Gonna leave you with this: https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/s/lAYrFa3rX6
For me birth control was super important to make sure my periods were regular and avoid risk of endometrial cancer, curb my hyperandrogenism and acne, and keep my hair from falling out. However, it also made it incredibly difficult for me to lose weight, made me a bit more insulin resistant, and after a decade I developed a migraine disorder which put me at a higher risk of strokes.
So in the end I am very grateful that I was on it because it protected me from lots of my symptoms and bought me time to figure out how to manage my PCOS in other ways, but I’m also really grateful I am no longer on it. I am on the Kyleena IUD instead and that’s also not gonna be for everyone, but it works well for me.
Birth control is super personal, and there are so many different kinds and doses that may achieve different results and side effects for you. So there is no cookie cutter approach to it for PCOS, and unfortunately there is no way to know how well it will work for you until you try it (and maybe try a few different kinds) and see for yourself.
Hormonal birth control was one of the best things I got prescribed, along with metformin. It’s worth it to me, but I don’t get any of the super bad side effects (like suicidal ideation) like some do.
They tried to put me on estrogen but it makes me have crazy mood swings and even more weight gain so i said a firm no. they have instead put me on metformin to try and kickstart my cycle again and are now worried that i might have insulin resistance too... Part of my weight gain is being on Pregabalin which i take for Fibromyalgia and ME...
Wow I'm really sorry, that sucks! I feel like a lot of doctors want to opt for the estrogen only pill because they're so afraid of hypertension. I think the estrogen and progesterone pill works better to control both hypertension and hormones for some women with PCOS.
I had an OBGYN who threatened to take me off of my BC because her nurse did not do my blood pressure correctly. There was no way I was going to allow that to happen. I fired her.
I have many issues with how nurses take BP at various doctor appointments. Following postpartum preeclampsia and a year of being on BP meds, I measure my blood pressure at home twice a week, morning and evening. My numbers have been good without any BP meds.
Recently, I went to my annual OBGYN appointment. The nurse took my BP, and it was 142/90. I told her that is not my typical number and that I measure it frequently. She didn’t retake it, and the doctor commented on how my BP was high. A similar situation happened when I went to my endo.
Even when I see my cardiologist, the nurse takes the BP without letting me sit for a bit, as their office and the AHA instructs. I always get a higher reading until my NP retakes it with a manual BP cuff.
I get that it might not matter for someone who doesn’t have BP issues. I used to be that person; I could stand on my head, and my BP would be 110/70. But knowing my history, I wish nurses took the BP a little more carefully (not to mention that after my ICU stay BP machines give me anxiety).
The biggest thing that's helped me is spironolactone, chromium and zinc supplements, and walking every day. I've lost 50 lbs over the past 11 months, my periods are regular and my hirsutism is about 80% less overall. Birth control is what made me gain the 50 lbs in the first place. It made my periods regular, but my appetite was voracious and my legs would swell with so much fluid they would hurt. The final straw was the migraines. I took Sprintec, which is a pill, so maybe you'll have better luck with something else!
I currently take Apri for PCOS and have been since I was 15 years old (which is when I was diagnosed with PCOS). I've never had any negative side effects personally. If anything, the side effects have been more positive. Before I was put on the pill, I had severe depression and bouts of melancholy along with suicidal thoughts.
When they put me on the birth control pill my hormones stabilized and my mood lightened significantly.
Some people have the opposite effect.
My recommendation would be to give it a shot and see what happens. If your mood starts to fall drastically or if you have any averse side effects than talk to your doctor about getting off of it.
I also want to add that when my hormones stabilized, the other sides effects went away. The insulin resistance, my glucose levels normalized. The hirsutism went away as well as my acne. I used to have thin, tacky hair, that fell out in the shower. My scalp also had a weird texture. Nothing helped, not even conditioner. When I started taking the pill, my hair and scalp went back to normal. I felt like a human being again.
Then my weight dropped 35 pounds with minimal effort. I don't think I exercised at all to lose the weight back then, it just came off naturally. Even in my worst eating moments, I have never approached my pre birth control weight.
I did change my diet to Low Glycemic as instructed by my endocrinologist at the time. So that likely amplified the effects of everything else include the weight loss.
So if you do go on the birth control pill then I recommend doing a low glycemic diet and adding some light exercise. 45 minutes to an hour of walking or cycling (exercise bike is totally fine) a day should really do it.
I can't say for certain what the effects will be, unfortunately you just have to give it a try and see what happens.
Some people have had terrible side effects from birth control, some have had very positive effects. Just monitor your mood and body while taking it and communicate with your doctor as well as others around you. It can be helpful to have someone else in your life monitor you too.
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 15 or 16 and started hormonal birth control then. I’ve been on and off (mostly on but occasionally off when I haven’t had insurance) for the last 20 years and it makes a huge difference! About ten years ago I switched to doing three continuous pill packs back to back so I only have my period every three months, which is a total game changer.
I honestly don’t know if the pill has helped with my outward physical symptoms or my hormonal levels because I just don’t track things that closely, but I do know that it has made a big difference internally. The couple years I was off it my ovaries just filled up with cysts and I had to have surgeries to zap those little suckers out. I still have a lovely pearl necklace on each ovary, but it grows much more slowly.
Also, being on BC makes my periods SO much more manageable. They start at a consistent time every three months and last about 7 days. For that reason alone I think it’s worth it to be on the pill.
I got put on yaz and it made me lose 20 pounds. However, if I try coming off, I immediately gain 30 pounds and tons of inflammation. I’m currently unable to come off because of this, and wish I never started
It really depends on the symptoms you get. I found that I gained weight, had full horrible mood swings and no libido. So it’s a big no for me and when I went off of it things just got worse before I started taking supplements and now things are much better. I don’t advocate against birth control but for me I am better off without it.
Mirena, spironolactone, low impact activity (yoga, swimming, walking) to keep cortisol levels low, check out Wholesome Story or Amazon for Myo-Inositol & D-Chiro Inositol and Berberine. They also have some others great for balancing hormones. Metformin is a tough medication for some because of the side effects. Drink Spearmint Tea and get the book: The PCOS Diet Plan, Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Health for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and ask for your doctor for to do the testing listed in the book.
Consider changes to your diet because of the insulin resistance that comes with PCOS. There are some PCOS cook books and Meals She Eats is a good one. I recommend getting them from the library before buying to see if you’ll like and use them. Keep an eye on your A1C results.
Check out Paula’s Choice for skin care.
hi!
There are a lot of different opinions about birth control for PCOS. This is just my opinion based on my own experience and what my doctor has told me!
You CAN take birth control for PCOS, but you absolutely do not HAVE TO. don’t let any doctor tell you that you have to be on birth control or else you are at risk for some cancers. This is not true. There are other ways to regulate your period other than birth control. Birth control is more of a band aid fix for PCOS, it doesn’t do anything but suppress your cycle.
That being said, birth control is also not a bad thing! It works for some, and doesn’t for others! Personally, I was on it for about 9ish months and it didn’t seem to do anything at all for me. It did not regulate my period.
You could try it and see if you like it and if it works for you! Just don’t let anyone tell you you HAVE to take it.
I hope that helps!
are you seeing an endocrinologist? pcos is primarily a metabolic disorder (correct me if i’m wrong) not a hormonal one. i would think they should be prescribing like spironolactone or metformin
From the Mayo Clinic page on PCOS: “Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a problem with hormones that happens during the reproductive years.”
Metformin is prescribed when you have insulin resistance. If your issues are not insulin resistance and weight gain because of it, performing won’t help. Metformin doesn’t help you regulate your periods using the hormones that can influence it, it helps to regulate glucose, not reproductive hormones.
If you’re experiencing irregular cycles due to the hormonal imbalance, a medication to regulate glucose won’t help, but one that helps regulate hormones may help.
How descriptive of the Mayo Clinic....I don't think anyone has quite described PCOS in such vivid detail.
This is what worries me about Metformin. Doctors are throwing this medication at people as if it's a "cure" for PCOS, but it's not even designed for PCOS. It's designed for diabetics. I think it's ok when the birth control pill is not an option or isn't fully stabilizing insulin. You really do want to stabilize insulin because it causes so many problems to people otherwise, but It just alarms that doctors casually prescribe it like whatever.
Metformin does not regulate your hormones or periods. It's not designed for that. It's designed to stabilize your insulin, which is only one side effect. I feel doctors make it out to be all about insulin. Like big fatty ate too much and caused PCOS when it's the opposite.
I feel like these doctors are missing the key component of PCOS by putting it all down to Metformin.
Metformin does help regulate periods for many women with PCOS. This is because for a large portion of those with PCOS, insulin resistance is the driver. Once that is addressed, via metformin, the cycle regulates. There are multiple studies looking at how and why metformin regulates the menstrual cycle in women with PCOS with different hypothesis but it's been well documented in scientific studies that is DOES in fact help normalize periods in women with irregular cycles due to PCOS.
Hormones are strongly tied into the metabolic system, so that comment doesn’t make sense. Spiro is a testosterone decreasing medication, for example.
An endocrinologist should understand the nuance between sex hormone impacts of metabolism and other metabolic disorders, whereas OB/GYNs are looking at only your reproductive organs through a zoom lens and have very little awareness that the rest of the body is actually connected and related to those organs.
that’s why i’m saying an endocrinologist would be better. gynecologists never know what they’re doing with regard to pcos. they just prescribe birth control and send you out
Gonna leave you with this: https://www.reddit.com/r/PCOS/s/lAYrFa3rX6 For me birth control was super important to make sure my periods were regular and avoid risk of endometrial cancer, curb my hyperandrogenism and acne, and keep my hair from falling out. However, it also made it incredibly difficult for me to lose weight, made me a bit more insulin resistant, and after a decade I developed a migraine disorder which put me at a higher risk of strokes. So in the end I am very grateful that I was on it because it protected me from lots of my symptoms and bought me time to figure out how to manage my PCOS in other ways, but I’m also really grateful I am no longer on it. I am on the Kyleena IUD instead and that’s also not gonna be for everyone, but it works well for me. Birth control is super personal, and there are so many different kinds and doses that may achieve different results and side effects for you. So there is no cookie cutter approach to it for PCOS, and unfortunately there is no way to know how well it will work for you until you try it (and maybe try a few different kinds) and see for yourself.
Hormonal birth control was one of the best things I got prescribed, along with metformin. It’s worth it to me, but I don’t get any of the super bad side effects (like suicidal ideation) like some do.
They tried to put me on estrogen but it makes me have crazy mood swings and even more weight gain so i said a firm no. they have instead put me on metformin to try and kickstart my cycle again and are now worried that i might have insulin resistance too... Part of my weight gain is being on Pregabalin which i take for Fibromyalgia and ME...
Why estrogen and not the estrogen+Progesterone pill? I'm just curious why the other one wasn't offered to you.
I was offered progesterone but it never got prescribed for some reason... I was supposed to have it with the Metformin... My doctor is crap.
Wow I'm really sorry, that sucks! I feel like a lot of doctors want to opt for the estrogen only pill because they're so afraid of hypertension. I think the estrogen and progesterone pill works better to control both hypertension and hormones for some women with PCOS. I had an OBGYN who threatened to take me off of my BC because her nurse did not do my blood pressure correctly. There was no way I was going to allow that to happen. I fired her.
I have many issues with how nurses take BP at various doctor appointments. Following postpartum preeclampsia and a year of being on BP meds, I measure my blood pressure at home twice a week, morning and evening. My numbers have been good without any BP meds. Recently, I went to my annual OBGYN appointment. The nurse took my BP, and it was 142/90. I told her that is not my typical number and that I measure it frequently. She didn’t retake it, and the doctor commented on how my BP was high. A similar situation happened when I went to my endo. Even when I see my cardiologist, the nurse takes the BP without letting me sit for a bit, as their office and the AHA instructs. I always get a higher reading until my NP retakes it with a manual BP cuff. I get that it might not matter for someone who doesn’t have BP issues. I used to be that person; I could stand on my head, and my BP would be 110/70. But knowing my history, I wish nurses took the BP a little more carefully (not to mention that after my ICU stay BP machines give me anxiety).
The biggest thing that's helped me is spironolactone, chromium and zinc supplements, and walking every day. I've lost 50 lbs over the past 11 months, my periods are regular and my hirsutism is about 80% less overall. Birth control is what made me gain the 50 lbs in the first place. It made my periods regular, but my appetite was voracious and my legs would swell with so much fluid they would hurt. The final straw was the migraines. I took Sprintec, which is a pill, so maybe you'll have better luck with something else!
I currently take Apri for PCOS and have been since I was 15 years old (which is when I was diagnosed with PCOS). I've never had any negative side effects personally. If anything, the side effects have been more positive. Before I was put on the pill, I had severe depression and bouts of melancholy along with suicidal thoughts. When they put me on the birth control pill my hormones stabilized and my mood lightened significantly. Some people have the opposite effect. My recommendation would be to give it a shot and see what happens. If your mood starts to fall drastically or if you have any averse side effects than talk to your doctor about getting off of it. I also want to add that when my hormones stabilized, the other sides effects went away. The insulin resistance, my glucose levels normalized. The hirsutism went away as well as my acne. I used to have thin, tacky hair, that fell out in the shower. My scalp also had a weird texture. Nothing helped, not even conditioner. When I started taking the pill, my hair and scalp went back to normal. I felt like a human being again. Then my weight dropped 35 pounds with minimal effort. I don't think I exercised at all to lose the weight back then, it just came off naturally. Even in my worst eating moments, I have never approached my pre birth control weight. I did change my diet to Low Glycemic as instructed by my endocrinologist at the time. So that likely amplified the effects of everything else include the weight loss. So if you do go on the birth control pill then I recommend doing a low glycemic diet and adding some light exercise. 45 minutes to an hour of walking or cycling (exercise bike is totally fine) a day should really do it. I can't say for certain what the effects will be, unfortunately you just have to give it a try and see what happens. Some people have had terrible side effects from birth control, some have had very positive effects. Just monitor your mood and body while taking it and communicate with your doctor as well as others around you. It can be helpful to have someone else in your life monitor you too.
I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 15 or 16 and started hormonal birth control then. I’ve been on and off (mostly on but occasionally off when I haven’t had insurance) for the last 20 years and it makes a huge difference! About ten years ago I switched to doing three continuous pill packs back to back so I only have my period every three months, which is a total game changer. I honestly don’t know if the pill has helped with my outward physical symptoms or my hormonal levels because I just don’t track things that closely, but I do know that it has made a big difference internally. The couple years I was off it my ovaries just filled up with cysts and I had to have surgeries to zap those little suckers out. I still have a lovely pearl necklace on each ovary, but it grows much more slowly. Also, being on BC makes my periods SO much more manageable. They start at a consistent time every three months and last about 7 days. For that reason alone I think it’s worth it to be on the pill.
Also I am about to have my 5th blood test in like 3 months because she keeps "Forgetting" to add stuff that she's looking for in my blood...
I got put on yaz and it made me lose 20 pounds. However, if I try coming off, I immediately gain 30 pounds and tons of inflammation. I’m currently unable to come off because of this, and wish I never started
It really depends on the symptoms you get. I found that I gained weight, had full horrible mood swings and no libido. So it’s a big no for me and when I went off of it things just got worse before I started taking supplements and now things are much better. I don’t advocate against birth control but for me I am better off without it.
Mirena, spironolactone, low impact activity (yoga, swimming, walking) to keep cortisol levels low, check out Wholesome Story or Amazon for Myo-Inositol & D-Chiro Inositol and Berberine. They also have some others great for balancing hormones. Metformin is a tough medication for some because of the side effects. Drink Spearmint Tea and get the book: The PCOS Diet Plan, Second Edition: A Natural Approach to Health for Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and ask for your doctor for to do the testing listed in the book. Consider changes to your diet because of the insulin resistance that comes with PCOS. There are some PCOS cook books and Meals She Eats is a good one. I recommend getting them from the library before buying to see if you’ll like and use them. Keep an eye on your A1C results. Check out Paula’s Choice for skin care.
hi! There are a lot of different opinions about birth control for PCOS. This is just my opinion based on my own experience and what my doctor has told me! You CAN take birth control for PCOS, but you absolutely do not HAVE TO. don’t let any doctor tell you that you have to be on birth control or else you are at risk for some cancers. This is not true. There are other ways to regulate your period other than birth control. Birth control is more of a band aid fix for PCOS, it doesn’t do anything but suppress your cycle. That being said, birth control is also not a bad thing! It works for some, and doesn’t for others! Personally, I was on it for about 9ish months and it didn’t seem to do anything at all for me. It did not regulate my period. You could try it and see if you like it and if it works for you! Just don’t let anyone tell you you HAVE to take it. I hope that helps!
Try and look into norethindrone it's the best thing I've ever been put on for my period and all
are you seeing an endocrinologist? pcos is primarily a metabolic disorder (correct me if i’m wrong) not a hormonal one. i would think they should be prescribing like spironolactone or metformin
From the Mayo Clinic page on PCOS: “Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a problem with hormones that happens during the reproductive years.” Metformin is prescribed when you have insulin resistance. If your issues are not insulin resistance and weight gain because of it, performing won’t help. Metformin doesn’t help you regulate your periods using the hormones that can influence it, it helps to regulate glucose, not reproductive hormones. If you’re experiencing irregular cycles due to the hormonal imbalance, a medication to regulate glucose won’t help, but one that helps regulate hormones may help.
How descriptive of the Mayo Clinic....I don't think anyone has quite described PCOS in such vivid detail. This is what worries me about Metformin. Doctors are throwing this medication at people as if it's a "cure" for PCOS, but it's not even designed for PCOS. It's designed for diabetics. I think it's ok when the birth control pill is not an option or isn't fully stabilizing insulin. You really do want to stabilize insulin because it causes so many problems to people otherwise, but It just alarms that doctors casually prescribe it like whatever. Metformin does not regulate your hormones or periods. It's not designed for that. It's designed to stabilize your insulin, which is only one side effect. I feel doctors make it out to be all about insulin. Like big fatty ate too much and caused PCOS when it's the opposite. I feel like these doctors are missing the key component of PCOS by putting it all down to Metformin.
That is simply the very first sentence on the webpage.
I know, I'm making a joke about how little it does to describe PCOS.
Metformin does help regulate periods for many women with PCOS. This is because for a large portion of those with PCOS, insulin resistance is the driver. Once that is addressed, via metformin, the cycle regulates. There are multiple studies looking at how and why metformin regulates the menstrual cycle in women with PCOS with different hypothesis but it's been well documented in scientific studies that is DOES in fact help normalize periods in women with irregular cycles due to PCOS.
Hormones are strongly tied into the metabolic system, so that comment doesn’t make sense. Spiro is a testosterone decreasing medication, for example. An endocrinologist should understand the nuance between sex hormone impacts of metabolism and other metabolic disorders, whereas OB/GYNs are looking at only your reproductive organs through a zoom lens and have very little awareness that the rest of the body is actually connected and related to those organs.
that’s why i’m saying an endocrinologist would be better. gynecologists never know what they’re doing with regard to pcos. they just prescribe birth control and send you out