Just some questions for those who might be able to help

Chris_tina · 12-03-2007, 10:16 AM

Well I am new to soulcysters and just have a few questions. To start, I am 25 yrs old and have never had children. I stopped having normal periods about the same time I started having them. I would say around 14. Now, I don't have any periods at all, with the exception of bleeding about once a year. Occasionally I have spotting for a few days but that's it. The last period I had was last September and it was bad! I woke up in the morning and had blood literally pouring down my legs and puddling on the floor. It was accompanied with the worst clots ever. I was diagnosed with PCOS about 3 years ago but was never put on medication. I had an ultrasound of my ovaries and they were covered in cysts. My ob/gyn said that my uterus looked fine. I was supposed to go back for follow ups but due to lack of insurance I couldnt afford it. Two visits were $1400. There were other cheaper clinics available but I only feel comfortable with a woman doctor. Anyway, my question is, has anyone else had this happen to them? (the bleeding). I have been with men before in relationships and had unprotected sex with no pregnancy results. Now I am in a relationship with a woman and unless we order sperm from a bank or do invetro, I will never know if I am able to conceive. My girlfriend also has PCOS but is taking Metformin and has her normal cycles. I am sure she is fertile and can have a child, but I want one of my own some day. There were times that I thought I was pregnant, or maybe just wanted so badly to be pregnant, but didn't even bother taking a test because I just knew I wasn't. How hard is it to get pregnant with PCOS and does anyone know how to treat it with out medication? I tried doing the diet thing, and tried the weight loss thing and nothing came of it. I can't really afford fertility drugs along with artificial insemination. I thought of getting a second opinion and trying to get on medication but I just moved to Nebraska and will have to find a good doctor. Also, if anyone out there has had this irregular bleeding, have you ever gotten pregnant? and if so how long did it take for you to find out you were since your cycle was messed up? If anyone could help me I would greatly appreciate it. I've pretty much given up on having a baby but maybe with some encouragement I could continue the struggle.

Navi · 12-03-2007, 11:30 AM

First of all (besides welcome to SC!), the reason your period (or AF, as we like to call it here) was so heavy is because over the course of a year, the uterine lining keeps building up, so when you finally get AF, it's rather intense!

With that said, you need to have AF at least 4 times a year to prevent cancerous cells from forming, and that's why treatment is so important. PCOS carries a lot of risks for other health problems besides the basic symptoms.

If you manage to find a good doctor, he can prescribe you something like Provera to induce AF when you need it, or Metformin or birth control as a more regular form of treatment. Otherwise, try browsing the Alternative Treatments forum for non-traditional options! I would definitely encourage you to try to find a doctor though, and get your hormone levels tested to figure out what you actually need to treat.

If you can manage your PCOS well, there will be plenty of opportunities to get pregnant! Plenty of cysters here have done it.

ChelNY · 12-04-2007, 11:22 AM

I can tell you that I first discovered that something was wrong with me when I missed having several periods, and then had a couple months of "flooding" like you described. It was nasty and scary.

For me, eating healthier & exercising (& therefore losing weight) helped to bring my hormones & cycles under control. I've never been on medications, but I know many people are helped by metformin & other meds. For me, the weight watchers program was a lifesaver.

As for having babies, I can't speak to that. I've never TTC'd. But there are reproductive endocrinologists and modern medicine to help with that. Don't give up hope.

peggy2006 · 12-04-2007, 12:21 PM

Welcome to Nebraska! As said before, losing weight and eating healthy can reverse the symptoms of PCOS, but when eating healthy, a low GI diet is better for women with PCOS. There's a thread somewhere in the message board (I can't find it right now, sorry) That has a link to a low GI diet. I don't know if you feel sick a lot or not, but the type of foods you eat could be part of that. I hope this helps a little at least.

Peggy