Welcome!

My name is Bethanie.

In early 2008 I was diagnosed with PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I had no idea what it even was!
I'm sure if you're looking at this site, you probably have some idea.
The reason for this blog is so that I can write down my journey.
Some background about me.
In January 2009, my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby. I stopped taking the pill and my periods got more and more irregular. I started temperature charting to no avail as my temps were so erratic and I wasn't ovulating. I'd put on a lot of weight while on the pill and I was only on it for a year!!! Even off the pill, I lost the bloating but didn't really lose any weight. I've always had a big belly and I just felt it was getting bigger and bigger.

We tried for a year before my doctor finally gave me a referral to a fertility specialist. Fantastic we thought! We'll get pregnant. Nope! He said go away, lose 30kg and don't come back!
Now I've always struggled with my weight, and hello, did he think I hadn't TRIED to lose weight? Anyways, I was most upset, especially as I knew other people with PCOS who'd seen specialists and gotten treatment who were even bigger than me! So I wasn't too happy.
Just before we went to the fertility doctor, a friend of mine suggested going to the naturopath. So I did. I saw her, and she gave me horrible tasting herbs to take, which were fantastic. All last year (2009) I had been so incredibly sick. I had chest infection after chest infection, and tonsillitis, gastro, just generally felt icky, and had taken off so much time from work because I just had no energy at all! It wasn't nice.
So the naturopath gave me meds and for the first time in a long time, I felt better! In February this year, she gave me a liver detox - and that month we fell pregnant! My friend who suggested going to her, also fell pregnant after the liver detox too. It was great.
However, it wasn't meant to be. At 11weeks, I started spotting. I went to the doctor and had an ultrasound. Unfortunately, my baby had died at around 8weeks gestation. I had a d&c at 12weeks. It was a horrible time for us.
At the hospital, the gynecologist offered me a referral to her clinic, which I took up. Did you know that the miscarriage rate for PCOS sufferers is nearly 45%? That's crazy, and something else I had no idea about until it happened to me.

The gyno put me on metformin - a diabetic drug, and sent me off for a myriad of blood tests. Most of my hormone levels came back quite normal, which I was really pleased about, as previously they had been up the creek, which is quite common for PCOS. I think the naturopath played a big part of that, as when I first started seeing her, my hormones were very abnormal, but she had been giving me herbs to help that. I also was tested for glucose tolerance, and I have insulin resistance - another very common thing with PCOS.
Anyways, so I'm currently on metformin tablets - It's been 7 weeks since I lost the baby, and I'm now taking provera as I haven't had a period! The next thing is that they want me to have one cycle and then after that, start clomid to induce ovulation and help me fall pregnant.

So that's me and a little bit of my story.
The plan for this blog is to show where I'm at, where I'm going, and how it's working for me. I'm not all that convinced that all the drugs will help me in the long term - sure, it might help me fall pregnant, but is it going to help my PCOS at all? Really?
So I've been doing some research about natural remedies for PCOS. So many of the sites, you have to pay, and my plan is that if what I do works - I won't charge!
From what I've read, these are the main things that need to happen:
1 - DIET - low GI for sure, low in wheat products mostly. The wheat/carbs is what causes the insulin levels to go crazy - and I do have insulin resistance. Also cut down on other sugars too - especially refined sugars and artificial sugars.
2 - exercise - this is obvious, but I am looking into what types of exercise are best!
3 - detox or supplements - I went to the naturopath and I really feel that was a huge step for me. I wouldn't have got pregnant without it I don't think. Unless we'd tried the fertility drugs earlier. But even so, I was very pleased with my naturopath results. I am also seriously thinking about going back, although I'm a little embarrassed to go back because I lost the baby. :(

They are the main things. I also read that apple cider vinegar is really good, so I'm going to buy some tomorrow!
And tomorrow marks day 1 of my new and improved eating plan! Can't wait!!!