I think I have symptoms of PCOS. Please answer?

Question

I'm 23 years old. I'm over weight ( I'm 5'0 tall and I wear a size 18). My mother was on Depo Preva when she was 19 years old. She was on it for about 2 years. (She and I believe (NOW) there is a link between depo and PCOS). After the the two years she was diagnosed with PCOS. It took her 8 years to have me and my twin brother with the help of fertility drugs. I was on Depo form 2002-2005. I didn't have a period for three years while on Depo. I've been off depo and I still don't have normal periods, I have one every 4-6 month and the last about 16 days. My symptoms include... a balding spot at the top of my head. Hair that grows on my chin and chest. I'm not hairy it's just a few hairs. And I haven't been on birth control since I've been off of depo. I don't have insurance so I use that as an excuse for not going to see a doctor. I think I have a higher chance of having PCOS because my mom had it.

Answer 1

it sounds like you have PCOS. it is a good idea to run some baseline test to check your hormone levels and general health, including cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose etc. The doc may put you on metformin or bcp.
In the meantime there are things you can do like having a low carb diet, reduce or eliminate intake of refined sugar and products with preservatives. 1tbsp of apple cider vinegar with a meal has the same effect at metformin. Metformin is a drug to help with insulin resistance. It can also help lower testosterone levels and regulate periods. You could also try cinnamon supplements, which has a similar effect. Start taking a multivitamin, omega fish oils & NAC. Many women als swear by a supplement called vitex or chasteberry which helps balance hormones.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

OK, I am going to answer this question a few ways... PCOS is for life, it doesnt come and go. Dr's can treat symptoms like insulin resistance w/ metformin, lack of ovulation w/ clomid, hormone issues w/ suppliments, testosterone increases w/ birth control, but a lady will never not have pcos if she has been diagnosed w/ pcos. Some women with pcos, like myself, ovulate every month. This is considered mild PCOS. Some women can ovulate spuratically where they might go 3-4 months at a time ovulating and then one month not ovulate and go a few months without ovulating before they ovulate again. Some women have what they think are periods from 'normal cycles' but actually is their body sluffing off dead uterin lining (IE" period) but there wasnt an egg that ovulated, so its just a decrease in progesterone causing the lining to sluff away vs. ovulation that built up to the point when their period arise. If you ovulate spuratically, you might have ovulated late and indeed be pregnant. You can test again in 6 days and should get an accurate result since your hcg should be elevated enough to get a + tester 4 days after implantation occured and what you are experiencing might be implantation cramps. My guess is, you either didnt ovulate or, have a cyst. I have pcos and I typically ovulate on the 15th day of my cycle w/ a day 30-31 cycle. I have had times where I ovulate on day 14 or as high as day 17 and the month I had a cyst, I ovulated day 26 (which I saw my dr. about and he said I either had a cyst or poor egg quality, did an ultrasound, and found a cyst). There is no telling, if you didnt ovulate, when you might ovulate again however, you should bleed before ovulation, though thats not always guaranteed the 1st month following a month you didnt ovulate on time because essentially you are 'late' ovulating and if you do ovulate at some point in time, there isnt a way to know when, unless you test with a digital ovulation tester. If you go more than 3 mos. without a period and arent pregnant, I would recommend you see your dr. They can rule out pregnancy, cyst, or similar. If nothing is detected, they can give you provera, which is a type of progesterone that you can take 10 days, then go off, and should have a period within 3 days, which will restart your cycle and you can begin counting again. You cant get pregnant, as you probably know, if you dont ovulate you cant make a baby and some times women w/ pcos will ovulate, but it wont be a viable egg. This can cause miscarriages (like Ive had -- 4). If you conceived on the 4th, you can test on the 21st. If you conceived on the 13th, you can test on the 30th as 17dpo you should get the most accurate answer. Your sore nipples could be from estrogen surges or AF just coming later than normal from ovulating later than normal and your back pain sounds like a cyst. If it is a cyst, it should take care of itself within 2-3 cycles. If it causes you great pain or discomfort the dr. might want to perform laproscopic surgery to blast it out w/ a lazer. If you do have PCOS how are you being treated for your PCOS?? Because if you have hormone issues or insulin resistance and you arent taking things to curb this, you will have more difficulty getting pregnant and then, maintaining pregnancy. Hope this helped. Good luck!

Answer 3

I have PCOS, & it caused a miscarraige. But I still conceived, & it was a total shock as well. My symptoms were heavy cramping, heavy periods, Missed periods or periods that come too soon. I never took Depo, but I've never had the things you're talking about with the hair. My doctor put me on regular birth control pills because they control the cysts, and when I decide to get pregnant, I'll need medication, but that's about it.

Answer 4

I have PCOS and I have more hair growth on my body. Mainly on my chin and stomach. I haven't lost any hair on my head but PCOS can affect women in different ways. Also if you are not having regular periods when you are not on any form of birth control then that is another symptom. Also most women who have PCOS are overweight. Their insulin levels are higher which can throw your body into having Type 2 Diabetes. If your mom has it then it could be a good possibility that you have it as well. I would definitely get it checked out.

Answer 5

my older sister has PCOS and has the symptoms, my younger sister might have it as well, still waiting to find out. shes only 14. PCOS does run in the famlily... so i would say that you need to get this checked out, you do seem to have some symptoms. maybe you can go to a free clinic if you have one in your area? of like the first person said, go to the hospital, a lot of times they has assistance programs for those who don't have insurance. so that way people will come to get the help that is needed, even if they dont have means to pay for it. so its worth a shot, even talk to them while you are there, before you check in. if that makes sense. i was on depo too and had no problems with it, but also never had my period while it on it either. i got pregnant WHILE on it and had twins. with PCOS it takes a while to get pregnant, they aren't even sure if my sister will ever have them. she had the same symptoms as you (minus the balding spot, the girl has so much hair!!!). they actually put her on birth control, along with my lil sister to help regulate her periods. just the pill not the shot or anything else. along with a lot of other meds to help control things. so i would say that you go get it checked out, dont worry about insurance, they have programs to help you at the hospitals.

Answer 6

Your symptoms certainly sounds like symptoms of PCOS. If you could see your doctor they could treat it so this wouldn't lead to problems later in life. Treatments could also solve the problems associated with PCOS. (Balding, hair growth, weight issues, and irregular/lack of cycles.) If you're not trying to conceive, BC will hide symptoms. If you do want to conceive in the future you should see a doc.

Answer 7

You do have some symptoms of PCOS. But...those symptoms are also symptoms of hormonal imbalance. Perhaps you can go to an ER and pay the bill $10 a month until it is paid off?

Answer 8

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Answer 9

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