"Take this Pill till menopause"

dariazeoli

Hi all,

New to MFP but no stranger to PCOS.

I never got a period as a teenager. I had a horrible experience with a gynecologist at eighteen; while she put me on premarin to see if that induced a cycle, she also had an atrocious bedside manner and, during my first exam, said quite bluntly she had to check to make sure I wasn't a hermaphrodite. The whole experience put me off of doctors for ten years.

A decade later, when I finally tried a new doctor and was referred to an endo, I got the diagnosis: PCOS (and Hashimoto's). Now it made sense - the extra hair, the absence of a period, the carrying my weight in my gut. I have no cysts and since I've been on HBC, I've had a cycle. But the endo told me I'd have to stay on it till menopause. That didn't sit well with me, but it's been seven years. It's amazing, the symptoms that PCOS causes that you never thought of: skin tags. Acne (my skin has been looking gross lately). I never can tell what's PCOS related and what's to blame on Hashi's.

I can lose weight when I exercise and track my food, but that's a habit that I yo-yo with. I joined a gym last month and am trying out C25K, and am back to tracking... although I haven't made a diet change just yet. I've been an ethical vegan for a bit over four years, but the goal is to eat a bit better - more whole, clean foods and less packaged, processed (and yummy) vegan meals.

Back to the "birth control till menopause" plan of action... is it really necessary? I don't plan on having children. How much havoc does it wreak on your body not to have a period? I've also heard that the longer you stay on HBC, the more dependent your body becomes on it, making it worse when you come off.

Would love to hear from others with similar experience.

miranda_mom

I just had a baby and am not going back on the pill. The reason is that I've had terrible migraines since I was 19 and when I went off the pill to get pregnant, a light bulb went off - my migraines were reduced in severity and frequency by about 90%. That's just me though.
The only caution I would give you about not getting a period is that the lining can build up in your uterus and cause issues. I did not get one for seven months. I started Metformin and then had to find the right dose. Anyway, when I actually got it - Oh my God, it was so heavy! I think maybe you are also at higher risk of endometrial cancer if you don't get a period for the same reason (tissue builds up in the uterus). Not sure though, so look into it.
There are things you can do though that aren't the pill. For awhile, I was on something that if I didn't get my period for like two months, I would take it and get a "period". It wasn't a real period in that I hadn't ovulated but it would shed the lining. I forget what it's called but I think a lot of women with PCOS are on it.

Dragonwolf

I hate to say it, but your diet is probably exacerbating your issues, especially if it's heavy in the processed vegan stuff.

First, make sure you're getting enough nutrients. Iodine, B12, and Magnesium are particularly important for a lot of bodily functions relating to metabolism and thyroid, and Omega-3 and other fats are important for overall body functioning. Many vegans, especially those that aren't aware of the potential nutrient deficiencies of the vegan diet, become severely deficient in these and other key nutrients.

Second, try cutting out grains and legumes (or at least gluten-containing grains and soy) for at least a month. Soy and gluten, in particular, are, at best, a mixed bag when it comes to their supposed benefits. However, the downsides can really screw with those of us that are susceptible to the not-so-great effects. Soy, especially, has high levels of phytoestrogens, which further disrupts our already-vulnerable endocrine system (many women with PCOS has chronically elevated levels of estrogen).

Furthermore, many women with PCOS have reported improvements to pretty much all PCOS symptoms after eliminating gluten, and the same goes for Hashimoto's sufferers. I've personally found drastic improvement in inflammation-related issues, including chronic headaches and migraines, and acne, by eliminating gluten from my diet. Not only are many PCOS and Hashi's people sensitive to gluten, but grains and legumes also contain a number of nutrient-binding compounds known as anti-nutrients, including phytic acid and lectins. These bind to essential nutrients and prevent absorption by the body. So, even while a diet may be high in nutrients, you may still end up deficient, because your body can't absorb the nutrients.

Third, many women with PCOS also do better on a lower carb dietary lifestyle, though this may be a double-edged sword. Many sources on thyroid issues say that low carb lowers thyroid function (which is partly true, it does lower the amount of TSH the body produces, because one of the roles of TSH is carbohydrate processing, so naturally, fewer carbs = less TSH). However, Stop The Thyroid Madness, a site dedicated to dispelling the myths of thyroid issues (I highly recommend perusing the site as a whole), states that the most successful hypothyroid people are, in fact, low carb, with a net carb level of 40-50g (net carbs = total carbs - fiber) - http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/hypothyroid-and-weight-issues/ .

Now, that said, you may not have to give up being vegan, though cutting out grains and legumes will likely be a difficult task, since they're both found in pretty much everything vegan that isn't an actual fruit or vegetable. It might be a good idea to concede to having something like eggs and/or fish a couple of times a month to ensure you're getting the nutrients not readily available to you otherwise (and keep in mind, that you can find such animal products that were raised in humane and sustainable fashion that is more in line with your ethics). If nothing else, I think it may be worth taking a good, hard look at your diet and making sure that what you're doing is best for your health.

As for doctors, I recommend to keep looking for a doctor that actually understands the issues you're faced with. Getting prescribed HBC in the face of a PCOS diagnosis is pretty much the height of ignorance of the matter, because HBC very often causes more harm than good, by overloading the system with one hormone or another (usually estrogen, which is already usually high in our system). I recommend looking into holistic and functional medicine type doctors, to find someone that understands the role of diet in treating both PCOS and Hashi's, and doesn't just say "here's some HBC, good luck."

Bertie02

Unless you're trying to prevent pregnancy I don't think anyone should be on birth control. You will have to find the mix of what works for you. I was on a supplement called Ovablend and that worked for me, although I had to go off of it because it was causing protein in my urine. I'm hoping that my body has had enough time to reset itself and take back over. (I feel that the birth control is what allowed my PCOS to take over in the severity it did).

I was dx 14 years ago and have had a lot of bs told to me throughout the years. Try and learn what you can and have open discussions with your doctors. I'm a firm believer that a doctor should be wiling to learn new things and research if you bring something to them.

Good luck

CharRicho

You don't have to go on BC (I don't plan on it ever again) but you must treat your PCOS in some fashion, because not doing so can and probably will lead serious healthy issues, most notably diabetes, but also a couple of types of cancers. It is really no joke.

Are you on metformin? It's certainly a better option that BC in my (obviously non-medical) opinion. Of course if you are not on BC and don't want kids then you'll have to ensure that you prevent pregnancy some other way (metformin is often used by women who are TRYING to get pregnant - but that is because it can make their bodies act more "normal", which is good for anyone really)

There are also herbal and natural supplements that have been known to help, so you can try working with a naturopath if your doctor isn't willing to try alternatives (and if you can afford it or it's covered under your health care plan).

Also diet is really important. I understand that being a vegan is probably important to you, but it's really important to understand that women with PCOS especially need complete proteins in their diet (and these unfortunately really only come from animal products). If you cannot eat these, you will need to work with a nutritionist to ensure that you are getting enough protein, and the right proteins with all of the amino acids. You want to really cut out grains as much as possible, and cut out sugar completely, so being vegan is going to make this a lot more difficult for you, but I'm sure it's not impossible. You just need to do a lot of research on PCOS and veganism. Diet is one of the biggest things for PCOS and because you already have restrictions on your diet, it's going to be more work for you to ensure you're getting enough of what you need.