PCOS - Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome?

Question

I have just been diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Please explain this as I only know a little at this stage! Do you know anyone who has had kids after being diagnosed with Poly Cystic Ovarian Sydrome (PCOS) I need alot of info so please type away!!!

Answer 1

I've got it, so hopefully I can answer some of your questions.

What it basically means is that you have cysts on your ovaries. This may or may not cause you to have trouble conceiving. The doctor's words to me were, "you will probably have to have fertility treatments to get pregnant." I went on to have 3 kids (without fertility treatments), two concieved while on birth control. Check out the link below. It may give you some good information.

Answer 2

Hey I just answered something like this earlier, but for you, I'll answer it again.
Basics: PCOS at the root of it's name it's a bunch of cysts on your ovaries. Not always the case for all women with it, but cysts happen. It can cause infertility, weird hair growth, high androgen levels, low estrogen levels, abnormal or absent menstrual cycles, moodswings, can be a factor in becoming a diabetic, and can be a factor in weight problems, overall a really scary mess.

What you should know that isn't scary:
Yes, women with PCOS can have children. I'm sure that's not a 100% rate, but they CAN. There are the lucky ones who just end up pregnant and then there are the ones who have to try treatments to conceive. Of course, there are women without PCOS that can't have children either. But I do personally know a couple of women that got pregnant without "trying"

You can control your symptoms. The three easiest ways are diet, exercise, and birth control.
Basically, if you're overweight, lose some. Even if it is 2 pounds, every pound you take off will make your symptoms lessen. You have to watch your diet now because becoming diabetic would not be cool for anyone. I'm not talking about going on the Adkins or South Beach Diets, just maintain a healthy diet. Don't overload on carbs, but don't eliminate them either.
Birth control is great because I don't know about you, but I would go 10 months without a period, and then when I'd get one I'd be out of my mind with moodswings, head to toe pain, cramps from the depths of hell, and I would be absolutely MISERABLE. Now I'm on the lowest dose birth control which is NuvaRing and I have no complaints. I have a regular cycle, I don't have the moodswings like I did before, and although I still get cramps that suck, they are much better than they were. Regulating your period is very important. I read that not having a regular cycle creates a hostile environment for conception. The birth control also stops new cysts from forming if you have any. I've had 2 that caused problems, but I wasn't taking any birth control then, I've been on this one for almost 11 months now and I haven't had any cyst problems (knock on wood).
You're probably going to be fine as long as you start making adjustments now. Personally, I would try to even out all my symptoms and make sure my body is in check before I would start trying to have a baby right now, I don't know where you are in life, I'm only 23 and not trying to have a kid. You just got this diagnosis and the best thing would be to research all you can and make decisions that best suit you. Every symptom doesn't match every person. Before you do anything though, make sure you read everything you can, read message boards, but take things with a grain of salt. Just because Jane can't seem to get pregnant doesn't mean you won't.

There is a ton more I could go on about, but I don't know how much of my lovely personal life you'd want to read about. But just to make you feel a little better, here's the phone call I got from my doctor's office when I found out...
"Hello"
"Hello, this is so-and-so from Dr What's-Her-Name's office, I have your test results back and they are consistent with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Just stay on that medicine that the doctor gave you and if you ever want to get pregnant give us a call. Bye."

Note: The medicine they gave me was a high dose birth control pill that made me have moodswings similar to the ones I described earlier and I was 20.

Please tell me your doctor was at least nice about it.

If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail or message me. kickasspunkmonkeys is my yahoo id if it doesn't show up.

Answer 3

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a condition of unknown cause. It is associated with problems such as irregular (usually less frequent) menstrual cycles, excessive hair growth, acne, obesity, infertility and the possible development of diabetes and osteoporosis. Treatment for PCOS depends on the associated problems and can include weight reduction, hormones or - in some cases - an operation.

Ovarian hormones
Normally the ovary produces large amounts of the female hormone oestrogen, lesser amounts of the male hormone testosterone, and the pregnancy hormone progesterone (which is only produced in greater amounts after ovulation and during pregnancy). In PCOS, testosterone levels may be mildly increased.

Causes of PCOS
The causes of PCOS are unknown. In some cases, it seems to run in the family; for other women, the condition only occurs when they are overweight. Recent research suggests that PCOS is related to insulin resistance and the development of diabetes, especially in women who are overweight.

Women who have PCOS may have problems such as:

Irregular menstrual cycles - menstruation may be less frequent due to less frequent ovulation, and may be either heavier or lighter than average.
Amenorrhoea - some women with PCOS do not menstruate, in some cases for many years.
Obesity - the cause of this is unclear.
Excessive hair growth - may be due to increased testosterone.
Acne - the cause is unclear.
Infertility - related to less frequent or absent ovulation.
There may also be long term health risks. Some women with PCOS develop diabetes, especially if overweight. Women with infrequent periods are at risk of osteoporosis.

Diagnosing polycystic ovarian syndrome
PCOS is usually diagnosed based on the woman’s history and an examination. It may be confirmed by ultrasound and by measuring hormone levels in the blood. In five to 10 per cent of women, PCOS is diagnosed between late adolescence and the menopause. Early diagnosis is important, as it will allow symptoms to be managed and may prevent long term health problems from developing.

Treating PCOS
It is important that a broad approach (by a general practitioner with interest or expertise in this area, or perhaps involving several specialists - for example, an endocrinologist or a gynaecologist) be used to manage and treat PCOS. If only one or two symptoms are addressed on a short term basis, the woman may be left with long term clinical problems.

The treatment for PCOS will depend on the problems the woman has. For example, if the women is suffering from irregular, heavy periods, the oral contraceptive pill is often prescribed to regulate the cycle and prevent the lining of the womb from overgrowing. If the women has infrequent periods, the oral contraceptive pill is used to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. If infertility is a problem, clomiphene citrate may be given orally to induce ovulation. Weight loss is very important, as it will reduce the risk of diabetes developing and can reduce other symptoms. An operation called ovarian drilling can be used to treat women with PCOS who want to become pregnant and are not ovulating.

Answer 4

I am writing on behalf of my fiance who has had PCOS since she was 12 or 13 (she is now 29). She struggled alot over the years but is fortunate as an adult to be getting better care then she did when she was a teenager. She was initally treated with hormone pills and was asked to lose weight in order to better her condition. The catch 22 with PCOS is that PCOS causes weight gain but its very very difficult to take it off with PCOS. Weight Watchers has been working for her so far as she has lost 27 lbs so far. It took my fiance at least 16 yrs to get the kind of treatment that is finally working so I pass on her experience.

Initially what will be done if it has not already, is lots and lots of testing, more then you can handle at times but its for your own good. Its so the doctors can figure out the severity of your PCOS and how to treat it. Some women have no periods, other women like my fiance have hers all to frequently. Since you speak of kids, I assume you are wanting children now or in the future. It is not entirely impossible to have children when you have PCOS, but you must get yourself healthy before your body is suitable for a child (your hormones need to get balanced or else you wont ovulate). Hormones or birth control pills work best for most women with PCOS in order to regulate your hormones and keep your periods semi normal but in my fiance's case she is now trying the IUD as it is estrogen free. Heavier women carry more estrogen in their system which wreaks havoc on the endocrine system, its like an overload.

There is not much else I can tell you about PCOS but my fiance is more knowledgable since she has been living with it now for 17 years. You can email her directly at [e-mail] and she would be happy to give you more advice if this left you at all confused.

Hope this helps!!!

Answer 5

I have had that for decades. I got pregnant the old fashioned way and had a kid the old fashioned way and have periods(you guess)...it is no big deal. It is just the way it is and that is that...Do not let Them scare you...why do you think THEY need to keep in practice...it'll be fine, trust me.