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 Posted: Mon Oct 22, 2012 10:27 pm
I'm new to this guild, just joined a few days ago sweatdrop . But I thought I'd just ask, to see if anyone else knows what it feels like. If you don't know what it is, PCOS stands for Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome, and while it's not deadly, it increases your risk for heart disease, diabetes, and basically a bunch of other stuff that are kind of a big deal. In my case, I've developed insulin resistance crying . My body makes it but doesn't use it properly which has caused me to gain weight, AND produce too many androgens (male hormones) which means I not only get some hair wear guys would typically get hair (under my chin), I also gain weight wear guys typically gain weight (around my belly...great). It's frustrating, especially when no one else you know has it, so no one really gets what it feels like. I made the mistake of thinking there was nothing I could do about my body suddenly rebelling so I encourage any girl to see their doctor if they notice they have these symptoms:
*Irregular periods, or no periods at all (like me, I haven't had one in about 2 years)
*Weight gain, especially around the tummy (this could be due to insulin resistance)
*Pain around the ovaries (you can have a sonogram done to check for cysts. I have them, and they are not fun)
*Body hair (not like regular body hair. Think like "Woah wait, girls aren't supposed to get hair THERE)
*Acne
You don't have to have all these symptoms to have it, but if you suspect you might, see your doctor. I wish I would have known sooner. I'm seeing my doctor on Thursday, and hopefully I can get a prescription to help me with my weight loss, and help block some of the male hormones. It's embarrassing to talk about redface but I hope this post can help a girl who might have it and not even know it.
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Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2012 11:37 am
I was diagnosed with PCOS at 18. It was a total nightmare for me. I started my period at 10, and I had always been very skinny and active until 16. Then within that year I would suddenly have obscenely late periods, I was never regular but I'd go 3-7 months without them. Then when they would finally appear it would last almost an entire month.
In high school it's hard enough to be normal, much less accepted for any differences but when you're the girl with thick man hair on their arms and legs and shaving never keeps up with it, and the girl that has to shave or wax to get rid of that thick facial hair, you feel like maybe you were supposed to be a boy, and no girl deserves the kind of abuse my peers put me through because of it.
hirstituism is the common name for abnormal female hair growth, it is a very common symptom of pcos.
Then the worst part. The pain. When my period was late I would get horrible, bursts of radiating pain, usually on my left side against the hip. I couldn't walk, I'd be curled up in a ball doubled over in pain. Worse...no one believed me.
I also had mysterious dark patches of skin on my neck and under my arms and gained almost 50 pounds, I was 135 in high school. By my junior year I was 200. Lots of people told me to eat better and exercise. I ate Very healthy, I took Tae Kwan do, hapkido, a dance class on top of school PE.
I never shed 1 pound.
When I was 18 I was tired of being in the hopspital for shots of pain killers. I was tired of doctors telling my mom I was probably addicted and making it up for attention because I did not have any detectable cysts. Ironically 80% of women with pcos do NOT have detectable cysts. Hooray for paying attention in biochem and clinical chem in college! Because that sent me to my family doctor. She ordered some lab work done.
I almost cried when I got the results because she told me it was consistent with pcos. I had very low estrogen and progesterone, the two key hormones that maintain a normal cycle. I had elevated testosterone levels, consistent with increased hair growth and weight gain, and fortunately, no insulin resistance they said "apart from your hormones, your blood work is immaculate."
I was placed on metformin which helps regulate insulin resistance and prevent it, kind of a prediabetes medication. In conjunction with oral birth control its known to decrease pcos symptoms. Starting brith control was a blessing. Normal periods returned with the rise in the normal hormones, and the hair growth has lessened.
Any girl who thinks this could be going on with them needs to be adamant! Tell your doctor! Request tests to help confirm or reject that diagnosis! There's no need to let your body make you miserable.
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Posted: Sat Nov 03, 2012 4:58 pm
OMG, finally someone who gets it! Reading your post, I felt like I could have written it myself. Thanks for sharing with me. Cysts were detected in my right ovary (through a vaginal sonogram) which is where I get the same kinds of pains you were describing. I too was put on Metformin, and was also given progesterone to force my body to have a period. I'm supposed to take it for 10 days every month. After 3 months we'll see if my body will have one on it's own. My testosterone levels are sky high, and I need to see an endocrinologist asap because my doctor believes I may have a thyroid issue as well. I was lucky enough to be taken seriously as soon as I sought help, but I know that's not always the case since it's still not really understood.
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Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 10:45 pm
biggrin I know we shouldnt be GLAD that we both get it and know how each other feels...because that means it still sucks that we both have to put up with this stupid disorder....
But all things aside! It's nice to know that someone can sit there and say...Oh I feel ya sister....and actually mean it.
When I saw the PCOS post I was like O_o oh look someone knows what this miserable hormone hell is.
I felt the same way about your post! I was like Omg. story of my life lol...I feel ya...*types response*
I can honestly say I'm glad that someone else doesnt think I'm crazy biggrin emotion_kirakira
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Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 11:00 pm
wow, sorry to hear that you are suffering from this. Ovarian tumors are common for the women in my family. So sort of waiting to see if this is going to effect me too. emotion_bandaid
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:26 pm
Gypsy Rose Lee wow, sorry to hear that you are suffering from this. Ovarian tumors are common for the women in my family. So sort of waiting to see if this is going to effect me too. emotion_bandaid
Hopefully you won't have it also. But at least you have a heads up, and know what to look out for 3nodding
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:29 pm
Tanseki biggrin I know we shouldnt be GLAD that we both get it and know how each other feels...because that means it still sucks that we both have to put up with this stupid disorder.... But all things aside! It's nice to know that someone can sit there and say...Oh I feel ya sister....and actually mean it. When I saw the PCOS post I was like O_o oh look someone knows what this miserable hormone hell is. I felt the same way about your post! I was like Omg. story of my life lol...I feel ya...*types response* I can honestly say I'm glad that someone else doesnt think I'm crazy biggrin emotion_kirakira
I didn't receive a reply for a couple of days, so I thought, "Oh great even in a Guild all about Girl Stuff I'm still alone" and then I saw your reply and I got so happy. Not happy that you have it also, lol but happy that I found someone who understands what it's like. Does the metformin make you feel weird in any way. I've only been taking it for 5 days.
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:50 pm
Well when I first started the Metformin, it made me really sick to my stomach. I felt worn out and queasy. I had to eat a relatively good meal with it, because it will lower your blood sugar when you take it. So make sure you do eat with it! Even a small meal with it will keep it from knocking you clean out.
It reduces my appetite dramatically now. I mean...I eat maybe 1 big meal a day and lots of tiny snacks like granola bars or yogurt. Because I'm just not as hungry when I take it. Which rocks because somewhere between the healthy snacks and all the salads I eat as my bigger meals, I lost 50 pounds. I was at 260 by the time they put me on the Metformin and now I'm down to 210. Oral Birthcontrol has kinda slowed down the weight loss sad but it makes everything else grand. Because I dont get those damned radiating pains from missing a period thanks to it.
They DID put me on progesterone once a month but...Wooooo ...Moodswings. My ex called me when I was on progesterone and I started bawling because he was 'driving me nuts' and he 'wouldn't just leave me be' and I was crying over dinner and dishes and clothes and everything. Lol so progesterone wasn't great for me. fortunately when they put me on low dose birth control everything balanced out nicely.
Metformin though..yeah it does make you feel kinda..bleh. They upped me from a low does to 850mg twice a day. I take one in the morning and one at night. Worst day was when I missed a dose...and they warn you to NOT take a double dose (I was sick with the flu then and told someone I missed a dose) my friend tried to give me a double dose, but I looked at her and said O_O ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!
Make sure you pay attention to the effects of your dose, if it doesn't curb your appetite or help you utilize your insulin (which it should do) make sure you tell your doctor. If it makes you feel sick tell your doctor too, because it could be either to high a dose or two low.
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 5:07 pm
I've got it, too. I was diagnosed at 16 after the weight gain, annoying body hair, and (worst of all) hair loss started.
I was really worried about all of the awful things that can happen, but my doctor says that exercise and metformin can really manage the whole shebang. I'm lucky enough to have no cysts and just the hormonal effects, but I don't get periods naturally more than once a year.
I get worried that if I want to have kids later on in life it'll be really hard to have them.
Ditto on the testosterone. It's so high and it keeps getting higher. But my estrogen and progesterone levels are finally normal after being on BCP for a year and a half.
Anyone else have hair issues? Like...facial hair? How do you deal with it if you do?
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 11:20 pm
Titaniana I've got it, too. I was diagnosed at 16 after the weight gain, annoying body hair, and (worst of all) hair loss started. I was really worried about all of the awful things that can happen, but my doctor says that exercise and metformin can really manage the whole shebang. I'm lucky enough to have no cysts and just the hormonal effects, but I don't get periods naturally more than once a year. I get worried that if I want to have kids later on in life it'll be really hard to have them. Ditto on the testosterone. It's so high and it keeps getting higher. But my estrogen and progesterone levels are finally normal after being on BCP for a year and a half. Anyone else have hair issues? Like...facial hair? How do you deal with it if you do?
I get annoying thick hairs under my chin, and on my belly, and I personally think my leg hair is thicker than the average woman. After exfoliating, I usually either wax the hair off or use my epilator. Shaving leaves little black dots because the hair is so thick, so I don't recommend that. I too worried about not being able to have more children in the future, but there is something called Clomid, that they can put you on to help you conceive when the time comes biggrin
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Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2012 11:26 pm
Tanseki Well when I first started the Metformin, it made me really sick to my stomach. I felt worn out and queasy. I had to eat a relatively good meal with it, because it will lower your blood sugar when you take it. So make sure you do eat with it! Even a small meal with it will keep it from knocking you clean out. It reduces my appetite dramatically now. I mean...I eat maybe 1 big meal a day and lots of tiny snacks like granola bars or yogurt. Because I'm just not as hungry when I take it. Which rocks because somewhere between the healthy snacks and all the salads I eat as my bigger meals, I lost 50 pounds. I was at 260 by the time they put me on the Metformin and now I'm down to 210. Oral Birthcontrol has kinda slowed down the weight loss sad but it makes everything else grand. Because I dont get those damned radiating pains from missing a period thanks to it. They DID put me on progesterone once a month but...Wooooo ...Moodswings. My ex called me when I was on progesterone and I started bawling because he was 'driving me nuts' and he 'wouldn't just leave me be' and I was crying over dinner and dishes and clothes and everything. Lol so progesterone wasn't great for me. fortunately when they put me on low dose birth control everything balanced out nicely. Metformin though..yeah it does make you feel kinda..bleh. They upped me from a low does to 850mg twice a day. I take one in the morning and one at night. Worst day was when I missed a dose...and they warn you to NOT take a double dose (I was sick with the flu then and told someone I missed a dose) my friend tried to give me a double dose, but I looked at her and said O_O ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?! Make sure you pay attention to the effects of your dose, if it doesn't curb your appetite or help you utilize your insulin (which it should do) make sure you tell your doctor. If it makes you feel sick tell your doctor too, because it could be either to high a dose or two low.
Ah this explains a lot! I haven't had much of an appetite lately and figured it might be the pills. I felt SO sick the other night, I felt like I was going to throw up, and then I realized I hadn't eaten in HOURS, and still didn't even feel hungry. Even after I ate my stomach was still doing back flips. Now I know better. I'm glad to hear you lost so much weight on it! I want to lose about 50 lbs. myself and was hoping the pills could help me. I'm 210 lbs. and I want to get down to 160lbs. My ultimate dream weight would be 150lbs. though, lol.
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Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:36 am
More than just us! Omg.
The annoying facial hair ugh yes we get that. Yes...it sucks...nothing really fixes it, but I heard that like vanica I think it is? It's a cream that supposedly works very well for symptoms of hirstituism. Not sure how well it works...and it costs about $200 a bottle!
As for the Metformin glad that helped! I hated the pills when I started them, the higher the dose the less hungry I get, but between the metformin, my normal activities and the BCPs I'm really getting back to normal. I wanna get down to about 145. I've always been more muscular so I'll never be the tiny 120, I got the bit italian hips lol, so I may as well embrace them!
I am so glad that I bumped into this post, because I just feel like we may have actually helped a bit!
Just remember to be careful with the Metformin, it DOES drop your blood sugar substantially, so dont miss a meal or you will get run down fast. The lower appetite sometimes makes that challenging, but even forcing yourself to eat a little fruit or cereal with it will keep you up. I try to take mine around 7 AM and 7 PM that way I can take it with breakfast and dinner.
Also regarding the nausea from the metformin, my doctor was able to give me a temporary anti-nausea pill, it helped make it easier to eat enough to not get sick from the pills. I only needed those for about two weeks until my body adjusted to metformin.
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Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2012 3:04 pm
heart Glad I decided to post here. This may be a bit TMI but after 7 days on progesterone I'm starting to feel crampy. Good signs.
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