irregular bleeding and other symptoms

[Sheeta2586]

Dear Doctor,

I often experience irregular bleeding. last year and earlier this year there were times where I didn't have a period or they were extreamly light. 2-3 months would go by where I didnt have a period or just experienced very light bleeding, brown discharge or spotting. When I was told I had polycystic ovaries early this January I started agnus castus for about 3/4 months as I read this helped to induce periods. Well it worked and after taking agnus casus for about1-2 months I had a period. I was officially diagnosed with PCOS about a month ago now even though I was told I had polycystic ovaries by an ultrasound earlier this january. One of the issue is that I now have periods or bleeding and they are often long and sporadic. So for example, I started a period on 13th March which lasted until 7th April. So for about 3 weeks and 3 days. I then again started bleeding on the 23rd April and am still bleeding currently.. The bleeding is generally light but can at times be a little heavy as well as well as sporadic. Is this normal? The problem is that I dont know if this is a period or just irregular bleeding? And as the bleeding is so spontaneous and sporadic I often dont know when my next period will be. It also sometimes accompanied by brownish discharge though not always.

I wanted to have a progesterone blood test to see if I was ovulating however I know you have this 21 days after you finish your period so Im not sure when to have it because I have irregular bleeding. I did have an internal vaginal ultrasound about a month ago and they didnt find anything wrong apart from the polycystic ovaries. I ve also had a smear test in february 2012 which was also normal so wouldnt explain the irregular bleeding. Also I don't know if having a period necessarily means your ovulating? Could you please offer some insight?

I also experience hot flashes and periods of queasiness and can feel a little breathless at times. I can feel lightheaded and often feel lightheaded and low on energy though there are times when I have good days as well. Ive had a full blood count which was normal except for the hormone tests which obviously explained the PCOS. I don't know if these are symptoms of PCOS?

I had a glucose blood test (non fasting) which was normal.Could it still be possible that I have insulin resistance? Diabetes runs in my family. I often feel tired, find it very difficult to lose weight and can at times feel dizzy and shaky if i havent eaten in a while.


thanks,

Sheeta

[drnicole]

Hello Sheeta,

Women with PCOS can experience varying symptoms with their periods, including those you are having. I know it is frustrating not knowing when to expect your period.

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). You can read more about how to monitor your fertility signs by reading the book “Taking Charge of Your Fertility, 10th Anniversary Edition: The Definitive Guide to Natural Birth Control, Pregnancy Achievement, and Reproductive Health” by Toni Weschler. I highly recommend reading this book because you will definitely gain a better understanding of your body and optimizing your chances of becoming pregnant. You may also want to check out the following website regarding the Fertility Awareness Method: HYPERLINK "http://www.ovusoft.com/library/primer002.asp" http://www.ovusoft.com/library/primer002.asp

One way to track your progress is taking your basal body temperature. By doing this you will be able to see if you are ovulating or not. To do this take your temperature under your arms each morning BEFORE rising from bed with a basal body thermometer. Approximately midway through your cycle, depending on how long your cycle is, you should see a rise (around 1 degree F) for 3 days. If so, this is an indication that you have ovulated. Which is great news, because ovulation means you are releasing an egg to be fertilized for conception!


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.


You can have insulin resistance and hypoglycemia, which you may have based on your symptoms. I would recommend a reduced dose of Insulx and Rejuvenx for you if you do decide to try the Insulite PCOS System.

Bloating is a common symptom of PCOS due to hormonal imbalance. Make sure the water you are drinking is electrolyte balanced.

Dear Doctor,

I often experience irregular bleeding. last year and earlier this year there were times where I didn't have a period or they were extreamly light. 2-3 months would go by where I didnt have a period or just experienced very light bleeding, brown discharge or spotting. When I was told I had polycystic ovaries early this January I started agnus castus for about 3/4 months as I read this helped to induce periods. Well it worked and after taking agnus casus for about1-2 months I had a period. I was officially diagnosed with PCOS about a month ago now even though I was told I had polycystic ovaries by an ultrasound earlier this january. One of the issue is that I now have periods or bleeding and they are often long and sporadic. So for example, I started a period on 13th March which lasted until 7th April. So for about 3 weeks and 3 days. I then again started bleeding on the 23rd April and am still bleeding currently.. The bleeding is generally light but can at times be a little heavy as well as well as sporadic. Is this normal? The problem is that I dont know if this is a period or just irregular bleeding? And as the bleeding is so spontaneous and sporadic I often dont know when my next period will be. It also sometimes accompanied by brownish discharge though not always.

I wanted to have a progesterone blood test to see if I was ovulating however I know you have this 21 days after you finish your period so Im not sure when to have it because I have irregular bleeding. I did have an internal vaginal ultrasound about a month ago and they didnt find anything wrong apart from the polycystic ovaries. I ve also had a smear test in february 2012 which was also normal so wouldnt explain the irregular bleeding. Also I don't know if having a period necessarily means your ovulating? Could you please offer some insight?

I also experience hot flashes and periods of queasiness and can feel a little breathless at times. I can feel lightheaded and often feel lightheaded and low on energy though there are times when I have good days as well. Ive had a full blood count which was normal except for the hormone tests which obviously explained the PCOS. I don't know if these are symptoms of PCOS?

I had a glucose blood test (non fasting) which was normal.Could it still be possible that I have insulin resistance? Diabetes runs in my family. I often feel tired, find it very difficult to lose weight and can at times feel dizzy and shaky if i havent eaten in a while.


thanks,

Sheeta

[Sheeta2586]

thanks for this.

Yes I started the insulite system on the 5th of May. How much Insulx and rejuvex do you advise I take? I will try taking my body temperature under my arms.

Do you mean white discharge as a presence of cervical fluid?

thanks,

Sheeta

[drnicole]

Hello Sheeta,

Sorry for the late reply, I was on vacation. It is generally a good recommendation for anyone with hypoglycemia to use HALF the dose of the InsulX and RejuvenX for 2 weeks when first using the System as these formulas have the greatest impact on blood sugar levels.



After two weeks, if your blood sugar is stable, you can go to the full doses of InsulX and RejuvenX safely. Additionally, if you suffer from hypoglycemia, eat 5-6 small meals per day that are protein-based and watch consumption of carbohydrates. Making sure to eat protein with every meal can really help to prevent those symptoms.



Cervical fluid during ovulation is actually clear and stringy resembling the consistency of raw egg white.