Well guys, I hate to admit it but the last month has been a bit crazy and I just thought I'd give you an update so far:
I took Tri-Sprintec for one month, had my period like normal with no other negative symptoms. The only difference I could see is that I did feel like my hormones may have leveled because I was not like an emotional rollercoaster. But I decided to not take it anymore.. like I have said before I wanted to try to go a more natural way. I didn't want synthetic hormones doing the work for my body. I want my body to learn how to use them on it's own! So this past month I have been birth control free. My emotions are back. All of them! My period is late, which I guess I had to expect. (Although, I was crossing my fingers it would be normal!) I know one month is hardly any time at all to see results, but for some reason I am just completely turned off by birth control. It just doesn't feel right for me, so I am listening to myself in hopes I am right.
I also took D-chiro-inositol (DCI) and Vitex while taking birth control. I am fairly certain that DCI helped a lot with bloating. I didn't feel bloated hardly ever. Before, anything I ate made me feel five pounds heavier and it was awful. I am not sure about the Vitex yet, but I read that it is supposed to help with fertility and may increase the risk of pregnancy even while on birth control (which is not necessarily a risk for me, but I'm not quite ready for kids yet :)), so I quit taking it while I finished my birth control and now I am back on it. I have to order more DCI, so I haven't been taking it faithfully the last few weeks.
So here's the other thing: I have started to be more active, going to the gym and trying to be up and moving more so I have made some progress there but there is definitely much further to go! I've had my hit and miss days, but I KNOW I feel so much better when I get a workout in.
Then there is the diet*. Guys. This is the hard part for me. Why do I love food so much? Sigh... I have definitely consumed less carbs, and so that I think has helped with the bloating. I've noticed that when I have too many, I feel gross! So I do know it has an impact on me. Sugar.... not so much. I have a major sweet tooth. Major!
It sounds silly, but food has always been a huge part of my life. I love food, and I want it to be yummy food. I love veggies. I love fruit. But I also love cake, and pizza, and rolls... I know food is for nourishment, not entertainment or for self-gratification but that is what it has been in the past for me and I am finding it extremely difficult to change! I don't mean to say any of that as a pity party, and even I know I have the willpower to change. I am just going through the battle in my mind. Is it better to completely cut things off or is it better to allow yourself an indulgence once in awhile?
Anyway, so that is the update on how things have been so far! I am grateful for the little progress I have seen, which really isn't much, but it's there and I have to notice them to keep me positive! :)
*Sidenote: When I say "diet" I mean my day to day food intake. I hate using the term I am on a "diet" because it makes it sound temporary. I am not in this temporarily! I think that is why it is hard for me to say I will never have cake or pizza again, because I KNOW I will! :)
