I was at my doctor's today, and I went in with the intention of asking about Metformin and completely forgot once I actually got in to see her. D= Also, now that I know weight would be easier to lose while on it, I'm even MORE tempted to give it a shot. XD I've also heard that it can help to decrease the chances of miscarriage in women with PCOS, so I'm thinking it would just be an all-round good idea regardless. I'm glad to hear it's been helping you. =)

I haven't had alcohol in years, but that's mostly because I've been trying to get pregnant. =P But even after this is all done I certainly won't drink much, if at all - and definitely not like I used to, knowing now what I do. It's just not worth the risks (also, I'm not as young as I used to be; my hangovers were getting worse and worse, and that was a few years ago - I'd hate to think what they'd be like now XD).

I've heard going on the pill can sometimes help with the excess hair and acne for those with PCOS, but I have yet to personally try it (the IUD was actually my former BC of choice, too; had a non-hormonal one for 5 years, loved it). Basically I'm going to have to experiment a bit after the baby-making to see what does or doesn't work for me. I know I'll need to be a little more open minded about medications from here on out. I tend to not like to take much unless I absolutely have to (I'm weird like that) - but I've come around to the idea that in cases like this it's actually in my best interest, so I have to just suck it up. =P

Thanks for your reply - it has certainly helped to hear from someone who has been taking Metformin. Definitely selling it on me. =P hahaha

Also, just a general thread update:

I had a follow-up appointment at the fertility centre today. I got the results from the 3D ultrasound that determined if I had a septum in my uterus or not. Turns out I do have an arcuate uterus (it dips down a little at the top), but it's within the normal range of deviance, so I won't be needing surgery to correct it. Yaaay!

Also, I am responding to the Clomid (ovulation meds)! I did ovulate this month, albeit late in my cycle. So it's too soon to tell if I'm pregnant (fingers crossed!), but things are definitely starting to look up. =D

Feeling much more optimistic than I have in a long time (though still cautiously so, of course =P).

I had to go off the pill (mood swings and migraines) but my best friend, who also has PCOS, is on it to manage hers and it helped her a lot. Just a side-note, PCOS may me an off-label use for Metformin where you are, so depending on how read-up your doc is on the matter they may be hesitant about prescribing it. I get the worry about too much medication and this certainly isn't something I'd recommend to everyone, but since from what you've written you seem to have a textbook case, I think it's very likely to pay off if you decide to go for it (: Keeping my fingers crossed for you, hope you get it resolved soon! (Yay for responding to Clomid!)

Yeah, I ended up on the pill for two weeks to trigger my period back at the start of the elimination tests at the fertility centre. We did initially try Provera (what's traditionally used in these cases) but I didn't respond to it, so the pill was our "plan B" to get the ball rolling (I felt it was hilariously ironic, too. Want to become pregnant? First go on the pill! XD). Granted, I wasn't on it for very long at all, but I didn't have any negative side effects that I noticed in that time. I'm hopeful that it can help me later down the road. Sucks that the pill wasn't a good fit for you, though; but hey, at least you tried, right? And I'm sure being on Metformin at least helps to make up for it, in any case. =)

I'll make sure to ask my doc about Metformin (for real this time!). I have to call her on Monday anyways, so I'll write myself a note to bring it up then. I believe it's used to treat PCOS in Canada, but I'm not entirely sure. I think the main reason she didn't mention it before may be because I don't yet show any signs of insulin resistance? I'll ask her if she thinks its other potential benefits might help regardless.

I also have PCOS and I'm fine with not having kids if I ever meet someone.

I also have facial hair and I need to shave my face every three days. I have dark hair on my chin and my throat and some on the side of my face.

The only suckage condtion about PCOS is the unwanted facial hair.

I was put on BC pills because my period was very irregular. The GYN said if I don't go on BC and get it sorted out, I could end up with cervical cancer.

Yeah, cervical cancer's a concern - especially because I wasn't diagnosed until just recently (at the age of 27), and up until then I wasn't doing anything about it. Better late than never, I hope. =/

I've considered lazer hair removal for my face/neck, but it's kinda pricey. As much as I hate it, I kinda have to just deal for the foreseeable future. Has being on the pill helped yours thin out any?

(Also, your profile says you're in Ontario - I can't remember, are you the one also from Ottawa? I remember yeeeaaars ago stumbling on someone else living in Ottawa, and for some reason I have it in my head that it might have been you? You don't have to answer if you're uncomfortable disclosing your location, of course. =P)

I was also thinking about lazer hair removal, but as you said, it's fairly pricey. It would be nice if I could get rid of my hair forever.

Being on the pill has helped my period. I used to get mine every two weeks and it would be anywhere from 10-16 days. Now I get my period at the end of the month for 4-5 days.

I have PCOS, more than likely since I started my cycles. You could imagine the cycles being irregular as well. I have them almost every half year, uncommonly every three months. I'm worried about ever making the decision to try for a child. Not just for my sake, but if giving birth were successful, what possible complications might the child have. I don't want them to suffer. I have no idea if I'm infertile or not because of course I've never tried nor been told. My doctor has told me a chance for a baby is decreased. Aside from child-health complications, I'm even more frightened about miscarrying.

I've been hospitalized once for a large cyst on my left ovary. The pain was constant an entire day, and I believe I was crying half the time. It was basically like being stabbed with a large knife that wasn't removed afterwards. It was so excruciating, I laid in bed all day and convulsed. However, the doctors said it wasn't "big enough" to operate on. Which I think is total bull, because nothing not-big-enough is that painful.

Honestly, I think about this all the time. I want to have my ovaries removed. I really don't believe I can stand to have painful cysts anymore. I've been told the possibility of cancer or tumors. And I especially do not want to experience a cyst rupture or what damage my cysts will cause in the future.

First, let me just say that I am so so so sorry about taking so long to reply to you! I did see your post back when you originally made it, but didn't have time to reply right then, and then completely forgot to once I did. D=

But I know what you mean; apparently most women with PCOS will have a hard time conceiving without medical intervention. And, even when you do, your chance of miscarriage becomes higher than that of a healthy woman's - so suddenly what should be a completely natural process just becomes a very emotionally exhausting ordeal.

I can't even imagine what it would be like to have a cyst like that... I've never really noticed any significant pain from any cysts (I mean, I didn't even know I had them until a few months ago)... You poor thing, that must have been just awful. Those doctors just piss me off, though - clearly you were in a lot of pain, they should have at least done something for you. I mean, you wouldn't have felt the need to go to the hospital if you weren't suffering. That is bull.

And, for what it's worth, that thought has crossed my mind, too - for some day down the line, of course. I really want to give this my all and hopefully have at least one healthy baby before I make that kind of decision. I actually just recently discovered that my sister's mother-in-law had PCOS, and ended up getting a hysterectomy (after having two kids). Talking to her about all this has been a great help to me.

I have PCOS and was diagnosed in 2010 (19yo) but have been having symptoms since I was 13 (am now 24). It's a scary thing, because it robs you of your femininity and sometimes leave you unable to have children. I haven't been trying to get pregnant, so I don't know where I stand along the lines of fertility, but one thing I so know is Metformin helps (with both infertility and the diabetes aspect) and there's fertility treatments that one can take if they want to get pregnant.

A big step in controlling PCOS is eating right. Foods that help people with PCOS are boiled eggs, lean meats like chicken and fish (salmon and tuna are best), whole wheat bread instead of white, avocados, and whole-fat dairy in moderation. It's also a good idea to switch to whole wheat pasta and try to incorporate kale into your diet. Two things in particular that have been proven to help people with PCOS is cinnamon and lemon, particularly lemon water.

I'm actually currently doing some research on PCOS in relation to linking it with gestational diabetes in the mother. If you'd like to fill it out, you can find it here.

Just took your survey. =)

I've never been overly feminine per se (=P), but I definitely know what you mean. It's hard, feeling like your own body has betrayed you. I'm just so grateful that, despite the shitty scenario, we still do have options. Sure, it's by no means an ideal scenario, but it's also not entirely hopeless (though it can certainly feel that way at times).

I just really wish I had found out sooner; I feel like it would have saved a lot of heartache, and there was so much more I could have been doing to help myself later down the road. You're very lucky, getting diagnosed when you did. It gives you plenty of time to consider your options and properly care for yourself in the meantime.

I think I'm going to grab myself a glass of hot water and some lemon now. =3

Thanks for taking it!

Some women don't mind because they're not too feminine or perhaps they identify as male so it helps them, but it does suck personally for me. I have facial hair and broad shoulders, and I've been told by young girls that I look manly, and it's not easy for me to deal with. I'm currently in the process of finding a new gynecologist because the one I've been going to doesn't know what she's doing and has harmed me more than helped me.

I totally know what you mean about wishing you had found out sooner. I felt the same way when I was diagnosed because I had been dealing with PCOS for 6 years before I finally did something about it. It's definitely something that needs to be found and dealt with as soon as possible, but even if it's found later on doesn't mean there's no hope for you! I have a friend who is the same age as me and was just diagnosed last year, she caught it late but has still been able to have a child.

Yeah, the hair on my face and neck have become quite the hassle to have to always pluck away at. And I'm generally just bigger than most women; I'm really tall with broad shoulders and hips - I take up more space than I'd care to, so I can sympathize with you there for sure. D=

You should definitely feel comfortable and confident in your doctor's abilities to treat you; if she can't cut it, you're better off seeing someone else. I'm glad to hear you're looking for a new one. Gotta take care of yourself, eh?

Going to the fertility centre has definitely helped me to feel a lot better about my situation. My doctor there is really confident we'll be successful, so that helps me to feel a lot more optimistic than I once did. After the PCOS diagnosis, we've gotten nothing but good news from them in regards to how we're responding to treatment, so things are definitely looking up for us. =)

I have PCOS as well, and I don't much care about having kids anyways so the infertility doesn't bother me (the thought of being pregnant actually squicks me quite a bit; add in the risk of death and such and nooooooope I don't want any of it). My girlfriend and I don't really like the idea of having kids anyways, so ¯|(ツ)|¯

My doctor / the specialist they sent me to for it gave me birth control to help with it, but no matter what the dose I just end up heavy bleeding for literal months on end without stopping, so I stopped taking it. :s

I didn't even realize the blinding pain I'd go through every once in awhile was my cysts rupturing, I'd gotten so used to it that I'd either plank out on something or just curl into a ball until it passed depending on where I am at the time a-aha

I do have PCOS and have known about since I was ~12 (I'm 25 now). It's been something in the back of my mind all the time. I'm fat and have painful as fuck periods. Once, my period lasted for a month. I have other issues so I'm not worried about fertility right now, but I understand your pain. I'm not diabetic even though I'm on metformin; PCOS processes food differently so it's easy to gain weight. I always had digestive problems before metformin. It's scary.

I'm always here to talk if you want to; ping me or pm me. I wish you the best of luck and love and happiness <3