OK ladies, here's the short version of my PCOS story.

I'm 40, diagnosed with PCOS when I was 31 and trying to start a family. I'd been on BCP for "painful periods" since my late teens, so never really cycled much on my own. Went off BCP and ... didn't get any periods. Thought, wow, that was fast, we must've gotten pregnant on our first try! Ha. Funny.

Turns out that without pharmaceutical intervention, I don't get periods. No ovulation. Ovaries totally encased in thick layers of cysts. Goody.

Many years and many assisted cycles later, I have two beautiful children and lots scars on my skin from all the shots it took to get them. (Totally worth it, though!)

So now that I'm 40 (and not allowed to take BCP anymore), I'm pretty OK with not having periods, lol. But I'm carrying much too much extra weight, and my blood pressure and cholesterol levels are just unhealthy. So I go on South Beach. Lose about 12 pounds over five weeks, and start my period, completely naturally.

Who knew?????

I usually only get my cycle every 3 or so months due to PCOS and my weight...but since I've been losing weight, I got it after just a 36 day cycle instead of the usual 86-94 day cycle! I have a long ways to go, but it is giving me hope of being able to have a family someday! Its amazing the havoc all this extra weight plays on our bodies! I'm just so glad to finally be doing something about it.

Congrats!

And look -- you are in the the 5th pragraph of this article. Sorta.

http://www.drspock.com/article/0,1510,8253,00.html

A.

It's always exciting when you have your first period all on your own. I know that feeling <3