MEETING SUMMARY - AUGUST 19, 2000

Even though this was our very first get-together, we had ten women in attendance (three from San Antonio)! Each of us introduced ourselves and briefly shared our PCOS stories, and our group was very interactive with interjecting questions, comments and support along the way. Topics discussed included:

Insulin Metabolism
In simple terms: When we eat, the carbohydrates (simple sugars) cause our blood sugar levels to rise. The body wants to use this sugar for energy, but it needs the aid of insulin to "unlock" the door to the cell. So in response, the body releases insulin for this task. However, PCOS (acting as a sort of barrier) inhibits the insulin from being utilized by the cell, and the blood sugar levels remain high. Sensing that the blood sugar levels are still high, the body continues to release insulin. The end result is that blood sugar levels remain elevated for an extended period of time after eating. Further, prolonged exposure to high levels of insulin exacerbate PCOS symptoms and actually increase the likelihood of developing type II diabetes later in life.

Diet Links for PCOS
What is all this hoopla over low carb anyway? And just what does it have to do with insulin and diabetes? Check out the resources on our Diet Page. There you will find informative articles and links to low-carb websites which will help explain the use of a low-carb diet to control PCOS symptoms.

Foreign Adoption
We briefly discussed foreign adoption. If you are interested in adopting from Russia, a great place to get information is from FRUA. They offer some wonderful resources, and they have a local Austin chapter.

Detecting Ovulation
If you have PCOS, charting your basal body temperature (BBT) and inspecting your cervical mucus can help you determine if ovulation has occurred. Knowing when ovulation occurs, if at all, is not just a fertility concern, and having this information can help you understand what is happening inside your body. For charts, instructions and what it all means, click here.

Formal Development
Anyone interested in being part of the AustinPCOS leadership team should contact us with details of their interests and strengths. We are actively recruiting for volunteers!