Talk to me about PCOS

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

I'm sick of it! I'm sick of the beardy face and the teenage acne. I just want it gone.

I've heard being on the contraceptive pill can help? I have a dr appointment tomorrow to discuss contraception, so what contraceptive will help? and what will make it worse. Is there anything else I can take to alleviate symptoms?

Please help me

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

Bump?

[homeappliance]

Same here! I was on the combined pill for several years and it did help my symptoms, especially the acne. But I needed electrolysis to get rid of problematic hair on my upper lip and chin area. Once I've stopped breastfeeding I want to go back on the combined pill because my symptoms are coming back again.

[MooMooMama]

PCOS is rubbish, isn't it?

I haven't had the hair but YY to the acne!! The only thing I've found which alleviates my symptoms is losing weight (easier said than done with PCOS...!) Contraceptives never seemed to work for me unfortunately - I ended up with more side effects than anything.

Have recently started going to the gym a couple of times a week & this seems to have kick-started my body in a way nothing else has done in the past. Sorry I can't suggest a magic pill to make it all better x

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

Ah, thank you, I used to be on the combined pill many years ago, but I've only had PCOS symptoms since coming off of it and having my girls. So it must have helped back then? I'm hoping I can get something to help!

[SirBoobAlot]

I'm on metformin for PCOS. It's a diabetic treatment, but is used as an alternative to hormonal contraceptives sometimes. It's worked wonderfully for me. My skin has cleared up, I've lost weight, the hair has decreased drastically... I feel better.

Reducing carbs can also help :)

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

I think I was better when I was going to the gym, but I have ME so heavy exercise is out of the question.

I don't really need to loose any weight (although I would like to!) I'm a size 8-10 5'4" and ideal BMI, so that shouldn't be an issue?

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

I've heard about metformin, but heard its not always prescribed. Did you get hold of it easily? Also I'm not looking to conceive can you take it with contraception?

[Feedthebirds]

Another vote for metformin here. I'm not looking to conceive either but I like to be on it for symptom control as well as the reported long term effects on insulin metabolism which should hopefully lower chance of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease etc.

Electrolysis useless in my experience. IPL has worked well for me and Duac for acne.

My BMI is 19-20 but my periods were never more regular than when I took up running 3x per week. It just seemed to regulate things for some reason. Sadly I hate running and never kept it up.

[SirBoobAlot]

LikeTheStuff, I also have M.E. as well :) I did yoga for a while, and that helped with the M.E., though it was before my PCOS diagnosis, and I had to stop as the pain got too bad (suspected endo, though still not confirmed...).

As for the metformin, I guess the worst that can happen is you ask and they say no. As for other forms on contraception, they seem to really push the coil for PCOS.

I was put on metformin initially as I was hesitant to take hormonal contraceptives (mental health issues). I have recently started the mini pill as well, purely for contraceptive reasons, so far all good. I will be staying on the metformin however, as it has made me feel so much better.

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

Thank you so much. I'll take some notes and ask about metformin. I too have mental health issues too and actually got worse on the pill before, but am willin to try, so will definitely ask the question. (I actually 'know' you boobs, I'm a thread killer, I just keep revealing too much about my past and illnesses so keep name changing!)

Feed what's duac? I've not heard of that, I was told to try free seem by the pharmacist, but am having very little improvement.

Thanks for your help.

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

Thank you all so much! I spoke to the dr this morning and she decide metformin was appropriate for me to take.
Really hoping I start to see some hormonal improvements fx!
Thank you for suggesting it.

[SirBoobAlot]

Really hope it helps you. It might affect your stomach for a few days, just be warned. And make sure to take it with / just after food :) Fingers crossed it helps!

[Feedthebirds]

Duac is an acne cream. It has transformed my jawline acne. Better than all the lotions and potions I was shelling out for.

Good luck with Metformin. My stomach takes several weeks to settle but I have found it worthwhile.

[MarshmallowRoot]

I have PCOS, although I get bloody sick of every doctor I ever see questioning it simply because I am not overweight, I have BMI of 20. I do have formal diagnosis, blood tests etc. I'm going to start saying to them "well would you consider it normal for a woman after teenage years I should have cystic acne, a beard, hardly any periods, female baldness etc if I go off the pill?" and just stare at them .

Yes OP the pill does help, it "masks" the symptoms , doesn't cure them. If you stop taking it the symptoms will most likely return. I dread the day I have to go off the pill because I know what happens (have done it before). But I will just have to use hair removal, spot treatments and get a wig!

You need to make sure you get the correct pill for you. Doctors love to tell you they are all the same , a combined pill is a combined pill is a combined pill. That is bs. You need which is the closest match for your specific hormone profile. Good PCOS ones are Dianette (excellent but slightly risky), Yasmin, Marvelon and Mercilon (sometimes called Gedarel), because these contain the least androgenic progesterones. Yasmin contains an analogue of a drug I have taken before for PCOS excess hair called Spironolactone.

Never tried metformin as they wouldn't give it to me because I don't need to lose weight.

Good Luck x

[VenusUprising]

How many of us have pros and ME?
Yoga also helped me, also a strict no sugar or refined carb diet.

I went on dianette oral contraceptive pill but grew Massive Boobs and Hips : I was like the Venus of villandorf, so they're not a cure all. I was fine when on Cileste though, which isn't indicated for acne as dianette is, so yes, marshmallow, I agree, it does depend on your own endocrine balances.

I was recommended by a nutritional therapist to daily have a spoonful of cinnamon (instead of metformin,) for insulin regulation, and also to take fish oils and chromium.

[VenusUprising]

PCOS, sorry.

I thread the hairs from my chin, and pluck the ones on my neck, and shave the thick hair from my legs....
I use brevoxyl, 4% peroxide cream for my acne. It seems to work on the big klaxon ones, and keep the pores from getting infected.

At the moment my GP thinks I'm going through the perimeno, and won't prescribe the pill to me anymore, so am like a wrinkly, spotty teenager.
I double over in pain when ovulating - and got some endo due to a hack job of a crash section.

My belly bloats up like a buoy every month - not sure if I'm even ovulating, have very heavy periods which have had alot of mid cycle pain, and very light ones with no midcycle pain, but have night sweats (ME) anyway.

They shoot horses don't they?!

[LikeTheStuffYouHangUp]

Thanks for the info on duac, I'll see how the metformin goes and if it doesn't improve the acne ill go and ask about it.

I never had cysts on my overies, but did have every other symptom so was given an informal diagnosis but since having dd2 I can feel a lot more going on there. It often feels like I have a baby kicking (I don't) and just pain around the time I should be ovulating. (Not doubled over pain, but stop you in your tracks pain iyswim)

Venus that's rubbish about the pill, have they given advice for anything else you cousin take?

[VenusUprising]

No, my GP didn't want to give me the iud merina, as she muttered, there would be too many hormones.... I didn't tolerate noriday very well, got headaches and very low mood, so perhaps she's right about progesterone.

I would love to go back on Cileste, but am 45 and GP reluctant: all other health concerns negligible.
I loved being on Cileste, I could just crack on with my life!