Book Review: The PCOS Workbook: Your Guide to Complete Physical and Emotional Health

PCOS still affects me regularly even though I've quit the TTC hoopla.  Unfortunately PCOS does not only affect our ability to get pregnant, but also can affect our overall health.  As I'm trying to focus a little more on my personal health now, I have been reading through some PCOS books lately and wanted to review one here.  Most of the ones I've read are not that helpful for someone who is not trying to get pregnant.  This one seems to focus on getting better first and infertility second.

The PCOS Workbook: Your Guide to Complete Physical and Emotional Health

by Angela Grassi and Stephanie Mattei

I was able to get this one through my library but I will be ordering a copy to keep at home!  I highly recommend checking it out to see if it can help you in whatever stage of your PCOS adventure you are in right now.  

What is PCOS?

The workbook starts off with the same overview of PCOS that you really can get anywhere.  What is different in the beginning from the very first page through the entire book, is that you record your personal responses to questions and prompts right in the workbook.  (I obviously couldn't do this in the library version, so you see why I am getting my own copy). This gives you a chance to really think through how you are being affected and what you can do (or are willing to do) to improve your situation.  

Nutrition and PCOS

This is pretty much a key factor in PCOS and if you have done any research so far, you already know this. Low carb is essential for PCOS treatment, yuck.  (I love carbs!)  I did like how the book provided a few alternatives that I had not seen elsewhere such as a list of substitutions you could make (you know, eat this instead) and sample menus. They also address the emotional aspect of food (do you have food regrets? negative associations with veggies, etc?).  

Infertility

I can't leave out the infertility section on an infertility blog.  This is covered, but not until the eight chapter.  Which really showed to me that the authors are concerned with the disease as a whole, not just how it affects getting pregnant.  I really only skimmed this section since it did not apply to me.  However the information covered seemed to match what I have come to know about PCOS through other sources.  Still it is useful information if you need it.  

The PCOS Workbook: Your Guide to Complete Physical and Emotional Health

Overall I was very happy with the information in this workbook and I can't wait for my copy to arrive so I can start to work through all the activities.  Hubby and I are both planning to gradually reduce our carb intake (starting on our next grocery trip!) and once we have started to get used to the changes, we are going to see if I can handle a major carb reduction (no soda? ack!).  He has done the Atkins diet several times in the past, so we know he can sustain a ridiculously low carb diet for long periods of time.  Me, hmm.. not so much.  

*This post is not sponsored.  All opinions are my own.  

Pregnancy after Infertility

It's been quite awhile since I posted here but I've had a few comments as well as a hike in visitors.  I thought that those visiting here would be interested to hear that even though I continue to have PCOS and its symptoms, that I was able to have a second child on my own.

We tried a couple rounds of IUI at Carolina Conceptions with Dr. Meyer back in 2010 with the last one being in November.  After the last failure, we decided to take a break for the holidays.  I'd been very stressed through the IUI and holidays and had laser eye surgery scheduled for January 2011.  In early March I struggled with shingles and later was just not feeling better.  I got the crazy idea in my head that I might be pregnant so I took a test.  And then hubby had me take another test!  Sure enough, baby girl was on the way!

Sweet Inara was born in December last year and just turned a year old!  I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a Happy New Year!

Take Action: Oppose SB 169

I received an email from the American Fertility Association today about legislation that could impact fertility treatments. This particular legislation is in Georgia, so please ask your Georgia friends to take action this week! If made into law, the bill will limit fertility treatment for many couples along with taking away the right for parents to choose what to do with any frozen embryos after they are done building their family. Full details at the link below.

http://www.resolve.org/site/PageServer?pagename=ta_stleg_home

Thin Women PCOS

As a woman with PCOS, I still read about the condition from time to time. It's not something that magically goes away with or after a pregnancy. I still have symptoms though they rarely are significant enough to bother me. That said, I recently came across a site that caught my attention called soulcysters.com. I would have loved this resource when I was initially diagnosed!

On one of the forums there, I found interesting information about thin women & PCOS (I was originally told that obesity is a common factor in PCOS). I've never read anything that talked specifically about PCOS in thin women. Not only does this article cover treatment in thin women, it talks about potential causes of PCOS in thin women. It's very detailed & lengthy so I wouldn't suggest it for my casual readers but I wanted to link it here for any of my PCOS readers. (It covers PCOS for all body types as well).

http://www.jarrettfertility.com/PCOS%20patient%20handout.pdf

We've Moved

Now that baby Jaxon has arrived, I think that's the end of the infertility adventure for awhile. I'm leaving the blog up as is for those who are still struggling with infertility. Our whole journey is still documented here so anyone can see what we went through & know they are not alone.

For those that want to follow along as Jaxon grows up, you can find him at: http://jaxonpaul.blogspot.com/

You can also find me at http://mickiemck.blogspot.com/

For those of you following Jaxon's blog, this is a repeat post. I thought I'd include it here as well.

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Jaxon & I went to two reunions this weekend which kept us pretty busy. I'd already planned to attend my mothers family reunion when I found out that the fertility clinic was holding the first baby reunion. Luckily, Mom & I were able to work it out to attend both.

Saturday morning we headed over to the fertility clinic and thought we were in the wrong place at first. It looked deserted as we rounded the corner to the clinic, but they had blocked off the whole parking lot for the event. I heard they had around 300 people show up! I've never seen so many strollers in one place. We were welcomed by staff and stopped by several vendor tables. Then we registered for the door prizes before going under the deck to chat & get food. I got a chance to quickly speak to both of the doctors that helped us and walk around looking at all the lovely little babies! There were mostly singleton babes like Jax but there were plenty of twins and pregnant women plus a couple sets of triplets! There were some fun things for the older kids like a moonbounce and a train. The event was catered so we had burgers and hotdogs. Best of all, I won one of the door prizes! A $100 Visa giftcard!! More pics here

belly shot

38 wks

37 wk checkup

Quick update today. We had our 37wk checkup yesterday. Normal vitals, everything looking good. No significant change in stats (dialation, etc). I did put on 2lbs this week but the doc seemed pleased since I'd not put on any weight in the last month. So I'm up to 19lbs gained in 37wks. He said my blood sugar levels have been 'almost too good' and is why I'd not gained any. I admitted to cheating this week & he said that was fine, that I apparently was being restricted a little too much. You should have seen the big fat grin I gave Jack - but don't worry he put me back in my place by pointing out that soda is probably still supposed to be offlimits. Doh, got me there. I was bad about that this week but it was so nice to have a big ole sugary Coke or Dr. Pepper a few times! That was pretty much it other than a few questrions we had about natural birth options, but more on my hopes & plans on the natural thing will have to come in a later post.

GBS negative

My Group B Strep test came back negative. Thats good because I won't have to be treated with antibiotics during labor. One less thing to worry about.

36wk checkup

As always, my checkup was rather quick. Blood pressure still is hanging right at 100/60 which it has been at for weeks. My weight has also not changed since mid-March (still at 17lbs gained). Jaxon's heartrate is good (144) and uterus is measuring right on.

This week I was due for the GBS test to determine if I would need to be treated for Group B Strep during labor. We should hear back on that soon. In addition, I had my first pelvic exam and I was very curious to find out where we stand. (Btw- for those who've heard this is so terrible, it really isn't. It's odd, but not painful in the least. Certainly nothing like a PAP). Doc said that I'm 70-80% effaced, a 'fingertip' dialated (so about 1cm?), and that baby is at zero station.

For those of you that have no idea, these are a good start. He said this doesn't specifically mean baby is coming early. But it was good to know that the contractions I've been feeling are actually doing some work! Doc said the most important thing he got out of that exam is that the baby is well down in my pelvis (he went on to say something about my size & that it's good that baby was able to get that far). So I'd been waiting for the baby to 'drop' but he'd already done it!

Hee, Hee, Hee, Hoo...

29 years of life and I had to take a class to learn how to breathe, lol.

Over the weekend, Jack & I had our labor & birth class. I really liked getting it done in one weekend rather than dragging it out for 6 weeks. The class was 9-4 Saturday including lunch at the hospital (we ate with my stepmom who is a nurse at this hospital) and then 1-5 on Sunday.

I think I was the class 'know-it-all' (I have a tendency to jump in & offer my opinion a lot, especially in a group that is being so quiet) and Jack was the class 'clown'. Every class needs some personality right? Ha!

Anyway, we did feel like we learned a lot. We had specifically wanted to learn the breathing & pain techniques plus hospital procedures. I think those were covered well. I am glad that we had practice time to try out the various positions & breathing. There were some that were great (even some that I originally thought were dumb or awkward) and others that just did not work for us (like one where Jack had to lean down to me & hold up my belly - we were just too mismatched in height). I was especially impressed with the birth ball (though I couldn't bounce on it like some of the ladies.. that just bothered my belly), I had to do a swaying motion instead. Jack was very helpful with the massage, the 'stroking' (you can see Jack had plenty of ammunition for being a clown), and the breathing. I was better at the slow breathing technique but needed his guidance to do the 'hee,hee,hee,hoo' type breathing on pace. He did make me laugh in the middle of our practice 'contractions' a few times. I warned him that I might not find him as funny during labor :)

Overall, if you are debating on whether to bother with the class or not, I'd say definitely take it. I've heard a few people tell me it was a waste of time & money, but I do not agree. I've only mentioned here a fraction of what was covered. There is plenty of information regardless of your plans for pain management. The only time I'd say you probably would not get much use out of it is if you are already going into labor knowing for sure you are going to have a c-section.