My biggest problem about PCOS has always been, will always be, the obscenely long and heavy periods, whereas most women with PCOS are concerned with trying to concieve.

Is anybody else not trying to get pregnant?

Does anybody know a good support site/board for those NOT trying to get pregnant who have PCOS?

I really, truly do feel for all of you who have been trying to have children, but can't. However, the truth of the matter is that, for me, not being able to get pregnant has been a blessing. I recently got my tubes tied. I'll never have children. And every support site that I've been on seems to have the focus on getting pregnant. It is REALLY frustrating.

Any suggestions?

TIA!

Hi there!

I'm not yet sure whether I have PCOS. Until 2 years ago, I had irregular periods of 35 days and longer (frequently skipping 2-3 a year). Then, 3-4 months into a year of cycletouring things became normal: 29 days.
Never really heavy though.

But my concern was almost entirely sports-related.. I have gained a lot of weight during a period of relative but not gross inactivity and wanted to get rid of it.
My body fat % was very high at 38% and by rigid low-carbing, lotsa weight training AND cardio I still wasn't able to get it done.
Using an EC-stack finally helped push it down to 30% and also by going to a low caloric intake of 1500 kcal in comparison to my caloric expene (2500-3000 kcal).

I've been diagnosed with high testosterone/androsteendion and somewhat higher cortisol levels. No cysts were seen ,but I think that situation was reversed 2 years ago, when periods normalized to 29 days.

Fietser, just wanting to get rid of all that visceral fat and sad about the fact that she was always soooo embarassed about her fat belly! (not married, no wish to have kids)

I have PCOS and am not trying to get pregnant. Considering I'm only 19 and my boyfriend lives in Oklahoma while I'm in New Jersey, that's probably a good thing lol. The main reason I'm concerned about my PCOS is the vanity issues like excess hair growth. I'm also concerned about future health issues. Both my father and paternal grandmother have/had diabetes. My father also has high blood pressure. I'm trying to prevent those diseases now while I'm still young. My mother also has fibroids and, while I'm not sure it's related to PCOS, I'm guessing I'll probably have them, too. I should probably do some research on it to see what I can do to prevent or lessen the chances of having them. I suspect my mom has PCOS, too, but she's never been tested.

Hi, I am not trying to have children. Already have 2, had them 5 and 12 years ago. It is a good thing that I did, even though I was too young with the first one, because now I would not be able to get pregnant. So, my focus now is not on pregnancy, I have my tubes tied, too, but on wt loss and keeping symptoms at a minimal. I am no avadia, are you on a hypoglycemic? I hear that glucophage might work better, but my MD wants me on this one because it has less side effects on the GI system. I know a man that said he gained wt on avandia, and I wonder if anyone else has had that problem? Have a good evening!

I took Advandia for a while & DID gain weight from taking it. I stopped taking it all together. I worked with a man that took it also & he gained weight as well.

Add me to the tally of those not trying to conceive. I have a beautiful child, not interested in any more thank you very much.

I was all excited last month to have a period for the first time in a year. So far nothing this month. <sigh> Maybe it'll take longer for the met to make it happen? It's been almost a month since I started taking it.

Hi, I'm 33 & i have 3 kids all who were born C-section, I have had sypmtoms all my life of PCOS & i just found out i had it about 2 wks ago, I've been doing alot of resarch on the topic, My grandmother had it, my mother had it & my younger sister had it, I have had irragular or no perrods all my life or VERY heavy & clotty ones, I had my tubes tired almost 9 yrs ago.I never used the pill regual & didnt get pregnant before and now i know why. I have always had VERY bad crampming & bloating through-out each month & weight gain , My tummy is very round & i just thought it was from the lack of muscel tone due to my c-sections WRONG! I have had 2 miscarages & 2 dandc's .Now the Dr. wants to go in & pop my cyst & put me on the pill I DO NOT want to do this, My sister tryed it & they just came back & my sis in law also, They both just had Hyst. If i'm going to have to stay on a pill i'd rather it be hormones or something, Its all just a big pain, But i worry about that also because my mom had hers cycst removed & then ended up have the big Hyst, & took homones & got breast cancer, but caught it ealry & is fine now after the radiation & sugery, & takes a soy based hormone pill & is doing very well with it, as does my younger sister & sis -in-law, I do not want to have to go back & have another surgery if I can just have it all taken care of and get the big Hyst. I do not want to go threw the heavy bleeding & the PAIN & bloating anymore & or the sexual discomfort any longer. I have to stay in bed with a heating pad for the first few days. I have tryed low carb diet & they only help for a lil while & then i'm right back up. I hurt all the time & cant stand to have alot of pressure or stain on my tummy. The Dr. did an ultra sound Monday 6/13/05 & he found alot of cycst & some large i go back tomarrow 6/16/05 to discuss what they are going to do in my sugery 6/21/05. My thinking is I dont want to just proglong the enevtable & so why not just take it all while your in there!

Natural Progesterone Cream did wonders for clearing up my cysts. You might want to look into it if you're interested in a natural alternative. I recommend John Lee's book "What your doctor may not tell you about premenopause" to learn more. I think maintaining a low-carb diet has been a critical factor in keeping my cysts away also!

*big huge hugs*

I know *exactly* what you mean, Misa!!! This has been my problem with a lot of the PCOS-related sites. They are *very* oriented towards baby-making. I have my own opinions about that, but this is neither the time nor the place.

I'm only 21, and I am one of the few women who is *sosure* that I don't want children. It's just not for me ... I went through a preiod when dealing with my infertility was very difficult, but now that it has been about 3 years since I have been diagnosed, I am seeing that there is *so* much that I want to do with my life, and children just don't fit into those equations. Childless and happy, sweetheart.

I haven't found any places on the 'net that are really geared towards women w/PCOS w/out children...hopefully someday ...?

Same here! I'm 33 and I don't want kiddies, not ever. I do find that a lot of PCOS info is geared towards the child bearing aspect of it all whereas I'm more concerned with the health side and the excess hair! Hate hair. I really LOATHE excess hair. Grr.

Is there any foundation in people telling me that a hysterectomy is one answer? I'm really not too sure about that one...

Hysterectomy will not treat PCOS, since the ovaries are not the cause of the symptoms/side effects. Most doctors now belive that is it a pancreatic disorder with some pituitary gland involvement. That is the best I understand about it anyway.

Thank you! I didn't want my plumbing whipped out for no reason.

When my now ex husband and I discussed children, I opted to practice with cats. So we adopted two six week old long tailed, pointy eared 'boys' as our first 'children'

The cats have turned out lovely, my husband is history, and I decided I *never* want children. I enjoy them when I can give them back to their real Mothers... when I'm tired of playing with them or they have some bodily function I don't want to deal with... it's a good system.

I've got a strong family history of diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. And I've started to show signs of PCOS... which always seems to be the first sign of impending diabetes for the females in the family. I also know I've been insulin resistant for over ten years.

In the family they call it the 'fatal fifties'... those who become diabetic rarely survive to see the age of 60. My Father died of a sudden heart attack at 56, my Uncle at 60 after a quintuple bypass and some months on a transplant list, and my Aunt, the youngest of the three, has started having health problems... she's nearing her 60th birthday. She has shown the outward signs of PCOS for as long as I've known her but I don't know if she was ever diagnosed with it. In my Mother's family it was her Father's line with heart disease... but no known diabetes.

Since I've started Atkins the signs of PCOS have markedly diminished. Since I'm not concerned about conception, and I don't like doctors and pills, I'm going to hope this is the answer and not take further action unless the symptoms come back or change for the worse.

I just hope that at 36 it's not too late, and that I'm making a choice in my life that will see me through the 'fatal fifties'.

That and I really hate facial hair that I don't think belongs there!

I feel exactly the same way!

But I think whether someone is TTC or feels like I do the goal is the same - a fertile body is a healthy body with balanced hormones and everything working correctly. The only difference is that I need to be much more careful about birth control these days! I'm so glad I've found this WOE that helps so much, the standard BC pill treatments are awful!

I don't want kids either! I am 31, and really wanted children more than life in my 20's, but when I couldn't concieve even on fertility drugs, I gave up, and now I do not have a life that is suitable for children, and I do not seeing it change. I have just been diagnosed with PCOS, and my ob put me on Glucophage xr 2x a day, but spent most of time sick as a dog for the first 4 weeks. I have been on Atkins for well over 6 weeks, and I feel that will correct the problem naturally. I am quite adverse to chemicals in the body, and only take the Pill to prevent babies. I feel your pain-maybe we should start our own board! No offense to everyone out there trying to concieve-I have been there and know how horrible and disappointing it is. Hang in there!