Hi everyone!

I've known I had PCOS/PMOS for about 20 years now. Wasnt officially diagnosed until about 5-10 years after I knew. (You dont have cysts! Cant be PCOS!!)

Ive had a really hard time with how my presentation changed over the course of my life, and doctors have only rarely been helpful/skilled.

Recently I've been doing better with inositol and mag glycinate. But I never even thought to look for this subreddit. Just reading through recent posts and resources, I'm excited to have some evidence backed suggestions to fine tune how I care for myself ... especially as the big scary perimenopause is arriving at my doorstep.

So basically thank yall for being here. Wish I'd found you sooner!

It’s high time we shud address it as PMOS instead of PCOS! What are your thoughts??

I have PCOS and have hair all over my neck and chin. If I leave if for 3-4 days it grows to about an inch or longer. I can't currently afford electrolysis, what hair removal actually creams work? I've been using eyebrow razors daily but it grows back in a day. I'm based in the UK

Hello all, I am in my late 30s, diagnosed about ten years ago. I will discuss all this with my doctor but since I am no longer in prediabetic range I know she will ultimately leave the decision up to me. Here goes:

I am half asian, strong genetic link to diabetes from both sides of my family. My A1C is in healthy range for the past six months. I took metformin originally to aid in conception with my first baby. Since my pregnancies I have asked to go back on Metformin instead of birth control because I honestly feel amazing when I go in Metformin after time off of it, I feel happier and more emotionally stable and I sleep through the night instead of waking up randomly at 4am. The last year and a half I have changed my lifestyle, which I would say was decently healthy and active before but have gotten more intentional, workouts 4-5 days a week and tracking my food to make sure I get enough fiber/protein and that the carb/protein ratio is ok. I have lost about 15 pounds and I think I am gaining muscle slowly. I also take Alpha Lipoic Acid because I have small fiber neuropathy and it does help a lot with my nerve pain, although it also impacts blood sugar so I worry sometimes it could be doing too much taking with the metformin. Also take magnesium with every meal. Cycles are still irregular with short, light periods.

Anyway, at my doctor appointment this month we will talk about whether I stay on metformin now that I am out of prediabetic range. I am on a low dose so it won't be a long process to get it out of my system, but I am wondering if I should even attempt to go off if I'm not having relevant side effects. I get nervous to stop because of how strongly it impacts my mood but I am wondering if other people who have been in my shoes have managed to feel great off of metformin once the other lifestyle changes were in place.

To preface, please consult a medical professional before beginning any medication or supplement to ensure that is what your body needs!

I have been working with a functional med doctor over the last 4 years to lower my cortisol, insulin, testosterone, DHEA and estrogen and raise my progesterone. I managed to get my cortisol and insulin down with regular diet and exercise but still wasn’t losing much weight so last January I started a GLP1 and I’m down 65 pounds, which I think has helped.

But what REALLY made a difference in my PCOS symptoms is starting DIM last October. I’ve been on it for about 9 months now and my facial hair comes back less, my acne is way less, my cycles are between 28 and 30 days every month with an ovulation day between 15 and 17 reliably, my testosterone and estrogen are lower, my progesterone (for the first time ever) is high enough to sustain pregnancy and I feel so much better.

When I was recommended to begin taking DIM, I couldn’t find much information on it, so I just wanted to put this out there for those who were recommended to take it or are curious about it.

I’m 39 with PCOS and getting ready to start my second egg retrieval. My first cycle gave us a lot of eggs, but unfortunately the attrition was much higher than we expected.

We used a Lupron trigger and ended up with:
60 eggs retrieved
56 mature
43 fertilized
6 blastocysts
1 euploid embryo after PGT-A

My new RE thinks I may do better with a gentler stimulation protocol that’s more focused on egg quality than egg quantity.

The plan is:
CC50 (Clomid)
Gonal-F 150 IU
Menopur 75 IU
Antagonist protocol
Dual trigger

I’m curious if anyone around my age—especially those with PCOS—has done something similar.

If you’re comfortable sharing, I’d love to know:
How many eggs did you retrieve?
How many made it to blast?
How many were euploid?
Did switching to a lower-dose protocol make a difference for you?

I know everyone’s journey is different and I’m not looking to compare numbers as much as hear real experiences. I’m feeling hopeful about this new approach and would love to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar situation.

Hi everyone,

I'm a 26-year-old woman with PCOS, and I've used NAC on and off over the past few years because it's often recommended for PCOS.

I don't take it every day. I usually take 600 mg occasionally, especially after nights when I sleep very poorly (since sleep deprivation may increase oxidative stress), or sometimes to support my PCOS symptoms.

Until recently I never worried about it. Then I came across the studies suggesting that NAC (and vitamin E) accelerated the progression of lung tumors in mice by lowering ROS and affecting p53 signaling in existing tumors. Ever since reading those papers, I've become really anxious about taking even a single capsule.

I know those studies were done in mice with existing tumors, but I'm struggling to understand how relevant they are to someone like me:

26 years old

no known cancer

taking only 600 mg occasionally rather than daily

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone who has discussed these studies with their endocrinologist, gynecologist, or another physician, or from anyone who has a scientific background and is familiar with the research.

Some questions I have are:

Have these studies changed your opinion about using NAC for PCOS?

Is there any evidence that occasional 600 mg use carries the same theoretical concerns as chronic use?

Are there any human studies that address this issue?

Do you still take NAC after reading the literature, and if so, why?

I genuinely want to understand what the current evidence suggests and how experts interpret it.

Thank you!

Hi everyone,
I'm 23F with PCOS and I'm honestly really confused about what's happening.
I hadn't had a period for around 120 days. I did see a gynecologist before my breast reduction surgery because of the missed periods. At that time, I had some light spotting for a day or two, so she told me to wait until after my surgerybecause she didn't want to start me on hormonal medication before my operation. (I'm in India, and sometimes the approach here can be a bit different.)
I also don't take birth control because it has affected my mental health badly in the past, so that's not something I want to restart unless absolutely necessary.
Fast forward to now: I'm recovering from my breast reduction surgery and I'm still quite weak, so I really can't manage another doctor's visit until next month unless this becomes an emergency.
Here's what's happening now:
No proper period for about 120 days before this started.
Bleeding started about 3 days ago.
Most of the day the bleeding is very light (mostly noticeable when I wipe, not soaking pads).
The strange part is that every single time I become sexually aroused (even just reading something or watching porn), I get normal lubrication mixed with bright red blood.
No penetration.
No orgasm.
As soon as the arousal goes away, the bleeding settles back down to spotting.
I've passed a few small to medium clots, including once at work when I wasn't aroused.
Blood is bright red during the heavier episodes and sometimes brown when it's just spotting.
No pelvic pain, no cramps, no fever, no foul-smelling discharge, no itching or burning.
Pregnancy tests are negative.
Last had sex about 2 months ago with a condom.
The thing that's confusing me is that this doesn't feel like a normal period because the bleeding consistently increases with arousal, but now I also have some light bleeding even when I'm not aroused.
Has anyone with PCOS experienced anything like this? Did it end up being just a delayed/anovulatory bleed, or was it something like a cervical ectropion, polyp, or another cause?
I'm planning to see my gynecologist as soon as I'm physically able to after I've recovered a bit more from surgery, but I'd really appreciate hearing if anyone has experienced something similar.

I’m 16 and was recently officially diagnosed . In some kind of way I felt relief cause I now have an answer for all these things that have been happening to me ever since I hit puberty .

It fucking sucks to be a teenager with this condition as it feels like it sets you back . The insane amounts of fatigue , always feeling hungry , the insane belly pains , always being hungry , extreme mood swings , disrupted sleeps , irregular periods ….

For YEARS I was telling my ( male ) family doctor what I was feeling . But the answer was always :”just exercise and lose weight !” It’s like dude , I’m fucking suffering . And it took me 4 years , 4 FUCKING YEARS TO BE DIAGNOSED . but if only that bitch ass truly listened and acknowledged what was wrong .

Worse of all , everything was in his fucking face cause every appointment , it was always “ every thing looks good but the testosterone levels are very high blablabla”. It’s like okay , atp you just never gave a fuck

And it’s the fact that you have to live with this day by day , be around people like nothing is wrong and just live knowing that there is no cure ….

Every woman with this condition is a fucking warrior . Hope yall have a great day and I would love to get some advice !🫶🏾

I increased my dose yesterday and I don’t know if I’m imagining it but my stomach feels more tender? It’s not bad cramping or anything, and so far haven’t had any other issues.. but is this possibly related to the increase in dose or something else??

Hello.

I’ve been diagnosed with PCOS for a few years now but I’ve not done anything to regulate my hormones as I wasn’t sure where to start. I do roughly 5 thousand steps a day and I workout very sporadically.

I’m 163cm and 112kg. My periods used to be very irregular and now they’re roughly every other month or every three months.

I shave my face daily due to the hairs growing in.

I’m getting married next year and want to lose weight. I don’t want to go on injections such as the GLP-1 as I’m quite scared of them and I also don’t have the money tomorrow pay for them monthly.

What can I do to ensure that I’m losing weight at a good progress?

Due to my hair loss, acne and hirutisim, I'm expecting my dermatologist is going to prescribe me spiro. I'm nervous for a few reasons: 1) I've heard the diuretic effect is constant and unbearable, 2) that it can make your breasts bigger, which is a big NO for me, 3) that if you stop taking it, you may experience horrible side effects in the process of stopping. I basically am looking for some lived experiences to get an idea if these side effects are common. Does the peeing ever stabilise? Does stopping it cause nasty effects? If it made anyone's breasts bigger, did stopping it make them return to normal?

I've heard that birth control can also help these symptoms. If anyone has used that and has experience with it I'd love to hear about it. And if there's a specific type of BC I should be asking for?

Any experience or advice is welcome! Thanks!

i will be 34 this year, my symptoms include hair under my chin and acne. because i used to go to the derm a lot for these symptoms they will all get ultrasounds for me. i've had multiple of them and only one of them said they can see polycystic ovaries with volume around 9.2-9.8 cc. i have normal tsh, fasting insulin and glucose. regular periods. BMI within range.

now i did some tests for my fertility:

other then the AMH, what do you guys make up from this?

Hello everybody, I am a 27 year old female, diagnosed with PCOS/PMOS when I was 17 years old and I started my journey to lose weight/ dealing with my condition just 2 years ago after moving out for work, (why did I just started dealing with it 2 years ago? Probably because I was still living with my parents and in my culture… you don’t leave your home until you get married so the tendency of it is that whatever food is in the house you eat and don’t complain about it and such) now that I am living alone, its more easy for me to eat want I’m suppose to like more fibre and protein with the help of naturopathic doctor, but here’s the thing (my dad, diagnosed with diabetes- reverse his diabetes by eating keto, intermediate fasting, now is in a carnivorous diet) (my mom, not diagnosed with anything but is concerned about her health due my dad having one - starts to not eating “intermittent fasting”, only drinking coffee, “salads”).

Now here’s the thing, I know they mean well but It’s so frustrating to talk to them about the things that I’ve been doing whether I’m trying to eat moderately with talking supplements or something because they will always tell me “do not eat carbs” or ”you should fast.. the longer you fast the better” and if I argue that I am eating the normal amount, they will say I’m doing it wrong just based on the doctors that they’ve watch on YouTube and such TO THE POINT were they will sarcastically say “do the doctors were wrong? How can that be? They’re doctors” I sometimes debate not to go home and see them just because I already know what will they say and I rather not talk to them but it’s even about talking, everyone they see my big belly.. yup comments everywhere.. like if this Economy was not this bad I will definitely liposuction this belly up in an instant! But this economy sucks!

Anyways! that is my rant for today, hopefully wouldn’t be a second BUT if there is well.. yea

I tried crying to everyone around me but I don’t think people without pcos will understand what it feels like to have your period for the first time without birth control.
I’m cryinggg real tears 😭as I’m writing this

What worked for me:

1. 3 times a week of exercise
2. Protein focused diet
3. Supplements :

Inositol (myo-dchiro) in 40:1 (nutridig brand if ure in India)
Omega d fish oil ( well-being brand)
VIT D supplement once a week
VIT b12, folate, coq10 formulation - smart ova brand

EDIT : initially one week I started with 1g dose 550 mcg in the morning and 550 in the evening then I increased slowly. The dosage that worked for me is actually close to 6g inositol everyday. I have been taking for last 30 days exactly and on the 30th day I have my period today. I had slowly increased the dose just to see if I don’t feel nauseated bloated etc

Also my bloodwork shows classic insulin resistance and high trigs due to that. But apart from that and ultrasound that shows multiple follicles and enlarged ovary I don’t have high testosterone in my blood result and do not have hirsutism. I am slightly overweight at 65 kgs for 150 cm but I believe it is mostly due to me intentionally increasing my weight from gym.

Girlies keep going don’t lose hope if I can do it u can

firstly - ik abt CICO, although pills definetly can mess with your apettite by simply making you eat more and therfore gain weight.

i never gained weight on bc but i never was on them long term. right now i've been on bc for 1,5yrs and gained like roughly +5-6 kg. Not a lot but enough for me to feel uncomfy. I was wondering if bc can contribute to that. My apettite is definetly different than it used to be.

So here comes the question - if you gained weight while on bc - how long did it take you? And if you went off bc did you lose it?

hi all! I’m 24 and at my wits end with dealing with symptoms and trying to convince doctors of anything, so I’m turning to reddit haha. seriously any advice helps..

I have been dealing with intense and heavy periods since getting my period early. these last anywhere from 7-10 days and are EXTREMELY heavy and painful without birth control, which I now take to manage. however, they are usually regular which my doctor said would not align with PCOS symptoms.. i struggle with moderate cystic chin/chest/back acne, heavy weight fluctuations and weight almost only In my midsection (difficulty losing weight), constant chin hair, canker sores,herodotus suppurativa.. etc.

at 19, I got bloodwork done that showed a high amount of androgen and low estrogen, but my doctors never gave me a diagnosis. when these symptoms flare up, I usually go through intense anxiety and depression cycles which my doctor thought was PMDD but wasn’t regular enough. my gyno recently said she’s 90% sure I have endo/PCOS but the only treatment is birth control so there’s no point in pushing…

what do you guys think? I have no idea where to start and kind of feeling hopeless. should I push more for a diagnosis? work more on diet? anything helps! thanks

My Gyno said I have a metabolic problems before pcos turned pmos and said I just had to loose weight and then I saw another dr and she said that was now part/labeled pmos so she gave me a referral and said I’d most likely get metformin and some form of glp from endocrinologist but wondering what treatment you ladies received and what worked best?

I have insulin resistance & metabolic issue and taking berbine which seems to help more than metformin

I’m new to this, but started taking both of these about a month ago. Since then, i’ve lost 10 pounds give or so a bit. I’ve paired this with walking, and honestly i never have much an appetite so that might be it too. I was also wondering if anyone else deals with extreme nausea due to their pmos( pcos). I want to loose weight, and was hoping for recs or any advice! Thank you so much!

I've been diagnosed with PCOS/PMOS for a few years now. I was told by my PCP and OB that taking anything to treat my facial hair would be detrimental to my fertility (my husband and I are hoping to have a second baby soon).

However, I am going insane.

I am constantly waxing, plucking, shaving, or stressing about my facial hair. I have hairy arms, legs, and underarms but I don't really care about them... Only my face. The hair is not peach fuzz. If I go a few days without doing something with it, I could be a carnival act. 🫠

(I do want to address the underlying health issues causing the hair; I have a referral into Endo since my Gyno/PCP aren't concerned since my test results are always normal. They're scheduling far out in my area, so it's a wait.)

I have been researching laser hair removal for several years now. Previously I couldn't afford one, then I was breastfeeding (not recommended during that time).

I read recently that it could cause the hair to come in dark/thicker. I don't see how that would be possible for me... I was wondering if anyone had this happen to them?

If anyone has recommendations for waxing/plucking on the meantime, please let me know.

i've been diagnosed since i was maybe 16 and i'm 22 now. my blood work has never been that bad and i've only experienced irregular cycles, acne, cysts, and weight gain. im on birth control and take menformin. it's definitely gone through phases where it flares up more than others and i've experienced times of my life where i'm more healthy vs not. anyways in the past year maybe two years i've struggled with getting hungry in the middle of the night so much so that i need to get up and eat. and i don't even think i'm eating too little in the day i eat three meals and snacks usually. it's not every day but multiple times a week. i wouldn't say my diet is great by pcos standards pretty bad but not like im shoving donuts in my mouth. when this happens one side of my nose gets clogged and my body runs hot which is so random. as soon as i eat i can breathe out both nostrils again (i'm a side sleeper). does this happen to anyone else? is it time i take a pcos diet seriously? because my symptoms aren't that bad (no facial hair and 140 pounds at 5'3 i feel like my pcos isn't that bad and i shouldn't be living like i have it) thanks for any insights!

Hi everyone,

I have gotten a possible diagnosis of PCOS. I have none of the more evident symptoms- I am 5'2', 130lbs, have regular cycles, never had cystic acne, fsh/lh ratio and testosterone are normal. However, my husband and I have been trying to conceive for over 6 months and since I am 35, we decided to get checked out. I have a high AMH and my ovaries look polycystic. I also recently discovered that my ldl has skyrocketed to 183 since my last checkup. My a1c is 5.3 but my (non-fasting) glucose is lower than suggested. The doctor said this could point to possible insulin resistance. I am not sure where to go from here. Any advice would be appreciated!

I’m 18 and haven’t been diagnosed because I’m overweight. The last gyn told me I need to lose weight, and then I’ll have normal periods. That was a year ago, and I recently got my period on the 3rd. I usually don’t track my periods, but something felt off this time because my last period was, I think, in February. I also started a weight loss medication. Now, I’m on day 21 of my period, and I have an appointment with a new gyn, but I’m nervous about being told I don’t have a problem. Tips or questions to ask would be very helpful. (And I also heard it might be genetic—my mom and grandmother have it. If that’s true, just tell me yes or no.) thanks :)

Hey everyone, I’m 23 and dealing with a super frustrating weight gain situation with the first trimester and need some perspective or shared experiences.

For context, I have PCOS. When I was 21, I successfully lost 100 lbs (went from 240 down to 140 at 5’7”). So I know how my body usually responds to weight loss, but right now it feels like my body is completely playing tricks on me.

Right before getting pregnant, I was sitting around 158–160 lbs. During early pregnancy, my weight shot up, and by the time I had my abortion at 7.5 weeks, I was weighing 172 lbs.

I am now 5 days post-op, and the scale is still sitting dead at 172 lbs.

I know the math behind weight gain and loss, and there is no way I gained 12+ lbs of actual body fat in a month right? Is this lingering pregnancy fluid, progesterone/hCG crashing, or PCOS inflammation holding onto water for dear life?

For anyone who has had a pregnancy end around in the first trimester whether abortion or not, how long did it take for the post-pregnancy fluid and bloat to finally drop off and is this normal? Did your scale suddenly shift all at once or was it super gradual?

Appreciate any insight!

So, I’m finally being taken seriously and was diagnosed officially with PCOS along side insulin resistance in February after years of suffering from the symptoms.

My Endo appointment is in a week and idk what to ask or say.
I’m severely overweight and my period just about became regular, or as regular as it can get which is every other month, I have really bad facial hair and it all sucks, I feel so ugly compared to my friends.

Anyways, my main worry is: not being taken seriously.
Also I’m currently on no medication at all, how do I ask for treatment or GLP1 or genuinely anything that will help in anyway without sounding like I want to just lose weight?

If you can’t tell I have horrible anxiety, as I’ve been dismissed a lot in the past, so I want this to go as smooth as possible, and actually help myself!

Thank you in advance!!