# Talk to me about Polycystic over Syndrom



## evenstarlight (Aug 16, 2006)

A dear friend of mine has just been diagnosed. She is very much wanting to conceive, but her horemones are all over the place at the moment and her periods are totally irregular.

Anyone have experience with this??


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## gratefulmama2isaac (Sep 15, 2007)

From "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" by Christiane Northrup:

"PCO(S) is a complex disorder because it is so affected by a woman's emotions, thoughts, diet, and personal history . . . conventional medicine cannot explain why or how PCO occurs, but we do know that it is strongly associated with execss body fat. A few cases are genetic . . .

She goes into great physiological detail, and then lays out steps towards health.

I highly recommend her as a resource for all woman related health issues.


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## Kootenay-Cookie (Mar 25, 2010)

My cycles had always been irregular. When I was 16 I went on the birth control pill for the soul purpose of getting my cycles. I stopped taking the pill about 4 years later. My cycles pretty much came a few times a year.

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 2008. I only got my cycles twice that year (once on my honeymoon of course







) One of the main things I noticed when I read information was how important it is to make sure your insulin levels are ok/in normal range. PCOS is _often_ linked to insulin resistance. I do not have Diabetes (only my grandmother has it, and she was diagnosed in 2009), am a healthy weight, and I exercise.. but the more I eat foods which spike the insulin, the less frequently my cycles would come. I do admit I had a big sweet tooth, and loved to eat bread! When I was first diagnosed (at 22) my FSH (follicle stimulating hormone) and LH (lutenizing hormone) were out about at a ratio of 5-1 (they should be even or only off by 1).

In January of 2009 I resolved to cut out sugar and cut down on bread consumption. I also started drinking red raspberry leaf tea. It took a couple months, but my cycles became more regular.. not every 28 days, but they average around 35-45 days. I went to the doctor in early February of this year, and she told my that my FSH and LH are in the normal/healthy range now.

My husband and I got pregnant late February. (Unfortunately we found out today the pregnancy is not viable







, but it's a step in the right direction!)

PCOS can have so many different faces: acne, insulin resistance, cysts (which I do not have), excess weight, excess hair, lack or irregular periods...

I enjoyed these books: (For me, the doctors linked insulin resistance to the cause/reaction of my PCOS and these books had great information!)

Fertility Foods: Optimize Ovulation And Conception Through Food Choices
By Jeremy Groll, Lorie Groll

Hormonal Balance: Understanding Hormones, Weight, and Your Metabolism
Author: Scott Isaacs

Inconceivable: A Woman's Triumph over Despair and Statistics
Author: Julia Indichova
(I enjoyed reading this because it gave me hope, if I remember correctly her hormone levels were out by 30-1!)

http://www.obgyn.net/displayarticle....evels_sterling

Hope that helps! An internal ultrasound can confirm if your friend has cysts, as well as if she has any follicles at the time when she does get her period. I would also encourage her to have her FSH and LH hormones checked somewhat regularly to see if they improve. I am a firm believer that diet plays a role! I wish her all the best


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## GreenMomPhD (May 18, 2010)

When my husband and I started thinking about starting a family, I started to measure my basal body temperatures. Long story short, they indicated a problem and it turned out that I was diagnosed with PCOS. I had no symptoms other than having irregular cycles since I started menstrating.

To get pregnant, they started me on Clomid (there are several kinds of drugs they can give a woman to cause ovulation). First one pill, then two, then three (taken for 5 days near the beginning of your cycle). Well, three did the trick, b/c I got pregnant with my first! She was perfectly healthy and so was the pregnancy. We tried again for a second naturally, and no results. So they started me on Clomid again- one pill, two, three, then four. They have you come in to get a blood test on day 21 of your cycle to see if you ovulate or not. My OB told me that I hadn't ovulated, even on four pills a day! I was crushed. However, a few weeks later- it turned out I was pregnant!!! We were so happy!!!

So, even if your friend has PCOS, it is possible to have kids! At least that is my experience!


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## ZoeJane'sMommy (Jan 4, 2008)

I have had PCOS my whole menstrating life but of course I was not diagnosed until about 5 years ago. I was told when I was 16 that there was something wrong with my baby maker and that I might actaully not be able to get pregnant. I was always a healthy weight so I do not think weight played a part. Some studies show that it may be heriditary and my mom did have all the symptoms also so we think she may have had it. She never once used protection and she got prego with my bro 5 years after being sexually active and then 6 years after that came me. Back then they didn't know about it.

It took about a year for me to get prego with my daughter(by this time I had put on a few pounds) I lost about 15 pounds and my doc put me on metformin. 3 cycles later I was prego!! I have heard of women with PCOS getting prego on the first cycle(of course it was after a dose of birthcontrol the month before). The tried the birth control method with me. Where I took BC for 3 months then got off it and TTC immediatly the month after and it didn't work. The metformin really helped and this time I am going to try the soy isoflavones because at first metformin can make you sick to your stomach. Women get pregnant with PCOS every day so do not let anyone tell you different. There are tons of diseases and problems with women, this one is very managable. Tell your friend I said good luck and not to let it bother her, it never changed my life.


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## nzgirl (May 12, 2009)

I too have PCOS. I never started my periods at high school and got put on Diane-35 bcp to control my skin. It worked well but over a few years I got bigger and bigger and eventually decided to come off it at 19 fully expecting my own cycles to start. They didn't, for 5 years... and that was after taking Vitex to get them started.

On US you can see the cysts, but my LH/FSH ratio is apparently normal. Estrogen is on the low side, testosterone a bit high. I am a normal weight, but believe that being at the lower end of the scale of your normal range is helpful for PCOS.

I have seen lots of articles saying PCOS is caused by high estrogen levels from being overweight etc, the insulin connection and high testosterone. But I have always been a very health conscious person, eating low carb and low GI, have normal glucose tolerance etc. I do however have other immunological issues, so think my cause is hereditary. Some doctors say PCOS is autoimmune.

I still have oily skin and the odd pimple, I don't notice sugar affects my ovulation but does affect the hirsutism (unwanted hair). I don't recommend Vitex for PCOS unless its just to wake up your cycle after the pill. It is not favourable for your LH/FSH ratio. I was not good on it, soooo hormonal and moody! A nightmare lol. Licorice and peony is the traditional herbal treatment. I do find licorice helps with the er 'mo'. But we still wax! This could even just be a brunette thing.

FAM and charting was the best thing I learnt for understanding my PCOS as I stopped thinking I was pregnant everytime I was 'late' (your almost always late with PCOS haha) and I saw the patterns emerging like 'false peaks' and multiple patches of EWCM.

I'm lucky b/c I get an early, light period if I don't ovulate, then a normal period when I do (which is every 2nd or 3rd cycle). Drs start pushing the BCP on you if you're bleeding very infrequently.
I got pg over a year ago and lost it at 4 wks but it was still amazing to feel pg for those 2 wks (we both knew from conception then a faint bfp) and gave me hope that it could be done. I think the biggest thing for aiding conception is ensuring fertile CM and moving your O day to a more normal time. People do get pregnant with PCOS on very long cycles, but your chances are probably best with an egg and a lining that aren't to new or too old in the cycle. If that makes sense.

I have a friend in her early 20's who has PCOS and severe endometriosis. She was told she would never concieve naturally and fertility treatment would be a gamble because of her endo. She fell pregnant naturally and carried a beautiful little girl to term without a hitch. I think they'd been married only just two years so it didn't take that long either.

All the best for your friend, any other questions just ask.

Maz


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