November 18, 2008

30 Days

I got my period Saturday.  (I know, TMI, but the good news is yet to come.)  All day long I felt crampy.  I was tired.  Bloated.  I refused to step on the scale for my weigh-in which I normally do on Thursdays but I knew that Miss Thang was on her way and I didn’t want to see the damage.

When I went to record the start date of my cycle this month, I noticed that my last cycle was only 30 days.  Thirty days, people!  Do you know how fanfreakintastic this is?  It is.  Trust me.

I haven’t had a 30-day cycle since 1998.  I kid you not.  In January my cycle was 51 days.  In March it was 47.  April was 42.  May, 39.  June 38, July 37, August 35.  September was 32.

And October was 30 days.

This means the Metformin is working.  It means the 90 minute (from start to finish) workout sessions are paying off.  It means that my reproductive health is improving.  It means that I may get pregnant again, sooner than I think.

Today I’m still feeling bloated and cranky (but totally not as irritable and moody as I used to be), cranky only because the cramps are making it impossible to sleep at night, but I’m feeling confidant about the way my body is functioning these days.  This is great progress.

On another happy note, I finally found a new winter coat. Yay, JC Penney and your totally awesome pre-Thanksgiving sales!  I won’t freeze my ass off this winter.

Can you believe it?  Thirty freakin’ days!  If this current cycle is 28 days I’ll pass out.

November 8, 2008

PCOS: I’m Dealing With It

Last month, I tried to do a low-carb diet.  Not necessarily Atkins or South Beach, but I eliminated all starches (potato, pasta, bread), I nixed the sugary goodness of chocolate (and it nearly killed me) and I tried sticking to a diet of lean meats, cheeses and leafy green vegetables (and cucumbers) for two weeks.

Can I just tell you how awful my cravings were?  I cannot even describe the ridiculous dependency my body had has on carbohydrates.  Seriously, it got to the point where I had dreams of baked potatoes loaded with all the fixings.

You’re probably wondering what possessed me to begin such a diet and I’m more than happy to tell you why.

Almost ten years ago I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a metabolic (and endocrine) disorder that affects ovulation, weight loss/gain, hormonal fluctuations and causes my body to be desensitized to insulin.  When I first received this diagnosis, I thought it was some bullshit syndrome that doctors made up because they weren’t sure what was wrong with the women who experienced the symptoms now classified as part of this disease.

The fact that PCOS is a disease scared me, partly because if left untreated the condition can become life threatening.  Women with untreated PCOS can develop diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cervical and uterine cancers and other scary things.  Sadly, this disease is genetic and typically runs in families.  My mother and sister most likely suffer from PCOS, as they’ve experienced most, if not all, of the same symptoms I do.  They haven’t been diagnosed just yet, but I’m urging them to get to their doctors to have testing done.

I went to the library and got some books on this condition, along with books on nutrition and fertility because I wanted to be completely in-the-know about what was happening with my body.

I won’t lie.  My reasons were selfish at first.  I’ve made it known that I want to have another baby (Soon, damn it!  Soon!) but that I’m not having any luck in the getting pregnant department.  Part of the blame is because of PCOS.

My very amazing new doctor (whom I began seeing this past June) prescribed a medication typically given to patients diagnosed with Type II diabetes.  The medicine is called Metformin (known as the brand Glucophage).  Metformin is given to sensitize the body to insulin (which is what helps the diabetic patient), and this can help regulate hormones and cure some of the endocrine disorder.

I’ve been taking this stuff for a little over five months and while it’s regulating insulin production, it isn’t really doing all of it’s job.  Such as trigger ovulation.  I know this because I’ve been charting my basal body temperature for months.

Two weeks ago, I went in for a re-check and Dr. F upped the dose of my Rx to four pills a day instead of two.  It’s sort of wrecking havoc with my stomach (a symptom of taking the meds), but I’ve noticed some changes since the increase.

For one, my acne is slowly disappearing.  I am one of the unlucky women post-puberty that still gets the occasional zit (or twelve) around the chin area.  Acne is a symptom of PCOS.  So is hirsutism (excess hair growth on the face and other unwanted areas of the body — I know, that’s so general).  I noticed that I had some facial hair problems (mostly on the chin and neck), but now that I’ve been taking the Metformin, it seems to be fading away.

But the biggest change is that my menstrual cycles are shortening.  Pre-metformin, my cycles were 47 days plus.  Probably why it’s been so difficult to coneive.  Each month I’d lose a day or two.  I’m down to about 35-39 days depending on other stress factors.

Okay, I take that back.  The biggest change isn’t just that my periods are getting more “regular.”  I’ve lost 17 pounds, too.  Seventeen.  Dr. F was so elated when I weighed in.  My goal was to lose 10% of my weight in order to trigger ovulation again.  I have 10 more pounds to go.

People, this is progress.  And while, it’s still frustrating to know that I’m not getting pregnant yet, it’s comforting to know that by sticking to the plan and making small, subtle changes to my lifestyle, perhaps I’ll be pregnant by Christmas.  Or maybe Valentine’s Day.

I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but I’m also trying not to give up.  It’s like I’m in a holding pattern.  Being sick with a cold the last twelve days hasn’t helped either.  When I’m sick, I have no ambition to eat healthy or exercise. Sad, but true.

The low-carb diet was much more difficult this time around. (I did it four years ago which is how I conceived Dawson.)  Instead, I’m counting calories, making healthier food choices and exercising 4-6 times a week.  I feel good about myself and I noticed I’m not as depressed as I used to be.

So, anyway…I’m just really happy with how things are going and I wanted to blog about it so that I can look back and see how far I’ve come.  There were devastating days, I know.  I lost my shit a time or two.  But like Scarlet O’Hara once said, “After all, tomorrow is another day.”

I’m looking forward to my tomorrows.

————

P.S.

I don’t know many people who also struggle with PCOS, but I’m hoping that if you are dealing with this condition or know someone who is dealing with it, you’ll leave a comment on this post (please?).  I’d love to hear about your experiences.

If you think you may have PCOS and have not yet been diagnosed, please make an appointment with your doctor.  It’s very important for you to get treatment.  There is help for your condition.  And no, you’re not crazy.  No, these symptoms are not “in your head.”

I’m happy to talk more about PCOS, and to blog about it, too.  The more informed we are, the better we can manage our conditions.

October 30, 2008

Product Review: Emergen-C

I’m sick. Again. Honestly, this is ridiculous. I must have the worst immune system because every single time Dawson comes down with a bug, within days I’ve caught the same damn thing.

Just three weeks ago I had the world’s nastiest cold, another virus transferred from Dawson to me. That one lasted over ten days.

A week-and-a-half ago, Doug came down with a cold that Dawson brought home from daycare (or preschool) and I did everything in my power to stay away from the germ infested people I love. I refused to hug or kiss them and made Daddy take care of the Doodlebug because I declared I was NOT going to get sick.

Two days ago I woke up with a stuffy nose, sore throat and monster headache. I started to cry. Then I remembered that a very nice PR person sent me some samples of Emergen-C Super Energy Boosters. To be fair, before I received the samples, I was already a loyal Emergen-C customer. My co-worker introduced them to me a few months ago when I had one of my many illnesses.

I received a box of Emergen-C in Super Orange flavor and several samples of the Emergen-C Kidz supplements in a variety of flavors.

Emergen-C is packed with a whopping 1,000 milligrams of non-acidic Vitamin-C, as well as 32 minerals and electrolytes. Add vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6 and B`2 for energy and the result is a tasty little powder mixed with water for a non-caffeinated energy boost.

Now, I know it isn’t a miracle cure, but I really believe that all that Vitamin-C may just be what my immune system needs to recover from these nasty colds a little faster.

I’ve been drinking as many as 3 supplements for the past few days and while this cold is miserable, I noticed I’m not as cranky as I usually am when sick. Perhaps the Emergen-C is the boost I need to get through the day.

Dawson loved the Emergen-C Kidz. This complete Multi-Vitamin and Multi-Mineral supplement has 24 essential nutrients, 500 mg of Vitamin C and choline to support healthy brain function. Dawson just thinks it tastes like Kool-Aid.

I gave a sample to my co-worker for her kids to try and she told me they liked it so much she went to the store and bought a box to keep on hand.

Emergen-C comes in boxes of 36 packets in flavors such as Raspberry, Super Orange, Tangerine, Pink Lemonade and Strawberry and retails for around $8.99 to $10.00. You can find these energy boosters at Target, Wal-Mart, Trader Joe’s, Kroger’s, Fred Meyer and Walgreens and various super market chains and specialty stores. For a complete listing of retailers, visit the Emergen-C website.

September 26, 2008

Up and Running

I just have to tell you all that I’m so glad it’s Friday.  This has been the week from hell.  The good news?  Internet, telephone and wireless networks are all back up in Casa La Dana Files.  This is fantastic.

It only took 15 telephone calls, 3 technician no-shows, one failed system reset and 3 threats to call the FCC and BBB.  Charter finally came through and everything works.  The problem was that the company was making frequency changes in our area and this caused the system to fail.  Do you think their brilliant call center representatives could have just told me that, instead of promising things and not delivering?

I mean, I’m a reasonable person when I’m told the honest truth.  But this company lied to me repeatedly, and the poor tech guy who came over to help was furious when he discovered that those same brilliant call center reps reset the modem and router remotely (over the phone) and this is what screwed up my entire communication system.

Anyhow, it’s working now (knock on wood) and I can blog, check e-mails, get work done and download some iTunes that I’ve been patiently (ha ha) waiting to buy.

The plan for the day is to get all my work done, clean the house, and lock myself at home for the weekend.  I’ve got a stack of books to read that I checked out from the library (two of which are about PCOS and infertility, good reads), even though I have another stack of books I’ve bought one time or another and haven’t read, and a few books I need to read and review.

Actually, I do have to leave the house a couple times this weekend, once for a trip to the grocery store and another to the gym.  My workouts have been lacking and I’m noticing the fit and trim feeling I once knew is long gone.

Also, I’ve just had a “fertility check-up” with my OB/GYN and it turns out I’m not ovulating.  After all the changes I’d been making health-wise, I thought for sure this would be the month I would conceive, but my temperature charting didn’t show much of a spike which means I’m probably not releasing those necessary things called eggs.

It’s a frustrating battle, one I’m tired of, frankly.  I really feel like giving up and sulking and feeling sorry for myself, but this little voice is screaming at me because she knows that self-pity will only delay this process.  So it’s back to square one.  I met with Dr. F, had tests done and we decided I need to do the same things I did when I got pregnant with Dawson:  cut out carbs, drop the weight and start taking all those vitamins again.

I know I have to do this, but I suddenly crave mashed potatoes and pasta, the very evil insulin releasing enemies that are screwing up my life.  Wish me luck.  I need lots of it.