I was recently diagnosed with PCOS in April 2016. I have always had issues with cysts. Even when I was in my mom’s stomach, they could tell something wasn’t right, and she had to have a C-section a month before the due date. I had a cyst on my small intestine, unrelated to PCOS, that created a blockage, so I couldn’t digest food. They ultimately decided to do surgery right away. Luckily, everything with that went fine, and I haven’t had any further complications.
Strangely, they noticed I was born with a cyst on my ovary as well. Fast forward 15 years, and I was hospitalized on two separate occasions with cysts so big they ruptured inside of me. I almost had my ovary removed but decided against it at the last minute, since I was so young, and that would have cut my chances of having children in half. They told me to stay on birth control, and it would help the cysts not to develop, but they never told me at the time that it was PCOS.
Recently, at the age of 28, I stopped taking birth control and didn’t have a period in over 6 months, so I knew something was up. I wasn’t pregnant, although I was with a long term boyfriend–now ex-boyfriend–regularly with no protection. According to the blood tests, my prolactin levels were elevated, as were some other hormones. My stomach felt weird and different than the pain I previously felt with the ovarian cysts. I felt like I had air bubbles in my stomach. It was strange. I went and had an ultrasound, which confirmed that I had PCOS. Between my blood test and the ultrasound showing the multiple cysts covering my ovaries, I was finally diagnosed.
It makes sense now why I’ve gained weight and my acne has been acting up. I just started taking the medicine they prescribed me today, so we’ll see how it goes. My hormones have been up and down though. I’ve recently stopped drinking too. I was a heavy drinker, so I thought that could have been the cause, but it wasn’t. My mom said, “Well, if you just kept taking your birth control, this wouldn’t have happened,” but the doctor told me it’s hereditary, and I was born with it.
I’m scared and disappointed, feeling like I will never have kids. I’ve never even had a pregnancy scare. I can’t imagine a greater joy than having a child, and the lack of support and understanding from my family is equally hard. They want to blame it on other things, but they just don’t understand. The weight gain is horrible and all in my mid section. I feel like a kangaroo with my pouch of fat. I wish they cared enough to try and understand me. They just turn their backs and judge me and don’t realize how scared and sad this makes me. But I know God has a reason for everything, and it’s through my faith that I can be strong and maintain my sobriety as well. I’m glad to know that I’m not alone in this. Anyone who wants to email me, feel free. 🙂
Jill
Washington
Submitted 04/27/2016
The informational content of this article is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
This story is intended to convey a personal experience and, because every person’s experience is unique, should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional healthcare advice.
Hi My name is Dawn! I’ve a similar story!! I give a nut shell version! I started gaining weight around puberty. Always carried my weight in my stomach, irregular periods, and hard time loosing weight even though I’m super active! Fast forward to about 25/26 years old… Get married try and have kids. No luck after 1 year. So I see a great dr. who sits down and starts to ask questions. She give me the diagnosis of PCOS. Start meds and infertility. Another 2 years go by and we welcome our first baby! Immediately start trying for another baby… 3 years go by and I get pregnant but have a miscarriage. Another 3 years go by and we welcome our 2 baby!! Now by this time I’m 36! So here the thing.. PCOS is not the end of the world…. It’s a bump in the road that can be detoured!! Now I’m 43 and have 2 beautiful boys! I still fight with my weight (all in the stomach) but I’m pretty healthy overall. We’re an active family that likes to hike, play sports, travel, and be adventurous!!! Do your research… Stay strong!!!
how did u have hope that everything will be okay ?
I have a similar story but my story will give you hope !! Around 18 or so I started taking birth control , never had any issues with getting my cycle prior to starting the pills. After a few months of taking birth control I didn’t like how I felt so I stopped it . My period also stopped and I gained about 100 pounds in what seemed like over nite . I had always been very tiny . Still had no idea what was going on but I felt aweful all the time . After getting married in 2005 we wanted to start our family but since my cycles were so off i was having trouble getting pregnant . Well fast forward till today , I have 4 beautiful children ages 6,4,2, and 11 months and I have gotten rid of pcos and lost all but a few pounds of the weight I gained . Diet is everything with pcos as well as exercise . I had all of my kids on my own without medicines . There is hope !!!
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 14……. I’ve always had pain in my stomach
Irregular periods and insomnia but had no idea thought it was normal then I went to the doctor and he told me that I had to lose 15 kg I’ve always had trouble losing weight although I can sit days without eating at all but I’m still over weight …. Now I have THose thoughts that I won’t be able to have my own kids and that I’m not a normal teen makes it worse when people be like why u so hairy why can’t u lose weight they just think it’s me who is not wanting to lose the weight not that I have hard time losing it .
I am 21 going to be 22 in February. I was first diagnosed with PCOS at the age of 17 when I realised that my period lasted for 3 weeks ( 🙁 yeah I know). For the next few months up till the age of 19, I was in and out of the hospital running tests and ultrasounds. The hospital felt like my home and I didn’t like it. I was placed on birth control and told that my cycle would be regular but It wasn’t so I stopped. During that time I went through changes, too much for someone my age.
The pain (the level of pain that I have been through I don’t think that I can go through it again), depression, anxiety, weight gain. with others the weight gain is difficult but with me it drops so quickly that I don’t realise it until I observe photographs of myself. At the age of 20 I got used to my body being different but I knew something wasn’t right when my weight dropped again.
At the age of 21 I realised that I am frequently fatigue despite me living in my room and always in bed. I can’t sleep durning the day and have difficulty sleeping at nights. August I missed my period since I was stressed out and missed my boyfriend I think that affected me a bit, September It came the second week and left the third week in October. Guess what I decided to go back on the pill.
Keep in mInd that my weight is still dropping. Certainly I am depress because of all these changes and I can’t enjoy my alone time with my boyfriend since my body is so off balanced. I have spent the entire day trying to understand this new level of change with my body. I realised that noone never mentioned problems with their sex life and this one is affecting me to the point that I fell like I’m disappointing my boyfriend ( I cry all the time thinking about it and I’m scared to mention it to him).
I am at the point where I don’t feel loved and noone really understands how I feel inside each day and only see the smile I put on . I do hope that things with get better for me but for now this is my story.
i was diagnosed with pcos a week ago and it has been the hardest week of my life. My insulin level is high and I am absolutely terrified of getting Diabetes, not to mention I’m a broke kid and healthy food is really expensive.
I was diagnosed 02/22/17. I feel your pain. I feel depressed.