a year ago i was living on my own in this really beautiful city that i loved. i’d met amazing friends. i had a WONDERFUL boyfriend. i was going to my dream school. after years of being anorexic i finally loved my body. i was happy for the first time in my life.

then i had a pain in my abdomen.

i have had a large ovarian cyst on my ovary since january 2024. it hurts so much (though im sure anyone on this sub can relate). meds work for a while, but they always stop working eventually as the pain gets worse. at one point before meds i was taking 6 advil at a time every day to be able to walk. i remember times where i’ve been screaming or biting pillows because it hurt so much. i had a ruptured cyst before. this feels like it’s rupturing every fucking day.

i don’t fit into any of my favourite clothes anymore. im okay gaining weight, but it hurts to know that i didn’t do anything to cause it and still have to look like this. i loved my body and want it back. every time i get dressed it ends with me sobbing. i had to drop out of school. i also moved back in with my parents. i feel awful not being independent. i haven’t seen my school friends in months and i don’t know when i ever will again. my friends from my hometown have also not seen me since halloween. every time i go out, even just to walk around the mall, the pain is just unbearable. i used to love hiking but i have no idea when i’ll ever go again. i can’t have a job because i can’t be on my feet for too long. worst of all is that this whole situation has also triggered the most awful anxiety i have ever had in my entire life. even when im having a low pain day, i still can’t go out because i am pretty much agoraphobic at this point.

but now i think i’ve hit rock bottom. my boyfriend left. the guy who drove me to the hospital when my cysts would rupture, who i’d call when i was scared, who’d come over and cheer me up, my high school sweetheart and soulmate. he’s gone. i just couldn’t make him happy anymore. obviously there were other issues, but i feel like it’s so clear what the main reason was. im pretty much stuck in my house all day every day. we couldn’t even go on a date. i miss him every day with my whole heart. we were together for so long. the worst part is that i know he still loves me- im just too hard to be with. i can’t do this without him.

i want to get better. i want to have a life again. i want to fight for my boyfriend, or at least try to save my other friendships before the same thing happens. i want to get a minimum wage job. i want to see my friends. i want to go for a walk and not hurt after. i want to wear my favourite shirt. but no one can help me. i have been referred to so many gynaecologists but i have not had a single fucking appointment. the ER doctors don’t take me seriously. my family doctor and obstetrician have literally run out of things to do. my life is ending and i am pretty much powerless to stop it. i can never go back, and i have no clear future to look forward to. even if i miraculously healed tomorrow i will have to spend years repairing damage from decisions i didn’t make.

it makes me feel like im fucking dirt. i feel like my life has no value whatsoever. none of these doctors care. how much do i have to lose before they do? because i don’t have much left. im so angry all the time. i will never understand why this had to happen to me.

Looking to see how many other women out there have what is considered lean PCOS? I have a terrible time with hirstuism but my weight and body, as well as periods for the most part are perfectly normal. I will say that spearmint tea has helped tremendously but you really have to take it regularly. I just feel so alone in this

I’ve been taking vyvanse irregularly for a year now. Recently been more consistent. I ran out so didn’t take them for a week and saw my body change, I realized I can’t function without them, I was SOO fatigued all day I had NO energy to do anything. I just took one today as I got my refills. I’m a little concerned about this, I started taking them for ADHD but now I feel like I take them for my fatigue. Is that okay? Idk how to feel about the fact I can’t do anything without taking one. Any one else?

Hi everyone✨

I’ve been dealing with PCOS for a while now, and I’ve hit a frustrating weight loss plateau. I’ve been at the same weight for over a year, and no matter what I try, it feels like I’m stuck.

I’ve been trying to manage my lifestyle and weight, but the struggle is real, especially when the support from GP's here in the UK hasn't been very helpful. I’m really tired of feeling like I don’t see the person I want to in the mirror, and it’s affecting my mental and physical health.😭😭

I wanted to reach out to this community to ask:

-What has helped you break through a weight loss plateau with PCOS? -What lifestyle changes, diet tips, or habits have worked for you? -Are there any specific things you wish you’d known earlier in your journey?

Also, what hasn’t worked for you, so I can avoid common mistakes?

And please, don’t gatekeep the secrets – I’d love to hear any advice or tips you have! Help out this girly 🫂🎀

Edit : I’m 27 - overweight {(77kgs) 5’4 tall }and have been prescribed Metformin but to no avail !! Not planning for a pregnancy but on the cards after the next 6-7 years

So my endo tested my estradiol every week of the month and I came back with levels below 30 each week. When we discussed my lab results she prescribed me progesterone 14 days out of the month with a 14 day break for my period and follicular phase I assume. Everything online says that progesterone is used to help estrogen dominance but I thought my lab results said I have low levels. It’s hard to get answers out of her, should I go to a new doctor or does this sound right? I am only 25.

Greetings Everyone 🌼

I am Pranjal Nepalia, pursuing M.Sc. Clinical Psychology from Amity University Haryana, conducting a research on "The Impact of PCOS on Self-Esteem, Social Interactions, and Quality of Life in Women"

Your participation in this survey: 📌Is Completely voluntary 📌Will require 5-10 minutes 📌Will be kept confidential and private

Seeking participants of age 18-45 years. If you fall in the above range kindly click on the following link: https://forms.gle/ufFWBXpbHJ5KYyJF9

Feel free to share with others who are eligible and willing to be a part of this study🌻

In case of any doubts/queries, please connect with me via email at nepaliapranjal@gmail.com

I'm thinking of starting seed cycling as per my phases but I have pcod and haven't had my periods since last 2.5 months. How should I start this as the timeline is disrupted? What all seeds to take and when?

I have been in Metformin for a month now 1000 a day including taking Insolin. But I haven’t noticed any weight loss, I go to the gym 3-4 times a week, I eat clean, but it’s not coming off. I have issues with insulin resistance and PCOS, should I be patient and wait more time? I feel like if anything I gained weight. I only eat 3 meals a day, and I have cut down in snacking and sugar yet nothing.

Does anyone have advice on how to deal with this?

I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS since I was 15 or 16, although we had an inkling for a while before that because my mom has it as well. I’m 19 and in college, trying my best to eat healthy without sacrificing the foods I love (previous issue with eating disorder), but nothing will work. For 3 months I was in a calorie deficit, walking 10,000+ steps a day, in the gym 2x a week and all I did was gain weight.

All of my friends are pretty fit, despite not going to the gym and eating a normal diet for a college student (healthy, but sweets and pizza aren’t banned lol). I’m at the heaviest I’ve ever been and I’m just so unhappy with my body, especially knowing that I actually actively tried losing weight in a healthy way for the first time in my life.

When I talked to my Dr about it, he said he thinks a weight loss medication would be beneficial, but insurance would likely not cover it because it isn’t officially approved for PCOS yet, only diabetes. Well, he was right, and the medication is $400 a month, which I obviously cannot afford. I guess I’m just tired of being unhappy in my body, because I’ve never been happy in it for more than a few months here and there.

Thanks for listening to my rant lol, no one around me but my mom gets it.

After several years of my primary care doctor telling me “there’s no way you have PCOS” due to blood work not coming back at the needed ratio, I’m pretty positive my recent transvaginal ultrasound report shows it is PCOS.

I have a follow up with my OBGYN on Thursday and I’m feeling so emotional about it all.

Frustrated my primary didn’t pursue anything further, frustrated my mom and grandma didn’t talk about their symptoms, grateful to hopefully have answers, scared about what the future holds - SO MANY THINGS.

I’m hoping to hear stories about others feeling this way and see if there are good questions/thoughts to consider about treatment?

I’ve been reading through several threads on here, but mainly looking for ways to deal with the immediate shock and questioning of how I want to move forward on Thursday.

TIA 🫶🏼

Liebe Community!

Bei mir wurde PCOS mit Hirsutismus diagnostiziert und ich habe einen Antrag auf Kostenübernahme bei meiner AOK eingereicht. Im Anschreiben habe ich auf ein Gerichtsurteil durch den VdK im Jahr 2022 verwiesen und im Anhang einen Kostenvoranschlag meiner Kosmetikerin und ein Attest mit Befund meines Frauenarztes mitgeschickt sowie eine Fotografie von meinem (ich muss es einfach so nennen) BART. Wenige Tage später lag die Absage im Briefkasten mit einer Widerspruchsfrist von 4 Wochen. Seitdem bin ich wie gelähmt, ich weiß gar nicht, was ich da reinschreiben soll? Alle Argumente waren schon im 1. Schreiben enthalten. Ich fühle mich total allein gelassen und zurück gewiesen. Die Pille nehme ich bereits, Lasern lasse ich mich seit ca 2 Jahren von meinem hart gesparten Geld. Aber um den Bart dauerhaft zu entfernen, brauche ich die Nadelepilation.

Wie soll ich mit dem Widerspruch umgehen? Danke euch!! ☺️

Would anyone have recommendations for Inositol supplements in the UK? Thank you :)

Just notice that I keep seeing "what works for you" or "what lifestyle/supplements/medication do you use" posts daily and yes, while thats valid, I can't help but wonder if something like this could maybe be helpful for the community?

Maybe we could do a community survey of what's worked for people on here and sticky that? With categories for medical/lifestyle/supplements/herbal options that worked for people, plus what PCOS symptoms they worked for? (Weight gain, hair, menstrual cycles, acne, etc?) Shot in the dark.

A few months ago i talked to a gp about hormonal issues and he ordered a bunch of bloodwork including T, dhea, cbc, etc. seriously a lot of them

Every one of them came back normal, even though I'm experiencing symptoms of androgen excess/hormone problems (acne that won't go away, excess oil, thin hair, weird cycles different now from how they were when they first started)

No idea what I'm supposed to do next. I guess it's not that hard to get a prescription for either spiro or hbc, if it all gets bad enough that I can't deal with it anymore. I have severe medical trauma so I would rather not go through the ultrasound process unless absolutely necessary (eg suspected ovary torsion)

I've been drinking 1 cup of spearmint tea every day for like 5 months now, and at first it seemed to help but now it doesn't really seem like it's done anything.

I am lean PCOS (not insulin resistant per bloodwork, high androgens).

After yet another cycle of painful cystic acne, I've decided to go back on spironolactone after all. I am going to try and deal with the side effects and drink more water than I did in the past to help mitigate.

Both my doctor I see for PCOS and my PCP agreed that 25 mg/day would be appropriate for me, which is lower than my previous prescriptions, but I see that some people say 25 mg is too low to be effective.

For those who took 25 mg, I am curious if you all had your testosterone tested prior to being prescribed that dose and if you had a low or high BMI, what were your numbers? About how long did it take before you decided to either increase your dose or before you saw acne clear?

My BMI is 21.2 and my T on day 5 of cycle was 44 (upper range 2-45). My doctor said it should have been a lot lower based on the cycle day. I'd love to get it down to the 20s in the next few months. In tandem going to eat somewhere in between low carb and paleo.

Thank you!

Has anyone found their Hirsutism improved once they started getting their period regularly? I’m on month 3 in a row of getting my period after 2 years of nothing and I feel like I’m noticing my body hair isn’t growing in as fast and dark. Obviously I understand the hair isn’t going to go away but I didn’t know if my body would go back to “normal” hormone wise.

Hi there, im not sure if this would be the right place to post this but Im trying to navigate figuring out having pcos based off physical symptoms despite blood work being normal and one of the symptoms has been weight gain since stopping birth control. I havent been able to lose more than 10lbs on my own for months now.

About 2yrs ago i did one of those weight loss clinics where you get vitamin injections, an appetite suppressant, and a fat burner pill and i lost substantial weight in 6mon. I stopped cuz i got sides and maintained for almost 2yrs. But once i stopped birth control (last year) ive had a multitude of symptoms and gained everything back plus more!!

I guess im jus looking to pick ppls brains. If i always had pcos and birth control was masking is that why medication helped me lose weight?? Would metformin be safer now that im off birth control? Is control of symptoms really only manageable with medication for most?? Just looking for experience and thoughts!

I’m on cycle day 24, currently trying hard to lose weight. I wanna have a baby soon if I can. I wanna lose some weight before we start trying because I want to be at my absolute best and healthiest.

But…. I’m on cycle day 24, in my Lutheal phase. I’ve eaten breakfast, then a whole chocolate. Usually I’m fine after just breakfast but today I felt a raging hunger and sweet tooth hence the chocolate. It didn’t stop there. I had a toasty (white bread), with loads of butter and cheese and turkey. And then I also had a piece of cake and tea with lots of sugar.

I can’t seem to stop. It’s only past 17:00 here. I’m still hungry. Now I’m crying writing this. Does Lutheal phase do this? I have the same dilemma most month but always seem to forget.

Just having a rant and maybe asking for some comfort 😭

So, I had start to have symptoms when I was 17 but doctors would not diagnose PCOS and put me on depo shots. On the shots without any diet change I had shot up 50 pounds. When I had brought it’s up with the doctor and mentioned being active all she had said was “your eating too many carbs” and changed me over to the implant with no other help.

During that time I tried everything to lose weight but managed to not even be able to maintain. I felt broken.

Now that I’ve been properly diagnosed and on proper birth control my gyno has suggested asking my PCP about weight loss drugs. I’m nervous she won’t prescribe any though as she wouldn’t even prescribe prescription migraines meds for my chronic twice weekly migraines because “they weren’t chronic enough” but I really think I need them. I barely eat most days with a primer protein and a single 180 calorie bag of mini takis being my only food till dinner and I don’t binge or snack or go over board on sweets. But even eating at what has to be a calorie deficit, exercising (strength and weight training) 2x -3x a week, and being on my feet and walking around a lot most days working in a school I still haven’t been able to see any change.

I miss how I look and felt before I had symptoms and I’ve always had self image issues and even cried In 5th grade when I weighed 100 lbs because I thought it meant I was fat. But now with how I look I absolutely hate myself most days. And I even had another teacher I work with call me fat in front of the children which is rude but I can’t help but to think he’s right and it make me feel pathetic that I can’t seem to do anything change it. Before pcos I had a curvy athletic build and as soon as symptoms hit its felt like I’ve lost myself.

Long rant aside I want to know what medicine I can ask my doctor about, tips for advocating for myself, and any suggestions that may help with weight loss.

This year my goal is to really manage my PCOS and better understand it. I am 21 years old and have never had regular periods. I was diagnosed with PCOS about 2 years ago and I just feel so lost. Most doctors just recommend birth control but I’ve tried it on and off for years (the pill and the nuva ring) and it always fucks with my mood. Anyways, someone recently told me semaglutide can sometimes help manage symptoms of PCOS. I’m very skeptical about these weight loss medications and I’m curious to hear if anyone has tried this for their PCOS/ what they’ve found that has helped regulate their periods without birth control. I’m not sure exactly how much I weigh but I’m 5’7 and weigh probably around 190. I’ve noticed some thicker hair growing on my chin as well and when I got my blood work done a few days ago they said my testosterone levels had raised. I just want to get ahead of it and understand it better so any tips or advice would be really appreciated.

I always had irregular periods, but at least i had them. After going on bc for a year and stopping last july i havent had one since. Its been 8 months. Doc thinks its pcos. Ultrasound clean. Did a bunch of labs. She gave me a round of provera and told me to come back in July so i can get a referral to fertility. I absolutely don’t ever want to be on bc again but she said i have an increase risk of cancer without it.

any easy meal prep recipes for college/full time workers? i got diagnosed last year and started working out to help with my symptoms. Im now trying to incorporate more protein and fiber in my diet to help with my PCOS but I dont have a lot of time to cook. I workout 4-6 times a week (slow, controlled weight training) and am working on incorporating more cardio. my energy has been super low lately because i’m not intaking enough protein! i grew up very athletic so i not only want to get back in shape but also eat healthier. not particularly worried about how much I weight as long as it’s getting distributed right since I already work out often

I am 21 and am currently taking metformin, bc, inositol, zinc, magnesium, apple cider vinegar, and spearmint tea.

any advice is appreciated!

Hi y’all, I’ve been working with my doctor to treat my PCOS (inflammatory kind as I found out) and in addition to being on Jencycla, a progestin only birth control, I’m now on 50 mg of Spironolactone. I’ve been doing research on it, and while most of the side effects should be fine, there’s a couple I’m concerned about.

1. Breast enlargement. I had a reduction a few years ago to go from 36DDD to a 34C. I do not want my breasts getting bigger again. Has anyone dealt with this? If so, was it noticeable?

2. Menstrual irregularities. My periods are awful already, and I can’t deal with them being any heavier or longer. Would the birth control in combination counteract this?

Hi all! So I lost a ton of weight a few years ago and last year, for some reason, I gained weight. I was still on a healthy lifestyle with no changes in comparison to how I was when I was consistently losing weight. I seemingly suddenly hit a plateau then gained weight.

I consulted a nutritionist right as I started gaining weight and she had me taking: - Vitamin D supplements (50,000 once a week) - Iron supplements (daily) - A Multivitamin (daily) - Inositol (daily)

I had the inositol and multivitamin daily and was most strict with those 2 supplements - this lasted for about 5 months. In those months, I gained more weight despite my lifestyle still being healthy.

I finally met another nutritionist today who was appalled by all the supplements I was taking, saying that they were the likely cause of my weight gain. I had assumed it was just the inositol (especially after reading that other people online experienced weight gain while on inositol). I should note that my mental health was also severely affected during this time, I was depressed & also saw others saying that they felt the same way when they took inositol.

She is currently devising up a meal plan for me and advised me to take a different inositol supplement to help aid my weight loss. I expressed to her my fear of getting back on it but she says it likely won’t happen… still, I’m scared of gaining weight and my mental health getting affected.

She’s not forcing me to take it though - she just says she wants to hear back from me ASAP if I decide to take inositol again or not since the meal plan will be created with that in mind. (She’s creating it with my PCOS and weight loss goals in mind).

So… what would you do in my situation? Anyone experienced some side effects with one brand of inositol but was okay with another? Any advice is welcome, and for the record the inositol I used to take is called “INOFEM+”.