multiple positive OPKs - TMI warning!

[atomic sagebrush]

PCOS 100% for sure is notorious for multiple pos OPK. I think it's the PCOS personally.

Exercising for DH is a conundrum because it also heats up the nutsack and sways pink that way, regardless of testosterone.

Generally as I'm sure you're aware, DW doesn't take the licorice because it may raise estrogen. Use your judgement.

[fresas]

RF, I think I'm going to have to sign up with FF! But, probably next month because my temping has not been very good this cycle. Thank you for letting me know about that tool. Are you still having weird OPKs with the vitex?

AS, thanks for the insight. I was thinking about taking licorice root to see if I can't get my estrogen a little bit higher since I'm still fairly symptomatic of PCOS even with the metformin, SP, and vitex.

I haven't had a positive OPK yet this cycle. Yesterday I think I had a pretty close to positive, but I don't think it was.

CM and CP are relatively fertile feeling, though.

We DTD with the Sylk today. No UTI feelings at all although it did raise my pH from where it normally is (4.5) to a 6.0. Then in combination with orgasm, but pH went up to 7.0. I decided to use repHresh for the first time today and my pH went down to 4.5 right away. I tested my pH about 3 hours later at it was around 4.5 still. It also seemed to dry me up almost instantly. I don't know if the CM will still be dry later, but for now, I'm pretty dry.

[atomic sagebrush]

fresas, it is my understanding that PCOS generally means HIGHER estrogen??? like, licorice root would not only be bad for your sway, but bad for the PCOS too...

[fresas]

I got a positive OPK today. I have to use FF next cycle!

PCOS is usually associated with high testosterone levels. That is why PCOS girls have so many male-like issues like excessive body and facial hair growth, weight gain, male pattern baldness, acne, oily skin, etc.

I think this is why SP and the vitex (licorice root and peony, too) are some of the most recommended homeopathic treatments for PCOS because they tend to have an estrogenic effect on PCOS.

I guess it is hypothesized that because of the testosterone "dominance", the testosterone depletes or dominates normal levels of estrogen or does not allow the body to convert other hormones to estrogen like it did before PCOS/testosterone overload. The testosterone also negatively affects progesterone levels and other sex hormones involved in the menstrual cycle. The testosterone basically causes deficiencies with all normal female hormones.

Estrogen cannot be measured as well in a blood test like testosterone can be so it is hard to determine if a woman does not have enough estrogen. I think that is why I think PCOS focuses so much on testosterone. PCOS can be diagnosed without a sonogram because the symptoms are so male-friendly.

[atomic sagebrush]

I understand about the PCOS and the testosterone, it's just that I have read (repeatedly including in some textbooks I have) that high estrogen is also an issue with PCOS and I just want you to be careful with the licorice root because of that.

The combo of white peony and licorice works together somehow to counteract that, I am just not sure if the LR alone is a good idea. use your own judgement of course.

have you looked into DIM at all???

[fresas]

Oh, I'm sorry! I misunderstood. That happens a lot with me.

The only symptom of possibly estrogen dominance is my body type, but I have always had this body type. Maybe I have always had estrogen dominance.

I have never heard of DIM. I was reading about it though! It sounds like something I should consider. I'm guessing I would have to drop the vitex and SP so I can let the DIM do its thing? I don't know that DIM would be good for a girl sway, but who knows. Maybe correcting my estrogen levels would help in general.

I can't seem to find peony in any other form besides tea in the US. I have seen some girls order the peony from China, but otherwise it seems hard to find.

I have also been considering getting d-chiro inositol. I think I can take that with metformin, but I haven't found anything to support my idea.

Back to the OPKs, I haven't had a positive one since that initial one, but this is how last cycle was going, too. I had a lot of mid-cycle bleeding which I haven't had in a while. I'm not sure if the repHresh irritated my cervix, but I spotted for 2 days. It kept my pH around a 5 during ovulation (or what I suspect was ovulation) and didn't have too much weird discharge, just the bleeding. I also stopped checking the CP after the spotting because I figured that would probably just irritate the cervix more. I had some EWCM also.

[rainbowflower]

vitex is the one that corrects oestrogen dominance - perhaps stick with that?

[atomic sagebrush]

You can take DIM with SP and in fact some blends are sold with both of them together for PCOS ladies. There was not a lot of info about DIM and vitex and so I can't say either way on that.

The DIM is something I have looked into adding for a sway supp almost from day one, but I just feel like we don't have enough info yet. My gut instinct tells me it would be good for pink swayers but the way the hormones sometimes work together isn't entirely predictable. I do think it's a good option to try and better than the LR alone.

Do you think the SP could be acting as a blood thinner and either causing bleeding from your cervix (at ovulation, your cervix is very soft and prone to getting scratched or injured) or else an increase in ovulation spotting?? Cran and baby aspirin can also do this.

[fresas]

Thanks RF! I think you are right.

Atomic,

I was wondering the same about the SP. I had surgery last year and had to stop taking it because it can cause excessive bleeding. It would be kind of weird if it was the SP because I haven't had that type of spotting in over a year and have been taking SP for probably close to a year.

I'm not taking any cranberry or baby aspirin right now.

I ordered the DIM and the d-chiro inositol today. I will probably continue to take the vitex and SP as well. I can report back on both as far as pH and reduction in PCOS symptoms. If we really do have an official sway someday, I can report on the sex of the baby and using these supplements, too.

OPK test line was pretty dark, almost positive looking, but I don't think it was. I'm pretty sure I had my positive on CD 11. We'll see about the next few days.

[atomic sagebrush]

The human body is a weird thing, esp. with clotting stuff, because it's all about the balance and sometimes your body just doesn't get it quite right. Even with things you're pretty used to - like people can take aspirin for years safely, and then one day develop an ulcer from it.