I would like to know what happens in a PCOS woman's body when we start taking Birth Control Pills?
What happens to the cysts?
Do we still have them or do they disappear?
Do we still have excess androgen in our bodies?
Do the hormones in BCP just hide the effects of testosterone, or do our bodies in fact produce less testosterone when we take BCP?
And what about weight gain and insulin issues?
If I don't have any symptoms while I'm on BCP should I still worry about my diet and excercise?
I'm normal weight but I eat very little to maintain my weight. I'm also wondering about testosterone, do I still have high levels of it or does it actually go down when on BCP.
If anyone can answer even some of these questions, I would be very grateful
Thats a very good questions and my understanding is:
What happens to the cysts? I belive they go away as the BCP stops you ovulating so no cysts
Do we still have them or do they disappear? Disappear
Do we still have excess androgen in our bodies? I think this depends on the person and the BCP. I know when I stopped taking my BCP I had to wait three months to get my bloods done again as they said that my hormones would be normal due to the BCP and we needed to give them time to do whatever they were going to do
Do the hormones in BCP just hide the effects of testosterone, or do our bodies in fact produce less testosterone when we take BCP? Again I think it depends on the person and the bcp. See my above answer in regards to this.
And what about weight gain and insulin issues? Again different per person. I gain weight when I eat bad - but I don't have insulin resistence. I think that it doesn't matter if your on the BCP or not. You only have one body and you should look after it by eating right and exercising
If I don't have any symptoms while I'm on BCP should I still worry about my diet and exercise? Yes, because diet affects loads of other things like your lipid count etc. Wouldn't you rather be healthy?
I'm normal weight but I eat very little to maintain my weight. I'm also wondering about testosterone, do I still have high levels of it or does it actually go down when on BCP. Again differes per person - see above comment.
I hear you on eating very little to maintain your weight, I do the same and I think its just a sad fact of having pcos we need to work out harder and eat less to stay slim. As log as you have good muscle mass and are eating nutrient rich food then you should be keeping pcos at bay.
Whether you like to be on the bcp is up to you. I am off the bcp as it gives me more scope to see how my body reacts to things :O)
If anyone can answer even some of these questions, I would be very grateful
__________________ DXD 1998
On Dianette 1998 - March 2008
Back on the Pill Sept 2009 but plan to come off it in November 2009
HW - 90kgs (size 18) CW - 66kgs (size 12) lost 4kgs and counting! Check out my weekly weight loss pictures in my personal folder!
GW - Back to 60kgs DS - (Dream Size) Proper size 10
Goals - to be back to full fitness by the time I go to Nepal December 2009
Coolpinkgirl is right. BCP suppresses the ovaries therefore cysts should be reduced and new cysts should not form as no egg is being released. It will take between 3-6 months for you to a)notice a real improvement and b)know whether you feel "right" on the particular pill.
Androgen levels are decreased by the use of bcps with anti-androgenic progestins, for example the drosperinone in Yasmin/Yaz, desogestrel in Desogen/Mircette, cypretone acetate in Dianette. Also pills with an oestrogen level of 30mcg or higher tend to be more effective as they have a better binding effect on testosterone, therefore are better for acne, hair problems and weight.
People are divided over the IR issue. Some say bcps make it worse, others say the results are so minor, the good outweighs the bad.
BCP take charge of your hormones. The alter the levels and stop you from producing high levels of the bad androgens and level out your oestrogen. They give you control over your menstrual cycle, which many women (not just with PCOS) lack due to hormones and lifestyles.
The side effects vary (please see the thread "great sites for choosing a bcp") due to the amount and types of homones in each brand. If you find you gain lots of weight, change the progestin. If your boobs get sore and you get sickness, lower the oestrogen...there are ways around these symptoms.
As for the eating part, it is very unfortunate that even if you eat literally nothing, you can only maintain and sometimes gain! Somehow, through trial and error, the food-exercise-bcp balance must be found! And it can be tricky.
Personally I find that without using bcps my PCOS is unmanageable, despite my efforts and expenditure on alternative therapies etc!
I take Yasmin now and I think it is helping me with my issues. Also don't be alarmed if after...a year or so, the bcp you're on just doesn't seem to work for your PCOS. If this is the case, have a month off and then start it again. If that still doesn't help, find another anti-androgenic pill.
I found that when I was on Desogen, I was fine for ages, then suddenly it was hell with PCOS. Have realised that desogestrel no longer suits me (to be polite!) so I'm trying to stick with Yasmin now....
Hope this helps. Ask about peoples' experiences on here. I did and it really did help me. So often docs and gynos are lacking with the info!
Personally I find that without using bcps my PCOS is unmanageable, despite my efforts and expenditure on alternative therapies etc!
It's so nice to hear someone say this, Meringoo! I resisted bcp for a long time, and my PCOS symptoms kept getting worse and worse, despite taking many vitamins and nutritional supplements suggested to me by a naturopath. I wanted so badly to treat myself "naturally," but I never once felt rewarded by my efforts. Bcp have given me a more positive outlook on being able to manage my PCOS symptoms. I now feel like I have more control over my symptoms and my body, in general. I'm still taking my vitamins and supplements; but, now, I actually feel like they are working. It's really hard for me to explain this to people and friends who are so strongly opposed to prescription medications. So, thanks for posting this!
Hey! You're welcome. I know a lot of women prefer to use natural and alternative methods of treating their PCOS, but my body just doesn't respond well. I tried for months and months and spent hundreds of pounds on chinese meds, acupuncture, reflexology and homeopathy. They brought my cycle back which was good. But I was still in constant pain, acne-ridden, piling on weight and feeling totally depressed despite my efforts.
Now, I'm not saying that all my problems are solved by taking a pill each day, but I know my life is far less painful and stressful if I do! Plus, whether the bcp "masks" the symptoms or not, (and I personally feel that it actually corrects your hormonal imbalance which is why it works!), I have to say I am a lot happier knowing what to expect. I spent years of my adolescence feeling totally depressed, unwell, ugly, fat and "different" to all the other girls. When I found out why, it at least made me feel like I wasn't going nuts. When I found pills that could help, it made me feel in control!
I'm lucky coming from the UK as we don't pay for contraceptive prescriptions (whether you use the bcp as one or not, it's still free!) so I think that helps too, however I think they can still work out cheaper than other things.
I used to worry loads about side effects to come in the future, but now I can not only take one day at a time, I can confidently know what to expect monthly! It's a relief!
Just to clarify, i've neen on Yasmin for several years as they are a life saver for me keeping my PCOS in total control. But through all this time I haven't really figured out what happens in my body when I'm on the pill, what happens to PCOS, because the symptoms aren't there. It almost feels as though it's gone although I know that all the symptoms will come back once I'm off the pill. The only negative side-effect i get from the pill is enlarged breasts (about 1/2 cup size) and slightly lowered libido. But then again, I cannot compare my libido to any normal situation 'cos I'm either on the pill or then my body oozes testosterone which is not normal situtation for a women either, although it did make me want more sex. IIn other words, I don't know what is the Normal Sex Drive for a normal healthy woman :/
But thank you for answering my questions
My life is agony without these pills, I even call them my "happy pills" and although I too would love to find a way to keep PCOS in control with diet, or alternative treatments, it doesn't work and also weight loss isn't going to help because I am already normal weight.
I'm lucky coming from the UK as we don't pay for contraceptive prescriptions (whether you use the bcp as one or not, it's still free!) so I think that helps too, however I think they can still work out cheaper than other things.
Lucky, indeed, Meringoo! I'm on Ovcon 35 continuously--no placebo pills-- so, I am refilling my prescription every 21 days at $50 per pack. My insurance does not cover bcp, no exceptions.
MissSugarSkull, I wish I had some answers to contribute. My doctor tried to explain to me how bcp work and how they help decrease androgens--something about lowering the LH and increasing the SHGB--but, most of it didn't make sense to me. I did want to comment on the libido issue, though. When my testosterone levels were only slightly elevated, I had a raging libido. But, as my testosterone levels increased beyond normal ranges, my libido completely disappeared. In that sense, bcp have restored my libido, and I have much more of a desire for sex than I had prior to starting bcp. But, from what I've read on this site, I don't think that's typically the case. It seems that a lot of women experience decreased libido on the Pill.
What happens to PCOS when on BCP?? 
