My body is my sabotager! (WARNING, discussion of a woman's monthly cycle and anatomy)

I have polycystic ovarian syndrome.  What is that you ask?

"Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a problem in which a woman's hormones are out of balance. It can cause problems with your periods and make it difficult to get pregnant. PCOS also may cause unwanted changes in the way you look. If it isn't treated, over time it can lead to serious health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease" 

Resource: http://www.webmd.com/women/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview

Sooooo.........when I get my monthly cycle, it is so heavy that I can't keep a tampon in.  I also get crazy food cravings (which explains my desperate desire for salty and sweet foods at the moment.)

Tuesday night is Aqua Boot Camp night......which means seeing my dear body has betrayed me, with a lovely gift from mother nature, I won't be able to go.....This means, I will have to adjust my work out plan for tonight.  I feel pretty gross.....I will do something active for at least an hour!


Anyway, back to PCOS. There are a few things you can do to help control the symptoms of PCOS.  There is NO cure! I am on a birth control pill that has a high dose of the hormones and I am on 1500mg of Metformin a day.  The other fun part about PCOS is, unwanted facial hair and acne.

1.  Losing weight may be all you need to help with they symptoms.  Just a small amount of weight loss can help balance your hormones.
2. Eating a balanced diet.
3. Regular exercise
4. If you smoke, QUIT!
5. Hormone Therapy

 I did some reading about PCOS and WLS.  There are some doctor's that actually recommend WLS for PCOS patients that are unable to control the symptoms with medication.  Because PCOS causes hormonal imbalances, it can lead to other metabolic issues.  WLS, helps a patient lose weight, which as I mentioned helps the hormones balance out. 

So here is hoping that after the surgery, and the weight comes off quicker, that I will find some relief with the cramps and flow!

Now, off to eat some yogurt and pretend it is a juicy cheeseburger with fries!