PCOS and Infertility (My longest post ever)

Well, this post is about a problem I have had for many years. It may contain too much information for some, however, I have been way excited about all of this and am telling my story about being infertile.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 18. I went in to the doctor for irregular periods and came out with birth control to regulate my cycle. PCOS stands for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

I was told that when I wanted to become pregnant to go to a fertility specailist and do fertility drugs. Therefore, when James and I had been married for 6 months and prayed about having children and received the answer to try, I went to a fertility specialist. This doctor said, he would be able to help me. I believed it and was 100% relieved. I had faith in him and no worries. 5 months later, I had been on three different types of fertility drugs and some of them I tried different doses. I never once ovulated. I was disgusted and fed up with this doctor. So, I switched doctors. I went to this new doctor for a total of about 4 months. Basically, the same thing happened. I decided to take a break from the whole situation and later went to my gynecologist in Fairbanks. She is not a fertility specialist but still knows just as much as the other doctors did, as far as I noticed. She was nicer about it too. However, she was not able to get me to respond to the treatments either. I was still heart broken. Through all the drugs and stress, I gained 20 pounds. (I was a stress eater) I ate chocolate galore. I had it at lunch, dinner and late night snacks.

I took a much needed break from the drugs, but was still stressed and still eating tons of candy, especially chocolate.

I got so stressed, I ended up in the hospital for suicidal thoughts and depression.

After this episode, I started looking at my faith. I read my Patriarchal blessing and looked back at all the priesthood blessings that James had given me over the past 2 years. I remembered every single one of them said the doctors would know what to do. I thought, how could this be, I have been through so much and none of them seem to be able to help me at all they just make me more depressed and more stressed. I started really thinking about it and decided I hadn't found the right type of doctor.

After getting out of the hospital, I went to a psychiatrist. She pointed out that I am allergic to a lot of different medications and that I could be allergic to these fertility drugs. "There is a reason for your reactions," she had said. I decided that if I am not responding to fertility drugs, then what can I do?

I googled natural treatments for PCOS andcame a whole bunch of things including a naturopath doctor who I have been seeing for 1 month. I love her. I am 100% stress free. When on occasion I do get stressed, I handle it completely different and don't eat candy and chocolate!!

I have lost almost 10 pounds. My whole point to this post is not to tell you that I am happier, but that PCOS is reversible, treatable, and curable. It is the exact opposite of what all the other "specialists" have told me.

PCOS is diet and exercise related. It is also genetic. If you have a family member that has it, you are more likely to get it. It is a precursor to diabetes, heart disease, uterine cancer, and many other health risks. If one has PCOS then she is most likely insulin resistant. This makes it extremley hard to lose weight.

Here is what I have done so far......

*cut out all sugar including fruit. I do not eat anything that has added sugar or anything that has fruit. Fruit has a high level of natural sugar. Natural sugar is fine in moderation but fruit has too much for PCOS. This is only in the beginning. I will eat fruit later on in my diet. This helps to reverse the insulin resistance.

* Exercise is very important. I walk at least 3 miles a day. (Sally loves this part) I do sit ups as many as I can do then add 5 more. I need to exercise more, I just haven't set aside the time yet. I bought the following treadmill to walk on during the winter. Here is James and his brother Joe putting it together for me. They are wonderful.

*I take the following vitamins and herbs everyday as my naturopath prescribed.

* I do not eat simple carbs at all. I always make sure there is plenty of fiber in the carbs that I do eat.

* I eat some type of protein with every meal.

*I have always been big on staying away from fat, but now I am even more strict. I also eat more healthy fat.

The differences I have noticed in me are.....

*I am way happier!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (This is an understatement)

*I am no longer depressed even though I am not pregnant.

*I have more energy

*I no longer have dark skin in certain spots of my body. (one of the so many symptoms of having PCOS I have had this dark skin since about 20 years old.)

*I have lost 8 pounds.

This process to reverse PCOS can take anywhere from 2 months, to a year. I think I have a ways to go. I am looking forward to it.

There are a few things I am doing that have not been scientifically proven but my doctor says they won't hurt me. They are....

drinking a little tiny bit of apple cidar vinegar with some water. It is to help blood sugar and insulin.

Sprinkling cinnamon on my cereal in the morning. It is to also help lower blood sugar.

Drinking 2 cups of spearmint tea everyday. This has helped with facial hair and other bod hair that I don't want. I have noticed a very slight difference. However, I have to drink it everyday or the hair instantly grows back.