1. Is there ANY other way to manage PCOS without taking a birth control pill? And by manage I mean reduce acne and the tendency to form ovarian cysts. I’ve heard metformin works but has some side effects…

2. Is there anything stronger than birth control to control PCOS… like if birth control doesn’t work… I’ve been on birth control and still gotten cysts and had a pregnancy a few years ago. And I was on Necon 1-35, using it like i should.

Soo… Anything that works better than the pill, either instead of or as well as…

Disregarding the need for birth control, what would you do? Thanks! =)

hi, my husband and I have been trying to concieve for some time now, we recently looked into our fertility, my husbands tests came back absolutely fine.
I had a sonogram done and it revealed a blood cyst of 3cm and a fluid cyst inside the ovary, of 4.5 cm. I was given duphaston ( progesterone ) to take to reduce/get rid of my cysts. on my next cycle i had another sonogram, the blood cyst had gone but the fluid one remain the same.
I am not ovulating from my left ovary due to the cyst, and apparenlty the hormones dont rise and fall as they should and my uterine lining is only 2 when it should be around 8, all due to the cyst.
the plan is to take duphaston again this cycle then if that doesnt work. on the next cycle go on birth control.
problem is my husband is in the army we’d really like to be pregnant before he is due to go to afganistan again.
Im looking for any advise to get rid of them as quickly as possible. open to any alternative meds, chineze herbs, homeopathic,anything. we’re desperate now.
thank you

I apologise now if this is a little bit of an essay but for you to understand what I’m going through I need to tell you everything without missing details off. I would appreciate it if you didn’t judge me and gave me serious answers only.

I have been panicking for the past few months that I may be pregnant. I would be at a real loss if I was and would have to do some serious thinking.
In my franticness I have taken around 16 pregnancy tests all in the mornings but at different times.
I have been pregnant before at 17 (around six years ago) and had to terminate at 9weeks, it was a mistake, and I had only just stopped having treatment for anorexia… I was in a bad place.
It was the single most horrific experience of my life and I think my worry is stemming through ever having to re-live it.

I have still been having periods (light-medium).
I haven’t gained any weight.
The only differences in me are my heavy feeling/swollen tummy, dull aches in my tummy, and my nipples have ‘milk-spots’ or more scientifically ‘montgomery tubercles’.
If I was pregnant both my partner and I can only see how it could have been from one time around 17weeks ago.

I have been to the doctors and have told them about how worried I have been and how it’s playing on my mind – they have finally (after blood tests been taken for other things) found that I have low FSH and LH levels and consequently agreed to send me for an ultrasound scan to check all of my lower pelvis – for pregnancy, ovarian cysts and any signs of swelling or things that may be cancerous (also got to have a trans vaginal ultrasound )

The reasons I think I could be pregnant are – around 17 weeks ago I had unprotected sex. This isn’t as bad as it seems as myself and my partner have been together for 8years, both are sexually healthy and I take the contraceptive pill ‘Femodene’.
Now, 17weeks ago I had loose stools (not diarreah) and took my pill 6hours late as I was waiting for the stools to become more solid again. They became more solid but then as the day wore on losened once again.

My ultrasound isn’t until the 27th of this month and I am wearing a hole in my brain because I do not want a child – by the time I had the scan I would be 19 weeks pregnant. Can anyone shed any light on this, please?
@Savanna –
I HAVE had the details back from the blood work (as stated above).
I HAVE been in and out of the doctors surgery for the past 12-13weeks – all they sent me away with was the worry of having a urine infection and took pregnancy tests there also for me. Sending me away telling me if the test is negative, I’m not pregnant (which we all know isn’t always true).

I don’t know where in the world you are but over here in England they don’t like to just send you for tests and things that cost money – you have to wait in line, which is what I have been doing.

Please don’t speak to me like I’m a stupid child. I am taking the contaceptive pill which most girls use alone, the only difference is I didn’t use a condom like I normally do that time, 17weeks ago.

i started my period when i was 12 about 2 years later i had ovairian cysts that poped. i still have cysts on my ovaries and i havent got my test results yet for polycystic ovarian syndrom. i always have sex at least 3 times a week and many times during "ovulation" but never got pregnant. i think i dont ovulate if i dont have polycystic ovarian syndrom what could cause me not to ovulate and what can help me to start geting me to ovulate. my periods are only irregular when im under stress. i have panic disorder but its getting much better now i have right treatment. is there any suggestion that can help me ovulate if i dont have poly cystic syndrom? i do plan on having a child.-also it seems i might ovulate and my body doesnt hold well the egg.(i know this happend before) (chemical pregnancy) is there a problem with my uterus unable to carry and if so what helps that?

I think I may have insulin resistance or some kind of metabolic problem. Here are my symptoms:

I can gain weight rapidly eating a normal amount of calories (2,000 or lower) even though I exercise EVERYDAY! I can gain 10 pounds in a week if I’m not extremely careful.. Its very hard for me to lose weight, in order to lose I usually have to eat the amount of calories an anorexic would (800 and below) but then I gain it all back when I eat normally. I have an extremely hard time maintaining my weight.

I have a history of ovarian cysts. I was thinking maybe I have Polycystic ovary syndrome. I had my thyroid checked and it was normal. I am not a sedentary person either.

I have been this way since I was 14. I am 18 now.

Purging is usually the only way I can fight immediate weight gain. If I eat even a little more than I should I can gain up to 3 POUNDS overnight. I am not kidding. I cant purge anymore though, I need to stop.

Does anyone else on here have this problem? What do you think is wrong with me and how do you keep the weight off if you do have this problem? Are their treatments/medications for this?

I also had this happen about 20 yrs ago and they continued for a few years before mysteriously stopping. At that time the dr’s had also thought that I probably had endo.. (no difinitive diagnosis). Here I am years later dealing with this horrific pain again. Possibly its that I am nearing the other end of my cycle (meno.) and the reverse is occurring??? I don’t have terrible cramping with my periods now (I did when I was younger) however I have these terrible bursting cysts. They sent me for a vaginal sonogram, which confirmed that I am prone to large cysts growing. Of course there is no way to know if they are going to continue till they burst or absorb like normalones. The doctors advised that I needed to go on birth control, which not wanting to go onto any medication ( I am already on quite a bit from having a spinal injury – arachnoiditis from the birth of my daughter, no link between 2, this was from dr’s multiple errors) I did anyway, with the hopes of it stopping these rupturing cysts for continueing. Well apparently it has not stopped them, however who knows if I would have had many more if i hadn’t gone on the BC. The drs adv that the only way to confirm endo is by getting the laproscopy. Which with my spine injury would be VERY uncomfortable BUT if its the only way to know I will do it. But it seems that everything I read I don’t really see anyone really stating that they have rupturing or bursting cysts. Does anyone else deal with these? DO you have endo?

What is the treatment for endo? 1 of the reason I agreed to trying the BC was because the dr had said that that was how endo can be treated as well. Is this true? I am so sorry for the questions, I am just really concerned, and SO tierd of having to deal with the pain from them rupturing. If any one had ANY info on any of this, any info on what I can do to STOP them from occurring, PLEASE repond. I appreciate any words of wisdom more than you could know.

I ask because someone in my family has a history of lying about having certain health conditions
*first it was some ovarian cysts that caused her to be sterile (she has had 3 kids now)*
*then she told everyone that she had AIDS– which turned out to be untrue*
*Then she told everyone that it was HPV– which also turned out to be untrue*
*Then she told everyone she had some brain tumor– which I have no idea if its true I just know that everyone doubted her*
*Now its leukemia.
I really want to believe her so badly, I have a hard time believing that someone could or would make up something like this.
I have only known her for 5 years (she is my stepdaughters mother), so all these conditions before leukemia I have not known her for— so I have no first hand experience in these things.

The only thing that she told me that was questionable was that she was unable to breastfeed her daughter because she was too young when she had her (16 years old) and this made her milk come in sour.
I didnt say anything- but that was one of the strangest things I have ever heard.

Now she has leukemia– and I believe her but my husband is telling me that he is not holding his breath.

I had called a leukemia/lymphoma resource center in search of councelling resources for my 10 year old stepdaughter– and when the lady was asking me questions about the details– the lady on the other end seemed very confused–

It shocked her that she had more than one step cell transplants (she had at least 3 that I know of)– the kind that they have to find matches for.
She seemed surprised that she was living at home while she is a stage 4 under all this.–
She wanted to understand why she is going al the way up to Boston for her stem cell treatments ( We live in Texas)
One thing to mention about the Boston thing is that her boyfriend just happens to live up there– she is married– but my stepdaughter told me that when she took her up there this past winter break that they stayed with her boyfriend, and sadly her mother is getting a divorce.

After this interaction with this lady— I am starting to question it myself—- and I feel terrible for it.

She is going camping this weekend after she just got back from another trip to boston for a transplant— and my husband thinks its strange that she feels well enough to go camping.

Is this strange– or is my husband and his family biased?– I would hate to not believe her– and end up being wrong.

Was the lady on the phone out of line to express such skeptisim and disbelief on the information help line?

I have no negative feelings to this woman— and I would in a heartbeat give my marrow to her if I could (I offered already– but she said she already had doners). I dont know what to think about what everyone is telling me..
does something seem fishy about reciving more than one stem cell transplant? Does something seem fishy about being stage 4 with this acute leukemia and going camping right after a transplant? does it seem strange that she is living at home?

I am not trying to upset anyone– I would really honestly want to believe her– I just curious if this seems strange to you as I know nothing about cancer

Hubby and I want to ttc asap. I am on bcp to treat ovarian cysts (I was diagnosed with pcos, although only one of my ovaries is polycystic and i have no symptoms besides the acne and the Dr. was reluctant in his diagnosis since I do not fit much of the profile). Anyway, before seeking fertility treatments, we want to ttc on our own. Will stopping the pill in mid-cycle or finishing the pack change anything (in terms of fertility) and in what ways (besides withdrawal bleeding)? Anyone else had experience conceiving right after the pill?

I am 21 years old and for the past 2 years I have suffered with pelvic pain everyday. I had a cyst on my ovary when I was 15 but it was only 5mm and it wasnt growing so I had no treatment for it. I had an ultrasound last September as I was fed up of the pain aswell as heavy periods and painful urinating. The ultrasound showed that the cyst had grown and was 11cm x 7cm and was pressing on my bladder. I had a laparoscopy in November and the cyst was drained but they found that I had endometriosis. In February I had another laparascopy and helium plasma coagulation for the endo and an ovarian cystectomy as the cyst had filled up again. Since then my periods have been much better and the pain seemed better for a couple of weeks but since around March the pain gets worse everyday. I can’t sit upright as it feels like I am sitting on a knife. I have a constant pain in my lower abdomen which goes right through to my back and a pain that goes up my vagina like a horrible stabbing pain………
…I had a small amount of spotting halfway between periods in April and nothing else since until today. My last period finished about 2 weeks ago but I’ve been in agony all day with the usual pains aswell another pain in my tummy an inch or so above my bellybutton and it goes right across. When I went to the loo earlier for a pee I felt a wierd lump so I looked down and lump about the size of a 20p coin and bright red in colour came out with like a red stringy bit attatched to a really spot bloody lump. There hasn’t been anymore blood since but it really freaked me out. I am still in a lot of pain but it is not so unbearable yet that I need to call 999.

I have asked for a cervical smear test from my GP but they won’t do it as I am under 25 years old. Most of my syptoms are like those of Cervical cancer so it worries me that they won’t do a smear. I have been going back to my GP every week with this pain but as yet have no answers or treatment. …..
I am so incredibly stressed with this pain but nobody seems to have the answers. I go to my GP every week and all she does is a swap thing to test for infections but it always comes back clear. Could it be the cyst or the endo come back? I forgot to mention that I have PCOS but I was told there is no treatment for it just to maintain a healthy weight which I do. I can’t take anyhting stronger than paracetomol due to allergies so Ithere is nothing I can do about this pain. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou in advance.
The other thing I missed out was that intercourse is extremely painful almost all of the time, when it is not painful during intercourse it hurts like hell afterwards and I can barely walk for the pain. My partner is very gentle so I can’t understand why it hurts so much.

I am 21 years old and for the past 2 years I have suffered with pelvic pain everyday. I had a cyst on my ovary when I was 15 but it was only 5mm and it wasnt growing so I had no treatment for it. I had an ultrasound last September as I was fed up of the pain aswell as heavy periods and painful urinating. The ultrasound showed that the cyst had grown and was 11cm x 7cm and was pressing on my bladder. I had a laparoscopy in November and the cyst was drained but they found that I had endometriosis. In February I had another laparascopy and helium plasma coagulation for the endo and an ovarian cystectomy as the cyst had filled up again. Since then my periods have been much better and the pain seemed better for a couple of weeks but since around March the pain gets worse everyday. I can’t sit upright as it feels like I am sitting on a knife. I have a constant pain in my lower abdomen which goes right through to my back and a pain that goes up my vagina like a horrible stabbing pain……
I had a small amount of spotting halfway between periods in April and nothing else since until today. My last period finished about 2 weeks ago but I’ve been in agony all day with the usual pains aswell another pain in my tummy an inch or so above my bellybutton and it goes right across. When I went to the loo earlier for a pee I felt a wierd lump so I looked down and lump about the size of a 20p coin and bright red in colour came out with like a red stringy bit attatched to a really spot bloody lump. There hasn’t been anymore blood since but it really freaked me out. I am still in a lot of pain but it is not so unbearable yet that I need to call 999.

I have asked for a cervical smear test from my GP but they won’t do it as I am under 25 years old. Most of my syptoms are like those of Cervical cancer so it worries me that they won’t do a smear. I have been going back to my GP every week with this pain but as yet have no answers or treatment……
I am so incredibly stressed with this pain but nobody seems to have the answers. I go to my GP every week and all she does is a swap thing to test for infections but it always comes back clear. Could it be the cyst or the endo come back? I forgot to mention that I have PCOS but I was told there is no treatment for it just to maintain a healthy weight which I do. I can’t take anyhting stronger than paracetomol due to allergies so Ithere is nothing I can do about this pain. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou in advance.

The other thing I missed out was that intercourse is extremely painful almost all of the time, when it is not painful during intercourse it hurts like hell afterwards and I can barely walk for the pain. My partner is very gentle so I can’t understand why it hurts so much.
I’ve been to the doctor and they just don’t take me seriously. I work in a call centre and I am off sick at the moment due to the pain. The pain is constantly there but when I sit it becomes unbearable. I have just been offered a job as a HCA subject to references and I don’t want the fact that I’ve been off work because siting is so painful to stop me from getting this job. I want to know what is causing the pain and then I want it treating but nobody is listening. I know this sounds awful but I am at my wits end and sometime feel like actually causing damage to my tummy just so they will listen. I would never actually do that but just the fact that I think about it must show how desperate I am.