Abnormal bleeding question for the ladies...

[boston_bbw]

Anyone with PCOS? My periods have been pretty normal for the past hmm.. 5-6 years now so I have not done hormonal treatment to keep things normal. I am not on BC either to regulate. The last time I had an "abnormal episode" it took about 5 months to get it to stop after many different tries and finally a Depo shot which made me gain 30 pounds and my hair fall out. Anyone had any success treating abnormal bleeding without going the Depo route? It's going on 3 weeks now and I hate to even call the doctor since I know she will probebly have no options besides hormonal and I am not yet willing to do that. I am considering acupuncture as thats what worked to get things restarted after the Depo last time

 

[bertrande]

Anyone with PCOS? My periods have been pretty normal for the past hmm.. 5-6 years now so I have not done hormonal treatment to keep things normal. I am not on BC either to regulate. The last time I had an "abnormal episode" it took about 5 months to get it to stop after many different tries and finally a Depo shot which made me gain 30 pounds and my hair fall out. Anyone had any success treating abnormal bleeding without going the Depo route? It's going on 3 weeks now and I hate to even call the doctor since I know she will probebly have no options besides hormonal and I am not yet willing to do that. I am considering acupuncture as thats what worked to get things restarted after the Depo last time

I have PCOS and use the pill to regulate my periods even though I have had my tubes clamped. I choose to regulate my periods with the pill because it controls the amount of bleeding and if I choose to skip a period I can. I have already had my children though - 1st one was due to fertility drugs.

I had many episodes of irregular bleeding sometimes lasting months and eventually found the pill was my best option.

Nowadays I choose to regulate my period because I only see the man in my life approx every fortnight for a day or so.

If I hadn't finished having kids and wanted to do something about irregular bleeding I think I would look at accupuncture or naturopathic help before resorting to drugs.

It did become more manageable after my first pregnancy though. But then I had three babies fairly quickly - after I stopped it started to become more irregular. Hence using the pill.

A visit to a gyno is probably appropriate - good luck with it all.

 

[SweetErika]

I do too, but haven't had a problem with bleeding so long like that. Of course from age 16 until last August, I was on various forms of the Pill. I was irregular when I went off it before, but this time my body seemed to have evened out, and everything's pretty regular. I know you don't want to go the hormonal route, but maybe getting on a really low-dose pill (I know they're all "low" but I'm talking a monophasic lower dose one like LoEstrin) for a few months would help get your body back on the normal track, then you could try coming off of it. I don't know if the NuvaRing could do the same thing (I don't think there's research on it and PCOS), but I'd look into that too since the more localize hormones might do the trick with way fewer side effects.

I think another factor is that when I'm taking Glucophage/metformin, and that seems to help smooth things out as well (I haven't been good about taking it for the past few months, and I've been late and bled for a lot longer where I was perfectly normal when I was taking it). I know it's another pill option, but it also might be worth checking into.

Like you, I'd go acupuncture and naturopathic first though.

You could try asking at the PCOSupport forums too.

 

[boston_bbw]

My biggest concern with the hormone route isn't even the weight gain. I spent thousands of dollers and many years prior to the Depo shot to resolve (or more like get under control) the "hairy" issue that PCOS can cause. Following the Depo shot I was back to square 1 and worse. I have again spent years and thousands and I just can't bring myself to risk that kind of side effect from going on hormones again. I swear I will bleed to death 1st. I have also avoided glucaphage, metformin and all the other usual PCOS treatments for the same reason.

 

[SweetErika]

My biggest concern with the hormone route isn't even the weight gain. I spent thousands of dollers and many years prior to the Depo shot to resolve (or more like get under control) the "hairy" issue that PCOS can cause. Following the Depo shot I was back to square 1 and worse. I have again spent years and thousands and I just can't bring myself to risk that kind of side effect from going on hormones again. I swear I will bleed to death 1st. I have also avoided glucaphage, metformin and all the other usual PCOS treatments for the same reason.

Wow! I consider myself very lucky not to have that symptom, but have heard birth control usually helps to keep it at bay, though I don't know about Depo (that seems like just a nasty deal all around). Do you have a good doctor who is knowledgeable about the disease and treatment options? I've had mixed luck...it seems like a lot of doctors aren't really on top of the research on this issue.

 

[TBKahuna123]

I just can't believe this!

OK so if so many women have this, why has it gone un or mis diagnosed for so many years? My wife has PCOS, and had been misdiagnosed for decades with this. Irregular periods? Until recently she hadn't had a period for 5 years! Then she went on progesterone and had one that lasted 5 months!

Sorry to rant but this is something that has stuck in my craw because I've watched my wife suffer with this for so long. Thank God we finally got a doctor who knows their stuff. She was on birth control pills to regulate it, which seemed to help, but makes it tough to get pregnant. We're trying to have kids now wihtout a lot of luck. She's on Metformin and progesterone and while it seems to help a bit, she still isn't ovulating. And now after 6 months she's ready to give up. It's tough.

Sorry for the rant, but it touched a nerve. Most women with PCOS don't like to talk about it because the visible effects of this disease are embarassing (weight gain, hair growth, etc.), and men NEVER talk about it. I have however done a ton and a half of research on PCOS, different treatments, etc. What I'm confused about in your statement is that the hormone therapy causes your hair growth problems. By all accounts I've read, shouldn't metformin/progesterone therapy counteract the hair growth issue? It's the higer levels of testosterone brought on by the lack of progesterone that causes the hair growth.

I think the pill is the best way to regulate it, but if you have any desire to get pregnant it makes it tough. I've been told that the best therapy for PCOS is actually having a baby. My suggestion to you would be to find a doctor who specializes in PCOS treatment. I know my wife's doctor is exceptional and has been great about educating us on all issues and options. A lot of OBGYN's don't really understand PCOS as well as they should.

Either way, don't just let it go! That's what my wife did, even after she found out what she had, because we weren't trying to get pregnant. Now that we want to have kids, we are paying the price, both figuratively and financially. Stay on top of it or it can come back to haunt you later. Not trying to scare you or anything, just trying to pass along a lesson that we've learn which has caused us a lot of pain.

 

[TBKahuna123]

Wow! I consider myself very lucky not to have that symptom, but have heard birth control usually helps to keep it at bay, though I don't know about Depo (that seems like just a nasty deal all around). Do you have a good doctor who is knowledgeable about the disease and treatment options? I've had mixed luck...it seems like a lot of doctors aren't really on top of the research on this issue.

LOL! That's just what I said! You must have posted while I was talking. I think you are right, not all doctors know PCOS very well. There is a distinct differnce between having Polycystic Ovaries and having Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. A lof of docotrs don't know the difference.

 

[Mary Hall]

Yep i have PCOS too, and i haven`t had a single period for months, not since March this year. I did research and found out it could be something called Amenoreah

 

[loulou34]

I too have PCOS, have not had the trouble with excess bleeding but the hair issue is a problem. I take metmorfin and that controls my symptoms. Good luck!

 

[TBKahuna123]

The list of symtoms associated with this is shocking and varied. Some women have one or two, soem have more. My wife has nearly EVERY symptom on the list, and almost all of her health issues are directly related to PCOS. It's scary how this can affect the female body if it goes unchecked.

I've always respected women, but the more I learn about the fragility and complexity of your bodies and reproductive systems the more I realize one very important fact. Men are babies and unless we are passing a kidney stone, we should just shut up and quit whining, because we're getting off light!

I just hope you all have men who really understand your problem and support you. It's hard enough being a woman without these added complexities.

 

[SweetErika]

OK so if so many women have this, why has it gone un or mis diagnosed for so many years? My wife has PCOS, and had been misdiagnosed for decades with this. Irregular periods? Until recently she hadn't had a period for 5 years! Then she went on progesterone and had one that lasted 5 months!

Sorry to rant but this is something that has stuck in my craw because I've watched my wife suffer with this for so long. Thank God we finally got a doctor who knows their stuff. She was on birth control pills to regulate it, which seemed to help, but makes it tough to get pregnant. We're trying to have kids now wihtout a lot of luck. She's on Metformin and progesterone and while it seems to help a bit, she still isn't ovulating. And now after 6 months she's ready to give up. It's tough.

Sorry for the rant, but it touched a nerve. Most women with PCOS don't like to talk about it because the visible effects of this disease are embarassing (weight gain, hair growth, etc.), and men NEVER talk about it. I have however done a ton and a half of research on PCOS, different treatments, etc. What I'm confused about in your statement is that the hormone therapy causes your hair growth problems. By all accounts I've read, shouldn't metformin/progesterone therapy counteract the hair growth issue? It's the higer levels of testosterone brought on by the lack of progesterone that causes the hair growth.

I think the pill is the best way to regulate it, but if you have any desire to get pregnant it makes it tough. I've been told that the best therapy for PCOS is actually having a baby. My suggestion to you would be to find a doctor who specializes in PCOS treatment. I know my wife's doctor is exceptional and has been great about educating us on all issues and options. A lot of OBGYN's don't really understand PCOS as well as they should.

Either way, don't just let it go! That's what my wife did, even after she found out what she had, because we weren't trying to get pregnant. Now that we want to have kids, we are paying the price, both figuratively and financially. Stay on top of it or it can come back to haunt you later. Not trying to scare you or anything, just trying to pass along a lesson that we've learn which has caused us a lot of pain.

Oooh...this is good info! I hope we can keep this thread going, and if BostonBBW doesn't mind the slight hijack, could you share a little bit about what you've learned on preparing for getting pregnant? I've been off the pill for a year (and sure enough, some symptoms are getting worse, but not unbearable), and we're talking about taking away the condoms in the next year or so. Is there anything that needs to be started kind of early?

For anyone who's interested, I found this site to be really informative nutrition/naturopathic-wise. She's done the research and lists pharaceutical options also, but there are a lot of fairly simple changes that I've found to be helpful, and just good for my health overall.

 

[boston_bbw]

I took metformin for a while when I was 1st diagnosed with diabetes. It had a side effect of weight loss but I also spent most of my day in the bathroom. I have also tried birth control pills to regulate at several points since the diagnosis only to make my migraines unbearbale. I have yet to find the exact combo that would actually work for me and as I got sick of being a guinea pig I opted to stay all natural and hormone free. Luckily my diabetes is currently under control with just diet.

 

[SweetErika]

I took metformin for a while when I was 1st diagnosed with diabetes. It had a side effect of weight loss but I also spent most of my day in the bathroom. I have also tried birth control pills to regulate at several points since the diagnosis only to make my migraines unbearbale. I have yet to find the exact combo that would actually work for me and as I got sick of being a guinea pig I opted to stay all natural and hormone free. Luckily my diabetes is currently under control with just diet.

Yeah, it took me quite some time to adjust to the metformin (I should have bought stock in Pepto Bismal ), but the benefits outweigh the side effects for me. I was the opposite...migraines disappeared when I went off the BCP, plus lube and libido increased dramatically. I did have better luck with the GI effects on Glucophage XR, but it's too expensive even with my insurance.

 

[LondonGal]

Hi all...

I, too, was on Metformin, but then I controlled my diabetes through diet and I'm off it. I used to take Provera to induce periods (otherwise I wouldn't get them at all, or only once ever 6 months or so for 30 days...), but now (because of who-knows-what: diet/exercise/age?) my periods are irregularly regular.

Boston_BBW...have you looked into Diane 35? My Dr. has recommended it as something that many PCOS sufferers use for a variety of PCOS-related symptoms (usually acne and hair growth)...

I agree with you that I"m searching for naturopathic ways to control my symptoms because I prefer not taking additional hormones if at all possible!

This is a great thread --- thanks for starting it!

 

[TBKahuna123]

Oooh...this is good info! I hope we can keep this thread going, and if BostonBBW doesn't mind the slight hijack, could you share a little bit about what you've learned on preparing for getting pregnant? I've been off the pill for a year (and sure enough, some symptoms are getting worse, but not unbearable), and we're talking about taking away the condoms in the next year or so. Is there anything that needs to be started kind of early?

For anyone who's interested, I found this site to be really informative nutrition/naturopathic-wise. She's done the research and lists pharaceutical options also, but there are a lot of fairly simple changes that I've found to be helpful, and just good for my health overall.

Absolutely, if Bostons_BBW doesn't mind. Otherwise we could start a new thread too. Let me get my info together and I'll post some stuff. My wife and I are just getting ready to go to another appointment here with the fertility specialist in a couple weeks, so I'll hopefully have more specific information then.

 

[TBKahuna123]

Yeah, it took me quite some time to adjust to the metformin (I should have bought stock in Pepto Bismal ),

Part of the reason my wife went off the metformin the first time was because it made her so sick. It wasn't worth it since we weren't tyring to get pregnant, or so she thought. She's tolerating it better now, but it still took time. The key is nutrition. If you do not eat enough, the Metformin will make you sick. So many women with PCOS are overweight and carry that weight on their hips and stomach and have fought it all their lives. my wife for instance, was told by her mother that she ate to much and would get fat fromt eh time she was 10. Because of this, trying to get her to eat MORE was almost impossible. You have to eat 6 times a day, 3 meals and 3 snacks, or else your body will react violently to the metformin. Once I got her eating better she tolerated the metformin really well and now it doesn't make her sick at all.

Still, those first few months really suck. It's also a matter of the right dosage. That's the stage we're at now, correcting the dosage to induce her to ovulate. According to some people I've talked to who have taken this, when the dosage is right it's like a wonder drug. I should also note that according to the doctors the only reason my wife can't get pregnant is that she doesn't ovulate. That sure sounds like a big deal to me, but they seem to think it's the most minor of infertility problems, and the easiest to correct.

 

[SweetErika]

Part of the reason my wife went off the metformin the first time was because it made her so sick. It wasn't worth it since we weren't tyring to get pregnant, or so she thought. She's tolerating it better now, but it still took time. The key is nutrition. If you do not eat enough, the Metformin will make you sick. So many women with PCOS are overweight and carry that weight on their hips and stomach and have fought it all their lives. my wife for instance, was told by her mother that she ate to much and would get fat fromt eh time she was 10. Because of this, trying to get her to eat MORE was almost impossible. You have to eat 6 times a day, 3 meals and 3 snacks, or else your body will react violently to the metformin. Once I got her eating better she tolerated the metformin really well and now it doesn't make her sick at all.

Still, those first few months really suck. It's also a matter of the right dosage. That's the stage we're at now, correcting the dosage to induce her to ovulate. According to some people I've talked to who have taken this, when the dosage is right it's like a wonder drug. I should also note that according to the doctors the only reason my wife can't get pregnant is that she doesn't ovulate. That sure sounds like a big deal to me, but they seem to think it's the most minor of infertility problems, and the easiest to correct.

Good points, and nutrition is the reason I haven't been taking it regularly lately, though I didn't make that connection really until just now. But when I started and doubled the dosage, not eating enough made me violently ill and going too long between meals lead to hypoglycemia and nearly passing out. I should mention I'm not diabetic, so I'd imagine it affects me differently than someone who is.

Can I ask what dose your wife is on, TBK? I'm (or was at least) doing 1000mg of regular metformin twice a day, which I read and my doctor substantiated was a fairly good baseline dose for the disease.

 

[TBKahuna123]

Good points, and nutrition is the reason I haven't been taking it regularly lately, though I didn't make that connection really until just now. But when I started and doubled the dosage, not eating enough made me violently ill and going too long between meals lead to hypoglycemia and nearly passing out. I should mention I'm not diabetic, so I'd imagine it affects me differently than someone who is.

Can I ask what dose your wife is on, TBK? I'm (or was at least) doing 1000mg of regular metformin twice a day, which I read and my doctor substantiated was a fairly good baseline dose for the disease.

Not sure on dosage, I'll have to check when she gets home from work.

Your descriptions of the effects are exactly like hers. You said you're not diabetic, but by some descriptions, you in fact are. What many women don't know is that PCOS is a "Pre-Diabetic" condition. The key component of it is that the body does not process insulin correctly, causing insulin resistance. Because of this, your blood sugar can be elevated, which disrupts ovulation. Also this insulin resistance is what causes the body not process calories correctly so it stores it as fat, specifically around the hips and waist. The specialist she is going to see is a diabetic fertility specialist and it started with a diabetic nutritionist. One of the long term dangers of PCOS is that it can eventually turn into Type 2 Diabetes. This is what makes Metformin such a versatile treatment for PCOS, because it gets to the heart of the cause, rather than treating the symptoms (hormone therapy).

DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor. This is just all info I have gotten from research and our doctors. I'm not going to say anything here that I don't feel certain of, and if I do I'll say so. Also if any of this sounds familiar or strikes a cord, take it up wiht your doctor, don't self-diagnose.

 

[Bandit58]

Yep i have PCOS too, and i haven`t had a single period for months, not since March this year. I did research and found out it could be something called Amenoreah

Amennhorrea (sp?) is just a fancy name for absence of periods. I went through a stage 2 years ago when I was under a huge amount of stress and I skipped 3 cycles of which was once a quite regular 21 day cycle. Then I bled heavily with clots and cramps for 10 days. The next cycle was again heavy, so much in fact that I felt sick and dizzy from the blood loss and took myself to the emergency doctor.

He prescribed a treatment called Cyclokapron, two pills taken 3 times a day during the bleeding time. It's supposed to cut down the blood loss by up to 50% - whee it worked After being thoroughly checked out with ultra sound I was put back on the pill to regulate me. I recently changed brands to Diane 35 and will eventually go on a lower dose pill again (Doctor mentioned brand name Yasmin).

Like bertrande I enjoy knowing when my period is due and can tweak the period time if needs be, though not more than once at a time because my breasts get very tender near the end of the second pack of active pills. I've had my tubes tied so I'm double protected against pregnancy!

 

[SweetErika]

I'm not sure if anyone's interested, but these is a pretty good comparison of the main (maybe top 50?) types of pills and what kinds of symptoms they generally control. I've looked at these before when I felt I needed to switch pills, and found them pretty informative. However, I'd take the warning about each pill working for each woman differently at different times seriously; even with PCOS, I did best on the lowest estrogen pills, which is counterintuitive. Anyways, it might be useful for someone like you, Bandit.

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/journals/a/Oral_Con.htm
http://www.healthywomen.org/content.cfm?L1=3&L2=112 (scroll about 3/4ths of the way down to the brand comparison chart)

 

[Dazz Hetfield]

Yeah like Mary said, she has it and quite frankly it's weird and wrong how doctors can't seem to pick it up or help. I'll support her though and like I told her, the effects of PCOS don't bother me and I love her for who she is and still find her attractive, I always will so I'll help her get through this.

As far as the problem, I hope you other females going through it have the support you feel you need and this whole thing can be resolved somehow through a breaththrough in future.

 

[Ms_Lilith]

oh god, don't use Depo!

NONONO!


I was on Depo for three years, and went off of it 15 months ago. Last august, I almost died due to TSS, caused by the Depo.

Right now, I'm in an irregular bleed.. I've been bleeding for over two months now, and have just been put through massive bloodwork, and am waiting for two ultrasounds.

They're thinking either PCOS or Endometriosis.

I'm feeling the same way.. I want to do something natural to make it stop, rather than going on hormones again.

This has been tough.. my sex life is all but nothing.. honey and I had sex for the first time in a month, the other day, and my doc recently told me that, until we figure this out, I shouldn't be having sex. Great. My stress level is through the roof, Im exhausted all the time, and I'm on constant PMS. It blows.

 

[TBKahuna123]

Yeah like Mary said, she has it and quite frankly it's weird and wrong how doctors can't seem to pick it up or help. I'll support her though and like I told her, the effects of PCOS don't bother me and I love her for who she is and still find her attractive, I always will so I'll help her get through this.

As far as the problem, I hope you other females going through it have the support you feel you need and this whole thing can be resolved somehow through a breaththrough in future.

Awesome Dazz, You seem to have the exact same attitude I have, and that is so cool. I agree with you that I too hope all women have the support they need, because this can take such a toll on all of a woman's systems. I know with my wife the effects aren't just physical, they are emotional. Since she went on the progesterone you'd ahve thought she was taking antidepressants, she is so much happier.

They're thinking either PCOS or Endometriosis.

I'm feeling the same way.. I want to do something natural to make it stop, rather than going on hormones again.

This has been tough.. my sex life is all but nothing.. honey and I had sex for the first time in a month, the other day, and my doc recently told me that, until we figure this out, I shouldn't be having sex. Great. My stress level is through the roof, Im exhausted all the time, and I'm on constant PMS. It blows.

6 months! My wife and I went for 6 months without having sex before she was successfully diagnosed becaus of the pain she felt. Now she has PCOS. My sister was just diagnosed with Endometriosis, and she is in the same boat with pain. She confided to me(which was wierd, I'll admit) that her and her husband haven't had sex in like 3 months. They JUST celebrated their 1 year anniversary, so you can imagine how hard that can be. Going back to the other point, I actually sat down and had a talk with him (also really wierd) to sympathize. He said it didn't matter and he could handle it just fine, he just wanted her to get well, and made sure that I knew he was serious. I swear I teared up.

Lilith, I know you don't want to go back on the hormones, but I can tell you it's the best thing my wife ever did. She's so much happier now and so much more like she used to be when we first married. It also seems to have helped her with her pain issues. Like I've said before I'm no doctor, so I'm just saying this is what we did, and it worked.

I'm shocked by the number of women here who have posted or PM'd me about having PCOS. I'm thinking of maybe starting a new thread to share info. What do you think?

 

[Wickid Cherry Pie]

Although I do not have PCOS, I have watched my sister struggle with it since she was in her teens. It amazes me that doctors have so few options other than being a guinea pig. Here it is the 21st century and women's health issues are still so neglected. Grr.
At any rate, she had some luck with homeopathic treatment. I will post details after I speak with her and get the scoop.

 

[SweetErika]

I'm shocked by the number of women here who have posted or PM'd me about having PCOS. I'm thinking of maybe starting a new thread to share info. What do you think?

I think that'd be an awesome idea. We all know what it does to our body with symptoms, insulin resistance, fertility, and the like, but it'd be great to have a place to share all of that and discuss the sexual aspect as well.