It's Been Scheduled

I saw my OB/GYN last week, who took a few tests which came back normal, and today the office called to scheduled my hysterectomy. Yay! We're yanking the unnecessary organs out in early February.

Short update, life is hectic with the holidays. I plan to post more after the new year.

Wishing everyone a lovely holiday season, and a joyous and prosperous new year!

Double Roller Coasters

In women, the steroid hormone progesterone is produced mostly by ovaries and adrenal glands. Progesterone directly affects how women's reproductive system, nervous system, cardiovascular system, and skeletal system, function.

Apparently, your blood glucose levels rise about a week or so before ovulation and then drop back to your "normal" at the onset of mercenary. That's so not fair! Not only does the luteal phase interfere with my quality and duration of sleep, it messes with my blood sugar levels, too. Welcome to the  Progesterone Phenomenon.

"We are all aware of the analogy about one's diabetes control being like riding a roller-coaster. The goal is to turn the roller-coaster into a go-cart running on a flat track. We want to eliminate the extreme ups and downs and keep things on an even keel. But a woman with diabetes gets to ride an additional roller-coaster at the same time; the extra ups and downs are caused by her menstrual cycle." Insulin Pumpers and Mary Jean Renstrom.

Yet, this lively roller coaster isn't limited to women of child-bearing years. Both perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who have diabetes may be challenged. For example, the hormonal roller coaster ride that is part of perimenopause can affect blood glucose levels.

I've said it before, and I'm saying it again: Being a woman ain't for the faint of heart!

Here's another thing to watch out for. You see, some symptoms of perimenopause are the same as or easily confused with the symptoms of high or low blood glucose levels. Yeah, well, I wish I had known that about 10 years ago! Instead, my symptoms were brushed aside with "you're too young to be going through menopause." Great! If a doctor ruled that out, then why didn't he look for another reason for hot flashes, night sweats, and muscle weakiness? It's not as if I wasn't bitching bringing these concerns up during my visits.

For me, controlling premenstrual, perimenopausal, and insulin resistance, symptoms starts by focusing on eating slow release carbohydrates and small, frequent meals.

Related Links

• The Actions of Progesterone
• Controlling Blood Sugar
• Menopause What to Expect, How to Cope
• Riding Two Roller Coasters

Glycemic Index versus Load

Glycemic index and glycemic load helps you understand how foods affect both your blood sugar and insulin levels.

When you eat high-glycemic index foods, you will experience higher and more rapid increases in blood glucose levels. Conversely, when you eat low-glycemic index foods, glucose enters your blood stream at a slower, sustained pace resulting in lower insulin demands.

The lower a food's glycemic index or glycemic load, the less it affects blood sugar and insulin levels. Focus on foods with a glycemic index of 55 or less and learn which foods raise your blood sugar levels, trigger your symptoms, or both.

Oh, and just because a food has a low index or load level, doesn't mean it's a wise choice. Some candy bars have a relatively low index, but their nutritional value is negligible.

Related Links

• Counting Carbs
• Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
• Glycemic index and glycemic load for 100+ foods
• Glycemic Load and Glycemic Index: What's the Difference and Why Does it Matter?
• The Right Way To Lose Fat: What To Eat

Symptomology 101

Throughout these posts, I have mentioned symptoms and associated many of those symptoms with possible root causes. I've made dramatic lifestyle changes and I'm experiencing either a resolution of or a decrease in the intensity of my symptoms.

I call that success!

I decided to take a moment to celebrate my successes and speculate on which life change may have contributed to the improvement of symptoms.

Acne
Significant changes in not only what I eat, but when and how much I eat have contributed to completely clearing up acne breakouts. I'm positive that going dairy free, and eliminating potatoes, rice, and white flour, have contributed to eliminating this particular malady.

Excessive Sweating
While I haven't found the off switch for this lovely symptom, it is greatly reduced. I've noticed that the onset is usually when my blood sugar levels are high that I'm particularly susceptible to sweating. Further, when I'm exercising my sweating is within acceptable limits, so long as I drink plenty of water before, during, and after an activity. I'm fairly sure that eliminating caffeine and drinking buckets of water have been key to alleviating this fun symptom.

Assorted
Some of the following symptoms I know are addressed by using a CPAP. Others depend on my blood sugar levels, amount of daily excercise, and my stress levels. Still, significant improvements overall.

• Anxiety reduced
• Depression reduced
• Daytime fatigue reduced
• Forgetfulness reduced
• Lack of energy during the day reduced
• Loud snoring gone!
• Mood changes reduced
• Morning headaches reduced
• Sleepiness reduced
• Slower reaction time reduced
• Restless sleep reduced
• Recurrent awakenings reduced
• Insomnia reduced
• Vision problems reduced
• Waking up with a very sore or dry throat gone!
• Waking up with a choking or gasping sensation gone!

Related Links

• How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
• Patient information: Diabetes mellitus type 2: Alcohol, exercise, and medical care (Beyond the Basics)
• Pre-Diabetes&Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Caffeine Quandary

According to the Americian Academy of Sleep Medicine:

Caffeine reaches a peak level in your blood within 30 to 60 minutes. It has a half-life of 3 to 5 hours. The half-life is the time it takes for your body to eliminate half of the drug. The remaining caffeine can stay in your body for a long time.

Well, that is an eye-opener.

How long does the remaining caffeine stay in your body?

That depends on you, and your state of health. What I found was a range from as little as 14 hours to as long as 100+ hours. Doing the math, if I consumed 100 mg of caffeine, then I'd get that buzz within an hour. About five hours later, I'd still have about 50mg floating around in my system. By the time I'm ready for bed, I'd still have about 50mg doing the back stroke in my bloodstream.

So, let's say I snag a latte from Starbucks one my way to work at about 7 am. That gives me about 150mg of caffeine buzz. For my 10 am break, I'm ready for another latte. Let's do the math:

Time	Caffeine Intake	Half Life	Accumlated
7 Am	150mg	75mg	75 mg
10 Am	150mg	75mg	150mg
10 pm	-	-	150mg

It looks to me like, by the time I'm ready to go to bed, I could have as much caffeine in my system as I did when I drank my first morning latte. Over time, a lot of caffeine can have accumulated in my bloodstream. For many people, accumulated caffeine doesn't have an affect. I remember reading somewhere, and now I can't find the site, that caffeine creates an insulin-resistant-friendly environment. Well, okay then. As I'm working diligently toward reversing insulin resistance so that I don't end up permanently with type 2 Diabetes, I will forgo caffeine, gladly.

Related Post:  Coffee Calamity

Related Links

• Caffeine Metabolism
• How Long Does Caffeine Stay in the Body?
• Sleep & Caffeine 

Medication Configuration

In an effort to corral the volume of insulin stampeding through my veins, my endocrinologist put me on Metformin. Seems reasonable, and as I had done my research before the formal diagnosis, I wasn't surprised or overly concerned. The dosage seemed appropriate, 500 mg the first week, and then increase to 1,000 mg.

The first week went well. I didn't notice any particular challenge. By the end of the second week, I'd had an anxiety attack and a racing pulse. This anxiety attack didn't feel like a rhinocerose tap dancing on my chest, as prior episodes had. This one felt like a flight response; I wanted to bolt, run as quickly as my heartbeat suggested. For those who don't know me, I'm not a runner. In fact, I'm built for comfort, not for speed. But, I digress.

Just for the heck of it, I purchased a blood pressure monitor. I chose the easy, wrist unit. Up until now, my systolic (the top number) was generally below 119, and my diastolic (bottom number) generally below 79. After a couple of week tracking my blood pressure, I noticed that I was averaging 136/81, which falls into the pre-hypertension range. Ack! Now, how fair is that? I mean, I've made significant lifestyle and diet changes, my blood pressure should be trotting, not racing! Deep breath, okay, I'm done ranting, for the moment, anyway.

I chatted with my Family Practitioner about my blood pressure, and showed him the report from the Glucose Buddy app I use for tracking. Because the clinic's computer system was down, my doctor wasn't able to compare my current information to my historical data. He mentioned that my weight will have an effect on my blood pressure, and asked if I wanted to go on medication to address this. Uh, no. I didn't want to go on another medication until I felt confident that I could pinpoint the underlying issue. Both the doctor and I were happy that I declined.

If I'd been on my toes, I would have pointed out that I weigh less now than I did when I was in his office a few months ago. Why was my blood pressure good then and pre-hypertensive now? If I'd had my problem-solving hat on, I would have asked what changed? However, it was late in the day, I accepted what I was told, and merrily went on my way. But a nagging doubt kept needling my brain. It simply didn't feel right to dismiss my high blood pressure as a result of my weight. I knew that there was more to it than that.

That night I pondered the visit with my doctor before I fell asleep sleep. During the night, some mental filing occurred, along with a bit of cross-referencing and voilà! Magic happened. So, all those things that I wished I had thought about above crystallized, and with that clarity came possibilities and more questions. At my first opportunity, I searched for connections between Metformin and increased blood pressure. I looked at studies and read through documented Metformin side effects. I also found instances on various social media platforms and forums where someone noted the same Metformin/increased blood pressure symptom as I. Somehow, finding real people experiencing the same side effects that I have somehow put me at ease.

Putting it all together

What changed? I introduced a new medication into my body. Shortly after, I increased the dosage of that medication. It was when I increased the dosage that I became symptomatic. A ha!

After discussing it with my doctor, I decrease my nightly dosage to 500 mg. After all, I want to use the lowest dosage possible in which I can achieve the maximum therapeutic level without aggravating or incurring undesirable symptoms.

Updates

Date	Details
10/8/2014	My blood pressure is now below 117/74 and my blood sugar is still low and normal, but now my heart rate is whacked. I'm going to reduce my nightly dose to 250 mg, and see what happens. Check back here for an update. -Kat
10/21/2014	I nixed the Metformin all together. What can I say? My blood pressure is good, but my heart rate is still kind of erratic and tends to run high. Not sure what this means. At least it gives me something to talk about with my endocrinologist next month -Kat

Related Links

• Blood pressure chart: What your reading means
• Metformin
• PCOS: Insulin and Metformin
• Review: could Metformin cause Blood pressure increased (High blood pressure)?

Personal Data Collection

Sifting through data can be enlightening. Going through the process of collecting data can be arduous and, at times, a drag. Yet I needed to quickly learn what improved my symptoms and what made them worse. There is only one way for me to gain the kind of insight necessary to achieve my goal of lessening the intensity and duration of my symptoms, and that way is keeping records.

I'm very much into technology and as I always carry my smart phone, I saw no reason why I couldn't find apps to aid me in record keeping. 

First things first, I downloaded the My Symptoms food diary and symptoms app. Within a few days of record keeping, I began to see patterns emerge. I could pinpoint correlations between activities or foods and how my body responded. Specifically, I wanted to minimize or eliminate completely the excessive sweating symptom - that one drives me nuts!

Not long after, I received a blood testing kit (glucose meter). After grumbling a bit at having to use two separate apps to track my personal data, I downloaded the Glucose Buddy app. That was a huge eye opener for me. It was through tracking my blood glucose levels at the onset of any symptom that I made a huge leap in understanding what was happening to my body and what I needed to do to minimize a symptom's intensity and duration. 

While the My Symptoms app gave me correlations and insights, it didn't give me calories or a breakdown of fat, proteins, and carbohydrates. I also wanted a running total of the number of calories I burned while exercising. More data with which to fine tune the positive changes I'm incorporating into my life. 

I was referred to SparkPeople to track my foods and fitness by the facilitator of a pre-diabetes class I attended. Wow! Neat program that links an online interface with apps. So, I can do the bulk of my entries, or define frequently used entries, online, and then enter updates in real time via my smart phone. Pretty nifty. Further, you can sign up for various types of support and network with others who have faced or are facing similar issues to ones with which you may be dealing. I choose not to be quite so connected, as my goal isn't to lose weight, per se, but to be symptom free. Loosing weight just so happens to be a benefit of my goal. 

I track everything, even the three squares of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate with Hazelnuts that somehow slipped from my fingers into my mouth. Yeah, if I'm not honest with myself and track everything that passes my lips, tracking doesn't help. 

It does take a bit of time and trial-and-error to find the tools that work best for you. I can assure you that becoming an expert on you, your body, and your health is well worth the investment. 

Related Links

• Quantified Self (This is a little over-the-top. The one below is well worth viewing.)
• Show me the data -- becoming an expert in yourself

From Infertility to Family

I always knew I'd be a mom. By the time I was 19, adoption was part of my life plan. I didn't know if I'd be married or not, although I'd hoped that I'd find a partner to share my life with. No matter what, I was going to be a parent.

Little did I know that fertility could be such a fickle thing. 

I remember the joy, anticipation, and excitement that coursed through my veins when the pregnancy test showed positive for the first time. Yep, as I'd planned, just a couple years after marrying my husband, I was pregnant. By the tenth week, I was thinking about possible colleges that might be suitable for the genius who had taken up residency in my uterus. What might this child major in, I wondered. Math? Science? Theater? We had great conversations together, one sided, but nevertheless deeply moving and meaningful. Not a week after these dialogues began, I miscarried. 

I was devastated. 

I didn't "miscarry," I lost a baby, a new love, a friend who I couldn't wait to meet, and never would. I lost three more babies over the next couple of years, and while they were all heartbreaking, none came close to the severe and overwhelming shock and grief I experienced at losing my first baby.

And then, I couldn't get pregnant again. Lots of false positives, which was confusing and distressing. Clearly, there was something wrong with me. Time to hook up with a fertility expert and get this thing figured out. 

Such optimism.

I went to a fertility specialist, because that made sense, right? He put me on a few rounds of Clomid. Now there's a med for you. The hot flashes, the mood swings... and that was just on my husband's part! It was worth it, because I got pregnant. Yay! No more tetemperature charts, no more timing sex, no more chasing my husband down the hall wailing, "come on, hunny! I'm fertile! Please? I'll let you be Little Bo Peep this tiiiiime!" Kidding, mostly, lil bit, not much. 

A few weeks after the positive pregnancy test proclaimed positive, I spotted and lost the baby. 

I switched to a fertility clinic and did several rounds of IUF. Let's just say that we reached the end of our fertility budget. We took a break from all things baby making, except for the fun part, of course. After we took some time to grieve and heal, we moved forward with our adoption plans. 

In a miracle as only Christmas can package, a precious, amazing toddler with dreamy blue eyes came to live with us. There is no doubt in my mind that she's ours, completely and utterly meant to be our daughter.  

Six weeks later, I was pregnant. 

In the majesty of autumn, a strapping baby boy was born with blue eyes, blond hair, and a beguiling smile. 

Two years after that? You guessed it, preggo again. 

Amidst the fragrant blossoms of spring, a blond haired, blue-eyed charmer was born. 

To say I was busy with a baby, a 2-year old, and a 3-year old would be an understatement. 

It wasn't a smooth journey to parenthood, or easy for that matter. However, my dreams of family did come true. 

System Flush

Research cited by the New York Times shows when your body is dehydrated, your kidneys go all Chicken Little on you. No, the sky isn't falling, yet those panicked kidneys retain water and release a hormone that raises blood sugar. For those of us who are tasked with driving our glucose levels down, it makes sense to do what it takes to keep our kidneys from pushing the panic button and releasing that pesky hormone. Fear not, Chicken Little kidneys, we know of a magical elixir that will bath you into calm bliss: Water.

Water dilutes the blood and flushes out glucose, among other things, from your bloodstream. Evidence suggests that drinking as little as .5 to 1 liter, or 17 to 34 ounces, will help you with attaining homeostasis. I drink a lot of water. On good days, my water consumption goes beyond 2 liters, or over 64 ounces. On other days, I stay in the range noted above. I drink water about .5 liter or 16 oz and eat a small protein/carb duo to stave off my blood sugar spike as soon as I get out of bed in the morning. I'm happy to report that this small change has greatly reduced the excessive sweating symptom I talked about in the One Hot Mama and Reverse Symptomology posts.

By chance I ran across a post in a forum that offered a suggestion for when blood sugar levels spike. My signs of hyperglycemia may include:

• Excessive sweating
• Fatigue (weak, tired feeling)
• Headaches
• Difficulty concentrating
• Increased thirst
• Frequent urination
• Decreased vision

When I experience any or a combination of the above, I flush out the sugar by drinking 16 ounce water quickly. I wait five minutes and drink another 8 ounce glass of water. Soon after, I'll pee, and my blood sugar levels start to decline. I keep drinking through out the day, as well. Keeping well hydrated has kept me cool and comfortable for several weeks now.

I'm thinking I'm on to something.

Related Links

• Does drinking lots of water and staying well hydrated help with keeping blood sugar levels at a more normal level?
• Does Drinking Water Bring High Glucose Levels Down?
• Five Simple Ways to Lower Your Blood Sugar
• Ways to lower your blood sugar quickly

Size Matters

I'm talking about portion size. What did you think I meant?

There are fact and figures, charts and diagrams, showing how we eat larger portions now than we did 20 year ago. There is considerable fodder out on the interwebs discussing Portion Distortion, and with it a plethora of images describing how to estimate serving sizes using your hand for protein, carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables, and fats. I'm not going there. Instead, I'm looking at the cause and effect of what I eat and how my body reacts.

I'm noticing what happens to my body when I eat small servings versus large servings, even if it's a salad packed with veggies. If I keep to "dynamic duos" every two hours or so, my blood sugar doesn't spike or stay in an elevated range. My dynamic duos consist of things like Almond butter and a banana, apple and goat cheese, Qunioa and broccoli. Whatever the combination of whole grain, protein, fruit, or vegetable, when I keep it to about one cup, I don't flood my system with large quantities of insulin.

I'm noticing what happens to my body when I eat watermelon. Ohhh, it's so not pretty. Remember in prior posts how I whined about excessive sweating? I get that within 20 minutes of eating watermelon, in addition to brain fog and muscle weakness. I'm about to whine again. First cheese, then coffee, and now watermelon? Say it isn't so!

It's an interesting paradigm eating to nourish my body and minimize symptoms rather than eating to lose weight. I'm thinking that I can use the immediate biofeedback that insulin resistance gives me to continue to eat in ways that is right for me, thus healthy.

Related Links

• Diabetes: Learning About Serving and Portion Sizes
• We eat what we’re served, regardless of taste

Reverse Symptomology

It's time to explore this sweating symptom again. All the medical sites I have searched relate the excessive sweating symptom with low blood sugar. Fortunately, I came across a message board where members talked about becoming hot and sweaty when their blood sugar levels were high. Quite the opposite of what the "expert" sites cited, and exactly what I am experiencing.

Welcome to the world of "weirdness"... Both my sister-in-law and myself seem to get flushed and sweat when our sugar is up a bit. If my sugar is low, then I will get a bit light headed, very pale and might break out in a COLD sweat and get shaky. Everyone is different and I guess you know your own body. ~JJ

I think that it's important to begin with the experts. Absolutely, you should take your symptoms and concerns to your doctor. However, I don't stop there. I want to know what the people who are dealing with any particular malady are experiencing, and how they approach and minimize their symptoms. It's fantastic that there are so many content creators and various technologies to share information and experiences. Sometimes the sheer volume of information can feel overwhelming, and much of the content needs to be examined with a critical eye. Yet sifting through and reading posts, blogs, and forums is invaluable for spotting trends that can shed light on your concerns.

Now that I know I will sweat when my blood sugar spikes, which foods have a high GI, and I have the tools to monitor my glucose levels, I feel much more in control over this particular (embarrassing) symptom.

Similar topics: 

• One Hot Mama
• System Flush

Related Links

• Get Off the Blood Glucose Roller Coaster
• Hyperglycemia (High Blood Sugar)
• Sweating and High Blood Sugars
• Sweating With High Sugar?

Coffee Calamity

There is quite a buzz out there in the interwebs for those with insulin resistance on the topic of coffee, specifically the caffeine in coffee, giving rise to blood sugar levels.

That's just not okay. I love my coffee! I have great need of coffee. I'm a troglodyte without coffee!

To say that I'm taking this news badly doesn't even come close to my state of abject horror at the thought of no longer partaking in my beloved beverage. There must be some mistake. Surly I can find a loophole somewhere... but no.

I know the truth of caffeine and what it does to me and my blood sugar by the neuropathic response I get whenever I drink coffee, or anything with caffeine, for that matter. I was happy ignoring the symptom. Didn't matter that I have a reaction to drinking my (legal) drug of choice. It didn't matter, that is, until I read the dreaded words on the Glycemic Index. Yup, coffee is listed in the red zone. Not only did I have physical evidence that coffee spiked my blood sugar, (which I chose to ignore), but now I have it in writing, too. Somehow, that just made it too important to ignore.

What am I going to do? I just recently switched to soy lattes because dairy does a number on me. Now I have to give up lattes altogether? Nooooo!

Turns out that while that caffeine isn't a good thing for me, decaf coffee isn't a bad thing. As I switched to soy lattes with nary a second glance, I think I can make the switch to decaf soy lattes, eventually. I'm not saying that I can go cold turkey, no way! Starting tomorrow, I'll ask for a split, or 1/2 decaf soy latte. Eventually I'll get to all decaf, sooner rather than later.

Nothing is certain except for change, eh?

Related Post:  Caffeine Quandary

Related Links

• Does caffeine affect blood sugar?
• Why does black coffee raise my sugars?

Was That Fiber or Fibroid?

What's the difference?

Fiber

Plant material that cannot be digested but that helps you to digest other food.

Fibroid

A growth of fibrous tissue in the uterus, usually a fibroma, fibromyoma, or leiomyofibroma.

Surgery is the definitive treatment, especially for complications such as bleeding or pain, and when there's a suspicion for malignancy.

According to the Mayo clinic, for women who have symptoms, the most common symptoms of uterine fibroids include:

• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Prolonged menstrual periods — seven days or more of menstrual bleeding
• Pelvic pressure or pain
• Frequent urination
• Difficulty emptying your bladder
• Constipation
• Backache or leg pains

While all uterine fibroids are the same, they have special names based on their location:

• Submucosal fibroids are located just under the uterine lining.
• Intramural fibroids lie between the muscles of the uterine wall.
• Subserol fibroids extend from the uterine wall into the pelvic cavity.

As I have three amazing kids, and no plans for becoming pregnant, I'm going for the hysterectomy, or uterus removal.

So, in a nutshell, eat fiber, and remove a fibroid when it's painful, etc.

For the record, this being a woman thing isn't for the faint of hearts. We're rather complicated beings, biologically speaking.

Related Links

• Uterine fibroids
• Uterine fibroids fact sheet
• Uterine Fibroids - Surgery

Agnsty, Not Only for Poets and Teens

I love that word. When I looked it up, I found this definition in the Urban dictionary:

Generally it involves the feeling of not being understood by anyone and that the person is alone in the world.

The Merriam-Webster free online dictionary has this nugget:

feeling, showing, or expressing anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity

My teens are in the former group, which makes total sense, because, well, they're teens. I'm in the latter group, my guess is because I'm neither a poet nor a teen (although there are times when I act like one). Anxiety and its cohort, depression, have been my companions for quite some time. Probably about the time I started infertility treatments. (I am blessed with three amazing kids. More on that story, later.) However, anxiety and depression have been particularly present in the last few years. Probably about the time insulin resistance reared its ugly head, unbeknownst to me. The good news is, now things make sense in ways that baffled me before. The bad news is, I must take better care of myself. I mean, you know, like put myself first sometimes. How bad can that be?

I'm curious, though. How much of my anxiety and depression are health related? As I ease into a healthier lifestyle and continue to put myself first in positive ways, will my depression and anxiety lessen? Will I be in a position where I can cut back on my "happy pills?" These are questions I hope I'll have answers (in the affirmative) to in the near future. It looks like, by continuing down the path of eating healthy and exercising, I could very well reverse insulin resistance and its unsavory symptoms in about a years time. I tend to be a rather goal-oriented individual, so of course I'm writing the goal of eliminating the whole prediabetes thing in gold letters on my bucket list.

I have found that sleeping better, thanks to the CPAP machine, has improved my over-all state of being. I'm positive that exercise is also responsible for helping smooth out my rough edges. Therefore, it must be possible that eating well, and managing or eliminating the massive levels of insulin wrecking havoc on my body, may very well contribute to reducing my angsty depression, as well.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Related Links

• Serum androgens and depression in women with facial hirsutism.
• Severity of depression and anxiety in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
• What's the connection between diabetes and depression?

Teal Ribbon Cysterhood

Yesterday I became an official, card-carrying member of the PCOS community. On the one hand, I feel pretty smart for figuring it out for myself. On the other hand, it's sucks and I'm mad-as-hell that I have a syndrome, which is essentially a catch-all phrase that experts use when they don't have a clue what to do with you. Great, just lump a bunch of us who share similar symptoms together, scratch your collectives heads, and label us with "syndrome." Yeah, that's me throwing a cyber tantrum. Fat lot of good it does, aside from letting off a bit of steam, huh?

Speaking of fat, the experts say that loosing just 10% of your weight can reduce the severity of PCOS symptoms. That sounds easy, yes? Well, as easy as it is for anyone to eat healthy and exercise. Only, with the added challenge that the PCOS syndrome can include that lovely increase in weight. What the heck, what's life without a few challenges, right? So, what exactly can one with PCOS eat, and what are the things that one should avoid?

I explored a cross section of PCOS diets out there, and most all of them agree that becoming the next non-Dairy Queen is the next best thing to sliced bread. This was a bit disconcerting, as I grew up believing that milk has something for every body. Is it possible that the dairy industry lied to me? To us? Shocking! Well, not really, they are in the business of selling milk, cheese, and ice cream. When it comes to cheese and ice cream - oh, and hot chocolate! - avoiding dairy hits me the hardest. I mean, try and order a bean and cheese burrito without the cheese, or a quesadilla, for that matter! I can do pizza sans cheese, but then there's the white flour used in the crust, and white flour is another no-no.

That does make things like eating out a problem. Heck, that makes eating in a bit of a challenge, too.

For me, losing weight and eating healthy means limiting my personal choices, thereby making it easier to shop, prepare, and stay on track. I've taken to wearing a pedometer again, and that helps me increase my daily activity, as I challenge myself to reach 10,000 steps every day. I've hit it a couple of times so far, yay me!

Related Links

• PCOS Diet Support
• PCOS Nutrition – PCOS Diet
• PCOS Support Groups

(non) Dairy Queen

I have crowned myself a non-Dairy Queen. No coronation, ballgown, nor tiara, heralded the occasion. (Curses! Someday I'm going to get a tiara!) I have discovered that keeping dairy off my plate and away from my stomach helps minimize my symptoms. The challenge came when I wanted to find substitutes for cooking with, and adding to coffee, which I talked about in the Critical Mass post. There are lots of alternatives, but which is the best choice, packs the most protein and contains the least amount of sugar? Then, of course, I must ponder what is satisfying, too.

I'm a bit of a show me the data kind of gal, so I searched the interwebs for facts and figures. Wow! There's a lot of stuff out there, from manufacturer's nutrition data to blogger's personal findings, to recipe re-dos using milk alternatives. While all that data can be overwhelming, I slogged through a great deal of it. I decided that I, personally, needed to focus on what works for my lifestyle, digestive track, and personal taste preferences. Oh, and I focused on milk alternatives that are high in protein and low in sugar. Soy has become my go to milk substitute. However, when it comes to satisfying my sweet tooth, I head for the Almond milk. I'm not a fan of Coconut milk, not even remotely. That said, I keep it on hand as I can use it to add a lot of sweet to whatever I'm making without inducing a sugar spike.

Beverage	Calories	Sugar	Fat	Protein
Almond Milk	40	0	3.5g	1g
Coconut Milk	50	0	5g	1g
Soy Milk	80	1g	4g	7g

My figures are for the brands I use, based on an 8 oz serving. Your values may vary.

Related Links

• 21 FAQ about Almond Milk
• Coconut Water
• Nutrition Facts: Soy Milk

Grains in Focus

The first thing I did when I realized that I was on the brink of type 2 Diabetes, was figure out what I could eat, and what I should limit or avoid completely. It wasn't too hard to include whole grains. I use a Tabbouleh recipe as a starting point, and then change up the grains and toss in whatever I have in the fridge and pantry for interest and variation. Of the go-to grains listed on the American Diabetics Association website, I gravitate toward the following:

• Brown rice 
  
• Bulgur (cracked wheat) 
• Buckwheat flour 
• Whole grain barley 
• Whole grain corn/corn meal 
• Whole oats/oatmeal 
• Wild rice 
• Quinoa/Quinoa flour

Presently, Quinoa is my staple and I always have a batch ready to add to whatever I'm making. 

I like to stir-fry barley, seasoning it with simply with salt and pepper. My oldest daughter, who is an extremely picky eater, has decided that anytime I make that particular dish, that I must make extra so that she can take it for lunch the next day. Ding, ding! We have winner. 

I've completely eliminated anything made with refined white flour, white rice, and limited my potato consumption. Which is challenging, but doable. Do I look longingly at the chili cheese fries my son makes? li'l bit. Do I salivate when my youngest daughter makes ravioli? On occasion. However, there are lots of ways in which I can enjoy the foods I love by swapping a starchy vegetable or a refined white flour product with a whole grain. I'm thinking I might test out this theory by replacing the fries with barley. It isn't chili cheese fries per se, but I think it might just be a satisfying substitute.

With a little bit of planning, a dash of imagination, and a pinch of surfing the interwebs for recipe possibilities, it's pretty easy to include whole grains in your daily diet.

Related Links

• Best and Worst Foods for Diabetes
• Combating Polycystic Ovary Disease Through Diet
• Diabetes Power Foods: Whole Grains and Fiber
• Grains and Starchy Vegetables

A Breath of Fresh Air

I remember when I was pregnant how I would need to take a nap so that I had enough energy to go to bed. A pregnant woman's exhaustion makes perfect sense, as she's using the equivalent amount of energy as does a mountain climber even when she's sitting still. It's been more than ten years after the birth of my youngest child, and there are times when the act of lifting a toothbrush seems to be more than my body can manage. Could stress be the culprit of fatigue? Stress most likely contributed, but it seemed like an accessory to the underlining issue, not the culprit.

Until recently, I thought that my profound exhaustion was related to depression and anxiety. Now that I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea, my chronic fatigue makes perfect sense. Now that I believe to have found the source of my exhaustion, time to work on resolving it!

I picked up my CPAP machine, the cool one with the humidifier. I have the nose piece, so instead of looking like Mom Vader, I look like the Elephant Mom. Seriously! The tube attached to the nose piece can, with a bit of imagination, look like a trunk.

I was given instructions to wear it for the first week while sitting and reading or watching TV. My son helped me set up the machine and hook up the hoses, harness, and nose piece. We both laughed at both my daughter's expressions when they came out into the living room and caught a glimpse of me in my gear. There's nothing like the laughter of my kids to help me keep things in perspective. I soon figured out how to inhale and exhale without popping my ears or having air whoosh out of my mouth (keep it closed, duh). It didn't take long to get into a breathing rhythm. Speaking while connected to the unit, however, I haven't master. Yet another element to have fun with. My kids would ask me questions just to hear me try and talk. I am, after all, on this earth for their entertainment. Well, that and a walking ATM machine, but I digress.

The first night I don't think that I slept. At least, I didn't feel as if I had. Clearly, I must have caught a couple of winks as my husband noted that while I did sound like Darth Vader, I didn't snore. I'm thinking that's progress, or at least an improvement. However, I was unable to function the following day. So I didn't, I stayed home and took a long nap.

The second night I fell asleep promptly, despite the long nap I enjoyed earlier in the day. I did wake up a couple of times. The first time I awoke, I went promptly to sleep again. The second time I stayed in a state of not asleep and not awake. Fortunately, I felt more human than the day before. Does it just get better and better from here? How many more days before I get to the "life changing" benefits of using this contraption? I am truly ready to "feel like a new person."

The third night I wasn't obsessively focused on my breathing and I fell asleep fairly quickly. I woke up about three times, but I immediately returned to sleep. By George, I think I've got the hang of this thing! While I still have a morning headache, I don't feel as if I'm mired in a dense fog. 

Looks like all I need is a bit more time to cozy up to my new best [electronic] friend. Do you think my smart phone will be jealous? 

Previous topic in the Sleep Apnea series: Sleep Perchance to Rest

Related Links

• Sleep Data Infographic
• Stop the Snore: 5 Risk Factors That May Require You to Talk About Sleep Apnea With Your Doctor

Connecting the Dots

All cases of acne have their roots in hormone production. In a wry twist of cosmic humor, my teens and I have adopted similar skin care routines for similar reasons. I want to call it "testosterone poisoning" but that isn't completely accurate (albeit, funny). Only, unlike my teens, I get the painful acne cysts that last for weeks, and sometimes looks like someone took a wicked right-hook to my jaw wearing a knuckle ring. 

As I mentioned in the Bigfoot, Yetti, and Me post, testosterone does some pretty amazing things. In the binary way of opposites, up and down, left and right, benefits and challenges, lies the beauty and beast of testosterone. The beast in this instance is oil production, nuthin' like greasy hair and skin, eh? 

Fortunately, I found a few products that help with minimizing the crazy outbreaks. As I bought similar products for my teens, I'm no longer yelling down the hall "who took my zit zapper!" Hell hath no fury like a hormonal mom. Jus' sayin'.

Like other symptoms, some acne is indicative of an underlying hormonal condition that can cause far more than facial blemishes. Yes, acne is a heartless bitch; but so is all the other inconvenient, embarrassing, and uncomfortable symptoms that make up this lovely syndrome.

I'm probably sounding like a broken record about now. Yet, once again, I'm advocating for all patients to ask their medical professionals to go beyond treating symptoms individually and looking at their patients and their symptomatology as a collective whole.

Related Links

• Acne and PCOS
• PCOS and Acne
• When It's More Than Acne

From Soprano to Alto

Puberty is a remarkable time. Growth in body, maturity, and character are just a tip of the amazing ice berg that is happening in a teens body. I take particular delight in watching the signs that herald the change in my son from boy to man. From his platinum blonde mustache to his deepening voice, the transformation is nothing less than miraculous.

Of course I share and identify with the changes my daughters experience, but I never imagined that I would share in the changes of my son. Particularly in the deepening of my voice.

It now makes perfect sense why I can't reach those high notes that I once hit with alacrity. Yet, for the longest time, I wrote it off as simply a sign of aging, or perhaps not singing as much as I used to.

PCOS is a complicated disease that involves problems with the endocrine system and female reproductive system. It makes a strange kind of sense that the very same androgens responsible for the changes in my son are also the culprit for the changes in me. On the one hand, it's sort of funny, on the other hand, it's a trifle bit humiliating. Once I realized that there is a physiological reason for virilism, it did lessen my embarrassment.

Once again, it's a small symptom that can easily be dismissed. So I went from a high, girly voice to a sultry, sexy voice; is that really such a thing to get all worked up over? I mean, it's just a symptom of aging or peri-menopause, or so I told myself. Ah, but the trick is to take all the seemingly trivial changes and look at them as part of a whole. Which, when I think about it, isn't possible as I'd dismissed them and never thought to bring them up to a doctor.

Related Links

• Is my deep voice due to polycystic ovaries?
• Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
• Vocal changes in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Resistance Is Futile

Insulin resistance is when your body produces insulin, but the cells in your body have become resistant to that insulin and are unable to use it effectively. Insulin resistance may be part of the metabolic syndrome, has been associated with higher risk of developing heart disease, and precedes the development of type 2 diabetes. My symptoms include lethargy, hunger, and brain fog. These symptoms can easily be written off as a reaction to stress, which is pretty much what I did.  

Diseases or conditions associated with insulin resistance include:

• Obesity
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Abnormal cholesterol levels
• Heart disease
• Polycystic ovary syndrome

Because insulin is one of the major hormones, it’s impossible for your body to balance its minor hormones (for example, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone) until your insulin metabolism is balanced first. 

Related Links

• Insulin Resistance and Diabetes
• National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

Critical Mass

Try as hard as I might, I couldn't find a body positive  image that conveyed the message that I am looking for. I found this one, but it objectifies a woman's body, she is essentially a tree. It's kinda cool, but not what I am looking for. I found other images with the standard tropes of large, curvy ladies eating ice cream and slim, muscular ladies working out. Bleck! How can I talk about such a weighty issue without proper illustrations to inspire and guide me?

Okay, well here goes: today's topic is weight. Managing weight, loosing weight, being okay with the weight we are is only a teeny portion of the discussion.

Just for today, let's say that we've made peace with our bodies, and we're simply focused on understanding the role weight plays as a symptom of PCOS.

Yeah, I think I can work with that.

Yes, extra weight on your frame for your height and age can cause all sorts of problems. With PCOS, I experienced a sudden weight gain that settled mostly around my belly and I wasn't able to lose it. Here's the kicker, I was eating healthy at the time. Color me confused. I continued to eat healthy until a series of unfortunate events, and then I went on a see food diet. You can imagine what that did to my waistline. The pending PCOS diagnosis makes changing my eating habits a must.

I'm not following any particular fad diet, nor am I overly concerned about getting into my "skinny size 8" jeans (which I turned over to Goodwill decades ago, but I digress). Fortunately for me, I work with ladies whose eating habits I simply emulate. Easy peasy. One lady eats a banana dipped in a mixed nut butter practically every morning. So yummy! Another lady brings to work salads with interesting and flavorful ingredients. With a little planning and just 5 minutes in the morning, I carry with me to work a salad concocted of greens, whole grains, goat cheese, and whatever protein we ate last night. I toss in a couple of extra pieces of fruit, and viola! I'm ready for the day.

Yet another lady at work orders soy lattes. The barista at the cafe (I know, we're so spoiled where I work!) let me taste the soy milk they stock. Yummy. Between listening to my friend order espresso floating in soy bliss and tasting said bliss, I quickly became a soy convert. That said, I'm trying not to over do the soy, so I've added Almond milk to the mix, too.

The worst news about this PCOS gig is the havoc dairy wrecks on my body. Essentially, the cheese that I crave beyond reason is off limits. Oh, just great! Happily, I'm a big fan of goat cheese, so now I just stock the fridge with variations on a theme of goat cheese. The awesomely cool thing is that both my son and husband are fans of goat cheese, and that makes it even more enjoyable. 'cuz you know, I'm not the family freak who can't eat the same things my family eats.

So there it is, my diet secret. Lean protein, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, topped off with whole grains. Oh, and I pretty much got rid of anything white: potatoes, rice, and flour. Once the weather cools, I'm going to experiment with baking using Quinoa and Buckwheat flours.

Related Links

• Don't Be a Dairy Queen
• Is your PCOS Diet Dairy Free? It Should Be!
• Should your PCOS Diet Be Dairy Free? – Everything You Need To Know
• Soy and PCOS: Safe or Harmful?

Tag, You're It

Skin tags are small growths on the skin that can grow up to a half inch long. They are usually the same color as your skin, or slightly darker. Skin tags are composed of blood

vessels and collagen fibers (a kind of protein) surrounded by skin. 

Skin tags are not big deal. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, they develop on those of us who have reached middle age, are pregnant, have diabetes, and (you've guessed it) have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

There isn't much to say about them, except that I'm adding them to my ever-growing list of wacky PCOS-related symptoms.

I find PCOS confusing in that there are silos of illnesses that have individual treatments which are easily overlooked. It isn't until someone takes a few steps back that they begin to see the PCOS picture developing. It is so easy to write symptoms off as related to stress, age, pregnancy, menace, or menopause; when in fact a collection of small, seemingly unrelated symptoms can be markers for a broader concern. 

Related Links

• Healthy aging
• Moles, Freckles, and Skin Tags
• What are skin tags?