Hi,

I myself have P.C.O.S, Just thought it would be a good idea to get together on here and have a chat.

God i know sometimes it drives me mad

hope to chat soon


Jane

What is P.C.O.S?

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

is that cysts on the ovaries? If so, i have had one (not recurring) and had it easily removed years ago.

does the syndrome mean you get constant recurring cysts?

is that cysts on the ovaries? If so, i have had one (not recurring) and had it easily removed years ago.

does the syndrome mean you get constant recurring cysts?

Have a look here (http://www.4woman.gov/faq/pcos.htm) PL. It can cause all sorts of problems;

* infrequent menstrual periods, no menstrual periods, and/or irregular bleeding
* infertility or inability to get pregnant because of not ovulating
* increased growth of hair on the face, chest, stomach, back, thumbs, or toes
* pelvic pain
* weight gain or obesity, usually carrying extra weight around the waist
* type 2 diabetes
* high cholesterol
* high blood pressure
* sleep apnea―excessive snoring and breathing stops at times while asleep

Just to name a few..

Also a thread (http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=194696&highlight=PCOS) here about it

The syndrome includes dozens, if not hundreds of little cysts on the ovaries at the same time.

Side effects of this include hormone upsets, weight gain, pain, infertility and lots of others.

I did have mild PCOS, but it was very minor in comparison to my endometriosis, so my hysterectomy effectively sorted both of them out.

Everyone who suffers with this has my most sincere sympathy- it's no fun at all.

My goodness, its awful, is there no cure?

Nope, only to have everything removed

my sister suffered with endometriosis for years, thankfully she hadnt had it long enough for it to effect her fatility and after the birth of her 1st child, it seemed to clear up on its own.

as for P.C.O.S ..... that sounds terrible, cant they remove the cysts ... or do more follow? does child birth help that condition? ... is there nothing they can do at all ... having everything removed is all well and good when you've had your family but what about younger sufferers\?

my sister suffered with endometriosis for years, thankfully she hadnt had it long enough for it to effect her fatility and after the birth of her 1st child, it seemed to clear up on its own.
lucky person!!! It doesn't always happen like that...

as for P.C.O.S ..... that sounds terrible, cant they remove the cysts ... or do more follow? does child birth help that condition? ... is there nothing they can do at all ... having everything removed is all well and good when you've had your family but what about younger sufferers\?
similar to endo sufferers i expect, hormonal treatment to ease/try to halt it until you have a family (IF you can) and then have the lot removed...

My sister in law had ovarian cysts removed while pregnant, then went on to have a very healthy boy (the one she was carrying), followed by a healthy girl a few years later.

Maybe not helpful to your cause, but words of encouragement.

Good luck.

I have pcos. To keep the hormone levels balanced, taking the combined pill seemed to work well for me but a few months ago I got a migraine which affected my vision. If this ever happens, the doctor takes you stright off the combined pill because the oestrogen in it thickens the blood and not v good if you have a migraine where you lose part of your sight.
As a result, I got switched to the progesterone only pill and it's messin with me. I'm not liking it :(

Interesting thread by the way :thumbsup:

By the way, as any problems, symptoms vary. I believe that Victoria Beckham has pcos but she has children ;)

as for P.C.O.S ..... that sounds terrible, cant they remove the cysts ... or do more follow? does child birth help that condition? ... is there nothing they can do at all ... having everything removed is all well and good when you've had your family but what about younger sufferers\?

They cant remove the cysts. I dont know if more follow but they gather around the ovaries. As I have just posted (sorry - I didnt read your post properly before doing so :rolleyes: :)) you dont know until you try whether you can have children

I wonder if alternative medicine could help, im not a big believer ... but ive heard amazing stories about tumors shrinking etc due to accupuncture (sp) .... it might be worth a shot .... and youre covered if your in westfield.

you have my sympathys

Yep I have this also, Jane we seem to have a lot in common!! remember me?

Hi Teddygirl,

Yep we do seem to have a lot in commen dont we. How are things with you? im pretty much the same still there though. Pm me.

I've got PCOS.

Considering that it's generally caused by imbalances in the melange of hormones running through our bodies, alternative therapies really aren't going to do much good. Not much does.

I have it, I was told by a very unhelpful doctor a Jessops that I need to lose weigt, but PCOS causes weight gain. He couldn't offer any other suggestion.

So, stop eating then??

I dont mean to pick, but those kinds of therapies arent much called 'alternative' these days but 'complementary' instead. - for the very reason that they should work alongside other medicine rather than replacing them.
Therefore you may well feel better if you have a massage/aromatherapy etc but I dont believe this alone will medically cure it ;)

I have it, I was told by a very unhelpful doctor a Jessops that I need to lose weigt, but PCOS causes weight gain. He couldn't offer any other suggestion.

So, stop eating then??

Hi,

I have had PCOS since I was 18, I am 25 now, I havent had a period for 2 years and I have have all sorts of treatments as we want children. I have had Ovarian Drilling and a Hystereosalpinogram and other stuff but nothing has worked. I am under Jessops and was on the waiting list for IUI (they try this before IVF) I got to the top of the waiting list but when I came to have the treatment I was told I was too fat to have it under the NHS. I couldnt afford it privately. So I am pending at the top of the list. I have been on all sorts of medication, clomid etc.. but nothing works. I saw Dr. Amar and he was wonderful but after the ovarian drilling didnt work I got referred to the assisted conception unit and saw someone who I cant remember his name and he just said, come back when your thinner!

All I can say if without my partner I wouldnt have coped xx

Ive had very much the same reaction, lose weight, i only wish they could change places with us for 1 day, they'd soon change there attitude

I have a brilliant consultant at Jessops, who got me on a clinical trial for xenical to help women with PCOS lose weight, am now also on metformin and have lost 7 stones in the last year

I have just gone up to 2 metformin today and I feel sick! not like I am going to be sick but like a sickly tase type thing. Horrible! I also started my diet toay. I am also a#on xenical again. :(

Ive been given Xenical, Not keen on those at all, far to big. Never been near metformin but i have heard about it being used.

anyone up for a Weight Loss Competition between us members??

Not a competion as that could be quite upsetting for the people that are really strict and dont get far due to medical conditions.

How about an encouragement diet group?

Yeah, thats what i meant really, just a few friends with the same goal.

Ill have a think about how to do this, As an incentive i will give as a prize to the person who loses most each month a pair of earrings which i make.


everyone interested let me know

Yeah sounds nice. :)

Count me in too jane91, been overweight past 10/15 years tried various diets, only thing that worked was weight watchers but as soon as I stopped going it all went back on.
On the subject of PCOS I have got quite a few of the symptoms but scans taken a few years back proved negative for pcos, no other explanation could ever be found, I have just had to live with it unfortunately but I have gone on to have two lovely children.

dont give up after 12yrs of trying for a baby we eventually had a baby boy whos now 5 and then after 4 yrs of trying again (in this time i had a gastric band fitted and lost 4 stone)i had another boy, still have the pcos bad and now on dianette to help control things

Everyone who wants to join the Diet Buddy Insentive please weigh yourself this weekend. Healty eating starts Monday, Weights in by Monday Morning of the Next Week.

Loser of the month gets a pair of earrings.(handmade)

Send me your Start Weight and Email Address so i can chart our success and i will email you your shart weekly.

Maybe we could all meet up and have a walk round Greaves Park or somewhere like that to get the fitness started aswell.

Also i need either your healthy weight for your height or your height and ill work it out.

let me know

I have just been diagnosed with this.

I have PCOS and i seriously had to think about wether to post on here such is the negative association with the condition but hey must be feeling brave today.

It truely is a horrid thing to have, it affects every aspect of your life, apperance, self esteem, interactions with other people etc.

On a positive note though there is some hope to control symptoms, weight loss is possible although very hard. I've lost 2 1/2 stone since i became ill although due to the fact i originally gained 4 1/2 i'm still not exactly thin but things are moving in the right direction. You can also get tablets if you have skin problems and laser hair removal is very successful.

I'd definitely say its the psychological aspects that are the hardest to cope with, it predisposes you to depression, eating disorders, BDD etc.

I don't know what to do...waiting for my apointment with gynecologist in may :(

First thing- please try not to let the 'standard' PCOS symptoms get you down. You don't know yet which of the symptoms you have or how badly they're going to affect you.

Not everyone is affected by all of the symptoms and I'm sure that everyone can name a friend who has PCOS who was told that they couldn't have babies but who has at least one healthy and happy little one.

There are things that can be done to help control the weight issue and if you can keep the weight under control then this often controls the other symptoms too. If it doesn't then there are a number of hormonal options for reducing the problems too.

Try not to worry too much.

I have every single symptom, and I knew I had it before it was even confirmed. I can just about cope with the symptoms as they haven't effected me too much, however I can't cope with the thought of not being able to have children...I know i sound negative, but i'm finding it very difficult to be positive about something like this.

I have every single symptom, and I knew I had it before it was even confirmed. I can just about cope with the symptoms as they haven't effected me too much, however I can't cope with the thought of not being able to have children...I know i sound negative, but i'm finding it very difficult to be positive about something like this.

I know it sounds a cliche but really it is amazing what medical treatments can acheive. There are a lot of options which can help and i'm sure they'll discuss them with you at your appointment but try and stay positive.

I know it sounds a cliche but really it is amazing what medical treatments can acheive. There are a lot of options which can help and i'm sure they'll discuss them with you at your appointment but try and stay positive.

thanks chick i will try x

It is hard to take everything in, dont let the thought of not being able to have kids put you on a downer or even register to much with you.

Im 35 and no kids yet but im haveing a ball trying lol, im a big believer in the thought that if its meant to be its meant to be.

Keep smiling

My daughter has just been diagnosed with pcos, she is 17

She has put a bit of weight on this last year, she also has excessive sweating and hair! Not great when youre a teenager

I have pcos but I think I may have a mild version as I don't really have many of the symptoms except irregular periods and the occasional spotty break out - and difficulty getting pregnant.

Can I reassure the poster (Pink lady I believe) that the many cysts on the ovaries are simply eggs/follicles that have failed to mature, which means that ovulation doesn't happen or happens rarely.

I had problems conceiving but I was prescribed clomid (which makes the follicles mature leading to ovulation) and got pregnant in the first month of taking it. I now have a lovely little boy and we are trying for number two. I guess my advice to anyone who has the syndrome and wants children is not to leave it too long as it often takes ages to go through the process of fertility treatment and obviously the older you get, the less fertile you become anyway.

That makes me feel a little better :)

I'm finding it very difficult to stay positive at the moment but I do feel a bit better after reading that.

I also read that if you do get pregnant there is a chance of miscarriage, does anyone know how likely this is?

Also, what can I expect from my first visit to the Gynaecologist?

thanks

x

Don't feel too disheartened. You can make a difference to your condition with diet and exercise and there are some good books out there to help with this (type pcos into an amazon search).

Yes, there is a 40% chance of miscarriage compared to 15% in the general population. I know this stat because I got pregnant naturally earlier in the year but miscarried at 7 weeks. Fortunately, clomid lessens the chances of miscarriage which is why we're going to go down this route when we try this time.

We've had fantastic care in Sheffield from GP to specialist: I already had my diagnosis before we tried to conceive. GP said because of this and because of my age (37 at the time) to only try to get pregnant naturally for 5 or 6 months and if I didn't she'd refer me. I then had a load of tests done at the hospital - they check your tubes to make sure there's no blockages, check for the quality of your eggs, ultrsound to see your ovaries... and OH had his sperm tested (the Prof read the results and remarked "fantastic!" oh could hardly get his head out of the door!). The whole process took about seven months. Once we had a diagnosis of the cause of our infertility - it was def just pcos - we were prescribed clomid as the first line of treatment. I was also offered ovarian drilling (sounds worse than it is, I think!) but I said no - they were doing a study at Jessops to see if it increased the success rate on clomid so they may have the results on that now. Apparently 50% of women with my diagnosis get pregnant within 6 months of taking clomid. If it doesn't work there are other options, artificial insemination or IVF, for example.

I actually think that it's better to have a diagnosis of pcos than not knowing the causes of your infertility as at least then you can have pretty routine treatment which has a good success rate.

the babycentre.co.uk website is a great source of info and support - especially the forums - there's one for pcos and one for clomid users.

Funny you should say that, I have just been looking at the Babycentre website. Another good one is Verity...there is a forum on there which is really useful.

I'm sorry to hear about your miscarriage, that must have been awful.

I think that the gynaecologist will tell me to lose weight if i'm honest. I have read that clomid is more successful the closer you are to your ideal weight.

I am hoping I can go on clomid, as it sounds like it has a great success rate. Including an increased chance of multiple births :shocked:

I have also looked at Ovarian Drilling but it doesn't appear to be be very successful :confused:

I just wish the 8th May would hurry up and come now...just so I know what the plan of action is going to be, at the moment i'm just in limbo...and the only thing I can do is read up about it on the internet...which isn't a good thing sometimes if you know what I mean.

With regards to any blockages in your tubes, would they not have been able to tell this by the ultrasound or the internal ultrasound that I had?

thanks for your advice

xx

With regards to any blockages in your tubes, would they not have been able to tell this by the ultrasound or the internal ultrasound that I had?

thanks for your advice

xxWell they do something called a (and this is probably completely wrong) hydrosalpingogram! The inject your tubes with a dye so they can make sure they're totally clear. They warn you that it can be uncomfortable but it was fine for me. Just very undignified (feet in stirrups job!)

Strangely enough, I'm pretty philosophical about the miscarriage at the moment. I have got pregnant and carried to term and it's so common, I just look on it as a bit of bad luck and soldier on. It was very early (seven weeks). I'd probably have felt quite differently if it'd been my first pregnancy or if I'd miscarried later. And I may feel very differently about it in time if I can't have another child...

I do believe the success rate is better the closer to your "ideal" weight (I was in the strange situtation of having to put on weight to conceive!). Bear in mind that you can only take clomid for a limited period of time so you don't want to "waste" any months by not being in the best shape/situation you can be. I think you can take it for up to 9 months but if it's going to work it's more likely to work early on in the "course".

The thought of multiple births is quite scarey. A one in ten for twins I think! I was petrified of twins or triplets the first time round but would be happy to find out it was twins this time round (I must be mad!)

Good luck on the 8th and pm me if you like. I feel rather exposed being so personal on this Forum somehow.

If you're not trying to conceive what can actually be done about PCOS?

I'm on antibiotics for my skin and am trying to get my BMI as low as possible within the healthy range. My GP seems very disinterested because I don't want to get pregnant yet, should I be pushing for further interventions at this point or just leave things as they are?

i also have this condition,,i was under jessops who did keyhole surgery and drilled holesin both my ovaries, they said that they would start to heal after about 12-18months.18 months later i thought i was having a period, but some very funny things going on.my sister made me do a test, cut story short i was pregnant and it turned out to be anectopic pregnancy, as big as an orange, so i had to have major surgery to have the
whole of my right tube removed. the hospital said that it would be 90% chance that itwould happen again with the left one if i got caught. i resigned myself to the fact..nobabies..my husband bought me a puppy 3 months after to take my mind off it all for awhile..and 3 months later i was pregnant. i went full term and had a baby girl. mygrandfather was in hospital, so they brought me a pram 1960's job, so that i could take
her to him, he was on morpheine so a bit out of it but i laid her on his arm and told himher name and weight,,3 hours later my grandfather passed away. bless his soul..i then got pregnant again a couple of years later and miscarried, six weeks later pregnantagain, went full term and had another gorgeous baby girl..so those of you who may be disheartened,,please dont give up hope..best wishes to you all

It is about one in ten chance of twins, we found out too late, not that it would have stopped us, and we wouldn't change them for anything. Another thing they didn't warn us about is, it can be much easier to concieve after a successful pregnancy (Ooops! Don't assume you'll need to go back for help the next time.)
Best of luck with it all

i also have this condition,,i was under jessops who did keyhole surgery and drilled holesin both my ovaries, they said that they would start to heal after about 12-18months.18 months later i thought i was having a period, but some very funny things going on.my sister made me do a test, cut story short i was pregnant and it turned out to be anectopic pregnancy, as big as an orange, so i had to have major surgery to have the
whole of my right tube removed. the hospital said that it would be 90% chance that itwould happen again with the left one if i got caught. i resigned myself to the fact..nobabies..my husband bought me a puppy 3 months after to take my mind off it all for awhile..and 3 months later i was pregnant. i went full term and had a baby girl. mygrandfather was in hospital, so they brought me a pram 1960's job, so that i could take
her to him, he was on morpheine so a bit out of it but i laid her on his arm and told himher name and weight,,3 hours later my grandfather passed away. bless his soul..i then got pregnant again a couple of years later and miscarried, six weeks later pregnantagain, went full term and had another gorgeous baby girl..so those of you who may be disheartened,,please dont give up hope..best wishes to you all


Gosh I have just cried reading this...what a rollercoaster ride you have had...but a lot of good has come out of it, congratulations xx

If you're not trying to conceive what can actually be done about PCOS?

I'm on antibiotics for my skin and am trying to get my BMI as low as possible within the healthy range. My GP seems very disinterested because I don't want to get pregnant yet, should I be pushing for further interventions at this point or just leave things as they are?

Are your periods irregular? If this is the case and you're not trying to conceive I think they can put you on a certain contraceptive pill which will hopefully regulate them...x

Well they do something called a (and this is probably completely wrong) hydrosalpingogram! The inject your tubes with a dye so they can make sure they're totally clear. They warn you that it can be uncomfortable but it was fine for me. Just very undignified (feet in stirrups job!)

Strangely enough, I'm pretty philosophical about the miscarriage at the moment. I have got pregnant and carried to term and it's so common, I just look on it as a bit of bad luck and soldier on. It was very early (seven weeks). I'd probably have felt quite differently if it'd been my first pregnancy or if I'd miscarried later. And I may feel very differently about it in time if I can't have another child...

I do believe the success rate is better the closer to your "ideal" weight (I was in the strange situtation of having to put on weight to conceive!). Bear in mind that you can only take clomid for a limited period of time so you don't want to "waste" any months by not being in the best shape/situation you can be. I think you can take it for up to 9 months but if it's going to work it's more likely to work early on in the "course".

The thought of multiple births is quite scarey. A one in ten for twins I think! I was petrified of twins or triplets the first time round but would be happy to find out it was twins this time round (I must be mad!)

Good luck on the 8th and pm me if you like. I feel rather exposed being so personal on this Forum somehow.


Thanks for all your advice, I will PM you and let you know how I get on x

Like a lot of people have said, this is more common than you might think, once you tell people, you can guarantee everyone will know someone else who has PCOS, which is a good thing because then you don't feel so alone, you know you have people to compare notes with and they all usually have some kind of success story to share!
I was diagnosed almost 2 years ago after my periods stopped completely and I was trying to get pregnant at the time. My own GP was fantastic, but I was often banging my head against the wall with the NHS Consultants..
I was prescribed Clomid and have to say I hated being on it for the first month, so now I'm skipping the drugs for a while and I'm scheduled to have ovarian drilling and corrective surgery for a blocked fallopian tube (diagnosed through a hysterosalpingogram) in the next few weeks, so I hope that will bring me some positive results in the future.

I hope your appointment goes well, make sure you ask as many questions as you can because the waiting time between appointments can take months!

Like a lot of people have said, this is more common than you might think, once you tell people, you can guarantee everyone will know someone else who has PCOS, which is a good thing because then you don't feel so alone, you know you have people to compare notes with and they all usually have some kind of success story to share!
I was diagnosed almost 2 years ago after my periods stopped completely and I was trying to get pregnant at the time. My own GP was fantastic, but I was often banging my head against the wall with the NHS Consultants..
I was prescribed Clomid and have to say I hated being on it for the first month, so now I'm skipping the drugs for a while and I'm scheduled to have ovarian drilling and corrective surgery for a blocked fallopian tube (diagnosed through a hysterosalpingogram) in the next few weeks, so I hope that will bring me some positive results in the future.

I hope your appointment goes well, make sure you ask as many questions as you can because the waiting time between appointments can take months!


thanks hun. Out of interest why didn't you like being on Clomid?

Sorry to change the subject, but have any of you girlies with PCOS had children or are trying to have children?

Sorry to change the subject, but have any of you girlies with PCOS had children or are trying to have children?
It took me 5 years to get pregnant. Then afterwards i couldn't. Didn't know til years later that i had pcos. Too late now at 40 to try to even with meds me thinks.

Have you not been referred to a gynaecologist hun?

Have you not been referred to a gynaecologist hun?
Yes hun about 2/3 years ago thats when i found out i'd got the pcos.

Yes hun about 2/3 years ago thats when i found out i'd got the pcos.

So did they not offer you any treatments then?

So did they not offer you any treatments then?
They asked me if i wanted more kids and if i did they would put me on meds but i told em i didnt not with being older

They asked me if i wanted more kids and if i did they would put me on meds but i told em i didnt not with being older

If I was you, I would go back to your docs and ask them what treatment they can offer to deal with your skin x

If I was you, I would go back to your docs and ask them what treatment they can offer to deal with your skin x
Yeah i think i will hun :)

Sorry to change the subject, but have any of you girlies with PCOS had children or are trying to have children?

A friend of mine has it and shes got kids, two of them.

Someone very close to me has PCOS,but she's lucky in that she has great skin and doesn't want kids of her own. We're finding it interesting reading other people's stories on here.

It makes me feel so much better to hear positive stories.

Can't wait to come on here and tell you all that I'm pregnant.

*edited******

Erm ...... No, I wld go to the docs if I was you

*Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh!*

Ahh bless, do have all symptoms that comes with it? I av been having laser treatment and the results are fab!!! After only one treatment my symptoms have gone, I am sooo pleased with it, not cheap mind but well worth it as it was getting me down.

..........................

Well I myself thought this was a topic about supporting the police support officers and was a little degected to find out it was some some of womand trouble :hihi:

If anyone does want to support the police in any shape or form then I would like to add my support to them also and the fine work they do for little benifit. ;)

hi there you dont say how over weight if at all you are but weight loss surgery can correct this condition by the losing of weight and make you fertile again just a thought if you was wanting children

my friend has pocs and she is really ill doctors cant do anything to stop her bleeding! 2 years she hasnt stopped for..!!

my friend has pocs and she is really ill doctors cant do anything to stop her bleeding! 2 years she hasnt stopped for..!!

Thank goodness, I am not alone!