For many people, Christmas is a time to celebrate and spoil their children.
For those of us without children, it is a day tinged with sadness. Perhaps you have withdrawn completely from your family and friends because it is too painful to see the babies and children being fussed over, when you know that they aren't yours.
My third pregnancy was due on Christmas Eve 2007, and if that child had been born he/she would have been here celebrating with us today.
My heart goes out to every one of you who has never conceived, or has miscarried, or has suffered a stillbirth. We have never been able to share the joy that others are experiencing as parents today. I wish I could put my arms around you all.
Much love and hope for the coming year xo
Belinda
Monday 24 December 2012
Tuesday 18 December 2012
Supplements
I have had so much going on in life and not enough money to afford any more than the basic costs of living. As a result my health has been waaaay down the priority list for far too long. This year my PCOS/Endo symptoms have become alot worse and my weight is out of control.
Now that I am in a better place financially, I have started to implement many of the principles of the Gabriel Method again and also throw in a few of my own ideas. I have been reading up on some really important stuff and have invested in some great supplements that are known to benefit anyone who is suffering from the awful symptoms of PCOS or Endo, or is struggling with excess weight.
Omega 3
Fish oil is really important to anyone who is trying to lose weight. I specifically say fish oil, not just "Omega 3", because there are many TYPES of Omega 3 fatty acids. Some are found in seeds such as linseed/flaxseed and chia (the two most easily obtainable from health food stores), however these contain a fat known as ALA.
The issue with ALA is that our bodies need to convert ALA into a "longer chain" fatty acid called EPA (the one found in fish/krill oils). However, we need to make sure we are getting other things into our diet to be able to convert the ALA into EPA efficiently. So it is much easier to take fish/krill oil instead.
Also, I believe you would need to take alot of linseed or chia to get the equivalent amount of Omega 3, so it would require alot of measuring and, if you are taking linseed, you need to grind it before consumption otherwise the seeds may not digest properly. Chia seeds, if you do take them, are expensive and they require alot of water to help digest them. The up side of chia seeds is that you can sprinkle them over a salad, bake them in bread or muffins, or you can blend them up in a smoothie. They are very small, like poppy seeds, which makes it easier for them to break down in your gut.
I am taking 6000mg of fish oil a day, but I may scale it down as I read somewhere recently that while we are getting too much Omega 6 (from processed/fatty foods), trying to take MORE Omega 3 isn't necessarily a good thing. If we can cut down the processed foods then we shouldn't need to overdose the Omega 3. I am eliminating it as much as possible, obviously we can't avoid Omega 6 completely.
Vitamin E is really important to supplement when taking fish oil because Omega 3 can deplete it, so if you are taking fish oil then make sure you are taking a Vitamin E supplement with it (unless the fish oil capsule you are taking already has Vitamin E in it).
DIM/I3C
I have posted about DIM/I3C in the past and I truly believe that this supplement is important for anyone who is suffering from an excess of oestrogen. Oestrogen is made in our fat cells, so if you are overweight then the chances are that you have an excess of oestrogen.
My personal experience of oestrogen excess has been:
Fluid retention
Weight gain (mostly around the abdomen, bottom and thighs)
Sugar and carb cravings
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Heavy/irregular bleeding
Miscarriage
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Endometriosis
And they are just the obvious ones!
Serrapeptase
I posted about this supplement back in June this year.
Serrapeptase digests (dissolves) non-living tissue such as blood clots, cysts, arterial plaque and inflammation. Endo sufferers may find that it heals scarring caused by adhesions where the endometrial tissue has formed on organs outside the uterus.
It is always important to buy a serrapeptase supplement that has an "enteric coating". This simply means that the supplement won't be destroyed in the gut but will break down once it reaches the intestines.
So they are my "big 3" supplements. I am waiting for the Serrapeptase and DIM/I3C to arrive from the USA (cheaper to buy it online and ship it, unless I can find a cheaper supplier in Australia).
Now that I am in a better place financially, I have started to implement many of the principles of the Gabriel Method again and also throw in a few of my own ideas. I have been reading up on some really important stuff and have invested in some great supplements that are known to benefit anyone who is suffering from the awful symptoms of PCOS or Endo, or is struggling with excess weight.
Omega 3
Fish oil is really important to anyone who is trying to lose weight. I specifically say fish oil, not just "Omega 3", because there are many TYPES of Omega 3 fatty acids. Some are found in seeds such as linseed/flaxseed and chia (the two most easily obtainable from health food stores), however these contain a fat known as ALA.
The issue with ALA is that our bodies need to convert ALA into a "longer chain" fatty acid called EPA (the one found in fish/krill oils). However, we need to make sure we are getting other things into our diet to be able to convert the ALA into EPA efficiently. So it is much easier to take fish/krill oil instead.
Also, I believe you would need to take alot of linseed or chia to get the equivalent amount of Omega 3, so it would require alot of measuring and, if you are taking linseed, you need to grind it before consumption otherwise the seeds may not digest properly. Chia seeds, if you do take them, are expensive and they require alot of water to help digest them. The up side of chia seeds is that you can sprinkle them over a salad, bake them in bread or muffins, or you can blend them up in a smoothie. They are very small, like poppy seeds, which makes it easier for them to break down in your gut.
I am taking 6000mg of fish oil a day, but I may scale it down as I read somewhere recently that while we are getting too much Omega 6 (from processed/fatty foods), trying to take MORE Omega 3 isn't necessarily a good thing. If we can cut down the processed foods then we shouldn't need to overdose the Omega 3. I am eliminating it as much as possible, obviously we can't avoid Omega 6 completely.
Vitamin E is really important to supplement when taking fish oil because Omega 3 can deplete it, so if you are taking fish oil then make sure you are taking a Vitamin E supplement with it (unless the fish oil capsule you are taking already has Vitamin E in it).
DIM/I3C
I have posted about DIM/I3C in the past and I truly believe that this supplement is important for anyone who is suffering from an excess of oestrogen. Oestrogen is made in our fat cells, so if you are overweight then the chances are that you have an excess of oestrogen.
My personal experience of oestrogen excess has been:
Fluid retention
Weight gain (mostly around the abdomen, bottom and thighs)
Sugar and carb cravings
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Heavy/irregular bleeding
Miscarriage
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Endometriosis
And they are just the obvious ones!
Serrapeptase
I posted about this supplement back in June this year.
Serrapeptase digests (dissolves) non-living tissue such as blood clots, cysts, arterial plaque and inflammation. Endo sufferers may find that it heals scarring caused by adhesions where the endometrial tissue has formed on organs outside the uterus.
It is always important to buy a serrapeptase supplement that has an "enteric coating". This simply means that the supplement won't be destroyed in the gut but will break down once it reaches the intestines.
So they are my "big 3" supplements. I am waiting for the Serrapeptase and DIM/I3C to arrive from the USA (cheaper to buy it online and ship it, unless I can find a cheaper supplier in Australia).
Oestrogen excess
The signs and symptoms of oestrogen excess may include any of the following:
- In women:
PMS
Fatigue
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Weight gain, especially in lower body which is hard to lose
Mood swings/Weepiness
Depression/Sadness – esp. before a period
Anxiety and irritability – esp. before a period
Insomnia – esp. before a period
Accelerated ageing
Frequent thrush
High blood pressure
Sugar and Carbohydrate craving
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Fibroids
Fibrocystic breasts/Breast tenderness
Gall bladder problems
Premenstrual headaches and migraines
Heavy or irregular bleeding
Infertility
Miscarriage – esp. in first trimester
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Auto-immune disorder (e.g. Lupus)
Breast cancer
Endometriosis
Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer)
Fatigue
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Weight gain, especially in lower body which is hard to lose
Mood swings/Weepiness
Depression/Sadness – esp. before a period
Anxiety and irritability – esp. before a period
Insomnia – esp. before a period
Accelerated ageing
Frequent thrush
High blood pressure
Sugar and Carbohydrate craving
Decreased sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Fibroids
Fibrocystic breasts/Breast tenderness
Gall bladder problems
Premenstrual headaches and migraines
Heavy or irregular bleeding
Infertility
Miscarriage – esp. in first trimester
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
PCOS
Auto-immune disorder (e.g. Lupus)
Breast cancer
Endometriosis
Endometrial cancer (uterine cancer)
- In Men, excess oestrogen can cause any of the following signs or symptoms:
Fatigue, Insomnia
Hair loss
Headaches
Weight gain
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Anxiety, Irritability, Depression
Breast enlargement
High blood pressure
Carbohydrate craving
Diminished sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Gall bladder problems
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Prostate cancer
Hair loss
Headaches
Weight gain
Fluid retention and abdominal bloating
Anxiety, Irritability, Depression
Breast enlargement
High blood pressure
Carbohydrate craving
Diminished sex drive
Foggy thinking
Dry eyes
Gall bladder problems
Osteoporosis
Low thyroid function
Abnormal blood clotting
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
Prostate cancer
Saturday 1 December 2012
Slight change of plans
Well since my last post I was struggling with my desire to go back to Australia and see my friends and family (it had been 2 years since I last saw them) or stay in the UK and try to find a job.
Australia won.
I figured now is the best time to go because if I get a good job then it would be at least a year before I can take a reasonable holiday to go home.
I have been in Aus for a month now. WORST TIME OF YEAR TO BE HERE!
It is sooooo hot, 40 degrees celcius yesterday and it wasn't even officially summer!
I moved to the UK for a reason, that is, the cooler climate. I have never enjoyed the summer in Australia, not even as a child. I think that the older I get, the less I am able to cope with the heat.
Ah well.... my parents aren't getting any younger so I have to make the most of it really.
So until I return to the UK (hubby is still there), any plans to TTC are on hold. I am looking at getting some Traditional Chinese Medicine and have been recommended a practitioner close to where I am living. She claims to have had good results for women who have Endo and PCOS. I will post again when I have started treatment to let you know what is being done and how it is working for me.
Australia won.
I figured now is the best time to go because if I get a good job then it would be at least a year before I can take a reasonable holiday to go home.
I have been in Aus for a month now. WORST TIME OF YEAR TO BE HERE!
It is sooooo hot, 40 degrees celcius yesterday and it wasn't even officially summer!
I moved to the UK for a reason, that is, the cooler climate. I have never enjoyed the summer in Australia, not even as a child. I think that the older I get, the less I am able to cope with the heat.
Ah well.... my parents aren't getting any younger so I have to make the most of it really.
So until I return to the UK (hubby is still there), any plans to TTC are on hold. I am looking at getting some Traditional Chinese Medicine and have been recommended a practitioner close to where I am living. She claims to have had good results for women who have Endo and PCOS. I will post again when I have started treatment to let you know what is being done and how it is working for me.
Sunday 9 September 2012
Bit of an update
Sadly, I lost my job a couple of weeks ago. It seems that my employer wasn't at all tolerant or understanding of my PCOS/Endo and the fact that I had to lose time off work due to the unpleasant symptoms.
Add to that the nasty bout of diarrhoea that lasted a full week and caused me to lose 2 days off work as well.
I am going to find out what action I can take against my employer as I had been given reassurance that I wouldn't lose my job because of the time I lost with my PCOS/Endo symptoms.
At the same time, I am feeling quite philosophical about it and believe that there is a reason this has happened so I am focusing on finding a job with a great employer who has compassion and understanding and also a job that gives me greater fulfilment!
Healthwise... mmm... well, I guess I should be taking better care of myself. I have lost a bit of confidence since losing my job so I have been comfort eating, mainly chocolate which is my biggest weakness. I know it isn't helping me, in fact eating a high carb diet only increases my oestrogen levels and affects other hormones which makes it too easy to gain weight.
Add to that the nasty bout of diarrhoea that lasted a full week and caused me to lose 2 days off work as well.
I am going to find out what action I can take against my employer as I had been given reassurance that I wouldn't lose my job because of the time I lost with my PCOS/Endo symptoms.
At the same time, I am feeling quite philosophical about it and believe that there is a reason this has happened so I am focusing on finding a job with a great employer who has compassion and understanding and also a job that gives me greater fulfilment!
Healthwise... mmm... well, I guess I should be taking better care of myself. I have lost a bit of confidence since losing my job so I have been comfort eating, mainly chocolate which is my biggest weakness. I know it isn't helping me, in fact eating a high carb diet only increases my oestrogen levels and affects other hormones which makes it too easy to gain weight.
Sunday 19 August 2012
Yucky
I have not been feeling well these last two weeks.
First, a horrible bout of diarrhoea that saw me lose 1kg (2.2 lbs) in a week, all of which I have probably gained back by now. I don't have scales at home so I can't be sure. I only weigh myself at work if I get a chance.
Second, my period showed up as soon as the diarrhoea had passed. Well, I can't complain too much because I had a 28 day cycle this time which is a very rare thing!
Third, I think I have some kind of infection or sty growing inside my bottom eyelid, it had been stinging for a couple of days but I couldn't see anything until this morning.
So I have been feeling alot of physical stress recently and just haven't been interested in blogging.
First, a horrible bout of diarrhoea that saw me lose 1kg (2.2 lbs) in a week, all of which I have probably gained back by now. I don't have scales at home so I can't be sure. I only weigh myself at work if I get a chance.
Second, my period showed up as soon as the diarrhoea had passed. Well, I can't complain too much because I had a 28 day cycle this time which is a very rare thing!
Third, I think I have some kind of infection or sty growing inside my bottom eyelid, it had been stinging for a couple of days but I couldn't see anything until this morning.
So I have been feeling alot of physical stress recently and just haven't been interested in blogging.
Friday 3 August 2012
Weighing in!
Hello readers (and I know you are out there, but so far too shy to say hi back!),
Just thought I'd update you all on my progress so far using the Gabriel Method.
It has now been 7 weeks since I started to implement some of Jon's recommendations
Yesterday I stepped on the scales for the first time in 7 weeks and despite the fear of what I might see, I was happy to be able to record a loss of.....
1.6kg
I know, not a huge amount right?
But hey, what more can I expect, considering that I only implemented a few recommendations, did absolutely no exercise because I didn't feel any desire to (remember, Jon says don't force yourself to exercise, only start to do it when your body FEELS that it wants to), and I didn't always eat the most healthy choices. My husband is going through a phase of baking all kinds of delicious brownies, cakes and cheesecakes, so I have been going through some demonic carb cravings.
So imagine what I could achieve if I up the ante and start incorporating a few more things to my routine?
I am yet to cut dairy out of my diet (hello? Cheesecake?!) which I know is a REALLY important thing to do. Some friends have recommended that I look into the Paleo Diet (I don't want to switch from the GM to Paleo, but just be more informed and then incorporate some of the Paleo knowledge so that I tailor my eating to suit my body's needs).
Sorry, if I sound like I am rambling, it's probably due to lack of sleep and also a bout of illness that has knocked me down for a couple of days.
Just thought I'd update you all on my progress so far using the Gabriel Method.
It has now been 7 weeks since I started to implement some of Jon's recommendations
- Live food (fruit & veg)
- Protein (in the form of eggs, meat or whey protein)
- Omega 3's (either in fish or supplement form);
- drinking filtered water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice
- listening to his evening meditation track most nights (sometimes I know I am just too tired to put my headphones on, or conversely, I start to get too restless because I am being distracted from sleep);
- posting a picture of (what I consider to be) my ideal body on the wall next to my bed and looking at it every day
Yesterday I stepped on the scales for the first time in 7 weeks and despite the fear of what I might see, I was happy to be able to record a loss of.....
1.6kg
I know, not a huge amount right?
But hey, what more can I expect, considering that I only implemented a few recommendations, did absolutely no exercise because I didn't feel any desire to (remember, Jon says don't force yourself to exercise, only start to do it when your body FEELS that it wants to), and I didn't always eat the most healthy choices. My husband is going through a phase of baking all kinds of delicious brownies, cakes and cheesecakes, so I have been going through some demonic carb cravings.
So imagine what I could achieve if I up the ante and start incorporating a few more things to my routine?
I am yet to cut dairy out of my diet (hello? Cheesecake?!) which I know is a REALLY important thing to do. Some friends have recommended that I look into the Paleo Diet (I don't want to switch from the GM to Paleo, but just be more informed and then incorporate some of the Paleo knowledge so that I tailor my eating to suit my body's needs).
Sorry, if I sound like I am rambling, it's probably due to lack of sleep and also a bout of illness that has knocked me down for a couple of days.
Saturday 21 July 2012
Age & fertility
Something that really plays on my mind alot is my age.
I am 37. My journey with PCOS began at puberty but didn't really manifest as symptomatic until my early 20's. I was officially diagnosed at 29 and got married and started TTC when I was 30. I didn't want to be having children past 35, I was determined to have completed my family by then.
Since my miscarriages, I have had a real hangup about my age and today I read an article that had been posted on Facebook about maternal age. Any pregnant woman who is over 35 is classified by the medical profession as having a "Geriatric Pregnancy".
AT 35!!!!
So that makes me feel even worse about my age now. Isn't it already difficult enough to deal with our emotions and thoughts without being labelled by doctors as geriatric? It's just terrible. If any doctor starts calling me a geriatric once I do finally become pregnant they will get a mouthful of obscenities.
I found this lovely affirmation today that I want to use anytime I start feeling the anxiety and stress about being my age and being childless:
I am 37. My journey with PCOS began at puberty but didn't really manifest as symptomatic until my early 20's. I was officially diagnosed at 29 and got married and started TTC when I was 30. I didn't want to be having children past 35, I was determined to have completed my family by then.
Since my miscarriages, I have had a real hangup about my age and today I read an article that had been posted on Facebook about maternal age. Any pregnant woman who is over 35 is classified by the medical profession as having a "Geriatric Pregnancy".
AT 35!!!!
So that makes me feel even worse about my age now. Isn't it already difficult enough to deal with our emotions and thoughts without being labelled by doctors as geriatric? It's just terrible. If any doctor starts calling me a geriatric once I do finally become pregnant they will get a mouthful of obscenities.
I found this lovely affirmation today that I want to use anytime I start feeling the anxiety and stress about being my age and being childless:
I love and approve of myself.
I am loving.
I am lovable.
The source of love is within me.
I enjoy hugs.
I am happy.
I am effective.
Every age is beautiful.
Each moment in life is perfect.
I resolve the past.
I live in the NOW.
I am young again.
I allow myself to enjoy life.
I am safe.
My mind is flexible.
My mind is open.
I give freely.
I am loving.
I am lovable.
The source of love is within me.
I enjoy hugs.
I am happy.
I am effective.
Every age is beautiful.
Each moment in life is perfect.
I resolve the past.
I live in the NOW.
I am young again.
I allow myself to enjoy life.
I am safe.
My mind is flexible.
My mind is open.
I give freely.
Monday 16 July 2012
DIM/I3C update
I have been taking DIM/I3C for about a month now and I can happily say that I think it has had a positive effect on my menstrual cycle. This new cycle, while still being a heavy one, is definitely less clotted than usual and far less painful.
One thing I have noticed is that I didn't get any of the usual breast tenderness during the luteal phase (the last two weeks of the cycle before a new period starts). At first I just thought I hadn't ovulated, but what if the tablets had something to do with it?
I have also been taking Saw Palmetto for the last couple of weeks, perhaps that had an effect too.
Very interesting!
I will need to buy some more DIM/I3C shortly and double the dosage and (if finances will allow it) I will also buy Serratiopeptidase to try as it should reduce the heavy bleeding and clotting even further. These supplements are only temporary solutions until I can find a way to reduce the bleeding and clotting naturally through altering my diet.
One thing I have noticed is that I didn't get any of the usual breast tenderness during the luteal phase (the last two weeks of the cycle before a new period starts). At first I just thought I hadn't ovulated, but what if the tablets had something to do with it?
I have also been taking Saw Palmetto for the last couple of weeks, perhaps that had an effect too.
Very interesting!
I will need to buy some more DIM/I3C shortly and double the dosage and (if finances will allow it) I will also buy Serratiopeptidase to try as it should reduce the heavy bleeding and clotting even further. These supplements are only temporary solutions until I can find a way to reduce the bleeding and clotting naturally through altering my diet.
I'm still here
This blog hasn't died, I have just been busy the last week or two with work. I have changed to another department at the huge store I work in so there are lots of problems that need sorting out. I also have stocktake coming up next month so need to make sure my department is super tidy and ready to be counted! I get the feeling that it's not going to be a good result but I have to just do the best I can.
I have a few posts sitting in draft mode at the moment which I am slowly working on as they are pretty big topics to cover, the major ones being about detoxification. I am planning to do a big detox in September when I have 2 weeks holiday booked. It seems like the perfect time to do it as this is when the Christmas stock will be arriving at work and we will be ramping up to the silly season.
While at work on Sunday I realised something which made me feel really sad.
My period arrived on Saturday and was just some dark spotting, then yesterday it had progressed to light bleeding while at work. I found myself wondering what I would do if I was in the situation again that I was suffering a miscarriage while at work. Who would I call for help? If I was locked in a cubicle in the public bathroom (customers constantly going in and out), would I tell one of them what was happening? Or would I just ask someone to go ask for my supervisor, who knows my history of PCOS and miscarriages?
It made my heart sink to even need to think of something like that. If I was a super fertile who popped one baby out after another, threatened miscarriage would most likely be the furthest thing from my mind. It makes me wonder how comfortable and easy it must be to be that person. If/when I ever do become pregnant again, I will not be able to avoid living in fear of losing my baby, I will most likely be on a constant state of alert for any signs that things are not right. That is just horrible and sad to not be able to relax and enjoy the pregnancy.
I have a few posts sitting in draft mode at the moment which I am slowly working on as they are pretty big topics to cover, the major ones being about detoxification. I am planning to do a big detox in September when I have 2 weeks holiday booked. It seems like the perfect time to do it as this is when the Christmas stock will be arriving at work and we will be ramping up to the silly season.
While at work on Sunday I realised something which made me feel really sad.
My period arrived on Saturday and was just some dark spotting, then yesterday it had progressed to light bleeding while at work. I found myself wondering what I would do if I was in the situation again that I was suffering a miscarriage while at work. Who would I call for help? If I was locked in a cubicle in the public bathroom (customers constantly going in and out), would I tell one of them what was happening? Or would I just ask someone to go ask for my supervisor, who knows my history of PCOS and miscarriages?
It made my heart sink to even need to think of something like that. If I was a super fertile who popped one baby out after another, threatened miscarriage would most likely be the furthest thing from my mind. It makes me wonder how comfortable and easy it must be to be that person. If/when I ever do become pregnant again, I will not be able to avoid living in fear of losing my baby, I will most likely be on a constant state of alert for any signs that things are not right. That is just horrible and sad to not be able to relax and enjoy the pregnancy.
Tuesday 3 July 2012
Saw Palmetto & 5α-Reductase
Today I was listening to Jon Gabriel talking to Dr Howard Liebowitz about hormones and the role they play in weight gain. They had a question from a listener who has PCOS and one of her symptoms is facial hair.
I have underlined the really important parts of the transcript of the discussion relevant to Saw Palmetto and an enzyme called 5α-Reductase:
JON: Okay. So, hirsutism is facial hair for everyone that’s listening.
DR LIEBOWITZ: What she’s describing are a number of the diagnostic criteria for a condition call polycystic ovary syndrome, and the polycystic ovary syndrome is a very, very frustrating syndrome because it’s part of the syndrome that’s insulin-resistance in obesity.
And what happens is, the ovaries are making a lot of cysts and they’re not ovulating on a normal schedule. They’re not making the normal rhythmic patterns of hormones, and when the hormones are irregular like this it produces, like we were talking before, it can produce stress in the body and abnormal cortisol levels and abnormal hormone levels and all sorts of things like that.
Patients like this are very, very challenging. To me, what a lot of doctors will do for them is put them on the birth control pill and, again, what
they’re doing is just treating the symptoms and that doesn’t really correct anything, it just gets the ovaries to stop functioning. Now, sometimes women will feel better on the birth control pill and their skin might get better, but it usually doesn’t help them lose weight and it doesn’t correct the problem.
What I try to do is I actually look at the hormones and try to get their hormones balanced. Oftentimes, these women have very low estrogen and they often have high androgens which are male hormones. So they have high levels of testosterone and DHEA and they also have a high enzyme called five alpha reductase. So, in other words, they’re converting more estrogen into testosterone, and what I try to do is to balance them and get their testosterone levels down and raise their estrogen levels, and many times that helps a lot.
It depends on how -- there’s all sorts of different levels of this condition. It could be mild to severe, and I’ve seen young girls with this who don’t look abnormal at all, and I’ve seen other girls who are very overweight and have a lot of facial hair and acne and obesity.
JON: So how do you treat the -- how can you lower the testosterone level?
DR LIEBOWITZ: I often give them five alpha reductase blockers. Saw palmetto is one. Beta sitosterols will do it, too, and if it’s very severe I’ll go into the prescription like the propecia and things like that.
JON: Okay. All right. So basically what you’re saying, for people who are listening, is that their testosterone levels are too high because they’ve got an enzyme converting estrogen to testosterone; is that right?
DR LIEBOWITZ: Yeah.
JON: The five alpha reductase.
DR LIEBOWITZ: And also their ovaries are producing too much testosterone as well.
JON: Okay. All right. So what would you recommend? She’s in Belgium. What would you recommend for her to do?
DR LIEBOWITZ: Well, there’s actually a fantastic hormone doctor in Belgium that I know. A Dr. Thierry Hertoghe, H-E-R-T-O-G-H-E, and he’s in -- what’s the capital of Belgium, do you know? Brussels.
JON: Brussels, yeah.
DR LIEBOWITZ: Yeah, I think he’s in Brussels. Thierry, T-H-I-E-R-R-Y, Hertoghe. He’s absolutely a brilliant hormone specialist and he has a clinic there and he would probably be able to help her.
So, ladies, if any of you are lucky enough to live close to Belgium, look up Dr Thierry Hurtogh!
But for those of us who aren't so lucky, there are other things we can do to REDUCE the amount of 5α-Reductase enzyme.
As Dr Liebowitz says:
Saw Palmetto is a 5α-Reductase inhibitor, meaning that it decreases the levels of available testosterone that binds itself to the enzyme. When the binding of the hormone to the enzyme is prevented, this reduces the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DIH - the stronger form of testosterone).
So what else can we do to reduce the amount of 5α-Reductase?
I have underlined the really important parts of the transcript of the discussion relevant to Saw Palmetto and an enzyme called 5α-Reductase:
JON: Okay. So, hirsutism is facial hair for everyone that’s listening.
DR LIEBOWITZ: What she’s describing are a number of the diagnostic criteria for a condition call polycystic ovary syndrome, and the polycystic ovary syndrome is a very, very frustrating syndrome because it’s part of the syndrome that’s insulin-resistance in obesity.
And what happens is, the ovaries are making a lot of cysts and they’re not ovulating on a normal schedule. They’re not making the normal rhythmic patterns of hormones, and when the hormones are irregular like this it produces, like we were talking before, it can produce stress in the body and abnormal cortisol levels and abnormal hormone levels and all sorts of things like that.
Patients like this are very, very challenging. To me, what a lot of doctors will do for them is put them on the birth control pill and, again, what
they’re doing is just treating the symptoms and that doesn’t really correct anything, it just gets the ovaries to stop functioning. Now, sometimes women will feel better on the birth control pill and their skin might get better, but it usually doesn’t help them lose weight and it doesn’t correct the problem.
What I try to do is I actually look at the hormones and try to get their hormones balanced. Oftentimes, these women have very low estrogen and they often have high androgens which are male hormones. So they have high levels of testosterone and DHEA and they also have a high enzyme called five alpha reductase. So, in other words, they’re converting more estrogen into testosterone, and what I try to do is to balance them and get their testosterone levels down and raise their estrogen levels, and many times that helps a lot.
It depends on how -- there’s all sorts of different levels of this condition. It could be mild to severe, and I’ve seen young girls with this who don’t look abnormal at all, and I’ve seen other girls who are very overweight and have a lot of facial hair and acne and obesity.
JON: So how do you treat the -- how can you lower the testosterone level?
DR LIEBOWITZ: I often give them five alpha reductase blockers. Saw palmetto is one. Beta sitosterols will do it, too, and if it’s very severe I’ll go into the prescription like the propecia and things like that.
JON: Okay. All right. So basically what you’re saying, for people who are listening, is that their testosterone levels are too high because they’ve got an enzyme converting estrogen to testosterone; is that right?
DR LIEBOWITZ: Yeah.
JON: The five alpha reductase.
DR LIEBOWITZ: And also their ovaries are producing too much testosterone as well.
JON: Okay. All right. So what would you recommend? She’s in Belgium. What would you recommend for her to do?
DR LIEBOWITZ: Well, there’s actually a fantastic hormone doctor in Belgium that I know. A Dr. Thierry Hertoghe, H-E-R-T-O-G-H-E, and he’s in -- what’s the capital of Belgium, do you know? Brussels.
JON: Brussels, yeah.
DR LIEBOWITZ: Yeah, I think he’s in Brussels. Thierry, T-H-I-E-R-R-Y, Hertoghe. He’s absolutely a brilliant hormone specialist and he has a clinic there and he would probably be able to help her.
So, ladies, if any of you are lucky enough to live close to Belgium, look up Dr Thierry Hurtogh!
But for those of us who aren't so lucky, there are other things we can do to REDUCE the amount of 5α-Reductase enzyme.
As Dr Liebowitz says:
- 5α-Reductase enzyme converts oestrogen into testosterone
- when we are experiencing too much oestrogen in our bodies, this enzyme is converting the oestrogen into even more testosterone, which in turn stimulates excess facial hair.
Saw Palmetto is a 5α-Reductase inhibitor, meaning that it decreases the levels of available testosterone that binds itself to the enzyme. When the binding of the hormone to the enzyme is prevented, this reduces the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DIH - the stronger form of testosterone).
So what else can we do to reduce the amount of 5α-Reductase?
Cutting out dairy
I have read many times from different sources that we should be cutting dairy products from our diets.
If only it was that easy! I love my dairy! I love cheese and cream and milk and yoghurt. After 37 years of consuming dairy, I can't imagine trying to give it up :-(
But today I finally found out WHY it is important to kick dairy products to the kerb:
(page 50-51 of Natural Solutions to PCOS by Marilyn Glenville PhD)
In summary:
If only it was that easy! I love my dairy! I love cheese and cream and milk and yoghurt. After 37 years of consuming dairy, I can't imagine trying to give it up :-(
But today I finally found out WHY it is important to kick dairy products to the kerb:
Milk, cheese and butter contain a substance called insulin-like growth factor ( IGF-1), which is similar in structure to insulin. Its insulin-like properties mean it can stimulate storage of glucose in fat cells and can trigger increased production of testosterone.
We all produce a certain amount of IGF-1 in our bodies, with levels peaking in puberty (when we tend to get acne) but usually declining as we get older. However, tests have shown that women with PCOS are more sensitive to IGF-1. IGF-1 is involved in the maturing of the follicles on the ovary and stimulates the production of male hormones from the ovaries, increasing androgen production from the adrenal glands. It specifically stimulates an enzyme called 5 Alpha Reductase, which converts testosterone to its stronger form DHT (dihydrotestosterone), causing acne and hirsutism in people with PCOS.
(page 50-51 of Natural Solutions to PCOS by Marilyn Glenville PhD)
In summary:
- Women with PCOS are more sensitive to IGF-1
- We all produce a certain amount of IGF-1 in our bodies.
- When we consume more IGF-1 than our bodies need, it stimulates the production of male hormones
- IGF-1 specifically stimulates production of an enzyme called 5 alpha reductase
- 5 alpha reductase converts testosterone into its stronger form DHT
- DHT causes acne and hirsutism
Sunday 1 July 2012
FAT triggers
The Gabriel Method uses an acronym called FAT.
FAT doesn't mean "fat", but it does refer to fat gain.
FAT stands for "Famine And Temperature".
Think about how our ancestors, tens/hundreds of thousands of years ago, lived in the wild.
Before the domestication of animals, they had to hunt. So they had to be fit enough to chase and catch their prety.
They were also the hunted. In many places there were wild animals that were bigger and faster than humans. Humans tasted really good to these guys!
There was also the risk of starvation, either due to famine or the weather. When winter set in (or an Ice Age!) food was scarce, fruits were difficult to find because plants weren't producing them and animals were difficult to find as well because they went into hibernation or they migrated to places with warmer climates.
So basically, you were either facing the risk of being eaten, not having enough to eat, or freezing to death.
These days, mostly in First World countries, we don't have to face those risks. We don't have to dodge lions (unless you are in Africa!), you don't face starvation, and (hopefully) you aren't going to freeze to death because we live in houses and we wear warm clothes.
Despite not having to deal with those risks anymore, our bodies still respond to a multitude of stresses that it INTERPRETS as either Famine or Temperature triggers.
Any time we are feeling a LACK of anything - a lack of money, having no job, no transport, no housing, love, appreciation, creative expression, friendship - our brains (the hypothalamus to be precise) emit a stress hormone which the cells of our bodies interpret as Famine and we GAIN weight.
Any time we are feeling negatively stressed - our jobs are under threat, we are facing eviction, our boss or spouse or neighbour is always yelling at us, there may have been rape or physical abuse - our brains release more stress hormone which the cells interpret as feeling UNSAFE. To try to create a safer environment, a "buffer", our bodies will GAIN weight.
But there are some other environmental stresses that cause us to gain weight too.
One of those stresses is HORMONAL. If you are taking a medication such as the Pill, or HRT, or anti-depressants, in fact any pharmaceutical drug, your body can interpret that as a stress that causes you to gain weight.
Another type of environmental stress is TOXINS. The human body is not designed to process artificial flavourings and preservatives. It doesn't know what to do with them so it can store these toxins in the cells, and then it will want to gain more fat to make storage for the toxins.
Toxins also trigger INFLAMMATORY responses (which I posted about previously) such as asthma, ADD, eczema, depression.
So it is really important to avoid eating artificially flavoured, highly processed foods.
Possibly the most important FAT trigger is NUTRITIONAL FAMINE. If you are consuming alot of processed foods (pies, chips/crisps, fries, chocolate, sugared drinks, alcohol - basically anything that has been changed from its natural form!) you are probably suffering from nutritional famine because all the goodness has been stripped out of the fruit/vegetables/meat and highly processed until it no longer resembles what it once was. Nutritional famine is exactly what it says - a type of Famine!
So if you are starving yourself of the nutrients it needs every day, the FAT switch is going to be flipped and your body is going to start gaining weight, storing every bit of fat you swallow.
More to come....
FAT doesn't mean "fat", but it does refer to fat gain.
FAT stands for "Famine And Temperature".
Think about how our ancestors, tens/hundreds of thousands of years ago, lived in the wild.
Before the domestication of animals, they had to hunt. So they had to be fit enough to chase and catch their prety.
They were also the hunted. In many places there were wild animals that were bigger and faster than humans. Humans tasted really good to these guys!
There was also the risk of starvation, either due to famine or the weather. When winter set in (or an Ice Age!) food was scarce, fruits were difficult to find because plants weren't producing them and animals were difficult to find as well because they went into hibernation or they migrated to places with warmer climates.
So basically, you were either facing the risk of being eaten, not having enough to eat, or freezing to death.
These days, mostly in First World countries, we don't have to face those risks. We don't have to dodge lions (unless you are in Africa!), you don't face starvation, and (hopefully) you aren't going to freeze to death because we live in houses and we wear warm clothes.
Despite not having to deal with those risks anymore, our bodies still respond to a multitude of stresses that it INTERPRETS as either Famine or Temperature triggers.
Any time we are feeling a LACK of anything - a lack of money, having no job, no transport, no housing, love, appreciation, creative expression, friendship - our brains (the hypothalamus to be precise) emit a stress hormone which the cells of our bodies interpret as Famine and we GAIN weight.
Any time we are feeling negatively stressed - our jobs are under threat, we are facing eviction, our boss or spouse or neighbour is always yelling at us, there may have been rape or physical abuse - our brains release more stress hormone which the cells interpret as feeling UNSAFE. To try to create a safer environment, a "buffer", our bodies will GAIN weight.
But there are some other environmental stresses that cause us to gain weight too.
One of those stresses is HORMONAL. If you are taking a medication such as the Pill, or HRT, or anti-depressants, in fact any pharmaceutical drug, your body can interpret that as a stress that causes you to gain weight.
Another type of environmental stress is TOXINS. The human body is not designed to process artificial flavourings and preservatives. It doesn't know what to do with them so it can store these toxins in the cells, and then it will want to gain more fat to make storage for the toxins.
Toxins also trigger INFLAMMATORY responses (which I posted about previously) such as asthma, ADD, eczema, depression.
So it is really important to avoid eating artificially flavoured, highly processed foods.
Possibly the most important FAT trigger is NUTRITIONAL FAMINE. If you are consuming alot of processed foods (pies, chips/crisps, fries, chocolate, sugared drinks, alcohol - basically anything that has been changed from its natural form!) you are probably suffering from nutritional famine because all the goodness has been stripped out of the fruit/vegetables/meat and highly processed until it no longer resembles what it once was. Nutritional famine is exactly what it says - a type of Famine!
So if you are starving yourself of the nutrients it needs every day, the FAT switch is going to be flipped and your body is going to start gaining weight, storing every bit of fat you swallow.
More to come....
Friday 29 June 2012
Digestive issues
So I have been taking Digestimax for 2 whole days now, and today I experienced some sharp pains in my lower intestinal region, meaning a quick dash to the bathroom. I have also noticed that my urine, while being very pale in colour (drinking plenty of water!) has been a bit strong smelling. I have also been passing quite a bit of wind today.
I don't know if any of this is related to the Digestimax though so I won't draw any conclusions just yet, this is just a post to note some observations.
I don't know if any of this is related to the Digestimax though so I won't draw any conclusions just yet, this is just a post to note some observations.
Wednesday 27 June 2012
Easily pleased!
I am so excited to say that my supplements arrived today! See, I'm easily pleased.
I was actually starting to worry that my order had been lost in the system, even though I had ordered online and the payment had already been taken from my bank account. I sent an email to the company and they responded within a couple of hours to let me know that the order had been despatched a few days ago and it may take another week to arrive as it was going by 2nd class post.
I was offered some free samples of the Digestimax just to start me off until my parcel arrived, only for the postman to knock on my door a few hours later.
So my daily protocol now will be:
Morning
1 x Digestimax
1 x Omega 3 fish oil
2 x I3C/DIM
Daytime
1 x Omega 3
1 x Digestimax
Evening
1 x Omega 3
1 x Digestimax
I may increase the I3C/DIM by taking 2 in the evening as well, but I don't want to overload myself too soon. I think I will give it another week to two before adding more.
I was actually starting to worry that my order had been lost in the system, even though I had ordered online and the payment had already been taken from my bank account. I sent an email to the company and they responded within a couple of hours to let me know that the order had been despatched a few days ago and it may take another week to arrive as it was going by 2nd class post.
I was offered some free samples of the Digestimax just to start me off until my parcel arrived, only for the postman to knock on my door a few hours later.
So my daily protocol now will be:
Morning
1 x Digestimax
1 x Omega 3 fish oil
2 x I3C/DIM
Daytime
1 x Omega 3
1 x Digestimax
Evening
1 x Omega 3
1 x Digestimax
I may increase the I3C/DIM by taking 2 in the evening as well, but I don't want to overload myself too soon. I think I will give it another week to two before adding more.
Serratiopeptidase
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/undergroundwellness/2012/06/22/the-diet-cure-2012-with-julia-ross
Sean and his guest speaker Julia Ross (author of The Diet Cure) had a question from a caller whose wife's menstrual cramps were so severe she could barely move. Julia suggested investigations for the possibility of Endometriosis. She also mentioned a product that she highly recommends as being very effective for relieving menstrual pain, the active ingredient is a proteolytic enzyme called Serratiopeptidase.
Serratiopeptidase acts on endometrial tissue, fibroid tumours, scar tissue. There are several brands available online such as Vitalzym, Exclzyme and more commonly Serrapeptase.
This product has also been mentioned by Melissa on her blog Cure Endometriosis. Melissa has been trialling the Vitalzym and she talks about it on Youtube as well as on her blog.
If you want to try a Serratiopeptidase product, it is important to find one that has an enteric coating. Basically, the enteric coating is designed to control the location in the digestive system where the medication inside the tablet is absorbed. If the tablet breaks down in the stomach it can cause great discomfort for many people.
Sean and his guest speaker Julia Ross (author of The Diet Cure) had a question from a caller whose wife's menstrual cramps were so severe she could barely move. Julia suggested investigations for the possibility of Endometriosis. She also mentioned a product that she highly recommends as being very effective for relieving menstrual pain, the active ingredient is a proteolytic enzyme called Serratiopeptidase.
Serratiopeptidase acts on endometrial tissue, fibroid tumours, scar tissue. There are several brands available online such as Vitalzym, Exclzyme and more commonly Serrapeptase.
This product has also been mentioned by Melissa on her blog Cure Endometriosis. Melissa has been trialling the Vitalzym and she talks about it on Youtube as well as on her blog.
If you want to try a Serratiopeptidase product, it is important to find one that has an enteric coating. Basically, the enteric coating is designed to control the location in the digestive system where the medication inside the tablet is absorbed. If the tablet breaks down in the stomach it can cause great discomfort for many people.
Monday 25 June 2012
Inflammation
I have been listening to a BlogTalkRadio discussion about Inflammation and its direct links to PCOS.
You can listen to the recording for free HERE.
PCOS promotes inflammation and causes vicious cycles within the body. Inflammation worsens many of the PCOS symptoms, and should be reversed to help restore balance and optimal health.
What I learned from this discussion:
Oxidation is a normal process in the human body - any time we burn a calorie, think a thought, regulate our blood sugar, we are oxidising resources in our bodies to carry out those processes. The easiest way to understand the concept of oxidation is to imagine rust on a car. If unchecked, the rust gets out of control and creates large holes in the body of the car doesn't it?
Inflammation is an immunological response to stress, imbalances and infections in the body so it is a natural thing and MOST of the time, it is good for us!
In the human body, oxidation occurs all the time but when oxidation exceeds what the body can keep up with and repair, this causes inflammation. Our bodies are being asked to be in constant repair mode, instead of being able to rest.
Some conditions that arise out of inflammation might be:
Often the symptoms of PCOS are downstream from the real problems upstream, so if we fix the problem upstream then we don't have to waste so much money on supplements and treatments.
Lack of sleep increases inflammation in our bodies. Sleep is one of the most important parts of our day because that is when our bodies go into repair mode
Practice sleep hygiene to help your body wind down and prepare for a good night's sleep:
Gluten - if you aren't gluten insensitive and you cut it out of your diet, you could actually CREATE a sensitivity to it, so it is best to get tested for any existing sensitivities first.
I urge you to listen to the broadcast yourself because you may hear something mentioned which I haven't summarized above.
You can listen to the recording for free HERE.
What I learned from this discussion:
Oxidation is a normal process in the human body - any time we burn a calorie, think a thought, regulate our blood sugar, we are oxidising resources in our bodies to carry out those processes. The easiest way to understand the concept of oxidation is to imagine rust on a car. If unchecked, the rust gets out of control and creates large holes in the body of the car doesn't it?
Inflammation is an immunological response to stress, imbalances and infections in the body so it is a natural thing and MOST of the time, it is good for us!
In the human body, oxidation occurs all the time but when oxidation exceeds what the body can keep up with and repair, this causes inflammation. Our bodies are being asked to be in constant repair mode, instead of being able to rest.
Some conditions that arise out of inflammation might be:
- elevated levels of C Reactive Protein
- bowel disorders such as IBS
- asthma
- heart disease
- depression
- insomnia
- migraine headaches
- arthritis
- fibromyalgia
Omega 3 fatty acid is really important for repairing the oxidative stress. Research has found that taking fish oil (or marine algae for vegans) also reduces sugar cravings. Monica Woolsey, the founder of InCYST and the guest on the programme, recommends we take 1000mg of fish oil each day.
Often the symptoms of PCOS are downstream from the real problems upstream, so if we fix the problem upstream then we don't have to waste so much money on supplements and treatments.
Lack of sleep increases inflammation in our bodies. Sleep is one of the most important parts of our day because that is when our bodies go into repair mode
Practice sleep hygiene to help your body wind down and prepare for a good night's sleep:
- change out of work clothes into loose, comfortable clothing as soon as you get home (I love doing this! My favourite thing to wear is a light jumper/sweater and a pair of cotton yoga pants)
- a cup of calming tea such as chamomile
- take a bath
- walk the dog
- turn down lights close to bedtime
- avoid using electronic devices after 9pm
- listening to calming music
- an evening snack of at least 8 grams of protein
Gluten - if you aren't gluten insensitive and you cut it out of your diet, you could actually CREATE a sensitivity to it, so it is best to get tested for any existing sensitivities first.
I urge you to listen to the broadcast yourself because you may hear something mentioned which I haven't summarized above.
Almond Milk
I have been experimenting with making my own Almond Milk at home. My inspiration was a Youtube video that demonstrates just how easy it is to make:
Karen doesn't soak her almonds before making the milk, basically just to demonstrate how easy it is to do and not put beginners off from trying it out.
I have made 3 batches of almond milk, the first time was without dates and it was a bit too bitter for my liking!
So the 2nd and 3rd batches were made with dates and I have to say they were much more palatable but still with that bitter edge. Friends of mine on a health forum have recommended soaking the almonds to leach the bitterness out so that is what I plan to do.
Ok, so why almond milk?
I have read many blogs, health articles and Tweets that recommend PCOS & Endo sufferers eliminate dairy foods from their diet due to the inflammatory effects. I will do another post on inflammation shortly as I have learned a few very interesting things about inflammation recently that are directly related to PCOS (and no doubt they will apply to Endo too!)
Karen doesn't soak her almonds before making the milk, basically just to demonstrate how easy it is to do and not put beginners off from trying it out.
I have made 3 batches of almond milk, the first time was without dates and it was a bit too bitter for my liking!
So the 2nd and 3rd batches were made with dates and I have to say they were much more palatable but still with that bitter edge. Friends of mine on a health forum have recommended soaking the almonds to leach the bitterness out so that is what I plan to do.
Ok, so why almond milk?
I have read many blogs, health articles and Tweets that recommend PCOS & Endo sufferers eliminate dairy foods from their diet due to the inflammatory effects. I will do another post on inflammation shortly as I have learned a few very interesting things about inflammation recently that are directly related to PCOS (and no doubt they will apply to Endo too!)
Quick update
I haven't got into the full swing of doing the GM just yet.
I am currently re-reading the book and taking lots of notes which is great because there were things in there that I had forgotten about, especially the Non-Physical Causes of Obesity. I will write about these in another post.
At the moment I am currently waiting on a delivery of Omega 3 fish oil, Digestimax enzymes and 500g of raw almonds to make more almond milk.
Today I ordered some organic sprouting seeds - Alfalfa, Broccoli, Chickpea and Quinoa - and 2 sprouting jars! I am really looking forward to adding fresh, homegrown sprouts to my salads and green smoothies in a couple of weeks.
I am currently re-reading the book and taking lots of notes which is great because there were things in there that I had forgotten about, especially the Non-Physical Causes of Obesity. I will write about these in another post.
At the moment I am currently waiting on a delivery of Omega 3 fish oil, Digestimax enzymes and 500g of raw almonds to make more almond milk.
Today I ordered some organic sprouting seeds - Alfalfa, Broccoli, Chickpea and Quinoa - and 2 sprouting jars! I am really looking forward to adding fresh, homegrown sprouts to my salads and green smoothies in a couple of weeks.
Sunday 17 June 2012
Weighing in
So today I weighed myself for the first time in I-don't-know-how-long.
93.8kg
I had a feeling I was tipping the 90kg mark, but didn't think I was that heavy.
Oh well, I'm not going to get myself all tied up in knots over a number! All it does is give me a reference point so I can track my progress. The real proof is going to be how many dress sizes I can drop.
Onwards and upwards! Or should that be downwards?
93.8kg
I had a feeling I was tipping the 90kg mark, but didn't think I was that heavy.
Oh well, I'm not going to get myself all tied up in knots over a number! All it does is give me a reference point so I can track my progress. The real proof is going to be how many dress sizes I can drop.
Onwards and upwards! Or should that be downwards?
Saturday 16 June 2012
Cravings
Although I joined the GM website yesterday, I have actually been implementing some of Jon's recommendations for a week or two. All I have basically been doing is adding protein (whey powder) and two generous spoonfuls of chia seeds (Omega 3) to my cereal each morning.
I have also been experimenting with almond milk, I made a batch last week but really didn't like the taste, so I made a new batch this morning but this time I added a couple of Medjella dates to give it a bit of sweetness. The dates make the almond milk much more palatable!
Then for a midday snack (I didn't feel like eating a whole meal) I had a piece of toast (wholemeal, home baked and without all those nasty additives like the supermarket stuff!) with peanut butter (protein), a nectarine (live food!) and a couple of handfuls of pistachio nuts.
Dinner was a home made mushroom lasagne which was really tasty (and surprisingly, my husband really enjoyed - I really didn't think he'd like it!). Should have had a salad with it but we'd just thrown out a heap of out-of-date food so lettuce on its own is pretty bland.
Oh and the other thing I did today was make sure I drank lots of water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
The most remarkable thing about today was that I didn't have any real cravings for chocolate. Normally, if I opened a bag of Crunchie Rocks, I'd want to scoff the whole lot in one sitting. Instead, I had just a few then put the bag back in the fridge. VICTORY!!!
Tomorrow I am back at work for a day, then I have 2 weeks off to dedicate to looking after myself and reading the GM book again, checking out the forums and start whipping up some delicious recipes.
I have also been experimenting with almond milk, I made a batch last week but really didn't like the taste, so I made a new batch this morning but this time I added a couple of Medjella dates to give it a bit of sweetness. The dates make the almond milk much more palatable!
Then for a midday snack (I didn't feel like eating a whole meal) I had a piece of toast (wholemeal, home baked and without all those nasty additives like the supermarket stuff!) with peanut butter (protein), a nectarine (live food!) and a couple of handfuls of pistachio nuts.
Dinner was a home made mushroom lasagne which was really tasty (and surprisingly, my husband really enjoyed - I really didn't think he'd like it!). Should have had a salad with it but we'd just thrown out a heap of out-of-date food so lettuce on its own is pretty bland.
Oh and the other thing I did today was make sure I drank lots of water with a squeeze of lemon juice.
The most remarkable thing about today was that I didn't have any real cravings for chocolate. Normally, if I opened a bag of Crunchie Rocks, I'd want to scoff the whole lot in one sitting. Instead, I had just a few then put the bag back in the fridge. VICTORY!!!
Tomorrow I am back at work for a day, then I have 2 weeks off to dedicate to looking after myself and reading the GM book again, checking out the forums and start whipping up some delicious recipes.
Spiritual practice
I was listening to an audio class today and heard this great quote:
"My spiritual practice is to not abandon my body."
It had a profound impact on me straight away. I'm sure you've heard that saying before "My body is my temple"? I always thought it was just a cliche drummed up by some hippy vegans, but it's actually very wise and very true.
So my new spiritual practice is to really take care of my body and start making more of an emphasis on what it NEEDS. I still have crazy cravings for chocolate and cakes because it is early days yet, I've only just begun the GM program so I'm not going to make drastic changes straight away. If I have a binge on crisps or chocolate, so be it, I am not going to beat myself up for it, it's just my body's way of telling me that it doesn't feel safe.
"My spiritual practice is to not abandon my body."
It had a profound impact on me straight away. I'm sure you've heard that saying before "My body is my temple"? I always thought it was just a cliche drummed up by some hippy vegans, but it's actually very wise and very true.
So my new spiritual practice is to really take care of my body and start making more of an emphasis on what it NEEDS. I still have crazy cravings for chocolate and cakes because it is early days yet, I've only just begun the GM program so I'm not going to make drastic changes straight away. If I have a binge on crisps or chocolate, so be it, I am not going to beat myself up for it, it's just my body's way of telling me that it doesn't feel safe.
Friday 15 June 2012
The Gabriel Method
I had first heard of The Gabriel Method (GM) in 2009 via a blog post by a naturopath who I used to see in Australia. So I checked out the website and was just awestruck by the results people had been achieving. I ordered the book off Amazon, joined the support forums (they used to be free to join but now you need to join as a paying member to be able to access them) and started applying as much as I could straight away.
Over 3-4 months I lost a considerable amount of weight, I am guessing it was at least a dress size but I will never know for sure as I never weighed myself, I only used a measuring tape once a month.
And then things turned really bad in my marriage, my husband was suffering from depression and it seemed like our marriage was going to fall apart. I totally lost my momentum with the GM, the weight piled back on and I didn't cope well at all.
I can happily say now that my marriage is getting stronger and stronger by the day, however my health issues seem to be getting worse and worse every cycle, so now is a really crucial time to be doing something about it.
So today I joined the GM Support Group and am really excited to be starting it again. This has to work for me, I am going to be 40 in a couple of years and I want to have at least one baby before then.
Over 3-4 months I lost a considerable amount of weight, I am guessing it was at least a dress size but I will never know for sure as I never weighed myself, I only used a measuring tape once a month.
And then things turned really bad in my marriage, my husband was suffering from depression and it seemed like our marriage was going to fall apart. I totally lost my momentum with the GM, the weight piled back on and I didn't cope well at all.
I can happily say now that my marriage is getting stronger and stronger by the day, however my health issues seem to be getting worse and worse every cycle, so now is a really crucial time to be doing something about it.
So today I joined the GM Support Group and am really excited to be starting it again. This has to work for me, I am going to be 40 in a couple of years and I want to have at least one baby before then.
Wednesday 13 June 2012
I3C and DIM
I have decided to try taking a DIM/I3C supplement to try to combat my excess oestrogen issues which are responsible for many of my PCOS symptoms.... and probably also responsible for my miscarriages.
So here's a little bit of information I found online about DIM/I3C:
Indol-3-Carbinol (I3C) is produced by the breakdown of an organic compound found to occur naturally in cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale. When digested, a compound called Diindolylmethane (or DIM) is derived.
DIM works by stimulating efficient oestrogen metabolism
DIM increases the specific aerobic metabolism for oestrogen, multiplying the chance for oestrogen to be broken down into its beneficial, or "good" oestrogen metabolites. These "good"oestrogen metabolites are known as the 2-hydroxy oestrogens. Many of the benefits that are attributed to oestrogen, which include its ability to protect the heart and brain with its antioxidant activity, are now known to come from these "good" metabolites.
When DIM increases the "good" oestrogen metabolites, there is a simultaneous reduction in the levels of undesirable or "bad" oestrogen metabolites. These include the 16-hydroxy oestrogens, which are not antioxidants and can actually cause cancer. Greater production of these "bad" oestrogen metabolites is promoted by obesity and exposure to a number of manmade environmental chemicals.
These "bad" oestrogen metabolites are responsible for many of oestrogen's undesirable actions in women and men, including further unwanted weight gain, breast cancer, and uterine cancer.
Here is an informative website about cruciferous vegetables and oestrogen metabolism.
Today my supplements arrived so I will start taking them tomorrow, then I'll post the results when a new cycle starts. Hopefully it will have had a positive effect on reducing the thickness of my uterine lining and I won't get such a heavy bleed.
So here's a little bit of information I found online about DIM/I3C:
Indol-3-Carbinol (I3C) is produced by the breakdown of an organic compound found to occur naturally in cruciferous vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, brussels sprouts, and kale. When digested, a compound called Diindolylmethane (or DIM) is derived.
DIM works by stimulating efficient oestrogen metabolism
DIM increases the specific aerobic metabolism for oestrogen, multiplying the chance for oestrogen to be broken down into its beneficial, or "good" oestrogen metabolites. These "good"oestrogen metabolites are known as the 2-hydroxy oestrogens. Many of the benefits that are attributed to oestrogen, which include its ability to protect the heart and brain with its antioxidant activity, are now known to come from these "good" metabolites.
When DIM increases the "good" oestrogen metabolites, there is a simultaneous reduction in the levels of undesirable or "bad" oestrogen metabolites. These include the 16-hydroxy oestrogens, which are not antioxidants and can actually cause cancer. Greater production of these "bad" oestrogen metabolites is promoted by obesity and exposure to a number of manmade environmental chemicals.
These "bad" oestrogen metabolites are responsible for many of oestrogen's undesirable actions in women and men, including further unwanted weight gain, breast cancer, and uterine cancer.
Here is an informative website about cruciferous vegetables and oestrogen metabolism.
Today my supplements arrived so I will start taking them tomorrow, then I'll post the results when a new cycle starts. Hopefully it will have had a positive effect on reducing the thickness of my uterine lining and I won't get such a heavy bleed.
Medical disclosure
I got called into a meeting at work today with the HR manager because she is concerned about my work attendance (I have been absent 3 days in the last 5 months). Only one of these absences was due to symptoms related to PCOS (one day was due to a migraine, NOT related to PCOS, and the other was for something else... can't remember why now?).
When my supervisor (lovely, lovely sympathetic lady who I adore!) explained to the HR manager that I had flooded my clothes on my way to work and had to turn around and go home, and that the flooding was due to having PCOS, the HR manager gave me a stern look and asked me why I hadn't disclosed on my medical forms that I have PCOS???
Since when is a woman REQUIRED to disclose the fact that she has PCOS, or any other gynaecological condition, to her employer?
I didn't deliberately withhold the information, I just didn't consider PCOS to be a "medical condition" worthy of disclosing to anyone other than a medical practitioner because it is something I have had for so long that it is just a part of my life.
I have never had to lose a day off work in my life due to PCOS issues until last week.
Should I say something to my supervisor about how uncomfortable I feel about the meeting with the HR Manager today?
**EDIT**
I spoke to my supervisor about a week or two later and told her how uncomfortable I felt during the meeting, she told me not to worry about it, that is just the HR Manager's way. My supervisor thinks the HR Manager is making a huge issue out of nothing. She suggested that I get a letter from my local Dr and give it to the HR dept to add to my employee records so that if I have any more absences from work due to my PCOS issues later down the track I will be covered and I won't be disciplined for taking so much time off work. Sheesh! I have never known a company to be so militant about people having a genuine medical condition.
When my supervisor (lovely, lovely sympathetic lady who I adore!) explained to the HR manager that I had flooded my clothes on my way to work and had to turn around and go home, and that the flooding was due to having PCOS, the HR manager gave me a stern look and asked me why I hadn't disclosed on my medical forms that I have PCOS???
Since when is a woman REQUIRED to disclose the fact that she has PCOS, or any other gynaecological condition, to her employer?
I didn't deliberately withhold the information, I just didn't consider PCOS to be a "medical condition" worthy of disclosing to anyone other than a medical practitioner because it is something I have had for so long that it is just a part of my life.
I have never had to lose a day off work in my life due to PCOS issues until last week.
Should I say something to my supervisor about how uncomfortable I feel about the meeting with the HR Manager today?
**EDIT**
I spoke to my supervisor about a week or two later and told her how uncomfortable I felt during the meeting, she told me not to worry about it, that is just the HR Manager's way. My supervisor thinks the HR Manager is making a huge issue out of nothing. She suggested that I get a letter from my local Dr and give it to the HR dept to add to my employee records so that if I have any more absences from work due to my PCOS issues later down the track I will be covered and I won't be disciplined for taking so much time off work. Sheesh! I have never known a company to be so militant about people having a genuine medical condition.
Friday 8 June 2012
Anovulation
Anovulation is the term used to describe cycles where you can bleed for weeks or months without relief (or you just may not bleed at all). This means that your ovaries have stopped releasing eggs, the lining of your uterus (endometrium) continues to build and build until it reaches critical mass then it starts to shed on its own.
Please don't do what I did and just let this go on and on, see your GP or ob/gyn as soon as you have been bleeding for longer than 5-7 days. He/she will probably prescribe a drug called Norethisterone which you take for 5 days, this stops the bleeding then you will have a super heavy period (my Dr called it a "chemical curette"). After that you may be sent for blood tests 2-3 weeks later to see if you have been able to ovulate. If you haven't, the Dr or ob/gyn may prescribe Clomid or another fertility treatment to induce ovulation.
In my experience, I can recall two occasions in my life when I was anovulatory. The first happened when I was about 20-21 years old and my GP prescribed the Pill which he deemed was the cure-all rather than trying to find out what was causing my problems. I just obediently took the prescription and started using the Pill without question.
If only I had someone tell me what would then happen to my body! My weight ballooned by about 20kg (45lb?) and that's when all the facial hair began to sprout.
The second occasion when I became anovulatory was in early 2005, at age 30.
Because I had suffered a stroke in November 2004 the Dr was extremely reluctant to prescribe anything so I put up with the bleeding for about 6 months before saying enough's enough and started demanding answers. Mr J and I were also wanting to start trying for a baby but how on earth was this going to be possible with all this bleeding going on?
I saw an ob/gyn who sent me for a blood test, prescribed Norethisterone and ordered another blood test for cycle day (CD) 21. He also sent me off for an ultrasound to check my ovaries, and this showed the classic "string of pearls" - a chain of cysts on my ovaries where the follices had developed but the eggs were never released.
The CD21 blood test proved that I was not ovulating spontaneously, so that was when I began my journey with Clomid.
Please don't do what I did and just let this go on and on, see your GP or ob/gyn as soon as you have been bleeding for longer than 5-7 days. He/she will probably prescribe a drug called Norethisterone which you take for 5 days, this stops the bleeding then you will have a super heavy period (my Dr called it a "chemical curette"). After that you may be sent for blood tests 2-3 weeks later to see if you have been able to ovulate. If you haven't, the Dr or ob/gyn may prescribe Clomid or another fertility treatment to induce ovulation.
In my experience, I can recall two occasions in my life when I was anovulatory. The first happened when I was about 20-21 years old and my GP prescribed the Pill which he deemed was the cure-all rather than trying to find out what was causing my problems. I just obediently took the prescription and started using the Pill without question.
If only I had someone tell me what would then happen to my body! My weight ballooned by about 20kg (45lb?) and that's when all the facial hair began to sprout.
The second occasion when I became anovulatory was in early 2005, at age 30.
Because I had suffered a stroke in November 2004 the Dr was extremely reluctant to prescribe anything so I put up with the bleeding for about 6 months before saying enough's enough and started demanding answers. Mr J and I were also wanting to start trying for a baby but how on earth was this going to be possible with all this bleeding going on?
I saw an ob/gyn who sent me for a blood test, prescribed Norethisterone and ordered another blood test for cycle day (CD) 21. He also sent me off for an ultrasound to check my ovaries, and this showed the classic "string of pearls" - a chain of cysts on my ovaries where the follices had developed but the eggs were never released.
The CD21 blood test proved that I was not ovulating spontaneously, so that was when I began my journey with Clomid.
Thursday 7 June 2012
Flooding
Today has to be one of the worst days I've had in a long time. It is day 3 of a new cycle and super heavy.
I woke a few times during the night because I had to go to the bathroom, there wasn't a great deal of pain, just discomfort and heavy bleeding with clots.
So I got up this morning for work and actually left a little earlier than usual as I needed to stop at the supermarket on the way to get some cash out and buy something for lunch. As I stepped out of the car I felt that all too familiar gush as a series of large blood clots moved from my uterus and past my cervix. I walked as calmly and gingerly as possible into the supermarket and found the ladies' toilets. My pad was soaked through and my trousers (dark blue, thankfully) were covered in blood.
I had to phone my supervisor at work and tell her what happened and that I couldn't come into work. She was most sympathetic as this had also happened the previous cycle while I was at work and she had sent me home. While talking to her today I was crying, partly because I am still fairly new at my job and I don't want to be fired for losing time off work, and partly because each time this happens it is embarrassing and upsetting, it is another reminder of my fertility issues, my miscarriages, my advanced maternal age (37) and how useless and incompetent I feel.
My supervisor kindly reassured me that I am not going to lose my job and she told me to go home and rest. I am so lucky to have her and not some unsympathetic old man!
So I drove home and as I was walking from the car to the house, I flooded my pad AGAIN. It has never happened in such quick succession before which has really frightened me. Why is this happening so often?
Tomorrow I will try to see a Dr and find out what he/she can do to help temporarily. After that I think it's time to sit down and write out a plan of action to help get my menstrual issues under control. One of the main antagonists is probably my excess weight so that really needs to be addressed first. I have an idea in my head, it is a combination of weight loss methods which I am going to tailor for my personal situation.
Stay tuned and thanks for reading this far.
xo B
I woke a few times during the night because I had to go to the bathroom, there wasn't a great deal of pain, just discomfort and heavy bleeding with clots.
So I got up this morning for work and actually left a little earlier than usual as I needed to stop at the supermarket on the way to get some cash out and buy something for lunch. As I stepped out of the car I felt that all too familiar gush as a series of large blood clots moved from my uterus and past my cervix. I walked as calmly and gingerly as possible into the supermarket and found the ladies' toilets. My pad was soaked through and my trousers (dark blue, thankfully) were covered in blood.
I had to phone my supervisor at work and tell her what happened and that I couldn't come into work. She was most sympathetic as this had also happened the previous cycle while I was at work and she had sent me home. While talking to her today I was crying, partly because I am still fairly new at my job and I don't want to be fired for losing time off work, and partly because each time this happens it is embarrassing and upsetting, it is another reminder of my fertility issues, my miscarriages, my advanced maternal age (37) and how useless and incompetent I feel.
My supervisor kindly reassured me that I am not going to lose my job and she told me to go home and rest. I am so lucky to have her and not some unsympathetic old man!
So I drove home and as I was walking from the car to the house, I flooded my pad AGAIN. It has never happened in such quick succession before which has really frightened me. Why is this happening so often?
Tomorrow I will try to see a Dr and find out what he/she can do to help temporarily. After that I think it's time to sit down and write out a plan of action to help get my menstrual issues under control. One of the main antagonists is probably my excess weight so that really needs to be addressed first. I have an idea in my head, it is a combination of weight loss methods which I am going to tailor for my personal situation.
Stay tuned and thanks for reading this far.
xo B
Monday 28 May 2012
Don't give up
I was diagnosed with PCOS in March 2004 but my symptoms began much much earlier than that. I got my first menses (period, bleed, AF) when I was on a school camp at 11 years of age. I was always a little bit heavier than the other girls at school but wasn't really made aware of it until the 3rd grade when our teacher weighed us and put the results on a chart up on the wall of our classroom. I hated that chart, I got teased by the boys in my class for being 6kg (about 12-13lb) heavier. Was I a fatty, or just a normal weight for my height (I was the tallest girl in my class, but never grew any taller than 5'5" or 165cm)? When I asked my mother, she said I was "big boned", that I was carrying "puppy fat", and that the other girls were far too skinny for her liking.
I always had a bit of a belly but it became much worse when I reached my 20's. I think I was about 20 when I started having trouble with my menses, I would bleed for days and days without relief. At about age 20-21 my local GP put me on the Pill and my weight BALLOONED. I reached my peak weight of 96kg (Australian size 18) when I was 23. During that time my facial hair began to sprout. At first I put it down to genetics as my mother always had thick hairs on her chin which she plucked without shame. I was incredibly embarrassed about my facial hair and took to plucking it in privacy. Fifteen years later and I still pluck secretly, even though my husband knows I have facial hair and he has seen it (bless him, it doesn't bother him that I have it) I just can't bring myself to pluck in front of him. He caught me once in the bathroom using my epilator and made a comment about it, I was absolutely mortified and upset, I thought he had left for work :-(
At about age 25 I began attending Weight Watchers and managed to shed about 20kg. But as soon as I hit that weight I would struggle to lose any more and the weight would pile back on. This happened again at age 33.
I started taking a different kind of Pill (Diane 35) when I was diagnosed with PCOS in March 2004, it was believed that this one would help ease my symptoms. I took this Pill for about 5 months but noticed that I was starting to have some side effects, including a heavy, tight feeling in my chest, so I stopped taking it immediately as recommended. Then, in November 2004, I suffered a stroke (Spontaneous Arterial Dissection), the cause was never found.
I got married in October 2005 and hoped to start a family right away. Throughout most of 2005 I was anovulatory again, so I was suffering from weeks and weeks of constant bleeding. The doctors told me that I wasn't allowed to take the Pill because of my history of stroke, so I suffered in silence. Even on my wedding day I was bleeding.
In March 2006 I had had enough and went to see my gynaecologist who prescribed Clomid. I fell pregnant after just a few cycles, but miscarried within days of getting a BFP. Devastated, we tried hard and I fell again the next month, only to miscarry again. I fell into a terrible depression and obsessed about suicide, it was a terrible time of my life. We stopped having sex which made things worse and it put alot of pressure on our marriage (not just that, my depression and ill heath were major contributors too).
Even though I had stopped taking Clomid, my body was ovulating on its own again and in April 2008 I got my 3rd BFP, only to miscarry at 6.5 weeks. After some insistance on my part, my gynaecologist gave me a referral for a Laparoscopy/HSG and in May 2008 during the procedure it was discovered that I also had Endometriosis peppered about on my ovaries and other internal organs. The surgeon described my case as "mild" and so none of it was removed. The HSG showed that my tubes were clear so I was free to keep trying for a baby.
BFP #4 surprised us in August 2008 and when I got to 8 weeks without bleeding I began to relax, but only a little and only for a few days. Then the spotting began, then the bright red blood, then the clots of blood. On the last night of September 2008 I awoke at midnight with a sharp pain, went to the bathroom and passed my little baby boy in the toilet. My poor husband awoke with a shock when I started screaming hysterically from the bathroom. I had been diagnosed before the miscarriage with a Retroplacental Haematoma, or blood clot in the wall of the uterus. It was right next to the placenta, and every time the haematoma burst and refilled, it got bigger and bigger. The night I miscarried, the placenta had forced part of the placenta away from the uterine wall, which caused the pain that woke me up.
Then in July/August 2011, I believe I suffered a 5th miscarriage. I felt the symptoms of pregnancy again but I was too terrified to have it confirmed, after everything I have been through I just didn't want to know. My marriage was in tatters at that time as well, my husband had asked me to leave and it was all but over between us. The most horrific time of my life.
I can happily say that my marriage is NOT over, we were able to start sorting through our issues and it is just amazing what a change the last 4 months have made. We are not actively TTC but we aren't taking precautions to prevent a pregnancy either. Given my rate of failure in the past, the chances of us conceiving and carrying to term again are so minute that it seems pointless to use any contraception.
My goal for the remainder of 2012 is to get as fit and healthy as possible using a weightloss method that is NOT a diet, I will post about it in greater detail as the blog progresses. I am putting myself out there as a guinea pig, if you will, for PCOS and Endometriosis sufferers.
xo B
I always had a bit of a belly but it became much worse when I reached my 20's. I think I was about 20 when I started having trouble with my menses, I would bleed for days and days without relief. At about age 20-21 my local GP put me on the Pill and my weight BALLOONED. I reached my peak weight of 96kg (Australian size 18) when I was 23. During that time my facial hair began to sprout. At first I put it down to genetics as my mother always had thick hairs on her chin which she plucked without shame. I was incredibly embarrassed about my facial hair and took to plucking it in privacy. Fifteen years later and I still pluck secretly, even though my husband knows I have facial hair and he has seen it (bless him, it doesn't bother him that I have it) I just can't bring myself to pluck in front of him. He caught me once in the bathroom using my epilator and made a comment about it, I was absolutely mortified and upset, I thought he had left for work :-(
At about age 25 I began attending Weight Watchers and managed to shed about 20kg. But as soon as I hit that weight I would struggle to lose any more and the weight would pile back on. This happened again at age 33.
I started taking a different kind of Pill (Diane 35) when I was diagnosed with PCOS in March 2004, it was believed that this one would help ease my symptoms. I took this Pill for about 5 months but noticed that I was starting to have some side effects, including a heavy, tight feeling in my chest, so I stopped taking it immediately as recommended. Then, in November 2004, I suffered a stroke (Spontaneous Arterial Dissection), the cause was never found.
I got married in October 2005 and hoped to start a family right away. Throughout most of 2005 I was anovulatory again, so I was suffering from weeks and weeks of constant bleeding. The doctors told me that I wasn't allowed to take the Pill because of my history of stroke, so I suffered in silence. Even on my wedding day I was bleeding.
In March 2006 I had had enough and went to see my gynaecologist who prescribed Clomid. I fell pregnant after just a few cycles, but miscarried within days of getting a BFP. Devastated, we tried hard and I fell again the next month, only to miscarry again. I fell into a terrible depression and obsessed about suicide, it was a terrible time of my life. We stopped having sex which made things worse and it put alot of pressure on our marriage (not just that, my depression and ill heath were major contributors too).
Even though I had stopped taking Clomid, my body was ovulating on its own again and in April 2008 I got my 3rd BFP, only to miscarry at 6.5 weeks. After some insistance on my part, my gynaecologist gave me a referral for a Laparoscopy/HSG and in May 2008 during the procedure it was discovered that I also had Endometriosis peppered about on my ovaries and other internal organs. The surgeon described my case as "mild" and so none of it was removed. The HSG showed that my tubes were clear so I was free to keep trying for a baby.
BFP #4 surprised us in August 2008 and when I got to 8 weeks without bleeding I began to relax, but only a little and only for a few days. Then the spotting began, then the bright red blood, then the clots of blood. On the last night of September 2008 I awoke at midnight with a sharp pain, went to the bathroom and passed my little baby boy in the toilet. My poor husband awoke with a shock when I started screaming hysterically from the bathroom. I had been diagnosed before the miscarriage with a Retroplacental Haematoma, or blood clot in the wall of the uterus. It was right next to the placenta, and every time the haematoma burst and refilled, it got bigger and bigger. The night I miscarried, the placenta had forced part of the placenta away from the uterine wall, which caused the pain that woke me up.
Then in July/August 2011, I believe I suffered a 5th miscarriage. I felt the symptoms of pregnancy again but I was too terrified to have it confirmed, after everything I have been through I just didn't want to know. My marriage was in tatters at that time as well, my husband had asked me to leave and it was all but over between us. The most horrific time of my life.
I can happily say that my marriage is NOT over, we were able to start sorting through our issues and it is just amazing what a change the last 4 months have made. We are not actively TTC but we aren't taking precautions to prevent a pregnancy either. Given my rate of failure in the past, the chances of us conceiving and carrying to term again are so minute that it seems pointless to use any contraception.
My goal for the remainder of 2012 is to get as fit and healthy as possible using a weightloss method that is NOT a diet, I will post about it in greater detail as the blog progresses. I am putting myself out there as a guinea pig, if you will, for PCOS and Endometriosis sufferers.
xo B
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