In October of 2023 I was diagnosed with PCOS. I immediately changed my lifestyle to better manage my symptoms, because the depression during a certain time of month was getting increasingly worse. I was having all the PMS symptoms that were unbearable, but no cycle. My gyno ordered blood work and once that was processed, she requested I go on 0.35 mg of Norethindrone to begin balancing out my progesterone. I was being stubborn with wanting to go on birth control, and was very motivated to try and trigger my own cycle. This did not happen, but my PMS and depression symptoms did improve over time. Fast forward to the end of March I got a pap done and was informed that I have complex hyperplasia with no atypia. My doctor expressed that it was best to start
Norethindrone, as I need to lower my risk for endometrial cancer due to the build up in my lining. I have since, scheduled an appointment to have an IUD inserted, as my doc has mentioned the Norethindrone may not be adequate/strong enough treatment for my hyperplasia. Starting pill was tough and I had several side effects, but it leveled out after a couple weeks. Unfortunately now I am struggling with consistent bleeding ranging in color. It has been about 1.5 weeks. Has anyone else with PCOS and lack of a cycle experienced this when taking the mini pill? Is this a good thing? Thank you!

Chat with your friends from r/PCOS here about your daily progress, or rants and raves related to your PCOS experience. Off topic posts are permitted here, although sub rules otherwise apply!

my battle with my blood sugar remains a difficult one and at some point i might ask my doctor for a GLP1. but i'm 21, and imagine that this is a last resort in a lot of doctor's prescription cases. are any of you around my age on GLP1's? or should i wait awhile?

Hi all, I’ve been on Metformin for about a week and a half, only 500mg daily. I take it with my dinner so it’s on a full stomach, but I’ve started to have really awful stomach cramps. Is there any way to remedy this, like certain foods I should be avoiding? Any and all help is greatly appreciated, I only very recently got my PCOS diagnosis, so I know next to nothing.

hello i’ve been diagnosed with PCOS for about a year and a half now. Wondering if hirsutism presents itself as black dots on the face?? no actual hair coming out but it looks like hair wants to come out and it’s coarse? i don’t have it in my chin or mustache area. it’s mainly by my side burns. i would upload a pic but it’s not allowed :)

How do you know if PCOS or HA is causing your lack of ovulation? How do you manage PCOS if you’ve also developed disordered eating?

I do have a diagnosis of PCOS. I eat a low carb diet and in the last 9 months I’ve been even lower carb and more restrictive than before, but it hasn’t helped me. In fact, I feel starving all the time, my periods are more irregular, and I feel so stressed and have mood swings.

My hormonal profile last year also was a bit off:

low estrogen

low progesterone

low LH and FSH

My androgens surprisingly were normal. Does this sound like PCOS or something else?

I really feel like PCOS has led to me developing disordered eating and I’ve swung the opposite direction. I’m so restrictive, I don’t think I’m eating enough, and I’m afraid of carbs and food in general - and it’s not making my symptoms better.

Can anyone relate to this or have any insight? How do you tell whether it’s PCOS or HA, and how do you manage these if you happen to have both?

I’ve been struggling with loss of period (6 months now) despite exercising, eating clean and being a healthy weight. I take Metformin, all the supplements, and I was having a regular cycle last year.

I got my bloods tested - Prolactin 91 mu/L SHBG 48.3 Free androgen 0.83 Serum testosterone level 0.3nmol/L Glycated haemoglobin 33mmol/mol FSH 5.8 iu/L

Everything came back normal! Although the prolactin result has confused me, as when I googled this, it seems quite high? And high prolactin can cause irregular periods and acne apparently (which I have)

33f In context I was dating someone for about 6 months and he broke up with me on Friday. My doctor basically told me that my body isn’t ovulating on its own. I foolishly thought because of this and how religious I am about using my birth control that I wouldn’t get pregnant actually I figured I would never get pregnant because I was told the odds just weren’t in my favor. I started what I thought was break through bleeding but it ended up being old blood and something told me to take a pregnancy test and it ended up positive. (I’m going to take them a few more times and see what happens then go to my doctor) I’m just at a loss because I know how hard it is to carry to full term, I’m also now single and though he is a great guy I know he doesn’t want to be stuck with a child and I couldn’t ask that of anyone. I also have no family and rely on my job fully to be able to afford things so I know me being a single parent just isn’t an option. But in my heart I never thought this would happen and this whole situation is just so hard. I’m sitting in a spot where I want to have this baby but I also don’t because of my situation. I’m posting this here because I feel like only people with these kind of issues would understand what I’m feeling.

Hello Everyone,

I am currently experiencing my first miscarriage after taking Clomid and have lost hope in ever having a successful pregnancy.

While researching, I found out that up to 50% of pregnancies in women with PCOS end in miscarriage, which absolutely shattered me and increased my worries.

I am now looking for some positive success stories to help me get through this.

Has anyone here had a successful pregnancy with PCOS?

Thank you ❤️

I’m 18F and i have alot of problems with my body i have alooot of body hair it makes me sad and hate my body even if i wax it grows quickly i have hair in my back my stomach everywhere i have hyperpigmentation in my armpits and down there i do have diabetes but i don’t think it causes the darkness cause my diabetes is balanced, no matter how hard i work out my weight doesn’t change I’m not overweight i weight 60kg but that never changes my period were painful but these 2 last years the pain has calm down a little anyway i just want to know if i do have PCOS and if anyone has a solution or propositions about my body hair idk a treatment a medcine ? And also the hyperpigmentation Also if i do have it can i get pregnant in the future or does it affect the chances of getting pregnant ? And thank you

Hi guys, I know spearmint tea works for a lot of people (including me) but I hate the taste of it so badly. I’ve tried high dose spearmint pills, but I’m just wondering if there’s any difference in effectiveness? So far I think the tea actually did work better and quicker than the pills, but interested to hear other experiences?

Hi, I'm 24 and I had normal skin until puberty. That's when I got acne - and it was really bad- and I finally took accutane at 18 and that fixed it for the most part. But since then, over those few years, the skin on my face has started to look really dull, dry and washed out. Despite taking good care of it & wearing spf in the summer. I look older than my age just because of this and I wonder if it's pcos related.

I started taking inositol about almost a month ago and for the last 2 to 3 weeks I have been feeling very depressed and sad. I am even lacking motivation the gym, which is unlike me. A lot of emotions and thoughts are coming up from the past I think these are repressed/suppressed emotions that I never processed so l've been continuing to take it thinking Maybe this is what it's supposed to do and everything will balance out eventually. Other than that, I have been seeing benefits from it such as way less cravings. Any tips or anyone else experience this? If you take it or have taken it what was your experience? I'm taking the ovarian care powder from Throne.

I’ve been gluten free dairy free for 2 weeks (feeling great, I’ve done this before while dealing with other health issues, on top of PCOS my inflammation markers have been flagged before). I’ve been noticing that alcohol makes me feel different lately. For example 2-3 drinks causing hangover / major anxiety. 1 drink will give me a buzz that will last awhile. Anyone else noticed something like this?

My hirsutism has dramatically worsened since I found out I was pregnant. My acne has also worsened. It was the same way when I was pregnant with my first who was a boy. I’m just wondering if anyone has noticed a correlation between increased androgens and the baby being a boy? Or is it all just typical PCOS and pregnancy symptoms?

I’m based in the UK. I am planning on starting mounjaro (tirzepatide). My PCOS symptoms have gotten quite unmanageable and I have gained a significant amount of weight in the last year despite no changes to my diet or lifestyle and cannot get it to come off. I know that there’s research suggesting GLP1 medications can help PCOS symptoms and I would like to get it a go.

I am aware that it’s really difficult get a prescription if you’re not a diabetic. I am prepared to get a prescription though an online clinic and pay the £150-£200/month. However, I would like some medical oversight and hope that I can be checking in with the GP about it. Has anyone had experience on this and how it can be managed with a medical professional in person? Should I get a full medical completed in advance so I know where my starting point is in relation to things like blood pressure, hormones, etc. are before I start the medication? I feel anxiety about essentially prescribing myself medication even though I do meet the criteria for it.

Just wanted to share my experience so far with Adipex. I have some stubborn weight that will not come off since 2020. I visited my doctor about it 2 weeks ago and he prescribed Adipex and Metformin. It took me a few days to get used to, but the Adipex is making a huge difference for me. I take it before breakfast in the morning, and it has significantly reduced my appetite. I'm eating about 1500 calories a day, also. I literally feel no hunger cues. I know I need to eat when I start to feel weaker or dizzy. Cravings are gone. The idea of sugar is kind of repulsive to me. I don't own a scale (I need to get one) but I can see my face and tummy thinning out. I no longer feel like I'm going to crash at 2 pm. I have a ton of energy to work and play with my young child. The house is super clean lol.

Cons: it works by increasing blood pressure and metabolism, so if you have issues with BP it's not for you. I am SO thirsty. I drink water all day long. Which probably helps in the long run, but the dry mouth is there. It increases anxiety, for me. I feel a bit like I've had several cups of coffee and can't regulate, but I had anxiety before. This is also getting better with time. You can only be on it for a short amount of time. Our plan is for me to be on it for no more than 2 or 3 months, develop some healthier habits and curb my appetite, then wean off it because it can be habit forming.

Overall, the benefits are outweighing the risks for me. It seems like a good alternative to injections, which my insurance doesn't cover.

🧡🧡

Period question- provera med

I have a medication to take to bring on my period. My plan was take it april 25 and around May 15th-20th I'd have a period. And it would finish before or by the 26th.

My body decided to start my period today. Which would be fine but I'm going on vacation May 26th to June 3. Which if my body decides to continue to work right puts my next period about that time.

So does anyone know if I can take it at the end of this period still to jump start next months? It's a 10 day prescription

I've successfully been able to skip my period for the last like 5 years we travel. I don't wanna deal with it this year either 😭. I know it may sound silly but my periods are no joke.

I will be asking my Dr but it's Sunday and was wondering if anyone else has done this.

My period is currently very irregular and I hadn’t had one since early January. I started inositol at the beginning of April and got my period 9 days ago but it hasn’t stopped. Has anyone experienced prolonged bleeding while on inositol?

My lining is 23 mm thick, likely because of mostly absent periods recently, and my gyno suggested D&C because of my history of severe anemia. She worries if we do the provera way I'll need blood transfusions. She also said if it comes back cancerous (they'll test while I'm under) they'll automatically move to a full abdominal hysterectomy.

The option is still open to attempt it the provera way with an endometrial biopsy if I want but I have to decide ASAP as surgery is scheduled in a week.

If you got a D&C how did it go? Did you regret it? Are you glad you got it done? Did it help if you had the extremely heavy periods before it?

And for the hysterectomy, if it needs to happen (I can't help but wonder if the only reason she wants to do it abdominally is because she's also an OB..) and I'm wondering if I should tell her I don't want that as laprascopically would probably be the better way for me to go especially when it comes to my weight and recovery time. So would it be unreasonable to ask her to end the procedure if it is indeed cancerous so I can go to a doctor that can do it laprascopically? I know realistically putting off cancer isn't the best decision but most of my fat is in my belly and I'm extremely worried about how recovery will go if she cuts into that.

How many of us struggle with our mental health? What kind of mental health diagnoses have you received, if you're comfortable sharing?

I think the mental health aspects of hormone issues are so often ignored. We are made vulnerable to all kinds of issues and often doctors will just dismiss them. I'm curious what kind of mental health struggles you all have dealt with that you think may be related to your PCOS.

I don’t know who needs to hear this but strength training has been a HUGE help for me. I’m usually more of a cardio girlie but walking and doing the elliptical only helped but so much. I started going to a gym and got a personal trainer. I told her about my PCOS and how I’m the verge of having type 2 diabetes. She was very kind and has been helping me along the way. We’ve been focusing on doing total body workouts and I’ve been dropping weight like crazy. The muscles that I’m gaining are helping me to burn sugar (glucose) even while I’m sleep. I’ve also changed my eating habits to incorporate more fiber (veggies & whole wheat) and protein. I still eat my carbs and starches but just in lower quantities. I also cut out drinking sweet tea which has been hard living in the south! I LOVE sweet tea but it was doing damage with my sugar levels.

A bit of TMI but I also had a long lasting yeast infection since February due to my sugar being over 200mg/dL. The doctor gave me multiple prescriptions of meds to but it wasn’t killing the yeast because the sugar in my urine and period blood was feeding the yeast. The doctor’s tried to put me on metformin but I refused and took it upon myself to treat it naturally by going to the gym and changing my eating habits instead. Now, my yeast infection is going away on its own due to me lowering my sugar levels!

Pretty much, I’m here to say YOU CAN DO IT! Find that less stressful job, join the gym to do more strength training, change your eating habits, go for walks after meals, be more active! Your future self deserves it! :)

For context, I've been diagnosed for about a year with pcos due to elevated testosterone and irregular periods. I've been irregular since I was 13 but I used to still get periods naturally at least a few times a year. Not anymore. It seems it's such a diverse condition that everyone treats it in different ways so I wanted to see what others do/what helps. Thanks!

I've seen endocrinologists and they said its not pcos, my gynecologist also,no cysts, regular periods, ive done blood work nothing found, no weight gain, no hairloss and no symptoms of pcos besides mild acne (not cystic) that's been responding to treatment and is now mostly scars and I'm more hairy than i used to be, not coarse hair but darker which is making me very insecure because i did not have it. Just turned 20 btw. I'm so sorry if i sound stupid.

Hey guys, I have read on here a few times women suggesting Brazil nuts for pcos. Do any of you eat Brazil nuts for your health? And if so what is your experience with it. I keep reading eat 2 Brazil nuts a day for Selenium. Selenium has a bunch of enzymes and proteins in it. I keep reading that women with pcos physically feel better doing this. And that you specifically buy raw Brazil nuts, and soak them in water over night prior to eating. I think I’ll try it for myself and post and update on here if anyone is interested?

Hi, I’m not sure if I have PCOS or not because my thyroid levels turned out normal

I have been fat since childhood due to overeating and became obese during my teen years however this year I lost weight and I went from 210lbs to 125lbs without much difficulty.

No matter how much weight I have lost I still have a very chubby face which is making me insecure it is shaped like an egg and looks abnormal on my relatively fit body. I don’t want to keep losing weight because I am 5’5 and it’s effecting my mental health really bad.

I do have symptoms of PCOS like being very hairy all over however I am middle eastern and I’m always fatigued, I also look very masculine.

My question is could PCOS be the reason of my very fat face or is it’s just bad genetics?

I’ll try to make this short. I haven’t had a period on my own since December 2023 (I had spotting in Jan., but after taking plan b). It’s the end of April so I went to my gyno the other day and she wants me to take 10 days of medroxyprogesterone/Provera to induce my period. The problem is that I had unprotected sex last night (he didn’t pull out). Should I take a Plan B? Or just start the 10 days of Provera (would Provera work like an emergency contraceptive?) I know it’s possible to still get pregnant if you aren’t having periods, and I’m on Mounjaro and my dr acted like that makes my pregnancy risk wayyy higher (bc of possible decreased absorption of emergency contraceptives).

TLDR: No period for 4 months, had unprotected sex. I’m not trying to get pregnant and don’t want to be pregnant- so should I start taking the Provera now, or take a Plan B?

Hi all, does anyone know if myo-inositol is the same as niacin? Wondering if it is causing flushing on my chest… I can’t work this out for sure online but seems it is different. Thanks ☺️

So I went to my GP (uk) and booked some blood tests to get a diagnosis for PCOS and I have recently received them and all that has come up is high cholesterol and LDL and also low iron but not low enough to be anaemic.

Next I have a ultrasound booked to see if I have any cysts but if I don’t what can I do in general if nothing worthy comes up for the doctors?

Info: I’ve had irregular periods since I was 11 i’m 21 now and I have many symptoms of PCOS like excessive hair growth (body, face), “pcos belly”, “moon face”, brain fog, fatigue, “diabetes neck”( dark rubbery lines on neck), and I find it hard to lose weight with diet and exercise.

Any tips to manage my pcos and help me lose weight and even help with the symptoms will be very much appreciated, I have started to take inositol and I’m looking into Berberine and other supplements.

Thank you :)

Sorry for any spelling and grammar mistakes lol

Has anyone had experience taking Evening Primrose to help with PCOS? What was your experience like? I'm debating on ordering some but just not sure as of yet. I just wanted to see if someone had real life experiences taking it and if it truly helps people with PCOS? TIA.