Do I have it? Need help!

I am 32 years old. Had gastric bypass 6 years ago. I am still about 30 lbs overweight. I have been on the pill since I am 19. I was very overweight, skipped periods for months at a time and had some facial hair and they gave me a diagnosis of PCOS. I have never had any tests otherwise. I am not diabetic or borderline diabetic and I do not have the excessive hair growth or dark spots that some speak of with PCOS. I had some coarse hairs on my chin and upper lip but nothing out of control and I am now using laser to get rid of it. I have never been off the pill. I am going for my yearly exam this month and I have decided that the only way to figure out if I will be regular is to go off the pill.  At times I have skipped pills and never had an 'accident,' so I am wondering if I can ever get pregnant. Also, a year ago I began having menstrual cramps when it was not my period and they did a pelvic ultrasound and saw no cysts. So, I am now wondering if I even have PCOS. Any thoughts?

  Robyn, PCOS is tricky.  If you are thinking about having children, then maybe you should ask your doctor about trying 6-9 months off the Pill to see how your cycles end up.  You may not have cysts now because of the Pill regulating you enough.  This might be a good sign as per pregnancy though.  I have a friend who was only about 30 lbs overweight and had PCOS before her first child.  She needed to take Clomid to achieve pregnancy.  With her next two children she only needed to be on Metformin for preconception and the first half of each of those pregnancies even though she gained about ten pounds (that stayed on) with each of her pregnancies.  However, she was quite a bit younger than you and I are now.  She was 24, 27 and 31 with her pregnancies.  I'm not a doctor and not medically trained but I do have PCOS and have friends with it as well.  If you are thinking about having children, it is probably a good time to start looking into your choices soon. Best of luck, Alison

Hello! I have had PCOS for above 4 years now.  And I will say that of the 10% of the population that have PCOS 5% do not have cyst on their ovaries.  I am one of those 5%.  I have in increased testosterone and no presence of SBHG(Sex-binding Hormone Globulin).  I have been on Metformin for 4 years and I have found that it regulated my periods.  Of course I have been on BCP's for the last 2 1/2 years (for actual birth control).  Your best bet is to see an endocrinologist.  I went to 4 different doctors before I finally found one that was willing to listen and he is the one that diagnosed me.  I hope some of this helps. Kelly