I just had blood drawn for a blood test at the doctor's office. I should know in a day or two if I do, indeed, have PCOS. My doctor and I both agree that I have many of the symptoms (overweight, acne, unwanted facial hair, irregular periods, and infertility). Of course, the blood work is going to test several things regarding my infertility. I told the doc that I would bet money that I have PCOS, she said, "That would be my bet, too."

Is there anything that you wish someone would have told you when you were first diagnosed?

Thank you so much for any input you may have!

Yes, that there is no cure for it. It is something you have to deal with for the rest of your life. If you are trying to get pregnant it is no gurantee that anything will work. That it can lead to cancer.

I hate, hate having PCOS!!!!! No matter what I do I will always have some or all of the symptoms.

Good luck and I hope you don't have it!! Keep up posted.

What kind of diet plan are you following?

Thank you for your honesty. I really appreciate it. I have been a roller coaster of emotions today. I am trying not to worry about getting a diagnosis. I have SO many of the symptoms, that it seems likely that is what it is. I will find out some information tomorrow, but I may not hear back from the insulin test tomorrow. (The RN said that we should know a lot tomorrow, but that the insulin tests have been taking a while lately.)

I am SO GLAD that my dh and I decided to lose weight!! From what I am reading about (obsessively, I might add!) on the internet today, diet and exercise are two really good things to do when you have PCOS. I hope I'm on the right track.

As far as the fertility goes, I am really okay with not giving birth to our children. We had already planned to talk to an adoption agency in July. We feel led by God to grow our family through international adoption. We have a strong faith, and we know that God will provide.

What is scaring me now is the link of PCOS to diabetes and cancer. I wasn't expecting that. Diabetes, I think I could handle. Cancer? Oh, I can't even wrap my head around that one quite yet. But, I have told myself that my OBESITY could have been a contributing factor to cancer, heart attack, and stroke, so I was ALREADY at risk before now. Right??

Thanks so much for your input. I appreciate it. I hate this wait-and-see stage! I just want to know, so I can start coping. Does that make sense?

Hello again! I just posted to you on the 100lb club board, but I wanted to reach out to you here as well.

Just to let you know, PCOS is still very much a mystery. Some women have a terrible time controlling it, while others have minimal issues. I have, as I said, been dealing with it since my daughter was born, and I have since given birth to a son. Since losing weight, my periods have become VERY regular (every 29 days on the dot), and the only symptom that really gives me trouble now is the HAIR. I am not diabetic, and I did some looking around on PCOS and Cancer since that word scares me too....here is what I found, if you're interested.
http://www.pcos.insulitelabs.com/PCOS-and-Cancer.php

As I said, I wish you the best! If the results come back and you DO have PCOS, then lucky for you that you are losing weight, and getting healthy. You're on the right track!

I wish someone had told me that it is manageable and still possible to get pregnant. The best way to deal with everything is to loose weight and eat healthy and exercise. Cacner is a scarey word but I think almost anything that makes you unhealthy increases your risks. And after reading the article posted by Cassie, it sounds like the obesity and all of the internal problems associated with that are what really increase your risks. My doctor has been very straightforward with me and cancer is not something she has spent a lotof time of one and I believethat is because changing the other things changes the chances of that. And just because something increases your risk does not mean you will actual get it. there are a lot of other factors to consider. PCOS can be a scarey diagnosis but ti doesn't have to be the end of the life you want. Good luck to you!

Sorry to jump in yoru thread, but just wanted to say as a cancer survivor, that not all cancer diagnoses mean the end either. I lead a fairly normal life... much better than the alternative

Thanks so much for your replies, everyone! Unfortunately, my doc's office was closed today, due to our snowstorm. So I still don't know anything. But I am much calmer today about the prospect of the diagnosis.

Hey, trust me I know how it feels to have pcos, I was diagnosed about 4 years ago and it was definetly bad, I had hair growing in places it shouldn't, severe acne, and of course I was very over weight. At one point I was 4'11 and weighed close to 200lbs, and I just have to say... there is hope, this is something we all can control, it's a mind thing, its just a have to do it and deal with and yes you will struggle but you can, i promise you can do it. It will be hard, I can guarantee that, but in the end it will be easier and it can work. I went from 170 to now 110, and it took a lot of hard work and time, but with the help of God, I did it. You can too. I have faith in you and in every single of you, we can do this. I know I take yasmin everyday and 1,000mg of Glucophage a day and watch my diet to the T, but we can do this and I'mhere if any one of you need support, I am here.

I wish someone had told me to go to an endocrinologist right away. Instead, I wasted a year with an ob-gyn who thought BC was the best way to control this. FINALLY, I went to an endocrinologist, who put me on glucophage and I have been A-OK since. My periods are regular, and I AM losing weight on my diet plan even though it's supposed to be more difficult.

I was devastated when I found out. There's so many pathologies associated with PCOS and I was 16 when I started doing the research. It totally overwhelmed me. The inability to lose weight was the scariest at the time...Doctors would tell me to not expect to lose a lot of weight and suggested I learn to become comfortable with how I was. I'd been trying to drop weight for years and that was the absolute last thing I wanted to hear.

It's not true. Yes, it's very difficult to lose weight and you have to work harder than most other people but it is possible. Many people do it. The more weight you lose the better your symptoms get too. My period now comes (on metformin alone) every 6-8 weeks. It's important to understand everythingand prepare yourself for what you might have to deal with but to also not get discouraged. I wish someone had told me that I did have control over this and it's not completely hopeless