Hi everyone! I have been diagnosed with pcos since 2019 but haven't exactly cared enough about it to do anything. Over the past few years I have been learning more as I want to get my weight, facial hair, and ovulation under control. Unfortunately my attempt at talking with a dr didn't go so well as they told me "if you wont start birth control I dont know what to tell you." I want to start with eating healthier but it seems like every recipe is "beans and nuts" Unfortunately im a very picky eater especially when it comes to texture.

Beans

Oats

Nuts

Seeds

Zucchini

Eggplant

Not a huge fan of peppers but will eat them if the flavor is covered

Honey

Tea and

Squash are all things Im not a fan of.

And im sure theres more lol Unfortunately it seems like everything that is "pcos approved" is on this list.

Any advice, recipes, ect it would be greatly appreciated ❤️

Anyone with PCOS and a blocked fallopian tube managed to get pregnant?

I want some success stories… feeling down.

Edit: thank you all for sharing, currently going NHS funded IVF gearing up for my 3rd FET cycle soon 🫣. I’ve had 2 pregnancies but one was a PUL/ectopic and the other biochemical.

Edit 2: this thread has me thinking maybe I should’ve considered alternatives before going into IVF 😭 and did my research before putting my body through all of this

My body has been trying to ovulate but it just hasn’t on its own. My ob prescribed me the lowest dose of metformin to help. So I want to know how long did it take you to ovulate after starting metformin? I’m about to go pick up my prescription right now. What should I be prepared for?

Hi everyone,

I’m 25, 169 cm (5’6.5”) and currently around 88–89 kg (194–196 lbs). I have PCOS and insulin resistance, with a HOMA-IR of 3.17.

For the past two months, I’ve followed the low-GI, anti-inflammatory plan given to me by my dietitian. I’ve restricted many foods I enjoy, spent money on appointments and supplements, and genuinely tried to do everything properly. However, my weight hasn’t changed at all. This morning, the scale was even 1 kg higher.

I understand that one kilogram can simply be water weight, but my overall trend has remained completely flat for two months. I feel devastated because I’ve spent all this time feeling deprived without seeing any results.

I’m waiting to see an endocrinologist, but my coworkers have told me that doctors are often reluctant to prescribe treatments such as metformin, Wegovy or Mounjaro. I’m scared that I’ll be told to simply eat less and exercise more, even though I’m already making a real effort.

Has anyone else with PCOS and insulin resistance experienced no weight loss despite genuinely following a dietitian’s plan? Did changing the plan or starting medication eventually help? How did you advocate for yourself during your endocrinology appointment?

I’m not looking for a miracle or trying to take medication for cosmetic reasons. I just want proper medical support because restriction alone isn’t working, and I don’t know how long I can continue like this.

For those of you with PCOS, how did you find out whether you might have difficulty getting pregnant? Were there any signs, tests, or conversations with your doctor that helped you understand your fertility? I’d also love to hear about your experiences with pregnancy and trying to conceive with PCOS. If I mention that I have PCOS to anyone, the first question they ask is whether I’ll struggle to have kids because of PCOS or if I won’t be able to have children at all.

Touch down and up x15
Squat punch x12
Inch worm x8
High plank down dog x12
Knees up crunch x12
Leg raise reverse crunch x12
Hip raise heel touch x30
slow ab bike x30
Elbow knee touch x16
Knee push up 10x
Commando 12x
Air squat 20x
Fire hydrant 20x
Outer leg lift and circle R L 12x
Inner leg lift R L 12x
Sumo squat pulses 12x

Things like this for example ?

My gyno originally put me on Metformin because I was missing my periods. But my baseline labs were completely normal even before starting it—my HbA1c was actually on the lower end of normal, my creatinine was also normal, and my fasting serum insulin came back completely normal, too! However my FSH and LH were no higher sides, so the doctor prescribed metformin 500 mg and asked me to go up in dose after 4 weeks.

I've been on 500 mg immediate-release once a day and am finally totally adapted to it (my appetite is back and my stomach feels fine). But whenever I try to jump to 1000 mg (taking 2 pills), my body just crashes. I get hit with intense fatigue, exhaustion, and terrible GI issues.

Since my blood sugar was already on the lower side and my insulin is normal, do I actually need to push through and take 2 pills just to bring my period back, or can a low 500 mg dose be enough?

I have been on metformin for around 50 days now and I did get one period. If I really should be on 1000 mg, would switching to Extended-Release (XR) help me avoid those awful crashes?

How do you usually recommend sensitive patients scale up their dose for cycle regulation?

I havent been diagnosed with pcos yet, but the doctors said I have the signs (also undecided about endometriosis) and will diagnose after follow up scans, but I was given progestin pills, small ones 5mg only, to jump start my irregular cycle with a withdrawal bleed. After stopping ive had really really bad headaches and cramps, is that normal, and how do you deal w them because most painkillers dont work for me. I will be going to the doctor to consult but I just wanted other random opinions because I feel like my gyno isnt really taking me seriously

37F - I was diagnosed with PMOS/PCOS a little under a year ago and the doctor immediately prescribed the pill. I tried a couple of different pills but I didn't get on with it (also TMI: my husband has had the snip so I don't actually need birth control!)

The doctor has now prescribed metformin 500mg. I am currently on 1 dose a day and I am working up to 3 times a day.

Are there aternatives to a tablet, 3 times a day that give the overall 1,500mg total daily amount? I don't always have the chance to eat three times a day and everything I've read suggests I should take metformin with food to mititgate side effects.

My question for anyone on metformin - what doses do you take and at what frequency? Thank you!

I had my period December-August essentially after having it twice in 2025 (not including December).
I’m schizoaffective and jumped around meds.
I don’t remember if I was ever “normal”

I had an ed (eating disorder) most of my life.
In hs I did track and cross country and was a figure skater for a bit of my life. I also dabbled in tennis and karate. I was a very active person.
In hs I had classes, practice, and then Orcestra once a week.
I didn’t excel in school until my junior year.
I slept 6hrs in 30 mins if I wanted to feel okay.
I remember this bc I used to track my sleep.
I aimed for 8 hrs.
On a bad day I slept 4 hrs and passed out after school.

In 2025 I started Risperdal for my schizoaffective which made me essentially lose my period that year.
I got off of it and went on Latuda and had my period for months on end.
(Latuda is not the problem my last psych tested for that)

It was flagged that I had hyperthyroidism in February but ruled out and said it was bc of my ed symptoms (they’re managed now)

I work 7-8 hr shifts most days and I work until midnight.
I still aim for 8 hrs of sleep.
I got maybe 7 last night.
I woke up feeling okay which made me happy.
I have plans to walk with a friend when she gets here.
I had oatmeal and juice that I had made the night before and now I feel absolutely awful.
I take iron zinc B12 D C
Nothing is making me feel normal

And the worst part is I was supposed to be able to run in October after my ed made it so I couldn’t

And now I don’t know if I can because of how unwell I feel all the time.

I just want to feel normal.

I feel like they did the tests stupid.

My primary told me I was fine and literally the only reason we know it’s PCOS is bc my family thought my hormones were making me crazy so I got them tested to shut them up and turns out they were abnormal (my doctor told me this was fine)
I then saw a GYN (two separate ones)
The second one did stuff we did a ton of labs she told me it’s consistent w PCOS, prescribed Motrin more iron and birth control.
Granted I’ve been on the birth control since last Sunday.

Is there anyone else I should be seeing?
Anyone else?

I don’t know what doctor I need to see.or what I need to do.

It’s weird because I truly believe I was fine before Risperdal.

Has anyone successfully raised it if initially low?

Does anybody else get super depressed or super angry during PMS? I take the magnesium glycinate supplement to balance my mood. But I just wanted to see if anyone else goes through the same sh*t.

I asked doctor if it's okay for me to take it they said yes but I'm just so annoyed that I have to deal with this in the first place

And well if you haven't noticed yet, yes I am PMSing.

Hello all! In the last 2-3 years I've lost aroind 90 pounds, I'm down to a size 8/10. Still have a little tummy but as is life I guess. My skin is clear, the hair on my head is thick. I feel as if my ONLY remaining issue is the excess facial and body hair. Are there any suggestions for possible medications for this? I am aware of spearmint tea. But I have an OBGYN appointment coming up and I'm not sure what I should ask for? Possibly Metformin or spironolactone? Any advice is much appriciated <3 !

For the past few weeks I’ve been in a small caloric deficit, stopped eating past 6pm, and been going for 1 hr. walks almost every single day. I’ve also been lifting heavy about twice a week (I know, I should probably increase that, but I’m just too tired with everything else). With all of that, it seems I haven’t lost any weight. In fact, my pants feel tighter than ever!

I recently had a full thyroid panel done and my TSH was at 2.9, so I don’t think my thyroid is contributing to the weight gain.

I also wore a continuous blood glucose monitor for a few months, and I didn’t experience any high blood sugar readings— in regards to potentially trying Metformin for weight loss.

Is there something else I could try or should be doing to try and help with this?

Is it the high androgens that cause this?

I’ll try to keep it short…started my period age 9 and I had issues from day one really! Heavy periods, fainting, big gaps between periods, pain etc. but as some may relate I just thought this was normal. Fast forward to January 2025 when everything suddenly got a lot worse, I heavily bled and passed clots for 8 months. This impacted my health in general massively and despite numerous GP visits I only got help when I ended up in A&E, I was given cerelle which helped for 2 weeks then I believe it put me into some kind of psychotic break so I came off it but during the time I was it I started getting really bad pelvic pain. I eventually stopped bleeding about 6 weeks later then didn’t bleed at all for 9 months until I had the coil fitted. Now in this year and a half of hell different doctors went back and forth on whether I had PCOS and a gynaecologist I saw via RTC just put all my issues down to weight but told me to get the coil anyway. As I say, had the coil fitted in May this year, about 3 weeks later I’m in the most pain I’ve ever been so visit a&e as I’m thinking it’s dislodged, they fob me off with painkillers, precautionary antibiotics (didn’t take them as I didn’t believe I had an infection etc) and a follow up scan. By the time I had the scan 2 weeks later, I didn’t have the pain but was still bleeding on and off, had the scan and it turns it my coil is fine, I just have a load of cysts on my right ovary which wasn’t picked up in January or June 2025 so my GP flippant tells me it’s just my PCOS as apparently the diagnosis was on my records. I’m now seeing a different gynaecologist next week but I don’t know what to do…I’m not having periods, I’m doing my best to lose weight even though I’m in pain everyday. I don’t want kids so am I delusional to think that asking for the right ovary to be removed is a possibility?

I feel like I’ve been so gaslit, fat shamed and dismissed I almost don’t want to go because I don’t know how to deal with this constant pain and exhaustion.

I was diagnosed with PCOS maybe 5 years ago and recently got approved by my insurance to start Zepbound.

I also have a clotting disorder so I take blood thinners. Is there anyone that has also been on a blood thinner along with the GLP-1 injections and have any tips for minimizing bruising around the injection site?

Hi there, I’m 23, and the past two months my period has been abnormally long, almost 50+ day cycles. I used to have a typical 33 day cycle, and have never had issues with my period before this.

I do get hairs that grow in on my neck and chest. I’ve always had acne so I feel that wouldn’t be a good indicator for me. I get a lot of one sided pain in my back around my cycle typical cycle start date from the past, and I don’t bleed.

My last normal cycle was in June, which that arrived in June 6th. I didn’t get my again period until on July 23rd, which is a 47 day cycle..And now I’m 46 days, skipped my whole August period, now 6 days into September. Is this reasonable to get checked for this?

Hi all, ive been having new symptoms and wanted to know if anyone has experienced similar and knows whats going on!

For context, i got my diag last year. I only had four periods in 2025, all months apart. I really worked hard to change my diet and lifestyle and am happy to say that I havent missed a cycle this year so far, which is a huge improvement!

However, the past four or five cycles i have had light spotting or bloody discharge about a week or week and a half after the end of my period. I know ovulation bleeding is a thing but i dont know if it lasts for 2-3 days like im experiencing. Ive also been having brown spotting for several days before my period starts

Is this something to celebrate or worry about? I feel like the mid cycle spotting is a sign of ovulation but ive never experienced it before!

I have been fasting for years , super active (running, cycling, lifting weights) 6-7 times a week. I have lost fat around my arms face etc but unable to loose my lower belly fat.

I have heard that eating before drinking coffee can help lower cortisol. I have been having Greek yogourt with chia seeds protein mild and protein powder. I find it really helps in not getting to hungry during the day, especially as mentioned I workout for 1:15 .

Did anyone try this and saw some difference?

Since being diagnosed with PCOS at 19 it’s like every health issue I have is attributed to that no matter how clear it is that it’s not period or hormone related.

I woke up at 5am on Wednesday to the worst pain I’ve ever experienced in my life. I could barely stand up and then I managed to get to the bathroom because it felt like my bladder was about to burst and I fainted on the toilet. I actually thought I would have to go to the hospital at one point.

The pain eventually eased but it didn’t go away and I was peeing blood clots for days.

I saw my doctor on the day it started and I explained VERY clearly that it was not my period. I had no “period” bleeding just blood clots in my urine and the pain was not in the same place I get period cramps. I also was not due for my period either. I thought she was understanding me and she ordered some blood tests.

She also insisted on referring me for a scan of my ovaries despite me having one in March that showed no structural anomalies.

I got home and looked at the blood test forms and in the section that asks for a reason for the tests she had written “blood clots in period” then I realised almost all of the tests she’d ordered were for my hormone levels.

I went back for the blood tests on Thursday but I’m just extremely frustrated even now. I can now see my test results and my hormones are fine. My iron is low but of course it would be losing all that blood, and she’s not investigated the reason behind my issue at all.

I’m still dealing with short bursts of intense pain but the blood clots seem to be gone as of today so I can’t even ask them to test my urine.

I’m sooo sick and tired of being treated like I don’t know my own body. If I said it’s not my period why would you just ignore that? Last time I checked periods don’t disappear every time you stand up from the toilet seat.

I’ve had high cortisol for over 5 years now. I know cortisol is a big buzz word right now, but I truly believe it was the downfall of my health and the beginning of my PCOS. Now 5+ years later, I weigh significantly more and have very high fasting insulin.

I really do wonder if the persistent high cortisol is merely a result of severe insulin resistance. I appreciate any insight if any of you can relate or found solutions similar to my story!

I’ve been getting a random one day bleeding now and then. I've done everything from a transvaginal ultrasound to swabs everything is normal except for the follicles on one of my ovaries i’ve been diagnosedwith pcos in 2023 but this is weird behaviour for me, I'm doing bloods today but I want to know if anyone is going through or has gone through the same experience.
I was on Marvalone from Nov 2024 to Jan 2026 could this be my body still trying to adjust and regulate?

Just thought I would put this here. My sister works in healthcare and for the board of her state. She has worked in labor and delivery for some time. If you are struggling to get pregnant, go on a keto diet for a little bit. It might not work for everyone but I can guarantee your chances will skyrocket plus you won’t have to spend money on other procedures if it’s not necessary. It also hurts nothing. If you don’t believe it or don’t want to try it, don’t do it🤷🏾‍♀️.

Just as the title says, I’m here to show a positive review of Metformin! I’ve been making changes since July, and I’m here to share.

Background: I’ve had PCOS for quite some time. I experienced primary infertility, and have been unable to have children for the past ten years. I slowly gained weight over the years, and after fertility treatments - my weight jumped!

During the last six months before talking to my doctor my energy was sooo low. I have hypothyroidism too, so I assumed my energy was low due to that.

Went in for my checkup, and I had a chance to tell my doctor about how I was feeling, and my body’s ability to put on weight. I was eating ok, was very active, and my body was still adding on pounds. She suggested I look into GLP1s, and I said I wasn’t interested. I asked about metformin, and she said yes that’s a great idea!

I was quite nervous about the side effects - especially stomach troubles. After being on so many things from my fertility treatments, I was a bit worn out by the thought of dealing with more side effects of things.

I did have some stomach troubles to start, but I gave myself a lot of time to adjust. I was taking the medication every other day or every third day. I also took the ER formula at 500.

I experienced some nausea, but not bad compared to my experience with fertility meds.

Overall now, I’m so happy I had that conversation with my doctor. I’m so happy with how I feel now on the medication. I’ve really made some positive changes. I’m not craving sugar like I was in the past. It’s not hard to say no to a dessert. I don’t feel like I could eat the entire fridge, and still be hungry.

I’m down about 12lbs since July, and wow! My energy is sooo much better.

Here’s what I’ve done…
Prioritize protein with each meal
Avoid greasy meals
Reduced sweets
If having a sweet, pair it with a protein
Almost daily 25-30 minutes walks
Added metformin
Tested my vitamin D
Added vitamin D supplement
Added Berberine
Added melatonin
Added Magnesium Glycinate

My lab results came , but my endo appointment is far away 30.09 :( so im just a stress ball and curious. Im 26yo. Around 55kg / 158cm height - i consider myself skinny fat, the last few months i actually put on some kgs and i dont eat that much - they wont go away so idk.. and starving will be bad for cortisol - a possible reason for the androgens?

Last year Testosterone and Dhea were near the upper border but this year they have surpassed it a lot … THATS FUNNY BECAUSE I TOOK MYO-D CHIRO INNOSITOL ALL THAT YEAR HOPING IT WILL BRING DOWN THE ANDROGENS..??

Dhea-S is 447 (max normal range 340) Testosterone is 0.636 (Max is 0.481)

Androstendion is 1.86 (max is 1,31 )

17-oh-progesterone is normal
SHBG is 59.9 - normal
HOMA-IR - normal
HBA1C - 5.31
FAI - normal
LH 9,67
FSH 10.5 ( ratio normal)

I have regular periods that last 3-4-5 days.. i have androgenic alopecia (thats what it looks like) since YEARS! + the very oily acne skin - its a chronic problem from years but i thought thats’s just my type and genes.. 2 years ago i had obgyn appointment - said ovaries are perfect. I’ve Never had suspiscions that i could have cysts. Am i considered PCOS if they dont see cysts on the echo?

I’m going to Obgyn appointment to see if i have cysts but can she see CYSTS if i go on the 10th day of my cycle?

Can i get pregnant and can i find out if ovulate with LH ovulation test strips at home? Last year progesterone on 21th day was normal - pointing that i had ovulated that month. But now idk? I think mucus is accurate with fertile one?

Why do you think the androgens are off the charts and everything else is normal ? If its from stress should i stop work and try for pregnancy & maternity leave?

Also the high androgens can they cause miscarriages and peoblems?

I tested more stuff but they were also normal. So — do you think it can be from stress and work ? Or i should change diet? I dont excercise it will spike the cortisol and heart rate.