Today on the latest podcast for "Living with PCOS," we had a very special guest. Kim Chicchi of Pittsburgh, PA discussed her battle with PCOS and what she is doing to help alleviate some of her PCOS symptoms. Kim discussed how using a Vegan diet, and incorporating raw foods into her diet, has helped to lower her cholesterol and had helped her lose some of the weight she has gained over the years due to her PCOS. She even provided a great recipe for strawberry pie!

To hear the interview, please feel free to listen to it on the Talkshoe badge located on this blog, or head over to Talkshoe.com.

Our next "Living with PCOS" will be on Saturday, February 9th at 3pm. Feel free to join in!

"Living with PCOS" has scheduled its latest podcast for January 12th, 2008 at 9am.

First "Living with PCOS" TalkCast is recorded

Last weekend, June 16, 2007, we had our very first "Living with PCOS" TalkCast. It is recorded on TalkShoe.com and anyone can listen in to the recording. Just search for PCOS on the webpage and it should bring you right to my TalkCast. This first TalkCast lasted for about 15 minutes and was just a nice way to start off these monthly support meetings. I'm planning to have them on the third Saturday of every month unless there is a scheduling conflict.

My intent is to post to the different PCOS forums to see about drumming up some interest in this online support group. I do hope that it takes off because I'd love to talk to other women (and their significant others) about PCOS, how they are handling it, the good, the bad, the ugly...the whole nine yards.

Any help in getting the word out so we have some participation is always appreciated. The next scheduled "Living with PCOS" TalkCast is on July 21, 2007 at 9am.

New Support Group for Cysters

My name is Deirdra and I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) in 1996. I've spent a lot of time over the years doing research on PCOS since my doctors never seem to have any decent information of their own. I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination.

At one point, I was the Vice President of my local chapter of PCOSA but bowed out (I think gracefully) because I didn't like where the group's focus was headed. Not that it was headed anywhere horrible-it is just that others in the group wanted it to be a sort of "coffee klatch" instead of an organized resource for PCOS in the Pittsburgh area. Nothing wrong with that-just not what I was looking for out of a support group at the time-especially when being on the board of the support group.

I've been getting very active with Podcasting-especially on TalkShoe.com. I have a number of "TalkCasts" (as they are called on TalkShoe.com) already going-most concern my business, MAKK Strategies. But I have started a few personal ones, such as one on bad customer service (I have a blog on here that coincides with that podcast).

I decided to start the Living with PCOS TalkCast because it is something that is very near and dear to me-living with it every day of my life for the last 11 years. My hope is that this TalkCast becomes very interactive and can be a true online support group for "cysters" both locally in Pittsburgh and around the world. I'm not going to dispense any sort of medical advice (especially since I'm not a doctor)-just want to talk to and discuss information with other "cysters".

Here is some information on when and how to join the TalkCast:

The first one is going to be on Saturday, June 16th, 2007 at 9am. Not sure if it will stay at that time, guess it will depend on who is able to participate then. I'm thinking I will have them monthly for now-but if people are interested, we might eventually do them weekly or bi-weekly.

Here are the directions to join in:

Directions to call in to the PCOS TalkCast: Prior to the interview, you will need to sign up for an account with TalkShoe. Just go to www.talkshoe.com and hit the white “sign up” button. To fully participate (talk, listen, & chat), you will need to Sign Up as a TalkShoe member, create a 10-digit PIN, and download the TalkShoe Live software.*

Find the Living with PCOS TalkCast (TalkCast ID: 34281) and click its name or photo icon. From the Talkcast page, click the Purple Talk button which launches the TalkShoe Live software. From this software, you can chat online and hear the audio of the Talkcast. If you want to talk via telephone, use your phone to call 724-444-7444 and follow the audio instructions.

*You can choose to only talk and not launch the TalkShoe Live software. This gives you the ability to join Talkcasts from anywhere! You still must become a member, and create a 10-digit PIN. But, you do not need to download the TalkShoe Live software, or be at your computer when dialing in.

You don't need to download anything if you don't want to be able to text chat. But you do need to register on the site in order to be able to call in and participate. They don't ask for tons of info.

Hope to see and hear all you "cysters" out there on my TalkCast!!