Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Lab Results and New Meds

Sorry that I didn't post this sooner, but I was in Vegas over the weekend. I got a call last Monday from the RE's office telling me that my lab results were in and that I needed to call back because they wanted to make sure that I had been fasting. My immediate thought was "uh-oh". I called back and confirmed with them that I had been fasting. I don't know about any of the other labs (hormones and such) but it turns out that my insulin level was high. Another common symptom of PCOS (but not one had by everyone) is insulin resistance. Basically, it means that your body produces too much insulin and doesn't use it correctly. I'm going to start on Metformin (Glucophage) tonight. I've read enough to know that the side effects aren't always pleasant (mostly GI upset), but I'm hopeful that it will help my body to use it's own natural insulin properly. I've also read, and heard personal stories from those that have used Metformin, that sometimes it alone will allow the body to start ovulating again. Too much insulin in the body causes increased androgen production (i.e. Testosterone) which causes the body to stop ovulating. It also explains the central weight gain over the last several years and the inability to lose weight. I'm going to see the RE again on 6/29 to discuss my labs (he's out of town this week).

No comments: