Not IR

sunflower023 · 10-31-2003, 03:36 AM

Hi everyone.Im new to this site.... I was just recently diagnosed wit pcos,,I am not insulin resistint though,,Im not fat nor thin,,Im normal size with a lil belly,I am 5'0 105lbs,,,,and have to work very hard to remain at this weight,,,i always felt as though i have low blood sugar,, and find myself feeling week and unable to stay focused unless i eat every 2- 3 hours depending opun how much i ate last meal,,I do eat healthy mini-meals and snacks through out the day,,,i have problems at work sometimes when i work for more then 3 hours with out a break ,,i have to sneak in a snack,,if i go even longer i feel weak and unable to concentrate,,or sometimes even think right,,,,i have to sneak food at my job,,,and i get the 'always eating glare" fom people,,,but i seriously feel i need to Eat!......do any other thin cysters have this problem ,,,or feel weak a few hours after meal even if you are not insulin resistant? Could it be possible i am ,,even though blood test prove other wise? Also for thin cysters who are not IR,,,what is your best advice to get a period and control pcos? what is safest and has the least side affects bcp's or estrogen pills? what works for thin girls,,and also helps with male pattern baldness, hairloss? my endo perscribed me to Yasmin...im a little weary,, but desperatly seeking a period its been 7 months,,and im loosing my hair and going bald

any adivice?

Chrissy · 10-31-2003, 03:13 PM

yasmin is worth a try. I am in the thin category but not really thin, more like lean. I have used the bc pill for years and it has done a very good job of helping acne and hair. I am currently on ortho cept. I am just to begin taking avandia even though I did not test IR. My RE wants to try this and see what happens when I drop the bc pills. I plan to keep everyone here posted on the progress since I know many people read these posts but never write in. I hope to share my experience so others can benefit. We need all the help we can get around here! Best of luck and my advise would be to find a dr. who specializes in PCOS..

The eating thing happens to me too. I am hungry and almost crazy for food sometimes. This was much worse when I was pregnant. I too had to sneak food or I felt faint and starved. This must be related to the PCOS since not everyone gets this. I believe it is because of our body's inability to control insulin and use it correctly and this is hard to test for. GOod lUCK!!!

Anne1978 · 11-03-2003, 06:45 AM

Hi,
I'm just wondering -- how do you know for sure that you are not IR? Have you done a GTT with insulin levels? I don't think fasting insulin is adequate for thin cysters. Mine was 3.5 but I have symptoms like you described. I saw two endocrinologists. The first, an RE said that because my fasting insulin was so low there was no way I could be IR. BUT the second said, to the contrary, that looking at my GTT results, I have reactive hypoglycemia/ IR. I'm low-carbing now to see if that will help before trying met. It's kind of hard though because I shouldn't lose any weight (BMI = 17.5). Maybe you should try low-carbing and see if that helps???
Good luck.
Anne

Chrissy · 11-03-2003, 10:02 AM

Hi ladies. I was never considered a good candidate for met since my fasting insulin is around 9 and I am thin with slight IB syndrom. I do have the hypoglycemic episodes in my opinion. My RE decided to try Avandia instead of met to help with the possible IR linked to my symptoms.

So far I have taken the avandia for 5 days and I have no side affects. I feel like I've lost a bit of water weight, 2 pounds maybe, but absolutely no tummy trouble. It isn't supposed to cause any. I feel like I have a bit more energy but who knows. Too early to tell anything. I went to obgyn net pcos pavilion and found many women, mostly lean, on Avandia and doing great. Many heavier ladies have lost weight on it too. I have read that it helps you cycle on your own and possibly even ovulate. My goal is to become regular without the bc pills I have been taking for almost 20 years!!! I'll keep everyone here posted as I progress! BEst Wishes!

Candace · 11-03-2003, 10:47 AM

My fasting insulin was 5. I do however have reactive hypoglycemia as you describe when I go too long without eating something. I started Glucophage XR 3 years ago. The hypoglycemia magically disappeared along with the horrible brain foggy feeling after meals. I am a new girl and thankful to be feeling normal again! I started the pill about the same time I was having so much trouble because I kept trying to cycle with the Glucophage and my body just wouldn't. I was baffled and had PMS more than I didn't. I was probably too impatient. I am fairly certain the Glucophage would have returned my cycles to normal but am unwilling to get off the pill now because I feel good. I was also having HUGE cystic acne and at 37 looked like a 15 year old teenager. Talk about bummed! I do have to eat regularly with the Glucophage but not every 2-3 hours. There is a big difference in what my body is doing now. I hope you find the answers for your body.

Blessings!

Candace

Chrissy · 11-04-2003, 10:05 AM

Thanks for the encouraging story Candace. I am most worried about the acne since I didn't have to deal with it while on the pill. It is a bummer to have teenage skin when all the other ladies around me are done with it. I'll keep my bc pills around just in case I need them later.

zelda · 11-14-2003, 09:48 AM

hi there, welcome.
i'm in the same boat as you are. after millions of tests, i can safely say that i'm absolutely not IR. i have hypoglycemic attacks a few hours after i have sugar, though, so i try to avoid sugars and carbs in general. eating well and often also helps me control pcos - i see it as keeping balance.
i'm pretty skeptical about using bcps to control pcos, even though this is probably the main option that my docs will stick to me after i've had a baby. in my opinion, some of them are really good, but the long-term effects are worrisome. some thin, non-ir women have had success with metformin. others here have used progesterone cream to help bring on a regular period. the point is, you definitely have to get your period regular, because not getting periods can also cause longer-term problems.

good luck to you!

definitely do the tests to figure out what treatment is best for you.

tverleye · 12-24-2003, 03:58 PM

I think some of what you describe sounds like classic ir symptoms. i am also 5' and weigh 105 lbs. I have found that when doing the questionaire in the book "healthy for life" that I rate pretty high for profactor H and ir even if my tests never showed it. The book is by Richard and Rachaele Heller. Anyway, it's been very good and offered me some alternatives to going on medications.

It's worth a try and may help you out.

Chrissy · 12-25-2003, 12:33 AM

What alternatives are you trying? I am going to look up that book. Definately sounds interesting. I have been on the Avandia now for 2 months and low and behold got my AF on day 30 just like that. THis never happens especially at the right time (once a year if I'm lucky). It is amazing to me how I don't test IR but put me on Avandia and here comes AF, on time even! Insulin must figure into my picture somewhere!