PCOS- What works?
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Perhaps before we continue...
Have you both ever heard of this concept, by chance?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=thread+hijacking0 -
As for your assertion not all women with PCOS are insulin-resistant - I dispute that, as it's the major factor in almost all the complications of the disorder. Just because you may have very little insulin-resistance, and it's not manifesting itself in glycaemic tests yet, doesn't mean you don't have insulin-resistance. It just means it's not as advanced. Without proper treatment, insulin-resistance is a deteriorating condition.
Eh, while I agree with most of the information you've posted, there is actually emerging evidence that there is a type of PCOS that isn't insulin resistant. This supports/is supported by the fact that a significant portion of women with PCOS don't respond to Metformin. Some sources say there are two types, some say there are as many as 5, more information is still needed on this front, but it's pretty clear that there are at least two -- with and without insulin resistance. The insulin resistance is often the underlying cause of the other issues in those with PCOS with IR, but the issues for those that aren't are often at least partially caused by insufficient estrogen or progesterone production (the underlying cause of that is as yet unknown). Thyroid issues also seem to be a comorbid in a number of cases (hinting at the possibility of a third type).
That said, I still favor carb restriction, since 300g+ or 50% calories from carbs is overkill for the vast majority of people, and is doing our entire population as a whole, PCOS or not, a disservice to our health. It need not be to ketogenic levels, but I do think that the ballpark of 150g is ample for most people (and is easily obtained simply by cutting out the processed crap and limiting intake of starchy carb sources), if for no other reason than to keep triglycerides down and HDL up.0 -
As for your assertion not all women with PCOS are insulin-resistant - I dispute that, as it's the major factor in almost all the complications of the disorder. Just because you may have very little insulin-resistance, and it's not manifesting itself in glycaemic tests yet, doesn't mean you don't have insulin-resistance. It just means it's not as advanced. Without proper treatment, insulin-resistance is a deteriorating condition.
Eh, while I agree with most of the information you've posted, there is actually emerging evidence that there is a type of PCOS that isn't insulin resistant. This supports/is supported by the fact that a significant portion of women with PCOS don't respond to Metformin. Some sources say there are two types, some say there are as many as 5, more information is still needed on this front, but it's pretty clear that there are at least two -- with and without insulin resistance. The insulin resistance is often the underlying cause of the other issues in those with PCOS with IR, but the issues for those that aren't are often at least partially caused by insufficient estrogen or progesterone production (the underlying cause of that is as yet unknown). Thyroid issues also seem to be a comorbid in a number of cases (hinting at the possibility of a third type).
That said, I still favor carb restriction, since 300g+ or 50% calories from carbs is overkill for the vast majority of people, and is doing our entire population as a whole, PCOS or not, a disservice to our health. It need not be to ketogenic levels, but I do think that the ballpark of 150g is ample for most people (and is easily obtained simply by cutting out the processed crap and limiting intake of starchy carb sources), if for no other reason than to keep triglycerides down and HDL up.
^^^ THIS!!! I like you, Dragonwolf, I really do... Thanks for pointing out that not every PCOS woman has the exact same profile - so there's likely no one perfect solution for PCOS. I'm PCOS and *not* IR. Also not hypothyroid. I have benefitted from a lower-carb diet (almost exactly what you are suggesting) for the reasons you have stated.0 -
Perhaps before we continue...
Have you both ever heard of this concept, by chance?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=thread+hijacking
It's pertinent to the OP, though maybe more comprehensive than the original question seemed to want. I don't see why it would be considered hijacking. It hasn't gone off-topic like the majority of other long-ish threads on MFP... in fact, it's curiously stayed topical for a thread here.
ETA: I should add that "low-carb" for me is the traditionally defined 20-or-so percent carb intake.
150g is moderate. I also consider the 200g I take in, on average, to be moderate.0 -
I love how dieticians are clueless, drs are clueless, peer reviewed medical studies are clueless, national health organisations are old school and advocating disastrous diets, but a telephone review over a total of 25 people funded by Atkins, must be unbiased. I just honestly hope that the OP and any one else researching about PCOS or any other health issue, gets an appointment with their dr, not rely on internet forums...
Also one thing that really really really annoys me:
When people claim to be nutrition experts, with decades of research to back this up, yet their tickers indicate a big weight loss (which means a big weight gain in the past to begin with). No offence, but this makes no sense. Someone with such a deep personal interest in nutrition which starts decades in the past, should not end up overweight to begin with, no? Hardcore enthusiasts for any lifestyle, when their ticker indicates a recent big weight loss, they do not convince me they are not just new enthusiasts convinced they found the magic cure for all, or that their lifestyle was not that easy to follow or effective to begin with, for them.
Sure, if you have 100+ lbs to lose and lose them, your diabetes will get under control. If you do this on a ketogenic diet, or a "eat beans, sardines and pineapple only" diet, or whatever else seems appealing at the time, the results will be the same. This still does not make the specific diet any more magical and all drs clueless. It just proves what drs have been saying for decades: obesity and no exercise causes diabetes, lose weight, and this will control your blood sugar.
Unfortunately, a great percentage of doctors are clueless when it comes to PCOS. Go to a PCOS board and ask how many had to fight with doctors to even get them to run tests. I can pretty much guarantee that a good 90% of them had to at least talk their doctor into it (we're not even talking treatment, here, just blood tests), if they didn't have to fire their doctor and find another. I've seen some women go through half a dozen doctors before they could find one that would actually help them.
As I recall, general doctors only get about 25 hours worth of nutrition education, and most of information for which is politically motivated in one way or another. As someone mentioned, they still teach the lipid hypothesis as though it were fact, despite the fact that it has been disproven time and time again for the past 50 years (including in the well-renowned Framingham Heart Study). Why? Because of all the politics intertwined in medicine.
The lipid hypothesis came about, because Ancel Keys put out a couple of studies that supposedly proved that saturated fat = high cholesterol = heart disease. It was heavily cherry-picked to support the conclusion he had already come to (which gave rise to the so-called "French Paradox," "Inuit Paradox," and others, which are really only paradoxes if Keys' conclusion was legitimately true, and of course, his conclusion wouldn't be true if those high-fat, low-disease groups were included in the studies), but the media got a hold of it, and eventually Congress got a hold of it. Before you knew it, you have the USDA food pyramid, saying to get 6-11 servings of grain a day, avoid fats in general, and replace saturated fats with trans fats. It wasn't until a few decades later that the USDA realized that trans fats weren't so healthy after all, but instead of questioning the basis for the original recommendation (Keys' "research"), they simply band-aided their recommendations to "replace saturated and trans fats with polyunsaturated fats."
You also have a disease that affects nearly a third of the adult US population and only continues to deteriorate when following medical advice, to the point that people are seriously considering using gastric bypass as a legitimate treatment (some say "cure") for. I kid you not.
On a side note, it's unbecoming to resort to ad hominem attacks.0 -
Perhaps before we continue...
Have you both ever heard of this concept, by chance?
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=thread+hijacking
It's pertinent to the OP, though maybe more comprehensive than the original question seemed to want. I don't see why it would be considered hijacking. It hasn't gone off-topic like the majority of other long-ish threads on MFP... in fact, it's curiously stayed topical for a thread here.
ETA: I should add that "low-carb" for me is the traditionally defined 20-or-so percent carb intake.
150g is moderate. I also consider the 200g I take in, on average, to be moderate.
Yeah, I think that's one issue, too. "Low-carb" means different things to different people. A lot of people think low-carb = ketogenic, but that's actually not the case.
The exact numbers are different, depending on source, but from what I've seen, anything under about 150g is considered "low carb," and anything under 50g is "ketogenic." I personally favor a range closer to 100g for the upper end, which is still pretty easily attainable, while providing a lot of benefits of controlled insulin and glucose.0 -
Yeah, I think that's one issue, too. "Low-carb" means different things to different people. A lot of people think low-carb = ketogenic, but that's actually not the case.
The exact numbers are different, depending on source, but from what I've seen, anything under about 150g is considered "low carb," and anything under 50g is "ketogenic." I personally favor a range closer to 100g for the upper end, which is still pretty easily attainable, while providing a lot of benefits of controlled insulin and glucose.
This is true.
100g is counting NET carb intake, not total though, right?0 -
Yeah, I think that's one issue, too. "Low-carb" means different things to different people. A lot of people think low-carb = ketogenic, but that's actually not the case.
The exact numbers are different, depending on source, but from what I've seen, anything under about 150g is considered "low carb," and anything under 50g is "ketogenic." I personally favor a range closer to 100g for the upper end, which is still pretty easily attainable, while providing a lot of benefits of controlled insulin and glucose.
This is true.
100g is counting NET carb intake, not total though, right?
Haha, then there's that, too. I don't do the net carb thing, just total carbs. To my knowledge, most of the sources I've seen that have the numbers I mentioned are using total carbs, but I could be wrong.0 -
It's definitely a confounding subject to discuss just using the words "low-carb or keto" alone, haha.
For me, personally, a low-carb high-fat diet doesn't work at all mainly due to having lost my gallbladder. A diet too high in fat can cause similar pain to what I had prior to having my gallbladder removed, and in general I can't eat that many calories in protein to make up the difference. Well, I can, but it's uncomfortable, lol.
I've read somewhere, might have to find it again to make absolutely sure, that women with PCOS are also at greater risk of developing gallstones... particularly during pregnancy (might be attributed to gestational diabetes). Moderate to high fat diets seem to help prevent this from happening, so that's a plus for the moderate-/high-fat diet approach.0 -
It's entirely feasible for someone to have insulin-resistance with no symptoms manifesting in glycaemic control yet. As mentioned, levels of insulin-resistance varies and it deteriorates over time if not controlled.Perhaps I do have an issue with reading. But you seem to be making contradictory statements, so that might explain it.
...
Perhaps before we continue, you might want to clear that up?
It's the same with me - I'm a diabetic, yet i have absolutely normal, non-diabetic HbA1c levels. If I were to see another physician tomorrow with no knowledge of my medical history, they could run lab tests and never diagnose me as diabetic. (Unless, of course, they were to run an OGGT - but that's a HUGE rarity for physical exams.)
A woman with PCOS may say she's not insulin-resistant - but it's very possible she's simply not manifesting the symptoms of it. She may never if she maintains healthy control - it may never deteriorate to the point it shows as glycaemic problems.
I don't appear to have insulin-resistance - yet I do. That's the point I'm getting at.
For those who mentioned not being helped by metformin - there's also a subset of Type II diabetics not helped by it. Nobody is really sure why at this point. It *would* be nice to know. That doesn't mean those diabetics aren't insulin-resistant either.
Again, you keep stating it's NOT the best diet. I must stress that's your opinion - if manifesting signs of insulin-resistance it most certainly IS the best diet. That's all I've ever said.... As I said to someone else, if it was the case that low-carb was best for PCOS sufferers, I would be advocating it too. It just simply is not.
/end hijack0 -
Don't be afraid to see a doctor for PCOS treatment. I've been taking spironolactone to control the hirsutism for about a year and it's no longer an issue for me. Since you are already confident you have PCOS being diagnosed officially won't be so bad, and seeing a doctor will help with treating the symptoms.0
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Also one thing that really really really annoys me:
When people claim to be nutrition experts, with decades of research to back this up, yet their tickers indicate a big weight loss (which means a big weight gain in the past to begin with). No offence, but this makes no sense. Someone with such a deep personal interest in nutrition which starts decades in the past, should not end up overweight to begin with, no? Hardcore enthusiasts for any lifestyle, when their ticker indicates a recent big weight loss, they do not convince me they are not just new enthusiasts convinced they found the magic cure for all, or that their lifestyle was not that easy to follow or effective to begin with, for them.
^^ This. is. excellent. I could not have written it so nicely.
I have PCOS as well, diagnosed in 2008, but in reality i have it since 2001. Other than metformin, doctors don't give ****. not even the endo.
they say the same lose weight and your hormones will balance out.
PCOS gives me incredible sugar cravings and i have to admit i am a sugar addict. I also found when i am on my good days i eat moderate carbs and feel fine. when (rarely, unfortunatey) i eat low carb, the next day i feel wonderful, no craving, nicer clearer skin, good focus/improved concentration. I like this Atkins guy more and more. I am trying to switch to that type of diet because it seems to work. i just need to be more strict.
when i eat lots of carbs like today (*blushing*) i feel anxious, bite my nails, lips, can't focus and crave carbs even more. this is an evil circle.
I would also note, when i was ~200lbs i still had severe hirsutism and this obviously hasn't improved when i gained even more weight due to depression and ignorance. on the other hand it did not get worse, even when i got to 260lbs.
also, the other day i saw a pretty lady (healthy bmi) at school and i sat next to her when we were discussing a project and i did not want to believe my eyes how long her hairs on her neck were, and i thought to myself 'at least every other day you should shave'
:sad: so what i am trying to say is even if i lose weight it doesn't mean all my hormones will be balanced out. -> i might be remain hairy even if i will be a health weight. *sigh*. soo hard.
And. a bit off track but i write it, it might help somebody. laser hair removal doesn't work for me. learning it was such a disappointment for me. i threw away loads of money. next time i throw it out the window. pcos sucks.0 -
I have sat here and read every posting in this thread. I too have PCOS, I was diagnosed over 20 years ago. I am very well, self educated on the subject. As for insulin resistance, not everyone with PCOS has insulin resistance. I, in fact am just the opposite, my sugar levels run too low. While I was pregnant, I was told to increase my carbohydrates to get my insulin up to a more favorable level. I live a very low carb lifestyle....20 carbs or less per day. It becomes easier to live this lifestyle over time. Did I give up cake, cookies and ice cream completely, Ummm...No!! I do enjoy an occasional treat, within moderation. Calorie counting alone works, yes, it worked for me at one point, but I found that gaining the weight back was unfortunately, was easier. I am losing weight, but not the typical 8-10 pounds on average that a lot of others lose. I lose on average, 3-6 pounds a month. Living a LC lifestyle makes me feel healthier, and more energetic. I guess what I am saying is, that everyone is different, and it is all about trial and error. What works for one may not work for others.0
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This research study on losing weight with PCOS advocates eating most of your calories at breakfast for weight loss http://scopeblog.stanford.edu/2013/08/13/study-shows-bigger-breakfast-may-help-women-with-pcos-manage-symptoms/
Eating in that pattern decreases insulin & testosterone levels, which is good if you have PCOS! And you can definitely manage PCOS well with weight loss IF you're obese. There is a smaller contingent of women with PCOS who are thin, so it clearly doesn't always diminish with weight loss.
If I were you, I'd get my hormones measured as a baseline. You can still choose to decline treatment and work on your weight loss instead. It's important to see how YOUR hormones change over time, not simply how they compare to average values.0 -
I have sat here and read every posting in this thread. I too have PCOS, I was diagnosed over 20 years ago. I am very well, self educated on the subject. As for insulin resistance, not everyone with PCOS has insulin resistance. I, in fact am just the opposite, my sugar levels run too low. While I was pregnant, I was told to increase my carbohydrates to get my insulin up to a more favorable level. I live a very low carb lifestyle....20 carbs or less per day. It becomes easier to live this lifestyle over time. Did I give up cake, cookies and ice cream completely, Ummm...No!! I do enjoy an occasional treat, within moderation. Calorie counting alone works, yes, it worked for me at one point, but I found that gaining the weight back was unfortunately, was easier. I am losing weight, but not the typical 8-10 pounds on average that a lot of others lose. I lose on average, 3-6 pounds a month. Living a LC lifestyle makes me feel healthier, and more energetic. I guess what I am saying is, that everyone is different, and it is all about trial and error. What works for one may not work for others.
My insulin resistance was diagnosed by my LOW blood sugar. Insulin resistance has to do with increased levels of insulin and not necessarily blood glucose levels. Every person is different, that's one thing we can all agree upon. I also have sky high triglycerides and cholesterol but my doctors never treat it because I'm not overweight. The first doctor who diagnosed my hyperlipidemia said I'd probably have my first heart attack before age 50. I'm getting up there... they still won't treat it.
You can Google "insulin resistance and hypoglycemia" and you can see that they go hand in hand.0 -
I have pcos and have no insulin resistance. My blood sugar levels are very good, its my hormones that are out of wack, or used to be. I take synthoid for my hypothyroidism 88mg, two pills on sunday and thursday one all other days in the morning. And then I also take Viorelle birth control. I used to be on loestrin and my body was regulated to it but it was discontinued so I'm on Viorelle. Maybe its because they caught it when I was 17, but overall I am pretty healthy, my cholesterol used to be high but I worked at an ice cream place one year and worked a lot of hours so I would have fast food for dinner and the year before that our kitchen was being renovated right before the blood tests, I have since changed my diet and I don't even eat fast food now (but I am getting Chipotle on April 29th after a final exam to celebrate my last college exam) and because I worked at an Cold stone I won't ever go there again and it makes me picky about other ice cream places too.
Point being not every person with PCOS is the same, there are different levels of it, I eat a lot of carbs/sugars though 75% is fruit/yogurt.0 -
I have sat here and read every posting in this thread. I too have PCOS, I was diagnosed over 20 years ago. I am very well, self educated on the subject. As for insulin resistance, not everyone with PCOS has insulin resistance. I, in fact am just the opposite, my sugar levels run too low.
My insulin resistance was diagnosed by my LOW blood sugar. Insulin resistance has to do with increased levels of insulin and not necessarily blood glucose levels. Every person is different, that's one thing we can all agree upon. I also have sky high triglycerides and cholesterol but my doctors never treat it because I'm not overweight. The first doctor who diagnosed my hyperlipidemia said I'd probably have my first heart attack before age 50. I'm getting up there... they still won't treat it.
You can Google "insulin resistance and hypoglycemia" and you can see that they go hand in hand.
^^^ This. Much more common than people think. Also of note, FYI the "sky-high" triglycerides can often be reduced to normal with a very-low-carb ketogenic diet. ... just sayin'.
As for me, I've said what I have to and I'll stay out of it now. I do stand by what I've said.
/out ...0 -
I was diagnosed with PCOS 13 years ago, when I was 24. I'd been having symptoms for years. I went to an actual endocrinologist who did a ton of bloodwork in addition to a pelvic ultrasound, to give me a diagnosis. What she told me, and what was reconfirmed by a reproductive endo I went to a few years later, is that the biggest telltale sign of PCOS in anyone is an abnormally high free testosterone level (mine was 85 at diagnosis, normally in women it's under 20) and abnormal DHEA, androstenedione, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels. My endos also looked at my total estrogen, total progesterone, and estradiol levels, along with some other stuff. If anyone hasn't had a comprehensive endocrinological panel done as part of their diagnosis, I would recommend finding an endo who will order one for you, as it's a really good way to get a picture of what's happening in your body. It has to be timed with your cycle, and it's good to do one pre-ovulation and one post (that's what my endo did). As an example, one thing I know is that even with "more normal" free testosterone, mine is still higher than most women, and so I build muscle faster than a lot of women do. That affects how I work out, how much weight I lift, etc.
One thing I'd just like to add to this debate: PCOS is not a uniform disorder that presents with the same symptoms unilaterally in all patients. It's a syndrome, not a disease. There are different clinical manifestations that will present to indicate the syndrome. Some women with PCOS are normal-weight; some are not. Some women with PCOS have cystic ovaries that show on ultrasound; some do not. Some women with PCOS are IR, some are not. There are not a lot of really great, wide-ranging, longitudinal studies done on multiple thousands of participants as to what works to treat all manifestations of PCOS. Losing weight helps some people; others find it increases overall health, but doesn't do much for their PCOS symptoms. Some people need to go low-carb or low-glycemic to lose weight, and some people don't. Drugs work really well for some people, and do almost nothing for others. etc. etc. Figuring out what has helped me be healthier and have fewer chronic problems like insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and out-of-whack hormones has been a long process and it is still ongoing. When I was diagnosed, I was a mess: chronic pelvic pain, really high blood pressure (150/105), borderline diabetic, debilitating hormonal migraines 15+ days a month, tired all the time, huge mood swings, episodic depression, etc. I wasn't ovulating at all and I had endometrial hyperplasia, so I bled irregularly, sometimes for a week or more at a time. Plus the always-fun PCOS trifecta of head hair loss, abnormal body hair growth, and acanthosis nigricans. My original endo told me I had some of the most severe symptoms she had seen and when I was struggling to see any relief in the first six months of being treated, told me I had one of the most "brittle" (untreatable) cases she'd seen. I've managed to resolve almost all of those issues, PLUS have a baby (yes, I had help with that) but it's taken a lot of work and research to do so.
What's helped me, ***YMMV***
- Metformin (13 years and counting)
- Spironolactone (5 years and counting - for me, Spirono is a miracle drug. Once I got on it, I was sorry I had not gotten on it years prior. But it's a category X drug and you shouldn't get on it unless you are really, really, seriously done trying to have kids)
- I do a 40-40-30 (carbs, protein, fat) diet. High-carb diets were disastrous for me, not just in terms of making me gain weight, but in terms of hunger, energy level, PCOS symptoms, etc.
- Replacing traditional products with organic (dairy, meat, fruit, vegetables) - there are some compelling studies out there about how RBST and nonorganic pesticides are big-time endocrine disruptors, and my endocrine system is screwed up enough. I try to eat whole, unprocessed foods and not a lot of packaged/processed foods.
- I went gluten-free last year after an IBS-C diagnosis, and unexpectedly lost weight and had some other cool, positive things happen. I have normal, predictable hormonal cycles now, which I never even had on hormonal birth control. Not saying everyone with PCOS needs to go GF, just saying what worked for me.
- Regular exercise helped me a TON, especially weight lifting. I would do tons of cardio and it wouldn't do anything but make me tired. Once I started lifting weights, my overall energy level went up and my body composition started changing. I'm only working out heavily once a week right now, for an hour (whole-body cardio and weights) but am trying to add in two 30-minute HIIT workouts so I'm working out a total of three days a week, in addition to the walking/cycling I do most days just as part of my day.
So why am I on MFP? I got stuck losing weight after dropping 35 lbs, and nothing else was working. My nutritionist recommended I try this.
One thing I can say is that most of the lifestyle changes I have made that have helped me, I learned about through other women with PCOS, not from a doctor. I think that the process of saying "here are my symptoms, here is what I am trying, here is what works for me" is helpful, even if all advice is not applicable to all situations. I never would have tried Spirono had I not had someone on a board tell me it worked for her amazingly well, in terms of treating the exact symptoms I was struggling with. So regardless of differences of opinion, I appreciate everyone who has posted here talking about what they do to treat their PCOS, and how well it works for them. It's all good information that might help someone who is struggling - the way I was struggling 13 years ago - to find something that works for them.0 -
- I went gluten-free last year after an IBS-C diagnosis, and unexpectedly lost weight and had some other cool, positive things happen. I have normal, predictable hormonal cycles now, which I never even had on hormonal birth control. Not saying everyone with PCOS needs to go GF, just saying what worked for me.
All of this (including the stuff I didn't quote, because it was really long).
One thing to note regarding the gluten free thing - from what I've seen, there's some correlation between PCOS and gluten sensitivity, so going gluten free is definitely something that may help. What some people don't know, too, is that casein (the main protein in milk) is often cross-reactive with gluten. This means that the body reacts to them both the same way. Combined with the high insulinogenic effect of milk (specifically casein), it can be an issue with people with PCOS, too, and may be worth cutting out in addition to gluten.0 -
Read through this entire post and there is really good information here. I was wondering if anyone can help me out. I am 37. I know everyone is different but I am just wanting to know what other people's experiences were. I haven't had a regular period for 17 years. I went through two rounds of testing and basically the doctors told me I was too fat. Just lose weight. So since I didn't mind not having a period, I wasn't too concerned. Last year I was diagnosed with diabetes (actually probably had this for 4 years prior) and decided that I didn't want to end up taking insulin shots, so I wanted to lose weight. Lost about 40 pounds. Sugar level is down. Dr. sent me to a OB/GYN. She took blood and listened to my history. Said Yep, you've got PCOS. No ultrasound. My only symptoms are 1. No period 2. Thinning hair on top of head 3. Diabetes (although I don't believe this is because of the PCOS, my family history is HORRIBLE in regards to Diabetes). So the OB/GYN immediately suggested the BC pill. (generic form of Ortho Tri cyclen LO - triestarylla) I've never been on any type of BC pill before.
Here is what I need help with if anyone can...
1. I am most worried about my hair loss. I know. This isn't life ending. But it seriously depresses me. And I don't want it to get worse. The OB/GYN said it should help. But after reading stuff on the internet I am terrified that it is going to make it worse. Any body have a good experience with this? Like birth control helping with the hair loss? The OB/GYN said my androgen was slightly elevated which apparently causes the male pattern baldness symptoms. I am currently using Rogaine which was pretty effective although the OB/GYN prescribed Provera to kick start the period and it caused major hair shedding.
2. The second would be this....is it even necessary for me to treat this? I don't mind not having a period. I am not going to have kids. The only detriment would be the worry about cancer. But I cant seem to find any definite studies or sources about the cancer risk?
Any one else have effective treatment for thinning hair? I read about spiro and might ask my doctor about that. I should also mention that I am on metformin and my A1C has lowered from a 9 to a 5.1. I was hoping to be off pills altogether but the doctor never mentioned anything.
Sorry for the long post. I just can't seem to make up my mind. Thanks.0
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