Friday, September 25, 2015
Monday, September 21, 2015
Friday, September 18, 2015
Monday, September 14, 2015
PCOS Experience - Hirsutism (Excessive hair growth)
We all know that each individual with PCOS has to deal with a set bunch of problems that the doctors have agreed exist. What they don't tell you is that often times each person is blessed with additional problems that not everybody has to experience.
For some it is weight gain... others have no issue with this...
For some it is extremely painful periods... other have no issue with this...
I could go on, but many of you already know this...
The point is... frustration, overwhelming moodiness, hunger pains... all are symptoms that you do not have the situation under control.
These additional symptoms are clues that the endocrinology is way out of whack. Your levels of progesterone affect hair growth, moodiness and weight gain.
There are many things the doctors will prescribe for you... like Vaniqa (a prescription strength hair removal cream) but these are expensive and treat the symptoms not the cause. I had trouble with male pattern baldness and areas of my body that should not have hair that grew it in leaps and bounds. It wasn't until I started on Spironolactone that I started to see real reversal of these issues. Spironolactone (by the way) is actually a drug that is used for heart patients. However, one of the side effects is that it reduces Testosterone (aka progesterone). By lowering the level in my system, my side effects became very much improved. I urge each of you to look for ways to treat the underlying causes rather than just the symptoms. For me it ended up being a combination of Metformin, birth control, Spironolactone, and a variety of vitamin supplements. I'd love to hear your stories. Write to the site with your successes (and failures).
~ WHamilton
Here's a really good video that explains one woman's experience with Spironolactone:
Monica Leftwich
For some it is weight gain... others have no issue with this...
For some it is extremely painful periods... other have no issue with this...
I could go on, but many of you already know this...
The point is... frustration, overwhelming moodiness, hunger pains... all are symptoms that you do not have the situation under control.
These additional symptoms are clues that the endocrinology is way out of whack. Your levels of progesterone affect hair growth, moodiness and weight gain.
There are many things the doctors will prescribe for you... like Vaniqa (a prescription strength hair removal cream) but these are expensive and treat the symptoms not the cause. I had trouble with male pattern baldness and areas of my body that should not have hair that grew it in leaps and bounds. It wasn't until I started on Spironolactone that I started to see real reversal of these issues. Spironolactone (by the way) is actually a drug that is used for heart patients. However, one of the side effects is that it reduces Testosterone (aka progesterone). By lowering the level in my system, my side effects became very much improved. I urge each of you to look for ways to treat the underlying causes rather than just the symptoms. For me it ended up being a combination of Metformin, birth control, Spironolactone, and a variety of vitamin supplements. I'd love to hear your stories. Write to the site with your successes (and failures).
~ WHamilton
Here's a really good video that explains one woman's experience with Spironolactone:
Monica Leftwich
Saturday, September 12, 2015
PCOS Experience - Hope
I want to tell you a little story about a young lady I know who has PCOS and has wanted a baby for years. Her first husband wanted kids too but although they tried (never used protection), they never even came close. The marriage lasted a little more than 10 years. When they broke up it just about devastated her....she took a long look at herself and made some changes for her own health. She lost weight and worked really hard at getting healthy. The goal wasn't anything more than becoming a better her...
She met and fell in love with a guitar playing construction worker. He swept her off her feet and made her feel special. That combined with her good health resulted in quite the miracle. His name is Tommy. Baby Tommy was born about 4 months ago to beaming parents. She couldn't be happier with her unexpected blessing. I can remember the day I got the text with a picture of her over the counter pregnancy test stick...I just about dropped to my knees. You see, this lovely lady is my sister.
My point here is that she didn't give up on herself. She worked hard on what she wanted most which was to be healthy. Baby Tommy came after she got healthy and reduced the stress in her life. Two factors that all PCOS women fight to achieve. It is possible...and you can do it...I have faith in you and so does baby Tommy!
She met and fell in love with a guitar playing construction worker. He swept her off her feet and made her feel special. That combined with her good health resulted in quite the miracle. His name is Tommy. Baby Tommy was born about 4 months ago to beaming parents. She couldn't be happier with her unexpected blessing. I can remember the day I got the text with a picture of her over the counter pregnancy test stick...I just about dropped to my knees. You see, this lovely lady is my sister.
My point here is that she didn't give up on herself. She worked hard on what she wanted most which was to be healthy. Baby Tommy came after she got healthy and reduced the stress in her life. Two factors that all PCOS women fight to achieve. It is possible...and you can do it...I have faith in you and so does baby Tommy!
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Sunday, August 23, 2015
PCOS Experience - Symptoms
What are the symptoms of PCOS?
There are a core group of symptoms every Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome patient experiences and then there are the sub sets of symptoms that are not as common among everyone but are just as difficult to deal with,..
Everyone dealing with PCOS has the following symptoms in some degree:
Symptoms that are found in PCOS patients that not everyone develops:
While this list is not all inclusive it is broad enough to encompass the wide range of issues that PCOS patients deal with and why it makes it so hard to diagnose. If you have at least 75 percent of the issues listed above I would recommend you get tested for PCOS.
Fist step is going to your OB/GYN to be tested. If the OB/GYN is not familiar enough with PCOS they may send you to a reproductive specialist or possibly an Endocrinologist to verify the diagnosis.
Once you are diagnosed with the syndrome the work really begins... I hope this list was helpful. I'll do my best to bring you more information on how to deal with the symptoms.
There are a core group of symptoms every Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome patient experiences and then there are the sub sets of symptoms that are not as common among everyone but are just as difficult to deal with,..Everyone dealing with PCOS has the following symptoms in some degree:
- Irregular or absent periods
- Lack of ovulation
- Weight gain (particularly around the waist)
- Hirsutism (excessive body hair which gets worse over time
- Insulin Resistance
- Acne
- Alopecia -male-pattern balding
Symptoms that are found in PCOS patients that not everyone develops:
- Ovarian Cysts
- Acanthosis Nigrans (darkening of the skin under the arms and breasts and at the nape of the neck)
- Fatigue accompanied by mental issues such as being unable to concentrate
- Diabetes
- Extreme Menstration issues such as prolonged excessive bleeding, or debilitating pain.
- Mood Swings (excessive)
- Miscarriages
- High blood pressure, cholesterol or triglycerides (Although I might add that it is fairly normal to have a high level of triglycerides with PCOS and be normalized)
- Skin Tags
- Decreased sex drive
- Issues with the female organs - deformation (caused by extremely high levels of the female version of testosterone and are very very rare)
While this list is not all inclusive it is broad enough to encompass the wide range of issues that PCOS patients deal with and why it makes it so hard to diagnose. If you have at least 75 percent of the issues listed above I would recommend you get tested for PCOS.
Fist step is going to your OB/GYN to be tested. If the OB/GYN is not familiar enough with PCOS they may send you to a reproductive specialist or possibly an Endocrinologist to verify the diagnosis.
Once you are diagnosed with the syndrome the work really begins... I hope this list was helpful. I'll do my best to bring you more information on how to deal with the symptoms.
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