You're quite welcome. That's what we're all here for. And yep, I'm a Bama girl - northeast Alabama in a town called Anniston.

The PCOS and hypothyroidism cause hair loss, not the Met (as far as I know...sheesh I hope not). My hair used to be quite thick and I had a ton of it, but I did start losing it pretty rapidly at one point. The medications have helped that, though I'm still losing a little.

As for when I started taking the Synthroid...gosh, I think it's been about 5 months now. It seems like I remember starting it and low carbing around the same time. I started feeling LOTS better energy-wise after about 2 weeks. I started out on 50 mcg and then the doc increased it about 3 months ago to 75 mcg. The fatigue does get better, and you'll feel like a brand new woman! I remember having to drag my butt out of bed in the morning - setting my alarm 30 minutes earlier than I had to get up so I could wake up gradually. Even then I was dragging for another hour or so. Now I spring out of bed raring to go. I've started experiencing a little more fatigue in the evenings, but according to my last labwork, the thyroid is functioning well and isn't the cause.

I hope this helps, and please feel free to ask me anything. I'm not a doctor, nor do I play one on TV, but at least I know a little about what you're going through.

Could you tell me if you just bought an Atkins diet book and how you got started on your weight loss.. So you've lost 41 pounds? Thanks for the words on the sythyroid. I know about the setting the clock. I set 2 clocks in the morning and then I turn on the TV and can't wake up. I was getting me a coke at work to wake up but if I'm going to try to do Atkins or cut carbs I can't do that anymore. I just know I have to get to feeling better and some of it I'm going to have to do myself. We had some pictures made today and I couldn't believe it was even me.. I've been discouraged all day. It's like looking at a person that I don't reconize.

Well thanks for all the help. I'm new to the post and don't know how to just send a email to an individual and all of that.

Tammy

To be honest, I didn't read the book before I started. I researched Atkins and South Beach via their official websites, lurked here and at a couple other boards a bit reading what others had to say, then got started. I was about a month in before I actually read the book, though I wish I had read it first. I made a couple of boo-boos on induction but still lost 15 lbs. Keep in mind, when you get started there is an adjustment period your body goes through that makes you feel icky. The good thing about the way I started was I was used to feeling icky (before the Synthroid kicked in), so I barely noticed.

This site is an amazing source of information, support, and friendship. You'll have the benefits of getting SO much info from others who have "been there, done that". Whatever plan you choose, I do hope you'll visit the different forums and meet some of these amazing folks. Start a journal to document your journey.

Hope this helps!!

It was quite the opposite for me. If I took it after I ate something I would end up in the restroom therest of the day and feel sick to my stomach for hours. If I took it about two hours before I ate anything, I was fine. But that is just me. I started out on 500 mg 2x a day, then he boosted it up to 1000mg 2x a day, I am now taking 1500 mg a day, a 500 in the morning and a 1000 mg at night.

does any one know wat the legal amount of metformin is allowed in the usa cause here the max is only 1700mg

The most my doc had me on was 1000mg 2x's a day. But I have heard of people taking up to 2500 mg per day.

I'm stuck at 500 mg. twice a day even though labwork still shows IR...doc didn't like one of my liver tests and didn't want to bump me up.

I cut my pills in half, and gradually over a couple of weeks worked up to a full dose and that helped with the bowel problems. The PCOS is more likely to cause hair loss than the met. I firmly believe in a LC diet to manage this condition. IT is the only way I started to heal my body and my infertility. I used the Schwarzbein Principle because she is an endocrineologist and emphazises fixing the hormone problem first and then weight will follow. Eating carbs for breakfast only made the problem worse for me. IR is such a problem for PCOS and depending on your history, it could be the PCOS caused by the IR, or like me PCOS causing the IR. That is why you need metformin. My family practice dr, was the one that started me on glucophage, not my OB so finding the right dr to treat you is important. I also feel that exercise is very important particularily weight training. Muscle can improve your metabolism, and your IR. If you Dr. won't work with you, call around to others and see how they treat PCOS. You have to be very proactive with this disease. In the mornings I usually eat 2 eggs, and 15 gms of some kind of whole grain cooked cereal with butter and cream. Now that I'm expecting and I have problems with BS, I cut my carbs to 7 to 9 gms in the morning. Also start a journal, that is very, very important. There you can log what you eat, and what you are doing.
Hope this helps. Read as much as you can on LC programs, they all explain why it is important to control insulin, and that is huge in healing. Good luck
Tanya