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Am I an oddball PCOS'er?

photojunkie28
photojunkie28 Posts: 292
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So I am relatively new to all of this PCOS info and am being put through the tests because my Dr. thinks I may have it which from what I read would explain A LOT!

Anywho..while i'm waiting for my pelvic ultrasound appointment and bloodwork results i've been doing some reading and it seems all you ladies have something in common that I do not...

You all say that your periods are irregular , but many say that weight loss and/or exercise brings it back about. Me on the otherhand...I am about 31% BodyFat (so overweight, but not far off from the normal range) and I QUIT getting my period when I completely changed my lifestyle and STARTED exercising heavily and eating clean one year ago. And I got it back once 5 months ago when I was at "rest" for nearly 2 weeks on a cruise vacation but as soon as I got back home and went back to diet and exercise it was gone again not to return.

Am I an odd case or are there PCOS'ers out there that are like me? Any opinions or self stories are welcome. I'm an information junkie so type to your hearts content!

Replies

  • LauraDotts
    LauraDotts Posts: 732 Member
    Everyone experiences different symptoms of PCOS. I'm different in that I always had very regular periods until peri-menopause, had no difficulty with fertility, and am unaware of ever having ovarian cysts. However, I have a multitude of other PCOS symptoms. I shave my face every day, thinning hair on top, I have skin tags, was insulin resistant and now diabetic, gained weight easily and have to eat very low carb to lose weight.

    Hormones are a mystery.
  • bookyeti
    bookyeti Posts: 544 Member
    Since it’s a syndrome, PCOS presents differently in everyone, as LauraDotts said. There is no “normal” case of PCOS. You may have many or just a few of the symptoms listed for PCOS.

    In fact, you don’t even need cysts on your ovaries to have PCOS. The opposite is also true: you can have cysts on your ovaries and NOT have PCOS. Cystic ovaries are only just one symptom of the syndrome. Since PCOS is an endocrine disorder, which affects your bodies hormones (linked to just about *everything*) the symptoms you can experience are wide and varied. Not all women with PCOS have weight issues; it’s usually those PCOS’ers with insulin resistance who struggle with weight issues.

    There are also 5 different types of PCOS. If you’re interested you can read more about them here:
    http://www.soulcysters.net/showthread.php?129677-5-Types-of-PCOS

    I have PCOS and severe insulin resistance. I never had irregular menses, but whenever I would increase my intensity of exercise, like you, sometimes it delayed my period.
  • photojunkie28
    photojunkie28 Posts: 292
    interesting, thank you both for your replies :) The more I read from everyone, the more I understand why so many people can be "misdiagnosed" or not even realize they have the syndrome for a long time.
  • CharRicho
    CharRicho Posts: 389 Member
    I am currently trying to lose weight and I'm still about 20 lbs over "normal" weight range for my height, however, I have spent most of my life (I'm 31) in the normal weight range. When I was a teenager, I was quite a serious athlete and in training ALL THE TIME. I think one of the reasons my GP never diagnosed me at that age was because she just assumed that I was training too much and didn't get my period because of that. I was quite thin and fit.

    Doctors often will not look for PCOS unless a woman is overweight, however, there is a proportion of PCOSers who are what they call "thin PCOS". Check out soulcysters.net, it is another forum and there is a section for Thin PCOSers. I suspect that you will find you have much in common with those women, as I find that I do, even though now I am overweight.

    This is a good read too:
    http://www.jarrettfertility.com/PCOS patient handout.pdf

    Hopefully you'll have some answers soon so that you can figure out the best way to deal with your particular "version" of PCOS, if in fact that's what you have :)
  • erin4609
    erin4609 Posts: 131 Member
    I have PCOS and I had to PUSH my doctor to test for it. I had a pelvic ultrasound and I just got diagnosed. It explains so much!!!

    I didn't have my period for a long time, not because of the PCOS, but because I was running so much (like 16 mile runs...) Your body may just be adjusting...I skip my period all the time. Stress, lifestyle change, travelling...the PCOS probably contributes to that.

    I'm not overweight, but I WORK my butt of at it. I think because of the PCOS I have to work harder than most girls just to maintain a healthy weight, but if that's what I have to do ,well, that's the way it is.

    The bloodwork results wont show anything out of the ordinary unless you get it done on the FIRST day of your period. I had many blood tests done but they didn't show anything because the doctors didnt know that it had to be done on my period.

    Go to a reproductive endocrinologist (preferrably a female one) who speciallizes in PCOS if you really want to see if anything is up. They're the only one's i've talked to who know anything about this.
  • ninnyfurr74
    ninnyfurr74 Posts: 111 Member
    I was diagnosed with PCOS about 7 years ago. I have always had a regular menstrual cycle and still do, despite being over weight and insulin resistant. PCOS is a syndrome and affects us all differently as we are all different. In my case I have had almost no problems with fertility, but I have a hard time carrying to term. If you are looking to lose weight you will probably do better with a lower carb diet but should always talk to your doctor first! Good luck!

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