Study: Androgens in Thin Cysters with and without IR

[coriander]

No I haven't heard of that, but I had good luck with reducing sugar and caffiene intake and drinking spearmint tea about 1x per day. I think the biggest thing that that regime helped was the acne.

[Celes]

Everyone seems to be talking about "checking their estrogen" or "checking their insulin lvls" .. How??
I have never been able to get my hormone levels tested and measured properly even once let alone on a regular basis to be able to tell changes...my doctor doesnt much seem to care about anything ..

[HKB]

Thanks for this article

[optimipessimist]

Hi. I'm in the same boat as Celes. Thin cyster, got diagnosed through ultrasound years ago, but because BCP always handled the symptoms they never bothered to test my hormone levels. Got off BCP a year ago, but couldn't get my doctor in Denmark to check my hormone levels as they don't authorize preventative medicine over there. So frustrating. Now I am in Italy and looking for my next job, so I can't get a workup done. In the meantime, I am trying to treat naturally.

I take maca which I've found helps prevent pms moodswings and fish oil. Other symptoms are irregular periods and cystic back acne. Have been eating healthy all my life and reduced complex carbs for about two years. (although this slipped some when I first moved to Italy.) I tried Vitex, but didn't really give it a fair shot, so now I am trying it again. Of course, I had bought Nature's answer Vitex which is only 40mg wildcrafted herb. (Not standardized.) Now I am wondering if I am wasting my time and should try to find a standardized supplement over here and take a higher dose. Also, I considered saw palmetto, but am scared to take it as I don't know what is going on with my hormone levels. I always assumed I'd be testosterone dominant because of the acne and because I build muscle easily, but really I have no idea. I also use acne.org's regimen for my back and that is helping to clear it up quite a bit. While I was in DK, I had most of the symptoms in check through the above, except the irregular periods. Things got messed up when I spent the last couple months traveling and let everything slide, so now I am trying to get back to that point.

I guess I am just super confused. Tried to see an ND last time I was in Chicago, but it would have cost me $500 minimum. With my being unemployed right this second, it didn't seem viable. Does any other thin cyster have irregular periods, back acne and psycho pms? If so, have you tried the natural route? What's worked and what hasn't? The condition seems so large and there are so many types, it gets difficult to get a handle on it.

[friday]

Thanks!

[jeweliem]

I also feel at times there is no cure... every medication or herbal supp. has a side effect.

[jeweliem]

The only thing that vitex helps with is getting your period to be regular. The tincture made me really sleepy, and the capsule form doesn't do anything, so I would always take 1/2 an eye dropper's worth before I went to bed (head's up it tastes awful) however, vitex never decreased hair growth, and I took it for about 2 years, now I'm just starting Mononessa (generic form of ortho-cyclen) I was on yasmin for a year but it only helped with hair growth when I wasn't stressed (i.e. on vacation, at a meditation center - only seriously nonstressful events). I'm praying that ortho-cyclen is going to be better!!

[propinion]

why is it that you have to be obese for someone to take your weight gain seriously, when you have always been on the smaller side - it's so frustrating to hear - you are in the healthy weight range - yes but i'm only here due to the exercise and extreme diet control and my weight keeps going up

[wildfox]

This is interesting I might have PCOS (have many symptoms, gonna find out soon), and I know I have elevated testosteron levels. But I think my insulin is normal. It is interesting that lowering insulin will help reducing testosteron anyways.

[PaisleyS]

I have always been thin but have always had a puffy belly roll that bothered me. My doctor put me on spiro and I've seen great results.

[sara_978]

Hi everybody, I'm Sara fron Italy. I'm Not IR. I'm currently taking inositol 3 mg and vitex. After stopping Yasmin in august I got my period only three times, the last one was in december. My endocrinologist says that If I won't get my period I will have to take yasmin and I don't want to. any suggestions?What else should I try?

[optimipessimist]

Hi everybody, I'm Sara fron Italy. I'm Not IR. I'm currently taking inositol 3 mg and vitex. After stopping Yasmin in august I got my period only three times, the last one was in december. My endocrinologist says that If I won't get my period I will have to take yasmin and I don't want to. any suggestions?What else should I try?

Hi Sara,

You can try parsley tea to bring on your period. I know it sounds crazy, but it worked for me. I think I used 1 tablespoon of parsley made into a tea, four times a day, but you can google it. That is just to bring it on in the beginning. I've had success making myself regular again by regulating my diet, taking fish oil and maca daily. I do primal for diet. You can read more about it at marksdailyapple.com - Basically, cut out all grains, eat lots of vegetables and lean proteins, no sugars. That's what's worked for me anyway. My period is regular now, unless I mess up my diet. Hope that helps!

Cori

[sara_978]

did anyone try maca?

[Marianne]

I did not know about maca root. I take evening primrose oil, borage oil, and vitamins (as well as Diane 35 and spiro) to help my PCOS symptoms and rosacea. I might add maca root to the mix. Thanks.

[sunshine8416]

Thanks for the info.