My Lady Parts Have Gone Mad!

I have no idea what is going on with my lady parts! When I started the Metformin, my cycle was regulated immediately at 35 days. I realize that's on the long end of the spectrum, but I figured it was OK since it was within the normal limits. Now, all of a sudden, my lady parts have lost their minds. Last month, my cycle was only 33 days. I figured it was a fluke. Not so much. This month was only 29 days. That's nearly a week shorter than just two cycles ago! I have no idea what the deal is. I've been on the meds since December. Does it take this long for it to start regulating your ovaries? Does the weight loss have something to do with it? Have I been ovulating at all since I started the meds? Am I suddenly ovulating now? If anyone has experienced any of this, it would be ever so helpful if you could leave a comment. If you don't want it published, you can leave that in the comment. I moderate all comments, so I won't post it if you don't want me to. Please send any information you have my way! I'm concerned that I'm not ovulating because we are trying to conceive. Thanks for any help!

End of Month 3

I don't have much news this month. No baby yet. BUT, I have lost about 20 pounds! Everything is still going well. I hope anyone reading this can continue to be strong and work through this horrible disease! You can beat PCOS!

End of Month 2

I have lost another 10 pounds or so this month for a total of about 15 pounds since I started the Metformin for my PCOS. There are many sources citing little to no difference in weight loss for people who take Metformin versus those who don't with equal diet and exercise, but I am here to say, it makes a HUGE difference. I am doing nothing different than I have tried in the past--in terms of calories in and exercise amounts, but I have dropped almost 2 pounds every week since I began. That says results to me. Plus, my sex drive and my ability to orgasm are off the charts again. I hadn't had an orgasm in about three years. I used to have no problem getting there, and I had a healthy sex-drive, but the past several years have been horrible. Now, I have the sex drive I had as a 20 year old, plus I can get to the big O in less than a minute most times. This helps tremendously if you are trying to conceive. It makes it a lot easier if you actually want to have sex! My husband isn't complaining either...

I am still having some diarrhea, but it is very tolerable and only bad when I cheat too much on my diet. By cheating, I mean eating too many carbs/simple sugars. I've found a lot of great foods with lower carbs/sugar. There are some Special K crackers that are low in carbs and calories that I found to eat with my Laughing Cow cheese--also a great low calorie snack. Also, I have replaced potatoes in my pot roast with parsnips. With the beef broth in there with the carrots and meat, they take on a great flavor and have a similar texture as potatoes, but they have lower carbs. I'm still learning how to eat well.

I'm very pleased with how things are going, and it feels good! Good luck to anyone starting their journey with PCOS!

Confession: I'm Horny

At the risk of sounding like a whore, I used to have a very uh hem healthy sex drive. For the past few years, it has practically been nonexistent. I couldn't figure out what happened exactly, but it was not exactly fun. I've been with the same man for nearly four years now--married nearly two. So, you can understand how a normal sex drive could be beneficial. I tried several things, but nothing seemed to change the situation. However, since I started the Metformin for my PCOS, I have just been downright teenager horny. I want it at least once nearly every day. I don't have any proof it's the treatment for the PCOS, but it makes sense. I mean, if there is a hormonal imbalance due to the PCOS, it certainly makes sense that fixing it could have those kinds of effects. So, while I have little to no evidence and no other cases to cite to the effect, I'm gonna say, "Thank you, Metformin, for giving me back my sex life!"

End of Month 1

I have been on the Metformin approximately one month. I have lost five pounds. FIVE POUNDS!!!! I know that doesn't sound like much for a month, but it is the first pound I've lost in years. I have tried and tried, but until now--nothing. So, let me outline exactly how I've been doing it along with the Metformin.

I have changed my diet fairly drastically and really stuck to my exercising. After dieting and exercising in every way imaginable and not losing, I had pretty much given up. I found that I could eat as much or little as I wanted (and do the same with exercising) and not lose anything but not GAIN anything either. So, I just decided to eat cake! But, since the Metformin, I decided to give it an honest try. I cut out a lot of sugar. A lot. I switched to practically all diet or calorie-free drinks. The exceptions are few: milk, OJ, and my morning cappuccino (which I make at home from a pod that has some sugar in it--I don't add any). I also cut out a lot of breads except whole wheats. I try to keep total carbs (in a serving) below 15g and sugar below 5g in most things I eat. I do cheat a little, but that's my guideline. In cutting down the sugar, I have decreased my calorie intake to some extent, but I am not focusing on that to the extreme. I do try to eat smaller portion meals at restaurants or split the meal in half immediately when it is served so that I box up and take home half of the meal. In terms of exercising, I am doing my elliptical at least every other day. Many times, I do several days in a row. I do not try to kill myself to get it in every. single. day. I have also been doing things on the weekends that are fun as well as a good workout--like hiking up a local mountain on the loose snow (like walking in sand--all. the. way. up. a. mountain!)

So, do I cheat on my diet? Absolutely. But, have I changed a lot of what I eat? Absolutely. But, for once, I am seeing results. A year from now, at this rate, I could be around 150 lbs. That would be phenomenal.

I hope this update gives you as much encouragement to try as it is giving me!

I Have PCOS

I have been diagnosed with PCOS, polycystic ovary disease. As I'm reading a lot of forums and questions online, I realize there is very little information about this disease. I want to put this out there (and try to remember to update on it) for those who are google-ing obsessively, like myself. I'm hoping some women will stumble upon it and be helped in some small way.

Let me start at the beginning: I was a very active teenager, and I was always very thin. I don't think I capped 100 lbs before college. But, I am 5'2", so I wasn't exactly anorexic. I have always had a sleeping problem--for as long as I can remember. When I started Freshman year at UGA, I pretty much lost it due to lack of sleep. I went to the student health center, and a doctor there prescribed Trazodone once a day just before bed to help me sleep. I stayed on it for nearly 6 years. I started to put on a little weight during this time, and I chalked it up to the less active lifestyle of college and the sleeping pills, which are rumored to make you gain.

I graduated in May of 2007 and moved to Kennesaw, GA for my job. I was probably all of a size 6, maybe 125 lbs at the time. I was a very good size. But, I steadily and quickly started packing on pounds, despite living on the third floor with no elevator. I was getting concerned with the gaining because I honestly wasn't doing anything different--no change in diet, exercise, etc. After gaining 50 pounds or more, a doctor finally discovered my hypothyroidism.

I started taking Levothyroxin in 2008, and I have that under control. But, that control wasn't achieved before I peaked out at 215 lbs. (Recall that I am 5'2".) I thought at that point I could surely lose the weight--being that my thyroid was supposedly doing its thing now. But, after several months, and purchasing my elliptical to do at home due to the embarrassment of swishing my fat ass at the gym, I still wasn't losing.

I decided to come off birth control pills to see if that helped. Not only that, but I'd been on them for 10 years (started at 15 to help regulate periods), and I wanted to see how my cycle would go because my husband and I were getting ready to start trying for a family. Still nothing. Not to mention the fact that I went 40 days without a period, only to get one that was barely worth calling a period and lasted only a day.

My doctor finally referred me to an Endocrinologist, whom I grossly detest. But, she recommended more testing, which produced results of elevated testosterone. I was subsequently subjected to a glucose tolerance test and later diagnosed with PCOS.

Fortunately, I haven't grown a penis. (Joke!) Unfortunately, I do have many of the symptoms, including weight gain, severe acne, and irregular and light periods. I have been fortunate enough to not have excessive hair growth, but I have noticed a tiny amount of hair at the corners of my mouth getting darker. It used to be this white peach-fuzz like the rest of my face.

The doctor prescribed Metformin, 500mg, twice a day. I have been taking it since December 14th. I have yet to really notice much difference. I have tolerated it well, unlike many of the people I've read about online, so I wanted people to know it isn't terrible for everyone. I do have some diarrhea, but it isn't severe. I'm used to stomach upset, though, because my dad has Crohn's disease, and while I don't think I have it, I do share some of his symptoms. So, maybe it would be worse for a normal person.

As of today, I haven't lost any weight to speak of. I've been cutting way back on sugars--making sweet tea with Splenda, drinking diet soda, changing to whole wheat bread, etc. But, nothing yet. My husband and I haven't started trying for a child just yet, but my periods are not yet regular, and I'm not convinced I am ovulating yet. I can't say for sure. My acne does seem to be somewhat diminished, which is great because it sure exploded when I quit the pill--a good indicator of my PCOS because the pill is one f the treatments (probably the reason no one ever realized I have it). I do feel like I have more energy during the day, but I have been wanting to sleep 10 and 12 hours a night during my break from work (30 days off as a requirement from the State--don't get excited, it was without pay), but I go back on Monday, so I'm sure that will put an end to that.

I hope to update soon as to my weight, energy level, menstrual cycle, and other symptoms. I'm only 3 weeks into the Metformin, so I am hoping things will start to look better in the next few weeks. I go back to the doctor on the 21st, so we will see then how my levels look.

I don't know that anyone out there searching for answers will find this, much less find it helpful. But, I wanted to get this out there.