Megace ES: I believe this medication caused my PCOS.

Camisado · 01-25-2008, 06:47 AM

I believe I've failed to mention this in previous posts, but the most recent post about Depo-Provera causing PCOS got me to thinking about it:

I think Megace ES caused my PCOS.
Unfortunately, I didn't know that Megace ES was an extremely potent synthetic progesterone (progestin). It was prescribed to me to "increase weight and appetite." (I was skinny and my doctor didn't like it).

Here's the story: When I first began having PCOS symptoms, it was the day following a dose of Megace ES. Megace ES is a liquid medication used to stimulate the hypothalamus to make you hungry. It is commonly given to cancer patients to help with their appetite.

The reason why *I* was on it was because my stupid doctor didn't like the fact that I was a bit underweight (HA! Not anymore, so it must have worked. :eyeroll

. I tried explaining to him that I've always been underweight, but he made me feel bad about myself, so I took the Megace ES.

If I had any idea that Megace ES is actually an extremely potent synthetic progestin I would have never touched the stuff with a 40ft pole!!!!

the day after I took the Megace I had a period (withdrawal bleed) for a week, and was quite upset because I already HAD aperiod that month. When I called my doctor he said I just had a double period, nothing to worry about, and that it probably wouldn't happen again.

Needless to say 2 weeks later I picked up the Megace ES once again when I wanted to give it another go.

Lo and behold, another period (withdrawal bleed).
By that time I just *knew* the Megace had something to do with it, but never understood why.

The following 3 months after those 2 doses of Megace ES, I had about 8 periods.
Then boom, PCOS sympotms soon followed including cystic acne, perpetual PMS, fatigue, bloating, weight gain, and then finally a complete cessation of periods.

Just figured I'd share...

fuschia33 · 01-25-2008, 03:51 PM

wow that sounds absolutely miserable and so irresponsible of your doc. they dont even give that kind of stuff to anorexic patients. he should have just referred you to a dietician. thats ridiculous. sorry to hear that.

helovesme · 01-26-2008, 09:52 PM

Geez. If he was so worried about you being underweight, why didn't he try something less drastic first? Sometimes dr's can be so hasty...

Camisado · 01-27-2008, 03:50 AM

Honestly, I think he was really, really incompetant. And I know that word is thrown around a lot, but I believe this doctor was genuinely incompetant.

I hate to bring this into controversy, but I have never had any luck with an Ostheopathic Doctor (DO). I don't know what it is about them, but they never seem to know what they are doing. This doctor was a DO. I heard somewhere that DOs do their "training" by watching other doctors in doctor's offices, while Medical Doctors (MD) do residencies in hospital emergency rooms, watching other doctors, then performing that task, then teaching that particular task to another student.

This doctor ended up discharging me a year into my problem because I "wouldn't take some of the medicines he had prescribed to me." and that I was "uncooperative." His nurses were extremely rude, they hung up on me frequently.