PCOS help

I've no idea about PCOS but sorry you feel so worried. Not nice at all. I am sure someone with more information will be along soon.

PCOS is fairly common and is present in about a quarter of women, it doesn't necessarily lead to fertility problems so I hope that makes you feel a bit better. Don't worry too much until you see the doctor to discuss the deets. There's several options for helping, it weirdly diet and exercise and healthy living being the first thing they'll suggest, as it's related to testosterone production yada yada.

I have PCOS, don't have kids yet but PCOS is easily treated so I'm told. Apparently Victoria Beckham has PCOS and she has 4 kids!

You can have polycystic ovaries, but not have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and be perfectly normal. In fact around 1in 3 women have cysts on their ovaries.

PCOS is if you have an imbalance of hormones which leads to irregular or absent menstrual cycles amongst other symptoms like bad skin or weight problems. Unless you have these symptoms in parallel with have cysts on your ovaries you not have PCOS.

Confusing isn't it! Probably the stupidest named condition ever.

I have PCOS and was diagnosed nearly 10 years ago now.

I have a mish-mash of the symptoms. Im lucky that I dont suffer with weight as a whole but I do carry it all around my tummy. I am a bit hairy though which is dealt with via a lovely waxing lady at the local salon. I tire easily, am very thirsty all the time and basically should eat a low sugar diet but am a bugger and never do what im told.

With regards to fertility I cant really comment. I am supposedly on the pill but never take it as it makes me feel so sick. All I can say is I have been boffing for 15 years with little to no contraception and ive never been pregnant, make of that what you will.

There are lots of resources o0n the itnernet, a few of the sites I have seen are;http://www.soulcysters.com/ there is a section for if you have just been diagnosed and also; http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Polycystic-Ovary-Syndrome.htm

any other questions you want to know?

Oh, and with regards to fertility people will always trot out the phrase "Victoria Beckham has it..." as if that makes you feel better.

It honestly is not a huge deal with fertility. The way it was explained to me is that see this diagnosis as a benefit. At least you know you may have a more difficult time TTC'ing so you can get all the help at the start. Most couples would try for 2 years with no luck and then start the test etc, you have a head start.

Sorry if the Victoria Beckham comment offended anyone, I was only being silly. What I was trying to say is that PCOS really isn't as bad as it first sounds when it comes to fertility.

Sorry Peanut! Thats me not reading threads properly, no offence taken though lovely. I diddnt even see you had put that. All I meant was that Victoria Beckham is like an unofficial poster girl for PCOS- wonder if she knows?!

I suppose for me its a bit different. Where I have no interest whatsoever in children or TTC I am really not fussed about the potential fertility effects of it.

I have PCOS and have had for the best part of 10 years!

more than welcome to ask questions here!

My periods diddnt start until I was 17, it was put down to be being very underweight. I went on the pill not long after and came off at about 20. I didn't have a period for a year, thought I best get it checked out and after blood tests and scans they showed I had PCOS. Ive since had further blood tests and scans to check my sugar levels as I am at risk of developing diabetes apparently. I still dont really have periods when I am not on the pill.

Ive since had a larascopy for endometiosis as well. The two arnt linked apparently, Im just very lucky (!) Lets not forget the coloscopy for the abnormal cells on smears too.....

My lady garden is a veritable festival of fun I tell you.

I had irregular periods from 14 when I started, and HORRID mood swings.

I then went the GP had every blood test known to man and had a urine over 24 hour test!

then went for an ultrasound and bobs your uncle - shitty ovaries!

Thanks for asking ef, I'm ok. Tbh I was having an awful lot if pain during sex which ended up meaning neither of us wanted too do the deed. Since the op we have only managed it once and all seemed fine but the physiological effects are still in place. Doesn't help with the concerns over what I posted the other day either. If he's not getting it from me where is he?

The only other thing I've not managed to shift is my belly after the op. it just won't go and I look constantly prefs at.

You sound like me about 7 months ago! I can officially say there is nothing worse than having an ultrasound where you're lying there, they tell you that your womb is fine then go over to the ovaries - and then its silence for what seems like forever until they tell you! I can still remember lying there just wishing her to talk to me but unable to say anything! My mum text me shortly after m appointment to see how it went and if she could call me. I spent a long time sitting in the car park not sure what to do with myself and crying on the way home. I didnt text her back til much later!

I will say now though, it isn't as daunting as it sounds! I did spend days sulking about it, and I will say that OH was brilliant. He didnt really understand any of it but he was really supportive. I sent him links to websites with information about it so he can atleast know more about it and he read them all!

For me, we havent tried to TTC yet. We did consider trying early, but my main doubt is what if I got pregnant and then miscarried close to the wedding! I couldnt do it! I want to focus on the wedding, and then we'll tackle TTC together afterwards. My periods ended up so I had about 4, maybe 5 in a year. Sometimes a couple of months apart, but one time I went 5 months without! Sometimes they'd be really short (as in a few days and really light), sometimes they'd last a couple of weeks! For fertility, have a look around, there are loads of options of things like pills to control hormones (I think its a male hormone it reduces or something like that), IVF can be an option much later on if the pills dont work, and there's always adoption which OH is happy to look into if worse came to worse. In a way, I'd rather do adoption first than go the IVF route, but at the same time the thought of having our own child, even if just the once, I'm happy to try for. I've spoken to the doctors about this too, and they say we've still got to try for a year before they'll give put us on any medicines, but knowing now what is wrong with us will mean we wont have to spend mainful months trying to work it out before they can do anything for us!

For general day to day living though, before I knew what was wrong with me, I gained a stone in under 6 months. Considering I used to be 9 1/2 stone when I came off the pill, to then be 10 1/2 stone in 6 months was shocking and I felt awful for it as I wasnt eating any different to before and still kept up the usual exercise. I'd never been that weight before, and most weight gain was only ever gradual, say 1/2 a stone a year! PCOS can effect insulin, and it can lead to diabetes, so I'd recommend now, especially if you're struggling with your weight - if there is one thing to cut right down on, its sugar! Almost treat yourself like a diabetic.. Keeping your weight down should also help with TTC as I was finding the more weight I was losing, the more regular (for my regular) my periods would be!

I also noticed that my skin got really greasy, this made spots a lot harder to handle too - my hair used to turn greasy within hours compared to days too! I got hairy - and I mean hairy! I'd never had a tash before, but hello little hairs showing! Also on my lower back and bellow my belly button I noticed darker hair. I was certain at one point I was hairier than OH! Because of all this the doctors recommended I go back on the pill, which I tried to put off, but in the end here I am back on it again! It is amazing though, I get only a few spots near my periods (well the pill bleeds anyways) and my skin is never greasy! Hair, 3 months later, I hardly notice - and thats the bit that takes the longest to go. If you are one to struggle with greasy skin, I do recommended Boots Tea Tree and witch hazel Cleanser and Toner, and also garnier skin naturals 'pure a' anti blemish moisturiser afterwards! Its got no oil in it so is good for greasy skin, and the cleanser and toner helps with the spots too.

Also to Mini - years ago, well about 4 years ago now, the doctors thought I had endo as my god I was in agony back then, when I had normal periods. I'd done all the tests to rule out everything else, I even had an ultrasound who confirmed no cysts! The only thing they didnt do was the larascopy as what they put me on helped enough with the pain that even if they did confirm what it was, that'd still be my treatment, so there wasnt any point putting me through it. I will say though, since coming off the pill about 18 months ago and confirming PCOS, my periods arent as painful. There are still times I am pretty much paralyzed due to the pain, but its only for a few minutes here and there, that no pain killer would solve it intime before it went. This is no where near as bad as before. I've always thought it seems a bit funny though to be thought to have endo and no cysts, to then have cysts and basically no endo ?

Sorry for the ramble - I didnt realise how long it got!

Thank you all so much for your thoughts and advice. I think the problem for me was I had blood test previously and they showed that my prolactin was borderline high. I thought my symptoms were due to my hormones and mentally discounted anything physically wrong with my ovaries and womb. So I wasn't worried and then got hit by the news. My mum is a nurse so I do have a fairly good knowledge of medical things but its different when its yourself. I've calmed down a bit and will be seeing the doctor next week to see what the exact details are.

I have it and am struggling to conceive. No visit from AF for well over a year now, coming up to two years actually if you discount the bleeds after failed IVF. I found this: http://anyotherwoman.com/2012/07/simplified-science-polycystic-ovary-syndrome/ really helpful in explaining it simply for other people to understand. Here if you need a chat or have any questions.

I have suspected PCOS but been on the pill for a couple of years. Coming off it in just over a week in preparation for TTC so will be interested to see how I go. May also have endo but not had a lap because I've never had any symptoms it was discovered during a smear.

See what your GP has to say but I can recommend the discussion board on the Verity website, loads of helpful advice. It's not the end of the world.

Hi all

I hope OP and no one else minds me resurrecting this thread. I've been referred for blood tests and USS to see if I have PCOS by my GP and wondered if anyone could shed some light on what happens next re results etc? I've got bloods first so do you think I'll get told results of those before scan or wait until after?

Reading this thread was in part the reason why I went to GP in first place - I had gone through last year's diary over christmas and realised my cycles were still not regular, despite coming off the pill about 18m - 2 years ago. Didn't think much of it until I read this thread, then read the NHS site about irregular periods and thought maybe I should go and see my GP and get checked out. I really thought I'd get told that my cycles weren't too bad and that I nothing to worry about so I was quite shocked when he said he would send me off for bloods and a scan. Hence me forgetting to ask what would actually happen after I'd had them....

Thanks all

It's hard to remember as I was diagnosed years ago but the blood test showed that my hormones were all wrong and this indicated I had pcos. I was then sent for a scan to confirm it after that and that was about it! I doesn't really impact on my life apart from a bit if pain etc now and again.

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16 and it heavily affected my periods. I had the implant until December last year and conceived a week later! I know we were lucky but it can happen!

Thanks all, much appreciated.x