pcos and insulin resistance

[paige17257]

wow! i have so many questions. i had the same experiences when i went off the pill.. no cycles. this was ok for awhile, until i started blowing up, for no reason. i wasnt eating any more. then the extra hairs started and the zits. i did the provera off and on. it stunk. now, i have been tested and i have insulin resistance. i was told by the doc, that if i go on some kind of med(dont know what its called yet), that by lowering my insulin, i may ovulate more normal and be able to lose weight. she also wanted me on the "pill" , which i refuse totally!! should i try this progesterone cream, or see what happens with the meds, she wants me to take first. i didnt realize that there was natural stuff out there, to help regulate me!! i am so excited by this. i am going to start low carbing regardless. it can only help me.
by the way, i like to live chat about this too. so look for me on AOL, under Paigangel. thanks.
paige17257

[ohara]

Hi Paige17257,
My suggestion is READ everything you can about natural progesterone. READ everything you can about synthetic hormones. My personal preference is NATURAL. If you read THE SCHWARZBEIN PRINCIPLE it will really help sooooo much with clearing so many questions about basic good common sense on health. Hope I didn't sound demanding! Just trying to help.
Ohara

[somersizer]

I know you are against the pill but it helped me dramatically! I take the lunelle injection monthly though(cant do depo three month shot bc of it containing too much male hormones). I also take Avandia which has helped my readings go to one of a normal persons, I know this could wear off any time which is why I'm changing my lifestyle.

[Oreosmama]

I am new to this forum, so bare with me. I am almost 30 and have had thyroid problems since 1992. I had 80% of my thyroid removed in 1993 and have been on synthroid since then with no trouble. I was married and tried to have babies with no luck. I have PCO and real recently found out i am IR. Diabetes runs strongly in my family on both sides. For my IR my endocrinologist put me on Actos 30mg. I have been on BC pills for the last several years since I am divorced now. The reason my doctor put me back on them in the first place was I don't ovulate on my own. When I was trying to get pregnant I took Clomid with horrible side effects.
I am trying to LC, and just started since I have been gaining weight around the middle with no luck losing it. I have no energy, and I seem to have brain fog most of the time. Since I started cutting down on my carbs, I have noticed that I can remember things much better and my energy level has skyrocketed!!! Good luck to you. I have tried glucophage with no luck, it tore me up. But I have alot of friends that absolutely love it. It is an incredible drug if you can handle the side affects.

I also have a diabetic consultant that is in my family and she recommended the book 40/30/30. She said that it is very healthy and works wonders for losing weight. I need to lose about 20 or so.
I am wondering if this dose of Actos 30 and my LC and exercizing might help me ovulate and have regular menses?

I will know in a couple of weeks, I guess.

Oreosmama

[Danyele]

hi Paige,


I refused BCPs as well. My ob/gyn prescribed the Diane 35 pill but I will not take it. I take chromium to help regulate my blood sugar levels, low carb and exercise 6 days a week. I've read many times that this pill can put on weight so I am going the natural route before I try it. I know that it can help with acne, hair loss etc but I'm going to do it my way first. Good luck

Danyele

[paige17257]

hi oreosmama!!
i have "met" so many nice people at this site. they are so helpful and friendly. you will like it here.
presently, the glucophage is ripping me up. i have had the flu while on it, and after that, severe diarrhea. the doctor just told me , to go off of it for a day, and then start back up, but at only 1 dose a day, instead of 2. if i am still having trouble i am to call her. so, i may not be able to keep taking it. i have a sensitive stomach, and it doesnt seem to like it. i like the fact that it helps suppress my appetite though. i am sure, they will find something that will work for me. she told me that by lowering my insulin, this should help my ovaries ovulate better, hence get my cycle regular, and then maybe be able to lose weight, and stop having the side effects of PCOS. thats why i am not taking the pill. it gives me migraines, and other side effects, so i am trying this approach first. she did tell me though, that they put you on the pill, to up your female hormones, and make your eggs more fertile. then when they take you off of it,and give you clomid, it is to help make your eggs really "ready". if you ask me, the "pill" has caused these problems(pcos), in some of us, to begin with. i never had these problems, until i took the BC pill, and then went off of it. i think it really screwed my system up.
i feel really good on the LCing. i have more energy, and i am able to sleep better. before, i had really bad insomnia. i wish i would have tried this years ago!!! we have diabetes in our family too. plus, heart disease. i feel i need to LC for my future health. i gained weight on low fat. but on the LCing, i have lost in the past. so, hopefully this is for me!! it all makes so much sense to me now, and all that i read, really seems to fit with my family and people i know. so, time will tell. take care and good luck!!!
ttyl,
paige17257 :daze:

[Oreosmama]

I know the feeling about the diahrea!! Wow. Do I ever. No wonder I lost weight on it. I feel really good on the LC diet, although I haven't been on it long. I am reading a really good book called "the formula 40-30-30" and what it is telling me is that we are supposed to eat 40% carbs 30% fats and 30% protein. Basically the fats and the proteins in the same meal help reduce the absorption of the good carbs. I don't know. I'll have to try it and see. They suggest using protein powder such as whey protein. Which I already drink now pretty reguarly. I have only been on this for a couple of weeks...so I'll have to get back with you on my results in a few more.

Good luck with the Glucophage, I feel for you.

Oreosmama

[paige17257]

hehehe, thats what i told my mom... i told her, that i know how you lose weight on this stuff.. you poop yourself to death!!!
isnt that awful?!?!? tonight, i am starting just one pill, so we will see, how that works. i will keep in mind, what you are taking, in case, this doesnt work, and the doctor suggests something else. does your new medicine also, just make your body more sensitive to the insulin that you product, or does it work different then the glucophage?
i want to get some powder mix. sometimes, i am too busy to eat a meal, and i need a good replacement, rather than skipping meals, which is bad.
talk to ya soon!!
paige17257 :roll: :roll:

[giberange]

oreosmama- where did yo get the book the formula 40-30-30. is it like the zone diet? also, who is the author. i am interested in purchasing it. i follow the zone diet now, so i beleive in the theory. :)

[somersizer]

Birth control can be blamed for weight, but it can only be responsible for 5lbs after that, the person needs to check their lifestyle. I take Avandia and it has not messed up my stomach and I have bad stomach problems.

[paige17257]

i am not sure who this respond was directed to, but i am not on birthcontrol pills. when i did take them, i didnt gain weight, in fact , i was told that they would help my weight, by balancing my hormones. i take glucophage. is the avantia another diabetic med? the glucophage at 500 mg twice a day, gave me severe diarrhea, that wouldnt stop. i am now taking one a day, and so far so good. i have very bad acid reflux. and it felt like the double dose ripped my stomach up, and gave me really bad acid. since i am not eating all my carbs and starches, i dont have as much to coat my stomach when i take this stuff!! good luck, take care!
paige17257 :wave:

[somersizer]

Avandia is for insulin resistance, it's like Actos which I think are all like Glucophage. Ask about it, it's not bad on stomach, and everything upsets mine.

[ICanDoThis]

What type of symptoms are there with Glucophage? I take this but haven't noticed anything real bad.

I get sick occasionally, diarrhea, but it's usually becuase of something I ate, like greasy foods. Have you tried upping your iron? That will stop the diarrhea and is good for your body anyway. Spinach, broccoli and I think Caulliflower are good sources of it, as well as red meat. Or take an iron pill, I do. I have been doing that for awhile anyway, since I had the period problem (had it for about 10 weeks.) I got so low on iron, energy, you name it I felt it. I was falling apart. Having a more level iron gives you energy too.

I haven't noticed any upset stomachs though, while taking the pill... Anything else I should watch for?

Also, someone mentioned a progesterone cream, over the counter I believe. What is that? Is it something to take with Glucophage or in place of it? Why do that? Is it better for the body or something? Just wondering... hadn't heard of that option... :confused:

[paige17257]

hi,
i am taking Glucophage. i originally was on 500mg, twice a day. this gave me severe diarrhea. no matter what i ate, or didnt eat. she took me off of it for one day, and then only gave me 500mg, once a day. now, i am ok. i dont mind if i go after eating, but it was really bad on 2 a day. thats the only side effect that i had. they say, that this is common, and should go away. if my insulin levels doesnt drop on one pill, i am going to ask my doctor about avantia, or actos. i have heard that these are easier on the tummy. she told me that by taking this and lowering my insulin, my cycles should get more normal, and i should be able to lose weight!! i cant take iron, binds me up too much!! :rolleyes: but if your tummy can handle it, i think its a good thing, to control diarrhea. someone did have a post that they were really bleeding for awhile, but after Low Carbing for awhile, it slowed down, so maybe this will help you too.
good luck!!
paige17257

[missbetsy]

I had problems with stomach problems and loose bowels as well when I first went on the Metformin. But I took it with food, lots of water, and stuck with it because theres nothing I wouldn't do to feel better. It took two months but now my body tolerates it and I rarely have nausea or loose bowels. Best advice...stick it out if you can. As far as over the counter hormone treatments, I personally would not touch them. No reasearch has proven it is an all purpose approach for all women with PCOS and may actually make things more imbalanced.

Betsy :cool:

[paige17257]

i am only taking my Glucophage once a day right now, and i havent had any problems. i felt like you did, i wanted to take it so bad, because i want to get balanced!! if my insulin drops, she probably will keep this like this, but if it doesnt go down enough, i look for her to up it again. someone said that Avantia, and Actos, are about the same, but easier on the tummy, so i least i have something to fall back on. i havent got my cycle yet, i really hope this all works. she did say it could take a couple of months, so i must be patient! :rolleyes: i didnt get like this overnight!
thanks!
paige17257

[harpseal]

Hi, I'm new here but have had PCOS and hypothyroidism for a while. My Dr. found out I was insulin resistance last year and put me on glucophage. On the regular glucophage I had bad stomach sickness so they put me on glucophage XR (extended release). It has been wonderful! They told me to take my full dosage of 3 pills at night and I would lose weight better that way, It's worked so far so you may want to try that.

Why does every Dr. want to put PCOS patients on Birth Control? It doesn't fix the fact that we don't ovulate! I had bad problems with BC so I refuse to take them. Provera doesn't help much, just brings on the period. I'm hoping that losing weight will help!!

Anyway Good Luck!

[paige17257]

HI,
i think i might ask my doctor about extended release. i dont think 500 once a day, is quite enough to do the trick! and i want this stuff to work. they say that by losing weight, and low carbing, it will help the cycles. my doctor told me , by taking the glucophage and lowering my insulin, my cycles should regulate, so we will see.
about the birthcontrol pill... i felt the same way that you do about it, i hate the side effects, but i have a really wonderful OB, now, that explained the Pill to me this way... seeing that we dont cycle right, we have too much male hormone. by putting us on the PILL, it makes our systems "more female". by regulating our cycles, it will help with weightloss and the male hormone side effects (zits, hairs, etc). she also told me, that it makes your eggs more fertile, by adding the female hormone(the pill), so when you want to try to get pregers, your eggs are more attractive to the sperms. i havent gone on the PILL yet. we are trying to see if low carbing and the glucophage work first. might take a couple of months. if this doesnt work, i might, break down and take it, but i am determined to make this work first. good luck!! i am right there with ya!
paige

[tigersue]

I Don't know where else to post this but I wanted to give my advice in how to take glucophage when you first start it. I also had extreme diahreah with it and knew that I could not stand it for how busy I was(Started it during last holidays). I looked on line to see if there happened to be a way to ease the symptoms and I found an article by a Dr. which mentioned increase the dose slowly over several days. That is what I did. The first week I took 50mg(I was prescribe glucophageXR200mg once a day), the next I went up to 100mg, the next 150mg, and then to the full dose. That method helped greatly, and I was also able to tell how the medication did help me to feel much better with the insulin resistance. I hope this will help someone in the future.
Tanya