as I followed the system and stayed on top of my food intake I started to feel better. When you start to feel better the people around you start to see it and it makes them feel better as well.
The worry and the concern that comes from your family can be stressful if they approach it the wrong way. So the best way that I found to get the help and support that I needed was to tell them what I needed and how I needed them to help me. Communication is the best way to get what you need and want from your family. Talk and Talk and keep talking until they get it. Let your voice be heard and reach out for the help that you need. Trying to handle everything that you are going through alone will sometimes make things harder for you.
Finding the support group, that works for you is very important when dealing with PCOS. Being able to talk with others and hear their stores, being able to hear their suggestions can sometimes lead you to the best possible treatment plan for you. It can give you ideas, and other medications that may work better for your body. Talk things over with someone you feel close to, someone who has your best interest at mind. Whether it is a family member, a close friend, someone in a blog or forum, whoever it is having that support will make things better and easier for you.
As always I am here if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you
Tabitha
It seemed like a switch was flipped and I started to understand that family was more important then what I thought. But they did not understand what I was going through. The mood swings, the irritability, the pain, the depression, nobody understood that I was not making it up and that I was really suffering. I tried to explain to them what little I knew about it and they thought it was all an excuse for why I wasn't doing something. I could not get them to understand what was going on.
So how do you help people understand what is going on with you and how do you make them see that this is not something that you can control on your own?
For me it was easiest to print out the information that I found and have them read it. This gave them the information that was needed for them to start understanding what was going on in my body. The worse things got the more information I would share with my family. They started to understand that things weren't going to get better until I found a system that actually worked. When I found the PCOS system things started to change. I was able to get my hormones back on track and started feeling better, the mood swings were starting to go away and I just felt happier and healthier. As long as I followed the system and stayed on top of my food intake I started to feel better. When you start to feel better the people around you start to see it and it makes them feel better as well.
The worry and the concern that comes from your family can be stressful if they approach it the wrong way. So the best way that I found to get the help and support that I needed was to tell them what I needed and how I needed them to help me. Communication is the best way to get what you need and want from your family. Talk and Talk and keep talking until they get it. Let your voice be heard and reach out for the help that you need. Trying to handle everything that you are going through alone will sometimes make things harder for you.
Finding the support group, that works for you is very important when dealing with PCOS. Being able to talk with others and hear their stores, being able to hear their suggestions can sometimes lead you to the best possible treatment plan for you. It can give you ideas, and other medications that may work better for your body. Talk things over with someone you feel close to, someone who has your best interest at mind. Whether it is a family member, a close friend, someone in a blog or forum, whoever it is having that support will make things better and easier for you.
As always I am here if you have any questions or concerns.
Thank you
Tabitha
Friday, May 18, 2012
PCOS and Food Addiction
Dealing with PCOS can also cause you to be addicted to some types of food. For me it has been sugar and carbs. I crave potatoes and bread and then the crazy craving for sugar. This can be devastating to your health, your attempt's to lose weight and the way that you feel in general. So how do you cope? How do you get past these cravings without giving up everything that you love to eat?
Coping with a food addiction is much like dealing with an addiction to alcohol or drugs. You hit that certain time in your day and you feel like you just have to have a sweet treat or maybe bread or potatoes. You feel like you just cant get your mind off of it and you need it right now. That's how it has felt for me. After dinner all I want is something sweet before I go to bed. With Dinner I want a potato or bread to go along with it. Knowing that by doing this I was tearing my body apart I had to find a different way to take care of the cravings. I started doing my research into what was a good carb that I liked that would allow me to trick my mind into thinking I was still getting the things I craved most. I found for me that when I crave a potato with dinner if I switch a regular potato which is loaded with bad carbs for a sweet potato that is loaded with good carbs it took care of my craving. I have basically reprogrammed my mind to think of sweet potatoes when I get the cravings for them. It has helped assist in my losing weight and getting over the cravings.
Its not always that easy for everyone. Another way to get over the cravings for the "bad" stuff is to slowly wean yourself off of it. This way your body does not throw you into major withdraws. Cut down the portion size. Instead of having a great big potato and a piece of bread, cut them in half and only eat half of it. Being that I love my carbs eating smaller portions for me was a struggle. I wanted all of it and if I did not eat all of it then I was thinking about the other half in the refrigerator. Especially if I was sitting at home not doing anything. I found at times that all I could think about was the food. I had to have it, it was almost like it was calling my name. I found that when I was craving the other half that was in the refrigerator if I would get a glass of ice cold water with a dash of lemon in it and drink the whole 8 oz the craving for the carbs would pass. I could think about other things and move forward, without the constant thought of food.
I don't know when it happened for me but somewhere along the way I realized that I was not craving the carbs like I had been. I had finally switched gears in my brain and now the carbs weren't as important. Here came the sugar cravings, all I wanted was jelly filled donuts, or skittles or whatever the craving was for the day. You go into the store to pick it up and being over weight you feel like everyone is judging you and talking about you in whispers. You feel uncomfortable and ashamed but you still don't put it back. That was me, I hated the way I felt and the looks that I would get when I was buying things that I really shouldn't be buying. My body demanded it so was it really that bad for me? I was just listening to my body..... I found out the hard way that I was not listening to my body the right way. I was diagnosed with Pre diabetes. Ok whoa scary thought, I did not want to have to worry about taking shots everyday and dealing with the doctors appointments and having to stick myself everyday to check my blood.... No way that wasn't for me.
Drastic life changes where in order. But how do you change everything that you have been doing your entire life? How do you get past those cravings? Again it was a matter of tricking the brain into thinking it was getting what it wanted when it was actually getting something much better for it. Now that I knew I wasn't listening to what my body really needed I started making changes. I would crave something sweet and would grab a piece of fruit like a grape or a cherry or peach, something that tasted sweet when I bit into it. My mind would think "Sweet yummy" and my body was saying thank you for giving it something that was natural sugar and not processed. I am still working on my struggle with the addiction to sweets. I find everyday that it lessens, I only crave sugary sweet stuff at night after dinner when I am relaxing on the couch and not really doing much. I get bored and automatically my thoughts go to sugar. So I get a glass of crystal light strawberry orange banana drink and that kicks the sweet craving.
I hope that through my trials and tribulations I am able to help you through yours. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or just want to know more about my diet and the way I cope with this on a daily basis please feel free to contact me any time.
Thank you
Tabitha
Coping with a food addiction is much like dealing with an addiction to alcohol or drugs. You hit that certain time in your day and you feel like you just have to have a sweet treat or maybe bread or potatoes. You feel like you just cant get your mind off of it and you need it right now. That's how it has felt for me. After dinner all I want is something sweet before I go to bed. With Dinner I want a potato or bread to go along with it. Knowing that by doing this I was tearing my body apart I had to find a different way to take care of the cravings. I started doing my research into what was a good carb that I liked that would allow me to trick my mind into thinking I was still getting the things I craved most. I found for me that when I crave a potato with dinner if I switch a regular potato which is loaded with bad carbs for a sweet potato that is loaded with good carbs it took care of my craving. I have basically reprogrammed my mind to think of sweet potatoes when I get the cravings for them. It has helped assist in my losing weight and getting over the cravings.
Its not always that easy for everyone. Another way to get over the cravings for the "bad" stuff is to slowly wean yourself off of it. This way your body does not throw you into major withdraws. Cut down the portion size. Instead of having a great big potato and a piece of bread, cut them in half and only eat half of it. Being that I love my carbs eating smaller portions for me was a struggle. I wanted all of it and if I did not eat all of it then I was thinking about the other half in the refrigerator. Especially if I was sitting at home not doing anything. I found at times that all I could think about was the food. I had to have it, it was almost like it was calling my name. I found that when I was craving the other half that was in the refrigerator if I would get a glass of ice cold water with a dash of lemon in it and drink the whole 8 oz the craving for the carbs would pass. I could think about other things and move forward, without the constant thought of food.
I don't know when it happened for me but somewhere along the way I realized that I was not craving the carbs like I had been. I had finally switched gears in my brain and now the carbs weren't as important. Here came the sugar cravings, all I wanted was jelly filled donuts, or skittles or whatever the craving was for the day. You go into the store to pick it up and being over weight you feel like everyone is judging you and talking about you in whispers. You feel uncomfortable and ashamed but you still don't put it back. That was me, I hated the way I felt and the looks that I would get when I was buying things that I really shouldn't be buying. My body demanded it so was it really that bad for me? I was just listening to my body..... I found out the hard way that I was not listening to my body the right way. I was diagnosed with Pre diabetes. Ok whoa scary thought, I did not want to have to worry about taking shots everyday and dealing with the doctors appointments and having to stick myself everyday to check my blood.... No way that wasn't for me.
Drastic life changes where in order. But how do you change everything that you have been doing your entire life? How do you get past those cravings? Again it was a matter of tricking the brain into thinking it was getting what it wanted when it was actually getting something much better for it. Now that I knew I wasn't listening to what my body really needed I started making changes. I would crave something sweet and would grab a piece of fruit like a grape or a cherry or peach, something that tasted sweet when I bit into it. My mind would think "Sweet yummy" and my body was saying thank you for giving it something that was natural sugar and not processed. I am still working on my struggle with the addiction to sweets. I find everyday that it lessens, I only crave sugary sweet stuff at night after dinner when I am relaxing on the couch and not really doing much. I get bored and automatically my thoughts go to sugar. So I get a glass of crystal light strawberry orange banana drink and that kicks the sweet craving.
I hope that through my trials and tribulations I am able to help you through yours. If you have any questions, comments, concerns or just want to know more about my diet and the way I cope with this on a daily basis please feel free to contact me any time.
Thank you
Tabitha
Guest Blog that I wrote for Rose-Ann Smith
I was asked by a friend to write a Guest Blog for her blog website, she has friends who are suffering with PCOS and asked me to share about our company and what we are doing for others. So here is the blog that I wrote for her.
Hello My name is Tabitha and I work for Insulite Labs as a
PCOS Angel. I love the company that I work for and the job that I do. Here’s
why:
At Insulite Labs
we are not focused on selling the product’s, it’s not about the marketing and
the sales it’s all about the Women. The main goal for us is reaching out and
getting the word out there that PCOS does exists and that there are ways to reverse
some of the side effects that come from it.
The PCOS Angels are a group of
women who all suffer from PCOS, women who have gone down the hard road of not
knowing what was wrong and having doctor after doctor tell them that this pill
or that treatment would work, and having none of them help. The pain, the
heartbreak, the frustrations, depression, anxiety and other health problems
that come from PCOS can tear you down to the point you are ready to give
up.
The PCOS Angels are
here to make sure that NO woman ever has to give up, that NO woman has to
suffer through the things that we have. We are here to support each and every
one of you with whatever issues you have. If you want information on what PCOS
is and what the symptoms are , we have that information and will gladly pass it
along to you and answer any questions that you might have. We have doctors who
are specialized in women’s health that are available to you at any time.
(Sometimes it takes 24 hours to respond because they are swamped right now, so
please be patient.) The company has put
together an amazing formula called the PCOS System. It is an all natural
formula that comes in 4 different pill forms. I have been on it for a few
months now and love what it is doing for me. You can read My Story on my blog
to find out what all I have been through and how it is helping me everyday
become the woman that I was before PCOS turned my life upside down.
If you need an ear
to listen, a shoulder to cry on, or just someone to rant and rave at about what
you are experiencing we are here for that. We are working on being the support that you
need in all aspects, from weight loss to infertility and everything in between.
Each of us has or is going through the same things that you are and have found ways
to work through them and get back to being healthy and happy. We want to share
this knowledge with you, to lend a helping hand with your battle with PCOS. No
matter what your circumstances are one of us will be able to help you through
it.
At Insulite labs we
are a big family, we support each other through everything that we are going
through, we work together to finds way’s that work the best to bring the
happiness back into our lives. We are all dedicated to making sure that each
woman out there has a chance at having a family, having strong social skills,
has a voice when it comes to her doctors, has the knowledge needed to get the help and treatments that
are going to work best for her.
Thank you
for taking the time to read about us and please know that I am available any
time and will answer any comments and questions that you may have. You can
reach me at any of the places listed below. May god bless you with health, happiness and the
knowledge you need.
Best Wishes,
Tabitha Norvell
936-232-3142
Thursday, May 17, 2012
PCOS and Depression
When I first learned that I had PCOS I took a look at what was going on in my life. I was depressed and had terrible mood swings. I would be happy go lucky and then ready to bite some ones head off. I could not figure out what was going on. I had never been that way before and I wasn't sure how to get it under control.
Does depression link in with PCOS. I believe it does, and have found information from other studies that have come to the same conclusion. So the questions then becomes are they related because of the hormonal imbalance or is it just a part of having PCOS? Do I have to live with it the rest of my life? Should I get on medication? Is there another way to control it?
To answer that first question is depression related because of the hormonal imbalance or is it just a part of having PCOS:
I am going to throw out a definition of what depression is: "Depression is a chemical imbalance of neuron receptors in the brain." ( PCOS and Depression Feb 9, 2010 Melissa Hesson)
I read this and the first thing that popped into my head was " wow not only are my female organs messed up, but now they are telling me that my mind is screwed up too. This day can't get any worse." So I did more research on it and kept asking questions. The conclusion that I finally came to, and please remember these are my thoughts and not those of a doctor, is that my hormones are way out of order with the PCOS, I have ups and downs with my emotions on a normal basis. So if my hormones and emotions are all over the place because of the PCOS who's to say that the depression I suffer from isnt happening because of the ups and downs in my hormones. Its going to affect the way my brain works and is going to cause different things to happen. So is Depression related to PCOS, in my mind and my opinions yes it is.
The second question on the list Do I have to live with it the rest of my life?
I asked myself this question many times, it was always " I dont want to live like this, I dont want to be this person, but how do I change it?
The answer to this one is not a simple yes or no answer. There are a lot of things that are going to play into this. Do you really want to change your life? Are you ready for the commitment its going to take to travel down this road. I thought I was ready to go, I was going to fight this thing and I was going to win no matter what. It worked for about two months and then life got tough again and I was back where I started from.
For me it wasnt about the commitment, when I commit to something I stick to it, I finish what I start. It may take me a few times to leave it and then come back to it, but I always finish what I start. I found that while I was fighting the depression and trying to figure out how to live my life around PCOS and the things I needed to do to become healthy and happy again, my family did not understand what was wrong with me. They all thought that I was over exaggerating my symptoms and that I just wanted attention. That made me even more depressed, and of course it started the thought process of "well maybe I am over exaggerating how I am feeling, if I cowgirl up like my dad always tells me too, maybe I can fight this thing once and for all." I spent years telling myself that, trying to convince my body that I didn't have it as bad as the doctors kept telling me I did. It was all in my head. During that time I was reaching out and helping everybody that I could with whatever they needed. It was my way of trying to reach out for help myself and keep my mind off of what was going on with my body. I became second on my list of who I take care of and everyone else became first. In that time frame which was about three years I gained over 150 lbs, and I finally stopped caring what I looked like, how I felt, and stopped hanging out with friends and family. I went to work came home, cleaned my house, cooked dinner and hid out in my room away from everyone. Not a good way to live your life, I lost who I was and who I wanted to be.
So back to the question is it something that I will have to live with for the rest of my life? For me the answer now is NO, I don't have to live that way and neither do you. I have found for me the support of close friends, family who now truly understand what I am going through only because I took the time out and showed them the information about PCOS and about Depression, my Doctors and the support I have from other women out there who are also suffering through it, I can finally start living again. Its not easy but with the help of everyone, taking the PCOS system, eating right and doing a low impact work out I am feeling better and the symptoms are slowly starting to go away. Its going to take time and dedication, but I am now living for me and not anybody else.
The questions regarding medication and are there other ways to treat it:
This question I cant answer for you, for some women depression medication may be the only thing that truly helps, for others treating the PCOS first can and sometimes will take care of the depression issues, and then support groups and friends and family may help other women.
The answer to this question for me was one I fought with for a while. I was on an anti depressant and hated the way it made me feel, I was tired all the time and my head felt like it was clouded and I couldn't think straight. I wanted something different, I wanted something that would help the symptoms of both the PCOS and the depression that made me feel alive and not like a walking zombie. So I did a lot of research, I tried a lot of different things, from meditation to therapy. What I found worked for me was the PCOS system that allowed all my health issues to be addressed at one time. I take the pills everyday and feel like I am living again, I feel full of life and ready to go each day. Then I started reaching out to other women who were going through the same thing and realized that helping them and them helping me was also a big part of feeling better. Being able to find my voice and tell the world about what I am going through and being able to pass that on to other people was a huge thing for me.
So in my opinion sometimes medications from your doctor are going to help and make things better, sometimes all natural remedies are going to work for you. The only way to find out is to talk to your doctor, really sit down and look inside yourself and decide what you want and how you want to do it, then move forward with your decision and stick to it. There is help out there no matter what way you decide to go about it.
I will be here for you through every step of it, any questions, comments or concerns about it please feel free to speak up.
Thank you
Tabitha
Does depression link in with PCOS. I believe it does, and have found information from other studies that have come to the same conclusion. So the questions then becomes are they related because of the hormonal imbalance or is it just a part of having PCOS? Do I have to live with it the rest of my life? Should I get on medication? Is there another way to control it?
To answer that first question is depression related because of the hormonal imbalance or is it just a part of having PCOS:
I am going to throw out a definition of what depression is: "Depression is a chemical imbalance of neuron receptors in the brain." ( PCOS and Depression Feb 9, 2010 Melissa Hesson)
I read this and the first thing that popped into my head was " wow not only are my female organs messed up, but now they are telling me that my mind is screwed up too. This day can't get any worse." So I did more research on it and kept asking questions. The conclusion that I finally came to, and please remember these are my thoughts and not those of a doctor, is that my hormones are way out of order with the PCOS, I have ups and downs with my emotions on a normal basis. So if my hormones and emotions are all over the place because of the PCOS who's to say that the depression I suffer from isnt happening because of the ups and downs in my hormones. Its going to affect the way my brain works and is going to cause different things to happen. So is Depression related to PCOS, in my mind and my opinions yes it is.
The second question on the list Do I have to live with it the rest of my life?
I asked myself this question many times, it was always " I dont want to live like this, I dont want to be this person, but how do I change it?
The answer to this one is not a simple yes or no answer. There are a lot of things that are going to play into this. Do you really want to change your life? Are you ready for the commitment its going to take to travel down this road. I thought I was ready to go, I was going to fight this thing and I was going to win no matter what. It worked for about two months and then life got tough again and I was back where I started from.
For me it wasnt about the commitment, when I commit to something I stick to it, I finish what I start. It may take me a few times to leave it and then come back to it, but I always finish what I start. I found that while I was fighting the depression and trying to figure out how to live my life around PCOS and the things I needed to do to become healthy and happy again, my family did not understand what was wrong with me. They all thought that I was over exaggerating my symptoms and that I just wanted attention. That made me even more depressed, and of course it started the thought process of "well maybe I am over exaggerating how I am feeling, if I cowgirl up like my dad always tells me too, maybe I can fight this thing once and for all." I spent years telling myself that, trying to convince my body that I didn't have it as bad as the doctors kept telling me I did. It was all in my head. During that time I was reaching out and helping everybody that I could with whatever they needed. It was my way of trying to reach out for help myself and keep my mind off of what was going on with my body. I became second on my list of who I take care of and everyone else became first. In that time frame which was about three years I gained over 150 lbs, and I finally stopped caring what I looked like, how I felt, and stopped hanging out with friends and family. I went to work came home, cleaned my house, cooked dinner and hid out in my room away from everyone. Not a good way to live your life, I lost who I was and who I wanted to be.
So back to the question is it something that I will have to live with for the rest of my life? For me the answer now is NO, I don't have to live that way and neither do you. I have found for me the support of close friends, family who now truly understand what I am going through only because I took the time out and showed them the information about PCOS and about Depression, my Doctors and the support I have from other women out there who are also suffering through it, I can finally start living again. Its not easy but with the help of everyone, taking the PCOS system, eating right and doing a low impact work out I am feeling better and the symptoms are slowly starting to go away. Its going to take time and dedication, but I am now living for me and not anybody else.
The questions regarding medication and are there other ways to treat it:
This question I cant answer for you, for some women depression medication may be the only thing that truly helps, for others treating the PCOS first can and sometimes will take care of the depression issues, and then support groups and friends and family may help other women.
The answer to this question for me was one I fought with for a while. I was on an anti depressant and hated the way it made me feel, I was tired all the time and my head felt like it was clouded and I couldn't think straight. I wanted something different, I wanted something that would help the symptoms of both the PCOS and the depression that made me feel alive and not like a walking zombie. So I did a lot of research, I tried a lot of different things, from meditation to therapy. What I found worked for me was the PCOS system that allowed all my health issues to be addressed at one time. I take the pills everyday and feel like I am living again, I feel full of life and ready to go each day. Then I started reaching out to other women who were going through the same thing and realized that helping them and them helping me was also a big part of feeling better. Being able to find my voice and tell the world about what I am going through and being able to pass that on to other people was a huge thing for me.
So in my opinion sometimes medications from your doctor are going to help and make things better, sometimes all natural remedies are going to work for you. The only way to find out is to talk to your doctor, really sit down and look inside yourself and decide what you want and how you want to do it, then move forward with your decision and stick to it. There is help out there no matter what way you decide to go about it.
I will be here for you through every step of it, any questions, comments or concerns about it please feel free to speak up.
Thank you
Tabitha
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
My Story
Here's my story of PCOS and how I have dealt with the frustrations and the heart brake.
At 15 years old I started having "female" issues, as the doctors called it then. My period stopped coming regularly and when it did come my cramps where so bad that I would curl up in a ball and miss a full week of school because I just couldn't move. I tried everything from birth control pills to different meds and finally at the age of 18 it just stopped. I went years with out having a period and at the time I was so grateful I wasn't dealing with the pain and the suffering any more.
At age 21 I went in and saw the doctor starting to get worried about what could be wrong with me. I wanted to have kids and was worried that because my body was not "acting" right that I may never be able to do that. So scared out of my mind I saw an obgyn. He swore up and down that nothing was wrong and that it was because I was over weight. He put me on birth control pills and told me that would fix the problem. So listening to my doctor I jumped on the band wagon. I started taking the bc (birth Control) and to my amazement with in 2 weeks I had a period. Thinking my luck was changing I was excited about it. That lasted about 6 months, having my period for two weeks and then not for two days and then it starting again was enough for me. I took my self off the pills and went back to the doctor. It took them another form of bc and multiple doctors visits and a ton of tests and about 6 months later I finally got the answer. It was PCOS and I would not be having kids and I might as well go through surgery and have everything removed.
So at 22 years old I was looking at my husband to be with tears in my eyes telling him our dream of having kids was not going to happen. Not sure where to turn next and not really having a hope in the world, I left things alone for about 3 years, before I started doing research on PCOS thinking there had to be an answer. I came across Insulite labs. I thought "hey what can it hurt to try something natural" instead of all the other drugs the doctors wanted me to take. I ordered the product and started taking it. I felt great and was finally feeling like there was hope. Then I lost my job and wasn't able to afford the system any more. Lets add heart ache to depression here. I went another year without any help for the problems. I ended up in the er with really bad cramps and the doctor told me he didn't know how to help other then give me pain killers for it. So back to the Obgyn to see if I could get any answers there. His solution was surgery. I had 60 cysts removed off my ovaries and was told after that everything would be just fine. 6 months later I finally started my period, being excited all over again that things were working right again and I could have kids and everything would work out. That lasted about 6 months and then things started to fall apart again.
I have been dealing with depression, anxiety and massive facial hair. I struggle with my weight everyday. I have changed my lifestyle and the way that I eat. I felt like there was no hope, and I would never be able to be the woman that I wanted to be. Its frustrating and confusing and all around you feel like you are losing yourself to this disorder.
So here we are 2 and a half years from my surgery, I am back on the PCOS system through insulite labs and am feeling better, and my body is starting to work right again. YAY!!!! It is fantastic how good I feel and how much more energy I have. I have lost about 15lbs and am slowly working my way to where I need to be. I have a long way to go but I have faith in the system and hope that one day I will be a mom.
The system itself is takes a lot of commitment, but it is worth every step. I have watched people get on it just to give up when they weren't seeing results right away, or when the food change got to be to rough. I have learned that this system takes time, my body did not change over night with PCOS and its not going to change back over night. I am more alert,focused and overall a happier person when I am on the PCOS system with Insulite.I don't have the massive mood swings and I am not afraid to go out into public any more.
That is my story in a nut shell. If you are suffering from any of these issues or know somebody who is please feel free to contact me. I am here for support in any way that is needed. My ultimate goal is to help as many women as I can find the relief and comfort through their battle with PCOS.
For more information on the PCOS system through Insulite Labs go to http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/
At 15 years old I started having "female" issues, as the doctors called it then. My period stopped coming regularly and when it did come my cramps where so bad that I would curl up in a ball and miss a full week of school because I just couldn't move. I tried everything from birth control pills to different meds and finally at the age of 18 it just stopped. I went years with out having a period and at the time I was so grateful I wasn't dealing with the pain and the suffering any more.
At age 21 I went in and saw the doctor starting to get worried about what could be wrong with me. I wanted to have kids and was worried that because my body was not "acting" right that I may never be able to do that. So scared out of my mind I saw an obgyn. He swore up and down that nothing was wrong and that it was because I was over weight. He put me on birth control pills and told me that would fix the problem. So listening to my doctor I jumped on the band wagon. I started taking the bc (birth Control) and to my amazement with in 2 weeks I had a period. Thinking my luck was changing I was excited about it. That lasted about 6 months, having my period for two weeks and then not for two days and then it starting again was enough for me. I took my self off the pills and went back to the doctor. It took them another form of bc and multiple doctors visits and a ton of tests and about 6 months later I finally got the answer. It was PCOS and I would not be having kids and I might as well go through surgery and have everything removed.
So at 22 years old I was looking at my husband to be with tears in my eyes telling him our dream of having kids was not going to happen. Not sure where to turn next and not really having a hope in the world, I left things alone for about 3 years, before I started doing research on PCOS thinking there had to be an answer. I came across Insulite labs. I thought "hey what can it hurt to try something natural" instead of all the other drugs the doctors wanted me to take. I ordered the product and started taking it. I felt great and was finally feeling like there was hope. Then I lost my job and wasn't able to afford the system any more. Lets add heart ache to depression here. I went another year without any help for the problems. I ended up in the er with really bad cramps and the doctor told me he didn't know how to help other then give me pain killers for it. So back to the Obgyn to see if I could get any answers there. His solution was surgery. I had 60 cysts removed off my ovaries and was told after that everything would be just fine. 6 months later I finally started my period, being excited all over again that things were working right again and I could have kids and everything would work out. That lasted about 6 months and then things started to fall apart again.
I have been dealing with depression, anxiety and massive facial hair. I struggle with my weight everyday. I have changed my lifestyle and the way that I eat. I felt like there was no hope, and I would never be able to be the woman that I wanted to be. Its frustrating and confusing and all around you feel like you are losing yourself to this disorder.
So here we are 2 and a half years from my surgery, I am back on the PCOS system through insulite labs and am feeling better, and my body is starting to work right again. YAY!!!! It is fantastic how good I feel and how much more energy I have. I have lost about 15lbs and am slowly working my way to where I need to be. I have a long way to go but I have faith in the system and hope that one day I will be a mom.
The system itself is takes a lot of commitment, but it is worth every step. I have watched people get on it just to give up when they weren't seeing results right away, or when the food change got to be to rough. I have learned that this system takes time, my body did not change over night with PCOS and its not going to change back over night. I am more alert,focused and overall a happier person when I am on the PCOS system with Insulite.I don't have the massive mood swings and I am not afraid to go out into public any more.
That is my story in a nut shell. If you are suffering from any of these issues or know somebody who is please feel free to contact me. I am here for support in any way that is needed. My ultimate goal is to help as many women as I can find the relief and comfort through their battle with PCOS.
For more information on the PCOS system through Insulite Labs go to http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
What is PCOS
What is PCOS?
Pcos stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
- PCOS is the most common hormonal disorder in females today.
- It is characterized by abnormal ovarian cysts.
- The hormonal imbalance is normally brought on by Insulin Resistance.
Some of the symptoms for PCOS are:
* excessive weight gain and/or obesity
* irregular, heavy or completely absent periods
* Ovarian cysts
* excessive facial hair and/or body hair
* male pattern baldness
* acne
* skin tags
* high cholesterol levels
* exhaustion or lack of mental alertness
* decreased sex drive and excess male hormones
* sleep apnea
* thyroid disorders
* depression and anxiety.
You can learn more about what PCOS is and more information on the symptoms at:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com
www.webmd.com
Pcos stands for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.
- PCOS is the most common hormonal disorder in females today.
- It is characterized by abnormal ovarian cysts.
- The hormonal imbalance is normally brought on by Insulin Resistance.
Some of the symptoms for PCOS are:
* excessive weight gain and/or obesity
* irregular, heavy or completely absent periods
* Ovarian cysts
* excessive facial hair and/or body hair
* male pattern baldness
* acne
* skin tags
* high cholesterol levels
* exhaustion or lack of mental alertness
* decreased sex drive and excess male hormones
* sleep apnea
* thyroid disorders
* depression and anxiety.
You can learn more about what PCOS is and more information on the symptoms at:
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com
www.webmd.com
Welcome
Hello My name is Tabitha. I have had PCOS since I was 15 years old, so we are going on 15 years now. Anybody who has had to deal with PCOS knows what a battle it can be. I will tell my story in another post, this one is just to give everybody some information on what this blog is for.
I work for an amazing company that is reaching out to women all over the world, giving them whatever support they need, any information that they need, and trying to answer questions that you may have.
This blog is open to any one, I will be posting information about different medications, natural ways to help the fight against PCOS, listing possible alternatives for treatment and putting up different websites that have good reliable information for PCOS and all the different side affects that we have to deal with.
I look forward to speaking to you and helping each one of you through your battle and watching you grow and become healthy, happy woman!
Best of wishes,
Tabitha
I work for an amazing company that is reaching out to women all over the world, giving them whatever support they need, any information that they need, and trying to answer questions that you may have.
This blog is open to any one, I will be posting information about different medications, natural ways to help the fight against PCOS, listing possible alternatives for treatment and putting up different websites that have good reliable information for PCOS and all the different side affects that we have to deal with.
I look forward to speaking to you and helping each one of you through your battle and watching you grow and become healthy, happy woman!
Best of wishes,
Tabitha
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)