When do you get it all figured out?

PBR Girl · 03-23-2006, 02:33 AM

Hi all,
I'm brand new to this site, but sure wish I'd stumbled on it a while ago. I'm 35 (36 any day now) and I was diagnosed with PCOS with IR about 2 years ago. They first put me on Met, but I had a HORRIBLE, life threatening reaction...so they took me off (clever docs). Anyway, they have me on Avandia to treat my insulin resistence and that all seems well and good and I have periods most of the time.:flirt:

My concern (and why I write today) are all the other issues I seem to have that I can't figure out are or aren't related to PCOS. Here's the list...I'd love your thoughts:
1. Depression-I'm on Cymbalta most recently, it keeps me going, but is no miracle pill.
2. Chronic stress headaches-blinding pain in the back of my head that shoots to my temple.
3. VERY low energy-kinda hard to make those workouts when going to work uses all I've got to spare.
4. Muscle tenderness, tension & soreness-most major muscles in my body hurt most of the time. I've tried massage, acupuncture, yoga and meds...not cure yet.
5. Weight-I'm a bit more than pleasantly plump. I hear "lose weight" from my docs, but it's hard to do with a chronic sweet tooth breaking my willpower and (as I said) NO ENERGY.

I feel like I'm falling apart a bit here. Is there an answer? I feel like everytime I go to the doctor, it's something else and none of my doctors seems to agree or have a strong answer for my issues. Do any of you???:worried:

This is enough to make a girl crazy!!!

Pamela · 03-23-2006, 03:34 AM

Welcome and yes there is an answer. I think it's easier to handle once the diet thing is under control. Most of your symptoms sound familiar!! I'm quite sure you are not the only that feels this way.
Sometimes you just have to take control and take it one step at a time.

libchick · 03-23-2006, 07:31 AM

Hi PBR Girl!

welcome! i'm also pcos with ir (diagnosed for about 3/4 years now). I'm on glucophage but i can't believe you had such a bad reaction!! Luckly you had great doc who took you off.

As i'm new to the boards, i've been doing alot of reading of previous posts, and it seems that migraines and stress headaches are quite common for us pcos-girls. (i'm fortunate that i don't really get any headaches.)

the depression could be linked to your ir as well? i know that every now and then a study gets published about the link to diabetes/ir and depression - hang in there and give the pill a chance. When i was treated for depression (2 years ago) i used to tell myself that the pill WILL make me feel better and that i can get through ANYTHING bec of it.

sending you {{{HUGS}}}!

The lack of energy could also be due to the ir - remember ir means that your body can't take up all the glucose (energy) in your blood, so no matter how much you eat your energy levels remain low bec the insulin can't turn the glucose into power (i hope i'm explaining this right). Excercise is like opening the floodgates and letting the glucose pore into your muscles and giving you energy! It's true though, you feel too tired to workout, but after a workout (for me usually after +-30 min) i have MORE energy than before.

But getting enough energy to actually go to the gym is what i'm having problems with.

The weight is also part of the delightful pcos + ir combination! and people telling us to "lose a bit of weight" or "shouldn't you be eating less/salads etc" really just show how unbelievably ignorant they are. But the excercise will def help for weightloss as well (as long as you exc your major muscles - so walking/running/swimming). and if you find a cure for the sweet tooth PLEASE let me know - i am a fellow suffer of that.

As for the doctors not agreeing or having any answers - maybe they just don't know enough about pcos and ir? My first GP told me that IR is just a fad that's going around (despite medical conventions being given just on IR and Type 2 diabetes) and that pcos is nonexistant bec Sahara from the Bible did not get pregnant until she was 90 - so i shouldn't worry.

Needless to say i have a new GP who not only understands IR and pcos but also keeps up with new medcines and research.

I just feel that you KNOW when something is wrong with your body and you shouldn't rest until you get doc who agrees to walk the journey with you.

phew!! and thus ends my sermon for the day!

a-mac · 03-26-2006, 09:55 PM

Welcome to SoulCysters! Some of the things you mention could be a lot better if you cut refined sugar and white grains out of your diet. I know that might be a tall order, but since I've done that I have a lot fewer symptoms. HTH
Amber