I’ve been on the Insulite Labs PCOS supplements for over a year now, and have experienced amazing results! I’m now trying to “wean” myself off of the supplements, and try to keep things up with my diet and exercise. However, I was wondering if there was a few “key” vitamins/supplements I should stay on permanently to maintain my “status” health wise?

I look forward to your response!

Karen

I went for laproscopy and Hysteroscopy. Found out had endo and also ovarian drilling done last month (mid june).Got my periods end of June and the doctor has prescribed letroz this month after my periods. Is it safe to start medication? Pls assist.

Dear Sohini,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog. I am sorry your
post went unanswered for some time.

I am sorry you are struggling to manage the symptoms of PCOS.

What is important to understand is that PCOS many times, is difficult to manage
if a multi-dimensional approach is not taken. At Insulite Labs, we work with women
with PCOS in a non-pharmaceutical manner to help them control and reverse the
process going on.

We cannot say for sure that PCOS is a curable disease. Conventional
medicine asserts that PCOS is incurable. However, we can say that insulin
resistance is a reversible condition, and Insulin Resistance is one of the
underlying causes of PCOS. Therefore, by removing this underlying cause
of PCOS we would expect your experience of the PCOS to greatly improve.
The underlying cause of PCOS, in most instances, is insulin resistance.
This contributes to the symptoms you described.

At Insulite Labs, we use a combination of vitamins, minerals, herbs and fiber to
address insulin resistance and the hormone imbalance. A few other very important
aspects that we also help support you through are nutrition changes, exercise
changes and support, through emails, newsletters, etc.

With insulin resistance, the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it
produces, which leads to elevated circulating levels of insulin. This in
turn leads to hormonal imbalances such as increased testosterone and other
androgens (male hormones).

The increased testosterone is responsible for many of the symptoms such as
acne, hair growth/loss and abnormal menstrual cycles.

Elevated insulin also contributes to the formation of cysts in the ovaries
in part due to the hormonal imbalances and also because the ovaries are
highly sensitive to the influence of insulin. In women with PCOS, the
ovaries are over-sensitized to insulin’s effects.

The Insulite PCOS System helps to improve insulin sensitivity with its
combination of nutrients and herbs as well as diet and exercise guidelines.

The System is comprised of supplements, diet and exercise guidelines, and
customer support. We provide ample customer support because we advocate
lifestyle changes, and we know that these types of changes can be difficult
to make without some help!

The supplements are designed to improve insulin sensitivity, help you lose
weight, reduce the symptoms of PCOS, correct the hormonal imbalance of PCOS,
and help manage the deleterious consequences of having elevated insulin.

Here is a link to a page on our website that describes the supplements in
detail: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-Elements.php. This is the link
that will explain what is in each supplement as well as the purpose of these
ingredients.

The diet and exercise aspect of the Insulite PCOS System is also crucial to
your success. You can read the general information about these guidelines at
the following link:
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/Insulite-PCOS-System-Nutrition-and-Exercise
-Plans.php. Of course, more detailed information is provided in the Insulite
Guide that our customers receive.

Sohini, I hope that this helps and you consider the PCOS System as part of a
comprehensive treatment plan. If you have any additional questions or concerns,
please contact me.
–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose of being informative. This information is not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment, take any medication, supplements or other nutritional support, or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dear Michelle,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog. First let me apologize for the delay in my response. I am usually better with the timing.

I do feel that the Insulite PCOS System can still help. The reason that you continue to have symptoms when you are not using the pill, is that the pill only controls certain hormones and in turn will control certain symptoms. This is not a cure and again will often only address a symptom. So that when you discontinue the medication, the symptoms return.

How did your doctors determine that you are not insulin resistant? I am wondering if you have ever had your serum insulin checked.

Insulin resistance can be verified by looking at the insulin levels (fasting and random) and the insulin: glucose ratio. Some doctors hesitate to perform a fasting insulin test on their patients because the normal range (0-20) is so wide. However, we have found that a fasting insulin level of about 9 or higher is starting to indicate problems with insulin resistance. For the random insulin, results over 25 or 30 may indicate insulin resistance. Other factors that would make me suspicious of insulin resistance include high blood pressure, difficulty losing weight, skin tags, acanthosis nigricans (dark brown patches on the skin), and a family history of diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

I am beginning to think that there is a lot we don’t know about diagnosing insulin resistance and that our detection methods are not sophisticated enough to catch all of the cases of insulin resistance.

In addition, there are some women that have normal insulin levels but are still more sensitive to the insulin that they produce. Some lean women with PCOS hypersecrete insulin but do not yet manifest insulin resistance. And in many women with PCOS, their ovaries are highly sensitive to insulin, so that even if their serum insulin levels are normal, the ovaries are highly reactive to that insulin. That is why so many women do well, even when fasting insulin levels are within the optimal range.

So as for your treatment options, without knowing your history or seeing labs, the PCOS System is still an option. I hope that this helps. Please let me know if I can help further.

Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose of being informative. This information is not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment, take any medication, supplements or other nutritional support, or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

In the beginning when I went to doctors about this I was told its growing pains, I’m imagining things or given painkillers. I tried alternative medicine…you name it, I tried it.
Eventually in 2003 a new doctor did a PCO test and I had almost all the symptoms – no or very few periods, pains, dark colouring on skin, skin-tags, weght gain, excessive hair growth on face & body… a conference call with 2 gynas and bloodtests later and I was officially diagnosed with PCOS.

I was put on Metformin which helped but I had very bad reactions to the medication. I went onto the pill (triphasil) which helped with stabilising my preiods. I picked up weight over the years and knew that not all was well. My dad has really bad diabetes so I was aware of eating and living as healthily as possible, however I still could not lose all he extra weight.

In 2008 I ended up needing to have an operation to remove 4 cysts from my left ovary and 3 from my right.

I managed my PCOS for the last few years quite well, with intermittent really bad menstruations. Unfortunately I’ve had the nagging pains on my left side again and there’s a great pobability that I have cysts on my left oavries again! I’m seeing my gynae in few days’ time, btu the sensations are the sae as last.

I’ve never really has success with medication here and came across your website. Please advise if you have Insulite products in South Africa?

Looking forward to your response!
Amina

Dear Amina,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS support blog.

I am sorry that you are continuing to struggle with PCOS and its effects on the body. We know that there are often no easy answers as each woman can experience this condition in a different way, yet have similar symptoms.

We do have women in South Africa that have and still are using the PCOS System. You can contact our customer service department for more information on getting the Insulite PCOS System, if you are interested. (info@insulitelabs.com).

Metformin and birth control pills are often the primary medications given to women with PCOS. As you have found, these do not necessarily have desired effects.

From what you wrote, insulin resistance is something that you are dealing with and important to address, especially with your family history. I am glad that you are aware of healthier eating habits. Ideally, a lower carbohydrate diet will be important. I know this can be a challenge with the food options available. But I do think that you can make great changes to support managing and reducing the risk of further complications.

I do hope that the PCOS System is an option for you

The Insulite PCOS System helps to improve insulin sensitivity with its combination of nutrients and herbs as well as diet and exercise guidelines.

Here is some general information about the PCOS System. The Insulite PCOS System consists of several elements, all designed to work together to address PCOS and its underlying cause, insulin resistance.

The System is comprised of supplements, diet and exercise guidelines, and customer support. We provide ample customer support because we advocate lifestyle changes, and we know that these types of changes can be difficult to make without some help!

The supplements are designed to improve insulin sensitivity, help you lose weight, reduce the symptoms of PCOS, correct the hormonal imbalance of PCOS, and help manage the deleterious consequences of having elevated insulin.

Here is a link to a page on our website that describes the supplements in detail: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-Elements.php. This is the link that will explain what is in each supplement as well as the purpose of these ingredients.

The diet and exercise aspect of the Insulite PCOS System is also crucial to your success. You can read the general information about these guidelines at
the following link: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/Insulite-PCOS-System-Nutrition-and-Exercise-Plans.php. Of course, more detailed information is provided in the Insulite Guide that our customers receive.

Amina, please let us know if we can help further.
–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose of being informative. This information is not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment, take any medication, supplements or other nutritional support, or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dear Simin,

Thank you for writing into the PCOS Support blog. I am sorry for the delay in my response.

I am sorry that you have been diagnosed with PCOS. We understand how frustrating and confusing this can be. When it comes to treatment you do have options. They will be the typical pharmaceutical treatments such as metformin (glucophage) to reduce insulin and glucose levels, birth control pills, or anti-androgens (to reduce elevations in testosterone). However, what we specialize in at Insulite Labs is the non-pharmaceutical treatment of insulin resistance, the underling cause of PCOS.

It is great that you are not experiencing the majority of the symptoms associated with PCOS but still important to address. As you may come to find, every woman will experience PCOS very individually but there are aspects that run throughout this population. Woman with PCOS are at a higher risk of infertility issues, increased risk for developing diabetes and heart disease. The most crucial changes you can make will start with nutrition and exercise.

Based on what your diagnosis, pharmaceuticals are an option. It just depends on how you want to address this problem. Again, it is my specialty to not use these methods but to take a more holistic approach to PCOS.

Our supplements contain vitamins, minerals, herbs and fiber to address the insulin resistance, help to reduce elevated testosterone, balance estrogen and progesterone, help regulate cycles, etc. In addition, there is a nutrition/exercise program specific for PCOS. We also offer a great support as you go through this process. If you are interested, please check out our website. http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/

I do feel that this can be a very good option for you, depending on what you are looking for. Please let me know if this helps and if I can help further.

Please visit our PCOS community where you can share ideas, concerns and issues and find additional information and support to reverse PCOS symptoms:
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/blog/index.php PCOS Support Blog http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/forums/index.php PCOS Forums

–
Best Wishes,
Dr. Heather DeLuca, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose of being informative. This information is not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment, take any medication, supplements or other nutritional support, or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for contacting the Insulite PCOS Support Blog. I am so glad you found our website. I am sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis.

Having a period every few months will help prevent something called endometrial hyperplasia.

Because PCOS causes disruptions to the normal menstrual cycle – irregular menstrual periods and the absence of ovulation cause women to produce estrogen, but not progesterone. Without progesterone, which causes the endometrium (the lining of the uterus) to shed each month as a menstrual period, the endometrium may grow too much and undergo atypical cell changes. This is a pre-cancerous condition called endometrial hyperplasia. If the thickened endometrium is not treated, over a long period of time it can develop into endometrial cancer.

Some women with PCOS are prescribed the birth control pill or medroxyprogesterone to regulate their menses. We do not generally recommend oral contraceptives because they are synthetic hormones that mask some of the symptoms of PCOS rather than fixing the problems. When the contraceptives are discontinued, the PCOS symptoms will persist. However, you may continue to take medroxyprogesterone while using the Insulite PCOS System- just be sure to take it separately from the GlucX supplement. GlucX is high in fiber which may theoretically interfere with the absorption of other substances taken at the same time.

Also you should know that this form of synthetic progesterone does not work the same way in the body as the progesterone your body produces. It does have side effects. Because many women with PCOS are progesterone deficient, some chose to temporarily use a natural form of progesterone, called bio-identical progesterone. This would also have to be prescribed by your doctor. Because this natural form is made into the identical form as the progesterone our body makes, it acts the same in our body and is much safer.

Here is some general information about the PCOS System. The Insulite PCOS System consists of five elements, all designed to work together to address PCOS and its underlying cause, insulin resistance.

The System is comprised of supplements, diet and exercise guidelines, addiction awareness and customer support. We provide ample customer support because we advocate lifestyle changes, and we know that these types of changes can be difficult to make without some help!

The supplements are designed to improve insulin sensitivity, help you lose weight, reduce the symptoms of PCOS, correct the hormonal imbalance of PCOS, and help manage the deleterious consequences of having elevated insulin. Here is a link to a page on our website that describes the supplements in detail: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-Elements.php.

The diet and exercise aspect of the Insulite PCOS System is also crucial to your success. You can read the general information about these guidelines at the following link: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/Insulite-PCOS-System-Nutrition-and-Exercise-Plans.php. Of course, more detailed information is provided in the Insulite Guide that our customers receive.

You can read much more about the Insulite PCOS System by visiting the following link and browsing around: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/.

I hope this information answers your questions. Please don’t hesitate to contact us again with any further questions or concerns.

Best wishes,

Dr. Nicole Kellum, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Dear Dila,

Thank you for contacting the Insulite PCOS Support Blog.

I looked into the relationship between Depo Provera and PCOS and found some interesting tidbits.

The following is from the Center for Applied Reproductive Science: http://www.ivf-et.com/tlc/forum/pharmacology.html.

“Question: What are the risks and side effects of taking Depo-Provera when you have polycystic ovaries?

Comment: Depo-Provera is a relatively good contraceptive agent. The most positive aspect of Depo-Provera is that it will reduce the chance of uterine cancer, which is higher in women with PCOS. There is concern that its use in teens may increase the risk of osteoporosis later in life. I know of no specific studies that have addressed this issue Depo-Provera in PCOS. Sometimes Depo-Provera is given to solve problems other than contraception; it my opinion that it may cause more problems than it treats. I am not convinced it is a very good drug for PCOS. The side effect profile is quite long and may be of the same type, but worse in severity compared with those who do not have PCOS. Depending on the specific objectives of therapy there may be better alternatives.”

I was unable to find a direct link between women using Depo Provera and then subsequently developing PCOS, but there are women out there asking that same question on PCOS discussion boards.

It is interesting to note that Depo Provera has caused decreased glucose tolerance in some people and is therefore cautioned to not give to women with diabetes. The mechanism of why Depo should affect glucose metabolism is unknown. The significance of this with respect to your question is that the underlying cause of PCOS is insulin resistance, which involves ‘glucose intolerance.’ I am merely speculating. There is no conclusive evidence that I could find linking use of Depo Provera with PCOS.

I hope this information answers your questions. Please don’t hesitate to contact us again with any further questions or concerns.

Best wishes,

Dr. Nicole Kellum, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Dear Jennifer,

Thank you for contacting the Insulite PCOS Support Blog.

I suggest speaking to your doctor about what you are experiencing with the Metformin. The prescribing doctor may have more information on what to expect.

I can say briefly that some women see good results with Metformin and others report side effects or that it was not helpful in treating their PCOS. It does sound like you are having some good results and it could be that it takes time for your hormones to balance resulting in spotting and acne until the hormones are balanced.

Our view on the pharmaceutical treatment of PCOS is that there is no one drug on the market that will change your condition. The only way to reverse the disorder is to reduce elevations in insulin, which directly affect testosterone and other hormonal changes that are responsible for causing PCOS.

The Insulite PCOS System was created to address the cause of PCOS. With those on Glucophage, we cannot say that we have noticed dramatic results in weight loss, hair growth, acne or other symptoms related to PCOS.

These symptoms can be partially controlled by diet and exercise changes. The addition of nutrients will help you become more sensitive to your insulin and reduce the symptoms of insulin resistance and PCOS.

I hope this information answers your questions. Please don’t hesitate to contact us again with any further questions or concerns.

Best wishes,

Dr. Nicole Kellum, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email
and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose
of being informative. This information is not and
should not be used or relied upon as medical advice.
Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or
other qualified health care provider before you
undergo any treatment, take any medication,
supplements or other nutritional support, or for
answers to any questions you may have regarding a
medical condition.

Dear Brandee,

Thank you for contacting the PCOS Support Blog.

In private practice, I have successfully used the products you mentioned for both diabetes and PCOS. Similarly, I have seen the Insulite PCOS System work extremely well for PCOS. I am not aware of a specific over the counter brand of D-Chiro Inositol. If you are interested, I would recommend consulting with a naturopathic physician in your area that may be able to order this for you.

With regard to your acne and body hair, these are also signs of PCOS.

Here is some general information about the PCOS System. The Insulite PCOS System consists of five elements, all designed to work together to address PCOS and its underlying cause, insulin resistance.

The System is comprised of supplements, diet and exercise guidelines, addiction awareness and customer support. We provide ample customer support because we advocate lifestyle changes, and we know that these types of changes can be difficult to make without some help!

The supplements are designed to improve insulin sensitivity, help you lose weight, reduce the symptoms of PCOS, correct the hormonal imbalance of PCOS, and help manage the deleterious consequences of having elevated insulin. Here is a link to a page on our website that describes the supplements in detail: http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-Elements.php.

The diet and exercise aspect of the Insulite PCOS System is also crucial to your success.

I hope this is helpful, Brandee.

Best wishes,

Dr. Shana Spector Deneen, ND
Insulite Laboratories Consulting & Advisory teams
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this email and the Insulite Labs website is for the sole purpose of being informative. This information is not and should not be used or relied upon as medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician, nurse or other qualified health care provider before you undergo any treatment, take any medication, supplements or other nutritional support, or for answers to any questions you may have regarding a medical condition