*DEEP BREATH* Does anyone have PCOS

Pcos = poly cystic ovarian syndrome..

- Fertility problems
- excess hair growth ,
-skin tags
-weight gain
- acne
- Depression
- and more

Its not a nice condition and i know many woman suffer..

Does anyone else have this or just me? if you dont want to tell the whole forum you can pm me , some times its nice for some one to be in the same boat ya know
Jess x

I have PCOS and have had it since I was a teenager, but was only diagnosed with it sometime back in the late 1980's. The most annoying side effect from PCOS that I have that I wish I didn't is rapid hair growth (the hair on my head grows at a rate of about 1 inch per month) and irritating hair on my chin and upper lip which I wax off, and skin tags which I either remove myself or have the doctor do it.

I've always had problems with my weight ever since I was a child and while having irratic hormones doesn't help, I can't blame my weight entirely on PCOS. Lifestyle certainly plays a very large part in it. My cousin who has 4 kids is on the thin side. But she watches her diet and works out at the gym every single day so she works to maintain her physical shape and it pays off for her in spades.

PCOS results in menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, which I've been getting since I was in my mid 20's. I can't wait for real menopause!

Here is a link that gives you lots of information on PCOS, including the side effects.

http://www.4women.gov/faq/pcos.htm#e

It's actually a very common syndrome for women. PCOS is not the end of the world. More than 50% of the female population has it and most don't even know it...they just think they are irregular or have been on the pill so long that they don't find out until they stop taking the pill and they become irregular and can skip months and months before getting a period.

Please don't dwell on the fact that you have PCOS because it's a very common thing among women and is more of an annoyance than a health risk.

You can also sign up with this site below if you want to speak to other women who have it too. I have it but I don't dwell on it. It's not life threatening and actually in some ways I consider it to be a blessing because I am not plagued by monthly periods.

Here is another link:

http://www.pcosupport.org/

It seems to be hereditary in my family, and not as a result of excess weight because I had it when I was 112 pounds.

It's also important to realize that PCOS doesn't mean you can't have kids. My cousin has it and had 4 kids without the aid of fertility drugs.

Oh i know loads about pcos i have had it for 6 years now

www.cystersallover.yourbb.eu is my own support forum for the syndrome.

Just nice to know there is some one else out there,

People suffer at different rates fo'sure , i have had some nasty hospitalizing experiances...

Thanks for ur input
Jess x

I have it and so does my mom. We were both diagnosed a few years ago. We both have the weight issues, irregular/unpleasant periods, skin problems (my mom more than me), depression, skin tags...I have the dark skin around my neck and under my arms. My poor mom has the thinning hair, but neither of us has excessive hair growth.

My mom never had any of the fertility problems (that I know of- she intentionally stopped after two kids, and I'm pretty sure we were both happy surprises) and I don't plan on having any kids, so I'm practically crossing my fingers for fertility issues.

Here's a message board I occasionally post on and poke around in: http://www.soulcysters.net/

I am a member of soul cysters to

Its nice to know im not the only one , i think 1in6 woman have it.. a lot of people arnt even aware they have it , i was the youngest my gyno and doc diagnosed i was 10
Jess x

I have it. Feel free to pm me anytime you need to talk about it

(Metformin ER 500mg is a Godsend - ask your doctor about it!!!!!)

is there a test that you can have to be tested for it?

Originally Posted by Mer636

is there a test that you can have to be tested for it?

Click to expand...

it's usually diagnosed with a transvaginal ultrasound - that's the way they found all the cysts on my ovaries. they also go by your symptoms too.They also do blood tests to measure the sugar in your blood. Be sure you get checked out for insulin issues- a lot of doctors prescribe Metformin to help out with the insulin resistance that can go along with pcos. There's not one single test they use do check for it- it's just a combination of different things. Ultrasounds are one of the best ways to tell though.

I was diagnosed based on symptoms as well as blood tests for my hormone levels. A woman with PCOS will have above normal levels of testosterone.

I did have to have an US at some point years later, and the doctor did examine the ovaries (but not to diagnose). Apparently at the time of the US I didn't have any cysts.

I was diagnosed based on my symptoms as well. I later had a transvaginal ultrasound... worst deal in the entire world those ultrasounds.
My mother has it and was very concerned with me when I started getting extra hormonal and crazy, to the point when I wouldn't leave my room (literally I spent a week in my room so Mom made me an appt).
They just put me on birth control to help control it and I've had to change the birth control twice but when I want to have children, they'll start on their next course.

Thanks for your replies ladies

I was diagnosed when i was 10 this is what happend.

My whole life until i was ten i was very very petite. My mum had to get my uniform specially made because they didnt sell one small enough thats how little i was.
The one day when i was ten i started gaining weight like crazy suffered BO , and also had bad skin , everyone thought i was starting puberty early.
I then started my period at 10 and the doctors thought it wernt my period but a kidney problem , i had an emergancy scan which showed 36 cysts on my right ovary. My mum went 'phew better then one huge one that needs removing ' and the consultant when no pcos is a very very hard to manage condition at first.. and it still is , admission to hospital in 3 years is 3 times because my affected ovary was swollen and sat on a nerve.

Now i have been on 3-4 different birth control pills , the injection .. and now am waiting to have some form of routine in my periods.
Then the doc will see the best method of bc if i need it.
Please feel free to join my FREE forum , filled with woman with the condition.

www.cystersallover.yourbb.eu

Jess x

I found out I had it when I was 15...I started my first period at 11 which was both my first and last for a while...had another at 13 a couple at 14 and by 15 I had none...My next period didnt arrive until I was 18 the one after that came right before my 21 birthday they are getting more regular now I had one in April one in August and believe Im getting ready to have another.

The doctor I had refused to listen to me or my mom she kept saying its normal to have extreme cramping and spaced periods at that age. She said weight gain was simply due to lack of activity which wasnt true I played soccer ran 6-10 miles a week and also done weight training to stay in shape I was a vegan then all my meals were healthy I didnt eat sweets or drink soft drinks and yet my weight continued to go up my mood swings were terrible and I had frequent cysts...the doctor said all of those symptoms except for the cysts where related to being a teen and told Mom to deal with it. The cysts she had no answer for. My mom switched doctors and we found one willing to do the tests and get an answer for me. I was put on glucaphage(sp?) and birth control to help balance things which helped quite a bit I stopped taking the medicine due to no insurance and the funny thing is during the time I was on it I had less periods then I do now!

If you need someone to talk to feel free to PM me anytime!

I wasn't sure what you all were talking about in this thread, so I looked up PCOS and read about it. Strangely enough, a lot of the symptoms sound familiar. Weird, huh?

Millions of woman in the world have it and it goes undetected. Unless obviouse symptons and a good doctor its not usually detected until some one may have fertitility issues.

Its so easy to diagnose with a good doctor and the best thing to do is go to the doctor loaded with imformation

Thats what my mum done and think at ten years old no doctors gonna even think it could be a gyno problem
Jess x

Well, I went and had my ultrasound earlier this afternoon (it isn't easy to make conversation while that is happening lol). The x-ray tech/nurse doing the ultrasound asked why I was in there for this ultrasound and I explained why, so (even though she really wasn't supposed to do this) she showed me the screen and pointed out a bunch of little cysts around one of my ovaries. So even though I haven't been formally diagnosed at the Dr. office yet, (that will happen the week after next) I already know that I have the cysts and some other symptoms. My hubby asked me how I felt about this and I really don't know. Why does all this health stuff happen to me? First, this whole ordeal with the achilles tendon and now this?