stacicali Member

I second Knit. This forum is a great place and full of wisdom. The PCOS site I have been most impressed with (and gives the most info away for free) is www.pcosdiva.com. I have not paid for anything yet though I'm considering their fall meal plan. Click on the Expert Interviews for lots of great free info and click on the…

Thanks, ladies. Unfortunately, the appointment was a disaster. At least he was a sweet old man and seemed to feel genuinely bad that he didn't have the answers I was seeking. You know it's a bad investment of $80 ($40 copayment plus $40 babysitting) when the dr is asking you what inositol is and why don't you just go on…

Hi Alismother - folic acid is not necessary to take with inositol. You see it included in some inositol pills because often women taking inositol are trying to conceive, and folic acid is crucial in prenatals for preventing some birth defects.

Hi Alyssa, I take 4g of inositol twice a day to help with both anxiety and pcos with no side effects. This is typically an exceptionally well tolerated supplement until you get to higher doses, and you can read about studies done at various doses here: http://examine.com/supplements/Inositol/ It's possible that you could…

Oops, I missed the part where you've been on it since 12/15. 1000 mg twice a day is the highest dose. Perhaps ask the dr if you can dial it back to 750 mg twice a day to see if that helps your GI side effects but also achieves the results you are looking for in your bloodwork.

I had GI issues for the first few weeks, and then the side effects disappeared. I've been on metformin now for 15 years. Ask your dr if there is a lower dose you can take for now and slowly add on over time. Your endo should be able to recommend the best time frame for titrating up. Also, take this med on a full stomach.…

I am no expert, but I am on the journey with you. My focus right now is on strength training and health markers (lean diabetes runs in my family.) Since I am technically at a healthy weight, I would love to reach my ideal of 10 lbs less, but am willing to wait or reassess if needed. I personally am unwilling to go below…

Fantastic - So relieved my trainer is wrong. I've already had a little salt and feel much better. Will work on my electrolyte mix for tomorrow's work out. Thank you to everyone!

I would love to hear what else your dr recommends. I'm already on 12 g of inositol to help with anxiety as well as PCOS (and it's worked wonders!) but will definitely look into Vitex. Thank you!!!

Yikes. I am very grateful to you ladies. Based on your feedback and some of the negatives I've seen online, I think I will try to find other ways of fixing the estrogen dominance other than progesterone supplementation.

I took a half dose for 3 weeks, sometimes skipping a day here and there since I had problems sleeping. It's only been a month or 2, but I haven't had any weight regain. I've actually lost a few more lbs on my own by tracking my food intake on MFP, continuing strength training, and continuing the low carb/high protein diet…

Hi! Feel free to friend me. I started in this group in Feb of this year and have lost 15 lbs going low carb/high good fat and protein (less than 100 carbs per day), lifting heavy weights for 30 minutes twice a week, and (sometimes) HIIT for 30 minutes once a week. I am on metformin and some supplements like ALA and…

Here are some alternatives to supplementation with progesterone: http://wonderfullybalanced.com/?p=549

Thanks! No, there haven't been any saliva tests, and I am very wary of hormone meds since I've always felt horrible on contraceptives. I really appreciate your sharing your experience.

X-mannish. You clearly have super powers.

And that's an excellent point - through talking with you @KnitOrMiss and researching how too much protein can lead to insulin spikes (but typically only over 1 g per lean muscle mass), it appears that only fat cannot be converted by the body into insulin. I wonder why scientists haven't studied a low carb/high fat diet in…

Ah, crud. I hit post too soon. I wanted to add that a high protein diet appears to not only help satiety but a also weight loss in PCOS patients. Read the link below if you've been looking for inspiration for your nutrient goal percentages for MFP. 40% protein 30% fat 30% carb…

5'9 CW: 158 GW: 150 That last 10 lbs is a bear, isn't it? Up, down, up, down....

I tried it for a day, then dropped out. Here's my experience: I ate 700 calories between 6am and 9am, then was so full that I didn't even want to touch lunch, but was starving by dinner (which is my most challenging time.) I think my take-away from this study is to eat most of my calories at breakfast and lunch so that i…

I'm so glad you posted this! I was just reading that study. Here are some of the benefits listed: "Free testosterone dropped by 50% (that's huge by the way). Sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) went up by 105%. Ovulation improved. Less insulin was released." I cheat most at night, but I've never tried to eat this way. I…

My diary is open to friends, so feel free to add me. I'm making a lifestyle change per dr's orders to eat anti-inflammatory, lowish carb, high good fat due to family history of lean diabetes.

@KnitOrMiss - the owner of the website www.pcosdiva.com (go to menu in upper left corner and click on expert interviews) has done several interviews with Dr. Gersh. I listened to a (free) podcast that has not been transcribed yet called "Reduce Inflammation and Your PCOS Symptoms." Dr. Gersh mentions identifying PCOS girls…

There is a test drs may be able to perform to tell if your daughter is at risk for PCOS. I copied this from www.pcosdiva.com from an expert interview with Dr. Felice Gersh in CA: "Young girls born to PCOS moms have about a 50% chance of developing PCOS themselves. Given those odds, it is really imperative for us to…

I can't speak for the keto, but Zoloft wreaked hell with my sleep. Same thing - up at 3 am. Obviously, I am not a dr so please don't just drop it if you need it, but there are other SSRIs you can switch to by talking with your doc. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant that is not an SSRI and is actually associated with weight…

I commend you. Quick question: why not start weight training now? I have had great results in just 3 weeks from 2 30 min sessions with a trainer using the heaviest weights I can handle. You can do it yourself with some research and weight machines at a gym. As women, we don't bulk up. You will only slim down (and have more…

<looking in dismay at the huge vat of whey protein on my counter for post weight training sessions> I am so grateful to you guys. I best go research my protein sources more carefully. Thank you!!

Thanks for clarifying about the protein, KnitOrMiss. Can you tell me how you got your protein range so that I can make sure I don't go over? I *think* I read somewhere that we can safely eat 1 g of protein per lb of lean body mass (which can be calculated online). Does that match up with what you know?

Thanks so much for the feedback and the link! At first I was horrified by the amount of fat I was ingesting, but I've been educating myself on the new laws of good fat and seeing the quick results. Also, fat appears to be of particular importance to us PCOS ladies since fat is the only nutrient that cannot lead to insulin…

As PCOSers, we have challenges with inflammation which causes insulin resistance. Even if you're not prediabetic, the slightest insulin resistance makes your body store fat instead of using it. A few questions: do you feel like you are in knowledgeable hands with your dr? Even endocrinologists are not always competent at…

I was formerly a dermatology pharmaceutical rep, so I'm not a dr, but I play one on the intetnet. In the past, a conventional derm would have told you that food plays no part in acne, but there are now studies emerging that show inflammatory foods (like dairy) contribute. If you love dairy, seek out grass fed, organic…