looking for some pcos support...

[brooker914]

i am 25 and was recently diagnosed with pcos, although i believe that i've had it since i started puberty.  once i started menstruating, i started gaining weight despite my efforts to lose weight.  i've been on diets for most of my life and nothing has really worked.  in high school and college, i was active and played tennis all the time.  right after college, i worked at a horse barn where i mucked stalls and dealt with horses for 8-10hours.  i was still gaining weight.  i've complained to doctors and gynos, about weight gain and irregular and extremely heavy periods.  doctors take blood, and tell my that everything comes back normal and to exercise more, eat less, and if that doesn't work, they have even offered to prescribe me diet pills.  my husband is in the navy and we recently relocated to ga, but are getting ready to move again at the beginning of the year to va.  i went to the doctor because i didn't feel right and i put on weight way faster than normal.  in college i was diagnosed with depression and was on wellbutrin up until 6 months or so ago.  i'm also takings meds for my add.  i explained my symptoms and he asked me some questions about my period and such.  i thought it was weird because i didn't think anything of it really, but he took my blood and about a week later, called to tell me i had pcos.  when i did some research, it made total sense.  i have a really hard time with facial hair, and it makes sense that i would sense my male hormone is higher than it should be.  it's really embarrassing to look in the mirror and see dark hair growing on my lower face and neck.  i have to use cream every other day.  now i read that pcos can be caused by insulin resistance, but my doctor didn't really say anything about it.  i'm going to make an appointment to actually talk to him about the results because the only thing he told me really is that i have pcos and to stay on birth control to help regulate my period.  he also told me that i probably won't get pregnant without fertility drugs and to come back when i'm ready to start a family.  i know some people have been put on metformin for pcos and that has helped a lot of people lose weight.  i'm going to make a better effort to watch what i eat and do a low gi diet, but i just don't know what to do.  i'm gonna start exercising more, but no one else in my family has been diagnosed with pcos, and my body image is awful.  i know i'm obese and i'm having a really hard time dealing with it because i feel like if someone had paid attention to my symptoms earlier on when i brought them up, i could have been diagnosed earlier and could have had a more proactive approach to it and i wouldn't be where i am right now in regards to my size.  i feel like now, i have this huge mountain to climb as far as losing weight even though i've always been health conscious.  i'm not a health nut because i do like soda every now and then, but i don't know, i'm just mad.

my husband and i have been married for a year come dec 5th and he's really not that emotionally supportive.  he never tells me i need to lose weight, he doesn't want to hurt my feelings, and i thank him for that.  but he really ***** as a support system cuz he grew up with 4 brothers and has absolutely no idea how to handle women and their emotions.  example being his response to my telling him the diagnosis was " so does this mean there is some pill you can take that will make you lose weight and have the mood swings go away cuz that would be awesome."  he just doesn't get it yet and hopefully he will.

i just feel a little alone right now and am reaching out hoping i will find some kind of support system and light at the end of the tunnel.

[Dreamia]

I too suffer from PCOS and I was very upset when I was diagnosed...It is hard when there aren't really people around you to understand what you are going through...my hubby tries to be there, but he doesn't really understand the emotions behind it...I take 1500mg of metformin daily and we are actively ttc...I have lost 20lbs since I started metformin without excercising or changing my diet...I have noticed that I don't eat as much as I used to...I think that is due to the meds though as I don't deny myself anything...I am on my second round of clomid 100mg...it gets harder and harder when you get a BFN when you try so hard...I pray you have the best success on your journey...just know that you are not alone...

[MrsHookfin]

Well I had to ask my husband the read up on pcos just so he can slightly understand how I'm feeling

[StephRox13]

It is hard to stay positive but hang in there. I have heard & read that people are successful at losing weight with metformin but I have hard some people get sick from it also. It's good that you're eating well & exercising, keep at it.

I haven't looked into it yet but I'm going to start researching & ask my OB myself but look into bioidentical hormones. A friend saw a post of mine on FB awhile ago of me complaining about my wacky hormones, mood swings, extra weight, no energy, sugar cravings....anyways her mom suggested identical treatments so she did. She got tested to see what was off & basically she's getting supplemented the hormones she's low in & is doing so much better. She's military also (Army tho). I don't know if this will help us but its something to look into.

As for getting pg yes if your cycles are irregular it makes getting pg more difficult, not impossible tho.  My son is 9 and healthy & I had no prob getting pg with him. He was premature but we didn't have any major issues with that. #2 baby is different story. We've been trying for 5yrs & no luck yet. We did infertility a couple of times no luck. BUT.....in the last 6 months I have gotten prego twice without any meds or anything but miscarried both times. Sad.  But after 5 years of nothing at least I'm now getting pg. So....ya.  

I hope I've helped a bit. If anything to let you know you're not alone. Hang in there, research, & ask your Dr questions.