I need help developing a Natural Plan

sccuddlers · 01-22-2003, 12:18 PM

Hey all,

I am very new to all this and am in desperate need of some help. I am wondering if maybe you guys could suggest some alternative meds and explain how to use them.

Right now I am taking the following each day:
2 - 50mg tablets of alpha-lipoic acid
2 - 600mg Calcium + Vtamin D tablets
2 - 500mg Vitamin C tablets
1 - 400 IU tablet of vitamin E
1 - advanced multivitamin with herbs (member's mark brand from Sam's Club)

I am trying to start a low carb diet (the Schwarbein Principle), but am off to a slow start.

I am around 240 at the moment and am very frustrated with the weight loss. I had a miscarriage in July (and my dr. put me on a very low fat, high carb diet after that - he actually told me that I should eat as much cereal as I wanted, but hardly any meat or fat. Said I should become a vegetarian, because is it impossible to be a fat vegetarian - his exact words - needless to say I am lookign for a new dr). I have very irregular periods. My last one was at Christmas (started Christmas day) and the one before that was in September and it was from provera.

I would like to get my periods back so we have a better chance conceiving. If any of the things you have tried worked for you or you think may work for me please let me know. We don't use any kind of birth control, so if one of the supplements you suggest shouldn't be used while trying to conceive, etc please be sure to note it.

I just need to know more about the basics I guess. I really have no idea what I should be doing or how much and how I should take whatever. Hopefully one of you wiser souls will be able to help me along.

Thanks so much,
Kim

ToledoCyster · 01-22-2003, 01:35 PM

Obviously I'm not a doctor, here's what I recommend and am taking myself. I have researched and have found these to be TTC friendly as far as I have found.

For fertility:
-Vitex and Dong Quai (cysters seem to have good luck with these, many take only until O, to balance hormones and assist in fertility)
-NPC (Natural Progesterone Cream, to bring on AF, Only after O, as it can suppress O)
-Soy Isolflavones- Many cysters use it as an herbal clomid alternative on CD3-7 or 5-9
-81 mg baby aspirin

For weight loss:
-Glucophage XR 2000mg
-Soy Lecithin(contains high amounts of precursors to revolutionary drug we are waiting for called D-chiro-inositol or INS-1, for insulin sensitivity)
-NAC (n-acetyl-l-cysteine) studies prove this improves insulin resistance in women with PCOS look here for article http://www.healthwell.com/news/index.cfm?news=1244
-Milk Thistle (for liver health, somewhat of a detoxifier)
-Chromium Picolinate

For increased testosterone:
Saw Palmetto (to improve hair loss, hirsuitism)

I also take a Women's Ultra Mega vitamin, vitamin C, B-complex
When I find it, I will be addir FUR, false unicorn root. I will also be adding Alpha Lipoic Acid, IP-6, EPO (evening primrose oil), Green Tea, Flax seed oil, CoQ-10, and Fenugreek

I know it's a lot, but if it works, it's worth everything. I have only been taking most of these a couple weeks, so I wouldn't say it's been long enough to gauge success, but I will say I feel a whole lot better. It was hardest to give up my St John's wort (it is NOT TTC friendly,) but I feel better now than I did then. My carb cravings have gone away, I am full faster, and I'm rarely hungry. I have less trouble getting up in the morning and that is a big improvement.
I hope all this helps.

lotodaisies77 · 01-22-2003, 07:39 PM

Kim,
I'm really surprised that your doctor told you to do a lowfat diet. Lot of women with PCOS have more success with low carb diets. Just thought you might want to look into that. You might have more success with losing weight.

Joleen · 01-22-2003, 08:55 PM

You sound really frustrated and I have felt that many times.

When I was feeling really overwhelmed I realized that for me the first thing I needed to do was to make myself calm - for me that meant taking walks early in the morning when I could think clearly about things. The I could make some decisions.

I think you need to get yourself to that place before you can make those decisions. Gather the information as you go and make an informed decision.

I still go through times like that but I always try to remind myself to go back to "that place" before the decisions are made.

Hope I am not interfereing. Just wanted to give a little help and I hope it worked.

sccuddlers · 01-23-2003, 01:22 PM

Thanks for all the wonderful advice. I had been thinking of adding Vitex and NCP to my routine, plus NAC.

If I add the Vitex I take that up until O (I assume I need to be charting to know when that is) and then I take the NCP until AF. Is that right? How much should I take and what brands do you recommend. I will either have to get it form Vitamin World (a outlet store in Hilton Head) or order it offline from somewhere - we just don't have much around here.

Other question - if I do get pregnant while using the NCP - how long do I continue it and how much (would I need to increase or decrease it)?

Also - how much NAC are you suppsoed to take. I read it somewhere and now I have forgotten how much it was. My short term memory s*cks, LOL.

I noticed that a lotof PCOSers have mentioned using Dong Quai. How does that help and how are you suppse to take it?

I know these are a lot of questions. I just want to make sure I am understanding all if this. I have felt so much better since I started taking the supplements and trying to discover more about all this stuff (sometimes just doing SOMETHING makes you feel better mentally at least). The lo-carbs I think ar ehelping somewhat (at least I feel better), but I haven't been doing it long enough to know if I have lost anything or not (I only weighin once every two weeks - so I have a while before I will even check). I was reading an article that was talking about how when you have PCOS you have to treat carbs as something you are allergic to. You might be able to eat a little , but the more you eat the worse the reaction. I noticed yesterday (I ate out at lunch and was a bit heavy on carbs) that I was so tired after I ate. That is something I had been struggling with for months (getting tired after I eat at least 2-3 times a week). I realized that I didn't hav ethat happen after I started the lo-carb thing unless I ate too many carbs. SO I am definitely seeing a difference there.

Anyway, I await any help you can offer.

Thanks so much!
Kim

sccuddlers · 01-27-2003, 12:18 PM

I got some bee pollen granules and some green tea extract this weekend. One question about the green tea, does the caffiene level hurt my insulin levels ( iheard it can raise your insulin).

Thanks,
Kim

ToledoCyster · 01-27-2003, 02:43 PM

Hello, I'm not sure about the green tea. If you add the vitex, you should only continie until O as it isn't safe to take while pg. About the NPC, I have heard a few things. I take it on CD 20 for 14 days. some take it until the day af comes. You can get progesterone cream in bottles with metered doses. As far as brands, Pro-gest is popular, but I'm not sure how much it matters. There may be a better one. I take Vitex capsules from GNC. You can get these items online rather easily. vitaminshoppe.com, vitacost.com, ebay for the cream. Compare prices. As far as getting pregnant and NPC, there are various and conflicting studies. Some women who have had recurrent miscarriage have discovered it was due to a drop in progesterone. I don't know how far the cream would go to help that. I know you can be prescribed progesterone suppositories, but their effectiveness has been disputed. That would be a personal decision. On the NAC, the study done gave insukin resistant women 1800mg/day and the severely obese women 3000mg. I am 200 lb and take 3000mg. You will have to find your right dose. Dong Quai is supposed to work similar to vitex I believe in balancing hormones. You can take it in pill form and probably liquid too. These boards have a lot of good information, but I also use it as an inspiration. If something intrigues me, I just look it up on google and find out all kinds of information. You could search for herbal fertility or natural fertility (or infertility) and find out a whole lot more than just my opinion. I hope I answered a few of your questions, perhaps I only made more. Baby dust to you, and happy supplementing!

Maddy · 01-27-2003, 03:56 PM

I read an article somewhere that said Green Tea is good for insulin levels and also for your metabolism. Plus it is supposed to be a good anti-ager...........I tried it.........yeuuuch!

Good luck to you that you can drink it, lol

I have to say though that regardless of what supplements I take my Af only comes on time if I am low carbing. AND, the only thing that works for my depression is aerobic exercise. I HATE the thought of doing it but when I have I feel great.

Low carbing and aerobic exercise also chase the brain fog away

Good luck with everything!

sccuddlers · 01-28-2003, 12:22 PM

I tried the green tea once, but didn't like the tase. I have been swallowing the capsule whole. Does that work the same? I hope so. If not, I will justhave to drop the green tea - I can't handle the taste of any kind of tea )or coffee or anything like that - I know I am weird

).

Thanks,
Kim