I started gaining weight only on upper body with blood reports showing high hbalc and random blood sugar in pre diabetic range. I don't eat sugar at all and my lifestyle has not changed am active then what exactly is causing this? Why is my body going against me? Doctors are not even checking for some other infection or chronic illness (I always have high crp esr prolactin) and just giving me metformin and tell me to exercise. I feel so defeated. My breast size has increased from 30 to 34 after 22 years which is so not normal. How do I proceed further with this and find the root cause? My lifestyle has been same since forever then why suddenly am gaining so much weight . I checked my levels after eating clean protein after 3 months still same pre diabetic.

I don't know what happened to my body. In August I got my periods without fail I had cramps, high mood swings and cravings and all that. But my periods got missed during Sept and Oct I don't know what's happening to my body. I took pregnancy tests multiple times it was negative but I feel tired and exhausted out of no where, my moods has been the roller coaster since, and craving has been increased lately, I pee more than I used to and Im having white discharge out no where around whole sept and Oct. I don't understand my body, I workouts 3-4times a week but my periods is not coming yet!!!! This is soo frustrating to point im always annoyed by my husband. i have pcos/pmos. BUT im not on meds.

I have been trying to periods inducing foods like pineapple, papaya etc it's not working.. i can't visit the doc too cuz im out of station atm. I need help asap

I was diagnosed with PCOS a few years back my OB/GYN explained how I should take inositol she recommended me a powder form which was around $80. As a student I couldn’t fandom spending that much on something I felt like wasn’t going to work because I used to take vitamins, vitamin B12, vitamin D, vitamin C you name it. Nothing really felt different. I had moved to the city to go to grad school and moving from the West Coast to the East Coast hit me like a truck, the anxiety, the OCD, the depression all piled up on me. I had made a promise that I wasn’t going to deal with it anymore so I decided to take vitamin D, B12, multivitamins and all that stuff.
I was taking so many vitamins. I decided just to throw a $20 vitamin that I found on Amazon that was called Mayo and D-Chiro inositol the 40 to 1 ratio. I only had the idea to get it because I was trying to take my health more seriously especially since I have PCOS, but I didn’t want to spend $80 so $20 was the cheapest thing I could find. I took it on a Thursday and then by next Tuesday I started to notice something different. It was almost like something was off about me. I couldn’t really put my finger on it, I felt more calm, almost like I had smoked weed I tried to trace back what was the different thing that I added, and the only thing I added was Inositol. My ruminating thoughts had stopped. My anxiety had significantly lowered it. It’s almost like I didn’t even have depression anymore? I was in disbelief. I thought to myself this can’t be this $20 vitamin off Amazon? So I sat there, and I tried to test the theory and I said “I was going to think of a bad thought.
“. It was the funniest thing it’s almost like I couldn’t think of a bad thought or even if bad thoughts would come I could easily get over it. I didn’t have to keep thinking it over and over again. I tried to look at the Internet to see if people had the same experience but couldn’t find any until I came on Reddit somehow I wasn’t the only one experience it and now I’m thinking if I feel so good on a $20 vitamin imagine how an $80 vitamin must feel?

I thought to share this with everyone because it truly has changed my life and I will forever continue to stay on an inositol!

Maybe just hoping to know if anyone else has experienced something like this or perhaps spread awareness.

I’ll likely go into some details because this is deeply affecting my mental health, and my everyday living.

Back July 2nd, I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer (s2) , though PCOS in 2019. In the beginning of this month, I was moving into my new loft apartment because where I was living ended up being extremely dangerous - roommates I had were threatening my cats and I so we set out to leave before my given date. In the time before leaving when things got bad I wasn’t taking care of myself out of fear in leaving my cats/my room. The guy I was seeing had helped me plan the move.

The morning of the day to be moving some big stuff but not at all, I get a call from my clinic telling me that I’m pregnant - 12 weeks estimated. I told the guy, he took it well and we continued on with the moving. I ended up moving everything that night due to safety reasons. Through the previous weeks, he had a hunch but all my tests were negative and I landed on the thought that my symptoms were getting bad because I wasn’t eating or sleeping + fight or flight. A hysterectomy is pre booked for March, from early September- but I learned that progesterone is one of the leading hormones to prevent reproductive cancer - like a pause on development. I just went to get some routine blood work a few days prior as follow up from a treatment i had.

Now, I’ve miscarried before and was unaware, and doctors seemed to think it would be dangerous for me to carry upon the unlikelihood of conceiving - so I booked an abortion for October 3rd to prevent more health issues. I really didn’t want to, but I know had to.

On the 1st of October in my new place, I woke up with severe pain- heavy bleeding, all pregnancy symptoms hit me like a truck. I called him, telling him something was wrong, and he rushed me to the ER. severity - hemorrhaging and early stage prolapse of the uterus. The fetus resolved almost instantly upon my arrival. I was there for just over 2 days and had a friend with the cats. The guy I was seeing got me an uber home, and decided to take a step back from the situation and me entirely.

During my initial recovery and continuous visits to the clinic, they determined resolve and I was gaining mobility . The weirdest part was feeling this inside me, understanding and learning, and suddenly nothing. The choice had been stripped from me completely, and I had lost the man I thought i was falling in love with in the process - whole other issue in my mind.

I’ve been struggling. I started drinking frequently, sleeping around, working more, completely running myself into the ground whilst almost feeling no emotion or regard for my wellbeing. I am stuck.

I am writing this now, because I think I’m pregnant again. I have an appointment booked for Thursday, symptoms are arising, and I have continuously showed undetermined at home tests for years of worries. I slept with someone I know, for the two days of first ovulation. Days later, his sister unfortunately passed away so he’s been very busy and avoiding socials though he did reach out kindly to me to check in. He is kind, but I worry he will leave too.

I’m eager for my appointment, I’m scared and ashamed. I know my period can be late, but this feeling is too close to familiarity now. When I didn’t know I was pregnant, my one cat started to sleep on the pillow next to my head which was unlike him but I loved it dearly, he stopped when we moved but as of a week ago now he insists that I roll over. The sleepless nights, the increased appetite, migraines, frequent urinating - These symptoms were gone for only a few weeks but it’s all the same as when I didn’t even know.

I feel so fucked in the head. I have no chances, even if I can carry - it’s not safe. If i’m not even pregnant, how do I move on ? how do i stop the feeling that i’m constantly missing something ? everything is peaceful now, though my mind has turned into chaos. if i am pregnant, how do i process this at all ?
what the fuck is happening and what the fuck happened ?

i’m tired. i miss him. i wish it was different. i wish i was different. i want to hate him but i miss him more. i want to have a child but i don’t want to die in the process. i am so awfully tired.

Now diagnosed with a 6cm endometrioma..

For as long as I can remember I have had PCOS on both ovaries. I decided to really work on myself and did the calorie deficit method, lost 14kg in 3 months with clean and portioned eating. Now I went back to the OB and my left ovary is absolutely clear of pcos..but now I have a 6cm endometrioma on my right ovary. I was given Dienogestan, which is said to help shrink the cyst.

I am devastated, I thought I did everything right.

Does anybody have the same experience? Did you manage to get pregnant anyway? I am just so so sad :(

Guys, can somebody explain it to me bcs doctors didn't properly and I'm at a loss at this points. My weight increased so much, I'm already at a calorie deficit, the doc said I have PCOS and tried to make me take injections for weight loss which I well refused, gave me birth control which made me super sick and I stopped taking it ( asked another doctor before doing so) and just took myotin sachet. It was for 3 months. I did get my period again normal and now this time it's going late again, I have started eating healthy not that food was ever an issue for me, starting working out , worked on my stress because all I know that in those days my anxiety and stress was massive and I get migraines too. I think my high cortisol was the cause bit she didn't really say anything. My insulin was high too, hormones were all normal and she said that it is like minor like not too sever don't know what it means tbh. Idk what to do. Like when my periods are like super late which the 3 month thing happened only once no matter how clean I eat or how much I exercise or walk I just keep gaining weight. I did notice that I am more active now and we'll my sleep is gone to 8hrs just well reversed but I'm trying on that that too but what can I do to get my periods without medicine and lose this weight. Can anyone educate me, tell me their experiences and what worked for them. Oh my water intake is kinda low too. Just wanted to put that there too

It takes so much time, energy, and money to manage my symptoms. I take Zepbound, spironolactone, and BC. I also get laser hair removal, and have been working with a dermatologist to get treatments for my acne and hair loss.

I'm very fortunate since my symptoms are largely managed, and I do feel feminine and comfortable in my body. I sometimes feel like I'm too shallow to have a baby.

I just worry a lot about having a baby and watching my body change, having to stop my medications, and losing money so I can't afford my treatments. Also, less time/energy for working out, rest, sleep etc.

Just really curious how motherhood impacted your symptoms, body image?

I was just confirmed with having PCOS as I suspected for a while now. While on the phone with the doc they mentioned getting back on birth control would be the biggest help. Then they saw on my chart how I've just recently started experiencing migraines in the last few years and recanted their statement saying how BC can increase more migraines. (I strongly believe they started after getting confirmed I was anemic and currently on iron supplements, which they have subsided but still pop up here and there, if that info helps at all)

This is just the first little step in this personal journey for me and I deff didn't feel very reassured with the doc as it was through my Medical. (They talked very fast trying to basically get me off the phone and pretty much saying 'too bad so sad') So trying not to spiral too fast and give up hope but what else is someone supposed to do when they're practically told they're shit out of luck? What's the point of living if you're just constantly drowning and you can't enjoy anything anymore?

Any suggestions on where to start? I've been wanting to get back on BC but worried about the migraines getting triggered. I guess HRT is about the same as BC but without the baby-making blocking right? This all doesn't help with me thinking I'm constantly dying or filled with all sorts of bad things like cancer or clogged arteries, thinking a heart attack is just around the corner.

((Rant and steam-blowing below to express how frustrating this has been))

I started BC back in middle school cuz my periods were horrible, causing me to miss out on school, laying in bed (or on the bathroom floor) all day in pain unwilling to move and swimming in blood. I recently got off BC because it was time to take out the (arm) implant and I wanted to see how I'd react, see if my body has changed since the decades I started. While my period pain and flow is significantly less, it's still ever month though unpredictable at times, I am now dealing with all the horrors of going through puberty again. Going through it as a teen is nothing compared as a full grown adult in their mid 30's.

I always struggled with my identity as a woman. Always felt ugly and less than whatever a woman "should" be. Short, hairy (and I mean the real deal not that cure little wispy light BS) and just all around not quite right. I had a few years, literally less than 5 of feeling like I was FINALLY settling into my horrible adult carcass and then this shit fucking starts up. Like I mentioned, I've delt with thick and abundant body/facial hair all my life but this is a new level for me and it's really fucking me up mentally. I feel like I'll never get to feel attractive, let alone ever have sex again if I can't keep up any remotely humane image. I've had the "am I possibly trans" discussion with myself but for several reasons I don't feel that is what is right for me at this point in my life.

Just another gal just trying to live in a world where we're more interested in flying cars, occupying other planets instead of helping the people and environment on this only rock we got!

First I hear don’t workout a lot 2-3 days/week is enough. Then I hear 4 days is minimum and to do heavy lifting minimal cardio. Then I hear long light cardio is best and 10k steps with Pilates. Then I hear HIIT is great. Then it’s not. Then I hear past 7k steps is the same as 10k. Then I hear low to medium carb is best. Then I hear it’s the type of carb. Then I hear protein maxing. Then I hear fiber maxing. Then I hear if you have insulin resistance it’s a whole different ball park then other types of PCOS/PMOS.
I’m in college, I’m working, I’m stressed tf out. Idk what to do anymore. I don’t want to weigh every ounce of food I intake, although that is the sure way of doing CICO and I don’t take medication and am strongly against it. Even if you are on it you STILL have to put in the work. But then if you don’t sleep and rest enough it was all for nothing. Idk what I’m doing anymore. Even my doctors don’t know where my fatigue is coming from. All labs are normal except for HDL and LDL which can be reversed from working out and less saturated fats and ofc more veggies, but I’m so worried about losing weight that I keep looking at the number yo-yoing. Then race and age and height all come into play and I’m inconsistent. Like what the fuck. I’m just tired. I don’t wanna do ts anymore. Why me? I want to be healthy, I want to live! But I feel like I can’t with constant fatigue and depression and anxiety. I can’t even relax with my second midterms coming up again. Like I wanna be able to not have to shave my beard as much. I wanna have energy to wear the things I want to wear and style my hair and do my minimal makeup. I wanna go out and meet people. I want to have a s/o. But this all feels so far away from current me.

Please forgive how vacuous this question is.
I have PMOS/PCOS and experience very swollen breasts in the run up to my period. I am convinced they grow a few cup sizes during this time, and they get quite painful.

On Friday, I am going to a Halloween party, and I have been planning/building my costume for weeks. It fits perfectly, but I am starting to feel that pre- period swelling emerging. I am super worried that by Friday my boobs will be in full-size mode and ruin the fit of my costume. I know this sounds completely ridiculous- but I would rather be comfortable! (There is a cat-suit involved, with no wriggle room, and I am top heavy enough as it is).

Does anyone have any hacks on how to alleviate this type of swelling quickly? I’ve been reading about things like Evening Primrose, but apparently it takes weeks/months to get into your system properly and have an impact.

Thank you in advance !

I love this community and I know we can't change the name bc PMOS is already taken, but I wish more people would use the official name for the condition.

Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) is more inclusive of everyone and highlights the true nature of what we deal with on a daily basis.

My doctors and therapist are already in the habit of saying PMOS and I wish we as an online community would use it more.

Thankyou for coming to my ted talk 🫶

girls who has PCOS where y all get tested? i have pcos idk my hormone levels but im damn sure i have insuline resistance. my health insurance isn’t gonna cover at all ! im tired of buying supplements every month I’m taking fish oil, magnesium, and barberine rn .

I’ve noticed that a lot of people on this subreddit are asking for advice on Pcos and they are saying that their doctors told them that they may have Pcos and just there’s no point in doing tests or formally diagnosing them.

So I just have a question, has this happened to many people before?

I'm beginning to really struggle how I can help my girlfriend (early 30s) from her continued self esteem issues. She struggles with her body image, self confidence, and allows a lot of people in her personal and work life to completely walk all over her. (My biggest concern).

Now I have read all about being an emotional support person. Yes I'm there, I didn't actually know what PCOS was until I met her. Since I've been there for her emotionally on this. Drove her to her sono appointment and will accompany her for whatever she needs on this front.

The reason I'm posting this here is because I believe it does have a connection to her PCOS. She is struggling quite a bit mentally on that front. I'm a bit more worried at times. I understand it could be difficult to manage self esteem and your own value while dealing with this.

What I will not accept however is the world walking all over my partner. When she is with me she has nothing to worry about. But I'm not always there for her in person, she works in the public service sector. I've encouraged her to be assertive and not allow colleagues and general public patrons to continue I guess treating her in a way that I believe she doesn't deserve to be treated in. I don't want to give specific examples, we can remain general on this.

What can I do? I'm thinking of signing us up to a MMA class or maybe bring her to the gym with me. (I live 45 mins away from her). We see each other twice a week.

As someone with PCOS, how can I gently navigate this situation? I don't want to do nothing. But I want my girlfriend to be a bit more assertive then she is right now. She is also overtly apologetic even when she has no reason to be. She lives like others are on a pedestal. And I need to position her to be more of a queen to herself, to love herself and be selfish towards herself.

I'm all ears for responses. I want to be better man to her always, so if I'm wrong for thinking any of this please let me know.

Frustrated. I’m on zepbound and paying out of pocket. I have only lost 7lbs in 7 months. I’m so frustrated.

I started tracking my calories about 2 weeks ago but didn’t change food habits. I’m between 1600-1800 per day, sometimes under 1500. I have a lightly active job where I walk 5k-12k steps per day. I am always so exhausted so I try to weight train a few days a week when I have energy. My TDEE is 2800 for my height, weight, and activity level, and 1800 for 2lbs/wk of weight loss. I’m clearly under that.

I have to be upright for 3 hours after meals bc of acid reflux so I can’t really snack at night to get any more healthy calories in and I just can’t bring myself to eat during the day. I don’t know what else to do! :/

Looks like I ovulated for the first time since we started tracking 2.6 years ago! I’m 7dpo and super super hopeful. I checked both with cm and Lh sticks. They both confirmed it. I have been on metformin since April, which could be apart of it but other than that this is the first time with ovulation inducing meds. Has anyone had success with ovulating on their own and conceiving ?

Hey girlies,
I just got diagnosed with lean pcos and insulin resistance and I’ve started metformin which has worked wonders.
I am currently on slynd and wondering whether to come off. When I am off contraception(pre metformin) my hair is shiny and healthy but the weight gain is crazy and I get melasma and sweating, I go back on contraception and my weight automatically goes back down and the other issues go away but my hair is insanely thin where you can see my scalp and I’ve car parks and it’s just dead. I am wondering is it possible these side effects won’t happen now that I’m on metformin ?
If anyone has been through this or regained their hair whilst on contraception??
I’m desperate to know!

I’m currently seeing an RE, but I’m kind of doubting their diagnosis process for PCOS. My RE told me that based of the bloodwork that she got from my OBGYN back in January, that nothing is sticking out to her and they only ways to tell for sure if i even have PCOS is if we test AMH and do an ultrasound.
This is not what I’ve heard and thought that info was outdated. I was under the impression you had to have 2/3:
1. Irregular or missing periods
2. Symptoms of high testosterone
3. Polycystic ovaries

I have irregular periods, had awful acne as a teen (needed to be treated with Accutane), and have male pattern hair thinning. Based on those symptoms alone, I feel like I should qualify, right?? The only bloodwork that came back abnormal was low DHEA-Sulfate and high fasting insulin. I’m still waiting on my ultrasound, but according to her diagnosis process so far, I don’t have PCOS now.

How did you get diagnosed? Is this normal??

i’m 23, i was recently given an ultrasound and blood work to figure out what is going on. I initially asked for a checkup because of my insane hair growth and awful periods. My results for the ultrasound came back and i had several cysts and a larger cyst on my left ovary. My dr then messaged me saying my results show pcos.
my symptoms include
-cysts
-horrible acne
-higher testosterone
-several cramping
i’m not on any birth control because im on psych meds so i was always worried about the interactions, but my gyno recently gave me the ring so i will be starting that soon to help with cramping.
im just feeling a bit lost because i don’t feel as though i fit the criteria or maybe im just not educated enough on pcos, but my periods are pretty regular, i have missed 1 period in the last 5 years, i just have very intense and heavy periods where i often have to call out of work, im not overweight, i have a bmi of 23.1, i am someone who can gain and lose weight very quickly tho, im not insulin resistant, ive spoken to my primary dr and all of my glucose numbers are great.
im just having a lot of anxiety around all of this and am hoping someone can give me some information. I will be seeing my gyno soon but the earliest appt isn’t until december.
im very new to this so im not even really sure what pcos really is and how it’s impacting me or what im supposed to do, sorry if this doesn’t make any sense, just looking for some help/information.

26 year old, Testosterone js 4.5 nmol/L and I have a

free androgen index of 26.5 and my SHBG is 17 nmol/L.

I'm really concerned about those levels because just from googling, that's not normal, right?

How urgently should I get back to endocrinology about these results?

I'm also a Type 2 diabetic (pcos/pmos induced)

I am 19F and as long as I hit puberty I have been so hairy, and everyone says it’s just because I’m middle eastern. All my sisters have been diagnosed with pcos and been given treatments and pills to thin out their body hair, but when I went to get treated I did not get the same help. To be honest, my sisters are not very healthy, they’re overweight by a lot, and have had major fertility issues(they’re all 10 years older than me). I do not blame them for this obviously, but I am a different story, I go to the gym everyday and I stay pretty in shape, though it’s very hard to maintain, one week of slip up can set me back months. When I went to my clinic to get help, they did a scan of my uterus and confirmed cysts and that my hormones are imbalanced, but they basically refused to give me any help. My sisters have seen major results from the pills prescribed, my sister has no more facial hair at all. I have major facial hair, and the most insecure thing I deal with is my leg hair. But the doctors had told me I don’t deal with major issues, like weight or fertility issues so I do not medically need the pills. I can’t even go back to get retested or whatever they need to revalue their claim because my insurance has been cut off. It’s just really hard dealing with this, I’ve always felt like less of a woman because of my body hair and I worked so hard to lose weight and control my life and now it seems like I’m being punished for it. I’m not even sure if that’s right for a clinic to do but I’m just at a loss, I need help because my confidence is so low having to shave all the time. Does anyone know any remedies? I’ve tried peppermint tea and supplements but I’ve seen no help. I even did laser but still nothing.

Hello. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 16. I’m 35 now. They gave me birth control pills and spironolactone. I rarely have my period. Years can go by and nothing. I stopped taking the birth control pills because I heard that they can cause cancer. But I also heard that if I don’t have my period and don’t take the pills, I can get cancer too. What are your experiences with this? I suffer from major anxiety so I’m losing sleep over this.

irregular cycles and coarse facial hair. no cyst on US, testosterone without SHBG 19.7, free (dialysis) 2.2

my endo said if my labs were normal I don’t have it and this is just normal for me.

what is interesting is

cortisol was 10.5, after dexamethasone suppression test it was 5.2? (isn’t it supposed to be <1.8)?

estradiol is 10.7 - low

glucose 97 with insulin 8.6 — making HOMA IR 2.06?

so I have several symptoms of issues but I’m afraid she’s going to tell me this is just…normal. And send me on my way. I have so much trouble losing weight also and that’s a main driver. I exercise so often and eat so well it’s really getting to me

I feel like so much PCOS advice assumes you can afford specialist foods, supplements and a completely different food shop. Not everyone can do that on top of their usual expenses!

What advice have you found hardest to follow because of the cost? And have you found anything that works for you without spending loads?

Hi ladies. Have been on so many birth controls last 18 years for acme control as manufacturers stop producing them and today I need your help...

I was on vestura and now I have to switch to something else...

Pharmacy is suggesting Nikki but I'm also hearing how India manufactured medications have way more quality issues than others.

What are you guys on for acne control nowadays??

My choices are:

Lo zumadimin

Yaz

Nikki

Loryna

Jasmiel

Thanks for any suggestion!