PCOS, diet, and birthcontrol??

SuperStorm
SuperStorm Posts: 119 Member
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
When I was about fifteen I had my first cyst rupture and thought I was going to die. I remember my mother driving me to the emergency room in a complete panic fearing the worse, and by the time I got there I felt fine. It took some time to figure out what had happened and continued to happen. As I met my now hubby and it "got serious" and I required birthcontrol, the most recommended birthcontrol for PCOS that I could find was Depo Provera. I heard girls complaining about weight gain with birthcontrol but I never had the problem...then again I'd been heavier for a while so who knows lol
I stayed on Depo until my hubby and I wanted to have a baby so I switched (as recommended by my doc) to Yaz until the Depo got out of my system and then eased off the Yaz. Unfortunately we had numerous infertility issues and after a long and painful story, I ended up back on Depo. Now my doc isn't going to offer Depo anymore and I REALLY like her so I don't want to go to someone else. I am considering Seasonique because it will kind of keep me on the same three month schedule. Is anyone with PCOS taking Seasonique or do you know of a better one for it? Sometimes when those cysts rupture it takes me down, no joke, so I want to remain on birthcontrol to help with that. Also, I don't want to end up gaining 15lbs just because of new birthcontrol...ugh the decisions. Any ideas or suggestions would be great! Thanks!!

Replies

  • msbanana
    msbanana Posts: 793 Member
    Hi!
    I have PCOS as well- I was on Depo for years at the advice of an IDIOT doctor. It did not help with stopping or slowing cyst development at all. Yes, I didn't ovulate or menstrate but I would still be dropped regularly when the cysts ruptured and the facial hair and weight continued to be an issue. I got a different doc, one with more experience dealing with PCOS and he switched me to the pill.I have done MUCH MUCH MUCH better on the pill. I take Reclipsen and have only had 1 cyst incident and one "other" issue (birthcontrol of anysort couldn't control that one) in the last 2 years. I have dropped 80 pounds and the facial hair even grows in slower. Everyone's different but talk to your doctor about all of the options available to you and do a little more research about the most effect form of controling PCOS. If you decide Depo's best for you switch docs.

    Good Luck!
    :flowerforyou:
  • brieski24
    brieski24 Posts: 22
    I have recently been diagnosed with PCOS as well, I have never take a birth control because they always cause really bad adverse side effects, to the point where I get really crazy, depressed, etc. I am taking metformin 500mg twice a day for the PCOS, and I've lost about 10 pounds in the last 2.5 months (thats when I found out).... do you recommend taking a birth control when being on PCOS?? Does it help symptoms? I have 4 cysts now, none have ruptured... but Im afraid of growing more, or having them rupture and Im wondering if the BC would help-- on the flip side Im afraid of the side effects including weight gain of the BC... let me know.
  • Pandemonium
    Pandemonium Posts: 63
    One of the reasons why I am loosing weight is to see if my symptoms of PCOS will subside. They have no idea if my PCOS is causing the weight issue, or if the weight is causing the PCOS. So my doctors tell me to loose weight, eat right and exercise to see if that will "cure" it.

    I wish us all luck!
  • SuperStorm
    SuperStorm Posts: 119 Member
    I'm going to spend quite a bit of time tomorrow researching birth controls. I want to remain on one to help with the periods, mine were crazy heavy with extreme cramps and I could NOT function. I still have cysts rupture even on Depo but really no side effects that I can see. I did like Yaz for the short time I was on it, but I want to see if it's beneficial to PCOS. I did read a little about Reclipsen at work today but everyone seemed to be getting terrible migraines and I have enough medical issues without creating a new one. So, as of yet I am undecided... Thanks ladies for all the help!!
  • brookeflinn
    brookeflinn Posts: 3
    I have heard that Yaz is one of the best for people with PCOS. From the time I was 16 to about 23 I only had 3-4 periods a year naturally because of my PCOS. Unfortunately that came with the downside of a very thick uterine lining and high risk of cancer. I have tried a few different BC, but since I never had to get used to what I call the monthly crazies (and yes I do go crazy...and get very despressed). Since my main concern was my uterine lining I decided to get the Merina IUD. It took me several months for my body to get used to having an object in it, but now I rarely have a period and when I do it is short and oh so small. I do not know how it affects the ovarian cysts. Mine very rarely get big enough to burst on me.

    I had to pay for the IUD upfront and was reimbursed by my insurance company, but it's good for 5 years. So it's kind of a toss up...pay for BC every month for five years or pay for an IUD once and then nothing else for fiver years.
  • KmarieJ
    KmarieJ Posts: 1
    I have PCOS and I've been taking the generic version of Ortho Tri-Cyclen and have been fine. I haven't had any cyst problems yet, but I went years without a period. I got on Ortho Tri-Cyclen and Metformin and have been doing really well. All of my symptoms calmed down and I haven't had a bad effects. I get a period every month but it's not very heavy. The cramps can get bad but that's what Alieve is for right? Haha.

    Anyways, it's cheep and has been working great for me. (And I married as well, so it's been working fine in that department too)
  • msbanana
    msbanana Posts: 793 Member
    You want ot be careful with IUDs and PCOS. One of the side effects of Mirena is Ovarian Cysts. I had thought about that as an option and the thought was quickly thwarted when I read that. Again, Good luck in the search for the right method.

    :drinker:
  • Cytherea
    Cytherea Posts: 515 Member
    I did like Yaz for the short time I was on it, but I want to see if it's beneficial to PCOS.

    I've been on Yasmin/Yaz since I was first diagnosed with PCOS. My doctor told me that it was the best for controlling my symptoms and without some of the adverse side effects (like weight gain- I was more than heavy enough already! LOL).

    You do get your period every month, but it is so much lighter and way less painful. I didn't have cramps for years. Recently, they've started coming back (in the last year or so) ... but nothing like they used to be. I've had no side effects so I really recommend it.

    Weight loss is supposed to help control the symptoms too. I'm hoping that by Christmas I'll have lost a total of over 60 lbs., and I plan on making December my last month on the pill. I'll still be "overweight" and have about 15-20 lbs. left to lose, but I want to see if my body can "fix itself." lol
  • grrl77
    grrl77 Posts: 108
    I think you should be careful with the whole birth control thing. I took Yasmin for about six years, and wound up developing a blood clot in my leg, where I was promptly taken off. I'm actually involved in a lawsuit right now against the manufacturers of Yasmin/Yaz. It's known that BC pills do increase the risk of blood clots, but with this particular medication, there was some sort of derivitive in the makeup of the drug that actually increased it substantially, compared to others. Just some food for thought.
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