Vitex or Aromatherapy?

Sorry for not blogging recently. The last two weekends in a row J and I have been away. One weekend we were in Penticton, BC for a softball tournament and this past weekend we were in Ontario for a friend's wedding and this weekend we are having a garage sale.... Busy busy busy!

So, I have been off birth control for over 1 month now... and still no period... *sigh*

Its time to step things up a notch!

On my blog's facebook fan page some ladies have posted things about Vitex.  I was curious and did a little research.

This is what one of my books say about Vitex...

Vitex (Angus Castus)
"This seems to be the herb most often used by women with PCOS. Vitex has a direct effect on the pituitary gland (involved in regulating hormone production and menstrual cycle). It's an adaptogen, which means that whether you suffer from a low level of one hormone or an excess of another, you can take Angus Castus and achieve normal levels. It seems to restore progesterone to a normal level, helpful for those with low levels."

I did a quick search on Google and it brought me to a forum where women were talking about talking it etc.  http://www.steadyhealth.com/Vitex_and_herbal_remedies_for_PCOS_t85484.html

And it seems it works for most women! So its worth a try right? Sure! So, I just came back from the mall and bought myself a bottle.

Now onto the aromatherapy... Aromatherapy is a "complementary therapy" meaning it is not to be used in place of conventional medicine it is to be used in conjunction with exercise, healthy eating, etc.

Here is what my book says about it...

Aromatherapy:
"Plant essences have been used for centuries for the treatment of disease. Aromatherapists work to restore hormonal balance in women with PCOS and to aid relaxation and release emotional stress. Concentrated aromatic oils - known as essential oils - are extracted from plans and are inhaled, rubbed directly onto the skin or used in massage or bathing oils. There are few clinical trials providing the efficacy of aromatherapy, but those who have used this treatment have no doubt that it works. The oils stimulate the sense of smell, which then affects the part of the brain known as the limbic system. This is connected to mood control, strong emotions, and instinctive behaviour."

When I was at the mall getting Vitex I stopped into a new aromatherapy store. They had a roll-on "feminine cycle" with clary sage and geranium. Its made in West Vancouver, BC CAN. Its supposed to help with balancing hormones.

So for the month of June, I will be taking my regular vitamins along the new one, Vitex and doing a daily dose of Aromatherapy by applying it at night before bed.

Reigniting the flame... Again

Now, I know I cannot be the only one who is dealing with this issue... But its a big issue, especially when you are in a relationship, engaged or even married... What am I talking about?...

When the sex drive goes MIA...

I never really linked the two, but every time I was on bc I had no sex drive. And the only time I would be on bc was when I was in a relationship. And I always seemed to be in a relationship. It got to the point, that I thought it was me. I thought I was odd because I never had a sex drive. Then in Feb 2009, I left a 3 year bad relationship and went off bc. Within weeks, I had hormones like you wouldnt believe. Then it hit me, bc = no sex hormones, desire or drive...

So I stayed off the bc, but then came my PCOS symptoms and went from 130 pounds to over 150 within a very short time frame and the list of the symptoms continued and increased...

In April 2010, I met J who is now my fiance and in June 2010 I went on bc as the doctor ordered it was the only thing she prescribed for PCOS... I warned J that it would decrease my sex drive to nothing. He said it was fine and no big deal but I think he underestimated how serious I was. And, sure enough in no time my want to have sex, cuddle or even be touched died as each day went by.

It is one of our most serious and pretty much only problem in our relationship... After almost a year of being on bc and hating it because of the side effects, I stopped taking it at the beginning of this month. Enough is enough. I miss the old me. The me who wanted to cuddle and get frisky... Too much info? lol

Its only been a couple of weeks of not taking bc, so I havent seen much improvement in that department. One thing I have noticed is my energy is up. I feel 19 again. I used to be able to wake up super early, work all day, go to the gym, come home clean, make dinner, hang out with friends and go to bed late and still wake up refreshed. In Spring of 2009 all within a month or two of eachother, I had severe PCOS symptoms, strep throat and a couple weeks after strep I got mono. Ever since then, my energy has been non-exsistent. Most of my days back then consisted of me sleeping ALL THE TIME.

So, the first step was getting off bc.  I eat fairly healthy and workout regularly... Now what? Wait for the hormones to jump back in? What else can I do?

How do you reigniting the flame... Or how do I help get my sex drive back naturally...

We spend lots of time together. We go on dates nights, hiking, play softball together... So its not a lack of  our connection or time together. But how do we reignite the frisky flame we had when we first met and I wasnt on bc..

Comments and advice are welcome!! Post your comment on my blog or on my blog's Facebook Fan Page.

It's Friday!

I have officially had my blog going for a week now and I have had over 450 reads on my previous 4 blog posts in total. Thats pretty good I think!

Tonight after dinner I am going to go for a run as its sunny here in BC Canada, which isnt very often. This week I went running 3 times (including tonight), had softball and kept up with my vitamins and healthy eating. Now, I am not eating super super healthy but I have cut out the junk food, fast food, pop, chocolate etc. Instead of eating out we have tried to make dinner and our lunches at home.

I suggested to my fiance (lets just call him "J") that we go to Buntzen Lake tomorrow morning for a mini hike. I love that lake. The full hike itself is a huge 3 hour work out and thats if your booting it with no rests. But I dont think we're in good enough shape yet to do the whole thing. So I told him we'll do a mini hike (half way around).

The chiropractor is going great! We did a foot scan today as I have messed up feet and could use orthopedics, especially for when I am running or hiking.

I found an aromatherapy store in Fort Langley which is about 10 minutes from where I live. I am hoping to go next week and get some oils that are good for depression and absent monthly cycles.

From the book "The Ultimate PCOS Handbook"...

PCOS Aromatherapy
"Joanna Levett, ar aromatherapist with PCOS who treats women with PCOS, suggests this aromatherapy massage blend to balance hormones."

-In 20 ml carrier oil:
-2 drops fragrant Jasmine
-3 drops balancing Geranium
-3 drops Clary sage (a sedative oil good for absent periods or period pains)

"The massage itself can release powerful emotions and tensions, so don't be surprised to find yourself wiped out but very relaxed after a treatment. Warning: if you have high blood pressure, epilepsy, skin disorders, are pregnant or hoping to be, or if you're taking certain homoeopathic medicines, you will need to avoid some oils."

Depression Aromatherapy
"Joanna Levett recommends the following bath or massage blend to life you out of despair."

-3 drops mood-lifting, feminine Rose
-3 drops anti-depressant, soothing Camomile
-2 drops anxiety-relieving Thyme
Mix with 20 ml carrier oil.

I think I am going to try those two blends first and see where that takes me...

Have a great weekend!

The Books I have...

A couple months ago I made a trip to Chapters in my area and bought 3 books. 2 are PCOS related and 1 is related to sexy hormones.

My fav so far... "Packed full of the latest science, up-to-date nutrition, and the best in self-help and natural therapies, their comprehensive book shows how women can start to see their PCOS symptoms improve in as little as 2 weeks."

Chapters.ca book link.

"The nutritional answer for all women sufferers of polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition which affects one in ten women. Excellent sales of the original PCOS book PCOS: A Woman's Guide also by Colette Harris, this is the addendum diet and more advice."

Chapters.ca book link.

"This book unlocks the secrets to how our hormones keep us young, enhance our passions and maintain our youth. Men will love the chapter devoted to learning how to make love to a woman and have her begging for more. Sexy Hormones is the complete guide to realizing your sexual potential and how that affects your life."

Chapters.ca book link.


I also now have a Facebook Fan Page for my blog. Please "like" my page and keep in touch!

On the run...

Once again, I had about 150 reads on my 2nd blog post.. Man, that is awesome! Thank you for taking the time to read my blogs. Its a good feeling knowing someone is reading it!

Last night I had to force myself to go for a run. I love running, but last night I just wanted to veg. But once I got my shoes on I was ready. I went running by myself. I sometimes bring my puppy but she pulls and acts like a crazy dog on a leash so I left her at home so I could actually run and not be dragged.... lol

My hope is to go running at least 3 times a week. On top of that I will have softball at least once a week. I want my fiance and I to buy bicycles so when we dont have enough energy to run we can go for a nice bike ride instead. We have gym memberships, but I hate running on a treadmill. I would rather be running or hiking outside. Last summer we went hiking, camping and canoeing. This summer I am hoping to add downhill mountain biking to that list.

The last couple of weeks I have been eating healthy. It was very hard at the start. I love fast food. I can eat it everyday for every meal and still be in love with it. My favs are KFC and A & W..mmmMMmmmm

I have cut out the fast food, pop (I still drink ice tea once in a while), junk food, etc. I could still be eating better. Like more veggies and fruits but that will come with time... One day at a time..

My biggest fear going off bc would be the weight gain and my acne.. In February 2009, I weighed 130 pounds. I went off bc and by that March I was up to 142 and by that summer I was over 150. No matter what I did, I couldnt get rid of the weight. My acne was getting worse by the day and nothing seemed to help. In June 2010, I went on Yaz (my doctor told me thats what they prescribe for PCOS) and went from 160 pounds to 140 within weeks. My acne cleared. I have never had my skin so clear. I love it! My hair went back to natural blond and the excess hair growth went away. I was told if I went off bc my symptoms would all come back and I would have to be on bc until I want to have kids... Which at the time I was told that, I didnt want to have kids till I was 30.. I am now 24..

Obviously my plan of having kids at 30 has to be changed. I don't want to wait till I am 30 and be told "oh you should have tried to have kids a couple years ago". My main goal this summer is to keep my weight down, keep my skin clear and get a monthly cycle naturally...

Ready to do this...

I met with a new chiropractor on Friday. The appointment went very well. I will be seeing him twice a week for a couple weeks, then once a week and so on. The purpose of me going to a chiropractor isnt 100% for my PCOS. I actually do need to go for my back but if it helps get my body back in align 100% inside and out its worth a try!

I started taking a regular womens multi vitamin. Later this week I have to pick up other vitamins that the multi one doesnt have (such as vitamin B complex, zinc and omega 3). I am reading the book "The Ultimate PCOS Handbook". It has doctor, natural, and herb methods of dealing with PCOS. I have found it very helpful. It has become my new daily read. It tells me what vitamins I can take, what its for and how much to take of it.

The Ultimate PCOS Handbook: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/Ultimate-PCOS-Handbook-Lose-Weight-Colette-Cheung/9781573243711-item.html?ikwid=pcos&ikwsec=Home

I must say I never knew how much online support there is for PCOS. I found many Facebook Groups and blogs of other women dealing with PCOS. I am also amazed that over 150 people read my first blog.

Did you know?
"Cinnamon ( true cinnamon called cinnamomum zeylanicum or cinnamomum verum) many be very useful for treating the insulin resistance that frequently accompanies PCOS. Several studies indicate that this delicious spice can lower blood glucose levels. Study dosages range from a quarter teaspoon to 1 teaspoon per day for people with type 2 diabetes."

Also, I read this from my book...

"St. Johns Wort is probably the most powerful natural antidepressant..."

Diagnosed...

In June 2010 I was finally diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome)...

Simple definition: Polycystic ovary syndrome is a condition in which there is an imbalance of a woman's female sex hormones. This hormone imbalance may cause changes in the menstrual cycle, skin changes, small cysts in the ovaries, trouble getting pregnant, and other problems.

It look me almost a year and a half for my doctor to confirm something I already knew. Every time I went to her she brushed me off like I was crazy. In that time, I only had my period once. That is NOT normal in my mind. But it took her months to take me somewhat serious. 

My symptoms were...

-gained about 20 pounds within a couple of months

-hair grew in darker, thicker and faster

-my acne was getting worse by the day

-no period

-lower abdominal pains

-lower back pains

-completely exhausted and always tired... And the list goes on...

Finally my doctor sent me for an ultrasound and the results came back with cysts in my ovaries. 

She told me "the only thing we prescribe for this issue is birth control"... Birth control was the last thing I wanted to go on. For all I know, the long term use of the bc could be why I have this condition.

So she put me on Yaz and within a matter of weeks my skin cleared up, I lost weight and I was having a monthly cycle. But... I dont want to be on bc. I was told if I went off it all my symptoms would come back. It doesnt "cure" it. It just controls the symptoms. 

About 2 months ago, I went to my doctor asking if she could do another ultrasound to see if the cysts are still there, did they go away, did they grow etc. And she said no and that they dont usualy check up on those kinds of things... WHAT?!

I finally asked her so many questions she didnt have answers to she referred me to a specialist that I wont be seeing till August. So in the meantime, I bought some books on PCOS, I do A LOT of research and I went off bc (couple days ago and been using it since last June)...

Enough is enough! I am done with doctor's bull shit...