PCOS Symptoms

Hi everyone,  I am new to this and I have a question for ya. I am currently going through testing to find out if I have PCOS. I have facial hair, sores in inner thighs, I am very overweight, I haven't had my period in over a year and it has never been regular...I also have these sharp pains occasionally in the area of my ovaries...Has anyone else had that? Is that normal? THanks!!

Hi! I am new here too!  I am not a doctor, but it sure sounds like you have PCOS symptoms.  How long ago did u have testing done?  I was diagnosed at age 14 (im 40 now - ugh) with PCOS and it has been a nightmare for me.  I was told by a very insensitive ob/gyn at that time that i would never have children and be more like a man than a woman - can you believe that!!!!????!!!??  It really affected me psychologically and killed what little self esteem i developed by that age. I have had every symptom that you describe, except the sores.  I see by reading other posts that many PCOS women have them.  I had bad cystic acne, but no body sores thankfully.  It has gotten better as ive gotten older. My skin is actually good now .  I am 3 sessions into laser hair removal and it is such a Godsend!  Now I am heading towards WLS surgery to see if i can get some of this weight off. Hang in there!  There are meds that have proven to help PCOS women.  I take Spironalctone which helps slow the hair growth.  I have tried Metformin, but it made me sooooooooooo sick.  I tried other meds as well, but the side effects were too much for me.  So, I have sucked it up and am dealing with it.   I wish i could find that doc and tell her to BITE ME!  I am 100% woman and had my sweet girl the good ol' fashioned way. So there!  LOL I hope you get your test results back soon.  Please feel free to ask anything - I never had anyone to talk to about PCOS.  Where was OH then! ?  LOL       Kathy :o)

It is so nice to hear from someone that has experienced the same thing! I am in the testing process. THankfully I have a very thorough and compassionate Dr. In the past I didn't, about 5 years ago they told me that they were pretty sure I had this, offered no real explanation to what it was, did no sort-of testing, they gave me metformin and sent me on my way. I too was incredibly sick on that stuff and just stopped taking it. Over the years I have talked to different docs about it, but no one offered any advice on what to do. If they had it themselves I think they would realize how much it affects woman. Especially self-esteem wise!! So now I will really know and be treated for it! Yeah! Question, I have never really had acne before until now. I am 26 and it won't go away no matter what I do!! It even hurts! What did you do for it and what exactly is cystic acne?? Have you decided on what surgery you are going to get?? Also, that is so wonderful that you have a little girl! How encouraging for me...I really worry about not being able to have children, it's what I want more than anything. That's why I decided to get wls!! I am praying that it works!! It was so nice to hear from you!! We should keep in touch through this journey! Blessings, Candess

Hi Candess! I have found that doctor's have been pretty much clueless and in the dark about PCOS.  My old PCP was an advocate for PCOS and its treatment, starting forums in the healthcare profession and lighting a fire under their butts to research this disease.  Unfortunately, as she says, "Fat, hairy, acne-covered, infertile women with no periods are not a priority in the medical world....but they should be!"  She used to get so mad!  LOL  It's ignorance in the truest sense of the word.  No one know what its like to live with PCOS unless you have it. The only thing that i have known to work has been the Metformin.  I wish they could make it and leave all the side effects out!  LOL  I couldnt even stand up straight from all the pain in my stomach.  It was horrible.  I hope they find some alternative treatment for you.  Please let me know how you make out! I saw your wedding pics - what a beautiful bride!  I love your cape!  It looks like you are so happy.  Isnt it great to have a man who loves you unconditionally!!!??!!!  My hubby could care less how big I am.  We rub goatees. ROFLMAO He has no complaints.  I jsometimes wish I loved myself as much as he loves me.  People dont understand the effects that the hormone inbalance from PCOS has on your moods and self-esteem.  It just sucks all around!  UGH! Damn PCOS!  LOL The only way i can describe cystic acne is they are big red bumps - i used to call them "volcanoes" LOL  Most do not form a head from my experience, so they are not poppable (God knows I tried!). I used to get them on my cheeks, chin and neck - they were horrid and so painful.  It would take FOREVER for them to go away too. The only relief i had was extremely hot compresses when they were inflamed.  I found that less is best for my skin and when i stopped all the fancy stuff, there was a big change.  I used all kinds of products.  Now i just used Lever2000 soap, generic 10% benzoyl peroxide cream and Clinique moisturizer - works like a charm for me. For the first time in 40 years, I am getting compliments on my skin.  :o) My LivvieKate is a blessing and a gift from God.  I tried for many years with my ex-hubby.  Did all the infertility drugs - i looked like a pin cushion.  We did several rounds of Artifical Insemination too with no luck.  It was a really hard time for me.  Especially when my sisters and friends were having babies all around me.  It took its toll on our marriage.  We got divorced and I met Mike several months later. I told him when we first met that I would never be able to have children, that i had tried and he was ok with that.  I moved to NC to be with him and SURPRISE - 4 months later, I was pregnant.   When the doc did my C-Section, he said he couldnt understand how i got pregnant as my insides looked like some poured a bottle of glue in them.  He also removed 2 softball and baseball sized cysts from my ovaries and wedge sectioned both ovaries.  Things were great for over a year.  Then SURPRISE again - I was pregnant with twins!  Sadly, I miscarried them in my 2nd and 4th month and havent been able to get pregnant again - that was 5 years ago.  Bottom line - PCOS is very unpredictable as far and conceiving.  Just dont give up when you start trying and know it may happen - just look at me!  Do you plan on trying after WLS surgery?  I am leaning towards the RNY, but I am still unsure.  They both have good and bad.  I see the doc on 5/22 and will see what he suggests. How about you? OK, ive rambled enough.  LOL  I really should be working now - oops!  I would love to keep in touch thru this journey! Kathy :o)

Thanks for the wedding pic compliments..Sadly I have gained since then...but I have faith that I will one day win this war! I LOVE my hubby!! He is so wonderful and I can't imagine life without him. I was convinced that I would never be married. I was told once by my father that the chances of finding a man who would love me is like finding a needle in a haystack. I was devastated and I pretty much became an extremely depressed person after that, more than ever before...oh well, I proved him wrong. I know now that he was just trying to motivate me to lose weight...but seriously how could anyone think that, that would work. Oh well. Ok I am now convinced that I have "cystic acne" That is EXACTLY what I have! NOTHING WORKS!!! I am so sorry to hear about you twins...how devastating that must have been for you...My bestfriend also lost her twin and struggled for a long time. I can't even imagine. I absolutely plan on trying after WLS! I told my husband last night that we have to weight 18 months to start trying to have a baby after the surgery. ( they say its the safest) I told him that on my 18 month anniversary and until we get preggers we are going to be very busy!!! LOL

I actually have a HUGE desire to adopt and am hoping to be able to do that within the next year. We will see. I just want to be a mommy. I can't imagine a more wonderful gift! As far as surgery options. I am really interested in VSG...I have heard nothing but wonderful things about it and believe me, I have searched high and low for negative things about it. I just can't find anything!! I am going to keep looking though! I also just hope the insurance will approve it!  Anyway, so glad to have an OH Buddy!!  You will be in my prayers!!

 

I put my bestfriend lost her twin...I mean twins...

dads try...my dad used to tease my mom and i, thinking that THAT would help us lose weight. Right.  *lol*he even nicknamed me "bubba" when i was little, refering a football player...i thought he was just calling me a cuite nick name, but my mom made him stop calling me that and then explained how it really wasn't meant as a nice thing. BUT, he's gotten better with age. and he's been truly supportive of my mom who just recently had WLS. guys are truly just dense sometimes, especially when tact and feelings are involved *l* i love my dad to peices, and i don't think he ever really meant to hurt. anyway, talking about PCOS, here is a post i made questioning the duodenal switch forum http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/ds/a,messageboard/action,r eplies/board_id,5357/cat_id,4957/topic_id,3612877/ i thought that had some helpful info on it! i've been getting really bad acne lately as well..big deep sores! i am probably getting what you have! let me know if you find a cure *lol* ugh, and i can't quit messing with the spots..picking or putting medicine on it...i'm such a tard!!!

Thanks so much!! I checked it out and I seem to be convinced more and more that DS if for me!!

no problem! i'm all about finding the right surgery for you *lol* everyone is different. i know plenty of people happy with each surgery, but they have different habits and lifestyles, and other issues than i do, and i know the ds is right for me. Blah, only a few more days! i can't wait!! You'll have to keep me updated on when you get your surgery!!

Hi! I just wanted to chime in here and say thank you for the "Aha!" moment.  "People dont understand the effects that the hormone inbalance from PCOS has on your moods and self-esteem." I hadn't really thought about the PCOS effect on moods, but it makes perfect sense. I'm going to keep that in mind post-op to see where my moods are.  I have PCOS, but my PCP only gave me progesterone to bring on AF. I'm done having kids, though, so that might be why he took that approach. I have two kids -- one who was conceived three months before my deadline of "if not by then, we're going to try infertility treatments" and the second while I was on the pill (purpose to give me regular periods). Talk about hormonal imbalance!! I craved healthy foods during my pregnancies and couldn't eat junk.   Sometimes I just really feel like I'm on the other side of the looking glass. Christine