PCOS and tips.....

Make an appointment with a gynocologist.

FTR, two women I know with this disorder were able to conceive after many attempts with clomid.

Hi! I have PCOS - no plans for children. But, watching your diet will have a huge effect on your hormones. Hopefully your doctor has put you on other medication besides birth control? Birth control definitely helps, but a lot of doctors also prescribe Metformin (a diabetes drug but often used to treat PCOS).

Diet and exercise are your best friends. When I'm good with my diet and exercise, I tend to notice a decrease in symptoms and an increase when I'm bad. I'm currently in the increase stage, sigh. Food is delicious. I have always found low carb to work best for me, but don't "prohibit" anything - moderation really is the key to life.

A lot of women do get pregnant with PCOS and your doctor should be able to help you on that path!

I hope this helps, I've been diagnosed for over a decade, so feel free to ask any questions if you want. I may be able to answer them.

ETA: I think a good endocrinologist is key. When you start thinking about pregnancy, visit your gynecologist - I'm sure your endocrinologist will be able to recommend someone and they can work together.

PCOS runs in my family. My mother has it but still had 3 kids without problems. My friends sister also has it and has had 3 kids herself as well. For those who watch Teen Mom, Maci has PCOS and her doctor told her she shouldn't bother with BC because she would never have kids and she also now has 3.

It really depends on the person and how severe it is.

I don't have PCOS but I have a close friend who does. She was told she was unlikely to ever conceive without medical help, and still conceived her daughter while on the pill. It really does vary from person to person.

Please go talk to a professional in this field so you can clarify for your peace of mind.

One of my best friends has PCOS and just last year had a little boy. It took them a long time trying, and a lot of work and planning, but it is possible. You just need to be patient. Her dr suggested a regime of exercise, diet, and carefully planned sex. You'll want to find a fertility specialist in your area who has experience working with patients who have PCOS, they will be able to help you out with a good plan on what works for you.

Look into a fertility specialist sooner than later. Note that infertility?/diagnostic test were covered under ins for me but fertility treatments were not. Hugs

Thanks everyone. I did go to my gynecologist but all he said is I had it. I asked questions and didn't get much. When I asked about conceiving he said I wouldn't worry about it. Didn't get any info at all. I'm currently looking for a new doctor.

@riededo yes that definitely helped! Thank you I just wanted to see everyone's journey with PCOS. I told my friend and she said I shouldn't talk about this to anyone and keep it private. I told her there is nothing to be embarrassed about. I believe it's good to have awareness about it

@Vanessa - seeing a new doctor is a smart decision. I know lots of people are saying to see a gynecologist, and they can help, but if you aren't looking into having kids right away, I'd start with an endocrinologist. In fact, even if you are planning to have kids right away, I think I'd make the endocrinologist your first stop - they can set you in the right direction.

ETA: I saw your other comment - I definitely think there is nothing to be embarrassed about! Awareness is definitely important. Just find a good doctor and have an open conversation with them about what your goals are and how to stay healthy!

Eeek. I definitely support the decision to find another doctor.

I've been through so many gynecologists too, so I understand the struggle.

Also, just curious....did this doctor do an ultrasound of your ovaries or any blood work?

An average Gyno will not usually discuss things in depth the way a fertility specialist will. From what my friend with PCOS told me there will be lots of tests and questions before the fertility specialist can figure out how bad it is and what to do about it. I think it's not abnormal you didn't get a ton of info from your gyno but they definitely should have given you a referral to a specialist. Hopefully you can find a better dr who can help you through this better.

@vanessa I would also recommend a different Dr. I have never been diagnosed with PCOS, but I have been diagnosed with Endometriosis. A lot of people have never heard of that either, but it is along the same line of crappy. Infertility is also a possibility, although I have never believed them. Last year I got pregnant and although I miscarried early on - my Dr. , Husband and I were so excited that I COULD get pregnant. Like many have mentioned, diet and exercise is key . I wouldn't worry too much about things you might read, truth is everybody is different and you won't know if you will be able to conceive until you try.

PCOS is more common than most people realize. I have it too. BCP, diet and exercise really helps a lot in regulating my symptoms.

I know many people, including my cousins who have had healthy and problem-free pregnancies with PCOS. My current gynaec says that with the right treatment regimen it shouldn't be a problem.

Also, get a full physical. PCOS can be associated with insulin resistance and thyroid problems. Just make sure that you are otherwise healthy.

Hang in there, don't stress and don't give up. Good luck!

@MMB Yes it's a struggle! And my regular doctor sent me to do the lab work and she sent over my stuff to my gyno. I love my regular doctor so she's going to recommend me another gynecologist

I haven't been diagnosed with PCOS, but it runs in my family and I have the same symptoms. My mom has it and had me almost immediately after trying, and my brother 8 years later without any additional help. My grandma has it as well and had four kids without any problems.

I have it, was diagnosed with it 6 years ago. While we are not currently planning to try to have a baby, we know we will someday. The best chance you can give yourself to one day conceive is to take care of yourself. Hopefully your gynecologist mentioned something about the link between PCOS and insulin resistance? Essentially, the hormone imbalances contribute to higher blood sugar levels and high blood sugar levels further throws off your hormones, making the PCOS worse. We are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes, where we produce insulin, but it's ineffective. The best course of action is to take steps to keep your blood sugar level in a healthy range (a healthy person should be between 70-100 mg/dL) and work to keep your weight in a range that is healthy for you, too. If your blood sugar level is within the normal range, your hormones won't be as out of whack (lessening the effects of the PCOS and potentially increasing your chances of conception), you'll have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight, and you won't be at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. You can get your blood sugar level under control by switching to a low carb, low sugar diet and exercising. I pretty much cut all sugary drinks and stick to water, coffee, and tea and sometimes milk. Every once in a while I'll let myself have a little juice or lemonade, but it's rare. When you do go for carbs, it's important to keep the portions small and stick to whole grain and whole wheat everything. I say keep the portions small because when a woman with PCOS eats carbs, we can produce more insulin than is necessary to break it down (this is getting into our tendency to develop insulin resistance), and that excess insulin ends up causing the production of excess male hormones. Complex carbs are good and necessary. We do need them to live. We just don't need huge servings of them.

I saw you said you're looking for a new gynocologist. I think that's a great idea, especially if your diagnosing doctor failed to mention anything about a low carb diet plan. I hope you find a doctor that is able to answer all your questions about what you should be doing to keep yourself healthy and get you on track to possibly conceive.

I'm sorry this is happening. When I found out, I was single and it was still devastating to find out that I might have issues conceiving one day. It's important to remember that PCOS is a condition that affects different women in different ways. Just because it can cause infertility doesn't mean you will necessarily experience any fertility issues, but doctors have to mention it as a possibility. I really hope you find a new doctor that can help you through all of this.

A very good friend of mine has PCOS, she was told she wouldn't be able to have children and now has three! She went to a different specialist who put her on all sorts of special diets to help sort out her hormones. When she started trying she lost the first baby due to her hormones. For the next three pregnancies she was put on prostogen and I think estrogen the minute she got pregnant to stop her hormone levels dropping. As I said she now has three beautiful kids. From what I understand it is important to see a good specialist.

Saw the comment about your friend saying you shouldn't talk about this to anyone. I disagree.

I don't advertise my condition, so I have a line that I tell people who have questions about my eating habits: "I have a medical condition that puts me at a high risk for developing type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, so I have to do ___ to prevent that." Sometimes I'm asked for more detail and if I decide this is not a person I'm comfortable sharing with, I simply state that it's personal.

However, it was really helpful to share what was going on with close friends. And the more years that have passed, I've found that I become more and more comfortable sharing when it feels appropriate. I felt like with all the lifestyle changes this condition required of me that I lost a lot of control over a lot of things. One thing I can control is who I tell about it and when I tell them. But the support that friends gave me while I navigated all of this was instrumental in how I was able to deal with it. It still is.

So tell whoever you want to tell at whatever time you feel is right. You'll likely be met with lots of love and support, and possibly someone who deals with this, too.

I was been on BC for years and stopped when FH and I wanted a baby. I had no clue that I had PCOS until I had a miscarriage. It's really upsetting to be told you may not be able to conceive. All the years I was on BC kept everything regular and from getting ovarian cysts. Once I stopped I stopped ovulating according to my doctor and everything went wacky. He suggested Clomid but I decided against it and wanted to wait another year before we tried again. I got back on BC for the year. We tried again on our own and now have a 20 month old son! So yes it's possible! Not every case is the same but try and stay positive and live a healthy lifestyle. Best of Luck! Here's my rainbow baby : )