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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if being overweight could be causing her these symptoms

27 replies

Sevendaysaweek · 04/11/2020 23:41

Dn aged 19 has a lot of facial hair. Black corse hairs. She’s about five stone overweight. If she loses weight will the facial hair stop growing?

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 04/11/2020 23:43

Sounds like PCOS.

entrytohr · 04/11/2020 23:43

My endo blamed my weight. It can be a cause, but there's other things that can cause it too. If she hasn't already it's worth a chat with her GP as it can be a sign of things like hormonal imbalance.

tulippa · 04/11/2020 23:43

Could it be polycystic ovary syndrome? That causes weight gain and excess hair.

Original poster
Sevendaysaweek · 04/11/2020 23:44

I assume the weight gain is due to her over eating. She can lose weight when she cuts her food intake and moves more.

OP posts:
megletthesecond · 04/11/2020 23:45

She needs to get checked out for PCOS.

DaddysGirlForLife · 04/11/2020 23:45

Another one that says PCOS.

yelyah22 · 04/11/2020 23:46

It could be either:

  • PCOS causing much easier weight gain and hirsutism
  • Excess weight causing PCOS-like symptoms
NC4Now · 04/11/2020 23:47

I wondered PCOS. The hormone imbalance can cause weight gain and excess hair growth, particularly round the jaw line.

tiredofthistoday · 04/11/2020 23:48

She probably has PCOS - it’s not as simple as moving more . Your body doesn’t do weight loss in the same way due to hormone changes afaik . It’s a living hell, I have to shave daily and the only way I’ve ever been able to control my weight is a very strict low carb; low cal diet .

Not to mention the worries about fertility problems and total loss of self esteem and confidence . Feeling very masculine and the bullying .

I’m glad though that I have a loving aunty who’s always supported me and shown me understanding and not judged me on Internet forums for having a hairy face .

PickAChew · 04/11/2020 23:48

Are you listening? Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause weight gain and hairiness. Or are you here to lambast your dn for being "greedy" in the hope of some replies in agreement?

Original poster
Sevendaysaweek · 04/11/2020 23:49

I’m not judging her I’ve offered to go with her to the GP. She’s actually hoping it’s her weight causing the symptoms rather than pcos which is what i suggested to her.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 04/11/2020 23:50

People are replying. Are you taking those replies in OP?

Do you like your niece or did you come here to slag her off?

PegLegAntoine · 04/11/2020 23:50

As others have said, that says possible PCOS to me. A major symptom is insulin resistance which makes weight gain much worse

Original poster
Sevendaysaweek · 04/11/2020 23:52

I think she’s in denial as she’s worried about being told she can’t have children if it’s pcos. If it’s her weight she feels she can do something about it.

OP posts:
AnneLovesGilbert · 04/11/2020 23:56

If she has PCOS and can get help with it she might find she can lose the weight.

AnneLovesGilbert · 04/11/2020 23:56

What’s she in denial about?

FlibbertyGiblets · 05/11/2020 00:01

here's your other thread about her today Does she know you're posting about quite personal stuff about her? Why are you so involved? Where's her parents in all this?

Onjnmoeiejducwoapy · 05/11/2020 00:05

She probably has PCOS—I do. It doesn’t mean she can’t have kids, although it can have effects on ability to conceive. Weight gain due to PCOS is extremely hard to deal with, and the whole “move more” thing is not really very helpful when you have insulin resistance and have to work massively hard to lose it. Annoyingly, weight loss is one of the best ways of controlling the other PCOS symptoms—but it is extremely hard.

PegLegAntoine · 05/11/2020 00:07

PCOS doesn’t necessarily mean that though. There’s a huge range in severity, not everyone has difficulty conceiving with it :)

Tworoundsofwaterplease · 05/11/2020 00:09

I don't have PCOS and I'm fit as a lop and still have facial hair. Black and thick even though my own hair is fine. Sometimes it is just one of those things.

TheFormerPorpentinaScamander · 05/11/2020 00:11

Can you develop pcos when you're older? I'm 36, overweight but can't lose it no matter what I try and look like the bearded lady in The Greatest Showman Hmm.

EriAndo · 05/11/2020 00:13

I’ve got PCOS and sounds like me. Took me 6 years and could lose any more than a stone. I struggled despite religiously dieting. Even slimming world consultant thought I was lying and my food diaries were incorrect. I since went on metformin which didn’t help and I gained more weight. At this point I was 19.5 stone and suicidal.
In the end, I got a loan for gastric band and to date, lost 9 stone.
It’s a battle so be gentle and ask her to see her doctor as you think she may have PCOS.

Nikori · 05/11/2020 00:16

Facial hair in women is a lot more common that many people realise. What does she do about the hair? Does she remove it? It might be affecting her self-esteem, which may also affect her weight.

WitchesSpelleas · 05/11/2020 00:19

My first thought was PCOS too.

TheFormerPorpentinaScamander - Yes, it's caused by hormonal imbalance and can strike at any age.

Zilla1 · 05/11/2020 00:24

As PPs have suggested, cause and effect might not be the way set out.