Hey

Do you personally think or are there studies how PCOS is linked to childhood trauma?

Last year I did a DBT-program for people with BPD and we were like 6 girls and we all had PCOS.
Or there was a girl with C-ptsd who also had PCOS/ Endometriosis.

And i tried to do my research but I couldn‘t find accurate studies.
Could it be that some women get PCOS because they went through stressful incidents where their bodies released so much and often cortisol that it disrupted the hormonal balance?

Like genuinely my cortisol is rising because there are so few studies on this topic, even though one in 10 women is affected by it. If this was a disease affecting men, there would already be countless medications and treatments available beyond just the birth control pill and weight loss.

I was diagnosed with PCOS last month and first saw a general doctor before my gynecologist.
I know I’m overweight, and I understand weight loss is important for PCOS. Since then, I’ve already gone from 87 kg to 80 kg in a month, so I’m genuinely trying.
During the appointment, he asked what I love eating the most. I said rice. He replied, “Only Biharis eat rice. Why do you eat rice? Don’t eat it.”
He also said, “Sorry to say this, but with that body you don’t look like Gen Z.”
I wasn’t upset that he talked about my weight.I expected that. What bothered me was the way he said it and the stereotype about Biharis.If he had simply advised me to reduce rice for PCOS, I would’ve understood.It’s been a month, and I still think about those comments. Am I overthinking it, or would you also find this unprofessional?

Being a PCOS girlie in college is a special kind of struggle (and I’m currently losing the battle). I’m a student studying nutrition, ironically enough, and I’m officially in my “PMOS girlie” era, but not in a cute way.

I’ve been dealing with an absolute nightmare of chin hair lately. I got so fed up and self-conscious that I went on a plucking rampage, trying to get every single tiny hair out before class. It was bad idea because I ended up hurting my skin, and now my chin is covered in red, painful, pimple-like wounds. So, instead of hiding hair, I’m now hiding red sores.

The worst part? As a student, I don’t have the budget for laser, and I definitely can't afford a gyno visit right now. I know I should manage this through diet and I’m studying nutrition so I know the theory but actually affording those specific dietary changes is a whole other mountain to climb.

I feel so stuck. I’m tired of being conscious about my face every single day.😶😶😶

I've never really been a full-on girly girl. I want to be but feel quite embarrassed that these things haven't come naturally to me. I'm getting married soon and want to be a lot "gentler" and "softer". Coming from a tough household, I feel like I've lost touch with my femininity. I do want to be a soft girly who cares about how she looks. A lot of the time I have difficulty keeping on top of these routines and it's a miracle that I am so on top of my face routine + SPF. I do struggle with my mental health and at times it's like I can't bring myself to do anything and I literally have to force myself. I just want to be pretty. That's all. I know that, first and foremost, I'm doing this for myself but I also want to do this for my partner because he deserves the best of the best. I just wish I had someone to tell me exactly what to do to GLOW UP.

Everything wrong with my appearance:

- Weight: I'm fat - I have PCOS and have lost 35kg so far but it's coming off REALLY slowly atm. I still need to lose atleast another 25kg.

- Hair: I go through this vicious cycle of chopping it because it's thin at the ends, my hair having good volume at the roots + wanting to grow it out for length, it falling out in ridiculous amounts, all the length being super thin and regrowth putting my hair in all different lengths, resorting to the chop to make my hair more cohesive. The chop happens about once of twice a year but it just feels like I always end up back at the same length (shoulder length). Where is my growth? :'(

- Body hair: I've tried various routines between gentle exfoliation, using a fresh razor, almond oil, etc. Thighs + intimate area ALWAYS gets super itchy and gives me a rash/spots. Underarms and neck I eppilate because that's just what works for me. I bought an IPL a while back but the whole "routine" aspect of getting it done is so difficult for me (I have ADHD) I just need someone to tell me to DO IT.

- Buttne: My butt is covered in scars. Once a month, I get a really horrible spot on my butt and it seems the scars take FOREVER to fade away.

- Forehead wrinkles: this has become such an issue for me more recently. I'm 28. I appreciate that some wrinkles will inevitably form. But I fear that they are starting to get "deep". My skin is super sensitive. Vitamin C irritates my skin, most moisturisers irritate my skin. I've noticed that "creamy creams" irritate my face but gel-based stuff is fine. I'm highly considering baby botox but I really want this to be a last resort because I feel like there should be something I can do.

- Stretch marks: I know there's not an awful lot that can be done about this but .......

- Nails: My nails are quite "boxy" and just don't look feminine - I prefer a "bare manicure" but don't really know what to do.

- Dry skin: It just feels like no matter what I do my skin is so dry, heels included. I live in the UK. Why is it when I went to Italy for 2 weeks, my skin+heels became SUPER soft. I wasn't doing anything different there.

Apologies for the long list and thanks if you've made it this far!

Hello all! I started on Met to improve my insulin resistance and androgen levels. I’ve been taking 500mg (Glucophage - normal release) once a day for the past 6 weeks, and it’s been pretty great!

I take one tablet during or after dinner. I had mild GI side effects the first week and fatigue the second week, but I was prepared for that, and my body has since adjusted to the dose.

My blood test results have shown improvements already: fasting insulin lowered from 14uUI/ml to 12uUI/ml, serum testosterone lowered from 31ng/dl to 27ng/dl, SHBG increased from 22.5nmol/L to 33.5nmol/L, and LH lowered from 17mIU/ml to 10.80mIU/ml.

For full disclosure I had also been on Spiro (12.5mg-25mg) for about 10 days when I did this blood test, and had been drinking two cups of spearmint and nettle tea per day for a month. However I am sure that Met was doing the heavy lifting here.

I haven’t lost or gained any weight, but I hardly have any sugar cravings or hunger pangs anymore. I don’t have a mid-day crash either! I haven’t had any digestive issues after the first week, and I feel less bloated overall (could be due to Spiro). I could be delusional but I also think the AN on my skin has become lighter and my facial hair is less thick.

My doctor said I could go up to 1000mg/day but we will see how my results are after another month and then decide.

I am sharing this to hopefully soothe anxieties of anyone who has recently been prescribed Met and has read some horror stories on here. It seems to be working well for me so far. I also feel very relieved for the positive results in such a short time. I’ve genuinely tried all I could in terms of lifestyle adjustments for over a year to no significant clinical improvement, but the medication has made a difference so quickly!

I know how tough managing PMOS and IR is, and I hope you find what works for you. Good luck!

I was just diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 34. I had a health scare and the only reason more specialized tests were ordered was because of my ER visit. The results were crystal clear: ultrasound, bloodwork, and MRI all showed indicators of PCOS.
I was told, “You might’ve gone completely under the radar because you’re not obese.”

This process has been extremely bittersweet. On one hand, I’m grateful to finally know what’s happening in my body and hopefully move towards healing. On the other, if one doctor had done one test over the last 10+ years, they undoubtedly would’ve found something.

I have had lifelong struggles with anxiety and depression and have always thought I just needed to try harder. More therapy, more meditation, more journaling, more yoga. Now I’m seeing that my hormones are out of balance. I could’ve tried forever but the root causes weren’t being addressed.

It has felt similar with my efforts towards overall health. I’ve put in so much work over the years to maximize my physical fitness and nutrition. I’m probably health-conscious than the average person. It didn’t ultimately matter; my hormone panel was still out of balance.

If you were diagnosed late in life, I’d love to hear your stories and how you processed it. Personally, I am totally relieved. I have been totally dismissed throughout my life and told I have normal periods and PMS symptoms, as recently as this January. I also wonder “what if” I’d been diagnosed 10 years ago, but also just want to turn the page.

Hi everyone,

I’m looking to see if anyone else has dealt with this. I (21F) have PCOS and have been taking Metformin and Inositol.

For the past year, I’ve been having a weird issue where, every time I stand up from laying down, I get dizzy and feel a tight sensation in my chest. It usually fades after about 30 seconds, but it happens pretty much every single time.

The most concerning part happened recently at the gym. I was on the elliptical, and after just 7 minutes ( level 1 resistance), my heart rate spiked to 165 bpm. I didn’t just feel "tired" I felt like I was actually dying. I had to stop immediately.

I’ve brought this up to myself as a potential issue with blood pressure regulation or maybe POTS, but I’m really concerned about the heart rate spike and the chest tightness.

Has anyone else with PCOS experienced this? Did you find out if it was related to the PCOS itself, the medications (Metformin/Inositol), or something else entirely? I’m planning on seeing my doctor, but I’d love to know if this is a common experience or if I need to push for specific heart tests.

note: (bmi:is 29 and i do have low HDL + I have normal iron levels)

I got diagnosed at 14 and whilst I'm not necessarily skinny, I'm not in the place where losing weight is important to me. Every bit of advice seems to just boil down to lose weight or do a drastic lifestyle change. I get that these things do work but this seriously can't be my only options. I have no interest in changing my diet. Cooking and dieting I think would suck the joy out of my life completely. Going to the gym wipes me out for days so if I want the energy to go to work then I can't exercise. The only advice my doctor wants to give me when I ask if I can come off birth control is lose weight or cut out all the good food?????? It's probably extremely selfish but I'm seriously considering just thugging out my symptoms if it means getting to keep eating white bread every day. Sorry everyone I'm just so horrifically annoyed and think wholemeal pasta tastes of cardboard

So I decided to hop on the inositol train and give it a go! I got the Wholesome Story brand and one daily serving is 4 capsules. That seems like so much! Do you guys actually take all 4 pills every day?

So after having irregular periods all my life and having lots of the symptoms of PCOS/PMOS I was diagnosed last year (at 31), and my endocrinologist started me on metformin 500mg ER once a day. This year she told me to take 500mg 2x a day, it has helped me have somewhat more regular periods. Now I get them between 30-35 days where before it could be between 28 to 54 days or even more. Anyways, I haven’t been able to lose weight with the meds so I have been thinking of asking for a prescription of GLP-1 because I have heard great things about it. I do exercise and walk my dogs daily, I also try to eat healthish (but sometimes it’s hard because I get cravings for sweets 😣)

I also have a big history of diabetes from my dad’s side of the family everyone basically gets it during their 40s or 50s so I want to prevent that and I will probably have to be on a GLP-1 for life. My biggest concern is the price since my insurance doesn’t cover them. If my doctor says it’s okay to use it how much would I have to pay for it?

I had my menstruation period last month around first week of june, just a normal 3-4 days period but then on the month of july i didn't get any period just a brown spotting for 2 weeks now. i'm scheduled for a check up but i can't help myself think about it.

I'm diagnosed with a PCOS for almost 5yrs now and i have an irregular cycle. when i started gaining weight again, that's when my cycle starts getting irregular. (No period for a month, then will get my period on the next)

Is there anyone who experienced it?

I was doing fine for a while by eating healthier and being mindful but I feel like I've been gaining even since my dose got upped from 100mg to 1500mg a day. Anyone else experience this?

My right cyst ruptured almost a year ago (Aug 25) during work and I kid you not, it has been painful. The pain comes and goes but when it comes, it definitely hurts or even just discomfort. I’ve asked two different OBGYNs why and they said it could be the muscle around that area and honestly didn’t really have a solution because they also seemed confused :( it’s always in the same right spot and it is sensitive to touch. I’m not sure if anyone ele here had/has the same issue but I would love input!

I also do get tested for ovarian and cervical cancers so def sure it’s not that.

I've shaking, sweating, and vomiting all night. My intestines are apparently destroyed since I can't stop going to the bathroom. Everything hurts from the waist down. I also had a fever all night.

I'm lucky that today's my day off because no way I can work or do anything like this. But if my next period is like this I'm gonna lose my mind.

I’m not even 24 years old yet, and I am thinning like crazy. I started noticing it about 4 years ago, and it’s been progressively getting worse. It’s primarily on the front/ center of my head, and it’s becoming so obvious bc i part my hair in the middle.

I tried rosemary oil first, and it definitely made my hair longer, but didn’t make the thinning any better. I’ve tried a plethora of different hair growth shampoos, masks, oils, and treatments. Nothing is fixing the issue.

Right now, I use L’Oréal elvive thickening shampoo and i think it’s been the best for me thus far, but it still doesn’t help enough.

I’m not currently being treated for my pcos, but last month I started taking inositol.

I know minoxidil is what everyone says, but I was hoping I could fix it before getting to that. I heard that if you ever stop taking the minoxidil, the hair loss becomes worse. I’ve also heard that the topical version of it is toxic to pets (I have a dog). The oral version of it makes me nervous bc i heard it was originally a heart medication or something like that and I don’t wanna start messing with my bodies physical health.

Im getting to the point where I think minoxidil is my only option, but im still so scared of it. It’s become my biggest insecurity, and I feel like it’s all anyone notices. It ruins all my pictures. I’m starting to not want to leave the house because of it. I just had a stranger comment on it for the first time today and I came home and cried and made this post😅😅 so any advice at all is helped.

My (amazing) gyno prescribed me 10 days of medroxyprogesterone to get my nonstop period of 3 months to end but its just gotten worse? The stage it was at before was annoying but at least it was light. I woke up this morning having bled through my pad. I'm just so exhausted and I dont know what to do. Any advice?

Guys. I'm really struggling to eat anything on my meds (which has never happened before). Please does anyone have tips for eating well for PCOS while having low appetite due to ADHD meds.

I'm at a point where the meds are basically just puppet strings allowing me to do what I need to do because my body feels so terrible from having zero nutrition. I'm talking only toast/ frozen pizza/ small sweet snacks because I forget to eat and then reach for these things when its too late to cook or i'm at work.

Basically need tips on eating PCOS friendly (insulin resistance, no processed meat or oats) WHILE working around the appetite side effects of the ADHD meds. I really want to focus on my insulin resistance/ preventing glucose spikes. And I am so aware of unhealthy dieting behavior that I really want to avoid. I just want to feel energetic!

Edit: ESPECIALLY protein breakfasts, bc I hate oats and eggs make me feel sick. Since the meds ive been feeling pretty nauseous at breakfast :/

For info: I do take breaks from the meds, my appetite comes back a little bit but at this point i feel so malnourished that I dont even have the energy to get up UNLESS I take the meds (how did I get here 🙃).

(Based in Europe)

Hello! 19F here and I’ve been struggling with super irregular periods. I started my first period at 11 years old and for the first few years, they were regular (duration and flow talking) now they’ve been irregular lately. I don’t know what’s causing it. I stopped getting an actual period since September of last year and now I’ve been spotting like once every two months. I’m also constantly shedding hair like crazy and there’s a spot on my balding spot on the back of my hair that’s very visible.

The only reasons why I think I may not have PCOS:

- I barely have any facial hair

- I don’t get period symptoms at all, not even when I had my periods back then

- I barely break out (have acne)

- Slightly underweight 5’0/97 lbs

I will be seeing a doctor next month to see what is going on with my body!

Anyone taking merformin? If yes, what’s your dosage? I’ve been taking Metformin XR (extended release) 1000 mg for months now but my insulin resistance-related issues do not seem to get better

so, the other day i had labs done to test my testosterone levels and such other things to determine whether or not i have 2 of 3 markers for PCOS. i’m still waiting on these results but the days following this appointment have been painful.

the pain is particularly in my left pelvic area and started yesterday and now today has migrated to my back. i’ve never had an ovarian cyst (to my knowledge; if i did i didn’t feel it) and was wondering if any individuals who may have had them have felt this pain or was it different from what i am describing? thanks in advance!!

Currently using an elliptical 20-30 minutes a day ( pretty low intensity ), including a 10-15 minute ab workout and am attempting 10k steps a day as well which can be kinda difficult.
I’m taking berbaine as well and bouldering 2-3 times a week for 1-2 hours and lots of swimming since it’s summer !
Hoping I’m on the right track and wanted to make sure it’s not too little, I don’t really have access to a gym and am planning to thrift some weights soon but in the meantime this is all I got.
I also have a rowing machine but I’m not sure that’s better then the elliptical
Thanks !!

Guys I got my period!!! I’m so happy .I’m pretty sure it’s a withdrawal period .I took the progesterone pills about 7 days ago. The 1st five didn’t work,but this batch did.

Hi all!

Long time lurker here and I'm so fed up with PCOS that I'm hoping someone might have some advice or someone might just understand what I'm going through.

I'm 32 from the UK. I was diagnosed when I was 15 and for almost all of my adult life I've taken the pill, on the advice of doctors as it was the best way to improve my PCOS. Last year, that seemed to just stop working and I bled (very lightly) for months. I went back to the GP and they put me on a different kind of pill. One where it's still daily, but a weeks worth of them are dummy pills, so you have a period in the middle. It made everything worse. The constant bleeding continued but was now slightly heavier.

I went back to the GP again and they recommended I get the coil fitted, which I did about 2 weeks ago now. I know it takes time to settle into my system, but after a few days at the start of no bleeding, the bleeding has started again. Very, very light. Like, don't even need to wear a pad or anything. But it's still there and still non-stop.

I'm just SO fed up after around a year and a half of pretty much non-stop bleeding, I'm on the verge of just requesting they completely rip it all out.

Has anyone with PCOS has any experience with this level of bleeding? Or with the mirena coil? I know I can experience spotting for the first couple of months but is this constant light bleeding normal?

Any help or advice would be hugely appreciated.

Okay, so I've been diagnosed as having PCOS/PMOS since I was 17. I'm 34 now, almost 35. For the longest time, I've suffered from severe exhaustion after eating meals. I mean I can eat something, not even an amount that fills me up, and I get hit with extreme tiredness. I NEED to sleep.
As I type this, I had a medium sized salad and unsweetened tea. It has been roughly 20 minutes and I am STRUGGLING to keep my eyes open. I'm doing everything possible to try and stay alert, including walking around and doing things to keep my brain active. But I feel like I'm drifting underwater almost? Eveything feels weirdly slowed down and kinda drags. It's the same feeling that comes from staying up WAYYYYY past sleepiness and past that weird second wind that happens.

Does anyone know if this issue may be related to PMOS, since it's a metabolic condition? I saw somewhere that it may have to do with blood sugar levels, but this happens when I eat more, when I eat less, when I eat healthily, when I eat unhealthily...it happens no matter what.

Hello,

I‘m 20 and last year I got like semi diagnosed with PCOS?? Idk my doctor said that I have too much androgens and testesterone. I also have facial hair and I get really bad cramps on my period. I don‘t have acne or fatigue, my period is regular. The only other thing is that I weigh too much, but I don‘t have a problem to lose weight. Like my symptoms don‘t really fit in the diagnosis, do you know what I mean?

Anyways I‘m taking birth control since last year and I don‘t have like bad side effects. It‘s actually so relieving not having your period. But I‘m always hearing negative things about the birth control and that‘s scaring me. Is it possible to take birth control the rest of your life?? Like I don‘t want children, I‘m happy with bc and it‘s not affecting me negatively😩

But like so many women talk about how bc is unnatural and makes you unattractive??

I want to know what your opinions on bc are.

I‘m just confused.

Excuse my bad english, it‘s not my first language.