PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)

2»

Replies

  • sparklin_r0se
    sparklin_r0se Posts: 19 Member
    I also had gestational diabetes in all 3 pregnancies which I think we are pre disposed to. I should have made a better effort in my diet but I didn't and ended up on insulin for the last 2.

    I was ok till my I delivered my 1st baby.. Done all the insulin tests as well.. All normal.. I used to use metfomin back in last year just for 15days but it made me dizzy.. Then i stopped and quit all the attempts.. But after i moved to UAE when i get scanned my ovaries it was worse
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
    Recently diagnosed and almost 1 month into birth control treatment. It doesn't affect my weight at all.
  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
    I also had gestational diabetes in all 3 pregnancies which I think we are pre disposed to. I should have made a better effort in my diet but I didn't and ended up on insulin for the last 2.

    I was ok till my I delivered my 1st baby.. Done all the insulin tests as well.. All normal.. I used to use metfomin back in last year just for 15days but it made me dizzy.. Then i stopped and quit all the attempts.. But after i moved to UAE when i get scanned my ovaries it was worse

    I also got my diagnosis in the UAE and after discussing symptoms he confirmed with ultrasound.
  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
    My Dr. Was a sweet Egyptian man at Al Wasl hospital. He was really great.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I don't have this. But, I was wrongly prescribed medication that injured me and now have what appears to be a hormonal shift. The medical injury caused inflammation, food intolerance, weight loss, microbiome problems, extreme stress, inability to sleep. So, those may all be factors in why my hormones were impacted.
  • Lovee_Dove7
    Lovee_Dove7 Posts: 742 Member
    edited December 2015
    Hi sweet ppl out there...
    I just wanted to know is there anyone who's struggling with PCOS? I've been diagnosed with PCOS since last year.. I was so slim and all but now gained weight so much now having a tough time with this disease.. Any1 out there have the same problem? Any motivation?

    My understanding is that it is a hormonal imbalance, usually with the androgens in a woman's body being too proportionally high. It has symptoms such as unwanted hair growth, oily skin and hair, problems with acne. I have a daughter who, although she doesn't have a PCOS diagnosis, she has the other symptoms mildly, including acne. Visits to the doctor have been unfortunately of no help, and they tend to pass it off and call her normal, much to my disappointment. We have been trying some natural approaches: cinnamon (to improve blood sugar), saw palmetto (to lower androgens) and herbal combinations to improve estrogen/progesterone.
    Currently she has started excluding gluten, as this seems to aggravate her acne.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Spearmint tea can help lower androgens. And berberine.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    I've had it forever, as a normal-weight PCOSer. I wish they'd done more than just put me on the pill for decades, because the facial hair problem looks to be permanent, and now I'm a mild T2 diabetic :(

    For a while now, I've been on high-dose progesterone instead of the pill, and it balances much, much better. I'm also on Metformin even more recently, but that didn't happen until I was clearly pre-diabetic. Metformin also helps balance the excess androgens, so y'all do consider that. Laser hair removal is expensive and doesn't work with pale hair :(

    I've only been overweight in short spells. I'm a good example of the theory that it's a hormonal problem first, imho!
  • sparklin_r0se
    sparklin_r0se Posts: 19 Member
    My Dr. Was a sweet Egyptian man at Al Wasl hospital. He was really great.

    U too in uae??
  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
    My Dr. Was a sweet Egyptian man at Al Wasl hospital. He was really great.

    U too in uae??

    No I used to be before I got married. Now I live in Africa. I love the UAE. I hope to move back when my kids are a little older.
  • Mrsurban2011
    Mrsurban2011 Posts: 27 Member
    I recently started drinking spearmint tea. I've never heard of berberine. I'll have to look it up.
  • sparklin_r0se
    sparklin_r0se Posts: 19 Member
    Well.. Im into a healthy 10days diet plan.. And will see the results after 10days
  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
    My Dr. Was a sweet Egyptian man at Al Wasl hospital. He was really great.

    U too in uae??

    No I used to be before I got married. Now I live in Africa. I love the UAE. I hope to move back when my kids are a little older.

    My friend is looking for an ivf clinic. Do you know anyone?
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    edited December 2015
    I don't think I said in my last post that low-moderate carb and Metformin are pretty amazing at that tummy fat for me. Usually I have to weigh 10 lbs less to have the stomach I have now (if then). I also do weightlifting for my abs, but that doesn't help if they can't show due to a spare tire there.

    I also lost weight much easier on Metformin for months. It balancing the hormones may be a side point to some of y'all looking for weight loss. I just think it helps with it all, as does carb intake (I'm low-to-moderate, so nothing crazy except I do do worse on 'fast' sugars). Even if you aren't Dx'ed as IR, consider that Metformin, yes (imho).

    The prometrium/progesterone is one I add for better balance at the near- root of the problem. I don't like the synthetics, as that's when my hair growth cropped up suddenly, a side effect that's possible. The combination of IR- regulating drugs like Metformin and progesterone (preferably natural like RX Prometrium which doesn't cause the hair to be worse for me) is what I highly recommend. Progesterone helps in conceiving, if that's in the cards for y'all.

    I took spiro for my hair and that helps a lot to soften it! But I still had to shave, and I stopped because of potassium warnings. I also got actual salt licks on my body when I sweated. It's sweaty weather in the south, and having very noticeable salt crystals all over my face, neck and chest was more embarrassing than just discreetly shaving. At a wine festival, I looked like I'd left on my salt body scrub! That may be an odd side effect, dunno.

    I really have to try the tea sometime. I read the big study, so I believe it. I just get GERD flares with spearmint, lol. My little razor may be my plan for life that way, but there are worse things to worry about :) I swear I could probably grow a goatee. Those are just the breaks sometimes. If anyone doesn't take the hormone (including insulin) stuff seriously, I could show them my non-shaven face. I actually broke down and did that for one doc after I noticed the records he was given about me didn't even mention my male-pattern hair complaint. He was quite impressed with the problem once he saw what it was like. So if you have the problem and shave before your appointment, try it once without it and draw his attention to what you mean. I got taken quite seriously as far as PCOS goes after that.

    ETA: I was never very overweight, but my ultrasounds came back as polycystic for years in my early 2O's (skinny as a rail then -underweight). I don't skip periods, but they were always horribly painful and heavy. There are just different profiles for women with this problem, and doctors should be aware of that. If not, make them. The pill for me for decades was a bad move (at least alone), and I regret not knowing more about it back then.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I'm mainly here because I was starting to get hormonal acne (at age 37) after a medical injury, stress, diet change, weight loss. I just read that high insulin can increase androgens. Reducing carbs to 40 or 45 % of your calories can reduce insulin. As well as having unsaturated fats with each meal.
  • nutmeg2576
    nutmeg2576 Posts: 18 Member
    I also have PCOS, and I've also worked as a GYN nurse for the past 14 yrs. There is about of "chicken & egg" relationship with weight gain and PCOS, where the weight gain throws off hormones, which causes/worsens PCOS, and the PCOS causes insulin resistance leading to high blood sugar, less glucose used by cells (because it's just circulating in your bloodstream instead of the insulin unlocking the cells to let the glucose in for use), which stimulates feelings of hunger, which causes more weight gain. Some PCOS patients notice better results with a low-glycemic index diet, some from medicines like Metformin/glucophage, but ALL benefit from exercise. Exercise is the only other thing (besides insulin) that unlocks the cells to allow the glucose to be absorbed from the bloodstream by the cell and used for energy (rather than stored for later).
  • sparklin_r0se
    sparklin_r0se Posts: 19 Member
    My Dr. Was a sweet Egyptian man at Al Wasl hospital. He was really great.

    U too in uae??

    No I used to be before I got married. Now I live in Africa. I love the UAE. I hope to move back when my kids are a little older.

    My friend is looking for an ivf clinic. Do you know anyone?

    Yeah i do.. In dubai there is a one called "Bourn hall fertility clinic and some more
  • sparklin_r0se
    sparklin_r0se Posts: 19 Member
    Btw does anyone know how to treat acnes? And pimple marks.. I have them all over my cheeks.. Tried home remedies and unani medicines as well but it made my acne and pimple worse.. Mine is a oily skin and now disturbed by pores as well... Any suggestions?
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I'm reading stuff from Acne Einstein and finding it very helpful. Spearmint tea and berberine can lower androgens. Low carb and low glycemic can reduce insulin and reduce androgens. Antioxidants are as effective as antibiotics. Naicinimide in supplements and 4% topical are very effective. Green tea. Omega 3 rich eggs if you eat eggs (I'm vegan). Salicylic acid is effective also followed by antioxidant such as 4% naicinimide. You can order online or get a prescription from a naturopath through the compounding pharmacy.
  • Expatmommy79
    Expatmommy79 Posts: 940 Member
    Btw does anyone know how to treat acnes? And pimple marks.. I have them all over my cheeks.. Tried home remedies and unani medicines as well but it made my acne and pimple worse.. Mine is a oily skin and now disturbed by pores as well... Any suggestions?

    Diane - the birth control pill - helped me a lot. Now that I've had my kids and am off bcp it seems to have regulated itself.

    I also like khiels face products. They have some really good stuff. Also available in Dxb. Mercato and Dubai Mall.