i have  polycystic ovaries (no ovarian cysts through). i find it difficult to lose weight? any suggestions?
371663
One of the main symptoms of Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome (P.C.O.S.) is uncontrolled weight gain.  I put one website below, but I'm sure there are better ones.  \n\nThe main point I wanted to make to you is that you must see a very GOOD doctor about your condition.  He/She has to be skilled at managing your condition and this requires a good amount of knowledge of endocrine and thyroid issues.  If your GYN physician is managing your condition, make sure he or she is board-certified (check the medical board website for your state).  Also, if I were you, I might consider seeing an endocrinologist to either provide my primary treatment or to assist the GYN in providing the treatment.\n\nThere is a LOT of information on-line about the illness.  Try to find one that ends in .gov.  I put a link to a Medline article that looks that it came from the National Institutes of Health, so that might be the most trustworthy one.  \n\nOnce you have information, then you will know that they is nothing you can do to lose the weight except to get your thyroid and other hormone levels in check.  There are also new and recent studies finding that people who work the night shift (they focused on diabetics, but diabetics share some of the same issues) have more weight problems than people who work another shift.  Like I said, it was just one study, but it might be something you want to check out more later.\n\nTake care of yourself...
679708
I suffer from this too.  I was also told to keep an eye on my weight, so did more exercise and started eating more healthily. If you're finding that you're not managing to lose weight then it might be worth seeing your doctor/dietician to get some advice.  I was told that I'd still be able to have children, just that I might need to take some hormone supplements when trying to conceive.  Try not to worry hun, it's a really common problem and I know loads of people who have it and have managed to have children.\n\nWendy\nx
882861
It sounds like PCOS to me. It is a myth that PCOS is all about having cysts on your ovaries. Only about half the women with PCOS have them.Your best bet at getting answers is seeing a reproductive endocrinologist. You only need to show one symptoms of PCOS in order to have it. I also recommend not taking any drug without instructions from a doctor. I dont know if the abortion pills would have effected your body (I dont know much about them).  Here is some general info about PCOS:\n\n The underlying cause of PCOS is insulin resistance (IR). The best treatment for PCOS is going on an insulin sensitizing drug such as metformin (1500-2550mg per day) combined with a low carb diet and exercise.There are a few important things to know:\n\n1. Many women "pass" the test for IR, but still respond positively from the metformin. No one knows exactlly why..my thought is that the test is not a sure fire way of detecting the IR.\n\n2. You must be on a high enough dose of metformin. I've heard women complain that their bodies dont start working even though they've been on metformin for awhile. Some doctors are hesitant to up the dose past 1500mg...but for some of us it takes more. I don't respond until my dose is around 2000mg a day. \n\n3. It can take a few months on the correct dose, before your body is regulated. \n\n4. It is important to treat your PCOS even if you are not trying to get pregnant. There are higher risks for many things (high blood pressure, blood clots, diabetes, and many other things) when you have PCOS, but if it is treated properly, then those risks go back to a normal rate. \n\nI recommend seeing a reproductive endocrinologist. They are the most knowledgeable about PCOS. I also highly recommend visiting http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-bhp... It is a great message board, where you can ask all your PCOS questions. The women there are great. Good luck.
70537
I have PCOS.  I have thinning hair, hair in other places (facial), overweight, no period in about a year, heart murmur, boarderline high blood pressure, infertility, acanthosis nigricans and undiagnosed insulin resistance.  There are probably more that are conected to PCOS.  From what I have read PCOS and insulin resistance go hand in hand with most women - which causes the hormonal imbalance.  I'm trying to find a more natural way of controling the PCOS and IR through vitamins, herbs, low carb diet, exercise and support from other women with PCOS.
289363
I have had PCOS now for 21 years. Stress and over weight make the hormone imbalance worse. She will need to stick to a low carb diet to make sure that the symptoms don't get worse. She may have some problems conceiving. It took me 7 years to have my wonderful son and I never managed to conceive again. Make sure that she has regular check ups as PCOS sufferes can get cancer of the ovaries, as I did. I am now on Metformin. Just assure her that she is not alone and good luck!
547518
OK I HAVE PCOS FOR OVER 7 YEARS NOW AND 10 YEARS AGO I WAS TOLD AFTER I HAD MY DAUGHTER THAT I WOULD NEVER EVER HAVE ANYMORE CHILDREN DUE TO THIS CONDITION. I WANTED ANOTHER CHILD SO VERY BAD.I AM ALSO OVERWEIGHT PARTLY DUE TO THE PCOS AND WITH THIS DISEASE IT IS ALMOST IMMPOSIBLE FOR ME TO LOSE WEIGHT.AS FAR AS PERIODS GO I WOULD HAVE ABOUT 3-4 PERIODS IN A YEAR AND THEY WOULD EITHER BE VERY LIGHT ALMOST NOTHING TO VERY HEAVY.I WAS PUT ON PROVERA TO REGULATE MY PERIODS AND CLOMID FOR FERTILITY FOR ME TO CONCEIVE WITH MY DAUGHTER 11 YEARS AGO. DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR I THOUGHT I HAD OVARIAN CANCER AND WENT TO THE DOCTOR AND FOUND OUT THAT I WAS 6 MONTHS PREGNANT AFTER BEING TOLD FOR 10 YEARS I WOULD NEVER HAVE ANYMORE BABIES. THE ONLY THING THAT I GIVE CREDIT TO FOR GETTING PREGNANT THIS TIME IS THE LORD ABOVE. I PRAYED SO VERY HARD TO HIM AND ASKED HIM WHAT HIS WILL FOR MY LIFE IS AND WHATEVER IT WAS I WOULD GLADLY FOLLOW. WELL 6 MONTHS LATER I BECAME PREGNANT AND JUST HAD A BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL MARCH 6TH GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS AND DON'T GIVE UP HOPE
1181941
I also have PCOS, but do not have the pain that some women get.  I would suggest to try out a few websites that are full of girls that have PCOS, and are ready to answer any questions that you have.  If you have myspace, there is a large PCOS Group...or an even better website is SoulCysters.com.  Great group of women and tons of support there.
837872
PCOS is pretty common.  Polycystic ovarian syndrome.  There are other things that could cause no periods, too, most of them are some sort of hormone imbalance (which PCOS is, too).  Stress, poor diet, and other things like that could cause it, too.
721510
I am 34 and I have pcos I have 3 children and I did not seek a dr for help.I just kept a really good calender of my periods,when I started,how long it lasted and I kept record of my temperature,I took my temp every morning before getting out of bed,before you ovulate you will notice a change in temp,It took me almost a year to get pregnant with my 2nd child and it took me 3 months with my last.don't give up,you are still young just keep a good record and if you should have to go see a fertility dr take your records with you but I would at least keep a record for 3 months to develope a pattern and allow at least 8 months of trying to become pregnant before seeking help.\nHope this helps you and I wish you Luck.
773851
There is no known cause for PCOS. The only link between that and diabetes is insulin resistance.
487145
There is no such thing as a safe quick weight loss.  Diets and diet pills don't work they just act on the pituitary gland and make the body lose water (hence weight).  It's good that you exercise as anything which raises your pulse and makes you sweat is good. It may also be that you're not having enough calories as the body goes into "famine" mode if it doesn't get enough norishment and stores anything it does get as fat, rather than glucose.  Every cell in your body respires and this uses energy, ie, food.  Without enough energy, your metabolism slows and food is stored as fat.  Incidentally, who says you need to lose weight and do you really need to lose the weight? The only thing guaranteed to get a body healthy (note I don't say "lose weight") is to exercise and eat a healthy, balanced, wide variety of foods plus the occasional treat in moderation (this stops any food becoming "naughty" and therefore craved). Please note that body muscle mass weighs four times more than body fat because the fibres are so much closer together. Some fat is important on the body though as it helps regulate hormonal levels in the body and prevents osteoporosis and other bone wasting diseases in later life.  Some fat is important on women as too little can cause periods to stop and fertility problems. Women are designed differently to men and a totally flat stomach and no hips isn't healthy on a woman.  The question to ask yourself is - do your clothes fit better and how do you look in a mirror - not how much do you weigh. If you think you look untoned, then incorporate some light weights (low weight, high repetitions) into your regime. Hope this helps.
274839
I too have PCOS. I've talked to my OBGYN and she said that Im very fertile. They put me on birth control pills which really seemed to help
449641
Generally speaking, nothing too dramatic.  Part of the menstrual cycle is based on the amount of estrogen in your system.  In fact a well known disorder Polycystic Ovarian Disease is partially due to too much estrogen being produced in peripheral tissues in over weight women (ever notice how nice the skin is on overweight women? same reason) not allowing the egg ever to ovulate.  \n\nEstrogen has nothing to do with sex drive, so no effect there.\n\nIf you are older (greater than 45) your risk for certain cancers (breast and ovarian) would be enhanced to some extent, though a recent study result sheds some doubt on that idea (It appears progesterone is the player instead)
722223
Why do you feel a need to generalize?  And what is is that you consider "fat"?\n\nSome people who are overweight don't eat well or don't exercise.  Some have genuine medical concerns (this goes for all people, not just North Americans).  I have polycystic ovarian syndrome.  I am a vegetarian who eats a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet with lots of vegetables, legumes, and whole grains.  I do not eat too many carbohydrates or sweets.  And I exercise regularly.  Because of my endocrine system disorder, it is very difficult for me to lose weight.  This is not because I haven't made a very conscious effort to do so.  I was at a normal weight for my height until I developed this disorder, which is linked to insulin function.  Then I suddenly gained 50 pounds within a few months.  So contrary to popular belief, it was not caused by being overweight--being overweight caused it.\n\nMy point is it's very unfair and misinformed to say that women are overweight because they're all lazy or don't have a proper diet.  Some of us (in the case of PCOS, 5-10% of women in the United States) are battling genuine medical conditions that cause us to gain weight easily and make it very difficult to lose weight.
364170
I too have PCOS and from personal experience I've found that anything less than 750mg/day of Glucophage doesn't help.  I also have to do 240 minutes of cardio each and every week.  Again, anything less won't help.\n\nI also HIGHLY recommend a diet called SugarBusters.  It was made specifically for women with PCOS.  It is wonderful and helped me lose 25 pounds over a year!\n\nCheck out this site for more support: http://www.pcosupport.org/\n\nGood Luck!
340068
PCOS (Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) does not cause Bulimia.\n\nIf your hormones don't work in the normal way, your ovaries might make too many eggs. Those eggs turn into many cysts. The cysts (say: "sists") are like little balloons filled with liquid. \n\nPolycystic ovary syndrome is called PCOS for short. Women in their childbearing years can get it. It often begins in the teenage years. It doesn't go away. \n\nDoctors don't know what causes PCOS. If you have PCOS, you may have a problem with the way your body uses blood sugar (glucose). Because of this problem, the hormones that control your ovaries and menstrual periods can become abnormal.\n\nIf you have PCOS, you are more likely to get high blood pressure or diabetes. This means you have a greater risk for strokes and heart attacks. \n\nBecause of irregular menstrual periods, women with PCOS are more likely to be infertile (unable to get pregnant). They may also have a higher risk for cancer of the uterus or breast.\n\nYour doctor will look for the signs of PCOS. Blood tests that measure your hormone levels can help. An ultrasound exam can show if you have cysts on your ovaries. \n\nIf you have PCOS, you might need to lose weight. Medicine can help with your menstrual cycle, abnormal hair growth and acne. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, they have to be treated. If you want to have a baby, there are medicines that may help you get pregnant.
1184144
I absolutely think so!  I have been a size 2 my entire life.  I had a hysterectomy and went to a size 16 within 6 months.  I figured it was because of the hormones and it would all go back to normal soon.  It's been almost ten years and I am still a 16.  I eat considerably less than anyone I know and exercise, yet  I can't lose any weight.  I have seen several doctors who treated me like a fat girl looking for an excuse to be fat.  That really pissed me off because I was looking for a way to lose it without pills and I wanted to know if something was wrong.  Then I started vomiting every time I ate (not on purpose).  Every time.  I went back to my doctor (who I have finally realized is an idiot) who said nothing was wrong...how does that make sense.  Wow, I can make a short story long...lol!  Several doctors later it turns out i have a disease in my blood that is turning food to waste or fat and using no one of it for energy.  She has me on medication now.  The lbs are coming off and my energy level is through the roof because my food is actually working for me rather than against me.\n\nI am not suggesting that your friend has this as it is pretty rare.  There are also thyroid disorders etc.  Point is if diet and exercise aren't working your friend(s) should go see a doctor.