I'm 34 and got my "official" diangosis today, but I've suspected for about 6 - 7 months that I probably had PCOS. Funny thing is, I'm not upset or pissed or unhappy. Quite the opposite. I've been doing a lot of reading of late that put the pieces of my life into perspective in a way that explains quite a bit . . . why I was always the "heavy" girl in school . . . why I always CRAVED sugar . . . why I never had regular periods . . . why my shoulders and back broke out so often . . . and, finally, why my hair has been thinning for the last 18 months.
Long story short (if that's possible), I AM blessed with a five-year-old daughter, so I'm not infertile. But my irregular periods became even MORE irregular after I had her, so I tried BCPs briefly to "jump start" my cycles. The only thing that happened was that I gained weight and my hair started shedding. Fine, I thought. I'd done some reading post-BCPs and learned that they can cause temporary hair loss. But my loss didn't stop. Intead, my head started itching every time I ovulated and I lost more hair. My weight went up another 15 lbs., and my periods became anovulatory. (I have since read that BCPs can TRIGGER PCOS in asymptomatic women. Had I only known! . . . sniffle . . . sniffle . . . )
My thyroid was tested. It's good. My hormones were tested and I was told that they were within normal ranges. So I went to a dermatologist who said my iron might be low, so it was tested too . . . and it was fine. But I got ahold of my test results and didn't like what I saw based on the reading I had been doing. So I went to a new Gyno who reviewed the tests and agreed that my LH vs. FSH levels were out of wack (3 to 1 ratio), my testerone was on the high side, and my progesterone was low. (Lesson learned: always get a second opinion!) I then had a fasting-level insulin test and an ultrasound and guess what? Bam! I DO have PCOS. A mild case, but nonetheless . . . I'M NOT CRAZY!!!! What a wonderful feeling!
I've been on Spironolactone for about three weeks and in that time I had a regular period (yea!). And in a few minutes I'm headed to the pharmacy to get my prescription of Metformin, which I've read can be very helpful with the condition.
I'm one of those people who just deals with things as they come, so I'm not depressed about this. After all, PCOS is a genetic condition; it's not like I was recless (sp?) and intentionally tried to ruin my health. It's just one of those things that God puts in your life to show you how strong you can be when necessary. And I believe it's VERY manageable for someone who really wants to "get well." Besides, my husband is disabled with a condition called Interstitial Cystitis, which causes chronic inflammation of the bladder and severe pain, so I feel like I'm getting off easy. Things could be so much worse, so I feel blessed that I've been given a challenge I can handle.
I look forward to conversing with all of you and, hopefully, keeping abreast of the latest research and treatments via your posts.
Best wishes to you all and "Happy Holidays!"
Pisces228
__________________ You learn something new every day.
Carey(31) To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Paul(43)
Married 7-25-02
PCOS Diagnosed Nov 02'
Bi Polar Diagnosed Feb 08'
Current meds~ Lithium&Celexa
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 4 furbabies To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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I've joined the "cysterhood" 
