Polycystic Ovarian Disease

[beelzebubble]

hi all,

i've been struggling with pcos, stomach problems (i now know as celiac disease), and thyroid disease for years now, and i was wondering if any of you girls would like to chat about them? i know there are quite a few girls here with both celiac disease and pcos. i was hoping we could compare stories and maybe help each other with treatments and ways to cope. i don't know. what do you all think?

bubble

[Janice C]

I had hypothyroid, pcos, and celiac for years before diagnosis. I'm on the gluten free diet now, and hope it clears up a lot of things. Polycystic ovaries are linked with insulin resistance. My last blood test came back with low blood sugar (56). If I find anything specific that helps, I'll post back.

[beelzebubble]

heya janice,

what are you currently doing for your pcos? i'm on metformin and bcp. the metformin seems to help a bit.

bubble

[cdford]

I suffered for years with the pain and fear of cysts on my ovaries and in my breasts. Since going gluten free, many symptoms have mediated or entirely cleared. Hope you have as positive experience.

[Janice C]

I also eat organic foods to lessen exposure to organochlorine pollutants. Those estrogen mimics are linked to PCOS, endometriosis, cancer. I have read these xenoestrogens are chemically similar to Candida. Candida may trigger celiac.

[Janice C]

My ovaries were removed when I was in my 20s. I hope you find a better solution. I wish I had known about avoiding wheat. I am on a low sugar diet and take vanadyl sulfate and cinnamon. I think hypoglymemia, diabetes, and insulin resistance are related.

[Deby]

I've had terrible pain in my right ovary. it's there almost all of the time but gets really bad at mid month and when I cycle. Could this be PCOS? I was admitted to the emergency room about 5 months ago with really bad pain. I thought it was my appendix, but it was just my cycle coming on.

[laurel]

Hello everyone,

I have PCOS, and I've been researching the causes for the last 3 years. I refused to believe that I was somehow genetically defective in the hormone area, and I was convinced that I could heal myself with proper nutrition. After scouring the web for resources, I found the Weston A. Price Foundation and got really involved in understanding fats, food production and the social, economic and political aspects of food. By eating well, I was able to see some positive improvements in my hormone health.

However, I also gained weight very easily (which I was okay with, if it meant that I would heal in the long run and return to a normal weight someday...) Anyway, I just figured it out last Wednesday that my problems are due to casein and/or gluten intolerance. It makes so much sense, because I was very sensitive to milk as a baby, and really never ate cheese or much dairy product because I was so scared of the fat content. The WAPF gave me a license to eat full-fat dairy products, because the butterfats were important for me to heal my hormone issues.

The only weight-loss diets that have ever worked for me have been the ones that have eliminated grains and dairy products. Low-carb and Atkins didn't work, because I still ate cheese. (And Diana Schwarzbein's low-carb didn't help, either.) Of course, these diet plans often have so many variations that I never could nail down what actually worked for me. Anyway, I finally asked a couple of friends at the Weston Price foundation, and they, too, had PCOS-like symptoms and had relieved all of their problems with gluten and/or casein avoidance.

This was the answer that I was looking for, and I'm now 5 days into a Gluten-free Casein-free lifestyle! I've already lost several pounds of inflammation weight, and we even have a message board at Yahoo groups called "GFCFNN." It stands for "gluten free casein free native nutrition."

I'm still tearing up the internet looking for information, and just happened to find you guys... This is the first time that I ever thought that PCOS could actually be a manifestation of a food intolerance! (What an easy answer, eh?)

Best wishes to all, and if I don't check in here regularly, please feel free to stop by that Yahoo group and say "hello."

-Laurel

[LuvmyTrips]

Hi Ladies ~

I just wanted to share some information. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 19 years old. I had all of the PCOS symptoms to the MAX. I tried for 6 1/2 years to conceive with and of course due to the severity of the PCOS struggled with infertility. After over 6 1/2 years of trying, 100% negative pregnancy tests, pin cushion syndrome, I tried IVF and it worked. After my TRIPLETS were born, I saw a few doctors that really had no interest in correcting or managing my PCOS symptoms and or my weight issues other than them telling me to stop eating bad food. The fact of the matter is, I was eating right! I hardly ever ate fast food, I loved salads, it just wasn't adding up.

I also felt as though my body was so unhealthy. I felt horrible after everything I ate, unless it was a salad, fresh veggies or fruit. I was ever considering vegetarianism.

I moved and found a new doctor and went in for a routine check up. During this check up my doctor did something no other has done before. She started pointing things out that she thought were abnormal BEFORE I had a chance to complain about them. She knew before I told her that I had PCOS. She then said that she would like me to go on a diet... OK HERE WE GO AGAIN right? No! She said I want you to try a specific "diet" which has proven to help PCOS patients. I thought... ok whatever, I will try it.... GLUTEN-FREE/CASEIN-FREE.

Let me just say... I have been GLUTEN-FREE/CASEIN-FREE for three months and have lost 6 inches, 20 pounds, and something incredible started happening... I had my menstrual cycle twice in a row!!!! I know it doesn't seem likely, but I have never felt this good. I have now converted my family to try being gluten-free for one month and see how they feel. What will it hurt right? Ok, the triplets (now toddlers) are jumping on me... but I think it is worth it to do this new way of life especially if you have PCOS!

[Itsme--]

I knew there had to be a connection!!

I sometimes get pain in my ovaries especially when i'm coming up to my cycle but not all the time. I now know this is because I have a relatively gluten free diet but i don't stick to it the way i know i should.

I woke up this morning with serious ovary pain and i thought right, there absolutely has to be a connection with this pain to when i eat gluten (i had naan bread last night with dinner.)

As i start researching ovary pain and gluten intolerance, I FIND THIS THREAD!

Thank you all so much for sharing.. i can relate to sooo much of what was listed and have learnt heaps already!