hi everyone,
well i should introduce myself. my name is stacey. im 23 years of age and from melbourne Australia. I am a student (almost through my 2nd semester of my clinical psych doctorate) and suffer from PCOS.
I dont want to bore anyone with my 'life story' but it i better tell you a bit aobut myself.
I was diagnosed with pcos when i was 20 because i had not had my period since i was 16. It was done due to elevated androgen levels (not very severe tho) and about 10 pounds overweight at the time and slight but not much facial hair on my upper lip and chin. Prior to this, i suffered anorexia for aobut 18months then fell into a self destructive pattern of bulimia, over-exercising and hard core dieting. I have tried most things, low-carb, high carb, and even whitled down to 98 pounds which is tiny for my 5;7 broad frame. Anyway, i thought id get into weight training and try to do something healthy for my body and mind and got pretty hard into it. I had made the decision to compete in a figure comp and that was a few months ago...i would be about 10week out right now. However, the 2.5 hours of training everyday, hard weight training, no carbs, too much caffeine, diet pills and no-doze that my trainer put me on just made me crash and burn but the time my exams came aorund and i couldnt sleep, think or remember anything. I was a compete mess. So about a month ago, i just colapsed into a heap and couldnt stop crying, i was totally exhausted, burnt out from all of the years of over-exercising, dieting and throwing up my food, and over-eating. I have been on holidays for the past few weeks and all i have done is slept. Im sleeping like 14 hours everyday and i feel like im in a coma.
i had picked up the schwarzbein book up a few years earlier, but wasnt interested because it wasnt a quick fix. Now i realise how much i have stuffed up my body, im so scared im going to die. Last week i went out a bought the SP transition and her latest the program and knew that its time i make a life long change to be healthy and not be concerned with my dress size.
So, i have booked into for blood tests tomorrow then off to see an endocrinologist in 2 weeks. I know that i am making the right decision, i just know that i need to learn patience.
From what ive read, im insulin resistant - ie: bc of pcos and the fact that my blood sugar level doesnt fluctuate after eating, but im unsure about the adrenals. Im ok now, and pretty much went cold turkey off the caffeine once i decided to not compete a few weeks ago (probably why i slept so much hehe) and just take in 2 green teas day. Im now off sweetner and enjoying eating complex carbs and not just carrot sticks and celery.
The only other piece of info is that i just want to sleep all the time. if i come home early from the hosptial after training (psych) i sleep for 2 hours straight...should i be doing this? is this normal? ugh...
and also, should i be exercising..i literally havent had the energy to get to the gym since i decided not to compete but now that i gained a few pounds i have the urge to pound it out every day...how much is too much..? can i walk 3 days a week or does this interfere with the healing time...so many questions...i hope this post is not to overwhelming.
anyway,
nice to meet you all.

stacey