i have pcos.how do i treat it?
448424
I have PCOS and took information on metaformin that I found on the listed site to my dr, and have 3 perfect kids. The last one w/o ANY meds or help, just the old fashioned way. \n I hope this helps.... Let me know if I can help anymore.. tabby417
557397
It sounds like you could have PCOS, polycystic ovarian syndrome.  Its symptoms include: insulin resistance, irregular periods, hair growth in places that isn't normal, inability to lose wieght, and many others.  Having this makes it very difficult to lose wieght.  There is a drug called metformin that is most often used to help women with this condition.  It helps regulate your insulin and hormones and most women find that they can lose wieght with it!  For more info you can search the internet and come up with lots of info.  Also, I'll list a forum for women with PCOS.  They have lots of info!
425566
I had PCOS before and my doctor told me to get on the pill to regulate hormones. I think it's ironic that I should be on the pill in order to have more children later on but I followed her advice, took the medication religiously, and a couple of years later when I had an ultrasound to check, the PCOS was gone.
647760
i have PCOS. i had a daughter when i was younger. i had lost 50 pounds and got pregnant. now i have gained all of that back plus and additional 50. i have been trying to have another one but it just isnt working and i have been trying for 3 years. i have never tried fertility treatments due to the cost. i plan on losing weight again. everything that i have read about it explains how weight loss is the best thing for you. PCOS can be very dangerous if it is left untreated. it is not fetal but all of the symptoms that you have when you have PCOS are. like obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. there is also a chance of uterine cancer if you do not get your period often enough. PCOS is like a bullet that is fired but does not hit you for 30 years. i suggest doing research (if ou havent) and then treating it the way that best fits you. i dont know if you are overweight but if you are even losing 20 pounds will greatly help you chances of getting pregnant! good luck to you and i wish the best for you!
350539
i have pcos also. i was on the pill for 6 years as a contraceptive, and then stopped to see how bad my pcos were and if i would have problems conceiving. i had three periods and then found out i was pregnant!\n\ngood luck!
706843
I live with almost the same thing, PCOS.  But what you're describing is dangerous and I want you to understand that you need immediate medical help. Seriously, for the exact same reasons a woman who is having a miscarriage should get herself to the ER right away.  You're losing blood, no matter where the source and you could hemorrhage and die. Sorry I don't want to scare you but I feel I should be as honest as possible.  I hope it gets better for you!
721510
I am 34 and I have pcos I have 3 children and I did not seek a dr for help.I just kept a really good calender of my periods,when I started,how long it lasted and I kept record of my temperature,I took my temp every morning before getting out of bed,before you ovulate you will notice a change in temp,It took me almost a year to get pregnant with my 2nd child and it took me 3 months with my last.don't give up,you are still young just keep a good record and if you should have to go see a fertility dr take your records with you but I would at least keep a record for 3 months to develope a pattern and allow at least 8 months of trying to become pregnant before seeking help.\nHope this helps you and I wish you Luck.
939459
I would see a doctor.  Diabetes, Heart disease, Low testosterone, Low LH, Spinal tumor, etc, and nothing good.  You won't find a cure in here at least until you find out what is going on!!!\n\nDon't  wait.  At your age you should not be having this problem at all!!\n\nGood Luck. . .\n\nVOTE!. . .VOTE!. . .VOTE!. . .VOTE!. . .VOTE!. . .VOTE!. . .VOTE!. . .\n\nThanks
547518
OK I HAVE PCOS FOR OVER 7 YEARS NOW AND 10 YEARS AGO I WAS TOLD AFTER I HAD MY DAUGHTER THAT I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE ANYMORE CHILDREN DUE TO THIS CONDITION. I WANTED ANOTHER CHILD SO VERY BAD.I AM ALSO OVERWEIGHT PARTLY DUE TO THE PCOS AND WITH THIS DISEASE IT IS ALMOST IMMPOSIBLE FOR ME TO LOSE WEIGHT.AS FAR AS PERIODS GO I WOULD HAVE ABOUT 3-4 PERIODS IN A YEAR AND THEY WOULD EITHER BE VERY LIGHT ALMOST NOTHING TO VERY HEAVY.I WAS PUT ON PROVERA TO REGULATE MY PERIODS AND CLOMID FOR FERTILITY FOR ME TO CONCEIVE WITH MY DAUGHTER 11 YEARS AGO. DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR I THOUGHT I HAD OVARIAN CANCER AND WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND FOUND OUT THAT I WAS 6 MONTHS PREGNANT AFTER BEING TOLD FOR 10 YEARS I WOULD NEVER HAVE ANYMORE BABIES. THE ONLY THING THAT I GIVE CREDIT TO FOR GETTING PREGNANT THIS TIME IS THE LORD ABOVE. I PRAYED SO VERY HARD TO HIM AND ASKED HIM WHAT HIS WILL FOR MY LIFE IS AND WHATEVER IT WAS I WOULD GLADLY FOLLOW. WELL 6 MONTHS LATER I BECAME PREGNANT AND JUST HAD A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL MARCH 6TH GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS AND DON'T GIVE UP HOPE
1094125
Treatment of Polycystic Ovary (PCO) depends on the patient's desires. If she want to become pregnant then drugs are prescribed to induce ovulation. If she wants to regulate her periods and control facial hair, birth control pills are usually given either alone or in combination with another drug called spironolactone. Spironolactone acts directly on the hair follicle to inhibit growth of new hair. Existing hair will need to be removed by some physical means such as electrolysis. It takes at least 6 months to notice any benefit of medical therapy for facial hair growth. In time, however, patients can decrease or even eliminate their need for electrolysis. Birth control pills obviously preclude pregnancy and spironolactone is contraindicated during pregnancy. Therefore women wanting to become pregnant will have to forego the medical treatment of their facial hair.\n\nIf pregnancy is desired ovulation is induced with medication. Clomiphene citrate (trade names Clomid , Serophene) is the first-line drug. Approximately 80% of women with PCO will ovulate when given clomiphene, but only one-half of those that ovulate will get pregnant. The reason(s) why the other one-half do not conceive is not known with certainty. Women who do not ovulate with clomiphene have two options. The traditional approach is to give another class of drugs called "gonadotropins". These drugs are given as either a subcutaneous injection or intramuscular injection (Gonal-F, Follistim, Repronex). Although the subcutaneous route of administration is easier and less painful, there is no evidence that any one of these drugs is better than the other when pregnancy is the endpoint. Close monitoring with frequent vaginal ultrasounds and blood tests is mandatory when taking these drugs. There often is a very fine line between not enough and too much of these drugs. Gonadotropins are potentially very dangerous drugs and should be administered only by physicians with extensive experience in their usage. Gonadotropin therapy is a reasonable option in those women who have not ovulated with clomiphene. \n\nAnother treatment for PCO is the use of an "insulin sensitizing" drug. The drug most commonly used is metformin (trade name Glucophage). There are other similar drugs and more are sure to come in the next few years. By lowering insulin levels the ovary appears to be able to ovulate either on its own or in response to clomiphene therapy. Not all PCO patients will respond to this therapy. Ideally, only those patients who have documented insulin resistance should be tried on this drug. However, some research studies have given this drug to all PCO patients, without regard to their insulin levels. Most of the studies to date have not looked at pregnancy as the end point when metformin was given. How metformin will fit in to our overall treatment of PCO related infertility remains to be determined. In our practice we screen PCO patients for insulin resistance and offer metformin therapy to those found to be resistant.
1019657
Funny thing I heard was acupuncture.  I heard it does wonders.  2 friends of mine including me have PCOS and both of them have been trying for months and went and got acupuncture and walla---pregnant.  who knows...I go to a specialist that treats PCOS.  I would recommend seeing and endocrinologist.
371663
One of the main symptoms of Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome (P.C.O.S.) is uncontrolled weight gain.  I put one website below, but I'm sure there are better ones.  \n\nThe main point I wanted to make to you is that you must see a very GOOD doctor about your condition.  He/She has to be skilled at managing your condition and this requires a good amount of knowledge of endocrine and thyroid issues.  If your GYN physician is managing your condition, make sure he or she is board-certified (check the medical board website for your state).  Also, if I were you, I might consider seeing an endocrinologist to either provide my primary treatment or to assist the GYN in providing the treatment.\n\nThere is a LOT of information on-line about the illness.  Try to find one that ends in .gov.  I put a link to a Medline article that looks that it came from the National Institutes of Health, so that might be the most trustworthy one.  \n\nOnce you have information, then you will know that they is nothing you can do to lose the weight except to get your thyroid and other hormone levels in check.  There are also new and recent studies finding that people who work the night shift (they focused on diabetics, but diabetics share some of the same issues) have more weight problems than people who work another shift.  Like I said, it was just one study, but it might be something you want to check out more later.\n\nTake care of yourself...
1126661
Honestly it depends on how much either doctor know about the syndrome.  I would highly recommend you do your own research first.  If you are trying to become pregnant, then I would recommend you see a reproductive endocrinologist.    Have you been diagnosed?  Or are you seeking a diagnosis?    PCOS is not a new syndrome, but most doctors don't know much about it or are ignorant about the treatment.  Here are some great sources online for info....\n\nwww.pcosupport.org\nthey have discussion boards too where you can ask all of us PCOSers any questions that you may have.\n\nwww.soulcysters.net\n\nGood luck in you quest!  It can be very difficult.  If you have any questions feel free to email me.  I will help you out if I can.
1086119
you could possibly have PCOS. baldness and irregular periods are two of the symptoms. if you have anything else like severe acne, excess facial hair and really really painful periods, i would get you tested for PCOS if i could. the doc will take all sorts of blood tests to see if that's what's screwing things up. you have to see your doc because if it turns out you do have PCOS, you're at increased risk of being infertile and developing type II diabetes if you don't exercise and eat a low carb, low fat diet. plus your doc will probably have you start birth control to regulate your cycle and prevent abnormal endometrial cells in your uterus from developing. i know it sounds shocking, but it's not a death sentence. a lot of women have PCOS and they have still been able to have kids and stay healthy.
900814
Calm down, take a deep breath.  I am not going to tell you you are wrong for being angry at your family, but I am going to tell you they did not 'give' you this.   \nAs for them 'knowing' are you sure?  Are you 100% positive they KNEW that you had PCOS or cancer?  I doubt they would have let you search for a cause instead of getting a cure for cancer, and as for PCOS, it wasn't really the first thought until the last 15 years or so.\nRather than worry about what they 'did' to you I would worry about getting a dx immediatly, especially since you have the cysts, acne, hirsutism and IR (obesity) that comes with PCOS.\nIt can be treated, it can be managed, and you can live a fairly normal life.  From what you describe it sounds more like PCOS than cancer.  Since you have done much research, as you state, I am not going to go into the other things it could be, it sounds like you might have ruled them out on your own\nFollow the links below for one of my favorite PCOS forums.  You are not alone!!! \nMake and appt with your OB/GYN and take control.  Forgive those in your family who may have wronged your through ignorance.
409707
Because there is no cure for PCOS, it needs to be managed to prevent problems. Treatments are based on the symptoms each person is having and whether she wants to conceive or needs contraception. Birth control pills, diabetes medications, fertility medications, and medicine for increased hair growth or extra male hormones are usually the treatment of choice.  Maintaining a healthy weight is another way women can help manage PCOS. Although it is not recommended as the first course of treatment, surgery called ovarian drilling is available to induce ovulation. You can read about PCOS and the treatments here http://www.4woman.gov/faq/pcos.htm
338824
yes, I have taking metformin several times to treat \npcos. I had taken it only 2 months when I found out I was \npreganat with my little girl. I took it for 3mths after I found out i was preganat. After I had her I was fine for a few months the developed pcos again and took it for a while and got pregant with my little boy who came at 27 weeks gestation but is ok now. I will sugest this method for anyone who has pcos and wants to get preganat cause it helped my loose weight and brought me 3 little miracles I thought would never happen to me cause of the severity of my pcos. \n       I hope this helps you with your question. \nHere was the name of my doctor who treated me with all 4 of my pregnacies.