Hi All
I joined here over a year ago and every so often read posts and have asked a few quick questions but have never introduced myself properly.
I have been going to counseling since last May and it was only today I revealed my PCOS problems to my therapist. I guess I wasn't ready till now. It was a big step to be able to talk about how the excess hair and other PCOS issues have lowered my self esteem over the last 15 years.
Anyway I guess I feel ready to talk more here.
I'm 31. I suspect my PCOS started when I was 15 ish when my acne surfaced and excess hair started to get bad. My teens were hell and I became very self conscious and started getting anxious over my excess hair.
I've had depression and anxiety since my teens and even though my acne was terrible my doctor never ever did any tests to check for PCOS but I guess back then not as much was known about it. But saying that this old doctor of mine wasn't the best, she just treated symptoms and wasn't one to do tests often. I was on anti-biotics for a few years and then Roaccutane at age 17. My acne cleared at about 20. My excess hair on my face started when I as about 16 and I stupidly shaved my chin. I think back then I though heck if I shave it it will be gone and it was really only a bit of bum fluff then. Of course it got worse and I started plucking and have been ever since. I have sensitive skin and shaving left a shadow so plucking always seemed to be best solution.
But it of course all got harder. I put on a few pounds every year since. I'm not hugely over weight but I'm about 5 foot 8 inches and 12 stone 10 pounds. It wasn't' till I read an article in a magazine about 5 years ago that i thought i may have PCOS. I had never heard of it but at same time I hadn't the courage to ask my doctor. I felt like a freak for years and have been called a freak among other things by some rude people and became more and more anti-social. I did however manage somehow to find a wonderful boyfriend at age 20 who I am still with and engaged to and we have a beautiful three year old daughter and hope to get married later this year
My PCOS got worse with pregnancy. While I always had hairy legs, facial hair and lower back hair ; when pregnant I developed hairier arms and after rthe birth some hari started on my breasts and on my stomach mid line. I have lately had some bum fluff appear on my chest and that upsets me alot.
When I was 23 i had eye problems which turned out to be Multiple Sclerosis and that alone was a challenge to accept but for me the PCOS affects me most and if someone offered me a cure in the morning for either and I had to pick one , I would grab the PCOS one first!!!
In May 2006 I picked up some courage to change doctors and get a decent one and ask him about testing for PCOS. I was referred to a gynecologist and got a vaginal ultra sound and I was shown the many cysts on my ovaries. From that and my symptoms it and some bloods my GP took, it was easy to see it was PCOS. I had known so it was a confirmation to me! The consultant said he knew by looking at me I had PCOS anyway. He hadn't a good manner and I felt **** leaving his clinic! He only offered dianette and I wasn't happy with that as had done my own research and had thought it would interfer with my Multiple Sclerosis plus I tend to treat my health holistically so to get to the route cause and with less side effects. It's complicated with a few diagnosis's when taking meds anyway!
So I came home and felt sh*t and locked myself at home for one whole month. The fact the gynae told me he knew by looking at me that i had PCOS really shattered my confidence even further. I began to worry that my removal of excess hair on my face was even more obvious than I ever thought.
I decided to take things into my own hands and started on Low GI and trying to exercise more. I lost a stone and a half between that May and December. By January I had built up anxiety again and got very depressed , so much so I knew I needed anti-depressants. Went on lexapro and while they eventually lifted my mood after a few weeks , I knew i had to start counseling. I also come from a pretty dysfunctional family background so I knew I had alot to talk about. I wanted to life my self esteem and talk about the past so to make sure I bring my daughter up in a more functional family too ! The therapy has been tough but overall a great experience and I have learned alot about myself, my past and just life in general.
But the big big thing for me was today admitting that I have excess hair which has been a huge stress in my life. I am convinced the stress of it for years brought on my MS (multiple sclerosis) and it has also contributed big time to anxiety and depression.
While I take a holistic and natural approach to my health where possible....I've come to the conclusion I need to do something radical for quality of life.
I know of a good doctor here who is well up on PCOS-he's a fertility specialist and I know of his sister and have talked to her online and know he is also very knowledgeable on MS. He used Low Dose Naltexone on PCOS patients to get pregnant and funnily enough it all came from the fact that his sister's husband has MS and uses LDN for his MS. It boosts the immune system and this doctor from his own research realised it could help the endocrine system balance too. I've been on it in the past but only for a short 6 weeks before I fell pregnant with my daughter. We didn't' plan the pregnancy and it is strange that I fell pregnant on it. We use condoms but we were abroad and we ran out of our own condoms and used local ones which obviously weren't safe :-/ But things have worked out well. We love our daughter and it's the best thing that happened in ways but it is very hard too as I'm a stay at home mum and with my health problems it makes it a challenge at times to say the least ! I am very lucky though as my fiance is so much help and I am so lucky to have him! I love him to bits but I do find it hard to believe that he loves me too as I've got to the stage with PCOS I feel so freaky and feel like I am unlovable if you know what I mean :-/
Anyway I know this is long but I wanted to introduce myself properly. I guess it's a way I am getting it all out and off my chest too.
I have found this board very useful the last year.. I've read alot of posts and it's absolutely brilliant to know that there are others out there who know what I'm going through. Also there is lots of useful information here that I have found so helpful.
Thank you to anyone who has read this far and now that I have let the cat out of the bag I hope to settle here and get involved more
Talk soon
mise
Not new, but need to give a proper intro 
