help

[bri_8519]

i dont know where to start so i guess i'll just start from the beginning.

ok... in march of 2007 i was diagnosed with pcos. the doctor doesnt even know if i have any cysts on my ovaries, but said that my bloodwork was diagnosable as having pcos. i went to the doc. because i could not stop gaining weight. in the last 2-3 years. ive gained over 100 pounds, and its still climbing. i have been on zoloft for the last year and a half for panic attacks that started right after my neurologist weened me off my seizure medicine because i had been seizure free for over 5 years. obviously there was a chemical imbalance in my brain from not having that seizure medicine anymore and it resulted in extreme panic attacks. so the zoloft got me back on my feet and able to function properly. in late december of 2007, i decided that i wanted to get off of zoloft. so i weened myself off...probably too fast, but i did it and i no longer take it. it is now middle february of 2008, and in that 2 months i have gained 25 pounds. my husband changed his jobs, and i am on his insurance, and the medicine that the doctor prescribed me back in march of 2007 is now in our means to purchase. it is called xenical. i have been on it for 3 days. i do not know how long it will be until i notice a weight change, but i hope its soon. i dont know what to do. the xenical is 200.00 dollars a month. i surely do not plan on getting it next month. we are not in any situation to be paying 200 dollars a month for one prescription. you are supposed to take it before each meal but i only use it once to twice a day so to make the pill stretch out longer than one month. my question is...What do i do? do i try another medicine for the weight loss? do i go back on zoloft? Whats the answer here, because i feel like my life is in danger gaining weight this fast and continously. i dont eat that much food at a sitting and i dont eat that bad. please someone help. im so desperate.

Sabrina

[angela1983]

Hi,
I also have PCOS which was diagnosed thorugh a C-section like operation for a removal of a large cysts. I don't know that you can be diagosed with PCOS through blood work. Anyways I have also been on metformin since april 20, 2007 and have lost almsot 50 pounds . My endocrologist started me off on 200mg a day and moved me to 2000 mg a day, it makes your insulin levels correct and help the pcos which helps you lose weight, ALSO it really takes away your appetite and at first makes your stomache upset, but you get used to it. It is on Target and walmart's $ 4 program so whether or not you have insurance it is only $ 4 a month for the prescription. Good luck!!

[bearjr]

I don't have any insurance, as any of the ones I apply for I am always denied. So I am stuck going to a clinic where the dr's are real jerks, they don't take the time to listen to your problems, they think it's all in your head, and anything and everything you talk to them about, its just because you're overweight! So I know the struggles of medications, dr's etc. I was diagnosed with PCOS two years ago, although I suspect I had it a lot longer than that. The dr basically said hi, wait, you're overweight and have hair on your face, ok you have pcos have a nice day. And im like ummm what? Wait huh!?  He made me get an ultrasound (which without insurance they needed a $100.00 deposit) and then I got billed like 900$ or more, I dont quite remember. All to tell me, yep you have cysts on your ovaries have a nice day. I was like um ok so what should I do to cure it or not make it worse? What is it? Hello??! I had to do all my research online, and came up with what PCOS is, how it starts etc etc..and what to take for it. So I went back to my dr and demanded he give me metformin. He did. It made my stomach very upset and I even got nauseus (sp) enough to vomit each time I took it! So I went back and said "hey is there something else I can take" and explained why. He said "Sure no problem" and handed me a prescription for METFORMIN!!! So I switched dr's (@ the same clinic tho,  its the only one I can afford, and believe me, ive looked) this dr when I told her what the last one did, and told her it upset my stomach said "Oh yeah that happens to everyone I want you to try metformin" OMG OMG OMG I just want to strangle these drs! Did they get their degrees from a Kelloggs cereal box?!?! And what makes things worse, is I havent actually had a period in oh say....14 years! And nobody even addressed that issue with me! Nobody had enough kahonas to tell me "Hey if you don't have @ least 6 periods a year you are at risk for certain cancers" I had to ALSO look that up online, and so i went to a different dr and DEMANDED Provera for periods. So far its working great, and has made me lose some weight. I suppose the point to my madness is people have different side effects to different medications, for instance susan303 stated that metformin has made her lose weight, me on the other hand, I gained about 20 lbs taking it and I wasn't doing anything differently than I normally did. My provera, which really doesnt say much about losing weight as a "side effect" is making me lose weight. And feel better about myself. I think no matter the medication, each person is unique as they have different variations of one condition. Some of us with PCOS have a very mild case of it, thus certain drugs can make them feel better and actually do what it says it would do. Others of us with PCOS have a very very large case of it and so metformin doesnt really do much. Its hard to say really. But what I would do is check up every possible link through the internet. Type in medications for pcos, see what you come up with. What I have started doing is charting what my symptoms are, what medications I've taken in what dosage at what amount/time and what side effects I had or how it affected me vs. how the pamphlet you get says it will affect you. Then I took it to my dr (who honestly couldnt care less, but Im sure you have a much much better dr) they can look it over, and review what might be the best solution for YOU! Hope I helped you out hun.

[susan303]

Hello,
I too was also diagnosied with PCOS in April of 07.  I was gaining lots of weight, periods was not regular and if they were they were very heavy.  My doctor put me on metformin 500 mg extended release pills.  These pills helped me a whole lot with the PCOS and also with me weight.  In 4 months I lost 25 pounds.  The good thing about the prescription is that it is not expensive.  If you get your med's at Wal-mart and have insurance it cost $4.00.  Hope this helps you.  Good Luck.

[bri_8519]

well i have had a panel done and they dont think its a thyroid problem and my doc said that my sugars are all fine. so i dont know. im not having any panic attacks or anything like that, so i feel no need to get back on zoloft..and i have heard plenty of people say how they gained weight with zoloft, which i prolly did, but it was overshadowed with the weight gain that i was getting from the pcos. but what i dont understand is why i have gained an extra 25 pounds AFTER getting off of the zoloft. so obviously my hormones are running around going crazy.

[chris931]

Well first off zoloft can def. make u gain an extreme amount...I was on that at 1 point and it was ridiculous.  FInally i took myself off of it but it took a while formy body to get back to normal again and to my natural weight!  If you do need a medication for panic attacks u should try celexa and klonopin they don't really do much to ur weight.  Also you should really go to a doctor who actually knows if u have cysts or not?  What kind of doctor is that he just has to do a sonogram.  They don't usually do a blood test to determine if u have a cyst.  Sometimes they do a blood test to see of there are pre-cancerous cells inside the cyst after knowing u have one.  Have you had your thyroid checked?  That could be the issue with your weight!

[puma22]

I have psos and have tried the pills to.  For me they were a quick fix and i gained the weight i lost when i came of them. I recently had a baby and have now to loose 56lb.  I have recently lost 17lb.  You have probarly heard this before but the only thing that seems to help me is a low gi diet and i have now ensuring a go walks to get rid of my weight.  It makes me feel bad to as i don't eat much and watch everyone round me eating what they like. It is hard but it takes time but you will get there in the end.  I don't think the doctors take this seriously enough either.