Ovcon35 Anyone?

alisha511 · 12-02-2006, 04:09 PM

I am new here to this site and I am amazed how many people are suffering from this. I don't know how I truly am feeling on the inside about it yet. For as long as I can remember I have been irregular and never thought something was wrong with me since i have always been active in sports. As I have gotten older, my cycle would be absent for months (maybe 2-3 times a year) It was when I began to bleed heavily and longer than normal- not to mention I was constantly exhausted and really moody and 80lbs of added weight really doesn't make you feel good either- I went to see my OB/GYN. My joints ache, swell...I explained to my doctor that I was always tired and very moody and just didn't feel like myself and I didn't sleep well. I felt unmotivated to do anything and at times felt like I was going out of my mind! My doctor had a series of testing done (transvaginal ultra sound and some other uncomforatble tests where she scraped the lining of my uterus- ooch) Early November I had a polyp removed (benign) and maybe within the last few days I have been just moody and tired and irritable! So needless to say, I say I need something to "regulate" me.

I still feel this way, but it has a name and a face with this site! I am currntly not taking any meds, but will be next week (My OB/GYN recommended Ovcon) If anyone is taking any of this let me know if you like it and how it is affecting you. I don't know if I will be on anything else and to be honest, I really dread taking meds because I kow once you start taking it, you become dependent on it.

Like I said, this is all new to me- PCOS, but I need a lot of encouragement to help understand just what is going on with my body and what I need to do to improve my life/health. I welcome simple recipes and I stress simple because I really don't have a lot of time to cook and I welcome your ups and downs.

In regards to the Ovcon. How do you like or dislike it? I would be taking it to stop bleeding, not to prevent pregnancy. Well, I anxiously await your responses and please forgive any typos.

AnnieC · 12-03-2006, 04:21 PM

Hey I'm taking Ovcon. I have been for about two years. It works just fine for me. I'm actually excited because I just found out they make it in a generic which saves me $15 a month. I also take Spironolactone which is an androgen blocker. Birth control and spiro are usually prescribed to PCOSers. It seems to be a fairly common treatment, since most of us have a lot of problems with excess hair growth.

I disagree with you on the medicines thing though. With the exception of narcotics, I don't see how anyone could be dependent on a medicine. I'm not dependent on the Spiro-I stopped taking it for two years and I had hair growth that was horrible. But if I hadn't been taking the spiro at all I could probably join the circus with all the hair I would have. The spiro is mainly a preventative drug. Try not to be closed-minded about the medicine. There are a lot of women here that could testify to the benefits of medicine and other non-conventional treatments. You should check out the threads about diet and exercise. That is the BEST way to control your pcos. Hope this helps and I hope you stick around SC!

kayk2 · 12-03-2006, 09:16 PM

Hi. I was on Ortho 1/35 (a Canadian equivalent to Ovcon35) for 3 months after being diagnosed with PCOS this summer. These pills seem to be a popular first-choice BCP since most women tolerate it quite well with minimal side effects, it seems to regulate cycles and minimize excessive bleeding, and the estrogen level is moderate -- gives room for adjustment if necessary. I know a dozen women who swear by this pill, never experienced a single side effect from it, etc.

That being said, my experience with this pill was a nightmare. I didn't want to be on BCPs to begin with (didn't need it for birth control & my cycle was only moderately irregular, 35-45 days, light periods), but at my gyn's insistance I agreed to try it for 3 months. The first month wasn't too bad... had the typical nausea, headaches, fatigue. no biggie, those aren't supposed to last beyond the first pack. The biggest problem was my skin -- I had minor acne, but after starting this pill my skin broke out like I'd never experienced before. My face, back, shoulders, chest, all covered in inflammed pustules & cysts. Went off the pills for the last week, no period.... okay, fine. Started second pack: nausea's gone, but started getting severe daily pelvic pain, extremely sore/tender breasts, moody/irritatable, fatigue worsened... by the end of the 2nd pack I was miserable, but decided to tough it out for the 3rd pack like I'd agreed to. Still no bleeding after the second pack, breast/pelvic pain was better during placebo week, but as soon as I started the 3rd pack the side effects all came back worse than ever... daily headaches (never had any before starting BCP), severe breast pain (now also hard & lumpy, sorry if tmi), pelvic pain like I'd never experienced before, so moody/irritable that I couldn't even talk to anyone without snapping at them. I was in so much pain I couldn't even finish the 3rd pack, quit with a week left, within a 10 days of quitting the side-effects were totally gone (except the breast lumps, which are just resolving now 2 months later, and the acne, which I'm still battling, and am now waiting on a dermatology consult to see what can be done about the severe scarring I now have, grr). Never did get a period on the pill, and haven't had one since coming off it either.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to scare you off this BCP (or any other). Just be aware that everyone responds differently to medications. This pill may be perfect for you, or you may need to try several before finding one that works well with your body. Just be sure to make an informed decision that's right for YOU (if you don't want to take something, don't let your doctor talk you into it!

If you have unusual side effects, don't wait it out like I did, try something else.

About becoming dependent, I don't think it's so much an issue with BCP, or met or any other drug prescribed for PCOS. Being on BCP long-term however can cause your body to become reliant on the artificial hormones, so when you come off you may not start producing your own again for many months.... and many PCOSers seem to have significant worsening of symptoms after coming off long-term BCPs (because it masked the symptoms while taking it). So just be aware & try to make an informed decision that's right for you, and know that whatever you decide you can always change your mind if it doesn't work the way you hoped! Good luck!