Please if anyone has dealt with either of these issues, I would greatly appreciate hearing from you!!! Thanks!

Metformin is also associated with weight gain. PCOS and hypothyroidism are each associated with an activation of your sympathetic nervous system-- this is the "fight or flight" part of the autonomic or automatic nervous system. This activation can lead to difficult to control high blood pressure, higher than normal rapid resting heart rates, anxiety and sleep disturbances as well as increasing resistance to insulin which can progress to type II diabetes. The link I sent you is for an experimental procedure targeting the nerves that connect your brain and kidneys. The kidneys play a central role in regulating salt and water retention as well as the release of a hormone that causes blood vessels to constrict. Constricted blood vessels re directs blood flow away from your muscles to your insulin insensitive thanks. Normally your muscles burn excess glucose with the help of insulin spikes but this doesn't work as efficiently as insulin spikes when the blood is flowing preferentially to your core. The kidney is also loaded with millions of pressure and chemical receptors which feed information thought these nerves back up to the brain thereby chronically activating your sympathetic nervous system. It's very new and still experimental but something you may want to watch should your high blood pressure worsen-- especially since you don't tolerate meds well. The procedure involves the use of radio frequency energy delivered via a small 2 mm catheter that is inserted into your leg blood vessel and threaded up to your kidney artery. The target nerves travel in and out if your kidney via the outside if the blood vessel so the energy is applied to the inside wall if the blood vessel and this permenantly inactivates the nerves by thermal injury. It takes about 40 minutes and is done with conscious sedation. So far complications have been pretty rare-- mostly related to the arterial access site which is common for catheter based procedures like angiograms and stent placement. Like I said its new and still experimental but potentially a very important advance. Google "Renal Denervation" if you are interested in learning more.

joyce, will you see an endocrinologist please and not treat your thyroid with a family practice doctor... The hair loss sounds more like hyper than hypo to me...I've had hyper (Graves) and feel pretty strongly that treatment and medication should be in the hands of an up-to-date endo. It doesn't have to be complicated. He/she will know what to do to get things leveled out - your energy up, spirits back, your hair healthy again. If the hair loss has increased dramatically in the two weeks since you've been seen, I'd have to wonder if you were given the right med in the right dose because unless its coincidental, what you've taken seems to be having a significant effect on you and your hormones....While the hair loss is upsetting, some other things could be going on you may not notice yet, like decrease of bone density and an experienced endocrinologist will oversee all of that, all things that could be affected. Please consider getting that referral to an experienced endo. And don't panic, this will work out and the right treatment will have you back to your normal self....its going to be OK.

According to my doctor, low thyroid is easily diagnosed with a simple blood test - just ask your doctor. My carple tunnel symptoms have completely disappeared since being on thyroid medication. I also take 150 mgs. of soy isoflavones twice a day for menopause symptoms and am very happy with the results. I have lots of energy, am seldom moody or depressed, experience two or three minor, short-lived hot flashes per day and absolutely no night sweats. My only complaint is that I do not sleep well - wake up after about 3 hours of sound sleep and then sleep fitfully for the rest of the night - get up about 5:00 a.m. and sometimes earlier - know there are lots of women my age in this same predicament - but I've never been a good sleeper. I just refuse to become a "victim" of menopause - I (and not my hormones) have control of my moods, my weight, my menopause symptoms, my marriage, etc.. I am woman, hear me roar! :-) Cathleen