saying hello

[jkconfused]

Hi there,

I'm new to this site, new to PCOS and new to New Zealand! Just moved here from the UK and tomorrow I'm off for my first visit with a Kiwi doctor...scary!

A bit about me for anyone who fancies a chat -

I'm 33 and scottish, married to a Dutch man who I met in America (our lives are confusing...) Been living in NZ for the past few months and loving it. Although a warm Christmas was a bit strange...

Meanwhile I've just been reading about the low carb diet and plan to try that. Does it mean giving up hokey pokey ice cream? that would be a shame as I've only just discovered it.

bye for now
jk

[saffrhon]

Hi, Welcome to Soul Cysters jk.

Hope that your Dr's appointment went well. And good luck with your treatment.

[jkconfused]

hi there

good to meet you! glad to say teh doc went better than i thought. Now as i wait for my tests i'm trying out the low carb diet. Are you on this too? not sure i can pull it off - is life without bread and pasta possible?!

have you had pcos long?

jk

[saffrhon]

Glad to hear it went well, hope it is the start of a positive experience for you.

Yes I do low carb, and as a Vegetarian, I can say life without bread and pasta was hard at first but its getting easier! I do still have a little bit bread but I buy a low carb rye bread. I hardly eat pasta now, and if I do it is a very small portion. Theres heaps of great info at the diet and exercise forum and also in the Aussie kiwi weight loss thread if you are looking for ideas, diet buddies, new recipes etc.

I was only diagnosed recently but have had the symptoms of pcos for many years since early teens.

Good Luck with everything jk. Theres lots of good info here at soul Cysters, and many wonderful cysters.

[sarahr]

Hi! I just moved to Oz from the uk... I'm also 33 and I've also had a 'confusing' (interesting?) life, married to a US citizen/Oz resident who I met in India... so it's good to hear from you ! I'm also new to the whole aussie healthcare system as well as to pcos - doubly scary. Good luck with lo-carbing... haven't really bit the bullet yet with that one. I'm vegetarian, and lean which are my excuses. I've only got around to cutting out instant mashed potatoes so far! Are you ttc? Good luck at the doctor!

[jkconfused]

hey Sarahr

we could be sharing the same life!

Working up to ttc - another scary thought. Waiting to see what comes back from the tests and scans before i get my hopes up in that direction. But it's in the back of my mind! If my husbands family had a say in it we'd have ten kids by now, apparantly we're letting the side down in not producing offspring...there's a blessing in having inlaws who speak a different language! What about you ttc or not yet?

Where in the UK have you come from? we lived in brighton for 5 years. Meanwhile, hoping the low carb thing will help me shed some weight and avoid diabetes - my mum has just been diagnosed with it so I'm taking that as a big hint to change things fast.

anyway, good luck with the mash free living!

jk

[st@ce]

Hey again JK, have bumped into you in threads already but theres always time for a more formal welcome hehe. So hi and welcome JK, to both SoulCysters and NZ! Hope you're liking it where you are. I'm in Auckland City, where are you?

Glad to hear your doc visit went ok and you're pioneering low-carb! Yes, unfortunately Hokey-Pokey ice-cream is out of the question. Well in large quantities anyway lol. I had no idea it was a NZ thing, is it not available anywhere else?

I do low-carb too and I think you'll find it more manageable than you think. What approach are you doing? I follow Atkins which is working wonders for me, but I'm aware theres many more that bear great results too.

[Tas]

Hi JK and Sarahr.

[jkconfused]

hey St@ce and tas,

thanks for the welcome!

yep hokey pokey is a NZ thing - you uys have so many food over here that i've never heard of before. Lot's of fun but not much good for the diet.

I'm living in wanganui right now. It's tiny compared to what I'm used to, I've always lived in big cities. I like the whole small town thing though, the pace of life is much slower and it suits me!

I looked at the atkins book, but have to confess all the technical jargon put me off a litte. I bought a cookbook called ''low carb, meals in minutes'' and am finding it quite helpful. My problem was trying to think what to eat. I've been living on mainly bread and pasta for so long that i had no idea where to start.

The recipies in the book are good, will let you know if i lose any weight on it!

jk

[st@ce]

I've bumped into you around the boards already too SarahR but heres another formal welcome just for you. Hi and welcome!!!!

I'll be moving to Aussie in a month or two myself so am also a little weary of fitting into the Australian health system. We'll be ok tho I'm sure

Wow JK, Wanganui! Yeah the pace there would suit me deliciously too. Cept I'd probably feel I was constantly on holiday hehe! I understand what you mean about all that jargon in Atkins, most find going straight to the actual eating plan alot easier. His websites good for that. Well done with finding a good cookbook already! Good luck with it, and yes - keep us updated on your progress!

See you guys around the boards!

[sarahr]

Hi jk again... and thanks for the welcomes from others! This site has been a lifeline for me as I'm currently unemployed and have way too much time to think/brood about medical stuff. Unfortunately, chemistry was my worst subject at school, so it's taking a while to get my head around all the hormones.
Strange coincidence... I'm from Brighton too! my parents moved there a few years ago and it's our base whenever we head to the uk. great place - but even better down here and a lot less expensive. So far the health system seems better too... less of the dreaded nhs waiting lists. We shall see... I came off the pill last march to ttc, which is why I only recently realised there was something up with my cycle. Hope your tests & scans encourage you to start trying!

[emmandoh]

Welcome JK and Sarahr

Yep Hokey Pockey is definately out - way too many carbs. Ive found a low carb vanilla icecream which is only 6 net effect g of carbs. Its not as yummy as Hockey Pockey or the other option would be to make your own and use Splenda or Stevia. I also make my own yoghurt (son ultra sensitive to certain additives). You could always freeze the low carb yoghurt for popsicles. OMG can you tell im starving :o

Sorry a bit obsessed about carbs at the mo so if you ever have any questions ill try and help

Em

[jkconfused]

hey Em

I know what you mean about carb obsession, I'm hoping it will wear off over time - otherwise I might go mad! How do you make Yoghurt? Is it easy? I'm a terrible cook.

And Spenda and Steva they're artificial sugar right? Never heard of them before.

Sarahr, Hi again,

funny about the Brighton thing! I know what you mean about the health system. It's much better in NZ too. My husband is a nurse and he say's the standards are higher. Also got a sister in OZ who's been impressed over there. We don't realise what we have to put up with in the UK until we leave!

Hope everything goes well with ttc are you looking at treatment?

anyway, got to go now and eat yet more eggs!

bye for now
jk

[Sapphire Spirit]

Welcome JK and Sarah,
Good to have you here - hope to see you around some more .

Amy

[sarahr]

Hi jk... another weird coincidence - my husband's a nurse too! Pity he's not up on endo/gyn stuff - he's a paed specialist and pleads ignorance about hormonal matters. Have to wait for my hosp. appt before I can get on meds for ttc... I'm not o'ing at all right now.

St@ce - the oz system's been fine so far... I've got to wait until march 16th for a hospital appt, but I guess that's standard anywhere. Which part of oz are you headed to?

What does hokey-pokey have in it? It sounds divine!