Sincerely,
Peggy

Dear Peggy,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog. I am sorry to hear that you are having a difficult time conceiving.

There are women who do not have insulin resistance but some women with PCOS hyper secrete insulin but do not yet manifest insulin resistance. Furthermore, in many women with PCOS, their ovaries are highly sensitive to insulin, so that even if their serum insulin levels are normal, the ovaries are highly reactive to that insulin.

How did your doctors determine that you are not insulin resistant? The reason I ask is that this is often seen in PCOS, not everyone as you know but often seen in those who are overweight. This is done by looking at fasting insulin levels. However, we have found that a fasting insulin level of about 9 or higher is starting to indicate problems with insulin resistance. For the random insulin, results over 25 or 30 may indicate insulin resistance. Other factors that would make me suspicious of insulin resistance include high blood pressure, difficulty losing weight, skin tags, acanthosis nigricans (dark brown patches on the skin), and a family history of diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

You may know these levels and you may not have an elevated insulin level but I just wanted to check to see if this was measured. Glucose levels are often the only test done to determine the presence or absence of insulin resistance.

The fact that you just stopped birth control you may have some changes as your body readjusts to not having hormones. Some women will continue a regular cycle, some will not. However, if you are still overweight, we can continue to see irregular or absent cycles.

Have you considered a non-pharmaceutical approach to addressing PCOS? In your case, this is what I would recommend in addition to helping you lose weight with lifestyle changes, the nutrients in the Insulite PCOS System can help to normalize the hormone imbalance. This can be a great option for you right now.

If you are interested, please visit our website at http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/. Since you have done very well with losing weight, you know some of the changes that are crucial to helping to manage this condition and I would continue with this as well.

Peggy, the topics of PCOS without insulin resistance are still not entirely understood in the medical community. But often it is addressed similarly and then adjustments can be made along the way. Let me know if this helps or if you have any other questions or concerns. I hope you consider the PCOS System as I think that it can help.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Dear Tanya,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog. I am glad that you found us.

It is interesting that your doctor did not diagnose if there is reason to do so. What I mean is it seems you are having some of the symptoms of PCOS. Has your doctor done any additional tests that may indicate that PCOS is the reason for the symptoms you are experiencing?

The tests would include:

- free testosterone- elevated in PCOS

- DHEA-S- often elevated in PCOS

- Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)- usually low in PCOS

- Fasting insulin- elevated in PCOS. Some doctors may hesitate to order this test because the normal range (0-20) is so wide. However, we find that results greater than 9 indicate insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is usually the underlying cause of PCOS, as you may have read about on our site. Some doctors may also order a 2-hour post-prandial insulin test, along with a 2-hour post-prandial glucose test. For the post-prandial insulin, results over 25 or 30 may indicate insulin resistance.

- Fasting glucose or 2-hour post-prandial glucose test- elevated in PCOS. Using this information in combination with the insulin levels helps to diagnose insulin resistance. Also, women with PCOS have a higher risk of diabetes so it is important to screen for this early and often.

- LH: FSH- Some doctors may also look at the ratio between these two hormones. In PCOS, we would expect LH to be elevated in comparison to FSH.

- You could get an ultrasound to check for the presence of ovarian cysts. Even if the ovaries do appear normal, the absence of ovarian cysts does not mean that you don’t have PCOS. Not everyone with PCOS has ovarian cysts.

- I would also check your cholesterol levels and liver function tests, as these can also be abnormal in PCOS (as well as in many other conditions).

Lab testing is not mandatory for diagnosing PCOS, especially if you are experiencing so many of the symptoms. However, the above tests do give us numbers which, along with the improvement of your clinical symptoms, help us monitor your progress.

PCOS is notoriously difficult to diagnose. It is a diagnosis of exclusion. In other words, it is important to rule out other diseases that can cause symptoms similar to PCOS (such as Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia). To diagnose PCOS, we use a combination of clinical symptoms (what you experience as the patient, such as excess hair growth, irregular menses, acne, skin tags, weight gain, infertility, etc.) and lab tests.

I do want to let you know that there is another condition called Cushing’s disease that has many symptoms of PCOS and is sometimes mistaken for PCOS. Cushing’s is not very common, but I still wanted to mention it to you. This would be something to discuss with your doctor to ensure it has been ruled out.

Have you made changes to your nutrition and exercise program over the last 9 months to help with the symptoms? These will be crucial in helping to manage your symptoms and addressing the underlying insulin resistance that often is attributed to causing PCOS. Based on the information you posted, I am not sure that you are controlling your symptoms or if more is needed. Regardless, I would recommend that if you are waiting for a diagnosis when it seems you are on the path that can increase the likelihood of PCOS, that you make the appropriate changes as soon as possible.

It is important to be proactive about your health. You might want to consider using the Insulite PCOS System to help you control the symptoms and prevent progression of the problem. If you are interested, please visit the website: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/.

I hope that this has given you some information that you can use and helps you determine what steps might be needed. Please feel free to write in at any time.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Dear Katrina,

I am delighted that you found our blog! We hear from many women who struggle just as you do to find the best way to manage PCOS that works with their life and their goals. We understand how frustrating and distressing this can be, but there is hope and things can get better!

Thanks for writing in!

Our view on the pharmaceutical treatment of PCOS is that there is no one drug on the market that will change your condition. The only way to reverse the disorder is to reduce elevations in insulin which directly affect testosterone and other hormonal changes that are responsible for causing PCOS.

We do not recommend oral contraceptives as a treatment for PCOS because they are synthetic hormones that mask some of the symptoms of PCOS rather than fixing the problems. Treating absent menses or other symptoms with oral contraceptives does not treat the underlying disorder of PCOS and when the contraceptives are discontinued, the PCOS symptoms will persist.

As you may have read on our website, the underlying cause of PCOS in most cases seems to be insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it produces, which leads to elevated circulating levels of insulin. This in turn leads to hormonal imbalances such as increased testosterone and other androgens (male hormones).

The increased testosterone is responsible for many of the symptoms of PCOS such as hair growth and abnormal menstrual cycles. Elevated insulin also contributes to the formation of cysts in the ovaries in part due to the hormonal imbalances and also because the ovaries are highly sensitive to the influence of insulin. In women with PCOS, the ovaries are over-sensitized to insulin’s effects.

The weight gain associated with PCOS is intricately related to insulin resistance. Losing weight helps to improve insulin sensitivity, and vice versa: becoming more sensitive to your insulin helps you to lose weight.

Unfortunately, people who have insulin resistance have a very difficult time losing weight, as you have experienced.

That said, it is not normal under any circumstances to have your menstrual flow every day for an entire year. It is true that women can experience significantly heavier periods after a pregnancy, but these typically regulate within a few months. Also, we want to be careful that you are not bleeding so much as to become anemic. You might see your doctor about a blood test to check for anemia. And also to check your hormone levels because you may need to also supplement with progesterone.

I hope this information is helpful for you! There is amazing customer support at Insulite Labs; we are here to help you through this healing journey. Please don’t hesitate to contact us again if you have any other questions or concerns.

Best Wishes,

Dr. Andrea Lee, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting and Advisory Team

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose of being informative. This information is not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment, take any medication, supplements or other nutritional support, or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dear Dee,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog.

As you may be finding out, many women do see their cycles regulate with the use of birth control and with weight loss. You mentioned that with weight loss you did see your cycles return, however not as regularly as you would have liked.

Weight loss is important both for your general health and also to help increase your chances of conceiving, when you are ready to start trying. For an overweight woman with PCOS, losing 5-10% of her weight can help her to achieve regular menstruation, which increases the chances of ovulation and conception. The Insulite PCOS System addresses this component not only with the supplements but also with diet and exercise guidelines. We advocate gradual weight loss which is healthier and more permanent.

As you know weight loss is not always as easy as predicted. Exercise and nutrition are of course crucial for anyone wanting to lose weight, but can be more difficult to get results with a condition such as PCOS.

However, with PCOS, it is important not to only address the symptoms of the condition, such as weight gain, irregular or absent cycles, acne, excess facial and body hair, etc. but to also address why this is happening and how these symptoms develop as a result.

The underlying cause of PCOS in most cases seems to be insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it produces, which leads to elevated circulating levels of insulin. This in turn leads to hormonal imbalances such as increased testosterone and other androgens (male hormones).

The increased testosterone is responsible for many of the symptoms such as hair growth and abnormal menstrual cycles.

Elevated insulin also contributes to the formation of cysts in the ovaries in part due to the hormonal imbalances and also because the ovaries are highly sensitive to the influence of insulin. In women with PCOS, the ovaries are over-sensitized to insulin’s effects.

Finally, the weight gain that is often associated with PCOS is intricately related to Insulin Resistance. Losing weight helps to improve insulin sensitivity, and vice versa: becoming more sensitive to your insulin helps you to lose weight.

Women with PCOS may also find it more difficult to achieve pregnancy because of the hormonal changes (elevated testosterone and DHEA-S) and ovarian cysts that are characteristic of PCOS.

You can ask your doctor to do a vaginal ultrasound to detect the presence of ovarian cysts. If you are not having monthly periods or they are being controlled with birth control, you may or may not see cysts. Not all women with PCOS have cysts.

There are many types of birth control and it would be best to discuss other options with your doctor. Yasmin has a lower androgen index, which means that it does not increase testosterone levels. However, some of the side effects can include acne and increased weight.

Since you have already been diagnosed with PCOS, your doctor may not feel the ultrasound is necessary or she/he may want to wait until you are ready to try to conceive.

If you are trying to conceive and cysts are present, they may recommend a procedure called ovarian drilling. Ovarian drilling may make it easier to become pregnant, however ovarian drilling does NOT cure PCOS. The cysts can return once drilling is complete because ovarian drilling does not address the underlying cause of PCOS, it merely removes one of the symptoms of PCOS (the ovarian cysts) temporarily.

What steps are taken will depend on the doctor.

What the goal would be is to work towards having regular periods so that the you are ovulating and this is one way to prevent the cysts from forming. The goal should also be to reduce they symptoms you are dealing with in addition to the irregular periods and the risks associated with PCOS, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Dee, I recommend that you consider the Insulite PCOS System. What we have designed is a non-pharmaceutical approach to addressing the cause of PCOS and to reduce the symptoms and long tern risks of PCOS. The PCOS System helps to reverse insulin resistance, reduce symptoms of PCOS to help you reach your goals and manage this condition.

You can read more about it at: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/.

I hope that this helps Dee. Please keep coming back to the blog, our forum ( http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/forums/index.php ) and other support sites for women with PCOS.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Dear Ishrat,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog.

Did your doctor mention anything about PCOS to you? Women with PCOS certainly do exhibit some of these signs and symptoms.

Some women have elevated testosterone levels. Testosterone is a male hormone, but it is also present in females, just in lower amounts. Similarly, men also have estrogen but in much lower amounts than women. If the levels of testosterone become too high for what is considered “normal” in a female, it can lead to symptoms such as acne, irregular cycles, excess facial and body hair.

Weight gain is also not uncommon in women with PCOS. The reason is that if PCOS is what your doctors are considering, the underlying cause of in most cases seems to be insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it produces, which leads to elevated circulating levels of insulin. This in turn leads to hormonal imbalances such as increased testosterone and other androgens (male hormones).

The increased testosterone is responsible for many of the symptoms such as hair growth and abnormal menstrual cycles.

Elevated insulin also contributes to the formation of cysts in the ovaries in part due to the hormonal imbalances and also because the ovaries are highly sensitive to the influence of insulin. In women with PCOS, the ovaries are over-sensitized to insulin’s effects.

Finally, the weight gain that is often associated with PCOS is intricately related to Insulin Resistance. Losing weight helps to improve insulin sensitivity, and vice versa: becoming more sensitive to your insulin helps you to lose weight.

Now I am not sure that this is what is happening to you or that your doctors suspect PCOS. It seems as thought they are considering this. Here is some additional information on the tests that are done as well as some of the symptoms we can see with PCOS.

The following is a list of the more common symptoms of PCOS, but note that not everyone with PCOS experiences all of these symptoms. Some women may have 2 or 3 of these traits while others struggle with all of them. Most experts consider that a woman must have evidence of both lack of ovulation manifested by irregular periods AND signs of excess male hormones to be diagnosed with PCOS. Some experts also require the presence of polycystic ovaries to diagnose PCOS.

1. Weight Gain or Inability to Lose Weight. Other people may not necessarily gain weight but find that no matter how hard they try, they cannot lose any weight. Not every woman with PCOS will have problems with excess weight. In fact, up to half of women with PCOS are lean. Even lean women with PCOS may struggle with high insulin levels or insulin resistance, however.

2. Absent or Irregular Periods (Amenorrhea or Oligomenorrhea). Irregular or absent menses indicate that a woman is probably not ovulating.

3. Infertility. The high levels of excess insulin seen with PCOS can stimulate the ovaries to produce large amounts of the male hormone testosterone, which can possibly prevent the ovaries from releasing an
egg each month, thus causing infertility. Because women with PCOS don’t have regular menstrual cycles, many are unable to become pregnant. With help, however, many PCOS sufferers conceive.

4. Excess Hair Growth (Hirsutism). This symptom causes excess hair, which can be difficult for many women. For most PCOS sufferers, hair in the mustache and beard areas becomes heavier and darker. Masculine hair on the arms and leg is also possible, as well as hair on abdomen, chest or back, together with more growing in the pubic area. High levels of male hormones (androgens) cause this condition.

5. Thinning Hair. Just as heavier hair growth is possible, so is the type of hair thinning that many men experience.

6. Acne and oily skin

7.Ovarian Cysts. The elevation in insulin levels also contributes to the formation of cysts in the ovaries in part due to the hormonal imbalances and also because the ovaries are highly sensitive to the influence of insulin. These multiple, immature ovarian cysts that are the hallmark of PCOS are associated with irregular menstruation and trouble conceiving. Polycystic ovaries are defined as 12 or more follicles in at least 1 ovary as seen by ultrasound. Note that not every woman with PCOS has polycystic ovaries.

8. Fatigue. Fatigue is a common symptom that may be related to PCOS in that insulin resistance can be one cause of reduced energy levels. Furthermore, many women with PCOS also have low thyroid function (hypothyroidism) which itself causes fatigue.

9. Other Skin Problems. Skin tags: thick lumps of skin sometimes as large as raisins can form as a result of PCOS. They are usually found in the armpits, at the bra line or neck and can easily be removed by a dermatologist. Darkening and thickening of the skin can also occur around the neck, groin, underarms or skin folds. This condition, called acanthosis nigricans, is a sign of insulin resistance, the underlying cause of PCOS. Other women with PCOS note an increase in dandruff.

10. Mood Swings.

11. High cholesterol (Hyperlipidemia) and High Blood Pressure (Hypertension).

12. Sleep Apnea. Women with PCOS have a high risk for sleep apnea. This may be due to the increased BMI (Body Mass Index) in about half of women with PCOS. Another possible reason for the increased prevalence of sleep apnea in people with PCOS is the effects of testosterone on blood vessels.

The blood tests to consider are:
- free testosterone- elevated in PCOS

- DHEA-S- often elevated in PCOS

- Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)- usually low in PCOS

- Fasting insulin- elevated in PCOS. Some doctors may hesitate to order this test because the normal range (0-20) is so wide. However, we find that results greater than 9 indicate insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is usually the underlying cause of PCOS, as you may have read about on our site. Some doctors may also order a 2-hour post-prandial insulin test, along with a 2-hour post-prandial glucose test. For the post-prandial insulin, results over 25 or 30 may indicate insulin resistance.

- Fasting glucose or 2-hour post-prandial glucose test- elevated in PCOS. Using this information in combination with the insulin levels helps to diagnose insulin resistance. Also, women with PCOS have a higher risk of diabetes so it is important to screen for this early and often.

- LH: FSH- Some doctors may also look at the ratio between these two hormones. In PCOS, we would expect LH to be elevated in comparison to FSH.

- You could get an ultrasound to check for the presence of ovarian cysts. Even if the ovaries do appear normal, the absence of ovarian cysts does not mean that you don’t have PCOS. Not everyone with PCOS has ovarian cysts.

I do want to let you know that there is another condition called Cushing’s disease that has many symptoms of PCOS and is sometimes mistaken for PCOS. Cushing’s is not very common, but I still wanted to mention it to you. This would be something to discuss with your doctor to ensure it has been ruled out.

If you feel that PCOS is something you are dealing with, I would recommend the Insulite PCOS System. You can read more about it at: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/. The PCOS System helps to address the insulin resistance, help you lose weight and correct the hormone imbalance.

I hope that this gives you more insight as to what may be going on. Please let us know if we can help.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Dear Sasi,

I am so glad you found our blog and decided to write in! We hear from many women who struggle just as you do with PCOS and are trying to conceive. We know how frustrating and heart wrenching this process can be – but there is hope and things can get better. Thanks for writing in!

As you may have read on our website, the underlying cause of PCOS in most cases seems to be insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it produces, which leads to elevated circulating levels of insulin. This in turn leads to hormonal imbalances
such as increased testosterone and other androgens (male hormones).

The increased testosterone is responsible for many of the symptoms of PCOS such as hair growth and abnormal menstrual cycles. Elevated insulin also contributes to the formation of cysts in the ovaries in part due to the hormonal imbalances and also because the ovaries are highly sensitive to the influence of insulin.

The weight gain associated with PCOS is intricately related to insulin resistance. Losing weight helps to improve insulin sensitivity, and vice versa: becoming more sensitive to your insulin helps you to lose weight.

Unfortunately, people who have insulin resistance have a very difficult time losing weight, as you have experienced.

Our view on the pharmaceutical treatment of PCOS is that there is no one drug on the market that will change your condition. The only way to reverse the disorder is to reduce elevations in insulin which directly affect testosterone and other hormonal changes that are responsible for causing PCOS.

Regarding the Metformin, Metformin isn’t a drug for PCOS. Metformin is an anti-hyperglycemic agent which improves glucose tolerance in patients with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetic conditions, lowering both basal and postprandial plasma glucose (not insulin which is believed to be the underlying cause of PCOS). Its pharmacologic mechanisms of action are different from other classes of oral anti-hyperglycemic agents.

Metformin decreases glucose production in the liver, decreases intestinal absorption of glucose, and improves insulin sensitivity by increasing peripheral glucose uptake and utilization. With metformin therapy, insulin secretion remains unchanged and fasting plasma insulin levels and day-long
plasma insulin response may or may not decrease. In short, metformin treats only the symptom of hyperglycemia (too much sugar in the bloodstream), not the cause (insulin resistance).

As for the birth control pills, some women with PCOS are prescribed the birth control pill to regulate their menses. We do not generally recommend oral contraceptives because they are synthetic hormones that mask some of the symptoms of PCOS rather than fixing the problems. When the
contraceptives are discontinued, the PCOS symptoms will persist (as you have discovered).

I hope this information is helpful for you! There is amazing customer support at Insulite Labs; we are here to help you through this healing journey. Please don’t hesitate to contact us again if you have any other questions or concerns.

Please visit our PCOS community where you can share ideas, concerns and issues and find additional information and support to reverse PCOS symptoms:
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/blog/index.php PCOS Support Blog
http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/forums/index.php PCOS Forums

Best Wishes,

Dr. Andrea Lee, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting and Advisory Team

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email and the Insulite Labs
website is for the sole purpose of being informative. This information is
not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. Always seek
the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care
provider before you undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for answers to any questions
you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dear Sharlene,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS support blog. It sounds like it has been quite an journey for you and your husband over these last few years. I am sorry to hear that.

Regarding the success of the IUI… depends on a few factors. First, quality of the sperm being inseminated and health of the woman’s body. If you also have PCOS, then it can make ovulation less frequent or absent and certainly affect ability to conceive.

If you have PCOS, then losing weight helps your body and the insulin resistance that underlies this condition and can increase your chances to conceive. The reason is that losing weight can help to regulate your cycles. When you are having regular periods, you are more likely ovulating. Have you seen this pattern with the weight loss?

Has the quality of sperm also increased for your husband with the changes he has made?

Overall, weight loss can help but I am not sure how it will affect the success rate of the IUI procedure itself. But losing weight does help PCOS and can help when infertility is due to lack of ovulation. Were you also given Clomid or another medication to increase development of eggs and ovulation prior to the IUI procedure? This is done to increase your chances as I am sure that you know.

There are many factors that will affect the efficacy of the procedure, and you and your husband’s health will play a part. I know that this does not answer your question, but the weight loss will not harm you or worsen your chances and for the most part, it is beneficial. For more specific guidance, please discuss this with your doctor.

Have you considered the Insulite PCOS System? You can read more about this non-pharmaceutical approach at http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/index.php.

Please feel free to write in at any time.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Great hearing from you again… we are enjoying lovely winter weather over here and It rained all day today …. I have been doing loads of cooking …mostly veg soups and stew for the freezer so I do not need to cook every day – I feel like I am stock piling…lol

I have also started a new hobby Crocheting I found some hooks and have loads of wool from my knitting …so I found a teaching video on you tube and now I am making myself a shawl….lol

We have been very busy this past 2 weeks with work, exploring and also I got to vote for the second time in my life. We had our 4th democratic elections and so it is a huge thing here especially for our community. It was declared a public holiday and people started lining up early to vote. I am part of what is classed as the Coloured Community here. I am of mixed race and heritage I am not black or not white but a blend of Dutch, Irish and Indonesian (slaves) heritages. Only in my late 20’s did I come to realise that the term Coloured is an offensive one to many societies around the world but to me and millions of other South Africans it is who we are. So we went off to vote and this one for the baby!!!

Anyway I went for another scan on Monday it was at an Fetal Development centre and the doc was very happy … She said that I am at Low risk for Down’s syndrome according to the blood test and the fluid that is along the spine of the baby… She confirmed that I am 13 weeks and 3 days (today). The baby weights 2.91 ounces and was Crown to rump was 72.0mm and head circumference was 86.5mm abdominal circumference of 67.9mm with a heartbeat of 160bpm. And there was a lovely nasal bone present We are very very happy that it is a girl …it is a girl!!!!! (No one here knows!) The other 4 people that know had to be told due to work. We will be doing some editing on the DVD we received and then I will send it to you… We have another appointment at the fetal development centre again at I think 22 weeks just to make sure all is well.

Andy was very worried about the baby having a Cleft Palette as he was born with one – some say it was from German Measles his mum had and others believed it was hereditary. But the doc said it was not likely that the baby would have it and that his was a once off. But to add to all this my dad’s and all his brothers have bone structure problems … humps, clubbed foot etc…. The doc assured us not to worry cause it was all due to other factors such as in my dad’s case his grandparents were 2nd cousins (wanted to keep the Indonesian part of the family going…)

We have our next appoint with the doc I think the 15/5/09. The baby was very active at first and then she seemed to have fallen asleep but the doc woke her up again. What we were so shocked at was that although she is sooo active I can not feel anything yet.

Here are some more questions for you…

How many hours a day does the foetus sleep?

We have a little Doppler (12 weeks onward) but cannot hear anything yet would my extra body fat have an impact on hearing?

Will all my allergies rub off on the baby? I am still sneezing …. I have never gone this long without taking something.

I seem to have put on one kilo but other than that you cannot see I am pregnant. Thanks for answering my questions about the mucus it seems to have slowed down is that right?

I never really drink coffee but lately I have been craving it …. I know that caffine is bad but does having decaf make any difference?

I love my new bra in fact we will be going to buy another 2 next week. I got the sport version as that is all they had in stock … I was kind of annoyed with the shop attendant cause she was totally discouraging me from buy it as they were not comfortable however I am just loving it cause it does not feel like a bra but a top.

We still have not told anyone in our families yet although most likely will do it on mother’s day…. So wish us luck please!!

I have not forgotten about the email but as I am here I have to tell you about the most amazing experience ever… we recently received a small tent and went to put it up just to see what it was like in a mountain side park near a forest. It was a lovely cool afternoon and while we were putting it up a troop of baboons came to join us. It was amazing there was about 30 of them all ranging in age from infants to adults… they were just all over the place playing, watching us and just relaxing … we know they are wild and never approach them or tease them. It was amazing and some of the females with infants came within less than 10 metres away from us. We have learn from other experiences that when in close contact with them always remain calm but I could not help worrying abit cause they can be unpredictable and I would not like to put the baby in any danger. But it was as if the females knew I was pregnant they just sat there looking and with such peace in their eyes and at times even stopping some of the juvenile males from getting tooo close and snooping in our bags. We carried on with the tent and they must have been there for about an hour totally surrounding us…. It was sooo cool… They are so advanced we have been in a car when a male baboon opened the car door to see what was potting inside…. On another occasion we have had at least 10 all over the car and trying to get in…. Thank God we did not have any food on us or in the vehicle or things could have been different….

We love photography but it is not what we do…lol we own a tourism consultancy doing a variety of tourism related things from customised private tours to related journalism. I will tell you some of our amazing stories in an email. I use to be in media but sat behind a desk most of the day… I am by nature a scare kind of person game to do stuff as long as it was in my comfort zone.. That quickly changed when I met Andy… Now we do everything we take clients on from shark cage diving to kayaking with whales in the open ocean… Stepping out of that comfort zone and trusting myself firstly to be capable of doing things has been a huge things especially with me being overweight. I was 120kg when I went kayaking could not swim to save my life but I over came that fear of the unknown and trusted myself to paddle enough to get out there and back…. For me it has done a world of good before I met Andy I was 127kg and growing fast and between that and contacting the institute and adopting your lifestyle programme and principles I got down to 114kg just from being active… just proving by believing in myself and just going out exploring does wonders for your image and body. And as I sit here now I am 108kg and pregnant… wow what a journey…

I really enjoy chatting to you … it feels like I have a friend to share with as I do not have any female friends here and there are things Andy well finds hard to understand even through he tries…lol.

I look forward to hearing from you here again… it is way after 1am and we need to get to bed.

Len

HI Len,

Sorry for the delay in my response. I hope all three of you are well.

Very exciting about being able to vote. I appreciate your sharing that. You must have been so proud and just wait until you share the stories with the baby… A better world it will be when we are all truly equal and have the same opportunities.

So, from our most recent email, the one that was more private than the blog…. A little girl. I think it is important to make a big deal about it. Well, of course if it was a boy the same would apply. But maybe because I am also a “girl”, I feel good that another will be joining this world soon.

Here is a nice link to some information about the fetus and sleeping. So amazing: http://www.leaderu.com/orgs/tul/psychtoday9809.html. Seems like she is sleepy most of the time. But I can’t say that I blame her, so much is happening to get her ready.

Right now you still may not be able to hear much. That is fine. Everything is going very well as far as development.

She may not have all of your allergies, but there is a genetic link. Most people who do have allergies, also have parents or siblings with them. But not always. Breast feeding can help to protect from allergies and help build a strong immune system.

The mucus can change and as long as you are not experiencing signs of infection, itching, etc then it is fine. If you are still having questions, bring it up with your doctor at the next visit. But otherwise it is not abnormal.

Caffeine and pregnancy… Well, some research shows that 300 mgs of caffeine (equivalent to about 2-3 cups of coffee, not 12 or more ounces) is safe while others have shown that caffeine intake was related to low birth weight and premature labor. Some more current studies are recommending that if you don’t usually drink coffee, then don’t start.

Or if you have to have a cup, have only one. Also, keep in mind that the caffeine content can be different depending on different factors and if you are drinking soda, caffeinated tea, eating chocolate, you need to take these and add to the caffeine total.

Here is an interesting article I came across and included it because of the other information you provided. As you will see, they are not saying a direct link to but something maybe to consider: http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE54532M20090506

So, what does that really mean, limit your intake? At this point I would say if you can get away with 1 cup that should be fine. I would (if possible) use organic to avoid pesticides and unwanted chemicals that can be used in the decaf process. Also, if you choose to use caffeinated, this will also affect the baby as it affects you, can increase heart rate, blood pressure, etc. But like I said limiting to one cup seems to be safe.

Interestingly, there was a study done comparing caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee and pregnancy, here is what they found.

A new study of 5,144 pregnant women by scientists at the State Department of Health, Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and UCSF turned up some surprising results. The study found no significant increased risk for spontaneous abortion, or miscarriage, associated with caffeine consumption. Even among women considered heavy caffeine consumers (300 milligrams or three cups of coffee a day) miscarriage risk increased only slightly — about 1.3 times the risk as non-caffeine users. The Study also found that women who drank three or more cups of decaffeinated coffee a day in the first trimester had 2.4 times the risk of miscarriage as those who did not drink decaf.

So, making it more confusing. There is not as much research using decaffeinated coffee pregnancy.

Read the full article at: http://www.ucsf.edu/daybreak/1997/08/825_caff.htm. I tried this link but it is no longer available.

Now, I understand more of what you and Andy do. It really sounds amazing, the experiences, the locations, the animals, etc. I can’t say that the baboon experience would not have shaken me a bit. I checked out the website too. Now, if I ever have the opportunity to get to your side of the world, I will know just who to call to be sure that I get the most out of my trip.

I know by now the great news has been given to the families. I am sure that both you and Andy are only getting more and more excited too. Sure sounds as it is meant to be.

As always, looking forward to the updates from the three of you.
–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

I just recently had a missed period for almost three months. I for sure thought I was pregnant but test after test told me no so I went to the doctor and they did a lot of tests on me. My doctor just called me last week and told me I had a little bit of an abnormal lab result and told me that I had PCOS. She said that because I have never really had an abnormal period until now that I shouldn’t worry about it unless I miss my period again. I am very concerned however about how this could play out. I have always wanted children and I know that if I find out I can’t have children b/c I never did anything then I will be devastated. I want to know what I should do, whether I should go see a specialist or just put it off. I am going to go back on birth control to try to help me keep on my normal periods and b/c I don’t want to get pregnant right now. Thank you.

Dear Alicia,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS support blog. I am sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis with PCOS.

I think that your concern is valid. Even though right now, you are not sure how you will be affected by PCOS, it is a great time to be proactive in educating yourself about what it means to have PCOS.

Here is a link that will provide you with other links to help you continue to learn more about what is going on in your body: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/Insulite-PCOS-System-Support-Links.php. I would also encourage you to join some of the online support groups as there is nothing like learning and sharing similar stories or how others are affected.

In my opinion, I would not put it off. You can certainly see a specialist. You would need to ask about the experience the doctor has with PCOS. It would most likely be an endocrinologist or gynecologist. However, there are others that are possible. One thing that is important to understand, PCOS symptoms can be helped by medications but often they do not address the problem or support you with how you can make changes to support yourself.

There is lot that you can do to optimize your health and reduce the effects of PCOS. First and second…. Nutrition and exercise. These can not be overstated. Even if you are eating well and exercising regularly, we want you to understand the link between what we put in our bodies and how that may be affecting us. Each woman is very different in how she will experience PCOS and some can struggle even with the best of lifestyles. I do not know where you fall on this spectrum but I do feel that attention to these areas can help most women.

I would also recommend considering the Insulite PCOS System ( http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/). The reason is that this was developed to be a non-pharmaceutical, comprehensive approach to help reduce symptoms, support a more normal hormone imbalance as well as reduce long term risks that are increased with PCOS.

Regarding fertility, yes, PCOS can negatively impact your fertility. However, as I said, each woman is different. Hopefully, you will be supported and you will be able to maintain a normal period and ovulation pattern so that when you are ready to start a family, you may not be impacted by this aspect.

Alicia, I hope that you do consider the PCOS System as this is a great time to address what is happening in your body. Please let us know how you are doing and if we can help.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

i was diagonsed with pcos at the age of 13, now 26 i have always had a problem with my weight…. i have miss carried twice but now have a beautyful son nearly 2…., but before i had owen i managed to lose nearly 3 stone.. which i feel may have been the reason i was able to fall pregant.. but my problem is that i put on 4 1/2 stone during my pregancy even thou i was eating healthy and since then i continue to eat healthy i am with weight watchers and i am struggling to get my weight down even thou i do my diet religiously i cant seem to shift the pounds… i have recently been put on metformin to help the pcos and help with glucose intolerence and im taking reductil to help with the weight… i have found that alot of the pcos problems ie: periods are more regular and hair thinning is improving.. the dark and unwanted hair in places has more or less stop… but the weight still not budging, the good thing is i have been able to maintain it at the same weight without putting more, but i really need and want to lose at least 4- possibly 5 stone overal. and have heard that certain foods that are healthy, maybe a trigger for the weight gain in people with pcos, so i was wondering if you had heard this and could recommend foods to avoid, i already cut out all junk foods/ process foods/ fizzy drinks, and eat a heathly balanced diet with fruit and veg,fish white and dark meats and a low carb in take.and i exercise regualy 2-3 times a week for around 1-2 hours atime sometimes more.
so could you please reply with any suggestions that i may need to try or any thing that i could change/ or foods that im eating and i should try to avoid or reducing the intake of????

thanks
samantha nottage

Dear Samantha,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog. Congratulations on your successful pregnancy and the arrival of Owen. We understand how difficult PCOS can prove to be relating to fertility and loss.

It sounds like you have made some great changes. You mentioned you have cut out a lot of junk foods. Great! Low carb, also appropriate for you. Your intake should be about 60-80 grams a day. These should be coming from vegetables (mainly), small amounts of fruits and limited grains. Overall, removing refined foods (pasta, rice, breads) all support lowering glucose and insulin levels.

With that being said, there is one book that I use a lot. It is called “The Natural Dietary Solution for PCOS and Infertility”, by Nancy Dunne, ND. It can be really useful in addition to what you are currently doing. What can be confusing is that we hear there are foods that are good for us, but I will say that just because they have good qualities and may be healthy foods, they may not be the best choices for each person. For example, whole grains are healthy, they contain fiber, B vitamins, etc but for women with PCOS they may not be the best choice, at the recommended servings per day. They are a great source of carbohydrate and yes the fiber/nutrients are healthy. So, what is healthy can be relative to the individual.

Don’t forget the healthy fat sources to include in your diet. Nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil are also useful. They provide beneficial fats, give a sense of fullness and are part of every cell and hormone in your body.

With your exercise routine, it may help to vary what you are doing. If you have been doing the same exercises for a while, your body can become accustomed to it and changing it up can help. This can be by increasing intensity, increasing time, changing to another form of exercise, or increasing the number of days that you exercise. Eventually, you will want to exercise more days of the week than not, 4-6 days.

I would also suggest that you consider the Insulite PCOS System. This again, can help with how your body responds to the foods that you eat. Often it is the comprehensive approach including nutrition, exercise as well as nutrient support to address the underlying cause of PCOS, which is often insulin resistance.

Here is more information about the PCOS System. The PCOS System consists of five elements, all designed to work together to address PCOS. With insulin resistance, the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it produces, which leads to elevated circulating levels of insulin. This in turn leads to hormonal imbalances such as increased testosterone and other androgens (male hormones).

The weight gain associated with PCOS is intricately related to insulin resistance. Losing weight helps to improve insulin sensitivity, and vice versa: becoming more sensitive to your insulin helps you to lose weight. Unfortunately, people who have insulin resistance have a very difficult time losing weight, as you know.

The Insulite PCOS System helps to improve insulin sensitivity with its combination of nutrients and herbs as well as diet and exercise guidelines. The supplements are also designed to correct the hormone imbalance of PCOS and to help improve the symptoms of PCOS.

We advocate a slow weight loss which is healthier and more permanent. This is not a quick fix or fad diet. We want you to be healthy for the rest of your life by applying sensible lifestyle changes to your diet and exercise routine.

Samantha, please let me know if this helps and if there is any other support we can offer.

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.