Have any women been diagnosed with PCOS?

Question

I have recently been diagnosed with PCOS (polycycstic ovarian syndrome)and Im miserable... I am always tired, Ihave gained ALOT of weight (80 lbs), irregular and LONG periods... has anyone found treatment that has actually worked???...anything that has helped witht he weight loss???? what did your doctor do to help you... Im miserable...any info will help me...

Answer 1

The most common treatments for PCOS depend on your symptoms. Most women with PCOS have insulin resistance, and this is thought to cause the overabundance of male hormones that we have in our bodies. Insulin resistance is a state in which the cells don't respond to insulin as efficiently as they should, so the pancreas produces more and more insulin in an effort to keep blood glucose levels within a normal range. That results in normal glucose levels, but high levels of insulin floating around in the bloodstream. Left untreated, the cells may eventually become unable to use insulin, which is a form of type 2 diabetes. This is why PCOS patients are at high risk for type 2 diabetes.

These high levels of insulin are thought to affect the ovaries, causing them to produce high amounts of male hormones. While insulin resistance itself causes some PCOS symptoms such as weight gain, dark patches of skin (acanthosis nigricans, or AN), skin tags, and high lipid levels, the resulting overabundance of androgens causes the other classic symptoms: anovulation, irregular cycles, acne, hair growth, thinning hair.

I say all that because understanding how the syndrome works is key to knowing how to treat it. No one is entirely sure how PCOS happens, but there is a lot of evidence to support this mechanism.

If you are insulin resistant (and some doctors say even if you aren't insulin resistant but have PCOS), the most common treatment is metformin (Glucophage). Metformin is an insulin-regulating drug used in many PCOS patients to treat insulin resistance. By treating the insulin resistance underlying PCOS in many women, the symptoms of PCOS can be alleviated. Many women who take metformin even begin ovulating regularly, although it is not considered a fertility drug.

If you do not want to become pregnant yet, birth control pills are often another treatment option. Birth control pills can raise the amount of female hormones in your body and prevent the ovaries from producing so many male hormones. They can serve to bring on regular periods, improve acne, and decrease hair growth.

If you have unwanted hair growth, some women with PCOS take spironolactone. Some also need antidepressants because depression and anxiety can be linked to PCOS.

Diet and exercise are also very important. Many women with PCOS gain a lot of weight and have problems losing it. This is often due to the insulin resistance, so metformin can provide some help with weight loss. PCOS patients are often advised to follow a low-carb diet. For me, this does not mean no carbs--it means eating whole unprocessed grains, like brown rice or whole wheat bread, rather than processed white carbs. That prevents the spike in your blood sugar that can make IR worse. My doctor also advised me to eat as many fresh fruits, vegetables, and lean meats or meatless proteins as possible, and to stay away from processed foods. She supports my vegetarian diet as long as I don't eat too many processed carbs. I also try to exercise every day.

Some other problems can accompany PCOS; I have high cholesterol and triglycerides despite a low fat, low cholesterol, meatless, high fiber diet, and daily exercise. I am on my fourth cholesterol-lowering drug, and none of them have helped. This has turned out to be another effect of insulin resistance. So for my PCOS treatment I take metformin, a birth control pill, a statin (currently it's Crestor), and I watch my diet and exercise regularly.

Answer 2

I have it and the med is called metaformin (prgesteroneis given if your not trying to get pregnant...if you are trying to get pregnant then they usually conbine it with fertility drugs such as clomid ...their is also some great support groups . Yahoo has one.THeir is no cure for it as they do not even know how it occurs .I also gained 80 lbs in over 2years but the metafomins showed a difference in some weight lNo one knows the exact cause of PCOS. Women with PCOS frequently have a mother or sister with PCOS. But there is not yet enough evidence to say there is a genetic link to this disorder. Many women with PCOS have a weight problem. So researchers are looking at the relationship between PCOS and the body’s ability to make insulin. Insulin is a hormone that regulates the change of sugar, starches, and other food into energy for the body’s use or for storage. Since some women with PCOS make too much insulin, it’s possible that the ovaries react by making too many male hormones, called androgens. This can lead to acne, excessive hair growth, weight gain, and ovulation problems.
*high levels of male hormones
* irregular or no menstrual cycle
An estimated five to 10 percent of women of childbearing age have PCOS
I have alos read that many people go a holistic reatment of chast (vitex) you can look it up on yahoo . It takes though about 12 mths to see the results that way .
___________________________Because there is no cure for PCOS, it needs to be managed to prevent problems. Treatments are based on the symptoms each patient is having and whether she wants to conceive or needs contraception. Below are descriptions of treatments used for PCOS.

Hope that helso I looked up so much info when I found out _______________

Answer 3

I have pcos, sometimes glucophage prescribed by your Doctor will help regulate you and some women lose weight on it, however it can make you more fertile. I also take it to help me try to get pregnant.

Answer 4

Are you insulin resistant? I was and I had no periods for years. I gained a lot of weight too. My Dr. put me on metformin and I started to exercise. Immediately I was having regular 4 day cycles. The weight started to fall off too. I had exercised before but it would never do any good until I started on the metformin. It was a miracle drug for me. If I had not taken it I would not have gotten pregnant TWICE! I strongly suggest you ask your doctor about it!! Good luck!

Answer 5

yes I have it.

was told to watch the sugar intake and exercise...very difficult to lose weight though.

If I am not careful i could become diabetic....hope they find a drug soon for this disease.

There are many combinations of drugs to take....but not all work the same for everyone...so far I am just on progesterone pills.

good luck from someone who understands

Answer 6

I went to the doctor and we thought I had it. So far so good, but my sis does, and one thing is to be sure you excersise. If you can loose the weight, and get healthy, it can all turn around.There is a med for it, I can't think of the name, but keep your chin up.