PCOS

Sorry -- I'm stubbornly refusing to be THAT much a part of the text generation -- PCOS?  real words pretty please???

calliecritturs

Sorry -- I'm stubbornly refusing to be THAT much a part of the text generation -- PCOS?  real words pretty please???

PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome

 I have no experience with it, but I wish you the best.

I never heard of it either but it certainly sounds nasty.  Surely some kind of Chinese herbal remedy is at hand.  ;)

I was diagnosed when I was 15, and a cyst ruptured on my right ovary.

I ignore it, faithfully. I've never had a regular cycle. I bloat so much I need different pants. I cramp so badly I miss work, and I have chronic migraines. Acupuncture relieves the migraines, amazingly well.  I haven't found a decent doctor who will address my issues, so I just.... don't. I know, that's bad, but it's what I do.

Laurelin_429

 Does anyone have any experience dealing with PCOS?  I was just diagnosed yesterday and have been researching like crazy.  I wanted to know if any of you ladies have it and what you do to regulate it.

 

The really conflicting thing seems to be dietary information. I'm not really sure... low fat, low carb, south beach, etc... I hear so many things... 

I worked with someone who was diagnosed with it and I believe that it was the reason she was having trouble getting pregnant. She was overweight at the time (whether that's a cause or symptom, I have no idea). She started a serious diet/exercise plan and lost a bunch of weight A few months later, she was pregnant and had a healthy baby boy

 My daughter has it, but I don't know anything about diet being a part of it.  She tried for 15 years to get pregnant, and now finally is...with the help of IVF though. 

 Yes, my sister, welcome to the club!

I was just diagnosed in April.  I sat in a gyn's office and for the first time, got the answer to why I always seem to be either starting or in the throes of PMS (and twice a month, and so bad it put me to bed), but never really out of it completely, why I had awful trouble getting pregnant, why I gained so much weight the last few years even while exercising and watching my diet, why I was having more and more trouble with migraines and - last summer - vertigo, and why I always felt horrible and seemed to have constant trouble with depression though I'm actually bipolar ("If I'm bipolar why do I never have good mood days?";).   Like Jennie said, I bloat terribly and it really hurts after exercise - which is not good for trying to lose weight, of course!  The depression was just paralyzing some days, and it seemed like if I had a good day, then I'd get a migraine by the end of it.

I was supposed to have surgery (D&C to remove a moderate cyst on my left ovary, and a hysterotomy to remove some scar tissue and endometriotic tissue) last October but my stupid insurance company left us holding the bag on the out of pocket costs.  So we are saving up, slowly.

Meanwhile, I joined Weight Watchers and I've lost 43 pounds since that visit in October.  That has alleviated many of the symptoms I was experiencing, and also opened the door to some treatments that the doctor hesitated to use when I was in a higher risk category for, uh, something - I think it was stroke.

I highly recommend Weight Watchers.  It addresses a lot of the issues that make it super hard for us "Cysters" to lose weight and exercise.  Hormone production requires fat, and when you start decreasing your fat supply, your body will start screaming in protest!  Sometimes I sit and I can't think about anything but eating.  I feel like if I don't eat something immediately, my world will end.  Weight Watchers gives me lots of tools to battle that. 

I also feel like I'm in control, not my body, or the scale, or some guy in a book who is holding up an ideal calorie or list of foods or carb count for me to meet that day (failure and depression waiting to happen).  If my hormones are demanding a slice of cake, I look it up, decide if it's worth it, and either do it or not.  Or, I can bargain - I'll have something that's like cake, but isn't as high in points, or I'll go take a long walk and trade off points.  And sometimes I'll go take that walk and decide that a nice sandwich sounds better than the cake!

I'll still need surgical treatment for my screwed up insides.  But, what I'm hoping is to be able to hold out now until I reach the age 40 milestone next year, and I'll just ask for the big H and get it all over with.  

Meanwhile, I am not kidding when I say that losing weight is giving me my life back.  I have just half a day here or there when I feel so bad I don't want to move - and amazingly sometimes my period takes me by surprise!  I'm a steady contributor to the household income now with the sheep and the dog training business, and I'm training my own young dog and have been able to keep at it steadily for six months now (the last few years my m.o. was to work and then "crash" for a week, and work and then "crash" for another several days).

 Yes, my sister, welcome to the club!

I was just diagnosed in April.  I sat in a gyn's office and for the first time, got the answer to why I always seem to be either starting or in the throes of PMS (and twice a month, and so bad it put me to bed), but never really out of it completely, why I had awful trouble getting pregnant, why I gained so much weight the last few years even while exercising and watching my diet, why I was having more and more trouble with migraines and - last summer - vertigo, and why I always felt horrible and seemed to have constant trouble with depression though I'm actually bipolar ("If I'm bipolar why do I never have good mood days?";).   Like Jennie said, I bloat terribly and it really hurts after exercise - which is not good for trying to lose weight, of course!  The depression was just paralyzing some days, and it seemed like if I had a good day, then I'd get a migraine by the end of it.

I was supposed to have surgery (D&C to remove a moderate cyst on my left ovary, and a hysterotomy to remove some scar tissue and endometriotic tissue) last October but my stupid insurance company left us holding the bag on the out of pocket costs.  So we are saving up, slowly.

Meanwhile, I joined Weight Watchers and I've lost 43 pounds since that visit in October.  That has alleviated many of the symptoms I was experiencing, and also opened the door to some treatments that the doctor hesitated to use when I was in a higher risk category for, uh, something - I think it was stroke.

I highly recommend Weight Watchers.  It addresses a lot of the issues that make it super hard for us "Cysters" to lose weight and exercise.  Hormone production requires fat, and when you start decreasing your fat supply, your body will start screaming in protest!  Sometimes I sit and I can't think about anything but eating.  I feel like if I don't eat something immediately, my world will end.  Weight Watchers gives me lots of tools to battle that. 

Core is a lower glycemic index version of the plan and does not involve detailed record keeping.  It's not designed purposely to be low glycemic index but it does work out that way, so it works extremely well for me.  There's a list of foods that you can eat, you eat until you feel full (and you'll get hungry again soon if you are like me!), and then anything outside that you count points.  Core is the plan where you can go to a restaurant and eat a steak and baked potato and still lose weight!  I'm not kidding, it works.

I also feel like I'm in control, not my body, or the scale, or some guy in a book who is holding up an ideal calorie or list of foods or carb count for me to meet that day (failure and depression waiting to happen).  If my hormones are demanding a slice of cake, I look it up, decide if it's worth it, and either do it or not.  Or, I can bargain - I'll have something that's like cake, but isn't as high in points, or I'll go take a long walk and trade off points.  And sometimes I'll go take that walk and decide that a nice sandwich sounds better than the cake!

I'll still need surgical treatment for my screwed up insides.  But, what I'm hoping is to be able to hold out now until I reach the age 40 milestone next year, and I'll just ask for the big H and get it all over with.  

Very common in women, you are not alone ;)  Many women do better with some weight loss and and OCP with this illness.   Who is managing this with you?  An OB/Gyn or an internist?

The woman I worked did the Body for Life program and so did two men in the office and I honestly have never seen such a fast transformation in my life. I don't know if they were all super motivated or what, but they all had great, long lasting success with it.

my sister was diagnosed with PCOS last year. from what i know, it can be very bad for some people, but she does ok. she has irregular periods when she isnt on the pill and BAD cramps. for the cramps i actually DO know a chinese herbal remedy, which i also use. it works faster and more effeciently that any painkillers, even the ones made for menstrual pain. i'd have to look up what it's callled though and i dont know if you can get it over there. but i'd be glad to send some over to you to try. :)   other than that, yes, you are supposed to watch your weight. you can gain weight more easily and when you are overweight, the symptoms tend to stronger. my sister's gyn told her that going on the pill is also a good way to keep symptoms in check, but obviously you have to be double careful about weight gain...

Oh yes, I forgot, the pill is an excellent choice for many women younger than 35.  One reason I had so many problems starting a few years ago, was that I stopped the pill when I got my tubes tied after my second son was born. But, the pill doesn't help weight problems and a couple other little issues (the extra hair, for instance, and migraines if you are very prone to them already).

I'm in a bad place right now because I'm too old to go back on the pill, and too young to seriously consider the only real "cure" for PCOS - hysterectomy.  If my symptoms were just a little worse, they'd do that.   But I'll be 40 next year and I will insist, then.  I'm terribly weary of my ovaries and uterus ruining my life.  I have endometriosis, too - it's a wonderful combination, let me tell you.

brookcove

I'm in a bad place right now because I'm too old to go back on the pill, and too young to seriously consider the only real "cure" for PCOS - hysterectomy.  If my symptoms were just a little worse, they'd do that.   But I'll be 40 next year and I will insist, then.  I'm terribly weary of my ovaries and uterus ruining my life.  I have endometriosis, too - it's a wonderful combination, let me tell you.

Just curious, but why do you think you're too old for the pill? Do you smoke? If not, I don't think it's considered unsafe, or at least my Dr's have never been concerned. I had my tubes tied also but because I was considered high risk for ovarian cancer, I continued to take the pill for several more years. I'm also taking it again for menopausal symptoms and I'm 51.

Before you rush in to have a total hysterectomy, you might want to do a bunch of reading about surgical menopause. I was very close to needing a total hysterectomy last year and the research I did led me to believe that the benefits of the surgery would have to be VERY great to outweigh the negatives of having my ovaries removed.