Sorry, I typed a well long post and it timed me out!! Here I go again
BACKGROUND PCOS
- Im 33 and started my periods at 10 :sigh:
- I was regular as clockwork up until 16
- Drs assumed it was exam stress and my dad passing away that effected my cycle
- I have always been overweight, and being Indian hairyness is a must
DIANGOSIS:
- When I was 17 my periods were still irregular about every 3-4months
- They were extremely heavy and painful
- They were also clotting
- When i was nearly 18, I collapsed whilst on a period and was rushed to hosipital, where they removed a cyst on my ovary
- My GP then saw me when I was released and informed me I had Stein-Levenet Syndrome (former name of PCOS)
- He was honest and said little was known about the illness
- He gave me dianette
DIANETTE
- I started taking Dianette just after my 18th birthday, seen by me at the time as the wonder drug
- My periods regulated and were fast/pain free
- By the time I was 20, 2 years on dianette my face and scalp were falling apart.
- The Dr said it was the dianette, used to treat acne as I didnt have any, it was drying my skin and he took me off
- He also said he wanted to see if I would now regulate by myself without the pill
- The first month was fine, a bit heavier but I came on. However, the second period didnt come for over 4 months
- I was in my final year at uni, really busy and not near my GP that I ignored it. My periods came about 3-4months apart and I just got used to it.
- Then when I was 24, I collapsed again
Second Dianogsis
- My GP had since retired, I was no longer registered with a GP
- After collapsing I was taken to hospital and the Drs there referred me to Gyne and I went through tests only to be informed i had PCOS. I didnt know it by this name and assumed I had something new.
- i was given medication and when I collected it, I realised it was another contraception, not dianette. So I took it and everything went back to normal, although not so much dry skin
- I remained on the pill for a further 2 years, now engaged I wanted to try for a baby and took myself off
- No one informed me that PCOS had an effect on fertility.
- My periods went back to irregular, I was convinced I was pregnant until I had a period 5months later, very painful i was bed bound and given codine.
Mood Swings/Insomina
- My relationship broke down about a year later, I was very moody but he was a twit anyway
- I concerntrated on my career and the lack of periods were a help as I didnt realise until I came on, but my manager was good and I worked from home
- I would sleep 3-4hrs a day and lived a fast paced life.
Nov 2010
- My periods by this stage were 8-10months apart
- When they did come, they would last 2-3weeks. Heavy clotting and unbareable pain
- I collapsed again, this time whilst away on business in Manchester and the Dr at the hosiptal was really good about informing me that PCOS research has come along way and different treatments are available.
- During Christmas I got Swine Flu, so missed my Drs appointment about PCOS
Jan 2011
- I went to my new GP, she explained a few things, most went over my head about insulin etc.
- I was sent for a full set of tests (Ultrasound; Blood Sugar etc)
- About a month later, my GP said I will be prescribed Metformin
- I was aware of this drug as my brother is diabetic. At the hospital he came with me and read my blood sugar results, very shocked that I was normal but yet they were giving me metformin
- He was equally shocked that I was not given any dietry advice with Metformin or a blood sugar monitor. For him taking Metformin was calculated
- I took it for a week and felt I was dying, the headaches; neusea; tiredness was unbareable. I put on weight, as I was just eating to get energy.
March 2011
- By this stage I had enough, my GP not happy I refused Metformin and the pill she almost said there was nothing else available.
- So I did my own research...
What I found out:
- People with PCOS have insulin resistence
- Energy is built up and stored as fat, the pancreas is almost defunked.
- Its like diabetis and can lead to it, but it isnt.
- Metformin has never been tested for use on PCOS and the side-affects are not known on PCOS
- The pill can regulate a period by pumping the body with eastrogen to fight the male hormones developing, it doesnt beat them... it just ups the numbers to create a balance.
- Once you stop the pill, the naturally occuring male hormones are stronger than the amount of female hormones you are producing
- The male hormones are surviving/building upon the excess blood sugar which is not high, just not being digested.
- As our pancreas cant work properly, our intake of fast releasing energy needs to be reduced. We may be eating the right amount of energy, but its going in too fast and our bodies are speeding it into fat.
- The best analogy is dog walking, if your dog is walking faster than you, its taking you for a walk. The pace is too fast, you either need to walk faster (Which we cant as our pancreas is slow) or get a slower dog.
- What is causing fast energy... refined carbs.
PCOS - Is an allergy to refined carbs
I now diagnoised myself with a food allergy and just like those with a nut allergy; lactose allergy I had to stop eating refined carbs.
From mid March I did just that, I cut out:
- White Bread
- White Pasta
- Fizzy Soft Drinks (diet occassionally)
- Sweets/Chocolates
- Potato
This was extremely hard, Pizza/Pasta were my fave!! :cry:
I did this for 3 weeks, and on the 9th April I came on. It was painful/heavy but I was on. I was consuming about 80g of good carbs (brown bread/fruit etc) and was coping, although hard when you want chocolate!!
I continued until the 9th May, to my shock I came on... exactly a month after. I have never had a 2 month in a row natural period in my adult life!! This was motivating and it wasnt as heavy/painful but was long
I decided to weigh myself, I was 15st 6 :cry:that was depressing. Not sure what I was when I started decarbing. I stuck to the anti allergy foods, a few slips (a macdonalds and a huge chocolate sundae) but in the main stuck to 50-80gs of carbs a day.
9th June... I came on again, now I was excited as I was keeping a log in my iphone and could see a pattern. I had dropped into the 14st zone (just about)
9th July... I didnt come on, I was gutted but I knew my junk food diet on holiday in Dublin was to blame. I returned back on the 5th and went down to 30g-50g of carbs a day. My period came on the 13th July. That was 4months in a row.
Today, I am in the 13stone bracket and awaiting my next period (a happy period). The period on the 13th was really light, I was able to go out clubbing on the same day and sleep all night without needing to change my pad. It lasted 4 days and it was a walk in the park.
I have started to take suppliments. I been researching into things like Chasteberry/Bitter Melon which naturally reduce blood sugar and upping my Vitamin B/D which is deficient in PCOS suffers.
Thanks to my brother, I just found out about sugar free vimto with sparkling mineral water... which has totally stopped me thinking about coke!
I go for a 2-3 mile walk a day (1mile of that is walking around Primark!!) and apart from a few slips been doing ok.
I am not on a deit... I am allergic to refined carbs.