Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

Posted by alicein_wonderland @alicein_wonderland, Mar 23, 2016

Im new to PCOS. I just had a hysterectomy in December 2015 after birth control was unable to control my bleeding. I am not able to take estrogen so my doctors put me on Megace until I could have surgery. Prior to that I wouldnt blees for months and when I would start, I would bleed heavy & not stop for months. This made me very anemic & I ended up in the ER. After my hysterectomy (everything out except my ovaries) I no longer bleed, of course but I still experienve some PCOS effects like unusual hair growth, thinning hair, hot flashes, constant fatigue and weight gain. My PCP wants me to try Metformin to regulate insulin & maybe help me lose some weight Ive gained. How do I know Metformin is right for me? Anyone taking it with good results? I already take alot of meds for another condition I have & dont like adding more needless pills to my routine. Anything else that can help PCOS? Im learning.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Women's Health Support Group.

@colleenyoung

Welcome to Connect, @kparsons1216. I moved your message to this discussion where you'll meet @cbs61752 @alicein_wonderland and @kelseydm who have been talking about PCOS recently as you'll see in the messages above. You may also be interested in reading this discussion where @alicein_wonderland talks about going for extended periods of time without menstruating. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/bleeding/

Ladies, any thoughts for kparsons as she prepares for her appointment with her OB next week and about the pain she's experiencing?

Kparsons, how are you managing the pain now? Can you make it until the 7th?

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Hi @kparsons1216 I agree with Kelsey Mohring ... Midol always gave me better relief than ibuprofen, unless I took 800 mg (4 ibuprofen) and that can mess with your stomach if not taken with food. I'm in the post menopausal stage now and trust me PCOS rears it's ugly head when you are going through menopause and makes it worse. Unfortunately PCOS stays with you even through those years 🙁 But do try the Midol ... it may help you more 🙂

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Welcome back to Connect @autumnleaves. You'll notice a few changes since you last here. If you have the time, I'd also like to welcome you back to the Hidradenitis suppurativa discussion you were involved in. Would love it if you could post an update here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hidradenitis-suppurativa/?pg=1#post-18230 and I have new members to introduce you to as well.

How did PCOS affect you during menopause? And now?

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@kelseydm

Hi @alicein_wonderland. Welcome to Connect! Sorry to hear what you are going through. I too have PCOS and I do take Metformin. I think it helps a lot, however i'm also on birth control, so it's hard to tell which is helping (likely some combination of the two). The only negative side effect i've had is that it did tend to upset my stomach, but taking it with food and going to the extended release version seemed to help with that. I understand the inclination to not was to add another medication, but if your PCP thinks it's a good idea, it might be worth a shot. I also see an endocrinologist for my PCOS. Are you seeing an endocrinologist? Has that ever been suggested?

I also found this article on Mayo Clinic that offers some suggested lifestyle remedies: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20028841. Has your doctor recommended any of those?

Tagging @copiela, @infinitykitty, @beckym, @undiagnosed3, @anon34166571 and @autumnleaves in case they can add to the conversation as well. Hope this helps!

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Hi for the last one week am suffering severe stomach pain vomiting during nights..I took scan in that it mentioned like gall bladder partially distended and cystic lesions with thin septation within seen in right adnexal region measuring 71*53mm left adnexal region measuring 74*46mm and generalised gas filled bowel loops seen in abdomen..can you please tel me is there any severe issues and what Wil be the treatment for this

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@kelseydm

Hi @alicein_wonderland. Welcome to Connect! Sorry to hear what you are going through. I too have PCOS and I do take Metformin. I think it helps a lot, however i'm also on birth control, so it's hard to tell which is helping (likely some combination of the two). The only negative side effect i've had is that it did tend to upset my stomach, but taking it with food and going to the extended release version seemed to help with that. I understand the inclination to not was to add another medication, but if your PCP thinks it's a good idea, it might be worth a shot. I also see an endocrinologist for my PCOS. Are you seeing an endocrinologist? Has that ever been suggested?

I also found this article on Mayo Clinic that offers some suggested lifestyle remedies: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20028841. Has your doctor recommended any of those?

Tagging @copiela, @infinitykitty, @beckym, @undiagnosed3, @anon34166571 and @autumnleaves in case they can add to the conversation as well. Hope this helps!

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Hi @rama, I'm sorry to hear how much pain you have. Did you not receive a diagnosis and treatment plan from your doctor and examine the test results together?

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@colleenyoung

Welcome back to Connect @autumnleaves. You'll notice a few changes since you last here. If you have the time, I'd also like to welcome you back to the Hidradenitis suppurativa discussion you were involved in. Would love it if you could post an update here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hidradenitis-suppurativa/?pg=1#post-18230 and I have new members to introduce you to as well.

How did PCOS affect you during menopause? And now?

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PCOS only made menopause worse although I have to say I was fortunate not to have the night sweats that a lot of women have. But I ran hot and cold all the time and that is so unlike me. I also always felt off hormone wise. My mood swings were unreal and I just really wanted to crawl into a hole till it all was over. I'm through it now and have chosen not to go on any hormone replacement but now the PCOS is affecting the hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) that I also have and has made it rampant all over my body. I've tried everything out there that the specialists told me to and nothing works. My dermatologist finally told me that the only cure was for me to go back on the pill and take a medicine that has been banned from the market now. After researching the medicine and those that had done this process, ladies in my age range suffered devastating consequences so the "possible" help would cause more health problems than the disease itself and there was no guarantee it would help. So I opted to continue dealing with the HS instead. I'm a stage 4 in the HS diagnosis and nothing helps but a cream that I apply to the sores once they appear and it seems to help them go through the stage of healing faster ~ a matter of a days to a week instead of an ongoing sore for a month or more.

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@kelseydm

Hi @alicein_wonderland. Welcome to Connect! Sorry to hear what you are going through. I too have PCOS and I do take Metformin. I think it helps a lot, however i'm also on birth control, so it's hard to tell which is helping (likely some combination of the two). The only negative side effect i've had is that it did tend to upset my stomach, but taking it with food and going to the extended release version seemed to help with that. I understand the inclination to not was to add another medication, but if your PCP thinks it's a good idea, it might be worth a shot. I also see an endocrinologist for my PCOS. Are you seeing an endocrinologist? Has that ever been suggested?

I also found this article on Mayo Clinic that offers some suggested lifestyle remedies: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20028841. Has your doctor recommended any of those?

Tagging @copiela, @infinitykitty, @beckym, @undiagnosed3, @anon34166571 and @autumnleaves in case they can add to the conversation as well. Hope this helps!

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@collenyoung,hi thanks for the quick response still I din consult any doctor..I took the full abdomen scan alone and I mentioned above too

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@kelseydm

Hi @alicein_wonderland. Welcome to Connect! Sorry to hear what you are going through. I too have PCOS and I do take Metformin. I think it helps a lot, however i'm also on birth control, so it's hard to tell which is helping (likely some combination of the two). The only negative side effect i've had is that it did tend to upset my stomach, but taking it with food and going to the extended release version seemed to help with that. I understand the inclination to not was to add another medication, but if your PCP thinks it's a good idea, it might be worth a shot. I also see an endocrinologist for my PCOS. Are you seeing an endocrinologist? Has that ever been suggested?

I also found this article on Mayo Clinic that offers some suggested lifestyle remedies: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pcos/basics/lifestyle-home-remedies/con-20028841. Has your doctor recommended any of those?

Tagging @copiela, @infinitykitty, @beckym, @undiagnosed3, @anon34166571 and @autumnleaves in case they can add to the conversation as well. Hope this helps!

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Rama, I strongly recommend seeking a consult with a medical professional. Please let us know what you find out.

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It gave me terrible, unrelenting upset stomach.

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@buggaloo1959

It gave me terrible, unrelenting upset stomach.

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Hi, @buggaloo1959, and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You mentioned a terrible, unrelenting upset stomach. Was this from PCOS?

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@buggaloo1959

It gave me terrible, unrelenting upset stomach.

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From the Metformin.

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