Do you have PCOS?

[Yasmine]

Hi I would just like to ask about the symptoms and stuff with PCOS.

Ok, years ago when I was 14 I think I went to go see the doctor about my periods. Before my periods were very very heavy. Sometimes however they'd come far too late with just 2 days of bleeding, then go and not return for about 2 weeks or soemthing and then heavy bleeding for 2 weeks and stuff. I was told that my hormones are imbalanced, my doc said to try going on the pill, but my mum will not allow me to balance my hormones.

Being on a VLCD I know that my periods will most likely stop for a while. My periods are some what lighter but I guess that's due to my diet. I have way too much body hair for a normal girl, especially on my thighs. They're very thick and black and it makes me feel disgusting. I used to have a lot of spots on my face but not very severe like most. And when it comes to weight gain, my body is like a fat consuming sponge.

Do I have PCOS?

 

[Taz]

To know for sure go to your doctor and ask for tests. They will take blood and test your hormone levels, then they will send you for a scan to see if you have cysts.

The main symptoms are irregular periods, excess body hair, spots (often on the back and chest) and weight gain

 

[Yasmine]

Ah I see, thanks. Will do.

 

[Rache83]

Hi, Im new on here but had to post after seeing how many people suffer from pcos and are also overweight.

Like yourselves I also have PCOS and I also have endometriosis. My PCOS and endo were diagnosed back in 2004 when I was 21, after fighting for 4 years to be referred back to gynae. I saw a gynaecologist when I was 15/16 but they werent interested and told me to wait until my cycles settled down (which I thought was a joke as I had been having periods since I was 11) they also told me that once I had had children everything would settle down (my mum was far from impressed with that comment).

I moved away from home for uni and went and saw a female dr in Bristol due to the amount of pelvic pain I had, was referred to gynae and within 3 months I had had a scan, blood tests and seen the gynaecologist and got the diagnoses of PCOS. I was booked in for a laparoscopy 3 months later and was then diagnosed as also having severe endometriosis.

I have most of the symptoms apart from the irregular periods (due to endo) and infertility. Up until this time last year I had been pregnant with my long term partner 3 times and each pregnancy ended with miscarriages the last one being at 12 weeks. I decided that I had had enough (September 2008) and started Lipotrim on the advice of my Gp and dietician as metformin didnt agree with me and dianette appeared to feed my endo. I lost 3 stones from September to Jan 09 and mid February whilst on Lipotrim I discovered I was pregnant and gave birth to a little girl on the 16/10/09 after many failed attempts. Since having my daughter my symptoms are back and my gp has referred me back to gynae, I am restarting Lipotrim tomorrow and hope that once my weight is back down the symptoms will get better or better still disappear.

Sorry for such a long rant

 

[rugbykirsty87]

Hi Everyone, (Hi Zillie, didn't realise you posted on here!) Newbie here!

wow its amazing to see so many people with PCOS! Im currently half way through my weight loss journey, with one of the main aims of it being to make my PCOS symptoms better, and ultimatley when timing is right along with circumstance (like having a partner!) have a baby.

I was diagnosed when I was 18 but i self diagnosed myself, and took myself off to the doctors to get a confirmation for it. She didn't believe me when I said what problems I was having so i sat in the doctors room and cried till she refered me to someone at my local hospital. I went there and within 10 minutes I was offically diagnosed. I saw a PCOS dietitian to help with my weight loss, and a gynae to sort out all the other problems.

my current symptoms are Very irregular periods (and when i get them they are heavy and painful), Acne, Excess hair, Weight around the middle (although this is slowly decreasing), and im slowly now beginning to lose weight.


Four years in, im no longer under the dietitan and a now back on Reductil, after being taken off it a 3 years ago for depression.Im not under the gynae either, as I was told to 'Come back when I want to try for Children'.. charmin! I have found with my weight loss, my symptoms have become a little better im just waiting for my first period in 4 months to kick in. ..... Fingers crossed!

 

[scooterchick]

Hi,

I have PCOS too. I'm on 1500mg metformin and it seems to have had a great effect, my periods are pretty regular, my spots cleard up, I never had a proble with hairiness cos I'm really fair and I stopped putting on weight. Now I need to lose weight!! I'm ovulating with the met but still not producing enough progestorone to support a pregnancy. Fertility doc will give me some extra help when I get my BMI down to 35. I'm 37 so running out of time, I'm on day 2 of the cambridge diet and I feel funny!

 

[shrinking saz]

hi all, I have pcos too, although i don't get excessive hair growth I have very irregular periods anywhere up to 6 mth apart. I also get really bad mood swings.

I have 2 children but struggled to fall pregnant with both. However in both cases had lost about 2 and a half stone, so its not impossible.


Good luck everyone xx

 

[rayanne]

I have pcos too. Struggled to get pregnant with my only child, but she is now nine. My periods were very irregular maybe one a year. Doctor wanted to put me on metformin, but I declined. In January last year i changed my lifestyle and managed to lose 4 stone, and periods now come every 28 days on the dot.. Im still getting used to having them!

 

[2011bride]

Hi, i'm new to this forum but not new to dieting!!
Got engaged at Christmas so hope that my wedding will give me the motivation i need to lose the weight. (along with your support )
I've recently been diagnosed with PCOS & have been advised that the low GL diet works best for this.
So far i have found it really difficult as bread, potatoes, rice or pasta seem to be the staple of every recipe i have ever known. if anyone out there has any tips for me i'd be very grateful!!
Thanks xx

 

[Hannah Montana]

Hi all

I have PCOS, have had the symptoms since I was about 15 but got misdiagnosed at that age. After coming off the Pill my periods never started back up again so went to the doctors again. After an ultrasound I was diagnosed as having PCOS.

So far, the level of support I have received from my doctor and the consultant has been rubbish. The consultant essentially said that lose weight and everything will be ok without giving me any advice on the best way to do that.

Periods have been sporadic, my last period lasted for approx 3 months. I was given a hormone tablet to stop the bleeding but then I haven't had a period since. My fiance and I are desperate to have a baby but thus far the information from my doctor hasn't been great. What are my option? Has anyone else had similar issues? I am trying everything I can do as well so am losing weight as per the consultants advice but wonder what else I can be doing.

Hannah

 

[julie wolstenholme]

Hi all, I am 45 now and have had PCOS since my teens when my periods never started properly. My husband and I tried for 12yrs to have a baby including IVF. Funnily enough once we decided to just concentrate on us and having fun and enjoying life, within months I was pregnant naturally!!! Now have a 9 yr old son who is the light of my life. Just wanted to say don't panic it can and does happen. Good luck to you all. xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Enough]

Any advice/suggestions/thoughts very welcome!!

So, I have PCOS, and at the moment I also have gall stones - due for a gall bladder operation in the next few months (depending on what they say at the initial consultation)..

I'm five months in to a new, very happy relationship with a man I've known since I was 17.. we're finding it increasingly easy to not use contraception, so we've been considering the pill (dianette)..

..on the other hand, I'm 34 next month, and we are both feeling certain that we're looking at having a child/children together, if possible.. I'm not sure it still is.. with all the usual pcos symptoms.. since loosing lots of weight I have started having periods again, about one every 6-8 weeks..

so along with the gall stones, I'm also wanting to delay things a little because I'm on a very busy uni course for another 8 months, and until I finish that, we are both living in one town during the week, and at home at weekends, which isn't very 'settled'..

do I go on the pill for just a few months? what are the implications? Or do I carry on just aiming to use contraception, and if we don't manage to, and an accident happens, then it will be a very welcome and loved accident? ... I'm not sure which way to go...

what are your thoughts?

Vx

 

[Care Bear xxx]

Hi, I suffer from PCOS and ive found it really difficult to get the weight off and keep it off in the past, I heard that slimming world was probably the best diet plan to follow, and so far so good, Im just wondering if anyone has any tips for weight loss with PCOS or if anone who is on the slimming world diet has had good results with it?
xxxx

 

[cornishkez]

Can anyone offer advise? I am wondering whether I have PCOS? It had never crossed my mind until I went for a full sexual health check, as me and my partner have been together 5 years and never used protection. I wanted to be sure that I was clear STI wise. Which I was....however, after discussing my general health and history with the doctor, she told me she thought I may have mild PCOS.

I haven't been back to the doctor as I don't have any symptoms that cause concern. When we decide we are ready for children then I will go to the doctors for proper tests etc.

I have always been unsure of her diagnosis, as I don't suffer from ache, just the odd spot or blackhead, I don't have facial hair, only the usual moustache! I have always been self concious of the amount of hair I have around my nether regions and bum and the lower half of my belly, but I always put this down to being overweight.

When I started my periods at 14, I would have a period every 18 days and I would be on for 10 off for 8. So I went on the pill when I was 15 and was on it up until I was 18 when I came off and have been off since. Nowadays I am 28 days on the dot!

I am very receptive to hormones, the pill sends me doollally! Even the progestregone only. It gives me awful acne, makes me very depressive...etc etc. And this was what the doctor picked up on? Saying my sensitivity to hormones was typical of PCOS? Is this right?

Nothing she said really adds up to what I read about the condition?

 

[Care Bear xxx]

Hi,
I went to my dr for ages when i was younger because of irregular period etc and the fact that i found it almost impossible to lose weight and it kept piing on even though i was active and didnt particularly eat bad foods, but I started having terrible mood swing aswell which promted my dr into booking me in for a scan - Its not the most pleasant experience in the world, but if youre really worried, It may be worth asking your dr to refer you. At least youd know then for sure, although theres not a huge deal that can be done about the conditions, there are meds that can help xx

 

[scooterchick]

Can anyone offer advise? I am wondering whether I have PCOS? It had never crossed my mind until I went for a full sexual health check, as me and my partner have been together 5 years and never used protection. I wanted to be sure that I was clear STI wise. Which I was....however, after discussing my general health and history with the doctor, she told me she thought I may have mild PCOS.

I haven't been back to the doctor as I don't have any symptoms that cause concern. When we decide we are ready for children then I will go to the doctors for proper tests etc.

I have always been unsure of her diagnosis, as I don't suffer from ache, just the odd spot or blackhead, I don't have facial hair, only the usual moustache! I have always been self concious of the amount of hair I have around my nether regions and bum and the lower half of my belly, but I always put this down to being overweight.

When I started my periods at 14, I would have a period every 18 days and I would be on for 10 off for 8. So I went on the pill when I was 15 and was on it up until I was 18 when I came off and have been off since. Nowadays I am 28 days on the dot!

I am very receptive to hormones, the pill sends me doollally! Even the progestregone only. It gives me awful acne, makes me very depressive...etc etc. And this was what the doctor picked up on? Saying my sensitivity to hormones was typical of PCOS? Is this right?

Nothing she said really adds up to what I read about the condition?

Doesn't sound like PCOS to me, you don't have the classic symptoms which are generally irregular periods, hairness, weight gain and difficulty losing weight, acne...they're the main ones. You can also get skin tags on the neck, hair thinning in a male balding pattern, depression, and of course cysts on your ovaries. However many women who don't have PCOS have cysts and many women who do have it don't have cysts! A diagnosis is usually made when you meet 2 of the following criteria

1. A scan shows cysts on your ovaries
2. You display most of the symptoms, the most important being irregular periods
3. A abnormal hormone blood test.

MOST, not all, women are dignosed when they have fertility issues.

 

[hchappyh]

Hi All
I also suffer with PCOS. I was lucky and was diagnosed when I was about 18/19. I have most of the symptons, overwieght, hairy, irregular periods, mood swings, painful periods etc etc. I think it is a good thing to get early diagnosis. I knew it maybe difficult to get pregnant, so as soon as my hubby and I were married, we were able to see a consultant straight of (because of my early diagnosis) we didn't have to 'try' for a year or two. I was put on the fertility drug chlomid and within the year I was lucky enough to fall pregnant with my daughter. About 2 years later we started trying again also with chlomid and within 6months, I was pregnant with my son. My consultant was very understanding about my weight and NEVER pressured me about it - in fact he rarely discussed it with me! I am now trying to loose weight for me, not because I want children, or because my dr says I need to loose weight, but for me. There is less pressure and I'm finally loosing!
Hang in there everyone, PCOS does not have to be the end of the world. You can still have children, and you can loose weight - it just takes longer than most people. A very emotional rollercoast, lots of highs and lots more lows, but it can and will happen. Take the pressure off yourself and enjoy life - we only have 1...

xx

 

[Taz]

Can anyone offer advise? I am wondering whether I have PCOS? It had never crossed my mind until I went for a full sexual health check, as me and my partner have been together 5 years and never used protection. I wanted to be sure that I was clear STI wise. Which I was....however, after discussing my general health and history with the doctor, she told me she thought I may have mild PCOS.

I haven't been back to the doctor as I don't have any symptoms that cause concern. When we decide we are ready for children then I will go to the doctors for proper tests etc.

I have always been unsure of her diagnosis, as I don't suffer from ache, just the odd spot or blackhead, I don't have facial hair, only the usual moustache! I have always been self concious of the amount of hair I have around my nether regions and bum and the lower half of my belly, but I always put this down to being overweight.

When I started my periods at 14, I would have a period every 18 days and I would be on for 10 off for 8. So I went on the pill when I was 15 and was on it up until I was 18 when I came off and have been off since. Nowadays I am 28 days on the dot!

I am very receptive to hormones, the pill sends me doollally! Even the progestregone only. It gives me awful acne, makes me very depressive...etc etc. And this was what the doctor picked up on? Saying my sensitivity to hormones was typical of PCOS? Is this right?

Nothing she said really adds up to what I read about the condition?

I have the PCO without the S! I got cysts on my ovaries but I have regular periods, no excess hair (apart from the same as you described) and I don't have spots.

 

[cornishkez]

I guess I won't know for sure until I visit my doctors about not being able to conceive. Which I think is highly contributed to by my partner only having one testicle, he has an implant, one didnt drop when he was a kid. He is a heavy smoker and I'm just, well...heavy! lol

Being able to not have kids is the scariest thing I can think off. x

 

[Taz]

Being able to not have kids is the scariest thing I can think off. x

I totally agree. After almost 7 years of 'not trying not to' it looks like there won't be any mini-Taz's.