Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) Support Group
Polycythemia is a condition in which there is a net increase in the total circulating erythrocyte (red blood cell) mass of the body. Primary polycythemia occurs when excess erythrocytes are produced as a result of a proliferative abnormality of the bone marrow. Secondary polycythemia is caused by increases of erythropoietin that result in an increased production of...
Hello all,
I have always had irregular periods. I got my period when I was 10 years old, and never had a "normal" one. I would get it every other month, then every two months,. eventually I worked up to only getting a period every 6 months, but I would bleed for 10 to 12 weeks. I always knew I wasn't "normal", but the doctors always contributed it to my weight. [I've always been heavy... my mom always struggled with her weight too]
I knew I had PCOS... all the research I did, my symptoms always pointed to it. I have horrible facial hair.. (I shave everyday) my hair will fall out in clumps, but I don't have any bald spots.. I have dark patches around my neck, and my inner thighs.. I had moderate acne when I was a teenager, but its mild now. I finally changed doctors, and got a confirmed diagnosis. I was basically told if I want to have children.. I need to start before I am 27.
I was put on Metformin 1000 mg daily and Apri [birth control]. This combination of medications made me feel like a lunatic,,, all I craved was food all the time, but everything I ate tasted metallic. I cried over the dumbest things randomly. I was tired all the time, and would enter deep sleeps that no one could get me out of. When I finally got my period, it lasted for 7 weeks... and then I started hemorrhaging. I have never been so scared in my life. They took me off the birth control, and had to put me on hormone replacement therapy. The side effects listed for the HRT were scarier then hemorrhaging, [they included Breast cancer, memory loss, heart attack, and stoke] and they wanted me on it for 3 months.. I said no.. I would take it for 5 days. The bleeding finally stopped, and I am petrified to take anything else.
I don't want to have the risk of being infertile. I want to have a normal cycle. I want kids in the worst way, but I am only 22.. I take care of my grandma, who has Alzheimer's. I like my job, but I can't fully support myself on the pay, forget about a baby. I have been in a loving relationship with my boyfriend of 5 years, and he knows about my struggles. I want to try a different treatment, but I hate feeling sick or crazy and I am afraid I am going to have adverse reactions again. But most of all... what if I go through all that again, and end up infertile anyways.. its all for moot. So my big questions are... What gets you through? Has anyone tried anything that worked without making you feel lousy first?
I have always had irregular periods. I got my period when I was 10 years old, and never had a "normal" one. I would get it every other month, then every two months,. eventually I worked up to only getting a period every 6 months, but I would bleed for 10 to 12 weeks. I always knew I wasn't "normal", but the doctors always contributed it to my weight. [I've always been heavy... my mom always struggled with her weight too]
I knew I had PCOS... all the research I did, my symptoms always pointed to it. I have horrible facial hair.. (I shave everyday) my hair will fall out in clumps, but I don't have any bald spots.. I have dark patches around my neck, and my inner thighs.. I had moderate acne when I was a teenager, but its mild now. I finally changed doctors, and got a confirmed diagnosis. I was basically told if I want to have children.. I need to start before I am 27.
I was put on Metformin 1000 mg daily and Apri [birth control]. This combination of medications made me feel like a lunatic,,, all I craved was food all the time, but everything I ate tasted metallic. I cried over the dumbest things randomly. I was tired all the time, and would enter deep sleeps that no one could get me out of. When I finally got my period, it lasted for 7 weeks... and then I started hemorrhaging. I have never been so scared in my life. They took me off the birth control, and had to put me on hormone replacement therapy. The side effects listed for the HRT were scarier then hemorrhaging, [they included Breast cancer, memory loss, heart attack, and stoke] and they wanted me on it for 3 months.. I said no.. I would take it for 5 days. The bleeding finally stopped, and I am petrified to take anything else.
I don't want to have the risk of being infertile. I want to have a normal cycle. I want kids in the worst way, but I am only 22.. I take care of my grandma, who has Alzheimer's. I like my job, but I can't fully support myself on the pay, forget about a baby. I have been in a loving relationship with my boyfriend of 5 years, and he knows about my struggles. I want to try a different treatment, but I hate feeling sick or crazy and I am afraid I am going to have adverse reactions again. But most of all... what if I go through all that again, and end up infertile anyways.. its all for moot. So my big questions are... What gets you through? Has anyone tried anything that worked without making you feel lousy first?
So I think that you are only 22 - so much can change in just a few years.
Incidentally, a wise woman once told me that there is really no convenient time to have a baby. If everyone waited for all the planets to be aligned, no one would have kids! LOL! We are pretty poor right now, but the time has come...
The metformin has helped my periods regulate. Other than that I haven't tried any other treatments, so can't really advise you on that. Birth control is not the best option really - I got enormous liver tumors while I was taking it and had to have 2 surgeries. They don't warn you about stuff like that.