On PCOS and pregnancy

This post is going to take a while to finish. I'm posting notes as I come across with them. I'm not a mom, I have never been pregnant and I'm not currently trying to conceive (ttc). I don't know what has worked or not- I'm throwing out on one page.

VITAMIN B



METFORMIN

DOES NOT PREVENT MISCARRAIGES!!!!!

"The rates of first-trimester pregnancy loss did not differ significantly among the groups. However, the conception rate among subjects who ovulated was significantly lower in the metformin group (21.7%) than in either the clomiphene group (39.5%, P=0.002) or the combination-therapy group (46.0%, P<0.001)."
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa063971

CLOMID

AROMATASE INHIBITORS

anastrozole and letrozole. They prevent peripheral aromatisation of androgens to oestrogens. It works by withdrawal of the oestrogen stimulus to endometriosis and is usually prescribed in conjunction with GnRH analogues.
http://www.gynaecologyclinic.com/endometriosis/endometriosis.htm

ENDOMETRIN

What is Endometrin
Endometrin (progesterone vaginal insert) is a specially formulated vaginal tablet that contains the female hormone progesterone, which is one of the hormones essential for preparation of the uterus for implantation and maintenance of a pregnancy. Once the tablet is inserted into the vagina, it quickly dissolves and is available to be absorbed into the circulation to be taken to the uterus.
http://www.ivf1.com/endometrin/

What did Octomom use?

In Vitro fertilization

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-vitro_fertilization#Availability_and_utilisation

5 Reasons the Pill May NOT be the Answer to PCOS- repost. Everyone has to read this.

I personally never understood why doctors were prescribing estrogen (horsep*$$) to fix estrogen dominance anyways. Except for the fact that oral contraceptives are a bread winner for Big Pharma. The big danger is that it gives Big Pharma no incentive to come up with anything that resembles a CURE for PCOS. (like always, this is a violation of the Medical Code of Ethics; a medical professional should never put their own financial interests in front of the welfare of the patient They're doing it because they're getting away with it.)

5 Reasons the Pill May NOT be the Answer to PCOS

I find it so frustrating that most doctors feel that the first line of defense against PCOS is the birth control pill. Just the other day I went to the Endocrinologist for a thyroid check. When the Dr. sat down and looked at my chart she saw that I had PCOS and asked if I was trying to conceive. I explained that I have 3 children and am not. So her next question was why I wasn’t taking oral contraceptives for my PCOS?

For years I was on the Pill to control my PCOS symptoms. I admit, it did regulate my cycle and help lower testosterone levels but at what cost? The pill was merely masking my symptoms and in turn, was making the underlying cause (insulin resistance) worse. I can also attest that I never felt well while taking it. My hypoglycemia was out of control, I gained weight, had no sex drive. I don’t want to discount the value of having a regular monthly cycle to help prevent uterine cancer, but I now can regulate my cycles with diet, exercise and supplements and when I need a little help I use natural progesterone cream.

If you are currently taking the Pill or are thinking about it, here are some risk factors to consider:

1. Increased insulin resistance A 2006 study in the journal Fertility and Sterility showed that birth control pills may exacerbate insulin resistance.
2. Increase risk of heart attack or stroke U.S.-Canadian study has found that even low-dose oral contraceptives appear to increase women’s risk of a heart attack or stroke. Dr. John Nestler and Dr. Paulina Essah of Virginia Commonwealth University and Dr. Jean-Patrice Baillargeon of the Universite de Sherbrooke determined that women using low-dose contraceptives have approximately twice the risk of stroke or heart disease.Women with polycystic ovary syndrome or metabolic syndrome already have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
3. The Pill lowers levels of valuable nutrients like B-vitamins, folic acid, Vitamin C and E, magnesium and zinc. You need sufficient levels of zinc to maintain a healthy hormone balance. Weight gain, fluid retention, mood changes, depression and even heart disease can all arise from nutrient imbalance.
4. The Pill lowers libido Irwin Goldstein, Claudia Panzer and their colleagues at Boston University studied 125 young women who attended a sexual dysfunction clinic. Sixty-two of them were taking oral contraceptives, 40 had previously taken them and 23 had never taken them. The team measured levels of SHBG in the women every three months for a year, and found that in pill users they were seven times as high as in women who had never taken them. SHBG lowers libido.
5. The Pill can kill off friendly bacteria in your gut which can lead to digestive problems and candida (yeast). Estrogen, the major ingredient in the Pill, is known to promote the growth of yeast. Too much yeast causes sugar and carb cravings among many other problems.

It is important to remember that there is no instant pill to make the PCOS symptoms go away.

If you want to come off the pill but still need a contraceptive, I highly recommend the Creighton Model Fertility Care System (CrM). It uses the science-based modality of NaPro Technology (NaPro), a women’s health science that evolved from interpreting the biomarkers of the menstrual and fertility cycle, mainly, all the stages of cervical mucus and the length and intensity of the menstrual flow. For more info visithttp://www.naprotechnology.com/index.html

(1) Mastorakos G et al, Effects of two forms of combined oral contraceptives on carbohydrate metabolism in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome, Fertil Steril. 2006 Feb;85(2):420-7

(2) Source: Baillargeon, JP et al, Association between the current use of low-dose oral contraceptives and cardiovascular arterial disease: a meta-analysis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2005 Jul;90(7):3863-70

(3) Nutrition and The Pill J Reprod Med. 1984 Jul;29(7 Suppl):547-50.

(4) New Scientist May 27 2005

Note: I am not a medical professional. You should always consult your doctor on your health care to find out what is right for you.

http://divapcos.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/5-reasons-the-pill-may-not-be-the-answer-to-pcos/

Inflammation & Auto-Immune. It's those darn T-cells causing those cysts!!

Inflammatory issues and Auto-Immune disease is a major contributor to PCOS fun.

First of all, without these T-cells, none of these ovarian cysts would happen. (I can't make this up.)

"A study of female mice is suggesting that ovarian cysts may at least partially be the result of an immune system dysfunction. The gland involved is the thymus gland, which is responsible for the management of major aspects of your immune system. One of the functions of the thymus gland is to produce T-cells, which are white blood cells that help protect you from infection and also perform other important activities.

The researchers reported that ovarian cysts in the female mice did not develop unless there was an absence of regulatory T-cells."
http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/news81.html

I'm taking notes on how to fight the inflammation:

http://pcossurvivor.blogspot.com/2011/02/food-is-medicine-low-glycemic-index.html

A friend of mine with an auto-immune disorder confirmed that auto-immune disease and inflammation disorders can happen without insulin resistance. Sugar doesn't make it any better, but it's not caused by insulin resistance. Trust me, I have it and my glucose level is at 86. (they're overprescribing Metformin erroneously as the "cure all")

T-cells and Advanced Glycation Products can cause diabetes. Diabetes is the symptom, not the cause of PCOS.
http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/53/6/1452.full.pdf

In some people, iodine deficiency and hypothyroidism can cause immune disorders.

Iodine is essential for human T cell recognition of human thyroglobulin.
Here we describe for the first time that recognition by human T cells of human thyroglobulin depends upon its iodine content. We have examined the proliferation of lymphocytes from blood of autoimmune thyroiditis patients and normal individuals to thyroglobulin preparations containing different amounts of iodine. A minimal degree of iodination was required to elicit the proliferative response of both patients and normal individuals since thyroglobulin preparations containing no detectable iodine did not induce proliferation. A non-iodinated thyroglobulin preparation that was iodinated in vitro produced significant proliferation of both patient and normal lymphocytes. Addition of IL-2 to the culture medium enhanced proliferation but did not change the pattern of response.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9623499

In return, the auto-immune disease can actually cause the body to attack the thyroid as if it were an invader to the body. Causing a nasty, vicious cycle.

Not only does T-cells cause PCOS, but it's the T-cells that cause a rise in androgen hormones!

Increased dietary intake of AGEs in hypocaloric diet is associated with significant increases in androgen levels, contributing to abnormal hormonal profile in women with PCOS. Since in the ovarian compartments from polycystic ovarian tissue the AGE and their receptor RAGE have been determined immunochemically, the role of dietary AGEs in PCOS needs to be explored http://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0016/ea0016p171.htm

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19450261?ordinalpos=7&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

Now, watch this!

"Analysis revealed 60% higher blood levels of BPA among lean women with PCOS and 30% higher levels among obese women with PCOS compared with healthy women.

Although BPA is a weak estrogen, EXCESSIVE ANDROGENS, as it occurs in women with PCOS, interfere with BPA detoxification by the liver, contributing to accumulation of BPA blood levels, Diamanti-Kandarakis told Endocrine Today.

"On the other hand, BPA may aggravate HYPERANDROGENIMIA in these women by stimulating their predisposed ovaries to secrete more androgens and therefore worsen their hormonal status and possibly play a role in the pathophysiology of the syndrome," she said. – by Katie Kalvaitis'
http://www.endocrinetoday.com/view.aspx?rid=65717

Who else has PCOS without insulin sensitivity caused by PCOS?

"Japanese PCOS might have insulin-resistance but the factor of obesity had a stronger effect on insulin-resistance than did the existence of PCOS. The possibility of a different type of glucose-intolerance was suggested in the patients with ultrasonographical PCO in whom gonadotropin secretion was abnormal."

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16972071

Basically the Japanese live amongst plastics and BPA's.

How do we know that our OBGYNs are not pimping us out to Metformin distributors?
"The possibility of a different type of glucose-intolerance was suggested in the patients with ultrasonographical PCO in whom gonadotropin secretion was abnormal".


On that note, I'm sending prayers, wishes and donations to Japan. The only problem with them, they invented high fructose corn syrup. However, they've helped us tremendously with research and invented Benfotiamine. Their contributions to medicine is priceless.

But anyways, about this androgen stuff! This is incredibly important. Inflammatory markets, T-Cells and cytokenes causes the ovaries to produce too much of a male testosterone called androgen. We all have androgens, we're only supposed to have a moderate amount of it.

Look at the PCOS women with male like characteristics, they ALWAYS have some sort of auto-immune disease. Too much androgen in a woman causes hirutism, smaller breasts, etc.

Now here's another interesting twist that plays into socio-political fun. Lesbians are twice as likely to be suffering from PCOS than straight women. Think about those androgens. I'm a straight woman who is looking at pretty solid scientific evidence supporting why they prefer women over guys. I'm not trying to "cure them". I'm sure their PCOS might have been a combo of pollution, iodine blockers, mutated proteins (fast food/precooked foods), processed sugars and BPAs. I refuse to get political about this. However it's pretty clear that if they said, "I didn't choose to be gay"- they're probably telling the truth. And regardless, they deserve and need their dignity in society and I'm happy to support their civil rights. It's 2011, why are we discriminating against people again? Anyways...

If anyone wants to call this "junk science", tell Blue Cross that they rejected me as an applicant for having PCOS since PCOS is "junk science" amongst misogynists.

Further research and notes on Vitamins to relieve inflammation:

Autoimmune diseases.

THE BAD GUYS:

Cytokine
T-cells
174 G/C promoter polymorphism of IL-6
174 C alleles = interleukin-6
Adipose tissues make large amounts of IL-6. Increased blood sugar levels also lead to more manufacture of IL-6.
http://www.inflammationremedy.com/herbal-remedies/inflammationremedy/inflammatory-markers

-(ADIPOSE TISSUES=body fat. Adipose tissue also serves as an important endocrine organ[1] by producinghormones such as leptin, resistin, and the cytokine TNFα.)

--(TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR(TNF, cachexin or cachectin and formerly known as tumor necrosis factor-alpha or cytokine TNFα) is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation and is a member of a group of cytokines that stimulate the acute phase reaction. Stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis by stimulating the release of corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) On the liver: stimulating the acute phase response, leading to an increase in C-reactive protein and a number of other mediators. It also induces insulin resistance by promoting serine-phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), which impairs insulin signaling). On macrophages: stimulates phagocytosis, and production of IL-1 oxidants and the inflammatory lipid prostaglandin E2 PGE2

(interleukin-6(Il-6)) + (C-reactive protein (CRP))=INFLAMMATION

http://www.inflammationremedy.com/herbal-remedies/inflammationremedy/natural-inflammation-remedies

INFLAMMATORY CYTOKENES INHIBIT IODINE UPTAKE (possibly leading to thyroid disorders)
OSM inhibited iodide uptake stimulated by TSH; while IL-6 also inhibited iodide uptake, it was only about one-tenth as potent. IL-6 had about the same potency as OSM when it was added with soluble IL-6 receptor. OSM had no effect on cAMP production but inhibited iodide uptake stimulated by 8-bromo-cAMP and forskolin.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9086575

Apparently running and exercise can reduce C-Reactive Proteins, part of the inflammatory chain. If you can lose the IL-6, then running might even help stop allergy attacks, amongst other things.

Strikingly Low Circulating CRP Concentrations in Ultramarathon Runners Independent of Markers of Adiposity
http://atvb.ahajournals.org/cgi/content/short/23/9/1640

Relaxing is one way to get the IL-6 down.

“yoga had lower amounts of the cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) in their blood”
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100111122643.htm

VITAMIN EFFECTS ON INFLAMMATION:

Vitamin A deficiency

Other signs of VAD include excessive deposition of periosteal bone secondary to reduced osteoclastic activity, anemia, keratinization of mucous membranes, and impairment of the humoral and cell-mediated immune system.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/126004-overview

Purpose

To evaluate the effect of thiamine (B1) administration on metabolic profile, cytokines and inflammatory markers in drug-naïve patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Methods
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot-scale clinical trial was carried out in 24 patients with T2DM. Twelve subjects received thiamine orally (150 mg), once daily during a fasting state for 1 month. An additional 12 patients (control group) were given placebo for the same period of time. Before and after the intervention, fasting glucose, A1C, creatinine, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein, high-sensitive C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, leptin and adiponectin levels were estimated. Wilcoxon’s signed-rank and Mann–Whitney U test were used for statistical analyses.
Results
There were significant decreases in glucose (6.7 ± 1.0 mmol/l vs. 6.0 ± 1.0 mmol/l, p = 0.024) before and after the intervention, respectively, and leptin concentrations (32.9 ± 13.3 ng/ml vs. 26.9 ± 12.8 ng/ml,p = 0.027) before and after the intervention, respectively, with thiamine administration. There were no changes with the rest of the measurements.
Conclusions
Thiamine administration for 1 month decreased glucose and leptin concentrations in drug-naïve patients with T2DM.
http://www.springerlink.com/content/f28425v554815256/

Vitamin B(6) supplementation improves pro-inflammatory responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Huang SC, Wei JC, Wu DJ, Huang YC.
School of Nutrition, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether vitamin B(6) supplementation had a beneficial effect on inflammatory and immune responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
SUBJECTS/METHODS: This was a single-blind co-intervention study performed at the Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology of Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taiwan. Patients were diagnosed with RA according to the 1991 American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups: control (5 mg/day folic acid only; n=15) or vitamin B(6) (5 mg/day folic acid plus 100 mg/day vitamin B(6); n=20) for 12 weeks. Plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), serum folate, inflammatory parameters (that is, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)) and immune parameters (that is, white blood cell, total lymphocyte, T-cell (CD3), B-cell (CD19), T-helper cell (CD4), T-suppressor (CD8)) were measured on day 1 (week 0) and after 12 weeks (week 12) of the intervention.
RESULTS: In the group receiving vitamin B(6), plasma IL-6 and TNF-alpha levels significantly decreased at week 12. There were no significant changes with respect to immune responses in both groups except for the percentage of total lymphocytes in the vitamin B(6) group when compared with week 0 and week 12. Plasma IL-6 level remained significantly inversely related to plasma PLP after adjusting for confounders (beta=-0.01, P=0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: A large dose of vitamin B(6) supplementation (100 mg/day) suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines (that is, IL-6 and TNF-alpha) in patients with RA.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20571496

Cobalamin (vitamin B12) positively regulates interleukin-6 levels in rat cerebrospinal fluid
G. Scalabrino ae , M.M. Corsiae, D. Vebera, F.R. Buccellatoae, G. Pravettonib, A. Manfridic, P. Magnide
Received 30 November 2001; received in revised form 23 January 2002; accepted 13 March 2002.
Abstract
We have previously demonstrated that the repeated intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) microinjection of interleukin-6 (IL-6) prevented the myelinolytic lesions of cobalamin-deficient (Cbl-D) central neuropathy [or subacute combined degeneration (SCD)] in totally gastrectomized (TGX) rats. We therefore hypothesized that cobalamin (Cbl) may actually regulate IL-6 levels in rat cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We measured IL-6 levels in the CSF of rats made Cbl-D by means of total gastrectomy (TG) or chronic feeding with a Cbl-D diet and killed at different times from the beginning of the experiment, and found that IL-6 levels significantly and progressively decreased over time. Chronic 2-month Cbl administration started 1 week after surgery prevented the decrease in IL-6 levels and, when it was started 2 months after surgery, it significantly increased IL-6 levels, but not to presurgical values. We also investigated whether IL-6 decrease might be ultimately due to the Cbl-deficiency-linked decrease in epidermal growth factor (EGF) synthesis. Repeated i.c.v. administrations of EGF to TGX rats did not modify CSF IL-6 levels. These results, together with those of a previous study showing the preventive effect of IL-6 treatment on SCD lesions, demonstrate that: (i) Cbl selectively regulates CSF IL-6 levels; and (ii) decreased IL-6 availability plays a role in the pathogenesis of the experimental SCD, in which no evidence of inflammatory and/or immunological reaction has been observed.
http://www.jni-journal.com/article/S0165-5728(02)00095-4/abstract

VITAMIN D
“Many people suffer and die from influenza, or the "flu." They don't die of the viral infection per se, as much as they die from the body's over-reaction. The influenza virus causes an uncontrolled over-production of inflammatory cytokines. Interestingly, vitamin D turns down this process by "down regulating" the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Actually, the pro-inflammatory cytokine process is the same inflammatory process that occurs in chronic disease, such as inflammation of arteries in atherosclerosis, inflammation in arthritis, damage to neurons, and inflammation and damage caused by cancer cells and by the aging process itself.
Think about the possibilities of reducing inflammation, by down regulating cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha, etc.) and thus reducing the incidence and progression of many chronic degenerative diseases, including heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, diabetes, respiratory infections, liver and kidney disease, and the aging process itself!”
http://ezinearticles.com/?High-Dose-Vitamin-D-and-the-Decreased-Incidence-of-Chronic-Disease&id=3835324

Vit E lowers CRP. If vitamin E supplementation dampens interleukin-6 production in circulating blood as it does in the test tube
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/1502/title/Food_for_Thought__Vitamin_E_targets_dangerous_inflammation

http://www.inflammationremedy.com/herbal-remedies/inflammationremedy/vitamin-e-and-inflammation

Antioxidants are the remedy to this problem. They neutralize free radicals. In the last decade scientists have proven that some antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties. In addition to scavenging free radicals, there are antioxidants that actually block inflammation. The antioxidant effect (the blocking of certain oxidizing proteins) lowers the activation of inflammatory signals.
Adding coenzyme Q10 further reduces CRP by about 20% more, for a 70% reduction overall.
The body manufactures its own antioxidants. Some of them are in the form of enzymes, such as glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase – all of which require selenium and zinc to do their job. Lipoic acid, N-acetylcysteine, and glutathione are enzymes which rely on sulfur. Supplemental lipoic acid, in conjunction with L-Carnitine, works in the mitochondria to reduce the harmful effects of free radicals and diminish the actions of inflammatory signals.
http://www.inflammationremedy.com/herbal-remedies/inflammationremedy/antioxidants-for-inflammation

Fatty Acids Isolated from Toxoplasma gondii Reduce Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Induced Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Production through Inhibition of the NF- B Signaling Pathway
http://iai.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/75/6/2886

To get into this bit, here are some neat nutrition tricks.

"Vit E fights Free Radicals –super oxide radical hydroxlyl radical chan breaking agent in prop phase of lipid peroxidation

COQ10-blocks initiation and propagation of lipid peroxidation

Vit C and COQ10- can recycle Vit E

Vit C and BetaCarotine-blocks free radicals within watery cells (cytosol) and inspace out of the cell

Glutathione (selenium)- recycles Vit C"

http://www.amazon.com/Excitotoxins-Taste-Russell-L-Blaylock/dp/0929173252

Excitotoxins: The Taste That Kills [Paperback]vRussell L. Blaylo

OTHER LINKS TO INFLAMMATION: (acephetamine leads to Magnesium deficiency)
http://leifgrunseth.com/2010/03/this-common-food-ingredient-is-as-addictive-as-cocaine/

Magnesium deficiency causes and underpins chronic inflammatory build ups.

Inflammation is the missing link to explain the role of magnesium in many pathological conditions. Dr. Mazur says, “Magnesium deficiency contributes to an exaggerated response to immune stress and oxidative stress is the consequence of the inflammatory response.” Magnesium deficiencies feed the fires of inflammation and pain and it is magnesium that modulates cellular events involved in inflammation. Increases in extracellular magnesium concentration cause a decrease in the inflammatory response while reduction in the extracellular magnesium results in cell activation.

http://imva.info/index.php/mercury-medicine/multiple-sclerosis/#_edn8

By the way, this is THE BEST Friends episode ever! This is where Ross goes to see his pediatrician, the same pediatrician he had when he was growing up. We're all babies when we're sick, I know I am.

CRAMPS, MIGRAINES, PMS, ACNE and ESTROGEN DOMINANCE

I'm just running through this briefly and I'll probably elaborate in a few. I just wanted to get the brainstorm out there.

A blog is dedicated to the pure joys of womanhood, the monthly (and more) cramps.

First of all, I want to mention that I'm not promoting any drugs. I prefer natural/organic/nutritional solutions first. I'm not a doctor, nurse or nutritionalist. I can't write prescriptions or likewise. Speaking of nurses, they're trained on vitamins. When are they going to step it up? I'm a finance person, not a doctor in bio-chemistry. I can't believe I paid people to tell me this and I'm still committing this much time and effort to research it on my own because the level of care is that substandard.

On that note, eating too much sugar helps nothing. But like I said before, I think obesity and insulin resistance are the symptoms, not the cause of PCOS and menstrual disorders, but you don't want to aggrivate your symptoms. I can tell you first hand (BMI=17, glucose =86 and LDL =97) that losing weight is a heck of a lot easier than getting your vitamins. But vitamin and mineral deficiencies cause a lot of pain, their easy to fix, there are NO SIDE EFFECTS and the remedies work a lot better than the drugs.

On that note, Metformin doesn't cure PCOS, isn't necessary unless you need damage control from insulin resistance.

For starters... Metformin causes B12 deficiency. Look at the most common complaints from people who take Metformin and the side effects. Nausea, upset stomach? Those are both symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency. Does it help to take supplements or get the B12 shots?

Here's a better idea. Get high fructose corn syrup entirely out of your diet, lose the white starches and amp up the cardio (ie. run 30 minutes each day 5 days a week). It really works. I have estrogen dominance and my glucose is 86, that's all I did and I was able to do it WITHOUT THE SIDE EFFECTS.

Anyways, this is one good example of why I prefer natural remedies to drugs on PCOS. Acetaminophen. It's a painkiller. It's in Midol and the other PMS branded pain relievers. Acetaminophen is not only hard on the stomach, it causes magnesium deficiency and glutathione deficiency which leads to inflammation (which aggrivates PCOS) and other health issues. Since most women with PCOS deal with inflammation issues and auto-immune disorders.

By the way, Magnesium (potassium and zinc) deficiency can cause acne.

Truth be told, it's the NSAIDs that will block prostaglandins caused by uterus contractions.

NSAIDs (Naproxen or Ibuprofin). It's not super easy on your stomach, I haven't found the Fletcher Patch at the drug stores yet.

Birth Control (oral contraceptives) are another walk in the park. They do all kinds of wonderful things, like clear up acne! And make your boobs grow. Kidding. They work for some. The scary issue with birth control pills is that the doctors do not test how much estrogen/androgen/progesterone is in your system before they toss the pill at you. Why throw estrogen laced horsep*$$ (oral contraceptive) at a woman who is already suffering from estrogen dominance? Unless she's using it as a contraceptive, this makes absolutely no sense whatsoever except that it stops ovulation. But that's the progestorone, somebody please correct me if I'm wrong. This might be the reason why women gain weight, get migraines, etc. from the pill.

Calcium. Calcium can't work without Vitamin D so you need both.

"the theory is that calcium can alter smooth muscle responsiveness associated with PMS while magnesium can increase the pain threshold. Muscles need calcium to maintain muscle tone and relax after contraction."

http://www.livestrong.com/article/123207-vitamins-relieve-menstrual-cramps/

Vitamin Bs

"B6 can improve cramping associated with PMS by increasing the levels of magnesium being absorbed into the cells. Joseph E. Pizzorno Jr., in his book, "The Clinician's Handbook of Natural Medicine," states that patients given a multivitamin with high doses of B6 and magnesium have 70 percent reductions in premenstrual and postmenstrual symptoms; this includes menstrual cramping. B3 may relieve menstrual cramping by causing vasodilation which increases blood flow and oxygen to the uterus."

http://www.livestrong.com/article/123207-vitamins-relieve-menstrual-cramps/#ixzz1GjmQzq5l

Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids

EFAs are hormone-like substances that make omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Prostaglandins (PGs)are made from omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acids, that are consumed in the diet. Linoleic acid (omega-6) needs enzymes such as magnesium and B vitamins to convert it to linolenic acids (omega-3) which are anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic.
http://www.livestrong.com/article/123207-vitamins-relieve-menstrual-cramps/#ixzz1Gjms9XmA

Sat-fats and omega-6 vegetable oils gang-up on omega-3 fats to control a vital digestive enzyme called D6D. If omega-3 loses this battle, inflammation rages. http://www.level1diet.com/

Oh btw, you can get your Omega 3s from walnuts. If you don't like walnuts, it's also in fish. If you're not a fan of seafood, GOOD NEWS!!! you can get your Omega 3s from GUMMY VITAMINS!!!

Progesterone alone combats estrogen dominance, it inhibits the prostaglandins in your uterus and eases cramps. I liked the bio-identical version called Kokoro, I got no side effect, no migraines.

Speaking of migraines, it's another deficiency. Usually a B6 or a B12 relieves them. I got rid of mine by popping one Benfotiamine and taking a nap. It worked. It was completely easy on the stomach and it really worked. The painkillers can't do much unless you set your body up for success.

On top of that, estrogen dominance is either caused by inflammation (which also aggravates the thyroid), iodine deficiencies, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, xenoestrogens and aggravated by insulin resistance and obesity. Combat the estrogen dominance and make sure your vitamin bases are covered and PMS should be a lot more tolerable.

FROM THE URBAN DICTIONARY: PMS


1. PMS 12831 up, 1694 down
January 23, 2008 Urban Word of the Day
buy pms mugs, tshirts and magnets
A powerful spell that women are put under about once every month, which gives them the strength of an ox, the stability of a Window's OS, and the scream of a banshee. Basically, man's worst nightmare.
OMFG! SHE HAS PMS!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!! *explosions and screams*
by PSisTEHsuxxors Feb 23, 2004 share this
2. PMS 3696 up, 880 down
buy pms mugs, tshirts and magnets
Pre-Menstrual Syndrome

The woman's "time of the month" when her uterus sheds its lining because her monthly egg isn't fertilized and dies.

The worst time to be around a woman, because she becomes an irrational psycho bitch which froths at the mouth with rage and seeks to destroy anything which stands in her way.
I'd rather be in Hell than to be around a womsn with PMS.
by urban pervert Mar 3, 2003 share this
3. PMS 2687 up, 603 down
buy pms mugs, tshirts and magnets
a time when you should avoid all women; major moodswings; i.e. watch your back, ho.
Girl: I hate you!
Boy: What did I do?
Girl: Oh my god, I love you!
Boy: What?
by RENThead006 Oct 14, 2003 share this

PMS 2258 up, 587 down
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The transformation of woman to beast, occurring once every month. Similar to the werewolf, a PMSing woman becomes a dog-like creature capable only of eating, sleeping, barking, annoying the neighbors, and leaving messes that she expects you to clean up.
Adam probably accepted the forbidden fruit from Eve, because she was premenstral. Can't say I blame him; I'd choose the wrath of God over a woman with PMS any old day.
by Tr0gd0rBurnin8or Oct 3, 2004 share this
5. PMS 1188 up, 301 down
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Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. An array of symptoms that comes from a hormonal upset as a woman's body prepares to either become pregnant or expel an unfertilized ovary. Can involve cramping, water retention, mood swings, spontaneous stimulation, etc.
PMS is no fun for anyone.
by ke6isf Jul 9, 2004 share this
6. PMS 1427 up, 665 down
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innate bitchiness of a woman between age 9 and age 56 just before her period
they call it PMS because the expression Mad Cow was already taken
by Jake Mar 4, 2004 share this
7. PMS 1285 up, 779 down
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Pass Me the Shotgun
She is must be having pms stay out of her way today!!!

8. pms 919 up, 448 down
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PMS stands for premenstrual syndrome, but it can even occur during or after menstruation. Symptoms of PMS include abdominal cramps, bloating, irritability, breast tenderness, occasional cravings for sweet or very salty foods, and hormonal imbalances that cause mood swings.

Since males don't have periods, they act like insensitive jackasses when the women around them are suffering from PMS. Those stuck-up dickless monkeys can't get any ass, so they call their girlfriends bitches and blow everything out of proportion. Sure, sometimes PMS can cause a girl to get a little bitchy, but those douchebags act like a PMSing woman is a nuclear bomb that's been unleashed on the city. All they think about is themselves, they don't even give a crap when their girl is crying out in pain because the girl is just "being a dramatic bitch".

A guy will accuse a girl of PMSing even if she gets mad at him for something that's his own fault, such as being a complete dickhole.
Sally: Bob, you look stupid with those pencils in your nose.
Bob: You bitch!! Why are you acting like a psycho?! You must be PMSing!!!
Sally: WTF are you talking about, you moron?
Bob: RUN AWAY SHE'S FOAMING AT THE MOUTH!!!!!! OH MY GOD SHE'S GONNA RIP MY LEGS OFF!!!!
Sally: Whatever!
pms period bitchy drama jackass
by K-Chan The Abominable Space Bunny Jul 8, 2006 share this
9. PMS 503 up, 193 down
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A powerful demon that summons itself into the body of a woman once a month for about a week.
Dude, my girlfriend is suffering from PMS, don't get near.
by KaotiK May 31, 2005 share this
10. PMS 385 up, 97 down
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Something guys think THEY have to deal with.
God, that bitch is PMSing again.
period puberty sex women girls

PMS 453 up, 186 down
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I had realized that mostly guys had written about pre menstrual syndromes and FYI:THEY DON'T EVEN GO THROUGH IT!!! And, not every female goes through PMS that effects their mood. I read that it actually depends how much estrogen intake you have and some foods are neuro-transmitters, resulting in moodswings.

So,let me just get to the point: PMS (pre menstrual syndrome) is caused by the uterus shedding its lining because a female's monthly egg isn't fertilized and dies.

TAKE THIS FROM A FEMALE, PPLZ!
Guys, girls with PMS won't kill you!!!
period menstrual egg uterus pre menstrual syndrome
by randomgrl Dec 20, 2006 share this
12. PMS 244 up, 54 down
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when a girl is on her period and gets mad when you say something that would normally just piss her off a little bit.
this is probably because she's experiencing horrible cramps while at the same time being accused of using her period as an excuse not to please her man.
whoever thinks a period is torture for MEN is seriously misguided. swallow a ravenous squirrel, sit there until it claws itself out while a tampon is up your ass and maybe you'll feel differently.
not all girls go through bad PMS, like me, for instance. i'm lucky that way, I usually just curl up in pain and try to avoid any talking.
period sexism stupid tom aunt flow
by ihateperiods. Jan 31, 2008 share this
13. PMS 209 up, 59 down
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A curse. A symbol of unfairness. An uncontrollable Hell that fulfills all the things that can make a woman sad: fatness, ugliness, and ickiness. It occurs a week or days before a woman's period.

During this time, men will drive women to become lesbians for the simple fact they are insensitive and cynical towards this cruel suffering that women go through. Oh, so your mad because you can't get no ass, freak?

PMS will make a woman wish she was never born female. Penis envy can occur.
I have PMS as I write this. I want to die. And I don't just have any ol' type of PMS. I have a severe, psychotic form of PMS called PMDD that causes me to have temporary bipolar disorder. I'm not kidding.
hell disaster lesbian anger curse
by twistedbabydoll Aug 5, 2007 share this
14. PMS 278 up, 157 down
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A condition where women, before their period, experience these symptoms:

A- Anxiety: irritable, crying without reason, verbally and sometimes physically abuse, feeling "out of control", or Dr. Jekyl-Mr. Hyde behavior changes.

D- Depression: confused, clumsy, forgetful, withdrawn, fearful, paranoid, suicidal thoughts and rarely suicidal actions.

C- Cravings: food cravings, usually for sweets or chocolate; dairy products including cheese, and on occasion, alcohol or food in general.

H- Heaviness or Headache: Fluid retention leading to headache, breast tenderness, abdominal bloating and weight gain.

But not as many women as people believe have PMS. Sometimes people are just bitchy because things are happening in their lives. But with all those symptoms, it's hard not to feel crappy and mean, no?
PMS is no excuse to be a bitch. Suck it up.
by Angus the superduck Jun 10, 2005 share this


http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=pms

Insulin resistance CAN provide clues on where PCOS comes from. Fascinating stuff.

I had low LH/FSH readings when my last cyst ruptured. I'm not super sure why they were low when I had an obvious case of estrogen dominance, but this explains it.

"These findings demonstrate that estrogen has a direct inhibitory effect on pituitary responsiveness to GnRH in women. This estrogen negative feedback diminishes with aging. FSH but not LH responses are inhibited by estrogen."
http://journals.lww.com/obgynsurvey/Abstract/2010/10000/Estrogen_Negative_Feedback_on_Gonadotropin.13.aspx

1. hypothyroidism can cause estrogen dominance.
http://www.breastcanceralternatives.org/iodineref.html
http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/IOD-10/IOD_10.htm
Very possible, esp. when we may not get enough iodine in the first place and we're exposed to iodine blockers such as bromide, fluoride and perchlorates (and God knows what else).

2.Estrogen Dominance causes Insulin Resistance. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1563522/posts
http://www.drhoffman.com/page.cfm/183
It's also been cited that estrogen dominance interferes with thyroid hormone activity. It can turn into a vicious cyclical right here.
http://www.health-science.com/hypothyroidism.html

Isn't this fun yet?!!! There's more!!!

This is one area where it can turn into a disastrous cycle. If a woman only gets hypothyroidism from estrogen dominance, it could be from xenoestrogens. It can also come from the birth control pill. Isn't this fun yet? It gets better!

3. Insulin resistance leads to inflammatory disease (where a woman can get high levels of androgens and exhibit other issues ie. hirutism). Inflammations are literally the rusting or oxidation of cells, and it happens when glucose (in insulin resistant people) attach itself to mutated cells (caused by mutated proteins) and they become advanced glycation end products. This causes anti-inflammatory disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Sometimes when women get inflammation issues, their body attacks the thyroid and creates even more problems. Yet another vicious cycle.


This is what tipped me off:
"RESULTS: There were no differences in SigmaPG, SigmaIRI, I.I., FPG/IRI or HOMA-R between PCOS and controls. However, there were significant differences in SigmaPG, SigmaIRI, FPG/IRI and HOMA-R between obese and normal body-weighted patients."

the translations:

SigmaPG-plasma glucose
Glucose is the primary sugar that is made from the foods and beverages a person consumes. This glucose travels through the bloodstream to provide energy to cells in all regions of the body. Plasma glucose refers to the amount of this primary sugar that is found in the liquid portion of the blood.

When blood is collected using a home-testing kit or in a professional laboratory, it is whole blood. Blood sugar levels, however, are usually measured in terms of the amount of plasma glucose.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-plasma-glucose.htm

SigmaIRI-insulin

Insulin is a hormone that is central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insulin

I.I.-insulinogenic index - The ratio of insulin to glucose, a measure of the effect of meals on prediabetics

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/insulinogenic+index

FPG/IRI- fasting plasma glucose/immunoreactive insulin

The fasting plasma glucose (FPG) test, also known as the fasting blood sugar test, measures blood sugar levels and is used to diagnose diabetes. Relatively simple and inexpensive, the test exposes problems with insulin functioning.

FPG-Prolonged fasting triggers a hormone called glucagon, which is produced by the pancreas. It causes the liver to release glucose (blood sugar) into the bloodstream. If a person doesn’t have diabetes, his or her body reacts by producing insulin, which prevents hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). However, if one’s body cannot generate enough insulin or cannot appropriately respond to insulin, fasting blood sugar levels will stay high.http://diabetes.about.com/od/symptomsdiagnosis/a/fpgtest.htm

Immunoreactive insulin-that portion of insulin in blood measured by immunochemical methods for the hormone; presumed to represent the free (unbound) and biologically active fraction of total blood insulin.

HOMA-R=homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance is a method used to quantify insulin resistance and beta-cell function.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeostatic_model_assessment

http://www.mims.com/Page.aspx?menuid=pubmeddetail&pmid=medline10n0558%5C16972071.xml&h=Dextrose

-Similarly, there were no differences in SigmaPG, SigmaIRI, I.I., FPG/IRI or HOMA-R between PCOS and controls in the normal body-weighted group.

-However, there were significant differences in SigmaPG, SigmaIRI, FPG/IRI and HOMA-R between the obese and the normal body-weighted PCOS.

-There were also significant differences in SigmaPG and I.I. between LH-dominant, normal body-weighted PCOS and normal LH PCO."
"Japanese PCOS might have insulin-resistance but the factor of obesity had a stronger effect on insulin-resistance than did the existence of PCOS. The possibility of a different type of glucose-intolerance was suggested in the patients with ultrasonographical PCO in whom gonadotropin secretion was abnormal."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16972071

PCOS HAS DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSULIN RESISTANCES. THIS COULD HELP A GREAT DEAL TO FIND OUT WHAT OUR TRIGGERS ARE THAT CAUSED OUR SYNDROME. :-)

Knowledge and Wisdom= Courage and Hope

Of Estrogen Dominance, PMS, AGEs, Migraines, Insulin Resistance and other aspects of our system

Like I mentioned before, here is the chronological order of PCOS/Endo development. This chronological order won't apply to everyone however-considering the environmental/dietary factors in the US it will probably affect the majority of us.

This should explain EVERYTHING:

1. Hypothyroidism (often caused by Iodine deficiency) or other thyroid disorders causes Estrogen Dominance.. (our tap water has fluoride/perchlorates which are iodine blockers, processed foods have bromides, an iodine blocker)-

"Iodine Deficiency Increases Ovarian Production of Estrogen"
"Since 1928, the iodine concentration in the ovary has been known to be higher than in every other organs except the thyroid."
http://www.breastcanceralternatives.org/iodineref.html

I know it's a breast cancer page, but estrogen dominance causes these stupid cysts

"the recommended dosage is 12.5-50 mg/day- in fish, seaweed, DAIRY...Americans consume an average 240 micrograms (µg) of iodine a day.
" It removes toxic chemicals — fluoride, bromide, lead, aluminum, mercury — and biological toxins, suppresses auto-immunity, strengthens the T-cell adaptive immune system, and protects against abnormal growth of bacteria in the stomach."

http://www.lewrockwell.com/miller/miller20.html

Iodine deficiency may cause the ovaries to develop cysts , nodules and scar tissue. At its worse this ovarian pathology is very similar to that of polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). As of the writing of this article I have five PCOS patients. The patients have successfully been brought under control with the use of 50 mg of iodine per day. Control with these patients meaning cysts are gone, periods every 28 days and type 2 diabetes mellitus under control.

http://www.optimox.com/pics/Iodine/IOD-10/IOD_10.htm

2. Estrogen Dominance causes Insulin Resistance. (High Progesterone levels, esp. in women in their second trimester of pregnancy are at risk for Gestational Diabetes).

"...at first, makes pancreatic cells secrete the glucose-regulating hormone insulin. Then after repeated exposure of estrogen (produced by our bodies? and xeno estrogens) caused insulin resistance."

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1563522/posts

This is why women should be eating LESS sugar than anyone. And this is why I beat the drum hard against high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), "Corn Syrup", etc... get that stuff out of your diet, high fructose corn syrup is poison.

3. Insulin resistance puts woman at risk for diabetes II.
It doesn't mean we've all been chowing down on sweets. Thyroid issues increases *estrogen dominance* which cases insulin resistance in women.

Which might explain the weight gain, moodiness and migraines.

Migraines are caused by insulin resistance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16033384

http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/jns/article/S0022-510X(10)00350-3/abstract

4. Insulin resistance puts people at risk for inflammatory issues. Caused by Advanced Glycation End Produccts aka. "AGEs".

I don't know if you've ever heard that "sugar causes everything"?
It's sort of true.

Inflammation is caused by advanced glycation end products ("AGEs")- which is really mutated proteins binding with sugars which is oxidation, or a "rusting" and causes inflammation. (that's why staying away from processed foods keeps the inflammation down with auto-immune diseases).

When we're insulin resistant(prediabetic), the extra glucose is floating around in the blood and they attach themselves to the mutated proteins and go through "glycation", oxidation-which means your cells are basically rusting which causes inflammation (ie. auto-immune disorders, rhumatoid arthritis, Lupus, kidney disease, etc.). The best way to prevent this is to avoid processed sugars, avoid sugars, avoid high fructose corn syrup and avoid overcooked foods (processed/prepackaged/fastfood).

http://www.aboutinflammation.com/foodsthatcauseinflammation.html

I believe that Migraines are caused by advanced glycation end products.

Also, the glycation also increases your LDL cholesterol.

Some have said that using Progesterone cream helps with migraines.

http://www.migraine101.com/

(this site gives conflicting yet useful information. Estrogen can decrease sensitivity of the thyroid gland. So can inflammation, some inflammatory issues cause the body to attack the thyroid and those women have the worst cases of PCOS).

Benfotiamine(B1) and Carnosine are both anti-oxidants, they fight off inflation. Benfotiamine and Carnosine are also supposed to benefit the nervous system- which is why I believed they helped with my migraine headaches. What is disappointing is that because Big Pharma can't patent vitamins, there's very little research on the benefit of vitamins. Vitamins can be a great aide if you use them correctly. But how do you know?

I've taken the Benfotiamine and Carnosine for a while now and noticed a decrease in headaches. I stopped for a week, just to see what happened. The Santa Ana winds triggered a killer migraine, after a while I just popped a Benfotiamine supplement, drank some cold water then slept. When I woke up, I felt fine. It was much easier on my stomach than taking an NSAID or Acetaminophen; which I like because I want to minimalise stomach irritation because of these cramps.

Back to the big picture, Advanced Glycation End Products are known to cause PCOS.

"In addition, transient transfection exper-iments indicated that the CYP17 promoter is enhanced in PCOStheca cells compared to normal theca cells (Wickenheisser et al.,2000). The up-regulation of steroidogenesis in PCOS the ca cell suggests the presence of an intrinsic defect in the metabolic path-ways of the cells responsible for androgen production independ-ently of environmental and neuroregulatory factors. However, theca cell studies have been performed only on classical PCOS phenotype with hyperandrogenemia and there is no information if all subtypes of theca cells present a steroidogenic defect. Additional studies on theca cells isolated from different PCOS phenotypes will provide valuable information."

http://www.scribd.com/doc/7269904/PCOSObesity-Genetics-Pcos-HRU

"A study of female mice is suggesting that ovarian cysts may at least partially be the result of an immune system dysfunction. The gland involved is the thymus gland, which is responsible for the management of major aspects of your immune system. One of the functions of the thymus gland is to produce T-cells, which are white blood cells that help protect you from infection and also perform other important activities.

The researchers reported that ovarian cysts in the female mice did not develop unless there was an absence of regulatory T-cells."

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/news81.html

A putative role for the thymus in estrogen-induced anovulation and follicular cyst formation (a model of PCOS) was examined in female mice by removing the gland prior to estrogen injection. Whereas all intact, female mice injected with 20 microg estrogen at 5-7 days of age had ovaries with follicular cysts, no cysts were observed in animals in which thymectomy at 3 days of age preceded estrogen injection. In fact, after restoring immune function by thymocyte replacement, the majority of thymectomized, estrogen-injected mice had ovaries with corpora lutea. Thus, when estrogen is unable to act on the thymus, ovulation occurs and follicular cysts do not develop. This implicates the thymus in the cysts' genesis and discounts the role of the hypothalamus.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19450261?ordinalpos=7&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

In female rats, diet enriched in advanced glycation end products (AGEs) has been associated with increased serum testosterone levels and deposition of dietary glycotoxins in ovarian tissue.

Women with PCOS present increased serum AGE levels, which are acutely elevated after intake of a single meal high in AGE content. In this study the effects of a hypocaloric diet and an AGE-enriched hypocaloric diet were investigated, on the endocrine and metabolic profile of PCOS women.

Eleven women with PCOS, defined by Rotterdam criteria, were assigned for two months to a hypocaloric regular diet followed by two months of a hypocaloric AGE-enriched diet. At the end of each period endocrine parameters were determined.

PCOS women on hypocaloric diet showed a significant reduction on BMI (P=0.0276), which was followed by a significant reduction on HOMA (P=0.0035), but not significant changes on AGEs (P=0.6073) or Testosterone concentrations (P=0.7857). In post hypocaloric-AGE-enriched diet, without significant changes in BMI (P=0.29) and HOMA (P=0.1560), testosterone levels (P=0.0007) were increased in comparison to their status during hypocaloric diet and to baseline. Additionally, the difference of AGEs levels from hypocaloric diet to high AGEs diet were significantly higher (P=0.0312).

Increased dietary intake of AGEs in hypocaloric diet is associated with significant increases in androgen levels, contributing to abnormal hormonal profile in women with PCOS. Since in the ovarian compartments from polycystic ovarian tissue the AGE and their receptor RAGE have been determined immunochemically, the role of dietary AGEs in PCOS needs to be explored http://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0016/ea0016p171.htm

Androgen excess causes hirutism, acne and thinning hair.

http://www.healthywomen.org/condition/androgen

5. Estrogen Dominance also increases prostaglandins which causes uterine contractions which causes cramps. Progesterone combats prostaglandins so the uterus contracts less which helps relieve cramps. NAISDs (Naproxins and Ibuprofin) both combat prostaglandins to aid with the cramps.

Also:

Article on free fluid in pelvis...(doctor told me that this is evidence of a cyst rupture. Cyst ruptures might cause hemorrhage which is why we get serious abdominal discomfort when it happens. they say it always clears up, you just need to get a doctor to verify that it was a cyst and nothing else)

"Free fluid in the pelvis or abdomen should be considered blood until proven otherwise. Blood and ascitic fluid may look the same on ultrasound. In the proper clinical scenario, such a hemodynamically stable patient with no history of trauma and a benign exam, ascites may be more likely. Other causes of free fluid include bowel or bladder rupture."

http://www.erpocketbooks.com/er-ultrasounds/pelvic-ultrasound-for-the-ed/

This almost makes me wish for my own ultrasound machine.

So at the end of the day, the low Glycemic diet, eating like a diabetic, the low inflammation diet will all be helpful as long as you're getting your vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants.

The insurance business is awful. In California, the health insurance companies are allowed to reject you for having PCOS. I just filed a claim with the Senator in my area about this. Yes it is that important. Any time a woman have a stomach issue that's not caused by food, there's a great possibility that it's caused by her reproductive system because it's located right by the gastrointestinal tract. If any woman is afraid of losing her coverage with a diagnosis of PCOS, she may miss out on early cervical or ovarian cancer detection. An early detection of ovarian or cervical cancer gives women the greatest chance of survival.

I'm hoping that the doctors will aid us in curing PCOS, instead of "treating the symptoms". It shouldn't cost that much, we shouldn't be in this much pain and it shouldn't require this much effort to just "fix it". We're in the 21st century, we should've had it by now.