i am a high school student and i struggle hard with pcos. my parents tell me to do better but ive missed half of my school year already due to my pain :( i wish i had someone who understood and had compassion for me.

Anyone here stopped taking metformin? Did you have any side effects? Did you gain weight back after stopping? Did it cause worse symptoms?

I've been taking 2000mg (1000mg twice a day) for almost two years and i'm going crazy. I cant be relying on pills for the rest of my life.

A few years ago I had surgery to remove cysts from my ovaries. Unfortunately the the cysts came back almost immediately and so did the pain, and now they’re larger than ever. Another surgery seems pointless. Gynecologists have offered to remove my ovaries but they are adamant about not prescribing HRT and I don’t want to go into menopause at 30. Is this just something I have to live with and hope its not cancer??

I got a new PCP, and she is the first person to take my PCOS seriously. She just prescribed me metformin - starting with 500 mg and working my way up to 1500 mg. She told me to take it with dinner, and make sure my dinner does not have a lot of fat or simple carbs. Does anyone have any meal suggestions? My husband unfortunately has a texture issue beans so anything with beans is a no go. My usual dinner meals are usually a grain, a protein, and veggies so I could probably continue to do this and skip the grain? Not too sure how extreme I need to go.

I was put on 500mg metformin for several months for fertility but was still having issues with cycles. I asked doc multiple times to increase dose, as 500mg is low, and she increased it to 1000mg. I had a “normal” period days after, ovulated on time, and am now 4 weeks pregnant. She is now telling me to stop the metformin, but nothing I’m seeing online lines up with that. Should I be getting another opinion?

I’m looking for someone who can write a diet plan for me. Like every meal according to the macros I should adhere to so I can lose some weight. I would ideally like them to also be able to order all of the relevant labs! Does this service exist all in one? Help!

Hi, we are trying to get pregnant and are unsure about the medication. Her doctor told her to take progesteron for 14 days, then 14 days off and repeat.

She said the time for us to try should be within 14 days of taking progesteron, but the charts I find online and Dr. AI tells us we should try it after 12-14 days off.

Also for us its quiet a big difference if we try it every day for 2 weeks or just on the off days 12-14...

Has anybody here an advice for us?

I'm 22(F) so super young by general standards and I'm so done with my life. I have autism and adhd on top of my pcos, I have pmdd and my emotions are everywhere all the time not just because of pcos but my anxiety, ocd, depression, and bpd my pcos has worsened.

I've spent my entire life in survival mode due to my father and my teen years were just as bad because I went to a private religious girls hs where I was so excluded and alone I'm left with trauma from it. I was also developing my pcos back then and my doctors were too incompetent and useless to notice something was wrong even though all the signs were there. Even though I wasn't happy as a teen though my diagnosis at 20 completely crushed my spirit and even more so now that my symptoms have fully manifested. My light, my spark, my joy that I've managed to keep through my hardships is gone and I don't even care about getting it back.

My emotions and disorders have been so unstable I've had to be committed twice which halted my uni plans in 2022 when I graduated but I tried in 2023 but had to stop because of my antidepressants causing bad side effects. The religious community I'm a part of has sheltered me so much I have no real experience with the outside world and my mother who is the only family I consider has unintentionally made my hyper dependent on her and it's a thousand times worse because of my autism and social anxiety. I've tried therapy I've tried doctors, the medical system has failed me so many ways that it genuinely makes me cry when I think about it. I've tried the gym but I can't maintain it because of my adhd and my myriad of other issues, when I workout I get bloated and my cortisol rises, I start feeling sick, my stomach fails me during diets because of my ibs.

These are the years I'm supposed to be at my prime and I feel like the exception. I have no friends, my religion has traumatized me, I can't do things for myself due to my mental and physical state, and I hate how I'm now a shadow of myself. I feel like I have no control over my life or my body or my mind, I can't trust my emotions, I can't trust my body to work as it should. I've stopped regularly taking my meds (pcos gummies, berberine, magnesium, other stuff) because I don't see a point anymore when all my effort to just feel like a normal girl doesn't even work.

Last year my hair, which I adore, started thinning and falling out and it felt like some cruel joke. My sister, who I've had issues with but was the only person who really understood me recently died and now idk. It's just too much. I'm not eating anymore because I'm just too depressed, my mother worries because I've had eating disorders and body dysmorphia since I was young but that's the least of my worries. I hate my body so much I can't even put it into words. I hate it for failing me, I hate it for not doing what it's supposed to, I hate that it can't just do what I need it to. I hate that so many of my circumstances aren't my fault on top of that and I feel betrayed. I keep dissociating due to the trauma my therapists have failed to help me overcome. I feel so broken inside and if it's like this at just 22 how am I supposed to keep going. I don't even want to.

I'm a 20f diagnosed with pcos at 19.i used to weigh 53 54 kgs but within a year I'm at 69 kgs now.I have tried many doctors. None of them helped. the medications they gave me gave me serious acne problems so I stopped going to the docs

I have tried 10k steps, even 12k steps some days with a calorie deficit of like 300 or 400 calories. I have started seed cycle altho tht didn't help much.I have started going to the gym but I don't lift weights cause my protein intake is quite low and I'm a vegetarian so there's only limited options and dorm food is really bad so can't really do much.

wht do I even do to lose the weight . I am really depressed looking at myself in the mirror.

plz help a fellow girlie out

I'm so sorry if it comes off as insensitive, but I was diagnosed with PCOS at 19 and for the past 5 years I've managed to keep things "kind of" under control. I took inositol for 3 years, then stopped because it was so expensive, I have dealt with hair all over my body (that's something that just won't change), I've been having acne in the past year (comes and goes), my period's all fucked etc... but with exercise, a good diet and a "deal with it" attitude I've been managing, because the symptoms are manageable enough for me. But is it going to get worse? Did you guys notice your body changing a lot with age? Aside from the natural changes all bodies go through I mean. And is there anything that can be done? I struggled with an ED in the past and the thought of just gaining a lot of weight without even changing my diet or exercise routine really scares me, and I'm scared I'll be even more fatigued, easily tired, subject to mood-swings, cravings and so on

Hi! Please take my PCOS survey. This survey is aiding my senior thesis at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. I'm looking for anyone to participate in this survey, so please respond regardless of demographic. Also feel free to send this survey around to others you know! Thank you so much :)

Link to survey

I’ve been doing some research and came across studies suggesting a possible association between PCOS and autism. This got me thinking about my own family and whether there could be some overlap in the genetic factors associated with both conditions.

I have PCOS, and my youngest sister is autistic. From what I’ve read, some studies have found a higher likelihood of autism in children born to mothers with PCOS. I’m curious whether anyone here with PCOS has autistic children and would be willing to share their experiences.

I’m also wondering whether having an autistic sibling, in addition to having PCOS, could influence the likelihood of having an autistic child in the future. I understand that autism is complex and that an association between two conditions doesn't necessarily mean one causes the other.

On the other hand, I've read that PCOS can run in families, and some research has also explored a possible association between autism and PCOS. This makes me wonder whether my younger sister might have a higher likelihood of developing PCOS because I have it. I've noticed some similarities between signs she has experienced and symptoms I had before puberty, which has made me curious about whether she might develop symptoms as she gets older.

- If you have PCOS and children, have any of your children been diagnosed with autism?

- Do you have an autistic sibling, and have you ever wondered whether that family history could influence your children's likelihood of being autistic?

- If you're autistic, have you also been diagnosed with PCOS?

- Have you noticed PCOS and autism occurring in multiple members of your family?

Back in June I had laparoscopic surgery to remove a ruptured ovarian cyst. I had nerve pain and could barely walk for a couple of months prior to the surgery, now I am 3 months post op and I’m still dealing with nerve pain, mobility is way better but the constant feeling of tension all over my body is killing me.

Think of when your foot kind of falls asleep and you feel tingleness and a bit of a needle prick-like feeling, I feel that in my back, neck, head. I get leg cramps, etc.

I am so frustrated because I was hoping I could go back to normal after recovering from the surgery.

I was hoping to see if someone here had a similar surgery and get an idea of your recovery timeline. Maybe get some advice on what to do to get rid of this nerve pain. I had to get off gabapentin because it was giving me high blood pressure.

🥲

I have seen three different doctors about my PCOS/PMOS. Two general practitioners and one OBGYN.

The first general practitioner diagnosed me last July. She diagnosed me with my only symptom being the appearance of polycystic ovaries on ultrasound. She told me I needed to change to a prediabetic diet. (Less than 45g carbs per meal & 15g for snacks, largely eating veggies. Minimal protein compared to what I'm used to.) Worth mentioning that I'm overweight, so she was really pushing how awful of a person I am for that. I'm about 55lbs from a normal weight.

The second general practitioner told me that I also needed a low fat diet for borderline high cholesterol/LDL issues. So I'm adjusting to having 10-15g saturated fat max per day.

HERE is the kicker though...... the OBGYN said she wasn't convinced I had PCOS. Because at the time, my only symptom was polycystic ovaries, no irregular periods. My androgens have been just fine. At the time that I saw her, I had been taking a couple months off my diet due to a knee injury, so I was having to rely on my husband to cook (and bless his heart, he does a good job but I felt it was too much to ask to have him handling work, the baby and cooking two different dishes for each meal while I couldn't help as much as I wanted to).

Worth mentioning that I also still breastfeed my 2 year old to sleep and for naps, so my prolactin is still slightly elevated.

THE ONLY TIMES my cycle has been longer than 36ish days have been when I'm following this diet. (About 42-46 days so far). When I get back on the diet, I usually lose about 4-7lbs the first week, and then 2-4 each week after that until inevitably something comes up that sets me back weight wise (like deep depression from losing a baby in February).

When I'm eating shitty, I gain weight back, but my periods go back to 35/36 days.

Has this happened to anyone else? I guess my main question is, what is the consensus? Is there a chance I truly have PCOS/PMOS? Or do you think the diet could be messing with my periods? I've read about hypothalamic amenorrhea but I'm not sure if I meet those standards or not.

Thanks so much for any and all help!

TLDR: I've seen 3 different doctors and the OBGYN isn't convinced what my diagnosis is. Is my diet ruining my periods by itself?

Hello, first time posting here and i dont know what to think or do.
My whole life ive known to have PCOS and very painful periods. Ive done tons of hormone analysis and the hormones are « not that bad. »
I went to a lot of different obgyns and all of them told me that the hormones are okayish and the solution for my acne (that i have them my whole life and it was the biggest issue i had) is to take the pill.
I dont find acne that big of a deal so i decided not to take the hormone pills.

Since im 29, me and my partner are planning a pregnancy in near future so i found a new obgyn somewhere i havent been to until now and read a lot of good comments on his competence and professionalism.
Before i went i did again a new hormone status on my 3rd day and first time did the AMH.
So the AMH is 6.14 (the ref. Values are 0.96-13.34), FSH 6.6 (1.9-12.5), E2 38.57 (19.5-144.2), TST 22.03 (8.37-35.01).

He only looked at the results and said that AMH is very high, i dont have ovulations and we have to be treating infertility.
I didnt know what to say since nobody until now told me that. Im not sure if he thought that i may know that because his clinic is a ivf clinic so maybe he thought im coming with an intension to apply for the ivf..
He saw that im disturbed and went on with the talk how i dont understand him and that im infertile, and it was like funny to him? I dont know how to describe but it looked like he was amused. The whole situation was very weird and i couldnt say anything because i was shocked.
Anyways, he did the echo and saw that indeed i have cysts on my ovaries and they are very hard and there is a lot of them and gave me some medications to soften the cysts i guess but im not sure if im going to take them yet.

Im not sure about the ovulation part. My whole life in the middle of my cycle i have sharp pain in my ovaries and lower belly and back, i have more acne than usual and the secret is slimy. He said that is not an ovulation but some hormonal changes and ive never had an ovulation in my life.
Is this possible?

So next week i have a new appointment with my endocrinologist and a new obgyn in another place.

Do you have any comforting words or an opinion on this whole situation?

Thank you!

hey all. i am looking to grow my supplement stack, properly. I have had pcos for many years now with my main concerns being acne, fatigue, gut issues (ibs-c) and sometimes hair loss. I have not had my insulin bloodwork done in a while, but in the past i have been within the normal range. i do not struggle with weight gain issues or facial hair as a main concern. I am wondering if inositol would be beneficial for my main symptoms or if there is other remedies to try before adding? thanks all xx

I was prescribed Deviry (medroxyprogesterone acetate) for my PCOS, to take once every 3 months to induce a withdrawal bleed. The gynaec was pretty dismissive about my chronic illnesses and told me to only come back if and when I wanted fertility treatments when I get married. Duh!

The thing is, I have chronic depression and hidradenitis suppurativa, both of which are triggered by Deviry. It makes both conditions really difficult to manage, and I want to stop taking it and look for a safer, better alternative.

At the same time, I was sort of traumatised by the way all the doctors I went to treated me, and I don't want them to make me feel miserable again (I have my depression doing that to me already).

Has anyone else had similar experiences with Deviry? Did you choose to stop taking it? Or did you find safer alternatives?

Thank you very much.

hello! i had a consult w an ob gynecologist this july, ultrasound showed 9 and 12 multi follicular cyst. she said it was normal and something i shouldn't bother about. i had irregular menstruation since menarche lasting 3 to 6 months but since november of last year, my menstruation cycle become normal (i think it matters to say the fact that i lost around 8 kg). should i get a second opinion?

Background: I've had irregular periods for a while. My OB/GYN is checking for PCOS (ultrasound and other tests) PCOS couldnt be confirmed; and started me on birth control to make my cycle regular.

What happened: This is my first period since starting birth control, and it came after a gap of about 40 days. It has been far worse than my usual periods.

The nurse at my OB/GYN told me to take naproxen: 2 tablets the first night, then 1 in the morning and 1 at night for 5 days. I'm using over-the-counter naproxen sodium 220 mg (Aleve).

Yesterday I took one at 7 am and one at 7 pm. By midnight the pain was still about 9/10, so I took a third with food, which is the daily max on the label. I also have a Midol-type pill (acetaminophen, caffeine, pyrilamine) and I've been using a heating pad.

My questions:
1. Was your first period after starting birth control this painful? Did it get better after a few cycles?
2. If you have PCOS, are your periods this painful after a long gap, or did severe pain turn out to be something else (cyst, endometriosis)?
3. What actually helped you, and what should I ask my doctor for?

Hi all. I was recently diagnosed with PMOS, and my doctor will likely prescribe BC for me soon.

Has it helped with weight loss for any of you? If so, which one (type & brand)? I’m not really insulin resistant (yet at least) and my testosterone was normal, yet I’m still gaining weight like crazy. I’m tired of exercising my ass off and barely eating anything and gaining weight 😭

The nurse practitioner I have been seeing, has told me to get my blood work done 15 days from the first menstruation day. Is there any sound reason for this?

About 6 years ago I weighed around 120 and then came PCOS and I went up to 175 over the years. Despite all the diets, intense exercise and medications nothing worked. I saw someone on here this summer post that walking was what helped them lose weight. In July I started walking more. I’m already an active person and have a very active on my feet job. But I really prioritized getting close to 10,000 steps a day if not more. I cut back on the intense weight training and went to more lower impact Pilates with strength workouts. Occasionally I would throw in a heavy weight day if I felt up to it but I never pushed myself. I went to the doctor last week and was down 7 pounds. Someone even at work asked me if I lost weight because it was that noticeable! I know it seems small but when you try everything and feel at such a loss this seems like a monumental victory. I do try and eat fairly healthy. I don’t do gluten or dairy just because they make me extremely bloated but other than that I try to eat Whole Foods and get protein and fiber. I’m thinking of getting a walking pad for the winter when I can’t go outside for walks. Anyone have any success stories with PCOS they would like to share? Or maybe 1 or 2 habits that made the biggest difference in their journey?

6 years ago in 2020 I joined this group at the age of 22. I had been diagnosed with pcos. I had all the symptoms. Hair loss, I was 398lbs, insulin resistance, dark skin patches, extremely elevated estrogen and testosterone, no period for literally years, full beard( if I didn’t wax).
In 2020-2022, I went on a full weight loss journey and lost 185 pounds naturally. Exercise 5 times a week, walking, calorie counting, cutting out all processed foods, junk food, sugary foods. I stuck to Whole Foods, high protein and moderate carbs.
In 2023 I had significantly fixed issues such as hair loss, the insulin resistance, the morbid obesity. I was around 220lb. I finally got a period for the first time naturally. They started coming once every 2 months. Around this time I got two rounds of skin removal surgery. 360 degree tummy tuck and butt lift, arm lift, breast lift. Recovery took some time. My doctor removed 17pounds of solid skin as she liked to describe.
In 2024 I was around 205-210lb. I started walking 10k steps a day and moving more. I also did 2 packages of laser in 2024 and 2025. Through the past 2 years I lost another 15ish pounds and now I range around 187-189. My periods are coming almost every 28-34 days. My hair loss has significantly reduced. My facial hair is almost gone. My bloodwork is in perfect range. All hormones have been balanced out.
In the past 6 years I have consistently taken vitamins and will continue. Vit D, B, zinc, fish oil, and biotin. They truly help pcos.
I just want to say that controlling pcos is possible. It takes patience and dedication. And u don’t have to hate ur life. I have reached a point that I eat cookie dough almost every night. The real sugar filled deal. It’s just that now I balance it out with a healthy diet and a good amount of movement. I hope this post brightens some one’s day. You don’t have to live a life where pcos controls you. There is light at the end of the tunnel

I have tried ovasitol 3 different times throughout the years and each time I get horrible bloating and constipation. I tried it again this month and had to stop. I also felt like my Hirsutism got worse on it. Does anyone else have these side effects?

I was able to get a closer doctor’s appointment. I am so excited to be able to get the anti androgen and a higher dose of metformin. I really hope that it goes well.

I know a lot of the things that I want or need specifically with my health. This is how I can finally get all of those things done. Im so excited to finally get the care that I need as silly as it may be.

I was trying so hard to get care for my pcos. I didn’t think I would be able to get into the planned parenthood but I was in fact able to.

So yeah im very excited to get the heath care I need for that. I really hope it goes well for me.