Misophonia Treatment with Dr. Hatch - Functional Neurologist

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(Note: I saw Dr. Hatch in June of 2018)

Last week, I spent 4 days working with Dr. Hatch and his team, receiving testing and treatments and exercises.

History on me: 42 year old, Female, Miso since childhood. Head trauma at 2 years old (26 stitches! according to my mother, yes I still have a scar that my hair covers). First real memory I was between 7 and 9, horrible reaction to a country song (I love country music now, so I don't know what it was specifically about that). For emotional traumas, well damn that could be a seriously long list but I have been lucky enough to resolve the majority of that over years of self analytical reflection, a lot of reading and choosing to be better.

I take B-complex vitamins, vitamin D3 and K, Myo-Inositol, oil of oregano and probiatics when I remember them. I have PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome), which is why I started the B complex and Myo-Inositol (I became a self guinea pig, attempting to normalize my hormonal imbalance) and found that the Myo-Inositol stopped me from the rage reaction as a side benefit, which I believe has helped with my overall Miso reactions. I do much better when I am taking it (1g per day typically and I take more when I am pms'ing/period happens) and it has been shown to assist in anxiety and depression disorders in higher doses but there is research that is currently on-going so I can't say for certain what assists me in my rage reactions will help someone else. I have found a benefit in it. Perhaps due to this though, I feel like my Miso went from a 8-9 on the scale from years ago and a 10 if you count self harming (I've been taking inositol since 2015 steadily) to a 4-6 range in the last few years, there has only been 2 of episodes of a 10 reaction in the last 3 years and it was when I did not take my inositol.

http://www.misophonia-uk.org/the-misophonia-activation-scale.html

It still causes enough issues in life though, that I wanted to do more to reduce it further or have it go into remission (my PCOS is currently in a technical remission since I actually get periods every month now) and while I know there is no known cure yet, I have hope in that direction.

Also, I am one of those happy positive people, that morning person who smiles a lot. I try to find the positive in things, laugh as much as possible and when bad shit happens, adapt into a better situation or position. I got divorced in 2014 (after a year separation and 13 years of marriage) and lost about 30 lbs. I exercise at the gym 2 times a week for sure, and want to increase it back to 5 like I was doing a year ago. I work full time and I am working on my BS degree part time. I have 1 son, 17 years old and now a senior in HS. I was in the band and orchestra in HS and love music, it's a saving grace for sure. I also have an awesome and pretty understanding boyfriend :) I sleep well in general and don't typically have a problem falling asleep. I also love naps, when I can get them which isn't nearly as often as I would like!

I tested DNA on 23andMe and I do not have the variant for Miso.

TRIGGER WARNING! Sounds will be described

Day 1 starts with the initial testing, to get the details of directly affects me. From there I spoke with Dr. Hatch and he assigned the daily treatments (2-4 per day, also had 2-3 sessions in the gyro per day) and at home exercises. I did not take my Inositol, starting on Sunday, I had wanted to have nothing interfering with what was going to happen.

Trigger situation: My bf never ever chews gum around me. Ever. But when you have a beer in Utah and you're self conscious, he had gum (I secretly believe he was attempting to see how my reactions were). I was across the room in an instant and asking him if he was ready and itching to run out the door, due his gum chewing. It was a panic and I was trying to think fast on what I should do, because of the panic. I told him as we were leaving it was bothering me and he spit it out.

Day 2 is slightly different, because you start with the treatments and re-test only those aspects that are directly related to causing issues. Improvement was seen and exercises were adjusted for the one area that did not improve.

Dr. Hatch ok'd taking the inositol, we could see if it would effect me in any way for days 3 and 4.

Trigger situation: Again, my bf was chewing gum, right next to me. I looked at him, like "seriously" but it did not make me run this time. Yes, I was hyper aware of it and it was annoying me, but it did not have that RUN  and panic reaction like the previous day.

Day 3: Repeat of  day 2 with 1 additional gyro. No exercise changes and again improvements. Took inositol that morning.

Trigger situation: And yes, again, he was at it with the gum. This time my reaction was even less. I heard it but it wasn't worth the glare because I heard it and it didn't bother me. So, that was a significant improvement in my opinion.

Day 4: Last day, repeat of day 3 with 1 less gyro. Full testing today. Review of the weeks numbers to see the changes and overall improvements.

In regards to the testing, I noticed the biggest difference from the balance with eyes closed results. My brain seems to think I am falling backwards when my eyes are closed. That sensation was a new one to comprehend what was going on, which I believe is helpful because I feel that awareness makes it easier to make corrections and improvements in general.

(slight trigger warning)
We ate out the whole week and since it was a pseudo vacation I was eating what I wanted :) , went swimming in the mornings since I had afternoon appointments and was asleep usually by 8:30pm (2 hour time difference from where I live). Went to Moab on Thursday after I was done with Dr. Hatch. Drove to Denver Saturday morning (Went to the Comic Con in Denver) and flew back to Maryland on Sunday and oh can I say that was a guy that literally snored the entire flight home, 3+ hours, behind me 1 row and over 1 seat. It was hilarious and I am lucky that sound is not one of my triggers in general. I did bring headphones with me just in case but did not need them the entire trip.

I have been pretty on for doing my exercises, minus the issues with travel times and overall pure exhaustion from the travel.

Inositol - For PCOS

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So I have been reading a lot of blogs and forums about PCOS and what other people are taking, (right now my Dr. has me on Metformin 500 g once a day) and as I am pretty much a modern hippy (ie, I like all natural and organic things whenever possible) I wanted to see what others were doing.

Since I will be on vacation soon and not really to deal with the side effects of Metformin, I am switching over to Inositol for the next couple weeks and see if I can progress in my weight loss and to see if it's side effects are the same/better/worse than Metformins. I plan on take 1,000 to start and increasing it as I go and see how I feel :) I am also drinking more teas, specifically: Red Clover, Chasteberry and Raspberry Leaf. All of which are good for your hormones balancing and whatnot :)


Here's a great article about Inositol (source: http://www.fertilethoughts.com/forums/pcos-diabetes/379227-inositol-pcos-article.html) I highlighted things I thought important in blue

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Inositol and PCOS (article)
Inositol may be important for PCOS women for at least three reasons:

* It may aid insulin action and thus reduce insulin resistance.

* It may help to relieve depression, which is common in polycystic ovary syndrome.

* It helps your liver to metabolize fat.

Inositol is a compound that has nine different forms. The most well-known and nutritionally active form is "myo-inositol", which most people simply refer to as "inositol". It is a necessary component of the membranes of your cells and is vital to many biological processes in your body. It is a precursor to a number of essential "signaling molecules" that instruct cells how to behave.

Some of inositol's signaling is related to activation of serotonin receptors, which could relieve depression and improve appetite balance. Serotonin is a brain chemical with several important functions in the body, including mood and appetite regulation.

Inositol is also a fat-solublizing agent that helps to transport fat from the liver.For those overweight PCOS women who may have a problem with fatty liver congestion, inositol can be helpful.

Although inositol is widely thought of as a member of the B-vitamin family, it is technically not a vitamin because the body can manufacture inositol and is not required to get it from the diet.

Where Does Inositol Come From?

Bacteria in your intestines convert the phytic acid found in plant fibers into inositol, so your body is able to manufacture its own supply of inositol. Phytic acid can be found in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains and nuts.

You can also obtain dietary inositol from animal foods such as beef heart, beef liver and eggs.

Average dietary intake of inositol is about one gram daily. Dietary intake of inositol can influence the levels of inositol in the body and thus may influence biological activities. Inositol supplements may affect behavior and may have anti-depressant and anti-anxiety activities.

D-Chiro Inositol
Another naturally occurring form of inositol is d-chiro-inositol, which has been found to have activity against insulin resistance. However, d-chiro-inositol is not commercially available either as a drug or as a supplement.

It is found in legumes and especially in buckwheat. Consumption of buckwheat concentrate appears to reduce excessively high blood sugar levels and reduce the excretion of d-chiro-inositol in diabetic rats.(1)


D-Chiro Inositol and PCOS

You may have heard that d-chiro-inositol helps to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome. It is thought that it does this by improving insulin sensitivity.

Recent studies have suggested that women with PCOS may have insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia due to a d-chiro inositol deficiency. D-chiro-inositol has been shown to influence the action of insulin. The amount of chiro-inositol in muscle has been shown to be lower in subjects with type 2 diabetes than in normal people.

A study from the Medical College of Virginia found that 1200 mg. of d-chiro-inositol daily had multiple beneficial effects in the treatment of 22 overweight PCOS women.(2) Not only did it improve the action of insulin, but 86% of the women ovulated during treatment with d-chiro-inositol compared to only 27% in the placebo group. Serum androgen (male hormone) and ovarian androgen production also decreased in the treatment group.

Another study showed similar results in lean PCOS women.(3)

However, there's one big problem: D-chiro-inositol is not commercially available, either as a drug or as a nutritional supplement. (side note, this is now available, you can google it and find it! But it's sorta expensive)

Inositol and PCOS
Since d-chiro inositol is not available, what about ordinary inositol, which is readily available as a nutritional supplement? A recent study suggests that common inositol may be helpful for PCOS and polycystic ovaries.(4)

In this study at the University of Perugia in Italy, 136 PCOS women took inositol (100 mg., twice daily) for 14 weeks. Another group of PCOS women took placebo pills.

The ovulation frequency was significantly higher in the treated group (23%) compared with the placebo (13%). The time in which the first ovulation occurred was significantly shorter (23.6 days) compared with 41.8 days for the placebo group. The number of patients failing to ovulate was higher in the placebo group.

The effect of inositol on follicular maturation was rapid. Also, significant weight loss (and leptin reduction) was recorded in the inositol group, whereas in the placebo group had an increase in weight.

This study suggests a beneficial effect of inositol in improving ovarian function in women with irregular cycles and polycystic ovaries.

Precautions

There are no contraindications for inositol. Inositol supplementation is generally well tolerated. Gastrointestinal effects such as nausea or diarrhea are occasionally reported with high doses. No toxicity has been reported. (Well, I get that anyways with Metformin)

Due to a lack of long-term safety data, inositol should be avoided by pregnant women and nursing mothers. Also, one review article suggested that inositol may stimulate uterine contractions, although no research has demonstrated that inositol actually has this effect.

It's theoretically possible that inositol could worsen hypomanic or manic symptoms of bipolar disorder, so people with this condition should check with their doctor before using supplemental inositol.

Theoretically, high-dose inositol may increase the effects of anti-depressant selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI drugs) such as fluoxetine sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine and citalopram, and with 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonists, such as sumatriptan. If you are taking anti-depressant drugs, consult with your doctor before taking supplemental inositol.

Dosage

According to the study we cited above, PCOS women appeared to get some benefit from a dose of only 200 mg. daily, which is a very moderate amount. Some doctors may recommend 500 mg. twice daily. In contrast, as much as 12 grams (12,000 mg.) has been used in studies to treat depression or panic attacks.

200 - 1,000 mg. per day for PCOS appears to be safe. A considerably higher dose may be appropriate in some situations, but consult with your physician as to how much more you should take. (I have seen other articles and studies where the amount calls for 2,000-4,000 mg. I suggest you do additional research and see what's best for you! )

Inositol is available either in capsules, tablets or in powder form. You can obtain high quality inositol from our PCOS Supplements Store.

Sources:

(1) Kawa, JM et al, Buckwheat concentrate reduces serum glucose in streptozotocin-diabetic rats, J Agric Food Chem. 2003 Dec 3;51(25):7287-91.

(2) Nestler, JE et al, Ovulatory and metabolic effects of D-chiro-inositol in the polycystic ovary syndrome, Engl J Med. 1999 Apr 29;340(17):1314-20.

(3) Iuorno, MJ et al, Effects of d-chiro-inositol in lean women with the polycystic ovary syndrome, Endocr Pract. 2002 Nov-Dec;8(6):417-23.

(4) Gerli S et al, Effects of inositol on ovarian function and metabolic factors in women with PCOS: a randomized double blind placebo-controlled trial, Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci. 2003 Nov-Dec;7(6):151-9

http://www.ovarian-cysts-pcos.com/inositol.html

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Another quick list of benefits:

Benefits of Myo-Inositol (source: http://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php?279619-Myo-inositol-%28not-d-chiro%29-for-pcos)

*Encourges Ovulation in women with absent or irregular menstrual cycles with PCOS

*Decreases Leptin, and helps with Wieght loss in PCOS

*Improves Mood, and can help depression according to studies

*It is really good for your liver

*helps hirsutism

* decreses androgens

*helps Insulin Resistance

*decreases acne

*Lowers total and free testosterone levels

*Improves quality of eggs

Some info on Inositol from Soulcysters.net

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http://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php?306396-DCI-D-Chiro-Inositol-WOW-Part-4&highlight=Inositol+side+effects

Benefits of Myo-Inositol


*Encourges Ovulation in women with absent or irregular menstrual cycles with PCOS

*Decreases Leptin, and helps with Wieght loss in PCOS

*Improves Mood, and can help depression according to studies

*It is really good for your liver

*helps hirsutism

* decreses androgens

*helps Insulin Resistance

*decreases acne

*Lowers total and free testosterone levels

*Improves quality of eggs



Testamonials and threads on Myo-Inositol (there are more on soulcysters.net, but you need to check them out!)

http://forums.obgyn.net/pcos/PCOS.0004/0625.html

What is the best dose for Myo-Inositol?

The studies seem to be based on 2,000 mg or 4,000 mg. While there was one study on 200 mg, I recomend the 2 or 4,ooo mg dose for extra insurance that you will get all the benefits of Myo-I. Starting with 1,000 mg and gradually working your way up to the dose you choose is a good way to do it.

If your BMI is above 37, you will probably need higher doses than 4,000 mg.

Where can I purchase Myo-Inositol?

Myo-Inositol is the fancy name for regular old Inositol supplements, which can be purchased usually at health food and supplement stores, along with online stores. My favorite right now is iherb.com, but Vitacost.com, and luckyvitamin.com are also great

It is available in powder or capsule form. I take powder form, and just swallow water on top. It is not hard to take, it is a sweet powder! Much easier than swallow tons of pills, and cheaper too.

(there are more on soulcysters.net, but you need to check them out!)
http://www.vitacost.com/Twinlab-Inositol-Caps

http://www.vitacost.com/Source-Naturals-Inositol-Powder

http://www.luckyvitamin.com/item/itemKey/49500

How do I take Myo-Inositol? 


It is recomended to spread your Myo-I into at least 2 doses, and 3 if possible. Take it 45 minutes to 1 hour before eating on an empty stomach Inositol is water soulable, so drink it with water. I just place the sweet powder on my tounge sometimes, and drink down a nice amount of water. The Myo-I just melts in my mouth! As with DCI, Caffiene Kills MYo- Inositol, and also depletes your Inositol stores in your body.

Should I take both Myo-Inositol and D-chiro Inositol or just one of them? 


That is your personal choice, of course. They both have similar results in the studies, and they are both from the inositol family. However I think taking both of them could give you the best results? Myo-Inositol has been proven to help with Wieght loss, and D-chiro Inositol helps with Waist-to-hip ratio. So they both have their special things they do. They both help with Ovulation, lowering testosterone, ect. Myo-Inositol has helped my skin, and is proven to help ance and hair growth.

Alot of poeple are just taking D-chiro Inositol with good results, but a few of us take both Myo-I and DCI. Reading the clinical studies might help you make a decision also.

For myself, I take both D-chiro Inositol and Myo-Inositol. I had been on DCI for a few months, and added in the Myo-Inositol recently and I found additional benefits adding Myo-Insoitol to my regime!

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Will be researching for side effects of it tomorrow :)

Nioxin - For Thinning Hair

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Ok, so I purchased some of this based on it working for others on http://www.soulcysters.net/ in the hopes that it will ACTUALLY work.

Because let me tell, thinning and male pattern balding is the most Depressing.Thing.Ever

For the last few years, my widow peaks (is that even the correct term) were noticeably going bald and I thought it was because I always kept my hair in a pony tail. So, I've been trying to do that less and even got bangs to see if it could help hide that.

Then I got diagnosed with PCOS and found that is one of the symptoms (one of many that I have and didn't realize it - so very sad) and was prescribed Metformin. Well, then my hair thinning got worse because now you can see my scalp through my bangs and front part of my head. This equals = DEPRESSION for me, because damn, I only a few assets and one of those is my pretty long brown wavy hair. UGH.

Seriously, I was pulling handfuls of hair out during my shower - gross AND depressing. Not to mention it's no fun cleaning out the drain every week :(

So, I started reading and researching (shock) and saw that some people had success with Nioxin and Biotin (a supplement) and also that Metformin can cause your B vitamins to run away from the scary med. B Vitamins are SUPER important for hair and nails.

I promptly ordered 'B-Healthy' from Answers From Nature (who has, btw, the best stuff ever!). And waited for that to come in. (which was super freaking fast!!)

I also ordered Nioxin from Amazon.com. I went to Nioxin's website (here) and was able to do a web chat and ask some questions - like:

"Does this work for women with PCOS" YES

"How long does it take for women with PCOS" 2-3 Months (as compared to about 1 month for women without PCOS)

I did their little on line questionnaire to help determine which one to pick and then headed over to Amazon.com to see what they had (btw, I LOVE shopping of Amazon because it's easy and they usually have things I want and need).

I had thought about ordering the starter kit, but like I said I have LONG hair and that usually consume more shampoo and conditioner than short (when wet it goes to my lower back). So I ordered the following:


Nioxin Cleanser, System 2 (Fine/Untreated/Noticeably Thinning) 8.5 Oz

Nioxin Scalp Therapy (this is conditioner), System 2 (Fine/Untreated/Noticeably Thinning) 8.5 Oz

Nioxin System 2 Scalp Treatment (this is a foam) 6.8 Oz














So, once these came in (this is before I started taking my new B Healthy vitamins, they came in before but I like to start off a new week with all my vitamins in order - am OCD like that!) I checked my hair and should have taken a picture - but that itself was depressing and so if I did notice changes I didn't want to be reminded of my balding head.

Well, let me tell you.

I wash my hair daily. I use the cleanser, rinse, use the conditioner and basically paste it in focusing on my front scalp and sides and then doing the rest of my scalp and hair. I leave it in for a good 3 or more minutes (I brush my teeth, then wash face and body) and then rinse it out.

I use the Scalp Treatment (the foam) using every other day. Because, damn that stuff is like super freaking hold mousse! Those days I just usually keep my hair back!

Within the first 1.5 weeks (WEEKS not MONTHS) I saw little baby hairs growing in! NO SHIT. I showed my coworker (who also has PCOS and thinning hair) and she had seen it before I started using this stuff! She saw the difference (YEAH! It was NOT my imagination!!).

My left balding spot was doing better so I made sure the next few days to focus on both more. Now my right balding spot has hairs growing in! AND my bangs area also has fine little hairs! OH MY FUCKING GOD - THIS STUFF WORKS!

Can we say ELATED!!!

So, this is working, I don't care that it's expensive as shit because THIS IS MY FUCKING HAIR!!! And Self Esteem.

I decided to buy some Biotin supplements, (also from Amazon) because one of the ingredients in Nioxin is Biotin and you know what? I think it couldn't hurt! And I am hoping that if I ever can't afford this shampoo/conditioner/foam, then at least I should have something else going on!

I have started my B-Healthy vitamins as well. Yeah!!

Life is finally starting to get a little bit better!

Cramping My Style

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Cramps, oh how I love thee and despise thee.

Cramps, you difficult bitch, thanks for the morning wake up call.

So, yeah as you can see my period is starting to get more friendly with me because she's a complete and utter whore who seems to think my poor uterus is her horrific playground.

Sorry, I didn't get as much sleep as usual last night and I think my brain is still working on fumes. Coffee has yet to really impact my blood stream and what blood I have is starting to leak out of me. Oh the fucking joys of the menstrual cycle.

But the upside of this? This is something like 6 months in a row of me getting my period - which is practically unheard of with me previously (stupid PCOS crap). I attribute some of it to losing weight, less stupidity/stress in my life and maybe my hormones are just starting to behave slightly normally. And the really possibly cool upside - if I'm getting my period, that POSSIBLY means I could at some point get pregnant. Of course, that would be later on, once I am divorced AND with someone for a while!! But it's nice to know that if I/we wanted a kid, it's a possibility. A better one than in years passed when my stupid period hated me. If I get to that point, of course I will see the Dr before even thinking of trying, just to make sure I still don't have those lovely cysts choking my ovaries. That's even if at that point in time I/we want kids. I might just be happy with how things are. Who knows! I'm shutting this part of my brain off now...

Diva Cup - My Period (PCOS) and probably a TMI post

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So, I have been using Soft Cups for a while now, about 3 years or so and was on the fence about going the route of the Diva Cup (or something similar). I saw a post in one of the PCOS groups I'm part of on facebook and finally moved the item from my saved for later list to the cart and checked out. It arrived 2 days before my period started (score!).

One cool thing I did not realize is that it has measurements on the size, ml and ounces. Which then made me turn to Google to see how much the average women bleeds during her period. The answer, typically 30 ml (1 ounce) but can range from 10 to 80 ml. So, when I filled up the cup (15 ml) the 1st day, I was like - damn! Add another almost 7.5 (ok, let's say 7.5 ml due to all spillage, leakage, etc) for the hours after work and before bed, because I had changed it out again, before the cup was in for the night. I had almost another full 15 ml again this morning. DAMN. So, my normal period in the first 24 hours is MORE as the average woman's 5 day period! No fucking wonder I get so tired!!!

Now yesterday, day 1, I did drink a lot of my Moon Day tea and Organic Ginger tea (3 cups of each). They both are really good for flushing your system and helping your uterus out. I will be doing the same today. My periods are usually about 3 days long now. Which is a lot shorter than they were in the past. No need to go into all those gory details!

Because of PCOS, I take Pregnitude (and no, I am not TTC (trying to conceive) I am pretty sure that ship sailed!!) because it comes in this nice little packets that contain 2 grams of Myo-Inositol. I take 2 packets a day. Sometimes 1 at a time and sometimes both at once.

From my pcos-information-herbs-and-supplements page:

Myo-Inositol " Encourges Ovulation in women with absent or irregular menstrual cycles with PCOS. Decreases Leptin, and helps with Wieght loss in PCOS. Improves Mood, and can help depression according to studies. It is really good for your liver. Helps hirsutism. Decreases androgens. Helps Insulin Resistance. Decreases acne. Lowers total and free testosterone levels. Improves quality of eggs."

For me, I take it for the mood, liver (I have a fatty liver, stupid body), IR and helps with my minor hisutism (and by minor, I mean that I pluck every day let's say 10 little stupid hairs off my neck/upper lip/chin or wherever facial area). I have not experienced any weight loss with this. But I REALLY like it. I am not some angry pissed off freak of a monster with hormones raging all through me. Yay no jail time ;)

I also take progesterone cream - "can help to supplement your body’s own progesterone levels and lead you back to a state of natural balance."

Because those of us with PCOS are typically LOW on this. Ha, Google low progesterone and PCOS and you will see a lot of info out there.

One of the things I've read is that it helps your uterine lining shed more, which is important because a thick uterine wall is one of those "things" that gets associated with cancer. And with my family genetics, I need to be aware of shit like that. My grandmother on my Dad's side had Ovarian cancer.

So I am happy to know how much I am shedding, at least to some degree, by using this Diva cup. Of course, I could still have a thick wall but some things I just can't help. I know that when I was about 19 I saw an OBGYN for a pap and she had said my was thicker than normal, like I had already had a kid (which was a negative in that!) and I've always remembered that comment because I thought it was a bit unusual.

I have this learning curve with the Diva cup, which I knew would happen. As long as I can get this thing down either this cycle or the next one or 2 I will be happy. It's a better long term solution for my period and better for the environment. No major leakage thankfully, just minor tweaks so far.

I seem to rotate what I am taking for my PCOS, depending on what I need at that moment...and also because it's good to change things up every now again, you know, get off that plateau and shift the scenery.

Oh and did you know? That when you get a cramp during your period, it's your uterus contracting, like it does in childbirth? Uh huh. I get back pains with my period as well as cramps and it wasn't until last night that I realized, NO WONDER I had back labor with my son!! Ahahahahahaha. I knew cramps were muscles, well, cramping, but for whatever reason I didn't think of my uterus doing gymnastics was my period as such.