Yes, it lasted 8 weeks. You never realize how annoying that time of the month is until it becomes that time of 2 months!! But it is over, for now, and the progesterone worked. My new life lesson for today? You must take your health into your own hands! In starting this blog, I don't want to imply that my path to health is going to be the same as anyone else with PCOS. Indeed, I know some people out there will think I am nuts, or that what I am trying will not work, or that I am saying anyone else should embark on this path.
My ultimate goal? Down with the Metformin! Is it possible? I have no clue. Is it a health risk, for sure. I may go down this path, get off of the Metformin, grow a beard, go bald, and gain back all of the weight and then some. But I know I must try, because I cannot see living my life popping these pills on a daily basis and feeling that I am just covering up what is really going on in my body. Again, I realize it may not be possible, but I am going to try, and I hope in the end to inspire at least one other person to take their health care into their own hands, explore their options, and find their own path.
So far, my path, has been a bumpy curvy one. So this past week, I have seen the Naturopath/Acupuncturist, my general practitioner, and this evening off to the craniosacral thearpist! The NP is ordering a variety of blood tests to see what is going on. The most crazy thing I have heard yet? Thyroid problems can often produce many of the same symptoms (including LH/FSH Level discrepancies), male pattern hair growth and balding? Yes! Wow.... He is not saying I don't have PCOS but that maybe there is a second component. Okay, this is a bit of a downer... I thought that maybe, just maybe, it would be simple this time... is it ever simple for those of us diagnosed with PCOS?! But, I am still smiling... at least I have found someone, in all of the medical world to look a bit more deeply, to try to find not just a cure but the cause. We have to go back and fix the path, smooth out the bumps, stop the cycle of PCOS and whatever other dysfunction is occurring in this body in a more natural way.
But... did I mention that naturopaths also use pills? All natural ingredients, usually from plants. But pills none the less. So I am currently taking the following:
Metformin (5 pills per day)
Fish oil
Aspirin
Vitamin C
Iron Supplement
Probiotics
Candex
Myco-zyme
NAC (supposedly helpful for PCOS)
Milk Thistle
On top of these I have been advised to add a B12 complex and a pill to "support the adrenal glands". I did point out to the naturopath that my goal was to get away from pills completely, to which he responded that we must "train the cells" to tolerate insulin appropriately as well as increase the function of my immune system. ooookkkkayyyy.... I will try it... did I mention this is expensive too!?!? Between blood tests, ultrasounds, supplements and prescriptions, acupressure, naturopath, and MD appointments, my husband and I may go bankrupt. I am not sure at what point I would have to give up and go back to just Metformin. But I hope to continue trying.
One of my goals on this blog is to not be political. Health problems, PCOS, Thyroid problems... all of the things I am dealing with, others too are dealing with. I think many of us do not realize this until a serious health problem hits us or someone we love. Health problems know no socioeconomic boundaries, but right now health care does. So, I am not going to speak of what side of the health care argument I support, but I will say this... not everyone can afford to give up 1/5 of their salary each month to spend on acupuncture/pressure, MD, Blood tests, and supplements that are not covered by insurance, heck most of us are just struggling to pay our insurance premiums. There has to be some way to make medical procedures and processes that are helpful available to everyone in a fair way.
Just today, I had to have a large amount of blood drawn from my arm. I was informed that although I have a history of thyroid problems and have symptoms of thyroid problems, my insurance may not want to help me pay for the testing. How nice, to be able to chose not to pay for something diagnostic. If the general practitioner had not agreed to order the testing for the naturopath, I would have had to pay out of pocket for the testing, possibly costing over $1000. I know I don't have that much money to throw around... Do you!? But, alas, I lucked out, have a good general practitioner who is willing to let me try this path out, and was helpful enough to order the testing... hooray! So, when the tests return, I will blog again... or maybe I will blog sooner... although I think right now just my husband reads this blog! Maybe someday there will be more than just him.... although Honey.. thanks for your support through it all!!!
By the way, as an end to my post.. remember all of my sinus problems? With each snow this year I have had sinus problems... well, Colorado had snow this past weekend and it is supposed to happen again today. Can I tell you, for the first time this year, it snowed, and I do not have sinus pressure, pain, nor infection! Hooray, thank goodness for little miracles!!
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