I have PCOS. Now what?

So, awhile back, I wrote about finally going to the doctor after 3 years. Turns out, I have PCOS, or PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome. 

PCOS is a hormone disorder that affects up to 10% of the female population in reproductive age. It is also the leading cause of infertility. 

PCOS takes many different forms and has tons of different symptoms which vary from woman to woman. The most common symptoms are weight gain, excess hair, thinning hair, acne, and more. The graphic above has a very thorough list of symptoms. 

In addition to PCOS, my insulin levels are high, which is also common with PCOS. Often, high insulin levels are a contributing factor to having PCOS. When your insulin is high, your body produces more testosterone. Insulin resistance means your body has to produce more and more insulin to store glucose in the body, which comes from the food we eat. 

My vitamin D and iodine levels were very low, but those are fixed with supplements. Thankfully, my thyroid levels were within the normal range, although they were low. My TSH was normal, so we're not suspecting hypothyroidism at this time. I'll have to keep an eye on it though. If my free T3 and T4 levels remain low and my TSH goes high, then that means my thyroid isn't working as well as it should be. 

In addition, my fasting glucose and A1C levels were just fine... it was just my insulin that's high. I don't have diabetes or pre-diabetes. Thank God. 

I feel lucky to have my two boys since PCOS often leads to infertility. I attribute this also to being on birth control pills for so long. I got pregnant pretty much right away after getting off of the pill, and even though I lost that pregnancy at 11.5 weeks, I conceived Froot Loop 2 months after that miscarriage. I contined to breastfeed him and conceived Cocoa Puff while Froot Loop was still nursing. I think that's what saved me. Since then, my cycles are off the wall crazy, ranging from 9 days (that happened once) to 60 days. So, yeah, PCOS it is. 

I am still doing a lot of research about PCOS and what I need to do. For now, we've got the following battle plan in place: 

Oral Progesterone for 12 days, then off for 18 days to get my body to "clean itself out." Since I'm not cycling regularly, my endometrium can build up and that can increase the risk of cancer. Don't want that, obviously. After the three months of pills, I'll probably have to use the progesterone cream. 

Metformin. This is a diabetic drug, and even though I don't have diabetes, it helps with the insulin resistance and should help me lose some weight. I have had a lot of trouble adjusting to this drug as it gives me pretty severe GI distress. But, my blood glucose levels have stayed in the good range and have even lowered some. I have to take extra B-12 on top of my B complex since Metformin can keep you from absorbing it correctly. 

Iodine & Vitamin D supplements. I have to take 5000 IU of vitamin D for the next 3 months and 10,000 mcg of iodine for that long as well. I will get retested every 3 months until my levels get back to normal and then I'll have to probably take a massive dose of these for the rest of my life. 

Anti-inflammatory supplements: Ginger, Licorice, Green Tea Extract, Flaxseed Oil, 

Blood sugar/insulin supplements: Cinnamon, Fenugreek, Stinging Nettle Leaf

Other: Milk Thistle, Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc, Ashwaganda, multimineral, Spearmint

This is all on top of my two allergy prescriptions, Zoloft, and my multivitamin. I also take Passionflower and Vistaril as needed for anxiety and insomnia. 

I also have to make some lifestyle changes since having PCOS means I'm at greater risk for diabetes, cardiovascular disease, thyroid problems, and heart problems, all of which already run in my family. 

I am going to increase my exercise, especially my weight lifting. I need to exercise 5-6 days a week for about 30 minutes a day. Not a big deal since I try to stay active anyway. I just really need to make sure I stay on top of it. 

I have to really change my diet too. Now, I don't have the worst diet ever, but I have to redouble my efforts. I am not going on any particular DIET per se, but I am going to be extra careful to avoid products with extra added sugar. I am going to eat more lower GI foods (foods that don't spike your blood sugar right away like white flour and sugars) and possibly go back on the Mediterranean lifestyle "diet." I spent a week researching foods and brands that have lower sugar levels and I stocked up on those (posts to come). 

Also, I have to make sure I get enough sleep (much easier said than done) and keep my stress and anxiety under control. I'm going to start doing yoga again and maybe journaling/meditation. Of course, I'll keep on praying. 

I'm annoyed about this diagnosis, but it could have been a lot worse. There's no cure for it and treating it is basically treating the symptoms and the issues that PCOS causes. I have joined a few PCOS support groups as well. Right now I need all the help I can get. I'm not WORRIED, per se, but I am concerned about what this means for me. 

More posts to come. Still doing a lot of research and trying to adjust to all of these new meds and supplements. 

Have you heard of PCOS?