[Saussi]

Hello,
I used to be irregular and have very heavy periods with lots of cramping, and my then-OB diagnosed me with PCOS. However, one month later, I got pregnant. The OB took the opportunity to ultrasound my ovaries when I had my first baby ultrasound, and sure enough they're full of cysts. She unkindly (and inaccurately) predicted miscarriage, but my baby was born last December with all appendages intact and perfectly healthy. Since my baby's been born, my periods have been regular (28 days) and I don't get cramps anymore. Has this happened to other women? Was the diagnosis wrong? Can PCOS get better? Are cysts the defining characteristic of PCOS? Can you be totally regular with normal periods and not be ovulating? Does anyone have answers?
Thanks!

[Persephone1881]

According to a book that I read, PCOS can go into a sort of remission, but it will never actually go away. It's a metabolic/endocrine disorder with reproductive impacts, not a reproductive disorder. I've had irregular cycles all my life (except for the year I was on birth control) but after my daughter was born in November, I got my period right at the expected 6-week mark. No telling whether it's been regulated since I'm back on birth control. I think you can have regular periods and not be ovulating.. I don't think it's common, but I think it's possible. At least for a couple months.

You can have cysts on your ovaries without having PCOS.. my mother apparently does. She doesn't have any of the other symptoms so it's not likely PCOS. Do you remember if your cysts were a "string of pearls"? If you're not sure what I mean, look it up.. you shouldn't have a problem finding a picture. That is typically what PCOS cysts look like. Do you have any of the other symptoms of PCOS?

[Saussi]

Thanks for responding.
The cysts were different sizes, but there were a lot of them. I don't remember the images well enough to say (don't have copies)... I don't have any facial hair and I wasn't ever overweight until I had my kid (and I'm not too big now), so it's really the irregular periods and cysts that are the key symptoms for me. I did not like the OB who said I had PCOS and would love to discount her diagnosis, but there are lots of cysts on both ovaries.

[Persephone1881]

Like I mentioned, my mother has told me that she has multiple ovarian cysts, but she doesn't have any other symptoms of PCOS such as insulin resistance, irregular cycles (well, when she had them..), or facial hair.

I would definitely consult another OB about your diagnosis. It sounds like you're in the market for a new OB anyway.. assuming you haven't already changed doctors. The lack of facial hair and not being overweight don't necessarily mean you don't have PCOS.. I don't have facial hair (though the hair on my legs used to be very coarse) and there are women who are at a healthy weight who have PCOS.

[wannabigbabybelly]

A friend of mine had PCOS and had been trying to get pregnant for over 7 years with feritlity treatments.

She finally was about to give up and went on birth control and got pregnant that month.

Since having her first it's like her PCOS went into remission, because she has had regular periods since and has gone on to eaily concieve 3 other children.

She swears that for her getting pregnant that first time fixed everything.

I have PCOS and have only ever ovulated ONCE in my life on my own (that I know of) and it was my first cycle after having a miscarriage/D&C but I was also on metformin.

I didn't get pregnant that cycle, but got pregnant again on my next cycle(using fertility treatments) and just gave birth 7 weeks ago today.

I haven't had my period come back on it's own yet but I am partially breastfeeding.

I'm hoping by some miracle this fixed something inside of me, because we'd like to have one more and it would be awesome if we got pregnant on our own, but I know it's highely unlikely.

(PCOS has different symptoms for different people. You can be skinny of over weight, you can have heavy periods or none at all, you can have facial hair or none,you can be insulin resistant or you might not be...etc. But the common feature are cysts on the ovaries...usually with that pearl necklas appearance....If your doctor noticed many cysts and said you have PCOS than you likely have it).

Sometimes the symptoms of PCOS can be managed by diet alone, sometimes it can't. Sometimes the symptoms come and go. You may ovulate but it might be irregular or you might not ovulate at all. As far as fertility, some people respond to metformin, clomid, and some need injectables.

[pumpkin.pie.2008]

^ I don't even have the cysts and my doc has diagnosed me as PCOS. It's complicated.

[Saussi]

Thank you to all of you!
It is good to hear that other women have "gotten better" from PCOS. To me, it feels like what was broken is now healing. Thanks for responding, and I hope that all of you are able to conceive naturally without heartache.

[snookums]

Thank you to the poster who shared the story about her friend going on bcp and getting pregnant that month.

I'm doing bcp x 2 months, then five days of femara and I'm hoping for the best! My MD seems to think that the bcp will get my hormones in order and the femara will give me the extra boost my ovaries need to produce a decent egg.

[bunniswife]

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was nineteen and told I would likely never get pregnant without fertility meds. That said, I went of BCP and was pregnant the same month (although I miscarried). I suffer from facial hair, and am overweight and have had multiple ovarian cysts. That said, when I lost a signifigant amount of weight in order to conceive (110lbs), my periods returned to normal and I got pregnant easily. Unfortunately I also have APS so I did miscarry quite a few pregnancies until I got treatment for that too but I have been able to conceive one daughter without meds and my twins on 50mg of Clomid. Good luck

[cheekie916]

I was diagnosed with PCOS in January of this year. My husband and I have been TTC for 3 yrs. I have always had regular cycles. I started getting cysts around the age of 15. I feel like I'm on a hormonal rollercoaster and it's hard to keep hope alive. I feel like I'm sitting in neutral waiting for something to happen. I am taking Estradiol twice a day, Femara days 3-7, and Ovadrel around day 15. Also, my Dr. prescribed prenatal meds just in case I do get preggers so it would reduce the risk of miscarriage. It's crazy!! I tell my husband how weird it is taking hormones orally, vaginally, and subdermally!