Charting & Not Ovulating

[jp_fan]

Hi, Dr. Shana,

I have been charting with a BBT for almost 2 years now and have only had one ovulatory cycle on my own (Sept/2010) without medication (Clomid/Femara). I am no longer TTC but still chart and eat healthy in order to combat PCOS and to see if my cycles will regulate. So far, no luck.

My weight is under control. I have lost nearly 30 pounds and I'm now at a healthy weight for my height. I take vitamins and supplements that are supposed to help with hormone balance and PCOS symptoms but I'm still troubled by anovulation, long cycles and lack of periods. I have not had any ultrasounds recently to check for cysts. My last u/s was in June 2010 when I first saw an RE and she diagnosed me with PCOS and saw cysts on my ovaries. That u/s was right in the middle of my 3rd consecutive Clomid cycle so I believe the Clomid could have caused additional cysts that might other wise not have been there.

Fast forward to now, more than a year later. My weight is great, I'm taking care of myself. I have not been on any fertility medications since last year but my cycles just won't improve. I have considered the Insulite program but I am discouraged thinking that NOTHING is working. Any advice? Thank you in advance!

[drnicole]

Hello jp_fan,

I understand your hesitancy to try the Insulite PCOS System. It's great that you are being so diligent in monitoring your cycles and taking care of yourself.

As you probably know, there are a few ways to tell whether or not you may be ovulating. One is the presence of regular menses. Other signs of ovulation include a shift in the basal body temperature and the presence of fertile cervical fluid (also called "egg white" mucus or spinnbarkeit).

PCOS causes irregular menses for a number of reasons. As you read on our website, www.pcos.insulitelabs.com, the underlying cause of PCOS in most cases seems to be insulin resistance. With insulin resistance, the body becomes insensitive to the insulin produced by the pancreas, 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 of PCOS such as hair growth 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. These ovarian cysts are also associated with irregular menstruation. I don't know what supplements you have tried in the past. I think our products are the most comprehensive products available. Many women have tried vitex and saw palmetto but have not properly addressed the insulin resistance.

I hope you consider using the Insulite PCOS System to help improve your experience of the PCOS. If you have PCOS, getting your insulin regulated will reduce ovarian cysts and additional hormonal imbalances, thereby normalizing your menstrual cycle.

Hi, Dr. Shana,

I have been charting with a BBT for almost 2 years now and have only had one ovulatory cycle on my own (Sept/2010) without medication (Clomid/Femara). I am no longer TTC but still chart and eat healthy in order to combat PCOS and to see if my cycles will regulate. So far, no luck.

My weight is under control. I have lost nearly 30 pounds and I'm now at a healthy weight for my height. I take vitamins and supplements that are supposed to help with hormone balance and PCOS symptoms but I'm still troubled by anovulation, long cycles and lack of periods. I have not had any ultrasounds recently to check for cysts. My last u/s was in June 2010 when I first saw an RE and she diagnosed me with PCOS and saw cysts on my ovaries. That u/s was right in the middle of my 3rd consecutive Clomid cycle so I believe the Clomid could have caused additional cysts that might other wise not have been there.

Fast forward to now, more than a year later. My weight is great, I'm taking care of myself. I have not been on any fertility medications since last year but my cycles just won't improve. I have considered the Insulite program but I am discouraged thinking that NOTHING is working. Any advice? Thank you in advance!

[jp_fan]

Thank you for such a quick response! I asked a question about Metformin in another area but forgot to mention it here. I was prescribed 1500mg of Metformin per day which I took for 3 months and did not see any change to my cycle. In fact, that cycle lasted about 3 months and according to my chart, I did not ovulate. I know it can take longer than 3 months to see results but I sort of gave up on Metformin and did not go back to the OB/GYN for a refill.

I was taking Vitex for about 8 months with no visible improvement. I was also taking Saw Palmetto but again, I'm not sure if that did anything for me either. I'm currently taking Inositol, Alpha Lipoic Acid and DIM to help lower estrogen since I think I'm very estrogen dominant. I guess I'm just unsure of what the problem is at this point. Since Metformin didn't do much for me, I'm wondering if I'm even IR at all. I would like to think that by losing weight, eating healthy, taking supplements, and staying off fertility meds would at least help to alleviate the problem of cysts but I'm not sure.

Even though I'm not TTC, I still remain proactive about my PCOS and want to take every precaution to try and restore my cycles and be as healthy as possible. I guess you could say it has become my own personal mission to find something that works. Thanks for your help!!

[gracecharlotte12]

Just thought I would pass this info on to anyone suffering with PCOS - I too have PCOS - I have two children despite have incredibiliy irr mens cycle - I have been seeing a physio recently for back pain and she advised to me to do pelvic floor exercises reg - since doing so I have had three regular periods in a row - which never happens to me - the physio told me other women have said the same to her . ps I do them regular throughout the day x