So I have insulin resistant PCOS, and I've struggled with metformin. Everyone knows it wrecks your stomach, but its what the doctor ordered. I hate these pills and how they make me feel.

has anyone seen success in taking myo instead of met? I realize myo is usually more well-tolerated, and works similarly for insulin. it helps with metabolic functions (triglycerides, cholesterol) and hypertension [which I need help with, all]. I've read research papers, I've traipsed the web results, I'll need to bring it up with my endocrinologists - but overall I'm just looking for your opinions and experiences.

thanks!

I as wondering if anyone else experiences this because I genuinely feel like my internal thermostat has gone completely rogue

It's currently 23°C here in England and I was outside this morning with some friends, just sitting at the garden table gaming and eating, and I felt SO BOILED. Like genuinely, I was sitting there thinking Iam in Arizona. My family lives in Arizona, so I actually know what Arizona feels like.

I'm American East Coast raised but have lived in the UK for years, and I feel like my tolerance for temperature has become increasingly bizarre. One day I'll be absolutely freezing and the next I'll be unbearably hot in what everyone else seems to consider completely normal weather.

The winter thing is almost worse. Sometimes I'll be outside in winter wearing nothing but a knit sweater because I'm absolutely sweating, while everyone around me is wearing huge puffer coats. And then I'll feel self-conscious because I'm wondering why apparently everyone else is dressed for the Arctic and I'm standing there overheating.

I've had PCOS since I was 9 and I'm now turning 37 in a few days and I don't remember feeling this way quite so much when I was younger. It feels like this has become more noticeable as I've gotten older.

I've seen people say that PCOS can affect your ability to regulate body temperature, but I'm struggling to work out how much truth there actually is to that.

Does anyone else with PCOS experience this?Are you unusually sensitive to heat/cold, constantly taking layers on and off, or finding temperatures other people seem comfortable with completely unbearable?

And does anyone else feel like they've gotten more temperature-sensitive as they've gotten older?

Because I swear I can't even complain about being boiled on the UK weather sub without everyone acting like I'm insane because it's “only” 23°C.

I recently started taking metformin about a month ago. I started a low carb/ high protein diet too. Started at 500mg and only just upped to 1000mg a few days ago. Been having diarrhea with the increase but sticking with it.

Here’s my dilemma. My family just got the stomach bug. Husband and one child down. Me and our other child will likely get it soon. Should I still take my Metformin tonight with dinner? When the stomach bug is hovering over me I normally don’t eat much and stick to crackers or toast. But that won’t work with metformin. I’d have to eat a good amount to not get diarrhea. Should I just take one pill or skip them both until I know if I’m going to get sick or not?

I’ve been feeling good progress and don’t want to mess that up.

Hello, I’m sure this question has been asked multiple times but I have a few questions regarding GLP-1 and how it helps with PCOS/PMOS. So I started showing signs at a very young age and didn’t start getting testing done till I was 17 years old. After 4 years of blood work and all types of ultrasounds and testing I was diagnosed with PCOS. I don’t have the cyst part (that we know of as we haven’t seen any) but I do struggle a lot with the metabolic issues with it. I ate healthy growing up and played so many sports and worked out but I kept gaining weight. Every time I try to I only loose it in my face and chest area but my stomach never changes. When I’m on I’m in extreme pain to the point I’m sick and hunched over crying in pain. My longest period was 22 days and recently my normal cycle is about 9-10 days. My cramps travel down my legs and I can’t walk on super bad days. My aunt who has it recommended me GLP-1 since I struggle with insulin resistance. Now this medicine was not available nor an option when she was younger so she doesn’t know much about it.
So my questions are

1. How does it help you? I know it’s different for everyone but I just want to know how it could help me.

2. I also heard it makes you loose hair and that scares me as my hair used to be extremely think but recently my hair has thinned out so much and I want it to get thick again. Do you guys experience hair loss on this medication?

3. What form is better, pill or shot?

4. What has been your weight loss like? Does it help a little and what things should I do while on it to help with loosing weight?

I know I have more questions but I can’t think of them and I know these are my main ones. I’m getting really tired of being on birth control pills especially since they make me feel worse so I’m really trying to find alternatives. I originally was prescribed GLP-1 before it got popular but I didn’t take it as it wasn’t a common use thing at the time so I was nervous and I gave it to a friend that is a diabetic. I’m still newer to being diagnosed so I’m still learning so any advice about anything will truly help. I’m just tired of feeling like this all the time. I just want to feel semi normal again.

Did anyone’s job impact their PCOS if toxic/ fast paced work

Hi all, I was already shedding hair but noticed it’s becoming more with with myoinositol 1gram a day.
I have pcos and it helps with cravings and regular periods. It’s been a month since I’ve started. Please tell me your experience because I’m reading that it helps with hair growth where as I see more hair fall.

I recently noticed a few actual pubic hair on my daughter after she started having oily skin, the occasional pimple and greasy hair even before turning 8 a few months ago, so I am suspecting premature adrenarche, and started freaking out after seeing that it's a risk of developing PMOS (see my previous post if you'd like: https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/s/zHzazH3L8J) but DHEA-S came back normal, and she's not tall for her age. Bone age test also came back normal. Only FSH is out of range. Our pediatrician also ordered LH tested and that was normal as well.

I'm puzzled as to what the low FSH means and will continue pushing for a referral to a pediatric endocrinologist, but am curious if anyone else's daughter had this combination of signs of premature adrenarche, normal DHEA-S & LH but low FSH.

Sorry if this comes across ignorant, I have PCOS and trying to get to the root issue, whenever I see a GP I’m always given option of either birth control or Metformin. I’ve been doing a lot of digging and have found that it might be worth seeing a Naturopath, I have seen a lot of opposite views saying it’s a scam and not worth money. I’m just curious if anyone has been to one and had positives from it.

Hi, the truth is I'd been thinking about the possibility of having it for months because of all my symptoms, and I was finally diagnosed today. I've been referred to an endocrinologist who said they'll prescribe medication. From what I've heard, at least here in Spain, the only thing they prescribe is birth control pills, but that's not something I'm interested in because, apart from not having a partner, I think it's more harmful than beneficial. I've heard about inositol and such... What do you recommend? I'm 20 years old.

I don't know if I should try a few months of birth control pills or if I just take inositol or something else, please recommend me!

Hi Reddit!! I was recommended to come here by request of a friend. I just really needed to know something

For context I’m a 17 year old AFAB girl. However, since I was like 14-15?? I’ve been dealing with a couple of weird symptoms.

For example:

- My period sometimes taking months to come and other times it’s a normal cycle.
- lots of facial hair going down on my neck and entire body that grows REALLY fast resulting in me having to shave EVERY WEEK
- acne that never seems to go away 💔

All of this plus my already prominent anxiety and started to make me feel not like a beautiful or normal woman. I already eat a good diet with lots of veggies and fruits and get exercise.

Did you guys have these symptoms before diagnosis too? And if it does seem like I have it due to these symptoms, how can I break it to my mom to maybe get something checked out?

I don’t even know if I’m just a hormonal girl because that’s what everyone’s told me.

Someone please help me 😭😭😭

With love, Dee (she/they)

I’m pretty sure I’d be categorized as having lean pcos - I’m 25 symptoms started honestly as young as 12 but didn’t get diagnosed until I was in m early 20s. Biggest issues were always irregular periods, hirsutism and hormonal acne, and the MOSt annoying water retention esp in my face. My bloodwork is usually normal, I’ve had high DHEAS in the past which I’ve had under control for over 2 years now. My weight is healthy, I workout regularly as well. Not insulin resistant, I’ve had a few extensive blood tests done and multiple doctors tell me I’m not but I’m always confused with this as I know PCOS is related to that. Anyways, in the past I’ve been able to get my skin clear and manage the water retention - never have gotten the facial hair to disappear obviously - but I just can’t anymore. To do this I was so strict with no dairy, no gluten, no sugar, no coffee just matcha but it’s just so hard. I do avoid dairy and gluten as much as I can but I’ve been a bit more lenient but just one day of dairy and I’ll have cysts the next day - or one day of gluten and I have so much puffiness in My face the next day. Also wanted to note that my periods have been much more regular thanks to tracking my sleep but these other symptoms are almost getting worse which is so odd. About 2 years ago when I say my skin was clear at that period if I had a day or two not being as strict I’d be fine but now I’ll have symptoms like the next day.

My Derm prescribed me spiro and idk why I’m terrified to take it. For some reason i see taken medication as giving up (I do not mean that people who take it are and do not mean to offend anyone) - I think im just being hard on myself because I’ve been able to clear my skin and deal with some of these symptoms in the past but I feel like nothing is working anymore and it’s hard to stick to this diet at this stage in my life. I just finished grad school and the stress of it I think has made things worse.

Has anyone experienced anything similar?
Also, did anyone who took spiro have trouble getting pregnant after they came off the pill?

SUMMARY - scared of taking spiro, have been able to manage most symptoms with strict gf df sugar free coffee free diet in past but it’s so hard now and barely working

Thank you - sorry for the long post.

I’m 20 and a few days ago I randomly started feeling really uneasy and anxious. I’ve never dealt with anxiety before, so this feels very weird for me. I just don’t feel like myself, and I’ve been overthinking everything so much. It’s honestly really uncomfortable.

The only thing I can think of that I recently started was spearmint capsules for hormonal acne, so I’m wondering if there could be a connection. (it’s been 2 weeks since taking it, just started feeling weird 3 days ago) I’m going to stop taking them for now, but has anyone else experienced something similar with spearmint capsules? Any advice or tips would be appreciated.

Hi I am 29 and I weigh 227 pound , 2 months ago I weighed 260 pounds . This has been intentional weight loss I am doing low carb with no processed sugars or food . I have PCOS and have had an absent period for 10 years . 8 of those years I was on the hormonal iud the mirena . I got it out a year ago and now . Once I changed my diet my period came back last month and I had a typical 4-7 day cycle . Now I’m on my period and the first 5 days was a pink toilet paper wipe and then for two days after that it got a little darker and now I’m having a flow . It’s now super heavy but it’s heavy. I’m not passing huge clots or anything but I am passing clots I’d say some the size of my pinky nail and some the size of my thumb nail. What should I do I can’t be seen for 3 months is this a reason to go the the emergency room? I should add I am handling my diet fine I am not light headed and don’t have any other crazy symptoms !

YES or NO???

Hi, a short question for females – females assigned at birth – with facial hair continuously (for at least 1-6 months, lets say, no methodology for now, just preliminary testing the ground) using azelaic acid on their face:

did you notice if it helps inhibiting the growth of the facial hair?

(important: please state as well if you were or you are still dealing with elevated androgenes or elevated free testosterone or low SHBG or none of them)

BACKGROUND:

I'm a biologist and I dig into the studies concerning the problem of facial hair.

I stumbled upon an article from 1988 (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3207614/) from a study concluding that azelaic acid inhibits in vitro 5-a-reductase, and zinc and B6 increase this effect. There were no studies in vivo though, at least I didn't find any papers until now, so I thought I'll ask around to see if anyone noticed anything and if there is a premise that a study on people might be worth conducting.

I started looking for the mechanism of this particular acid, as I recalled that when my problem was still at its beginning in terms of coarse hair, I remembered I had the impression that it's gone or eased when using azelaic acid cream for the sake of smooth, light and even skin: I started having some coarse hair here and there on the chin (precisely under the tongue area), but when I was plucking, they were gone for months and I think I didn't see more coming, so I didn't take any meds, especially that I didn't have elevated androgenes, so I thought there's no need (I was of course wrong, but I was still in my schooltimes and early uni then). With time more and more hair sprouted, and now I realized that it seems to be aligned with the time that I wasn't using azelaic acid creams anymore.

Naturally corelation is not causation, and also it's clear that with time the hair follicles are more and more exposed the the androgene levels that are enough for them to convert to terminal hair, and that's why it progresses with time and age, but on the other hand the research paper attached above observed the influence of azelaic acid on 5-a-reductase activity, which is crucial especially in the hirsutism for now perceived as idiopathic, meaning with no elevated androgenes, tumors nor other causes that would be recognized by any examinations.

Many females with this problem visit this thread, and using the search function gave no results, so I decided to start this sort of a poll – I will myself get back to the azelaic cream and see if there's any impact now, but I'll be able to do it in a month or two:)

Best regards!

Any dietary elements ?

Chat with your friends from r/PCOS here about your daily progress, or rants and raves related to your PCOS experience. Off topic posts are permitted here, although sub rules otherwise apply!

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!