To Walk or Not to Walk… That is the Question

Recently I went to the doctor to have a PCOS check up to make sure everything is okay, since being diagnosed in March I have been trying some different medications to help me become regular. I also go to an endocrinologist because I was born without a thyroid, so I am on medicine for that as well, as I tell Loren, nothing is simple with me! 🙂 Well in my last round of doctor’s appointments my doctor’s have finally broke down and told me that I need to loose some weight, as if I wasn’t aware of this fact… duh! Before our wedding I lost about 20 lbs, which was amazing, women you know what I am talking about, it was like I had climbed Mt. Everest! Well since married life has settled in I have gained, I would say, about 15 ish pounds back, bummer! Now realize that I am by no means overweight, which with the combination of PCOS and hyprthyroidism, I am very lucky that I am not overweight. Nonetheless, I still need to keep my weight under control, so I can continue to eat Chick-fil-a (something I refuse to give up).

This bring me to the question, to walk or not to walk? One of the biggest reasons why I had so much success with losing weight is cardio. Cue the moaning and groaning. I agree with you completely, I hate running, but when paired with weight training and toning, it is the most effective way to lose weight. Well if you have been following me for the past couple of months you know that back in July I dropped a 4 lbs weight on my toe, which if you can imagine, has put a damper on my running game. Those of you reading who know me personally, know that I am always on the go, so within the month I was back exercising again. Well since I couldn’t run I have been walking, but during this time I have been wondering, have I really been burning THAT many calories, so I have done some research and have an answer. You burn more calories running than walking. Now there are some articles out there that can be a bit confusing, so I am going to explain it best I can, if you want to read the couple of articles that I read I will post the links. Basically, if you run for 20 minutes or walk for 20 minutes you will burn more calories running. If you run for 20 minutes, but walk for 50 minutes you will burn about the same, the other question is, do you have the time. The other factor is the amount of time that you stick with the exercising. Bottom line is with PCOS exercise and diet can be your best friend, so I will be walking as much as I can to help me loose weight.

The websites where I got this information from are runner’s world and active.com. Both are great sources of information for running and walking info. Well, wish me luck as I continue to lose weight!

Love always,

Amie

We have PCOS

When life hands you lemons…

Is the glass half full or half empty?

Is the grass truly greener on the other side?

This is my first post. I am the husband, the other half of this dynamic duo, though honestly I would say that I am the other 25% of this couple. First off, thank you to everyone that has chosen to read our blog. When Amie first came up with the idea of a blog, I was hesitant. Being a shy and quiet person, putting myself on the interweb and dictating my life is something that I am weary of. Yes, I had a Myspace page, I think I even had a Livejournal for a while. When you’re a freshmen in college, the more vulnerable you are the more attention you will receive, whether you want it or not. The older, wiser students will want to take you under their wing and show you the errors of their ways and hope to save you from bad decisions; their antagonists, the hip older kids that are taking remedial freshmen courses for the third time, will see your vulnerability as a chance for cheap entertainment, either through meaningless friendships with more personal satisfaction for themselves or as a free source of entertainment through the consumption of mass amounts of alcohol. Needless to say, Mr. Gray had a little bit of both. A learning experience indeed, one that soon hardened my exterior and led to a cautiousness toward life that has both been a virtue and a vice.

And then there is Amie. She is the brighter, shinier, better part of everything. Her continued optimism, even through the darkest of times, is something that I constantly am in a state of awe of. I have seen this as her greatest strength, as well as her greatest weakness. There are times when I am wanting to turn away from a given situation, hoping that my reclusive behavior will same me from unneeded headaches; instead, with my wife’s encouragement and impervious optimism, I have instead been able to open my eyes to new experiences that in the past I would have quickly shied away from. Has this led to headaches? Yup. Has this led to some of the happiest moments of my life? Yup. Like I said, she is my better half and greatest confidant.

We have PCOS. Polycystic ovary syndrome. This is a hormone imbalance that Amie and I have been living with for about a year now. When we first noticed the signs, we soon started visiting doctors. And then more doctors. And no answers were given, only guesses and treatment plans. When an ultrasound was done and the unknown condition was named, Amie soon started to research her condition. We are still in the process of balancing her hormones and becoming “healthy”, as well as “happy.”

As a person who is naturally a control freak and moderately OCD about things (I am a teacher, right?) I naturally have been having a hard time coping with the “unknown” of what we are going through. There is not a ultimate “cure” for PCOS, not now anyways, only procedures and means of handling the symptoms and eventually finding a balance. This is a situation that I personally have had a very difficult time coping with, and I will admit that this has caused some tension between Amie and I over the past year. I like absolutes. I enjoy logic and simple answers.

If an instrument is sharp, make it longer. If it is flat, make it short. You have a headache, take Advil. You hit your toe, put ice on it. Your wife has a hormone imbalance that consists of a guessing game and hopefully finding a solution. You wait.

And wait.

I’m impatient. I’m selfish. And scared. Its the feeling of helplessness that keeps me awake at night, that causes stress and work and at home. Its why I run everyday, wondering if the next stride that I take will be one step closer to helping my wife, my best friend, find a procedure that helps, a pill that eases her stress, a cure! I know at times I am difficult and that I can be an unwanted stress in Amie’s life.

It’s when I’m at my worst that suddenly, she is the strong one. She is the braver of the two of us. And I’m reminded that at the end of the day, after teaching and running and everything else that we are involved in…it’s us.

PCOS has brought us closer. My wife’s ability to continue to stay positive, even when I am a wreck, helps me make it to the next day. I take her for granted everyday. I forget that she is stronger then I can imagine, and that in the end, we will find an answer.

Until next time.

I Wear Teal for Me

September is PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome) awareness month, and this has become a cause very near and dear to my heart. In March, I was diagnosed with PCOS after going through several blood tests and ultra sounds. Before March I had never heard of the disorder, and come to find out that 1 in 10 women have this disorder and over half of those women don’t even know they have the disorder. To me, that has been the most astonishing statistic, and it is because of that I decided to write this post; to bring awareness and information to people who may not have any idea about PCOS. Hopefully there will be women (and men) out there who read this post, and gain some insight on the disorder.

Here are the facts:

1. PCOS is a hormonal imbalance, which can cause anxiety and depression in patients who have PCOS.
2. PCOS is one of the most common endocrine disorders among women of the reproductive age group, which makes my 1 in 10 statistic even more astounding since so many women do not know they have PCOS.
3. The cause of PCOS is unknown. The research tends to lead towards genetic mutations, which means that if you have it more than likely your mother or sister could have it too, and it can be passed on.
4. PCOS looks different in every woman. Since there are so many symptoms and factors that go into diagnosing the syndrome it is hard to get a picture of what PCOS “looks like.”
5. Since there is no cause, PCOS is a life long syndrome. The symptoms can be managed and balanced with medicines and with a healthy diet and exercise.
6. All women with PCOS have insulin resistance to some level. PCOS has been linked to insulin resistance, which is one of the reasons why obesity is linked to PCOS.
7. Women with PCOS CAN get pregnant. It can be more difficult and take more time compared to women who do not have the disorder, but it is possibly.
8. Women with PCOS tend to hold their weight more in their abdomen area than any other place.
9. About 40%- 50% of women who have PCOS are considered to be “thin” or “of normal weight.”
10. There is still so much patients and doctor don’t know about the cause and cure of PCOS, but awareness helps.

As I said before, there is still so little doctors really know about the cause of PCOS, and awareness is what will help women with PCOS become better educated on this disorder. Since March, I have had to deal with a lot of doctor appointments and emotions that are really hard for me to express, but I know that everything will be okay. There are millions of women who struggle with this disorder on a whole different level than myself. I am very lucky to have my wonderful husband who has been to every doctor’s appointment, and been absolutely supportive and understanding as we go along this journey together. I have also been very lucky to have supportive family and close friends who have been there to tell me it will all be okay, when I haven’t been able to tell myself that.

In honor of PCOS awareness month, there is a 5K that I will be doing on September 21st. Any family and friends who would like to register and walk with me may do so. Here is the link to the 2014 Bayou City Step Challenge to register, and my team name is Bleep the Cysts. Thank you to all of you who have registered or are planning to register to walk with me, it means more than you know. I hope this gives you some insight and information on PCOS, and please feel free to ask questions about how I manage my PCOS.

Love Always,

Amie