[kcmolisa]

I'm a newbie here and have completely comitted myself to losing weight. I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 19. I'm 25 now, and I haven't been back to the doctor since my original diagnosis. I miss a lot of periods, which is what prompted me to go to the doctor 6 years ago in the first place. I also feel like I lose more hair in my brush than normal people, but I don't have noticable hair loss. I also haven't really experienced the extra body hair that sometimes comes along with it. I think the fact that I don't have physical symptoms that I notice every day is making me believe that it's under control and I don't need to do anything about it. In reality I know that I really need to see a doctor, but I just am really embarassed about my weight and I don't want to hear how bad it really is. I know it sounds stupid, and I know that doctors see patients like me all the time. I just can't get over my fear of going. Has anyone had a similar experience or any advice?

Lisa

[zinkemomx2]

Go to the doctor! Get an otherwise clean bill of health and start working on losing the weight.

I wasn't diagnosed until I was 23 and trying to get pregnant. Looking back I suspected mine started around 14. I was on Glucophage (metformin) for about 6 months and got pregnant. After having the kids and my tubes tied I was really hesitant to bother going back for a follow up appointment. After all I was done having kids what did it matter if I didn't have periods? I finally sucked it up and went back on the Glucophage and that with about a 34 pound weight loss has restored my cycles from 120+ days to about 32. I am feeling better than ever and I still have a long way to go.

Left untreated it will probably get worse.

[Zen Pharmacy]

Shoot, I'm 26 and finally worked up the nerve to talk about it to student health yesterday at my gyno appointment. I've been on BCP since I was 16 and went off last fall. I noticed marked changes, especially hair loss and growth of body hair where it wasn't supposed to be.

They have me coming in this morning for a blood glucose and cholesterol screening. She said if any of the values were abnormal or more towards the high side, I would be referred to an endocrinologist.

The only frustrating thing is paying for medications. I'm on a student health plan so a lot of things aren't covered (birth control pills for one). I never thought I'd say it, but god bless walmart for putting Tri-Sprintec on their $9 list. Since most campuses can't offer cheap pills anymore, it's a lifesaver.

[zinkemomx2]

The glucophage (metformin) is on the $4 list at Walmart if you end up taking that.

Another tip for medications. Always call around for prices. We have 4 pharmacies in my small town. Before Walmart started their $4 ones I called around to all to compare prices. Modern Pharmacy was $12, Walmart was $24, Glens was $30 and Kmart was $35. For the same pills!!!!

Plus since I didn't have insurance Modern would fill for 90 days instead of 30 and I was only paying $18 IIRC for all three months. I'm supposed to take 500mg twice a day. If you pay cash sometimes it is cheaper to get the 1000mg pills and cut them in half yourself. Takes a few minutes but does save a few dollars sometimes.

[kcmolisa]

Thanks for telling me that I just need to do it, guys. This is just what I need.

Zen congrats on taking the first step.

Lisa

[bp72]

I agree with you. I was on BCPs for years which masked my symptoms. I stopped the BCPs while TTC and couldn't lose weight even though I trained for and ran a 15k and two half marathons in a matter of 3 months. I was an overweight athlete. lol Other than the weight gain & infertility, the worst part for me is the chin/upper lip hair. I've always had a couple of hairs that I've plucked regularly. Well they just got to be more and more. I had to stop plucking for 6 weeks to prepare for laser hair removal..talk about a nightmare when your nightly ritual is plucking hairs and popping zits. lol I tried counting them and counted at least 63 hairs....black ones. I also suddenly got bad acne on my back, neck, scalp, hairline, and jawline. They were those painful, cyst-like ones that were below the skin. That's where my diagnosis started. I complained about the acne and my dr found out my testosterone was elevated. THen I suspected that I wasn't ovulating. My reg dr kept brushing me off. He said I was normal and it can take a year for bcps to get out of the system. ha! So how it is that someone can miss one pill and get pregnant? I was 34 at the time and not getting any younger. I self-referred myself to a fertility clinic in September 2006 on the advice of a friend who had fertility problems. Within three weeks I was diagnosed and scheduled for IVF. I was pregnant by December 2006. That was lucky for me. Sorry for the long bio.

Please go get treatment now if you have the resources.