Weird NPC experiences & PCOS

[C&Csmom]

hey, i hope someone who uses NPC or who is an otherwise expert on the stuff can help me figure this out.

i started using NPC at the end of my last cycle. i have PCOS, my cycles are irregular to say the least, and i'd used up some of the provera i had and still wasn't getting a period. so i tried the NPC (the lifeflo stuff in a dispenser) and started spotting three days later. this is good--i got my TOM.

in doing some reading online and in dr. lee's book, i noticed that if you use NPC for 21 days after TOM then you can suppress ovulation thereby doing my poor PCOS ovaries some good. so i did it. but i'm almost positive i ovulated in the middle of the cycle and now (the day after my 21st day NPC application) i'm spotting like i'll be getting my TOM in a few days.

so i'm not sure what to think. NPC is supposed to be suppressing my cycle, giving my hormones a chance to balance but instead it may be improving the quality of my ovulatory cycle. i don't get it. plus, this cycle may be the shortest in the history of my cycles. even when i weighed less and was ovulating like clockwork, my cycles were 32 days. this one looks as though it may be 28-29 days. unheard of for me!

so i guess i want a way to interpret this cycle where i used NPC to suppress ovulation but i ovulated anyway. anyone have a clue? also, does this mean that i have to use NPC 21 days in a cycle to ovulate instead of just the last half of the cycle?

i would love some insight about this. i read about NPC in lee's book and at websites but i haven't seen anyone talking about using it the whole cycle and the cream CAUSING ovulation.

i'm also taking calmag, alfalfa, chromium, selenium and a multivitamin but i've been the most consistent with the NPC at night and not as consistent with the supplements.

thanks in advance for any help with this!

best,
anna

"For every deprivation, there is an equal and opposite binge, sooner or later." Geneen Roth

http://www.ttappilicious.blogspot.com

[gr8fisch]

I don't have pcos so this is more from an energy/intuitive perspective: w/all the issues & changes, your body is apparently trying to adjust, or fine-tune, the good stuff you're doing. I've been using NPC consistently for about 10 months... instinctively taking about a week off here & there (I don't track it) & am probably in peri as I haven't a period since December & the one before that was in June of 04 & the one before in December 03. No other peri-type symptoms, so who knows, Tapping may have balanced other systems so well, as it sounds like you're experiencing, that NCP is like the rudder on a ship, steering the what-used-to-be-abnormal cycles in the right direction. When I feel more moody, & I still feel it monthly even with nothing to show for it (smiling big), I use the cream in the am & pm & it helps.

[C&Csmom]

gr8fisch,

i appreciate you trying to figure this out with me! it's amazing, isn't it, when your body lets you know what it wants. i'm just now learning to listen to it after many years of trying to torture it into a particular shape/way to be/etc.

i guess i'll stay this course for now and see what happens.

hey, i appreciate the articles you've been posting in various threads. you are a true researcher!

best,
anna

"For every deprivation, there is an equal and opposite binge, sooner or later." Geneen Roth

http://www.ttappilicious.blogspot.com

[jjlittle]

Sorry what do you mean by NPC thanks

Jesse

[C&Csmom]

jesse, NPC = natural progesterone cream



best,
anna

"For every deprivation, there is an equal and opposite binge, sooner or later." Geneen Roth

http://www.ttappilicious.blogspot.com

[cosmicgirl]

hey anna,

I just wanted to say that although I dont know whats happening or why, with the NPC, I feel for you as I believe I have PCOS as well....It's really hard getting a diagnosis, I've been to 4-5 different dr's, PCPs,Gyns,a reproductive endo, and a nurse practicioner. The only person who understood, and actually made the intital diagnosis of PCOS was the nurse prac., the only problem is that she does not accept health insurance, and I just cannot afford the visits and the supplementation she has me on.....also, she had me on a bio-identical progesterone cream, to use days 12-26 of my cycle....all though I do have regular cycles, they are just very very heavy. I beleive this did help lessen the bleeding, but it was $30.00 a month on top of all the other meds I'm on, it was over $60.00- $75.00 a month, and with my husband on unemployment for the winter, it just wasnt working out.

I've been actively trying to treat/diagnose this since last July!!
I found out about a gyn group in my town that treats PCOS, even if you are not infertile, and have an appointment there tomorrow....My last appointment, with a repro endocrinologist, ended up with me in tears, and her telling me my symptoms were "idiopathic" (yes, all 13 of them)
and that I needed psychiatric help.....nice huh??????

So.....I hope you are getting the help you need for your PCOS....Also, have you gone to www.soulcysters.net???? lots of support and info there!!

Good luck!!!!

Kristin

[gr8fisch]

http://www.mercola.com/2005/feb/23/p...y_syndrome.htm

Shedding Light on the Subject of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

http://www.mercola.com/1999/archive/pcos.htm

The most common endocrine syndrome that affects women of reproductive age, puberty to menopause, is known as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). It affects approximately 10 percent of women in the reproductive age group. For years, many people automatically assumed PCOS was purely an ovarian syndrome, due to its given term; however, it is now recognized as a systematic endocrine and metabolic disorder, as multiple risk factors are at work.

PCOS can be described as a total body endocrine syndrome. In fact, the abnormalities in the ovary are actually more the result of a bigger problem, rather than the cause. And although there is no set definition for PCOS, most endocrinologists would agree on a set of criteria necessary to make the diagnosis:

The complete or almost complete lack of ovulation; Increased androgen (male hormone) production, either facial hair and/or acne; Obesity; Hyperinsulinemia (insulin resistance with elevated serum insulin levels). While it is clear PCOS is a complicated syndrome with many interactions combining to produce the clinical picture, it is also evident these interactions play off one another, creating a vicious cycle.

The PCOS Cycle: Any hormone problem that interferes with normal ovulation results in what is known as a "polycystic" ovary, which, regardless of the cause, will produce increased amounts of androgen. Conversely, increased androgen production interferes with normal ovulation. Evidence has also pointed to obesity as part of the androgen excess syndrome; overweight women produce increased androgens even if they have no underlying abnormality in the adrenal gland. It is not known for certain whether obesity is a cause or an effect or simply a part of PCOS. Moreover, increased insulin found in women with PCOS stimulates ovarian androgen production; increased androgen production contributes to insulin resistance. Yet increased androgen production also leads to an increased body weight (obesity), which in turn contributes to insulin resistance. Women with PCOS who are not overweight also frequently have insulin resistance.

PCOS is an inherited, autosomal dominant trait, meaning if a woman has PCOS, it should be looked for in her mother, sisters and daughters. And, since it is autosomal dominant, male relatives can also carry the gene and can transfer the problem to their daughters. Having PCOS puts women at an increased risk of developing diabetes, coronary artery syndrome, lipid disorders (such as elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure) and possibly breast cancer.

Suggested Methods of Preventing PCOS Development: Weight Loss
Drugs (such as the anti-diabetic drug Metformin); Suppress ovarian function with oral contraceptives or other drugs; Making an early diagnosis, which will prevent the development of a full-blown diagnosis.

InfertilityPhysician.com February 4, 2005---------

Dr. Mercola's Comment: This article certainly sheds some light on the complex concept of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Fortunately, there are three steps women can follow in order to treat the syndrome without taking drugs like Metformin.

Step One: Reduce as much as possible your intake of grains and sugars. Your body has a limited storage capacity for carbohydrates, so when you eat more grains and sugars then your body can use they are rapidly converted, via insulin, into fat. Believe me when I tell you that you don't need many grains and for most of us any is too much. And since insulin resistance is a central issue in PCOS, cutting back on these foods will help control the disease for most women. http://www.mercola.com/article/insulin.htm

Additionally, if you are experiencing symptoms such as excess weight, low blood sugar and high blood pressure, chances are very good that the excess carbohydrates in your body are to blame. We all need a certain amount of carbohydrates, but through o