feeling along and in need of support

[Maxwell1234]

hi everyone,

I have been told I have PCO I have 20 follicles which I have been told is more than most. I’m struggling to get any support from my gp other than stay on the pill eat less and exercise more. I swim for 30 minutes 5 times a week I have gained about half a stone since being told last October I have this.

I really just want to hear from people in the same situation and just to know your not alone it’s so tough I’m 30 and just got married and just feel emotional and mentally drained.

I want to try and loose the weight and generally eat healthily but no matter what I put in the pounds just keep going on.

I have done so much research and still find myself stuck on what’s best.

I know that I have insulin resistance I am taking the MYLO 40.1 ratio I have just started this the tablets are from Amazon as I am from the UK seems to be the only place I can get them.

I really would just live any advice on how to manage my eating and weight better and just anything that people have done themselves that worked or not worked

i guess you could say that this is a cry for help really as I am now at my lowest point and don’t know where to go from here

Thanks for taking the time to read 😔

[Whimbrel]

Hi, I'm sorry you're experiencing this. And sorry to hear that the advice from the GP hasn't been of much use.

I was diagnosed with PCOS and Type 2 Diabetes when I was 24. It can be devastating. But it also helped to make sense of things. Both are conditions of the endocrine system. Because of these two conditions I also struggle with maintaining a healthy weight. So I understand your frustration.

My advice would be:

1. Find your local Verity group. Check if they have a private Facebook group. You might be able to make friends with others in a similar situation and peer support is really useful in many ways.

2. Find different types of exercise. A combination of exercise helps as different exercises help different areas of the body. Weight lifting and Pilates in plus swimming for example.

3. I find a Diabetic friendly diet helps with other things like weight management as well. I have more fibre and less carbs. I very rarely have fizzy drinks and alcohol is in moderation. There are good recipes on the Diabetes UK website.

3. I don't know what MYLO is. But I assume that this is a prescription medication? If not, please may I suggest not take any meds without consulting your GP or a qualified pharmacist? If you have then, that's fine. All medications come with side effects. So, it's best consulting a professional before taking anything.

5. Quit smoking if you are a smoker.

I hope this helps in some way. I'm sending you a big hug and very best wishes. xx

[MenoDiabetic000]

I had the same at your age and heavy irregular menstrual cycles for years and years. No diagnosis just put me on the pill told me to exercise more and eat healthily which I did and I still kept on putting on weight. it went on so gradually it was not noticeable, went from size 10 to 12 to 14 to 16 to 18. I'm now 56 I've been going through lots of blood tests for years, showing high testosterone/androgen levels, hair growing on chin which I keep getting waxed, low SHBG, depression and anxiety, I'm type 2 diabetic now with a lot of mid abdominal weight, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, but always had all the symptoms of pcos. My daughter's doctor diagnosed her with it and asked her if her mum had it because it can run in families but my GP wasn't so thorough it was just a convo with my GP surgery but no further action was ever taken maybe I should be more pushy. GP was next to useless, but another GP has referred me to a sleep apnoea clinic and the diabetes nurse has put me on metformin which apparently can help with PCOS so that's a step in the right direction I just don't understand why they won't test you for it when you've got all the symptoms and they didn't refer me to an endocrinologist

[J_Poly]

Hi Maxwell1234 ,

I’m so, so sorry you’re feeling this way! This is completely normal. Unfortunately a PCOS diagnosis is rarely seen as important enough for follow ups and this is a position I found myself in when diagnosed in 2011. Over a decade later and now in my early 30s the frustration became so bad that I started a community called ‘Polycyster’. You can find out more about us here - polycyster.com and you can also engage with us through many platforms which can be found here - linktr.ee.com/polycyster.

You are not alone and your post title made me upset because I know the feeling very well!

Have you spoken to your GP to address how you’re feeling in relation to your diagnosis so they can possibly refer you for further services?

J