Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and infertility

@azuladragon34

I have PCOS as well and diabetes as a complication. I completely understand about getting stressed out while waiting for periods, especially when they’re normal for a few months and then go AWOL for no reason.

I’ve found that eating low carb foods like mainly non-starchy vegetables, cutting out or lessening use of dairy products, and eating lean meat really helps with the symptoms. Exercise also helps A LOT, especially resistance training.

I have a lot of anxiety around accidentally getting pregnant, even if we use protection. I have trouble getting aroused and also have a lot of pain while having sex. It helps to use lube and adjust the angle but the pain is generally there to some extent. Is that normal for PCOS or at least does anyone else experience that?

PCOS like other illness can present differently depending on each individual, although we may have some shared experiences. @azuladragon34, your experience may be different than mine or @neonsummer8296 's ...it doesn't necessarily mean that what happens to us will happen to you, and vice versa. Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional but what I will describe has worked for me.

I am 40 years old and have Lupus and some other autoimmune diseases, as well as PCOS. I started puberty a bit late but had regular periods until my 20's. At that time my other health issues also started to present and I was also on various antidepressants. So it's hard to say what triggered the change but suddenly I went from regular periods to having one three times a year. Closer to 30, I was able to have monthly periods by taking birth control pills, but then started having bleeding that lasted for over a month, with a week off - the inverse of what we expect.

Eventually I made it to a specialist in gynecology and he had me take a test for insulin resistance. My results were negative, but he suggested that even though this test said I was "normal," that didn't mean that it was working for my body. If my body was having a hard time dealing with sugar, it could be affecting my hormone levels. So he prescribed me a medication called Glumetza, which is a slow-release version of Metformin, a medication for diabetes. I actually do not have diabetes - my blood sugar is totally normal, but taking Glumetza has helped me immensely.

Once on this medication, my body could handle sugar better and thereby regulate my hormones without the need for a birth control pill. He told me not to take hormonal birth control again and to eat as if I'm diabetic. Within a few months, my periods had regulated. Also, my ultrasounds began to show healthy looking ovaries, instead of bulky ones filled with cysts.

@neonsummer8296 is also right about regular exercise helping. Resistance training will build muscle and this is something most women could do more of. I have also experienced excess where I don't want it and hair loss on my head, but these things could also be due to my other conditions.

I don't know your age but can understand your concerns about infertility...and also concerns about not knowing if you're pregnant due to irregular cycles.

I wish you both the best in health <3

@azuladragon34 Thank you for posting this. It's comforting to know other women are going through similar issues.

I have PCOS. Found out on my journey thru infertility. Would've rather found out on my journey of understanding why I'm tired all the time and I get sugar crashes before sugar highs can hit. I used to need a 3hr nap after pasta dinners. So I've adjusted my diet a bit, (gluten sensitive alternatives in stores have really helped me. Lentil pasta!!) and if I do have pasta or carbs, I at least minimize frequency and mix it with lots of greens. I've heard mixing it with lots of proteins helps too, but I'm a (bad) vegetarian, so my protein intake isn't impressive.

But I'm with a fantastic doc at a fertility clinic finally, (after being disappointed by 7 other docs for various other issues). They found a few other issues (uterine polyp, cholesterol, odd hormones, male factors). But the process is going smoothly, if slightly frustrating and uncomfortable, but only about 20% of the time. (Honestly, the medical bills are causing me the most stress. It's not bad, it's not great either, and obviously, we have plans for spending money elsewhere.)

I'm 37, and only now overweight. Always had a stomach paunch, but it's a lot more now. I'm going to blame it on the pandemic and working from home, but I'm responding to it anyhow. I get bored, so my exercise flip flops around from resistance training with bands, walking, yoga, tai chi and dancing thx to youtube videos (Fitness Marshal!!). My migraines and my ears' intolerance to cold makes me too dizzy to walk too far in the winter, so switching things up lets me adapt to what my body can handle. I can only walk 10min in the winter and yet 35min of dancing and yoga go by so fast and enjoyably.