Dear Shirley,
dear Ricky,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Happy New Year to everyone!

And because it is a new year I am starting a new thread with a piece of very good news:

I am having a period, exactly 28 days after the previous period started and I cannot tell you often enough how very, very grateful I am about the fact that my health is obviously improving thanks to your great help and assistance.

Please allow me to give a summary of all the Homeopathic medications that I took since I started posting my case in Summer 2001:

Homeopathic medication, Date
Thuja C 200, July 13. 2001
Thuja C 200, December 2. 2001
Thuja M 1, March 6. 2002
Silicea, July 3. 2002
Silicea, July 4. 2002
Sepia C 200, July 15. 2002
Nux vomica M1, October 27. 2002
Nux vomica C 30, December 22. 2002
Viburnum tincture, January 15. 2003
Viburnum tincture, January 16. 2003

And the periods:

year, Period no., after xxx days, days delayed
2002, 1, January, 42, 14
2, March, 48, 20
3, April, 39, 11
4, May, 35, 7
5, June, 44, 16
6, August, 34, 6
7, September, 32, 4
8, October, 33, 5
9, November, 43, 15
10, Dezember, 31, 3
2003, 1, January, 28, 0

Weight:
Started 2001 with over 100 Kilos (= 221 American lbs.)
Current weight: around 91 Kilos (= 201 lbs.)
lowest weight shortly before Christmas 2002: 88,5 Kilos (= 195 lbs.)

Height: 1,66 m = 65 inches = (if I calculated this correctly) 5 feet and 5 inches

Maybe these statistics can help you a little bit with your work with me?

This is my update:
Christmas was great and full of excitement of all kinds (e.g. very sick grandmother, very bad weather conditions, unexpected happenings like power and central heating failure).
As said on the other thread I tried to produce a blood sugar profile but failed. We tried three times on three different fingers and every time not enough blood for a measurement showed up even though I managed to keep my hands warm and on the table. So we finally gave up. It was not the machine's fault, my mother took her readings and it worked every single time. It must be a problem inside me and I am very embarrassed about the fact that I still cannot present my blood-sugar profile.

As advised I took Nux vomica C 30 on December 22nd and I had the impression it was a good idea to take it. I felt ok during the past weeks and am really happy about the punctual period. The only irritating thing that happened was that suddenly on Christmas and the days after I had many huge and painful aphtaes in my mouth and in the back of my throat, all on the left side, fortunately hose are all gone now.

When the period started to hurt yesterday I only had Ibuprofen available and took 200 mg but when I got home and the pain started again during the night and woke me up I took about ten drops of Viburnum opulus tincture in a sip of water as advised by Ricky and then was able to go back to sleep. The flow has been very, very heavy during the night and the day and only now (late evening) does it get a little lighter. The Viburnum tincture seems to take the very bad edge away from the pain, it still hurts but I could tolerate it so far without further doses of Ibuprofen. Today I took several doses of Viburnum, whenever the pain really came through. I may have to take some Ibuprofen tomorrow as I will be travelling 600 km by car to hold a one-hour-lecture. But I will definitely first try the Virburnum as I feel much safer driving without any allopathic medication in my system.

I am very embarrassed and ashamed about my weight. Somehow I managed not to loose much during the past year but at the same time I must have 'remodeled' somehow, because smaller clothes fit (or at least I grew braver and started wearing smaller clothes) and people around me tell me I look slimmer. I "fell off the wagon" over Christmas and since then have struggled to get back on the diet 100 percent. Only this last week did I finally manage to stay faithful at least for a few days. Once I tasted all the carbohydrates again on Christmas my level of resistance or will power dropped dramatically and I cheated again and again. (This is the reason why it took me so long to take the heart to write my update for you – I feel so ashamed about gaining all this weight again after telling you all that I would work hard not to gain weight over Christmas.) Currently I am taking it day by day and today was a very good day without any cheating.

My current aim is to stay on the diet tomorrow and the following days to hopefully loose some more weight.

Bettina

[ 16. January 2003, 21:47: Message edited by: Bettina ]

Hi Bettina - lovely to hear from you again. Thanks also for the succinct information on the story so far!!
Re the Virburnum I tell my patients to take 1/2 teaspoon in warm water rather than a few drops!!! You may find then that you only need the one dose and the pain is gone!! I found some interesting information about excessive facial hair that you may be interested in. I will quote:-

Women with PCOS produce too much testosterone which is converted into androgens that cause the problem. Saw palmetto which is usually recommended to help prostate problems in men can help manage the symptoms of PCOS, including excess facial hair. Saw Palmetto inhibits the action of the enzyme which catalyses the conversion of testosterone to androgens. The dose to take is a 95% standardised extract i.e. 190mg of active agents in a 200mg dosage. Take 2 capsules a day.

It sounds quite feasable to me and Herbal Saw Palmetto also known as Serenoa Serrulata is easily available.

All the best
R

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Dear Ricky,

Thank you for the information - tomorrow morning will see me in a pharmacy buying Saw Palmetto ...

I was also thinking of buying one of these machines that remove single hair electrically. I just found such a machine for home use in a catalogue. So there must be a chance of getting rid of this hairy problem.

On Friday I did not need any Ibuprofen, just a few more drops of Viburnum. The driving and the lecture went very well and I was lucky because the bleeding almost stopped on Friday and only started again on Saturday without pain. The next time I will try half a teaspoon of Viburnum and see what happenes.

The last three days were good diet days without excess hunger and without cheating. I hope I am back on track.

Thank you very much.

Bettina

Don't bother to waste your money on a catalogue electrolysis machine. The power is too small to do any good and you won't be able to see what you are doing properly. You may even end up with scarring. If you wish to go down that line go and see a properly qualified electrolysist in a beauty salon!!!

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Dear Ricky,
dear Shirley,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am all excited! Look, what I found on the internet when I was trying to find more information on Saw Palmetto:

------------------
Meanwhile, to quickly answer your question, vitex, also known as chastetree berry, is a herb that looks a bit like a peppercorn. It helps the body learn how to regulate the amount of estrogen it produces after it goes out of sync. Using herbs can be frustrating, for it can take quite a while to see any results. For some women, it can take up to 6 months for them to see any results from vitex. Because its effects depends upon the consistency of use (the effects build in the body slowly, but much more gently than most medicines used by doctors) it is important that the same dosage be taken every day. The good news is that once the body gets the hand of things for a couple of years, many ladies are able to stop taking the herb without their periods disappearing once more. I have been on it for several months now, and my periods are now fairly regular. I had been not too regular with the dosage over the last two months, and my cycle was almost 3 weeks late. I attribute that to my not being consistent, since it is the first time in 6 months that it has missed the beat. (Oh, to be human and wanting to NOT have to take any more pills!
For facial hair there are two treatments I know of. One is medical - a cream that is placed on the face that retards the hair growth (Vanquia is the name, I think. Is anyone using this? Or know if I got it right?). Means you still have to pluck or shave, but it slows it down. I get concerned because this is another way of masking the problem! Doesn't make it go away at all (although it might be an option to use in the in term). I began using saw palmetto after doing a little research (am now taking about 200mg/day). How I understand the facial hair growth thing is that we have too many (I call them toxic - how scientific androgens that get excited and turn into a type of testosterone that causes the hair balding pattern and facial hair growth. Apparently, saw palmetto helps block the conversion of free testosterone in our systems from being able to make any new facial hairs. This is something that I began taking almost a year ago, when I had severe hair loss and was sprouting whiskers. I have found that as of this month, my hair is noticeably thicker (as in more of it) and I definitely have less whiskers. I still have to occasionally pluck, but much less often.
------------------------------------

source: http://forums.obgyn.net/pcos-diet/PC...0102/0041.html

Ricky, please do not get me wrong, I would have started taking Saw Palmetto without this report, it was just so exciting to read of a lady who successfully got rid of the facial hair. I will follow your dosing-instructions.

What is your opinion on the Chastetree Berry? I thought I would share the information here but not take the substance myself in the near future but only take the Saw Palmetto. The pharmacy will have it tomorrow, they had to order it. And, having read the words above, I will not be disappointed if the Saw Palmetto does not produce results by the end of the week ...

Browsing and reading through the newly-discovered forum again clearly showed me how important it is for me to do anything possible to stay on the diet and so far during the past days I was faithful and my weight is slowly decreasing again (but I am still heavier than before Christmas). I have started cooking new meals from the different low-carb cookbooks that I bought during the past year, this makes sticking with it a little easier.

The last period is almost over and it was the "best" I had for a very long time. Only very little pain and the blood was easily manageable after the first one and a half days.

Presently I am really excited and happy, loosing weight again and a solution for the hair-problem is within reach.

Thank you!

Bettina

I have used Agnus Castus (Vitex) with many women as well as the homeopathic remedy and yes it works but takes months. However I have not used it in a case of PCOS but in cases where periods have stopped for years in 20 somethings. As for you , since your periods are back I really don't think you need to take it. Some women take it for PMT and for breast pain before a period but I can't say it ever did much for me on those two symptoms!! Even your period pain if beginning to get less problematic and I believe the periods are lighter. This should all continue to improve.

Re the creams to delay hair growth, again yes, they do work BUT what are these chemicals that you are placing on your skin. What harm might they do in the future to your skin or even worse if they penetrate into the body too far. I personally would not use them.

I would expect the Saw Palmetto to work in months rather than a week.

You are doing great - keep at it.

__________________
RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Dear Ricky,
dear Shirley,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is my update:

Emotionally I am currently in a bad state. My period is nine days overdue already. I am worried sick that I may possibly be pregnant. We had a little accident with a condom three weeks ago but we both thought that the chance that 'something happened' was almost if not zero. And after I had a punctual period last month I was convinced I would have punctual periods from now on. When I look at my statistics I tell myself that a delayed period for me is normal, maybe I am wrong to believe the PCOS and all its symptoms may have been cured, I do not know. I am just desperately worried. I am even afraid to see the gynecologist because I am frightened of what result she will give me but I guess I will go and see her tomorrow to make sure that everything is ok and it is just a delayed period. (I cannot even type the word 'pregnant', I had it typed and erased it to change the sentence to "everything is ok ...".)

Maybe it is the saw-palmetto that is interfering with my cycle? I started taking it 19 days ago on January 23rd (320 mg per day in one capsule).

For the coming weekend we had planned to visit friends who live in the mountains and they currently have a lot of snow and I love snow (and we have none where we live). Now I am hesitating to go, because I do not know whether the period will finally, finally start in the coming days. If it does I would rather be home (and I would be really happy and relieved on one side and really annoyed on the other side). I am already annoyed because my system is not working properly. I had so very much looked forward to this trip and it was planned ok and the snow is still there. Had everything inside me worked as it is supposed to I would not be worried and I would happily be going into the snow.

And the other problem now is that I am back to where I was a few weeks ago, I am not at all interested in any sexual activity anymore and this had just improved over the past weeks. This makes me feel bad for my boyfriend and puts me under a lot of emotional pressure. (This is another topic that is very hard for me to talk/write about.)

This week in the evenings I repeatedly felt a drawing sensation in my abdomen, almost as if a period was about to start, but there are absolutely no visible signs and my digestion is a little bit disturbed so I figure these drawing sensations might also originate from my bowels.

I am sorry for all this whining, I just hope that tomorrow I will get a chance to leave the office to see the doctor and I hope I will sum up enough courage to go and see her. I hate going there. At least it would give me a chance to have the precautionary examination again, that every women is supposed to undergo once a year.

And, to add to all the bad emotions, I am still working on getting rid of the weight that I gained over Christmas, I am still a little bit above 90 and it sticks to me as if it was glued on to me.

Thank you for 'listening', I will keep you informed and tell you if there are any changes.

Bettina

Sorry I have to ask - what would be so terrible if you were pregnant? I know how you feel about having children and the reasons that you are reluctant but one thing is that it would show that your body is working normally. Once you get used to the idea it might not be so terrible. Whatever put yourself out of your misery and get a prgnancy test. If you are pregnant then it is your right , together with your partner to decide what to do about it. No homeopath will be judgemental whatever you decide but will help you. If you are not pregnant then at least you will be able to relax. No wonder you are off sex at the moment.
Let us know how you get on.
I really can't comment on the Saw Palmetto because I don't know!

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RSHom - Registered Homeopath

Dear Bettina,
I do agree with Ricky that it's really best to know as soon as possible. If you are not pregnant, then you can relax. Often, just the fear that may be lurking in your mind due to the broken condom is enough to delay a period. But if you are pregnant, it is completely your choice as to what you choose to do about it. My own experience and that of many of the people I've talked with is that raising children is a blessing. It gives us a chance to experience our childhood from the other side and actually helps to heal many of our childhood wounds. We all have them and most of us, even when we want children, have many doubts about becoming parents. It can be difficult, but the experience can also be the most healing one imaginable.

[ 13. February 2003, 00:48: Message edited by: sreischman ]

__________________
Shirley Reischman

Bettina,

Do they have RU486 where you are? The abortion pill, as they call it here? I believe it's soon enough that you have this as an option, so please see the dr. soon so you don't get to the point where your only option might be an actual abortion if you decide you don't want to be pregnant.

Did you say you lost 20 lbs.? Wow! That's a lot!
I gotta run now and pick my daughter up from school.

Good luck with the test results,
Snoopy