Has anyone here been diagnosed w/PCOS or do you know someone who has ???

I was diagnosed when I was 15 . Less than a year later I lost my insurance coverage and havent seen a doctor since (im 23). My symptoms have all gone untreated .

If you have been diagnosed or know someone who has what treatments have worked for you/them ?





What is PCOS ?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS, also known clinically as Stein-Leventhal syndrome), is an endocrine disorder that affects approximately one in ten women.It occurs amongst all races and nationalities, is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age, and is a leading cause of infertility. The principal features are lack of regular ovulation and excessive amounts or effects of androgenic (masculinizing) hormones. The symptoms and severity of the syndrome vary greatly between women. While the causes are unknown, insulin resistance (often secondary to obesity) is heavily correlated with PCOS.

Common symptoms of PCOS include :
Oligomenorrhea, amenorrhea — irregular, few, or absent menstrual periods; cycles that do occur may be heavy (heavy bleeding is also an early warning sign of endometrial cancer(in post menopausal women), for which women with PCOS are at slightly higher risk)
Infertility, generally resulting from chronic anovulation (lack of ovulation)
Elevated serum (blood) levels of androgens (male hormones), specifically testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), causing hirsutism and occasionally masculinization
Central obesity — "apple-shaped" obesity centered around the lower half of the torso
Dyspareunia Pain during sexual intercourse
Androgenic alopecia (male-pattern baldness)
Acne, oily skin, seborrhea
Acanthosis nigricans (dark patches of skin, tan to dark brown or black, a sign of insulin resistance, which is associated with PCOS)
Acrochordons (skin tags) — tiny flaps of skin
Prolonged periods of PMS-like symptoms (bloating, mood swings, pelvic pain, backaches)
Sleep apnea
Mild symptoms of hyperandrogenism, such as acne or hyperseborrhea, are frequent in adolescent girls and are often associated with irregular menstrual cycles. In most instances, these symptoms are transient and only reflect the immaturity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovary axis during the first years following menarche.[2]

Signs are:
Multiple small follicles on the ovaries (10 or more) (one form of ovarian cyst). Sonographically they may look like a string of pearls.
Enlarged ovaries, generally 1.5 to 3 times larger than normal resulting from multiple peripherally located small follicles and echogenic ovarian stroma.
Thickened, smooth, pearl-white outer surface of ovary on laproscopic examination.
The ratio of LH (Luteinizing hormone) to FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone) is greater than 1:1, as tested on Day 3 of the menstrual cycle.
High levels of testosterone.
Low levels of sex hormone binding globulin.
Hyperinsulinemia.

Women with PCOS are at risk for the following:
Endometrial hyperplasia and endometrial cancer (cancer of the uterine lining) are possible, due to overaccumulation of uterine lining, and also lack of progesterone resulting in prolonged stimulation of uterine cells by estrogen
Insulin resistance/Type II diabetes, generally thought to be caused by hyperinsulinemia
High blood pressure
Dyslipidemia (disorders of lipid metabolism — cholesterol and triglycerides)
Cardiovascular disease
Weight gain

i have it and right now being treated for it.. but my doctor is taking too long to treat it..like he hasnt even said anything about it in almost 3 visits

ive heard about it.... onr of my friends had it... id like to know if if i have it just because some of those syomptoms have occured .... i guess i should go get it checked out ive heard its a common thing now thanks for sharing brandy

Princess you may want to look for a specialist in your area I think it would definetly be worth it if your current doctor isnt doing anything ....

Girly you should definetly mention it to your gynecologist if you think you may be effected .

thanks brandy ill get on it

Yes i do know about PCOS. I had it. I also went into perimenopause thanks to PCOS. PLEASE! trust me and get another doctor and soon. Diabetes can appear with PCOS and thank god this didnt happen to me but it can easily happen. I had alot of problems with pelvic pain, mood swings i called PIT BULL SYNDROME!! and the early menopause triggered hot flashes from hell. sorry! just being honest!

I forgot to add you mentioned you havent seen a doctor since 15 and your 23? OH NO NO NO!! GIRL! get an appointment at your local health dept for a pelvic/girly exam. This PCOS can cause cancer as well as ovarian cysts. I really hope you at least see someone at the health dept. and most exams are free.

my friend had pcos she had to go on fertility pill chlomed anyways thats something serious that should not be left untreated, i had ovaran cysta not as serious as pcos but still when it comes to ur body and your woman goods dont disregard it it will cause other problems i have had 4 surgeries and they were painful so go get checked go to dshs and get medical do whatever so u can get checked, make a payment plan with a doc if u cant offord one.

-BUMP UP TO THE TOP-


It is estimated that this year more than 16,000 women will die in the United States from ovarian cancer. Many women don't seek help until the disease has begun to spread, but if detected at its earliest stage, the 5 year survival rate is more than 93%. Recent research suggests that together the 4 symptoms of bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly and urinary urgency or frequency may be associated with ovarian cancer.

bumpity bumpity bump....the last time i went to my obgyn, he said that he thought i had pcos. this was right before my insurance ran out..so i have never actually had the tests ran. about two weeks ago, i went to the health dept for a pap smear and it came back abnormal. apparently they found some pre-cancerous cells and now i have to go have a biopsy ran next week. i am positively terrified right now....good to know i am not in this alone.
Becca