A friend of mine recently suggested that I get tested for PCOS, because I have tremendous difficulty losing weight. I do not have any of the other symptoms (hirsuitism, hypothyroidism) so I was dismissive. I've been poking around on information boards, however, and now I have questions.
I have read that heavy, long, irregular periods are typical, but I caught one mention of "very light" periods, too. I've always been regular, and always very, very light--a day or two, and a light day or two at that. I'm also very "clotty" (sorry if that's TMI). I have completely missed periods, too, and not been pregnant. One year I went for 10 months and didn't cycle at all. I've also been on the pill for a very long time--nearly 12 years (a month or two break here and there, but pretty consistently otherwise). I do not want children, so BCP has been my birth control of choice. Can BCPs mask PCOS and make it have NO symptoms?
I also have exercised consistently for the last 15 years. Depending on the time of my life, I've exercised anywhere from 3-12 hours a week. Exercise helps with IR, I know, but does it also contribute to masking PCOS?
I lose weight very slowly: less than a pound a week, certainly. I also gain ridiculously easy. I have to be very very strict, mostly veggies and meats and oatmeal/whole grains. If I have any sugar at all I almost always see a gain on the scale that week, no matter how little I have!
What food I don't cook for myself I try to buy from Trader Joe's (unprocessed stuff). In the last 4 years I've gained 120 pounds (which yeah, I've panicked the whole time about). Some of it I will admit I earned (emotional stuff was happening) but not ALL of it! Is that related, possibly?
Last question: would being diagnosed with PCOS help in my weight loss efforts? I'm trying to avoid following my father to heart disease and diabetes type II so I would really like to take the weight off, but since I don't want kids anyway should I even get tested?
Thank you anyone and everyone for your help.