"I’m finding this very hard to write as I don’t recognise myself as the same person who was so desperate in the summer of 2006. My life has changed completely for the better. I no longer wish I could fall asleep and never wake up, I no longer cry because I’m so exhausted I ache all over, I no longer cower at home, scared of going out because I’m so fat and self-conscious.

"From my diary I can see how far I have come. In June 2006 I listed my symptoms as :

weight gain – 5 stone in a year and a half despite low calorie diet and exercise , loss of head hair , extra hair everywhere else , acne , insomnia , exhaustion , severe eczema , headaches , tinnitus , dizziness/faintness , heart palpitations , severe stress , nightmares , damaged knee cartilage and arthritis due to excess weight and over-use

"Over the course of 14 years, I had complained of these symptoms to several GPs who had dismissed my concerns as “women’s problems” or worse still misdiagnosed them (depression, glandular fever, M.E./chronic fatigue, STIs) and I’d been accused of lying about the amount I ate and the amount of exercise I did. The attitude of my GPs left me feeling guilty and hopeless. Despite all the symptoms I had, none of them were willing to do anything for me, and I felt like I was wasting their time whenever I made an appointment to discuss my concerns with them. Even when a GP did finally diagnose me with PCOS, he said there was no treatment for me and that the only way I could feel better was by losing weight.

"Professor Farid was recommended to me by two people so I decided to make an appointment to see him. I was extremely nervous travelling to London to see him, as I thought he would just treat me with the same contempt my GPs had shown me, and I was worried it would be a huge waste of money. I couldn’t have been more wrong, and I cried with relief at the end of the appointment. For the first time I felt like a doctor really listened to me and didn’t judge me the moment I walked in his room. He was concerned, sympathetic and encouraging .

"Prof. Farid prescribed Metformin slow release 500 mgs, building up over 3 weeks to a final dose of 500 mgs three times a day. Metformin has had a huge impact on my quality of life. I used to have a “foggy head” and I found it hard to concentrate and think clearly, but that has gone completely. My boyfriend noticed an improvement in my mood and energy levels within a month of starting the treatment, and I started to notice the improvement within 2 months. Flutamide, a testosterone receptor blocker introduced at a dose of 62.5 mgs/day, has also helped, I found that it helped me to sleep more easily, that I felt less aggressive and angry than before, and my nightmares stopped. My head hair has stopped falling out (indeed it’s starting to thicken up again thanks to some supplements I’ve been taking!), and I’ve noticed a significant reduction in unwanted hair elsewhere on my body.

"It’s been just over a year and a half since I first saw Prof. Farid, and I have now lost about 3.5 stone (22kg). I’ve dropped 3 dress sizes. I go out with friends, I buy clothes from normal high street shops, I’m not embarrassed to be seen in public. I still have a way to go with my weight loss before I’m back to where I was in 1992 when I first saw a GP complaining of these symptoms, but I know I can, and will, get there. My energy levels are through the roof, I walk, I visit friends, I stay up past 9pm on a work night! My mood has improved as well, I feel more confident and positive about life, like a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders.

"People at work keep complimenting me on my weight loss and asking my secret. It’s always amusing to see their reaction when I tell them that I’m eating more and exercising less than before! I tend to be careful about what I eat, I stay away from sugary foods as much as possible and I don’t overeat. I would say that I eat normally now, whereas before I didn’t eat anywhere near enough. My knee is a lot better now some weight has gone, and I’m able to go for walks with friends, visit foreign cities and wander aimlessly for hours and climb flights of stairs without needing painkillers.

"In 18 months my life has turned around. From feeling helpless and hopeless in 2006, I’m now planning a future and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. I’m loving socialising, shopping and being with people again. I have been so impressed with my improvement that I recommended my aunt see Prof Farid, and she is now improving as well after two decades of unsuccessful treatment elsewhere. Yes, a low-GI diet can be difficult to follow at times, and yes there are times I don’t want to exercise and yes there are times when I fall into temptation and indulge in the odd piece of cake, but I can’t stress how much better I feel. Low GI healthy eating, exercise and the right medication have contributed to turning my life around – and no matter how much I grumble about wanting chocolate, it really has been worth all the effort."