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Any similiar experiences? I need a PCOS buddy!
I'm going to tell you my story, and I would really like to hear from anyone who has had similar experiences. I have always had acne since about grade 7. My periods started getting kind of wacky, and when I was 18 I started noticing hair growing on my lower stomach. I immediately freaked out! (Like any other normal woman would) and went to every possible doctor I could. I was even having very intense pains running down my inner thigh coming from my lower abdominals. I saw one doctor who suggested to me that I may have PCOS. I was living down south and I came back home. I went to see my doctor here because I was also having very disheartening emotional problems (depression and anxiety). She started me on Diane -35 (birth control) to lower my androgens and suggested I start taking spironolactone. I only started taking the birth control pills and within 3 or 4 months of starting it I was so depressed and anxiety ridden that I had to stop taking the pill. I immediately noticed a difference in my moods improving (but not completely) and I knew then that I was going to have to find an alternative option to the birth control pill. I went to my doctor numerous times as the hair kept growing and spreading. I have had my hormones all tested many times and I have elevated male hormones but they are not outside of the normal range. WELL HOW COULD I BE GROWING HAIR ON MY STOMACH IF MY LEVELS WERE NORMAL? My doctor told me "some women are harrier, your background could contribute to it.... by the way I'm German and I didn’t know they were supposed to be sasquatches) I kept asking for more tests though and my triglycerides were high, and prolactin was high. Meanwhile, I’m not on any pills and I am completely frustrated! Not to mention the anxiety and moods/depression that I still live with everyday. I started having laser hair treatments. I bought a book on how to treat PCOS with natural health. I asked to be tested for insulin resistance (which is linked to PCOS) and my results were inconclusive, and apparently I had a test which rarely even shows insulin resistance. I finally got a new doctor, who FINALLY booked me for an ultrasound (I’m 22 now). I got it done, and what do you know!!! I have one abnormally large cyst on my left ovary and small cysts covering both of them. AND after all that time, I finally find out what’s actually happening to me. But they still haven’t been able to help me. They just keep trying to prescribe me medications! Do you want Diane 35? No, my body can’t handle it for some reason. Do you want to take spironolactone? No, Id rather not take a diuretic, or chance what happened when I took Diane 35 for the first time. So doctor, what does this mean for me? Do I have PCOS? Am I insulin resistant? Will I be infertile? Doctor: just because you have cysts doesn’t mean its pcos, or that you are insulin resistant. We won’t worry about you being infertile until you think about having kids... Well wouldn’t you think that I would like to know now so that I can make changes in my life to make sure I can have kids? Anyway sorry to veer off and start complaining about the medical system. The point it, I have gotten no help. I have seen multiple doctors, naturopaths, and a gynecologist. I have tried diets for hormone health, including organic natural foods, low GI foods, read books on hormone health and pcos. I have taken herbal remedies for the hair growth. I've lost weight, (I’m not even that big to begin with), worked out, and I still don’t seem to be getting anywhere real fast. Right now I am 22, I am on alesse (which has more minimalistic side effects on me, but still causes mood swings and depression), and I am doing laser. (Which I have to say is expensive but the best thing I have found so far) Has anyone else had these types of experiences? Does anyone have any suggestions? Does anyone want a buddy to share stories with?
hi! i am also currently in Dubai now.i had problem with my menstruation since i am not having it now for almost two months now. I had used diane-35 four months ago but since i am getting married on december 23, 2010 and planning to have a baby by next year, i decided to stop taking the pills. Unfortunately, aside from missed periods, i am also suffering from acne breakout all over my forehead. do you have any idea about my situation?ooopss...sorry i know i should start to visit a gynea or a dermatologist..i just want to hear someone's opinion about my case..
thanks!
thanks!
So good to find that I'm not alone. have been feeling like the freak at the circus for several years!
I didn't even realise i had pcos until i came of the pill at 28 to try and get pregnant, then all the fun started, weight rapidly increased, until i'd gained 4 stones, hair in odd places, other hair had thickened and darkened, from the odd monthly break out to full blown severe cystic acne and to top it all off, my periods were virtually none existent (10 - 14 months apart is not a cycle). i'd saw one GP (just an imbalance from coming off the pill), then another (its stress), then another (its your age and lifestyle) until I finally saw the only female GP at my surgery and I had a complete melt down in her office. but thank god for her, she sent me off for an ultra sound, & the results looked like pcos. Refered to Gynea, A few more tests, and here I am, a pcos club member with fully paid up membership (if there's a symptom I seem to have it).
I love my gynea consultant, she a gem. got the periods in a kinda of regular cycle with a few drugs, controlled the insulin resistance with metformin (also lost a couple of stone), got to fully understand my disease by constantly asking her questions and making lifestyle changes. but still no pregnancy.
Had a HSG scan, Reasonably invasive and very uncomfortable so they could get a look at my womb & tubes, result i have one blocked tube! so started clomid as i wasn't hitting the grade with my hormone levels, and 11 months later (11 courses of clomid) I'm just having an ultrasound to check my viability for IVF, they find I'm 6 weeks pregnant!!!
MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
i now have a wonderful 2 year old little boy but things still haven't been easy. Gained an auto immune hyperthyroidism disease in the early stages of pregancy, controlled with drugs but had more scans than you can shake a stick at to make sure the baby was doing ok, thyroid went berserk after the birth and became uncontrolable, had it totally removed (gained 2 and half stone in weight) and now my PCOS is yet again the bane of my life but am slowly dealing with it, starting with the weight and the acne. due to start roaccutane this week (fingers crossed) and have started jogging again.
All i can say ladies, is don't let it get you, kick its back side every step of the way! it is controlable and manageable.
I didn't even realise i had pcos until i came of the pill at 28 to try and get pregnant, then all the fun started, weight rapidly increased, until i'd gained 4 stones, hair in odd places, other hair had thickened and darkened, from the odd monthly break out to full blown severe cystic acne and to top it all off, my periods were virtually none existent (10 - 14 months apart is not a cycle). i'd saw one GP (just an imbalance from coming off the pill), then another (its stress), then another (its your age and lifestyle) until I finally saw the only female GP at my surgery and I had a complete melt down in her office. but thank god for her, she sent me off for an ultra sound, & the results looked like pcos. Refered to Gynea, A few more tests, and here I am, a pcos club member with fully paid up membership (if there's a symptom I seem to have it).
I love my gynea consultant, she a gem. got the periods in a kinda of regular cycle with a few drugs, controlled the insulin resistance with metformin (also lost a couple of stone), got to fully understand my disease by constantly asking her questions and making lifestyle changes. but still no pregnancy.
Had a HSG scan, Reasonably invasive and very uncomfortable so they could get a look at my womb & tubes, result i have one blocked tube! so started clomid as i wasn't hitting the grade with my hormone levels, and 11 months later (11 courses of clomid) I'm just having an ultrasound to check my viability for IVF, they find I'm 6 weeks pregnant!!!
MIRACLES DO HAPPEN!
i now have a wonderful 2 year old little boy but things still haven't been easy. Gained an auto immune hyperthyroidism disease in the early stages of pregancy, controlled with drugs but had more scans than you can shake a stick at to make sure the baby was doing ok, thyroid went berserk after the birth and became uncontrolable, had it totally removed (gained 2 and half stone in weight) and now my PCOS is yet again the bane of my life but am slowly dealing with it, starting with the weight and the acne. due to start roaccutane this week (fingers crossed) and have started jogging again.
All i can say ladies, is don't let it get you, kick its back side every step of the way! it is controlable and manageable.
I have not been told this by anyone, but talking to everyone here it seems like it very consistent of women with pcos.. kinda funny eh?
Ive never read of a connection.. but out of all our experiences, there seems to be one
Ive never read of a connection.. but out of all our experiences, there seems to be one
I too have PCOS, I'm 22 years old and trying to get a doctor who understands what to do. I have the weight gain, hair growth, acne, insuline resistance, irregular periods- I used to get them every 2 weeks and in the last year I also get chronic yeast infections has anyone been told whether the yeast infections are a symptom of PCOS?
I am also so surprised that someone has also experienced chronic yeast infections. I dont get them so much anymore but when the hair first started growing really bad on my stomach, I was having yeast infections galore all the time! Im also glad to hear other people experience despression and anxiety.. Does anyone experience it more when taking the b.c pill?? When I was on dianne 35 one time I got so depressed and anxious that i had insomnia for like a week and i could barely calm down. I wonder if its because we already have a hormone imbalance with pcos, and then the addition of even more hormones just send you off the deep end (hormone wise.. haha)... I am on effexor though, 112.5 mg and I honestly dont really feel like it is working. Do you guys find that your satiety mechanism is disfunctional? I swear no matter what it is, it is all or nothing! I have a very addictive personality and also little to no self control.. It kind of makes me feel like I am not in control of my life. I dunno, I read somewhere that having pcos effects your satiety..
I just went to the doctor ttoday and found out that I am on the low end of the high range indicating I am insulin resistant.. so I guess that just about makes up everything for me! I think I really realized today that I am really going to have to start eating better. I also found out from my dad today that diabetes runs in his family which I did not know before. Someone had mentioned that pcos was linked to diabetes.. I ALSO didnt know this!! I doubt that I will have to take any insulin lowering meds like metformin. But I have read about a natural supplement which claims to lower the GI of every meal you eat by like 50% or something like that, Has anyone heard of this? Man this ***** hey girls?? I'm so glad I found this site though, its really great to be able to talk and support each other on this thing!
I have pcos. I have extra hair, acne, and insulin resistance.
I started on metformin. It makes me sick but really works. Now I have had one cycle and almost through another cycle.
It made me ovulate again. I was shocked.
I started on metformin. It makes me sick but really works. Now I have had one cycle and almost through another cycle.
It made me ovulate again. I was shocked.
hey im 17 and was recently diagnosed with PCOS! i was the one who told you theres 14 pounds in a stone in the other thread!
i have a snail trail! (hair leading from the belly button to the pubic area) but the hair is fair, im naturaly ginger but im also italian so ive always put my extra growth hair down to that!
ive only just started all the tests so all i know is i have pcos, possible diabetes and just had a scan today on my kidneys to see if i have polycystic kidneys. i have free fluid in my pelvic cul-de-sac. but i have reggular periods, i am sometimes a day or two late but never any more.
my main concern at the minute is fertility although im only 17. i also have pelvic inflamatory disease which is like an infection in the pelvic area, normaly caused by STDs but no-one knows what mine is caused by.
im new to this pcos so any additional information i would greatly appreciate!
hope all you ladies are as well as can be!
i have a snail trail! (hair leading from the belly button to the pubic area) but the hair is fair, im naturaly ginger but im also italian so ive always put my extra growth hair down to that!
ive only just started all the tests so all i know is i have pcos, possible diabetes and just had a scan today on my kidneys to see if i have polycystic kidneys. i have free fluid in my pelvic cul-de-sac. but i have reggular periods, i am sometimes a day or two late but never any more.
my main concern at the minute is fertility although im only 17. i also have pelvic inflamatory disease which is like an infection in the pelvic area, normaly caused by STDs but no-one knows what mine is caused by.
im new to this pcos so any additional information i would greatly appreciate!
hope all you ladies are as well as can be!
I have been diagnosed almost 2 years now and it took years for people to realize what I had. I had missed some periods like 3 months in a row. Also the more i missed the more hair i got on my face! I also received chronic yeast infections when I missed those periods. Also acne. I also got the lower abdominal pains. Including a 20 pound overweight gain. Yes and the weight gain is mostly on my stomach.
Then when i got in birth control pills (Yazmin and Zovia). I found out I was allergic to them because of the iodine content (i am allergic to thing that has iodine in it such at shellfish, etc).
Now my doctor approached it another way.No meds. Just vitamins, supplements diet and exercise. Also since I don't really miss periods anymore. I haven't missed on in over a year. So now my doctor has placed me on a strict low sugar and carb diet. Dealt with dealing with stress (stress can contribute to the loss of periods also). Lost the weight. I now take my vitamins and acidophilus for the resist yeast infections. Since I have stuck to that regiment. The hair on my face I am working on doing some lazer therapy. The abdominal pains are only hare before and after my periods.
PCOS can be cause by cysts but u don't have to have cyst to have PCOS because is a hormonal problem also.Also its also runs in diabetic families. Which mine is. My dad is type II diabetes and all his brothers are diabetic.
Then when i got in birth control pills (Yazmin and Zovia). I found out I was allergic to them because of the iodine content (i am allergic to thing that has iodine in it such at shellfish, etc).
Now my doctor approached it another way.No meds. Just vitamins, supplements diet and exercise. Also since I don't really miss periods anymore. I haven't missed on in over a year. So now my doctor has placed me on a strict low sugar and carb diet. Dealt with dealing with stress (stress can contribute to the loss of periods also). Lost the weight. I now take my vitamins and acidophilus for the resist yeast infections. Since I have stuck to that regiment. The hair on my face I am working on doing some lazer therapy. The abdominal pains are only hare before and after my periods.
PCOS can be cause by cysts but u don't have to have cyst to have PCOS because is a hormonal problem also.Also its also runs in diabetic families. Which mine is. My dad is type II diabetes and all his brothers are diabetic.
Hello ladies,
I am Leena, currently in Dubai - originally from India.am 29yrs old. 4.5yrs married.
Like you both i too have PCOS. I had all the typical symptoms from the age of 12/13 - Facial hair, Overweight and fat concentration around waist, black discolouration in elbow&neck. No one detected it at that time i india - even though me and my mom was frequenting the gynaecs. When i was doing my PG i stayed in a hostel and was eating white bread day and night since the food their was not good. So by the time i got married at 24, i was around 75 or 80. After coming to Dubai and eating all the KFC, McDonalds and BurgerKing, i put on another 25kilos.
Then my periods literally stopped. So the gynaec here asked me to take provera. Each month or whenever i thought i needed my periods i used to take provera. Then i met this gynaec who was really good. She put me on Yasmin and Glucophage. I took it for nearly a year. Glucophage works well when you exercise. After stopping yasmin and waiting for 2months, i got pregnant, but unfortunately it was ectopic. i consider it my mistake since i didn't consider the stomach aches and didn't visit doc on time.
Now once again i am on Yasmin and Glucopahge, this time around i am exercising and controlling my food. So there is a huge difference. I am a softw prof and i love my job, so i don't even realise when time flies. But now that i am exercising and taking these medications, there is a big difference that i can see. Hopefully i will start planning for kids from Jan. Wish me Good luck. I will keep you girls updated about the progress. I am also a friend with PCOS :-)
I am Leena, currently in Dubai - originally from India.am 29yrs old. 4.5yrs married.
Like you both i too have PCOS. I had all the typical symptoms from the age of 12/13 - Facial hair, Overweight and fat concentration around waist, black discolouration in elbow&neck. No one detected it at that time i india - even though me and my mom was frequenting the gynaecs. When i was doing my PG i stayed in a hostel and was eating white bread day and night since the food their was not good. So by the time i got married at 24, i was around 75 or 80. After coming to Dubai and eating all the KFC, McDonalds and BurgerKing, i put on another 25kilos.
Then my periods literally stopped. So the gynaec here asked me to take provera. Each month or whenever i thought i needed my periods i used to take provera. Then i met this gynaec who was really good. She put me on Yasmin and Glucophage. I took it for nearly a year. Glucophage works well when you exercise. After stopping yasmin and waiting for 2months, i got pregnant, but unfortunately it was ectopic. i consider it my mistake since i didn't consider the stomach aches and didn't visit doc on time.
Now once again i am on Yasmin and Glucopahge, this time around i am exercising and controlling my food. So there is a huge difference. I am a softw prof and i love my job, so i don't even realise when time flies. But now that i am exercising and taking these medications, there is a big difference that i can see. Hopefully i will start planning for kids from Jan. Wish me Good luck. I will keep you girls updated about the progress. I am also a friend with PCOS :-)
Hello, hello! My name is Jessica, I'm 25 years old and I have PCOS. With that, I am insulin resistance, have anxiety and depression, high cholesterol/triglycerides - and at times HTN. So by reading your forum - I can definately relate!
PCOS is a concern of mine and has been something that I have done a lot of research on. The internet has an abundance of articles if you ever feel up to it. PCOS does not mean that you are infertile, but does put you at a higher risk if it's not treated. And though we do not feel medication is always the answer for everything, sometimes we need it to help our body get back in shape. Birth control is a good control for cysts and regulating periods. Glucophage is most often used for women with PCOS b/c it treats the whole kit and kaboodle! It's supposed to help with cyst, the insulin resistance, acne, weight, and hirtuism. I have tried taking this twice, and was noncompliant each time. I am however, supposed to be starting it for a third time (maybe now that I'm an adult I will listen)! I have never done well with birth control though! My body just doesn't seem to tolerate very well.
As far as mood swings, depression, and anxiety - there are multiple herbs you can try, but most of them have side effects of causing drowsiness. I took Zoloft for years, but that was changed to Prozac about a year ago. I have actually done very well with it. I have absolutely no side effects from it and it really brings me down to earth. My depression nor anxiety are anything at all what they were before I started taking the medication.
As far as the acne - let me know if you ever find a cure! This is something I have been battleing my entire life it seems! My face will be so clear and looking good until time for my period! Then it looks like volcanos all over my face! It's horrible. Something I started trying this month has been tea tree oil. Though it's strong to smell at first, it seems to clear my face up much quicker than anything else I have tried. I have used the TTO in the past for things such as sore throats, but never for acne. So far so good, I will let you know how it pans out!
Keep in touch! I am a friend with PCOS!
PCOS is a concern of mine and has been something that I have done a lot of research on. The internet has an abundance of articles if you ever feel up to it. PCOS does not mean that you are infertile, but does put you at a higher risk if it's not treated. And though we do not feel medication is always the answer for everything, sometimes we need it to help our body get back in shape. Birth control is a good control for cysts and regulating periods. Glucophage is most often used for women with PCOS b/c it treats the whole kit and kaboodle! It's supposed to help with cyst, the insulin resistance, acne, weight, and hirtuism. I have tried taking this twice, and was noncompliant each time. I am however, supposed to be starting it for a third time (maybe now that I'm an adult I will listen)! I have never done well with birth control though! My body just doesn't seem to tolerate very well.
As far as mood swings, depression, and anxiety - there are multiple herbs you can try, but most of them have side effects of causing drowsiness. I took Zoloft for years, but that was changed to Prozac about a year ago. I have actually done very well with it. I have absolutely no side effects from it and it really brings me down to earth. My depression nor anxiety are anything at all what they were before I started taking the medication.
As far as the acne - let me know if you ever find a cure! This is something I have been battleing my entire life it seems! My face will be so clear and looking good until time for my period! Then it looks like volcanos all over my face! It's horrible. Something I started trying this month has been tea tree oil. Though it's strong to smell at first, it seems to clear my face up much quicker than anything else I have tried. I have used the TTO in the past for things such as sore throats, but never for acne. So far so good, I will let you know how it pans out!
Keep in touch! I am a friend with PCOS!
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