Sorry if spelling wrong.
I have for sometime suspected that i have this.
Ive just done a little google search and it says that a big sign is the absence of periods, or at least irregularity of periods.
Is this always true of this syndrome?

please

?

I've got it and have irregular periods. Sometimes go months without one.

Hi I was told iv got this, always had very painful, heavy irregular periods so been on the pill on and off since i was around 15 years old which does help alot

Hi, I have it. Very irregular periods, I once had 3 in a year. Have you noticed yourself gaining wieght quickly? hairier than you were?

Deanychip - no you don't have to have absence of periods, or at irregularity of periods to have PCOS (polycystic Ovarian syndrome) just like you don't have to be over weight either.

The only thing that is a must is cysts on your ovaries.

There is a long and varied list of symptoms and every PCOS gal is different.

Hi, I was pregnant in June and found out at the scan that I had PCOS. I had always had periods and no other signs. Since my miscarriage my periods have become irregular which is very annoying as we are trying again and we keep thinking we have got pregnant again.

I have pcos. Periods are fairly regular. (Am not overweight either -- don't like to type that as it might be tempting fate.)

Just wondered but as i have regular periods wasnt sure if it matched iyswim.
i am overweight, BUT then i eat too much (im back at weight watchers now as my BMI is on the "overweight" margin.)
I am hairier but put this down to getting older some how.(38)

Sigh, im struggling and dont know if i should go to the Docs for investigations.

My plan is to get a couple of stone off, eat healthily, take folic acid and try for a baby seriously.

I have pcos and periods every month (though varying length, usually 30 days sometimes more). My consultant said if I have periods every month then I have as much chance of coneiving as anyone else (though I am overweight which has effect on fertility) and they only worry about pcos in relation to fertility if you have 4 periods or fewer a year. We've not conceived yet however.

yellowflowers your message is very encouraging. I was told so matter of factly when I had my scan and after I lost the baby. Especially as I had no idea before that point that I had the condition. I was given no advice and no one talked to me about pcos and how it might affect our future efforts. I always had regular cycles before the miscarriage and am not overweight for my height. Makes me feel a little better about the whole situation

Hi,

PCOS is, generally speaking, a very individualistic disorder and does affect each woman with it very differently. The only commonality is the cystic follicles on the ovaries associated with the condition. Some of these follicles are dormant, others release hormones and one may contain an egg.

Yellowflowers - Have they ascertained whether or not you're ovulating every month or not. I ask as it is quite possible to have periods without ovulating.

Anyone with either PCO or PCOS will hopefully find this website very helpful:-

www.verity-pcos.org.uk

Hi attila - yes, 21 day bloods showed I do

hi, PCOS here - that Verity site is very good, I highly recommend it, lots of information.

I had very irregular - almost absent periods - and was put on the pill to regulate them, which has worked a treat.

I finally had confirmation yesterday that I have PCO, not yet confirmed I have the syndrome.

I had suspected for a while due to lack of periods and some other symptoms.

Now in the process of being referred by GP to have further tests and then maybe some drugs to help me.

Have given up reading a lot of other threads as they are all moaning when they get their AFs. I have not had one for months (would once upon a time have been happy about this) and thus actually feel quite envious of these women that they can try again when they are ovulating the next month.

Not ovulating now, have no way of knowing when I will again and have to go to lots of boring, fruustarting Dr's appointments, have blood tests... may eventually get some help.

Sorry for the whinge but didn't realise I was this frustrated!

And calm.

I have PCOS and can say it is a very individual thing. As bizare as it sounds, you can actually have the hormonal imbalance of PCOS without cysts! Personally both my ovaries are very cystic. Also, regular periods does NOT mean that you are definitely fertile. Anovulatory cycles are VERY common with PCOS'ers. For example alot of my cycles fall between 32-38 days, but i rarely ovulate. A regular period is not always a sign of ovulation - 25% of PCOS'ers have regular periods.

PCOS is a hormonal disorder and thought to be related to disturbed/increased estrogen. A high fibre, low fat and wholefoods diet can often improve symptoms dramatically. Of course this is very difficult when carb cravings are dominant in PCOS'ers.

Main symptoms include;
-irregular AF
-absent AF (amenorrhea)
-not ovulating (anovulation)
-multiple small cysts
-increased facial and body hair (hirsutism)
-loss/thinning of head hair
-excess weight gain - particularly around the waist
-carb cravings
-acne
-skin tags and darkening of the skin