Does combined pill really work for pcos?

[Sharladavies]

I'm worried about my 14 year old daughter. She's got pcos and is taking the combined pill, 21 normal pills plus 7 placebos. Her weight is normal so when will she start bleeding, she's taking the pill to induce her period. She's had pcos for 10 months and only had her period once, I'm really worried that the pill will not help her periods.

[LisaEB]

Can I ask why you are worried? She is only 14 and much younger than most who get diagnosed. I went on the pill at 18 and I was diagnosed until my late 20s. I have had periods the last few years and I'm in my 30s. I didn't have the at all, up to taking the pill.

The pill helps with the symptoms of pcos. But it does also have side effects. Is this why you are worried?

Is she a good weight? Eat healthily? She could try any product with my myinstol nstil, infolic and myova I've tried. They help PCOS and don't have the side effects. The only issue is these are supplements, so not available on the NHS, so costs money. But if you want to give them a try and see if that helps, it could be a better option that the pill.

I was told to take the pill at least 4 times year to induce a bleed. I'm not sure what the advice is now, but maybe your daughter could do that? Maybe check with the GP? As I guess the issue you have is her being in the pill so young. 4 times a year could be better than every month?

[Sharladavies in reply to LisaEB]

Hi Lisa, thanks for the advice. Helena is on the combined pill to induce her period because after 10 months suffering from pcos she only had her period once. She's on healthy weight and no other health symptoms, what I'm worried about is does the pill really work in inducing her periods?

[LisaEB in reply to Sharladavies]

It will give her the hormones and induce the bleed. Hopefully which will kick start her periods. If she doesn't bleed in the pill free week, then I guess that might be an issue. I always bled during the pill but never had a really proper period before that, just like a small bit of dried blood.

I'm not a doctor, but can only go on my experience and what I've been told. Just ttry pill, see if she bleeds in between. Maybe do it for say a few months. If she doesn't bleed, then there could be an issue somewhere. If she does bleed her body it at least working it would seem.

Like I said I never had periods for years and had periods on the pill. I've also had no issues getting pregnant, after many years of not having a periods. I have irregular periods, but they are around monthly, so fairly normal.

Like I say try myinstol, it is supposed to help with periods. But the pill also helped for me, so it's worth a try.

[Bear550]

Hi, I have a friend who I am trying to encourage to tell her mother that she thinks that she may have Pcos as she has most of the symptoms and has told me but is scared to tell her mother. She is 15 but is worried to tell her mother. If you don’t mind me asking is there anything that I could tell her so she is more confident to tell her mum. And if you don’t mind me asking how did your daughter tell you that she thinks she may have Pcos?

[RGEB in reply to Bear550]

It’s really upset me that your friend is worried to tell her mum. Can I ask what she’s worried about? I’m sure her mum will be supportive but she can also just tell her gp alone if she really doesn’t want to share with her mum. Pcos is not a nice thing to have but as long as you ensure you stay a healthy weight and manage the symptoms it’s really not that bad. If you’ve got any questions or your friend has please message me. I was diagnosed at 16 and I’m now 28 and pretty much been through it all pcos wise. Xx

[Bear550 in reply to RGEB]

Hi, she has either no cramps at all or cramps to the point where she feels she can’t walk, her periods are very random and she is worried to tell her mum because she thinks that her mum will think that she is just acting on it to go on the pill or something.

[RGEB]

Hey

As the gp said the pill will ensure your daughter has a bleed every month. I was diagnosed at 16 and started taking the pill immediately. I personally hate that drs in this country treat pcos in this way because all it does is mask it - but it’s cheap so that’s what they do. Pcos is caused by having high levels of insulin which in turn affect your hormone levels.

You shouldn’t be on the combined pill for long periods of time so I wouldn’t advise it at 14 as by 24 your daughter would need to start thinking about another form of contraception if she wasn’t ready for children by this point.

Would definitely go down the inositol route. A lot of people find this regulates their period. I now take ovasitol. It is costly having to get this from America. Make sure she maintains a healthy life style and you can always get progesterone only pills every so often if her periods are still irregular.