Hi there. I'm 20-years-old and have always had irregular periods. I kept track of my periods a few years ago and they were all out of wack. Here's the number of days they were apart for one whole year (31, 29, 31, 33, 47, 34, 25, 20, 21, 36, 30, 49 so as you can see they've always been pretty crazy).
In September my father was diagnosed with cancer while I was away at college. My parents wanted me to finish the semester (because they thought my father had a fair amount of time left) but as you can imagine it was a very stressful time. My periods during this time were "normal" for me (as normal as they have ever been). My father passed away a month later and I had to drop classes and move back home. Obviously it was a devistating time that really took a toll on me both emotionally and physically. I'm not somebody who lets people see me upset so I've really been holding stuff in which I'm sure isn't too healthy either. But anyway, I had my typical period at the end of October. In November I took a really large trip (vacations tend to mess with my periods) and in December I gained a good 10 or so pounds because of the holidays and such. I haven't been able to lose the weight since then (I haven't really tried at that hard even though I've wanted to) but since October I haven't had my period. My BMI is 31 which is categorized as obese (I'm 5'10" and right now I weight 225lbs). I've always been a bit heavy for my height but was VERY athletic during highschool and did lots of conditioning and weight training so I was very healthy. I'm obviously at a bad weight right now though.
Anyway, I'm a virgin so I haven't gotten the guts to go see a gyno yet because I was hoping to wait to get my first pap smear and pelvic exam when I turned 21 (the idea of seeing a gyno really freaks me out honestly). However, I'm getting a little worried since I haven't had my period for almost 4 months. I know stress, weight gain and factors like that can screw up your hormones and stuff and cause you to miss periods and obviously I've been on an emotional rollercoster with losing my dad but I'm getting a little bit worried. I think I may actually have PCOS since my periods have always been pretty irregular. I also have some other symptoms of PCOS. I've always had pretty bad acne but I'm 20 years old now and hardly any 20 year olds have acne. I have terribly oily skin and hair. I have really thick hair on my head and don't have problems losing hair (although now that I think about it, since I've gained weight and haven't had my period it seems like maybe my hair is thinning out a bit, but nothing drastic). I don't have excess facial hair or anythign but have a lot of hair on the inside of my thighs by my bikini line and even some excess hair on my lower stomach.
So, I guess I should break down and go to the gyno if my periods don't return in the next few months. But, do my symptoms sound like PCOS to you guys? Could my weight gain (eating a lot over the holidays, eating because of stress of losing my father, not exercising as much, emotional trama from losing my dad) be the reason why I haven't had my periods? I keep swearing that I'm going to go on a diet and lose weight to see if that brings my periods back but I keep breaking my promises to myself. We're going on a cruise next week so I can't start a diet then, but I'm DETERMINED to get back into shape and a proper/healthy weight after the cruise. Do you guys think it's ok to give it a few more months to see if losing weight is what will bring my period back? Any thoughts on PCOS or my lack of period would be so helpful! Thank you SO very much!
Hi!
i's so sorry about your dad.. no words are proper in these cases.. but i am really with you. indeed.
I see that you are really upset about your weight and period irregularities.. first of all take a big breath and think about the awful stress you had.. i think that in some way your body is the reflection of all of that.. but at the same time there are some signs that cant be ignored:i dont know if its pcos or not but any moment is the right one to go to a gyno.. you know i started to go to my gyno (the first of the lot) when i was 13 and that was far far before i have lost my verginity! so it' now something like going to the dentist to me.. even if i ame more scared indeed of the dentist...
Maybe starting from a visit will be the right first step to start again taking care of yourself..and dont be so obsess about starting diets.. i was like you as well (and sometimes i still am! ) but the heaviest diet i started the sooner i dropped! now i started a new diet three weeks ago and basically i stopped to wheight myself because all the other time i was so wheightingobsessed you coudnt believe!!!! i can see i'm having some results (one hole in the belt!) but the most amazing thing is that something really changed in my mind since i have realized that the goals i wanted to reach were absurde and that i am doing this for me and noone else..
i dont know if this is makin any sense to you.. but plese take care and remember that you are not alone!!!!
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My opinion is this: I think you should go to an endocronologist first and then a gyno...Certain gynos are not fully aware of pcos and just automatically prescribe birth control. Was/Is there a history of diabetes in your family? When I first started noticing irregularities in my periods I went to the gyno, she prescribed bcp's and told me take these and eventually your body will adjust. Well, after two years of birth control, she advised me to go off of them and I should just get my period on my own...never happened. So, fast forward 5 years and many other doctor appointments, I finally end up a an endocronologists, he did a few tests we both decided I should go on met, and I have been getting my period on my own ever since. I don't mean to sound so negative, but please just keep your options open.
Honestly your periods don't seem terribly irregular to me. I mean, obviously the numbers vary, but you're still having one roughly every month and at least every two months, and 20 is still pretty young. Some grown women without PCOS never have regular periods.
I would think that the weight gain and stress could possibly be a cause of your lack of periods. I think you should probably start seeing a gyno, I started seeing one way before I started having sex. Granted, I had all kinds of PCOS problems so that's why I went in at age 14 or 15. But I think it's about time for you to go, even if you're not having sex, just to get everything "checked out" down there. I mean, you go to the dentist even if you don't have a cavity, right?
*anyway*, you could have PCOS and I think talking with a gyno about that would be a good idea. as would just going to see a gyno in general. You could have it, but your symptoms don't scream PCOS to me so it may just be a factor of still being young.
__________________ Previously on Met, currently on Ortho Tri-Cyclen, Spiro, and cinnamon
With PCOS everyone is different, so you'd really need to see a doctor to determine it. I'm a classic case of no one would guess I have it... very mild acne, very thin, no other outward signs, but I had irregular periods (and I never thought anything of it until I tried to get pregnant) and when they did an ultrasound found the cysts. That being said, I do think you should get checked out if you suspect it. The sooner you start treating it the better your chances of helping your symptoms and getting pregnant (if you want to) in the future (although not everyone with PCOS has problems with fertility) Good luck!
I agree with Italian Friend...You've been though a lot recently, so it's perfectly normal that your body is going to react.
Some of what you're going through is simply going to take time.
Do you have a family doctor? Maybe make an appointment with him/her and take your mentstrual history, as well as a written list of other things that don't quite seem right.
I've always had very thick hair, so when I was diagnosed 'thinning' wasn't a problem, but it was clear (from my bathroom floor) that I was losing a LOT of hair.
Based on your symptoms, your family doctor might refer you to an endo or a gyn.
If 'gyn' is the verdict, explain your concerns. Your doctor might be able to offer some words of advice to address your fears in advance.
Either way...try to see your family doctor, and be sure to write everything down ahead of time.
no need of pap tests untill you start sexual life!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by TrishainAZ
Oh yeah, and you should be getting paps regularly regardless, so go get checked out.
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Based on your symptoms, your family doctor might refer you to an endo or a gyn.
i am followe d by a GYNO-ENDO.. she is both and works for pubblic health service.. i just thought that was normality with PCOS.. are you telling me that it is a rarity and that i am very lucky????? i hadn't a clue!
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cervical cancer is is caused in 99.9% by HPv and you only take it by having sex.. so in virgins no risk. sorry that's what i was trying to say!
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I'm so sorry about the loss of your father. It must have been very difficult for you and your family.
When I was finally diagnosed with PCOS at age 28, I was told by my gyn that it is not normal to have periods that vary more than +/- 2 days after the first year from the onset of menarche. I should have been diagnosed long ago if the midwife, old gyn, or family doctor I was seeing actually followed through with my complaints about irregular periods. Your periods vary a lot more than normal, and you really do need to see a doctor who will listen to your concerns and follow through. Don't let them just tell you to lose weight and it will come back -- it could be a factor, but if you have PCOS, it can make weghtloss a lot harder and you may need medical treatment to aid in weightloss.
Stress can definitely impact your cycles, so that could be the cause of your recent very long cycle, however, the irregularity you were having before is not normal. I really wish that when I was your age, someone actually told me this so I could be proactive in managing my health. I think I was your age the first time I went to the gyn, and I was also not sexually active. In my experience, I sort of got the brush off about my concerns because I wasn't having sex. Even if you don't have PCOS, there can be other reasons that impact the regularity of your cycles, and its really important that you get to the bottom of it so you can manage your health well! The earlier you start, the better. I know I would have done things differently had I known about PCOS then. I hope you get some answers to your cycle issues.
__________________ diagnosed 2/2003, Symptoms: oligomenorreah, high LH:FSH ratio, mild IR
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Question! Please Help!! 
so it' now something like going to the dentist to me.. even if i ame more scared indeed of the dentist...
) but the heaviest diet i started the sooner i dropped! now i started a new diet three weeks ago and basically i stopped to wheight myself because all the other time i was so wheightingobsessed you coudnt believe!!!! i can see i'm having some results (one hole in the belt!) but the most amazing thing is that something really changed in my mind since i have realized that the goals i wanted to reach were absurde and that i am doing this for me and noone else..
