# Poly-cystic Ovarian Syndrome



## HayleeRose

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polycystic-ovary-syndrome/DS00423

Soo, I didn't see any recent topics on this, so I was wondering, since its something that mainly happens in "overweight" women, does anyone on here have this? I got diagnosed with it at 16, and i hate it. I'm just curious about things other people to do deal with some of the symptoms?


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## knottyknicky

I was diagnosed with it but never really treated it. I don't know if I still have it or not. Its a syndrome, so its just a collection of symptoms, rather than an actual disease. I have some suspicions that PCOS symptoms are actually stemming from other issues, like thyroid and adrenal impairment, which make it harder to lose weight/easier to gain, and then the extra fat just throws off all of the hormones in general. If one hormone is out of whack, the rest likely are, too. You have to figure out the root cause, rather than treat the symptoms. Not just treating the hormonal imbalances, but figuring out why you have hormonal imbalances to begin with. Gnome sayin?

What are your biggest symptoms? I have random periods (regular, mostly, but they cycle between long and short cycles), a little extra hair on my face and body, and a few other symptoms. Most of them went away when I treated my thyroid anymore, and I don't think I actually qualify for a PCOS dx anymore. Funny how it all works out.


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## HayleeRose

Yea, that's kinda the same conclusion i was coming to, too. I have the hair problem, the strange period cycle, weight problems, excess testosterone. The first thing they checked was my thyroid, and for diabetes, but those were both normal, the only chemical thing was my T levels. I wasn't really happy with my doctors, they seemed to not know much about it or what to tell me. They put me on some medication, and haven't checked in with me on it in like a year.


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## BBW4Chattery

When I was diagnosed, I was told it was linked to insulin resistance. At that time (about 6-7 years ago), they didn't have any idea if the PCOS crud caused the insulin resistance or the other way around...

Basically, I was encouraged to eat a diet that would reverse the insulin resistance and my doctors seemed to think this would cure the PCOS.

I never followed this through full-tilt... but I can say that every time I've done weight watchers and ate fully healthful meals on a regular basis, ALLLLL of my symptoms go away within 2 weeks. My period returns, my little feathers don't grow (sounds gross, but the only hair I got on my face was like an overall, very fine layer of hair like is on babies), and I didn't have any more major ovary pain.

If I start eating like crap again... all the symptoms return...

So, I know I'm just one person and this doesn't mean crap scientifically, but maybe it's something that could hel[p you find more answers.

Good luck.


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## Dolce

Yes, yes, yes. Though it is difficult, getting the insulin resistance under control is key. We can go on and on all day is one causes the other but the truth of the matter is what you put on your body causes a cascade of chemical effects. I cannot stress this enough. Get plenty of fruits, vegetables, meat and nuts/seeds. I am telling you I have seen a world of difference in my body.

And find something physical you enjoy and can stick to whether that be swimming, walking, or playing on the Wii. It is especially important to exercise after eating junk food. If anyone wants to know how I got healthy or just wants a buddy to bitch to about her health problems, I am here for you. Feel free to PM me anytime. 

I'm no Miss Vickie but I do know a little somethin' somethin' :bow:


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## Mishty

My PCOS doesn't bother me until I have my period....the cramps can't be calmed. Even if I only have one(period) a year, it wipes me out for days.


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## Miss Vickie

Dolce said:


> I'm no Miss Vickie but I do know a little somethin' somethin' :bow:



LOL. I just saw this.  Made me smile, though I the more I learn in school (I'm in the process of getting my MSN/FNP degree) the more I realize I don't know!


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## AmazingAmy

I have PCOS, but wasn't aware of it until I was about 19 (I'm 21 now). My mum went to stroke my face one day and asked if I had a rash, upon which I confessed to having a lady beard. :blush: She went online and found out about PCOS for me, so I went and got it confirmed by my doctor. The symptomes I have are hirsutism, insulin resistance and ovarian cysts (was fun having my cherry popped by the nurse who did the internal scan. Thanks, PCOS). I am lucky to have regular periods and no loss of head hair, however. I count myself real lucky they haven't shown up yet!

I concur with what's already been said about being diagonsed but not treated. It's pretty much something they'd rather you do on your own, isn't it? Saying that, they sort of have a point - sometimes it can go away with lifestyle change. Not always though. I recently asked for eletrolysis for the hirsutism, but turns out it was one of the things the NHS had _just _stopped funding. 

I'm actually kind of surprised this topic isn't bigger, especially on a forum of overweight women, which it impacts the hardest.


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## Mishty

AmazingAmy said:


> I've have PCOS, but wasn't aware of it until I was about 19 (I'm 21 now). My mum went to stroke my face one day and asked if I had a rash, upon which I confessed to having a lady beard. :blush: She went online and found out for me, then I got it confirmed by my doctor! The symptomes I have are hirsutism, insulin resistance and ovarian cysts (*was fun having my cherry popped by the nurse who did the internal scan. Thanks, PCOS*). I am lucky to have regular periods and no loss on head hair, however. I count myself real lucky they haven't shown up yet!
> 
> I concur with what's already been said about being diagonsed but not treated. It's pretty much something they'd rather you do on your own, isn't it? Saying that, they sort of have a point - sometimes it can go away with lifestyle change. Not always though. I recently asked for eletrolysis for the hirsutism, but turns out it was one of the things the NHS had _just _stopped funding.
> 
> I'm actually kind of surprised this topic isn't bigger, especially on a forum of overweight women, which it impacts the hardest.





I have the same symptoms "lady beard" (lol) and severe cysts, but I'm scared my forehead seems so big because my hair is receding, but I think I'm just paranoid. 

I get my face waxed some, and it hurts soooo effin' bad every time. 
I wanna try Vaniqa but I can't afford it.... 

Yeah the vaginal probe was horrible as a virgin, and I was 22 and the lady thought I had said I was a virgin 'cause my mom was sitting there. Thank god it was pretty small little wand type thing. It was so god awful, :blush:


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## AmazingAmy

Mishty said:


> I have the same symptoms "lady beard" (lol) and severe cysts, but I'm scared my forehead seems so big because my hair is receding, but I think I'm just paranoid.
> 
> I get my face waxed some, and it hurts soooo effin' bad every time.
> I wanna try Vaniqa but I can't afford it....
> 
> Yeah the vaginal probe was horrible as a virgin, and I was 22 and the lady thought I had said I was a virgin 'cause my mom was sitting there. Thank god it was pretty small little wand type thing. It was so god awful, :blush:



Hahaha, tell me about it, Mishty! When the nurse said my stomach was too big to scan so needed to use an internal probe, my face just dropped and I said, 'will it hurt?' Those words should have been reserved for my future boyfriend. :blink:

I have Vaniqa! It was something my doctor perscribed before I knew about the electrolysis. Unfortunately, at the time I was doing a combination of things to my skin that the Vaniqa was only going to aggravate: using soap and shaving against the grain. I got into my head that it was Vaniqa that was causing all the problems of those two things (spots and rashes), so stopped using it. I regret that now, as I've really cleared up my skin and hair removal routine (still shaving, just less often and not against the grain). I still have about half a tube left, but I'm worried it'll run out before I see the results I should have waited for before. It wasn't free on the NHS for me, but it sounds like the perscription here is much cheaper if you say you can't afford it.

I'm too chicken to get my face waxed, but I'm going to get my full arms done when I've got pretty long nails to go with them. :happy:

And I'm so sorry you've got the loss of head hair symptom, Mishty - that's something no woman should have to go through! Have you been offered anything by doctors?


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## Mishty

AmazingAmy said:


> Hahaha, tell me about it, Mishty! When the nurse said my stomach was too big to scan so needed to use an internal probe, my face just dropped and I said, 'will it hurt?' Those words should have been reserved for my future boyfriend. :blink:
> 
> I have Vaniqua! It was something my doctor perscribed before I knew about the electrolysis. Unfortunately, at the time I was doing a combination of things to my skin that the Vaniqua was only going to aggravate: using soap and shaving against the grain. I got into my head that it was Vaniqua that was causing all the problems of those two things (spots and rashes), so stopped using it. I regret that now, as I've really cleared up my skin and hair removal routine (still shaving, just less often and not against the grain). I still have about half a tube left, but I'm worried it'll run out before I see the results I should have waited for before. It wasn't free on the NHS for me, but it sounds like the perscription here is much cheaper if you say you can't afford it.
> 
> I'm too chicken to get my face waxed, but I'm going to get my full arms done when I've got pretty long nails to go with them. :happy:
> 
> And I'm so sorry you've got the head hair-loss symptom - that's something no woman should have to go through! Have you been offered anything by doctors?



I have to be probed a few times a year because my left(or was it my right....) ovary keeps getting covered in cysts when they burst together I get severe mood swings and depression, so whenever my head Dr. thinks I'm getting a little to loopy I have to go get....the probe. :blush: It's been a horrible process trying to figure out my hormones. 

Vaniqa is $99 dollars online , but I plan on trying to get it with the coupons from my doctor.
I tried the face shaving a few times, but I couldn't get it down, it hurt after wards. (I just made a post about face shaving before I read this reply). Waxing is getting to me to much really, because the hairs are getting....stronger? She has to *YANK* and I feel like my poor double chin might be removed. 

My hair isn't receding, but I keep a close watch for it, I have a weird hairline and I wear my hair in a tight ponytail and bun to much, says my doctor as of last year, but I'm just so scared. I don't wanna bald spot, but I would use rogaine if I had to lol I've even researched it _just in case...._

I'm on hormones now, but they don't seem to help with my hair anywhere. 

My arms have been waxed a few times! In July, actually. I felt so sexy this summer with shiny smooth tanned arms. :happy:


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## AmazingAmy

Mishty said:


> I have to be probed a few times a year because my left(or was it my right....) ovary keeps getting covered in cysts *when they burst together I get severe mood swings and depression, so whenever my head Dr. thinks I'm getting a little to loopy I have to go get....the probe.* :blush: It's been a horrible process trying to figure out my hormones.
> 
> Vaniqa is $99 dollars online , but I plan on trying to get it with the coupons from my doctor.
> I tried the face shaving a few times, but I couldn't get it down, it hurt after wards. (I just made a post about face shaving before I read this reply). Waxing is getting to me to much really, because the hairs are getting....stronger? She has to *YANK* and I feel like my poor double chin might be removed.
> 
> My hair isn't receding, but I keep a close watch for it, I have a weird hairline and I wear my hair in a tight ponytail and bun to much, says my doctor as of last year, but I'm just so scared. I don't wanna bald spot, but I would use rogaine if I had to lol I've even researched it _just in case...._
> 
> I'm on hormones now, but they don't seem to help with my hair anywhere.
> 
> My arms have been waxed a few times! In July, actually. I felt so sexy this summer with shiny smooth tanned arms. :happy:



Sounds positively Victorian, like when women would get treated for 'hysteria'. :blink: But that sounds awful! I feel luckier in light of what you have to say - everything that is wrong with me can be dealth with from home, without the intervention of medical professionals. And I can't believe how volatile your cysts are - that must be scary?

And you're making me more excited about getting my arms waxed! Such a shame it's winter now.


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## HayleeRose

I just recently started waxing my chin and all too. It sucks i have to do it at least once a week cause it grows sooo quick.

The probe thing sounds AWFUL, they told me that they only would do that if I wasn't a virgin, so they just kinda went under my belly, which might be the reason that they didnt see cysts too well.


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## knottyknicky

Wow...when I was being diagnosed, they sent me for the ultrasound (both an external and internal). I asked the same question...will it hurt? The nurse assumed I wasn't a virgin and then asked if I was. I said yes, and she said she legally could not perform the internal exam. I have my medical records from the hospital and its even notated that they were unable to perform the test due to my virginity. Hah.

Oh and Ive waxed my face a few times and I LOVE it! I wish I could afford to get it done all the time. I ask them to use a hard wax which doesn't use those strips...you just peel the wax directly off. Its much gentler, and since my skin is so sensitive, it leaves like 99 percent less (if any) pimples/ingrowns afterwards. After I've gotten my face waxed everyone thinks I've lost a bunch of weight...I think getting rid of the downy fine hair cuts down on light being bounced around and makes me look thinner in the end. Plus its soooo soft. Its kind of weird though, takes some getting used to. I love doing it though, and find the femme-stache to be the most painful thing, way more than the chin/cheeks/etc. Owie  Now I just pluck each individual hair because they pop up randomly. Since I've moved to the East coast, I'm finding my hairs aren't nearly as dark so I don't do as much waxing. Perhaps its a change in diet? Who knows?


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## Mishty

knottyknicky said:


> Wow...when I was being diagnosed, they sent me for the ultrasound (both an external and internal). I asked the same question...will it hurt? The nurse assumed I wasn't a virgin and then asked if I was. I said yes, and she said she legally could not perform the internal exam. I have my medical records from the hospital and its even notated that they were unable to perform the test due to my virginity. Hah.



Wait, WHAT?!?!
Are you effin' kidding me? 

I mean, I wasn't given any kind of option, it was like "hello Virgin, meet the Hymen destroyer." 

But, having that forever on your record, lol


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## Mishty

HayleeRose said:


> I just recently started waxing my chin and all too. It sucks i have to do it at least once a week cause it grows sooo quick.



I was told, by "they" the face waxing makes it grow slower than any other method....  Pfffft. "They" also said it wouldn't grow back darker if I waxed, and the waxist said it wouldn't hurt. Wax= LIARS 

lol


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## AmazingAmy

Mishty said:


> Wait, WHAT?!?!
> Are you effin' kidding me?
> 
> I mean, I wasn't given any kind of option, it was like "hello Virgin, meet the Hymen destroyer."
> 
> But, having that forever on your record, lol



Ditto, I had no idea they weren't supposed to perform it if you were a virgin... feeling extra violated by the middle aged nurse now... 

Then again, I bled like I'd just been shot afterwards. Maybe it's a good job that didn't happen with my real first time...


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## Crystal

I haven't been "diagnosed" with PCOS officially, but my doctor and I seem to be at a consensus that I probably have it. 

I'm on both metformin and spironolactone. The Spiro does a pretty good job dealing with the hair growth (though it doesn't get rid of it completely, I still have to pluck ALOT). I haven't noticed anything about the metformin. I'm actually not even sure what it's supposed to do. It addresses the insulin resistance, I assume, but I haven't noticed anything different and I've been on it for over a year.

My doctor says that weight loss and healthy eating will help the symptoms more than the medication. She doesn't pressure me to lose weight (which I like), so that makes me think that she's being honest. "I'm not going to pressure you into losing weight. It's totally your decision. But if you want to feel better, if you want this PCOS to go away, you're going to have to do that." It's that sort of thing.


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## Brenda

I have pcos and had a serious facial hair problem. I went for a series of laser hair treatments and it worked fantastically! Best money I ever spent. Do it, you will be so damn pleased.


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## HayleeRose

Crystal said:


> I'm on both metformin and spironolactone. The Spiro does a pretty good job dealing with the hair growth (though it doesn't get rid of it completely, I still have to pluck ALOT). I haven't noticed anything about the metformin. I'm actually not even sure what it's supposed to do. It addresses the insulin resistance, I assume, but I haven't noticed anything different and I've been on it for over a year.



Yea i was on metformin for awhile, i didnt really like it. I was going to school while on it and it just made me feel sick, and all the side affects, i couldnt take it and go to school at the same time. I dont know what it was exactly for either. Is the spiro one just for hair growth, or does it do something else?


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## AmazingAmy

HayleeRose said:


> Yea i was on metformin for awhile, i didnt really like it. I was going to school while on it and it just made me feel sick, and all the side affects, i couldnt take it and go to school at the same time. I dont know what it was exactly for either. Is the spiro one just for hair growth, or does it do something else?



What are the side effects of metformin? When I first proposed to my doctor the idea I might have PCOS, and that I'd heard something called metformin helps, he was very quick to suggest other measures first. I've only ever heard miracle stories about it, but that may be because I was looking for them.


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## Crystal

HayleeRose said:


> Yea i was on metformin for awhile, i didnt really like it. I was going to school while on it and it just made me feel sick, and all the side affects, i couldnt take it and go to school at the same time. I dont know what it was exactly for either. Is the spiro one just for hair growth, or does it do something else?



Yes, the Spiro is just for the hair growth. I believe it is addressing the testosterone directly. I'm on 100 mg. I've been on Spiro for about a year now. The hair on my chin is the worst spot and it's been reduced by about 50%. The other hair on my body is thinning, too, but nothing amazing. 



AmazingAmy said:


> What are the side effects of metformin? When I first proposed to my doctor the idea I might have PCOS, and that I'd heard something called metformin helps, he was very quick to suggest other measures first. I've only ever heard miracle stories about it, but that may be because I was looking for them.



I haven't had any side effects with metformin at all, actually. But, then again, I haven't seen ANY difference in myself since being on metformin for over a year. I'm not even sure what it is supposed to be treating. Maybe the insulin resistance? If it's the IR, then my appetite should be lessening. However, I'm still hungry ALL the time. I haven't noticed a difference at all.


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## QuasimodoQT

Yes, Metformin is supposed to help with IR. I had horrible side effects on it, though- bad diarrhea- like 50 times a day, no warning, nausea and vomiting, weakness and terrible dizziness and foggy thinking. I was housebound the whole time I was on it. And it didn't make any difference it was supposed to, so I'm glad to have that behind me.


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## thatgirl08

I wasn't a virgin when I had the internal exam and it still seriously hurt.. the girl was as gentle as possible but after about five minutes I started crying because I couldn't take the pain so they only got a shot of one of my ovaries. 

They were still able to diagnose me based on that .. my doctor gave me a prescription for birth control and a prescription for Metformin. I don't want to take either (long story why) and she basically told me that until I'm on the meds they don't want to talk to me about PCOS related issues. So mostly I've been pretending it doesn't exist since I was diagnosed early this year. It's on my list of things to deal with _eventually. _


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## DreamyInToronto

AmazingAmy said:


> What are the side effects of metformin? When I first proposed to my doctor the idea I might have PCOS, and that I'd heard something called metformin helps, he was very quick to suggest other measures first. I've only ever heard miracle stories about it, but that may be because I was looking for them.



Hi Amy

When I started taking Metformin for PCOS in 2000, I had diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. My doctor warned me in advance that it might have that effect so I started it on a Friday night so I had the weekend to stay close to home and not have to worry about that happening at work for a couple of days. When it was time to go back to work, I took acidophilus, which helped quite a bit. I found that avoiding taking it with coffee and greasy foods (at least a few hours away from ingesting either or both) really helped too. Now i have been on it for 10 years and I don't have any of the initial side effects - they went away within a few weeks. BUT, if I forget to take it for a day or two, sometimes the diarrhea returns for a day or so. 

If you are prescribed metformin, I recommend that your doctor starts you slowly. For example, I am on 1,500 milligrams and I take it 3 x a day. Maybe you could start out with 250 mgs on day one, 500 on day two, etc. etc. (depending on your dose).

Hope this helps! 

Kelley


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## AmazingAmy

DreamyInToronto said:


> Hi Amy
> 
> When I started taking Metformin for PCOS in 2000, I had diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. My doctor warned me in advance that it might have that effect so I started it on a Friday night so I had the weekend to stay close to home and not have to worry about that happening at work for a couple of days. When it was time to go back to work, I took acidophilus, which helped quite a bit. I found that avoiding taking it with coffee and greasy foods (at least a few hours away from ingesting either or both) really helped too. Now i have been on it for 10 years and I don't have any of the initial side effects - they went away within a few weeks. BUT, if I forget to take it for a day or two, sometimes the diarrhea returns for a day or so.
> 
> If you are prescribed metformin, I recommend that your doctor starts you slowly. For example, I am on 1,500 milligrams and I take it 3 x a day. Maybe you could start out with 250 mgs on day one, 500 on day two, etc. etc. (depending on your dose).
> 
> Hope this helps!
> 
> Kelley



Thank you for this, Kelley, it was very helpful! It sounds like medication that needs a bit of foreward planning and commitment, but I'll still consider asking for it in future.


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## Missy9579

I have PCOS and was on 2000 of Metformin for years and even went on Byetta for a little while. 

I have stopped taking my metformin because I am 14 weeks pregnant with twins, and will be curious what my body will do without it....we shall see!


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## Mishty

I can't find the heating pad or the hot water bottle... it's gonna be a long night.  I'm out of naproxen and codeine, but I'm hoping the advil might help a little. 

I just don't know what to do, maybe a super hot bath will help.


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## DreamyInToronto

Awww Mishty (rubs your tummy gently). I hope the Advil has helped! xoxo


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## Tracyarts

I have to let loose with a minor PCOS treatment vent right quick...

There is a world of difference between the plain and extended release formulas of Glucophage/Metformin. I spent the past week sick to my stomach, and blaming it on a particularly rough monthly period. When in reality, the new pharmacy we started using right before my period started filled my prescription as regular Metformin, not extended release. 

I'm going to get it fixed when they open later this morning, but it's so totally obvious why I switched to extended release in the first place. 

Tracy


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## QuasimodoQT

Tracyarts said:


> I have to let loose with a minor PCOS treatment vent right quick...
> 
> There is a world of difference between the plain and extended release formulas of Glucophage/Metformin. I spent the past week sick to my stomach, and blaming it on a particularly rough monthly period. When in reality, the new pharmacy we started using right before my period started filled my prescription as regular Metformin, not extended release.
> 
> I'm going to get it fixed when they open later this morning, but it's so totally obvious why I switched to extended release in the first place.
> 
> Tracy



I can't tolerate either one. 10 months of my life, gone. Hope it's all fixed now for you, and you get back on something that works for you.


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## Fat Brian

Metformin caused my wife to gain almost 40 pounds. Even quartering a 250mg pill caused her blood sugar to drop so low she had to eat, even if we had just eaten a meal. She finally had to stop taking it and has only had birth control to treat hers since.

On a side note, has anyone had success with treating PCOS related hair loss with womens Rogaine ? Her hair has thinned considerably on the top of her head and she recently pick up a bottle to see if it would help.


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## ThatFatGirl

Fat Brian said:


> Metformin caused my wife to gain almost 40 pounds. Even quartering a 250mg pill caused her blood sugar to drop so low she had to eat, even if we had just eaten a meal. She finally had to stop taking it and has only had birth control to treat hers since.
> 
> On a side note, has anyone had success with treating PCOS related hair loss with womens Rogaine ? Her hair has thinned considerably on the top of her head and she recently pick up a bottle to see if it would help.




Is your wife taking Spironolactone? I've been taking it for 12 years for my PCOS symptoms. It has helped a lot in keeping hair where I want it and lessening it in places where I don't. Some anti-balding websites mention applying it in topical form to help stop hair loss. 

From Wiki:

Due to its antiandrogen effect, it can also be used to treat hirsutism. It is also used for treating hair loss and acne in women, and can be used as a topical medication for treatment of male baldness. It is commonly used to treat symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) such as excess facial hair and acne.


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## Fat Brian

I had never even heard of spironolactone until reading on here. With all of the things she has PCOS is kind of far down the list so its treatment has suffered somewhat.


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## AmazingAmy

Just came across this article about a young British actress with PCOS and her experiences with it. She suffers from facial boils and excess hair. She also mentions prefering to use spironolactone as her main form of treatment (alongside the low Gi diet) rather than use the Pill.

I've just got off a 3 month course of the Pill and I'm damn relieved. I tried it once before with the same results: a constant period. I also didn't notice it make any difference to my skin, my weight, or how I felt. I'm going to research other forms of contraceptives and follow a different route to managing PCOS. I've never given the diet any long-term attention, so may start doing that properly as a New Years resolution!


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## AuntHen

AmazingAmy said:


> Just came across this article about a young British actress with PCOS and her experiences with it. She suffers from facial boils and excess hair. She also mentions prefering to use spironolactone as her main form of treatment (alongside the low Gi diet) rather than use the Pill.
> 
> I've just got off a 3 month course of the Pill and I'm damn relieved. I tried it once before with the same results: a constant period. I also didn't notice it make any difference to my skin, my weight, or how I felt. I'm going to research other forms of contraceptives and follow a different route to managing PCOS. I've never given the diet any long-term attention, so may start doing that properly as a New Years resolution!




many of you may know this already but spironolactone can affect a male fetus or something to do with a male conception, if you are trying to conceive (which from the article it sounds like she might be). Also once you go off of it symptoms return. The low/no sugar or processed foods food plan and exercise is really the best and biggest helper IMO 


here is what I meant from a medical site:


Sexually active women should not use spironolactone without reliable birth control, as the drug can cause birth defects in a male fetus. According to Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, spironolactone is more effective when taken with low-dose hormonal birth control. Some birth control pills that are combined with ethinyl estradiol (such as Yaz and Yasmin) contain an analog of spironolactone.


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## HayleeRose

So I have the whole excessive facial hair problem, and first i started waxing and then that got a little expensive, so then i started shaving instead. It works great and all but obviously I have to shave more often than when I waxed. How often do you guys have to shave the facial hair? I pretty much HAVE to shave everyday or its all prickly in some spots...is that normal ?


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## Mishty

I started a Face shaving thread, kinda.

Some of the girls give some good advice!


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## Deven

So, I'm not having the insulin resistance (is that normal?) but I was diagnosed with PCOS last week.

After the three weeks of "The Torrent."

I went back to get on birth control to regulate my period, went through the pack, got my period... but the period didn't stop. I ended up in the ER, two shots of morphine and 8 hours later, where my OB prescribed a treatment, and asked for a follow-up. Well, she pretty much quit the practice before she went on vacation, so I had to have another doctor do my ER follow-up. The bleeding had all but stopped with the treatment I was prescribed.

I've been anemic since I was SIX years old. I had been bleeding for close to a week and a half at this point, and this replacement doctor sits there, tells me I'm NOT anemic (she was wrong, by the way,) and that the course of treatment needs to be adjusted. She doesn't give me time to come down off the high dose of hormones I was on, she just throws me on another birth control. The bleeding starts all over again.

I finally get to ANOTHER doctor, because I won't let the previous quack touch me, and he gives the diagnosis, which was WRITTEN IN MY FIRST DOCTOR'S NOTES!!! She didn't even bother to attempt to confirm her diagnosis!!! 

He tells me my options are Provera or a D&C. I pick the Provera. He just didn't tell me I was going to bleed like I was shot down there. I'm bleeding, in so much pain I'm taking more Naproxen than I'm supposed to, and end up back at the ER. After 4 hours, where they don't page him and they were supposed to, he comes down, orders another ultrasound. Then, without numbing me or giving me anything, he jacks me up and pulls crap out of me. I'm in the ER, again, for 7 hours.

This was at the end of week 3, beginning of week 4. I finally stopped bleeding today, 2 days short of week 4 end.

He resigned yesterday. They want me to go back to quack number 2. Now I have to find a doctor willing to insert the Mirena insert that he wanted, because Planned Parenthood here doesn't do IUD's. They are sending me 2 hours away to Lancaster.

Why does this seem like it's more complicated than it needs to be...


----------



## SuperSizedAngie

knottyknicky said:


> Wow...when I was being diagnosed, they sent me for the ultrasound (both an external and internal). I asked the same question...will it hurt? The nurse assumed I wasn't a virgin and then asked if I was. I said yes, and she said she legally could not perform the internal exam. I have my medical records from the hospital and its even notated that they were unable to perform the test due to my virginity. Hah.




They told me the same thing. I went to get tested when I was 10, after already having a period and other secondary sexual characteristics for three years. I've always looked older than I am, and especially with how fat and tall I was (with d-cups already), the nurse assumed I was about 17. Thus cued the inevitable horrible conversation where she explained she was just going to put it inside me and I started screaming for my mommy & jumping off the table before she could even finish explaining. My mom flung the door open, rushed in, and demanded to know what the heck was going on. I have never seen my mother angrier. She must have yelled at the woman in charge for over twenty minutes about nurses not reading the damn patient charts they were given. 

Turns out that the proper procedure was to look over the chart, ask me my age, and make sure I wasn't a virgin before trying to probe me. Needless to say, they only tested me through ultrasound that day.


----------



## Miss Vickie

DevenDoom said:


> So, I'm not having the insulin resistance (is that normal?) but I was diagnosed with PCOS last week.
> 
> After the three weeks of "The Torrent."
> 
> I went back to get on birth control to regulate my period, went through the pack, got my period... but the period didn't stop. I ended up in the ER, two shots of morphine and 8 hours later, where my OB prescribed a treatment, and asked for a follow-up. Well, she pretty much quit the practice before she went on vacation, so I had to have another doctor do my ER follow-up. The bleeding had all but stopped with the treatment I was prescribed.
> 
> I've been anemic since I was SIX years old. I had been bleeding for close to a week and a half at this point, and this replacement doctor sits there, tells me I'm NOT anemic (she was wrong, by the way,) and that the course of treatment needs to be adjusted. She doesn't give me time to come down off the high dose of hormones I was on, she just throws me on another birth control. The bleeding starts all over again.
> 
> I finally get to ANOTHER doctor, because I won't let the previous quack touch me, and he gives the diagnosis, which was WRITTEN IN MY FIRST DOCTOR'S NOTES!!! She didn't even bother to attempt to confirm her diagnosis!!!
> 
> He tells me my options are Provera or a D&C. I pick the Provera. He just didn't tell me I was going to bleed like I was shot down there. I'm bleeding, in so much pain I'm taking more Naproxen than I'm supposed to, and end up back at the ER. After 4 hours, where they don't page him and they were supposed to, he comes down, orders another ultrasound. Then, without numbing me or giving me anything, he jacks me up and pulls crap out of me. I'm in the ER, again, for 7 hours.
> 
> This was at the end of week 3, beginning of week 4. I finally stopped bleeding today, 2 days short of week 4 end.
> 
> He resigned yesterday. They want me to go back to quack number 2. Now I have to find a doctor willing to insert the Mirena insert that he wanted, because Planned Parenthood here doesn't do IUD's. They are sending me 2 hours away to Lancaster.
> 
> Why does this seem like it's more complicated than it needs to be...



Wait... what? Planned Parenthood doesn't do IUDs? They do up here. That's so odd. There is so much wrong with how you've been treated I don't know where to begin but I have questions. Also, I'm glad you don't have insulin resistance. That means that whatever is going on seems to be mostly confined

1) So they never told you the provera could make you bleed? Oh no. I'm so sorry. That must have been scary. When it works it can be really impressive -- and by that I mean scary. 
2) Has anyone looked at your ovaries? Do they have cysts? If so, the IUD won't help with that, but it should help control your bleeding. When I had bleeding like yours the IUD helped more than anything else, at least until I had an endometrial ablation. That is something to consider if you're sure you don't want kids. It obliterates the uterine lining and you don't bleed anymore. In the meantime keep in mind that the IUD works better the longer it's in. So it may not make a big difference initially but by the end of the first year, many patients have no periods. 
3) Have you had an ultrasound to rule out fibroids or endometriosis or something like that?
4) Has anyone done an endometrial biopsy on you to be sure there isn't something more sinister at play? It would be unlikely since you're young but it is, I believe, standard of care.
5) How are they addressing your anemia? 

I hope you can find a good provider that can help you get this under control. It's very scary to bleed heavily (been there, done that) and it's not good for you. It sounds like you haven't been treated well. I hope things improve for you and that you get effective treatment!


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## Deven

Miss Vickie said:


> Wait... what? Planned Parenthood doesn't do IUDs? They do up here. That's so odd. There is so much wrong with how you've been treated I don't know where to begin but I have questions. Also, I'm glad you don't have insulin resistance. That means that whatever is going on seems to be mostly confined
> 
> 1) So they never told you the provera could make you bleed? Oh no. I'm so sorry. That must have been scary. When it works it can be really impressive -- and by that I mean scary.
> 2) Has anyone looked at your ovaries? Do they have cysts? If so, the IUD won't help with that, but it should help control your bleeding. When I had bleeding like yours the IUD helped more than anything else, at least until I had an endometrial ablation. That is something to consider if you're sure you don't want kids. It obliterates the uterine lining and you don't bleed anymore. In the meantime keep in mind that the IUD works better the longer it's in. So it may not make a big difference initially but by the end of the first year, many patients have no periods.
> 3) Have you had an ultrasound to rule out fibroids or endometriosis or something like that?
> 4) Has anyone done an endometrial biopsy on you to be sure there isn't something more sinister at play? It would be unlikely since you're young but it is, I believe, standard of care.
> 5) How are they addressing your anemia?
> 
> I hope you can find a good provider that can help you get this under control. It's very scary to bleed heavily (been there, done that) and it's not good for you. It sounds like you haven't been treated well. I hope things improve for you and that you get effective treatment!



Planned Parenthood in my town doesn't do IUD's. I have to drive 2 1/2 hours away to get the IUD inserted. I have the option of going back on the Lo Ovral, but he said my blood pressure is high (it's always been a little, but not to the extent it was when he was having it monitored. I was also in so much pain, all I could do was lay on the bed and cry. 

They did look at my ovaries. Twice. The first and last ER trips ended up with me having an inter-vaginal ultrasound. I do have the cysts on my ovaries, but not much else was said.

I haven't been checked for endometriosis. He said that my lining was thick, but I had the tell tale cysts. I'm currently not bleeding at all, still on the provera for another 9 days, and then I'm to go back to the doctor. At this point, I want to Lo Ovral again. I'll monitor my blood pressure if I have to... I don't think I can emotionally take bleeding for a year before proper regulation...


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## AmazingAmy

An update on how things have been going for me with the PCOS and hirsutism:

I started electrolysis on my face exactly eight months ago, and the thick, dark excess hair on my cheeks, chin and neck is almost completely gone. I've been going for 30 minute treatments once a week since January, and this week my electrolysist (one of the nicest women I've ever met) said we can now reduce my appointments to 20 minutes every 2 weeks instead. This feels like a huge turning point for me. I had so little faith I'd be able to tolerate the pain and damage to my skin, but it has paid off for my self-esteem big time. I can't imagine still living like I was eight months ago, shaving every day and being terrified of people touching my face, or even looking at me. I 100% recommend it. Painful, slow, with some aftercare; but worth it.

I'm now quite sure I want to continue the treatment on other parts of my body. My breasts, chest and thighs give me as much confidence issues as my face once did, and I'm already dreaming of the day I don't have to be self-conscious of those, either. Now that I know electrolysis works - despite all the reviews and testimonies to say it wouldn't - I'm willing to keep this up for as long as it takes.

I feel hopeful, like all this shit that comes with PCOS and obesity can genuinely be managed, not just tolerated. That it won't always rule me, no matter how morose I get some nights.

If anyone wants to know how electrolysis feels and what to expect, just post here or PM me. It beats the crap out of shaving and waxing any day.


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## TexasTrouble

AmazingAmy said:


> An update on how things have been going for me with the PCOS and hirsutism:
> 
> I started electrolysis on my face exactly eight months ago, and the thick, dark excess hair on my cheeks, chin and neck is almost completely gone. I've been going for 30 minute treatments once a week since January, and this week my electrolysist (one of the nicest women I've ever met) said we can now reduce my appointments to 20 minutes every 2 weeks instead. This feels like a huge turning point for me. I had so little faith I'd be able to tolerate the pain and damage to my skin, but it has paid off for my self-esteem big time. I can't imagine still living like I was eight months ago, shaving every day and being terrified of people touching my face, or even looking at me. I 100% recommend it. Painful, slow, with some aftercare; but worth it.
> 
> I'm now quite sure I want to continue the treatment on other parts of my body. My breasts, chest and thighs give me as much confidence issues as my face once did, and I'm already dreaming of the day I don't have to be self-conscious of those, either. Now that I know electrolysis works - despite all the reviews and testimonies to say it wouldn't - I'm willing to keep this up for as long as it takes.
> 
> I feel hopeful, like all this shit that comes with PCOS and obesity can genuinely be managed, not just tolerated. That it won't always rule me, no matter how morose I get some nights.
> 
> If anyone wants to know how electrolysis feels and what to expect, just post here or PM me. It beats the crap out of shaving and waxing any day.



This is great news! I've had laser hair removal done on my chin, well, actually my chin_s_, and I remember how good it felt to be able to throw my head back and laugh without worrying about stray hairs.


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## AmazingAmy

TexasTrouble said:


> This is great news! I've had laser hair removal done on my chin, well, actually my chin_s_, and I remember how good it felt to be able to throw my head back and laugh without worrying about stray hairs.



I'm glad for you, Texas! Before, I'd think about my face on some level, however subtle, ALL the time, all my movements and social plans tailored around what was going on with it (too short, ingrown, bloom of spots). But now I'm the same as you - don't have to think about it, while still appreciating it _so _much.


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## Isa

AmazingAmy said:


> [F]An update on how things have been going for me with the PCOS and hirsutism:
> 
> I started electrolysis on my face exactly eight months ago, and the thick, dark excess hair on my cheeks, chin and neck is almost completely gone. I've been going for 30 minute treatments once a week since January, and this week my electrolysist (one of the nicest women I've ever met) said we can now reduce my appointments to 20 minutes every 2 weeks instead. This feels like a huge turning point for me. I had so little faith I'd be able to tolerate the pain and damage to my skin, but it has paid off for my self-esteem big time. I can't imagine still living like I was eight months ago, shaving every day and being terrified of people touching my face, or even looking at me. I 100% recommend it. Painful, slow, with some aftercare; but worth it.SNIP.[/FONT]




Congrats! I started electrolysis and had to stop due to vacation and now a medical procedure this week. Hopefully by mid September I can restart. I had good results as long as I was going but once it stopped, the hair has returned full force. Sometimes I just feel like nothing will work long term so seeing your testimonial is really helpful.


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## prettyeyes77

My doctors think I have PCOS, I have all the test next week... But I was wondering, I was told that if I have it that it would be almost impossible to have kids... I have been so freaked out about it the last few days and I was just wondering if this is the case for most of you?


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## TexasTrouble

prettyeyes77 said:


> My doctors think I have PCOS, I have all the test next week... But I was wondering, I was told that if I have it that it would be almost impossible to have kids... I have been so freaked out about it the last few days and I was just wondering if this is the case for most of you?



Miss Vicki or someone else may have a better answer, but while I have read that pcos can reduce fertility, considering how many women have pcos, if it really made getting pregnant impossible, there' d be a lot fewer babies out there. In fact, I had a doctor tell me actually getting pregnant might help with some of my pcos symptoms. Considering I was in college at the time and unmarried, I told him that probably wasn't the best option for me. 
Since pcos is really a cluster (oh, it's a cluster, all right ) of symptoms or other health conditions, it may not actually be the pcos that would limit fertility and actually some of the related conditions like endometriosis. Unless I wanted to get pregnant right now, I would work on getting your symptoms under control and getting in the best overall health, which could include going to an endocrinologist who could tell you more.


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## AuntHen

prettyeyes77 said:


> My doctors think I have PCOS, I have all the test next week... But I was wondering, I was told that if I have it that it would be *almost impossible to have kids*... I have been so freaked out about it the last few days and I was just wondering if this is the case for most of you?



This is not true. Can it make it more difficult? Yes. A majority of women with PCOS (especially those who are fat) have a cessation in not only menstruation but even more importantly (in this case) ovulation.

Some women improve their symptoms with medication, some with diet and exercise, some with both. Personally, I have found the best way to have menstruation/ovulation return (and improve other symptoms) is exercise and cutting down/out sugar and processed foods.

There are a lot of good educational sites on the web. I like this one best...

http://pcosupport.org/

They also have a forum with all kinds of topics, including fertility.

PM me if you would like


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## prettyeyes77

TexasTrouble said:


> Miss Vicki or someone else may have a better answer, but while I have read that pcos can reduce fertility, considering how many women have pcos, if it really made getting pregnant impossible, there' d be a lot fewer babies out there. In fact, I had a doctor tell me actually getting pregnant might help with some of my pcos symptoms. Considering I was in college at the time and unmarried, I told him that probably wasn't the best option for me.
> Since pcos is really a cluster (oh, it's a cluster, all right ) of symptoms or other health conditions, it may not actually be the pcos that would limit fertility and actually some of the related conditions like endometriosis. Unless I wanted to get pregnant right now, I would work on getting your symptoms under control and getting in the best overall health, which could include going to an endocrinologist who could tell you more.



My endocrinologist is the one doing all the test... I really appreciate your input, I have been so worried about it and this info definitely helps calm me a bit. 




fat9276 said:


> This is not true. Can it make it more difficult? Yes. A majority of women with PCOS (especially those who are fat) have a cessation in not only menstruation but even more importantly (in this case) ovulation.
> 
> Some women improve their symptoms with medication, some with diet and exercise, some with both. Personally, I have found the best way to have menstruation/ovulation return (and improve other symptoms) is exercise and cutting down/out sugar and processed foods.
> 
> There are a lot of good educational sites on the web. I like this one best...
> 
> http://pcosupport.org/
> 
> They also have a forum with all kinds of topics, including fertility.
> 
> PM me if you would like



Thank you for your help, and that link is great!:happy:


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## cobalt_butterfly

i don't know if this willhelp anyone but i've been reading this bog for awhile now
http://www.incyst.com/2011/11/who-is-best-pcos-expert-you-are-best.html

like the forum it helps me to feel informed and not alone.
NHS treatment of PCOS in the uk seems to consist of giving you very little information and if you get sympotms not in there info telling you that its normal and not to worry. Or with the slightly worse doctor telling you that you are depressed rather than exhausted, in pain and anemic during a 9 month period. 

My PCOS balance is normaly okay. Begining of last year it went way off the rails but was ignored due to repeated kidney infections (will rember that pain and anemia are bad for immune system) Today after some bullying with non prescription birth control i'm finally not bleeding AND i'm not in pain. So nice to have this last all day; i feel great.

On the flip side i did manage to get a ObGyn referal. Its only a 24 week waiting list. If I keep following the great advise on here and that blog I won't need to see a consultant in 6 months. If i had followed dr's orders ... well i think it might have been a psych referal.


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## Deven

Update on mine:

I feel fortunate that I don't have hirsutism as severely as some of my friends and other dimmers.

So, after Planned Parenthood wanted to send me 2 hours away for an IUD, which I was told might not work for up to a year, I declined and went with Lo-Ovral.

Which started the cycle of hemorrhaging all over again. I find another OB, recommended by someone I knew, and I get in. He does an ultrasound, re-re-reconfirms the diagnosis, and puts on on Ovrale. My insurance does not cover it, and I have to pay for it out of pocket.

My issue is finding a doctor that is going to treat this right! When the script came back rejected from the Pharmacy, instead of calling me, he ordered Lo-Ovral, in the same exact manner I had been taking it. It took 3 days, because he "went on vacation (I'm tired of hearing that from nurses, by the way,)" and they had to OK the inital script. And Wal-mart denied that I ever dropped the first one off!

I FINALLY got it, and I'm on month 3 with very little complaints except that I now have to take a blood pressure medication to deal with the side effects of the high dosage of BC.

I see the doctor again on Monday, and this is the first time since the office caved into my insurance demands for Lo Ovral. I've been paying out of pocket, and I don't mind because it's made my life easier. 

I've already changed pharmacies to a REAL pharmacy, and when it came up denied on my insurance, they called and asked if I wanted it still. I realized why Walmart can offer such big discounts on medications aside from bulk: They just don't give a damn. 

My question is: Do I tell him I don't appreciate his practice trying to give me a medicine that made me hemorrhage to begin with because it wasn't a high enough dose? Or do I let it slide?


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## Miss Vickie

Deven, wait, what? They put you on Lo-Ovral? Are you taking it 28 days straight? Or using the sugar pill? And you're already hypertensive from it? Oy.


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## Deven

Miss Vickie said:


> Deven, wait, what? They put you on Lo-Ovral? Are you taking it 28 days straight? Or using the sugar pill? And you're already hypertensive from it? Oy.



Nope. I'm on what my script says Ogestrel. The Lo-Ovral was too low. I was to take the lo-ovral 28 days straight, no sugar pill, but I started to have breakthrough bleeding. Then it stopped being breakthrough bleeding and started being a full 2 week hemorrhage. I had started going to planned parenthood at the time.

When the bleeding started, I was told to go to a local OBGYN instead. He decided to put me on the Ovrale/Ogestrel, which my insurance does not cover. It was a back and forth until I decided to pay for it out of pocket, because I didn't want the bleeding to start again. 

I went for a 3 month check. My blood pressure is getting under control, and I had a light 3 day period last month. This pill makes it like a dog with a bark worse than its bite. I have cramps, but the pill only makes the period a 3-4 day period. This one also wants me to consider an IUD.


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## AuntHen

I have managed to resume and regulate my period for the past 3 years through consistent exercise (brisk walking) alone. I then added cutting back on sugar and carbs which helps regulate my hormone levels even more. From what I understand once the hair is changed it can't be undone (naturally), the growth is slowed but does not change it back to the finer/lighter state. I do not like medication, so I refuse to use any, although I did when I was younger but it made me sick and once off of it, things went back to the way they were.

I am actually very interested in starting a "PCOS" based salon... waxing, etc. Everyone would be trained on PCOS sensitivity and awareness so that the clientele would feel comfortable and cared for. I do not know if there are any out there and surprised none have been started, considering the number of women with this medical issue...


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## lozonloz

PCOS also, although I never had an internal wand thing... just the outside ultrasound. I'm pretty sure it worked OK, at least the nurse told me I had "huge knobbly overies" which suggests she could see them. 

I'm not on any medication for it though- they put me on the pill for awhile but then I moved and my new doctor took me off it, saying this particular kind of pill which helped with the symptoms would also give me blood clots, cos fat. "Cos fat" is always a convenient excuse for problems don't you find? I swear if I came in with a broken arm they'd claim it cracked under the pressure of my own chub. 

Same Doc told me to try metformin and stick with it despite discomfort, but after 4 months of throwing up and horrifying pain after every meal I stopped taking that and changed Doc again.

I'm not overly concerned except that I HATE ladybeard. My hair is too thick to wax off- the wax comes off and leaves the hair there. Shaving leaves black stubble because again, it's so thick and it grows back so fast. Hair removal creams are too weak to get the hair off unless I leave them on long enough to create a chemical peel effect on my skin, which I will not be doing again in a hurry oh god the horrible pain...  Electrolysis is appealing but too expensive to be a realistic option. The basic upshot of this is I pluck out as many hairs as I can individually, but I NEVER get them all. 

Grrrr!


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## 1love_emily

HayleeRose said:


> Yea, that's kinda the same conclusion i was coming to, too. I have the hair problem, the strange period cycle, weight problems, excess testosterone. The first thing they checked was my thyroid, and for diabetes, but those were both normal, the only chemical thing was my T levels. I wasn't really happy with my doctors, they seemed to not know much about it or what to tell me. They put me on some medication, and haven't checked in with me on it in like a year.



I was diagnosed with PCOS this summer, and it was a relief to me. I had been showing the symptoms and signs, but all other doctors had overlooked them as weight related (dedoy). Once I got to my new doctor, he did diagnose me with low thyroid function, but then at my next appointment the PCOS was diagnosed, and ever since then I've felt a lot better! 

The only part of PCOS that I dislike is the extra body hair. My mustache is the worst!


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## ~KawaiiFFA~

I'm not actually overweight, but I saw this thread and I do have PCOS so I figured I'd reply. (Sorry if I'm intruding.)

All I'm really on right now is Birth Control (Nortrel.) I've tried a million different pills and I think I finally found one that works. It was hell before. I bled for 40 days. (40 days and 40 nights...I refer to it as the "Great flood" hehe.)

Hopefully if I get the money I can afford electrolysis. I don't have facial hair, but I have quite a bit of body hair and it's really high maintenance.

I think this is a very good idea:


fat9276 said:


> I am actually very interested in starting a "PCOS" based salon... waxing, etc. Everyone would be trained on PCOS sensitivity and awareness so that the clientele would feel comfortable and cared for. I do not know if there are any out there and surprised none have been started, considering the number of women with this medical issue...


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## lozonloz

I'm trying electrolysis now, I got a deal on my chin/upper lip with 6 sessions for £89. 

Bargain.

Had patch test, first zapping in 3 weeks. Cannot come soon enough!

My mum has the same hair/skin combo as me and is 5 sessions into the same deal and her chin hair is COMPLETELY GONE. Convinced me to spend the money, even though after the first 6 its £50 a session and I'll prob need one or two more to get rid of it permenantly.

The woman doing it is lovely, apparently she has loads of large women with PCOS come in and has great success with them. Plus as I have such light skin and dark hair its perfect for the lasers. Woop woop woop! An end to ladybeard!


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## Jah

I need to be tested for PCOS because I've got the extra body hair and a bit of facial hair but I'm worried the tests will be painful.


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## breeislove

i was also diagnosed when i was 19 (a month shy of 21 now) and i've tried so many things.

when i was little and growing up, my mustache was so awful. i had facial hair before most boys i knew and it was terribly embarrassing. as soon as i was old enough, i started getting my lip waxed to get rid of it and that made me feel tremendously better.

more symptoms developed as i grew up. i no longer have periods for months at a time (as of right now, i literally cannot remember my last period. i think it may have been january?????) and when/if i do get one, i'm bed ridden til it's over - both due to the insanely painful cramps and the vast amounts of blood. i have increased body hair that's a tad embarrassing. even my voice dropped!

after i was diagnosed, i was put on high hormone birth control and spiro and it literally did nothing. i might as well have taken sugar pills. after that failed, they tried metformin. but even with eating clean and basically cutting out sugar all together (sugar is a metformin trigger, in case you didn't know) it didn't work. i was so sick all the time, they took me off.

i've tried laser hair removal (3 treatments before i called it quits) and it seemed to make things WORSE. in high school, i never had chin hair. now, i have black coarse hair growing on my chin. i shave now, but man, i wish i didn't have to.

i've also tried vaniqua. it was great at first. it thinned the hair growth and made the hair seem finer and easier to remove. which it better when i'm paying $97 a tube! but the thing is, you have to use it twice a day for... forever. i ran out of my second tube recently and haven't been able to refill because i don't have that kind of disposable money right now. it's been two weeks and now my chin hair is back to how it was before i even started with the stupid cream.

i'm writing a novel, and i'm sorry, but i had to share and read all of your experiences and opinions because i'm flat out of ideas! i'm young and i've had so many fails at fixing this. pcos isn't something i want to keep fighting for the rest of my life.


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## spiritangel

I got diagnosed with this about a month ago as well as slight? insulin resistance 

My dr put me on a low dose pill and Metaformin and boy did the side effects start right away. 

I have had to go completely off the Metaformin as it was making me really sick (lets just say to much bathroom time) and both seem to have set off really bad bleeding which I have just got under controll

am thinking its going to be a huge learning curve in terms of figuring out what pill works best with my body 

as for the Metaformin it was not something I had to take but my Dr did say one of the side effects can be weightloss. I have been steadily working towards a healthier diet over time as it is and am pretty good re diet and have been doing a long walk everytime I am in town as well as doing my weekly stretch and flex class (all of which have been harder with how sick the medication made me)

Apparently a side effect of Metaformin can be weight loss as all it actually does is speed up your metabolism. I can't take it as all it does for me is make me sick and send me to the bathroom even one tablet a day or one every few days so that is out for me.

There is an awesome Ted Medical talk where a Dr talks about type 2 diabeties and insulin resistance its rather revoloutionary actually 

and worth looking for I cant find a direct link atm but its on ted.com and its recent 

I am reading this thread as well as it is interesting to see what has and hasnt worked for people.


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## Tracyarts

It's now been 15 years since I first started taking a combination of Metformin and Spironolactone for PCOS. I found that out at a recent endocrinologist appointment. I think I'm my doctor's little long-term case study. I wonder how many other women have been on the same combination for 10+ years, and what kind of experience they've had?

Tracy


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## 1love_emily

Hey ladies with PCOS, I have some questions.

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 2 years ago. I've been on hypothyroid medicine for the past 8 years or so, but when I was diagnosed with PCOS the doctor only prescribed Metformin. I asked my doctor about birth control because the absolute worst part of my PCOS is the uncontrollable flow and menstrual cramping I get. He said that he wasn't comfortable starting me on birth control until my thyroid levels were under control, until my blood sugar was regulated with Metformin, and until my weight stabilized (I fluctuated a lot my senior year in high school/freshman year in college). 

Have you guys had success with birth control helping your PCOS symptoms like heavy flows and bad cramps?

Thanks!


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## spiritangel

1love_emily said:


> Hey ladies with PCOS, I have some questions.
> 
> I was diagnosed with PCOS about 2 years ago. I've been on hypothyroid medicine for the past 8 years or so, but when I was diagnosed with PCOS the doctor only prescribed Metformin. I asked my doctor about birth control because the absolute worst part of my PCOS is the uncontrollable flow and menstrual cramping I get. He said that he wasn't comfortable starting me on birth control until my thyroid levels were under control, until my blood sugar was regulated with Metformin, and until my weight stabilized (I fluctuated a lot my senior year in high school/freshman year in college).
> 
> Have you guys had success with birth control helping your PCOS symptoms like heavy flows and bad cramps?
> 
> Thanks!




I can only speak from my experience the metaformin made me extremely ill and seems to have increased my flow, as has the pill, I have much much much heavier periods at present.

I have done some research and apparently the pill is not necessarily the best way to treat pcos as in a lot of cases it just seems to make the problems worse

I had already done the low sugar and low carb diet thing and increased exercise none of which seems to be making one jot of difference. This is just my experience and I am new to the whole PCOS thing

I did read that for quite a few women the depro injections are a better soloution than the pill

and a lovely friend of mine decided to bring up the whole histerectomy thing last night (I told her I would cross that bridge if and when I got to it)

I am muddling through as best I can I have to remember to get some vitamin C apparently if you take a high dose then every hr another dose until the bleeding stops it is supposed to work and ibuprofin has been helping me a bit to so I think its a matter of trying things until you find what works best with your body.


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## lozonloz

Firstly, as far as lady beard goes, I've had three sessions out of six and about half my hair has gone o_o

So I am loving the IPL hair removal right now

Also, I've been thinking about contraception lately, although mainly to do something about my godawful periods. They aren't especially heavy or painful most of the time, but they usually last ten days to two weeks. And regularity.... I can get a break of two days or not have anything for three months. ARGH.

I heard the implant might stop them altogether?! My doc won't pill me up because of DVT risks at my weight. Contraception tips anyone?


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## Diana_Prince245

lozonloz said:


> Firstly, as far as lady beard goes, I've had three sessions out of six and about half my hair has gone o_o
> 
> So I am loving the IPL hair removal right now
> 
> Also, I've been thinking about contraception lately, although mainly to do something about my godawful periods. They aren't especially heavy or painful most of the time, but they usually last ten days to two weeks. And regularity.... I can get a break of two days or not have anything for three months. ARGH.
> 
> I heard the implant might stop them altogether?! My doc won't pill me up because of DVT risks at my weight. Contraception tips anyone?



Get a different doc. The risk of clot with the pill is still less than being pregnant. You could try the NuvaRing or the Mirena IUD. Both release progestin locally, so there is not a systemic effect like with the pill.


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## Gingembre

lozonloz said:


> Contraception tips anyone?



I don't have PCOS (that I know of) but I do have very irregular periods. I was looking for a birth control option and in the end I went for a Mirena coil. I bled for the first two weeks it was put in (although that doesn't happen to everyone and it wasn't as heavy as a usual period) and then....nada. I am now period free (and baby free!) - hurrah!


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## FatAndProud

I've been doing a lot of independent research on PCOS, as I've a feeling I've dealt with it for years. I've many of the symptoms, not limited to, but which include: boils on my lower belly that seemingly spread (even after taking two different antibiotic simultaneously), hirsutism, lower voice (androgen and excess testosterone production), irregular periods, obesity, slight acne, etc. 

I read that "Myo-Inositol" is a supplement that can help with these symptoms because it allows for more regular shedding of the endometrium (regular menstruation), therefore hormones will be better regulated. I'm going to try it and report back in a month after use. 

myo-Inositol is one component of inositol phosphates in eukaryotic cells. Inositol phosphates allow for cell growth, apoptosis, cell migration, endocytosis, and cell differentiation (all necessary in endometrial shedding and replacement).


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## lozonloz

> Get a different doc. The risk of clot with the pill is still less than being pregnant. You could try the NuvaRing or the Mirena IUD. Both release progestin locally, so there is not a systemic effect like with the pill.





> I don't have PCOS (that I know of) but I do have very irregular periods. I was looking for a birth control option and in the end I went for a Mirena coil. I bled for the first two weeks it was put in (although that doesn't happen to everyone and it wasn't as heavy as a usual period) and then....nada. I am now period free (and baby free!) - hurrah!



I've gone for an implant, purely because a coil seems more invasive to me, and so far I'm really happy with it. I am still having periods, but infrequent and they aren't lasting for weeks the way they did before. Win! 

I did get a new doctor as well, honestly I'm not very impressed with him as he said he "didn't know what to do" with me regarding contraception and told me to go to the family planning clinic instead, tried to pressure me into weight loss surgery and took ten minutes to take my blood pressure because he couldn't figure out the plus-sized pressure machine. But he didn't tell me I couldn't have contraception at all...which is...an improvement?


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## Gingembre

lozonloz said:


> I've gone for an implant, purely because a coil seems more invasive to me, and so far I'm really happy with it. I am still having periods, but infrequent and they aren't lasting for weeks the way they did before. Win!



Your new doctor sounds rubbish although he's right that family planning clinics are more in the know about contraception. I went to a contraception clinic by chpice because it was much easier to get an appointment there than at my GP. Glad the implant seems to be working for you. Incidentally, I didn't like the idea of that - being able to feel it my arm freaked me out, like I was microchipped or something!


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## lozonloz

Gingembre said:


> Your new doctor sounds rubbish although he's right that family planning clinics are more in the know about contraception. I went to a contraception clinic by chpice because it was much easier to get an appointment there than at my GP. Glad the implant seems to be working for you. Incidentally, I didn't like the idea of that - being able to feel it my arm freaked me out, like I was microchipped or something!



Yep, my friend feels that way about the implant, but for me it's reassuring to be able to feel it. Like, "Am I good?" *prod* "Yeah I'm good."


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## lucca23v2

I thought I should revive this old thread. get another conversation going about PCOS. I am insterested to know how all of the previous posters are doing now with their PCOS.

I myself was diagnosed when I was 22. The doctor told me it was because I was fat. He also told me that I was not going to be able to have kids. I didn't know any better and took it to heart. Then a friend who was 98lbs soaking wet was diagnosed with the same thing and right then i knew that I had to find another doctor. 

After 2 years of a vicious cylce of being on BC and gaining weight and aggrevating the PCOS even more, then the doctor upping the dosage which made me gain more weight, etc., I took myself off of the pills. I had to deal with and am still dealing with anemia which already got so low once I had to have a transfusion. (So not fun!) So now I have to always take iron pills. Yuck!

I have gone without treatment since for my PCOS since about the age of 24/25. I went through years of haivng my period for 2 months straight, then 4 months without, to now eventually it worked itself out and i get my period a bit more normally. Not sure how this changed back. (Being that I am 41, it may just be that my body is going to make a change into menopause for all I know.)

Luckily, I never had the body hair issues of too much hair. Infact mine was the opposite. I have very fine body hair and very little of it. (I can get away with not shaving my legs for 2 years and no one would know the difference.) Is there anyone else out there like this? with less body hair?


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## lablueeyes

I have known about my PCOS SINCE I was about 13. My mom also has it so she got me tested early in hopes it would be better for me. It didn't work. I tried birth control for a while then metformin. The metformin side effects were bad. Then I finally got pregnant with the help of a fertility doctor. That pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. After that I gave up and stopped all meds. About 2 years latter I got pregnant and had a beautiful daughter. At my 6 weeks check up I got an IUD which I kept in for about 7 years. 10 months after the removal I was able to get pregnant again and had my second child. I also had another IUD inserted after my last child was born. With it my periods are very heavy but they are very regular. Before my IUD my periods were pretty none existent without provera or birth control. 

As far symptoms go I have weight gain in my stomach, facial hair, boils, hair loss and my hair and face are greasy. Recently I tried met again and took it for a little over a year. It really did help but again the side effects were to much to bear. The diarrhea never went away. Sadly I saw weight gain also because of the met. 

PCOS sucks!!! Because of it I am hyper vigilant about my hygiene and hair removal yet I never feel comfortable. Thankfully I only have to remove the hair on my face. I can go months and months and not shave the regular places. 

I have debated on getting my girls tested because early detection did nothing but stress me more. Doctors told me all about infertility and diabetes since I was first diagnosed. Even if those things are common with PCOS they don't always happen. Even if they do I would rather deal with it when it happens instead of only see a bleak future.


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## Deacone

I've had PCOS since I was 14. Or at least diagnosed with it. I've been on the mini-pill to at least correct my periods, and I more or less have none for months at a time (this may be due to my weight or the PCOS I'm not sure).

I tried metformin for 2 months - and my body did not agree with it at all. I was puking and had diarrhoea pretty much every day when I took it.

I think I'd probably be more hairy if it wasn't for the fact my mother is a hairless asian woman, so I think I'm kind of lucky there.


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## myownway

Check this forum in 3 months or so because by then I will be able to tell you with rather high certainty whether you should ditch the mini-pill for natural progesterone supplementation. If you want details, check the GamerGainerGirl's "No Periods?" thread.


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## Tracyarts

" I thought I should revive this old thread. get another conversation going about PCOS. I am insterested to know how all of the previous posters are doing now with their PCOS. "

I've had long term success regulating the hormonal imbalances and managing most of the related symptoms with a combination of Metformin and Spironolactone. I've been on both for 15 years and so far so good.


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## Deacone

Well I mainly use the pill for contraception uses now.


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## northwestgirl

I have PCOS and only started to get my SX after I stopped the Depo Provera shot!


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## TearInYourHand

How many PCOS'ers have been able to get pregnant naturally? Was your cycle regular before it happened? Did you have to take meds/change your diet/ lose weight/ do anything else to make it happen?


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## Lizzie_Jones

HayleeRose said:


> http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/polycystic-ovary-syndrome/DS00423
> 
> Soo, I didn't see any recent topics on this, so I was wondering, since its something that mainly happens in "overweight" women, does anyone on here have this? I got diagnosed with it at 16, and i hate it. I'm just curious about things other people to do deal with some of the symptoms?




I have PCOS.


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## DragonFly

Lizzie_Jones said:


> I have PCOS.


Lot of the big ladies do! I was a long time sufferer.


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## loopytheone

Just found out that I do too. Irregular periods is the only real symptom for me though.


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## Bookworm

I have PCOS. I'm 27 now. I had 14 day periods throughout middle school. Always very heavy. I hemmoraged during a summer gym class when I was 14. Went to a gyno who gave me BC and said I'd outgrow it. When I was 16, my mom started her pills are evil phase and took me off it. My weight and menstrual cycle went nuts. Periods lasted a month. Went back to gyno at 18. Given different bc and told Id out grow it again. I got diagnosed at 20 when I finally got a different Dr. I have never regained control of my weight. 
I had horrible body hair, acne and depression but the BC has fixed all of it. The hair on my head is very thin. I've started wearing toppers last month. It's fun having enough to style. I tried Rogaine and PRP. Nothing worked. I took metformin but never saw any results/changes/side effects.
As far as kids, I'm single and not trying but we think it runs in my mom's family but no fertility problems.


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