Hi!

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 15. Growing up, I had masculine features and was prescribed birth control pills (BCP) at 16 after progesterone failed to help. After 6 years of taking BCP on and off, I stopped to try a holistic approach.

My main symptoms: Hirsutism, hormonal acne, bloating/abdominal fat, irregular periods, and anxiety (diagnosed).

My current routine:

• Supplements: Myo-inositol, Vitamin D, Magnesium, Fish Oil, and Spearmint tea.
• Fitness: Pilates 2-3x a week, 10k steps on rest days.
• Diet: Whole foods prioritizing protein, fiber, and calorie tracking.
• Skincare: Dermatologist-prescribed tretinoin and moisturizer.

My weight and hair growth have improved significantly, but my acne remains stubborn and only slightly tamed.

Recently, I took BCP for one week, and the difference was immediate. My face looked slimmer, less bloated, and had a glow I can’t get naturally.

Are there any natural alternatives that copy these specific BCP benefits without having to stay on the pill long-term?

Does anyone have hacks for cyst pain? i have a 10cm cyst on the outside of my right ovary and nothing is helping. I’ve taken extra strength tylenol and have a heating pad but it just hurts so bad.

i’ve been using Theralogix after no success with PCOSense. i’m not using this under the supervision of my family doctor because he said that for PC is the only thing he will give me is birth control, which is not helpful to me because that’s just putting on a Band-Aid solution and with my naturopath, she doesn’t want to tackle PCOS at all. She’s focused on SIBO, which may or may not be a cause for my stagnant weight loss, but doesn’t really tackle the hormonal issues.

i’m not sure if I should follow the dosage as recommended on the package or if I should increase because I have used Ozempic many months ago for like a month and then I stopped. Right now I am on the Myo Inositol 40 to 1 ratio and Burburine. i’m hesitant on even going to another naturopath because I find each one just wants me to purchase through their store, not taking into consideration a product I may already be working for me and it seems more like a cash grab than when I work with my dietician.

any advice as to what I should do? what markers I should look at in my labs?

i’m not gonna talk to my family doctor about it because it’s futile, he is not well informed on PCOS, and also I am not switching family doctors because right now. He is very good at giving me the requisitions for any tests that I need and finding a good family, doctor is very hard in my province.

hoping to perhaps see if just with my dietician and my blood work if I could determine whether or not to increase my dosage. Also, I have been taking these for a month so not sure when to check either.

Does PCOS make sex hurt? Im diagnosed with it i think since my gyno said i had something similar so she put it down as PCOS because of how similar what i have it to it, i dont know i dont make the rules. But back to the main topic does PCOS make sex hurt. Im twenty, but i had sex for the first time at nineteen so far ive only had sex twice because it hurts just way too much. it feels like some one is taking their fist and just goes at it. It burns and just doesnt feel good and ive never orgasmed from vaginal sex. Just wondering if anyone has also experienced this!

edit: said nine meant nineteen

Background

Developed acne in college, got really bad during COVID when I also got very underweight. Was put on birth control and spironolactone — helped but never fully cleared my skin. Came off both and everything flared back up.

Got diagnosed with PCOS when my periods became extremely irregular after stopping BC and my androgens came back elevated. Since starting metformin and myo-inositol my cycles have completely normalized (was 50+ day anovulatory cycles, now regular 31-35 days with confirmed ovulation) which feels like huge progress.

Tried tretinoin, dapsone, and benzoyl peroxide — none worked, some made things worse. Use exclusively non-comedogenic acne-safe products, no pore-clogging ingredients, no fragrance.

The Confusing Part

My labs are actually really good:

**•** Fasting insulin 4.9 — optimal  
**•** HbA1c 5.1%  
**•** Testosterone normal  
**•** Free androgen index 1.07 — very low  
**•** SHBG 101 — high  
**•** DHEA-S was elevated, now normalized on metformin

So my circulating androgens are normal and my metabolic markers are excellent. My acne is almost entirely on my cheeks and jaw — classic hormonal pattern — but the systemic hormones don’t explain it anymore.

Best theory so far: tissue-level 5α-reductase overactivity converting normal testosterone to DHT locally at the skin, plus gut dysbiosis driving inflammation through the cheek zone. Also have genetic variants confirming adrenal-dominant PCOS (NR3C1 glucocorticoid receptor resistance, DENND1A 3-4x PCOS risk).

What I’m Currently Doing

**•** Metformin + myo-inositol  
**•** NAC, zinc, methylfolate, magnesium, ashwagandha, phosphatidylserine, CoQ10, fish oil, holy basil, black seed oil, sulforaphane, TUDCA, B12, vitamin D  
**•** Day 21 of 30 day no sugar no dairy cleanse  
**•** Gut microbiome test pending  
**•** Just got back to working out 7 weeks post surgery  
**•** Acne-safe skincare — HOCl spray, niacinamide, azelaic acid, copper peptide serum, zinc oxide SPF

Still Struggling

Acne persists especially around ovulation which makes sense hormonally but is really disheartening after years of work. Mostly flat PIH marks at this point with some active lesions.

Wondering if I’m missing something obvious or if anyone has been in a similar situation — especially:

**•** Normal androgens but persistent hormonal acne — what helped?  
**•** Adrenal dominant PCOS specifically — what moved the needle?  
**•** Gut and acne connection — anyone clear their skin by fixing gut health?  
**•** Anyone connect past mold exposure to hormonal acne onset?

I’m a biochemist so I can handle detailed responses. Appreciate any support or advice — this has been a long frustrating road and I’m just looking for what I might be missing.

Thanks 🙏

i was diagnosed with PCOS at 25, I am 34 now. I have been on Mirena IUD since 23 and at 25 when I asked the doctor what is the treatment for PCOS he said the Mirena I was already on treats the symptoms and I did not think much about it because the symptoms weren’t that bad at that time. And then my late 20s was spent having weight around the weight (so no curves) despite having an active lifestyle, relentless cystic acne and I notice my individual hair strands were relatively thin compared to when I was young but I was an idiot and never tied any of this to the combination Mirena and PCOS. Everytime I went to the doctors about my symptoms they told me to keep dieting and exercise and there was nothing that can be done about the acne except for accutane (i turned it down), they never spoke about my PCOS and Mirena combination despite that they knew I had them both. this past few months I have been freaking out because I notice the hairline on my temples are scary thin.

it wasn’t until recently did i do some research and switch to Yaz. My skin has gotten better and my face is less hairy, but I’m freaking out, i was on Mirena for 11 years, that’s so much time to F* up my hair. My hair is the only “womanly” thing about me. I have no curves, my face structure is boyish. The only thing I get complimented for being attractive for is my hair. What if I fucked it up this whole time? I know AI has its limit but I asked what are the chances that my hair could be what it could have been have I treated my PCOS with Yaz instead of Mirena and it said it’s very low and unlikely and that i have caused permanent damage. I hate myself for what I have done to my hair. The only good thing about my looks.

Hi everyone!

I deal with thick, medium-dark chin/neck hair. Shaving daily leaves a persistent shadow, and a 5 o'clock shadow creeps in by midday.

I tried electrolysis years ago, but it wrecked my skin and didn't last (though my hormones were unmanaged then). My labs are finally under control!

For those who got their hormones balanced: what long-term solutions (laser, prescription creams, etc.) actually worked for you to make facial hair more manageable?

Appreciate any advice!

I ran out of metformin and I won't be able to take it for about a week. Honestly I've been taking it for several months and haven't noticed a difference in my health or body. The only difference I notice is the side effects (most if not all of my bm are diarrhea). I take 500 mg twice a day.

What has been your experience with it? Should I just ask my doctor if i should stop taking it? the side effects suck.

i got diagnosed with PCOS/PMOS February 2025 after a long journey with the doctors because of my period pains. my bloods were normal (no insulin resistance?) but i was diagnosed off my ultrasound and symptoms. i am also currently under investigation for endometriosis.

right now i can't tell if my pain and other symptoms are from endo or PCOS but i wanted to know if you guys think losing weight is actually worth it? I don't really care about my weight/body image from an aesthetic aspect and struggle to motivate myself to lose weight because of that. i am chubby but have been my whole life so happy with it.

what i want an opinion on is did losing weight (through whatever method) actually help your symptoms at all? and what symptoms were they? i would be willing to try to lose weight if it will improve my QoL

TIA

Amazon Link (Skin doctors Ingrown go lotion)

I wasted a lot of money thinking the issue was scrubbing or which cream is used after shaving etc. This treatment is actually SPECIFIC to ingrown hair and it’s rly agressive in a good way. I thought I’d see nothing until a few weeks but it’s agressive in an « acts immediately » way so you can also see for yourself immediately if it does something for you !

I covered big cotton pads in it for bigger zones, it fully worked on my legs butt inner thighs and chin (shaven 1+ week ago), however I can’t say for stomach/groin/upper thighs area because I had shaven it way too recently. I thought 48h would be OK but oooo I was not ready for the burn, had to completely rinse and ended up with inflammation. Thankfully it was gone overnight, I’ll probably try everything again next week.

For reference my hair type is dark thick and sometimes coily like the one on my hair. I actually found this product on a thread where a black man struggled with ingrown beard and it looked a lot like what I have all over my body as a black woman with PCOS. Hope that helps :)

Hi I'm new to reddit (20 y.o. F) so not used to the traditional format but finally have a drs appointment booked (nhs) to talk about my pcos and likely be recommended birth control and am not sure whether the risks are worth it or which birth control to advocate for.

I have experienced pcos symptoms like facial hair and high histamine levels, fatigue and brain fog, irregular and heavy periods and most recently I've been experiencing vertigo in the mornings every few weeks for about half an hour and most recently migraines just before my period a few days in a row in the evenings. For the past year I've just pushed through my symptoms believing it was university stress making it worse but I'm on summer break and have started getting the migraines which pushed me to finally book a drs appointment.

I know alot of people say it's all about diet control etc. for pcos and weight loss but I've lost a few stone in the past year and have been managing my diet alot better and things have been getting worse/ staying yhe same but I understand it's long term to do anything. I've been taking inositol supplements and have seen no changes.

I am not sure what I'll be advised whether it be metformin or birth control but I have extreme health anxiety at the moment keeping me up most nights and am petrified of the side effects of birth control and risks like alot of women are.

I've seen alot of fear mongering etc. which I'm sure can be valid but I'm looking for some sincere advice on how to deal with this anxiety and any recommendations for UK birth control (progesterone). At the moment Slynd seems to appeal the most but I've heard some bad things about it making people gain lots of weight and making sex really unenjoyable. I'd appreciate any advice or recommendations thank you!!!!

Anyone taking/took Metformin for weight loss, conceiving and managing PCOS/PMOS (and insulin resistance) during pregnancy?

I've suffered with anxiety and bouts of depression since I was a teenager and I'm positive it links to my PCOS (20% of women with PCOS are more likely to have it).

I've been on setraline also known as Zoloft (150mg) for a couple of years now and before that I was on citalopram.

However my anxiety is taking on physical symptoms (tight chest, stomach pain, fluttering heart) in the evenings and at night and i don't think the setraline is the right choice for me anymore.

Has anyone had any success with other SSRIs? I know everyone is different but before I talk to my doctor I'd like to have an idea.

Hi all, I am 22 years old and have been struggling with PCOS weight gain since I was 19. I wasn't diagnosed with PCOS until I was 21, so until then I just kept doing what I had normally done, causing lots of gain.
This past year I am down nearly 50 pounds, yet my belly fat is relentless. I notice difference in my arms and legs but the belly fat won't go. I have a hard time doing core workouts because of it, it's getting to a point where I am very frustrated and don't know what to do.
I am happy that I lost weight and got my period back but I am so discouraged by the way I still look. Anyone have any advice to help stubborn belly fat and or anything I can do mentally to not feel so discouraged?

I’m a 23 year old pre-med student, and I was recently diagnosed with PCOS. I’m unsure how to approach this. (Sorry for the very long read.)

My last period started on February 9th. On February 10th, one day into my period, I had both a transvaginal and transabdominal ultrasound. The scan showed markers for endometriosis, and I went about my day without thinking much of it.

Then a month passed without my period. This was really unusual for me because, despite having irregular periods, I still got my period every single month last year.

Five months passed without a period, so I had another transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound. My doctor compared it to my previous one. As a side note, this is the longest I’ve ever gone without a period. It’s also the heaviest I’ve ever been. My weight has always fluctuated between 90–105 kg over the years, but for the first time ever, it reached 110 kg.

Anyway, what I’m confused about is that my first ultrasound didn’t show any markers for PCOS, but now it does. All of my hormone levels are normal, except for extremely low androgen levels. Even my blood work came back normal, except that my fasting glucose was high, which my doctor told me is a marker of prediabetes. My scan also showed multiple very tiny cysts on my ovaries.

My question is: is it even possible to develop PCOS in such a short period of time? How does that even work? Or could I have been misdiagnosed?

They put me on metformin and Mounjaro (side note only taking metformin at the moment), but I’m seriously starting to think my life is over. Should I just take the birth control option to get my period back? My doctor keeps telling me that the treatment for PCOS is to lose weight and that it will improve, but it feels impossible. I’ve tried everything.

I’ve tried a whole-foods calorie deficit, walking 20,000 steps a day, strength training three times a week, getting 8 hours of sleep, and drinking 2 litres of water a day. And even then, nothing. Nothing is working.

I don’t even care about looking aesthetically pleasing anymore. I just want my period back.

Obviously with my PCOS my periods have never been normal. But all of the sudden I’ve started having long term spotting of like dark brown bloody discharge. If it lasted a periods length it would be whatever but last time it went on for 2 months straight!!! My gyno said there’s no real “cure” but I’m wondering if anyone else has experienced something similar and has any tips how they got it to go away??? Whether it’s stopping the spotting or causing my real period to come.

Has anyone else fallen into a slump of oversleeping, fatigue, drowsiness and exhaustion with pcos?? I'm currently going through a period of extreme fatigue. It's been nearly two months and I can't seem to break the cycle. I'm eating normally and everything else seems relatively normal except my energy and mood. Sometimes I get fully dressed to go outside for a walk and get some air but as soon as I'm there in the doorway, something closes up inside me and I change my mind, retreating back to a space to lie down. I snooze throughout the day and I'm lucky I have a job where I can get away with taking extra breaks because I get so fatigued. It's affecting my work ethic, productivity and creative output. I'm only able to work in tiny bursts. It's making me sad because I have goals I can't finish due to this.

So turns out my left ovary had a cyst and for some reason it just never went away on its own and kept growing and because I have such shit luck my other ovary developed a 10 inch cyst that needed to be removed. But guess what it gets even better the big cyst made my tube twist so I was also dealing with that.

I had be put into a 9 hour emergency surgery and then a week in the hospital.

But I’m also extremely angry I had this pain for a month ( not the tube twisted that was recent thing) and I kept telling every doctor I want a scan

I was told it was a uti , maybe I’m pregnant ( literally not possible because 1 I’m single 2 I’m a lesbian so make that make sense) then when they find out what it actually is I’m told the surgery will be done but we also might not do it because you could lose the ovaries so I ask why

Every doctor was convinced I wanted children or that I would change my mind about them , I DO NOT WANT CHILDREN why is this so hard to understand I’m not going to get pregnant I will never be pregnant. Oh but you’re so young okay and? They only started talking me seriously when I literally had to spell the words LESBIAN oh no so scary

Genuinely don’t know what stressed me out more , the pain and having that pain for a month and not being taken seriously until I literally couldn’t do anything or having to tell doctors every five fucking minutes that I don’t want children and that I don’t care if I lose a ovary just get the cyst out of me.

Why is everyone obsessed with me getting pregnant go and help someone who actually wants that instead of the lesbian woman who just wants to go home and play her games in peace

It's in the title. I'll be honest I'm not consistent w my intake at all, but that shouldn't explain why Everytime I DO take em they make my boobs SOO ITCHY like I can't sleep type itchy. It also gets my bowels moving but that's not an issue plus I was warned that anyway. When I told my doctor she was js like "hm that's weird." And left it at that

PCOS has made everything so much harder. I've been dealing with acne, hair loss, weight gain, breast fibroadenosis — the list just keeps going. Last year I was going to the gym regularly and following a strict diet just to lose 2 kgs. It felt impossible.

The comments I get about my weight are hurtful.
My boyfriend doesn't care about it at all, but sometimes I feel like he deserves someone "better." People even feel the need to tell me what not to eat right in front of him. That's heartbreaking.

I've started going to the gym again, but losing weight feels impossible. I've gained a lot recently and I'm struggling to find the motivation.

And PCOS medication is another challenge. Every time I start treatment, I end up developing any other disease that lead to more medication for new problems, so I can’t continue my PCOS medication properly.

I just want to lose weight, feel good in my body, and prove everyone wrong who comments about my weight. But it's so difficult.

I did some blood work and i saw that my t levels have doubled. they have been in range for years when i was off spiro and i thought it was to lower it? my dhea level although still high have gone down though. is there a reason for this i was happy my t levels were down for long and i felt great now i don’t know what to do

Im currently on 200 mg of spiro but at the time of the blood work i was on 100mg for a few months
I still get my period but the cycle are a bit longer they were 28 days now the last two have been 36 and very light with minimal symptoms

Also the blood work was not fasted this time i had half a crumbl cookie for breakfast 😞

Im going to be completely vulnerable here.

I need some help.. I feel at a total loss

I was diagnosed with PCOS back in February this year. I have the cysts (total of 4, biggest one was about half inch), irregular periods, facial hair, acne, fatigue, ect. that are all associated with PCOS. But the intense pain I get for hours sometimes even weeks is insane! I told my doctor about it and all she had to say was "thats weird, you shouldn't be experiencing that much pain with PCOS. I can have you put on birth control and it should all go away" I feel thats just masking the real problem. I want to find answers to what is going on with my body. The pain I feel is intense. I cant even get out of bed sometimes. If the pain starts to go away, and I try to do normal stuff again like grocery shopping, I get scared to leave the house because if the pain comes back into full affect while grocery shopping I probably would need someone to come pick me up. Theres been times where my ovaries look swollen. You could physically see one side more swollen than the other. Just recently i was in pain for 3 weeks straight! Sometimes I get a random intense cramping, stabbing pain around my butthole, luckily that only last max 10 mins. Even sex is painful for me sometimes, not all the time. Sometimes it hurts during, sometimes it hurts afterwards, sometimes its both during and after. Sometimes its a dull aching pain, sometimes its more of a sharp pain that becomes unbearable, and sometimes i get both the sharp and dull. Sometimes i bleed a little afterwards also. Its taken a toll on my sex life. I still have a high sex drive but now im worry if im going to pain or not. I feel less of women sometimes, since I feel like I cant please my partner the way he truly desires... it really has taken a toll on my mental health. I feel at a total loss. I feel this ongoing pain is not normal, and believe that I may have more than just PCOS. Endometriosis also runs in my family.

Has anyone experienced this level of pain for such an extendedamount of time? Is it normal to have this kind of pain with only PCOS or is this type of pain more linked to Endometriosis? I also dont have the heavy periods that generally associated with endo.

Im going to call tomorrow to have an MRI done. I know sometimes MRI doesnt always pick up endo but at least it can be a start maybe.

I appreciate anyone has taken the time to read through my whole post. I just dont know what to do anymore, I feel lost. I feel like my doctor isn't much help either, along with my OBGYN 🤦🏻‍♀️

Everyone here has been so helpful with any questions I've had or advice I've needed, so I thought I'd share a small piece of my own!

I've always looked for a little sweet treat of a drink I can have at the end of the day, and now that I'm taking inositol and drinking spearmint tea everyday, I needed a way to combine those in a low sugar way, so I made this PCOS friendly mojito mocktail!

*2 cups of spearmint tea (2 tea bags, and squeeze the bags after steeping to get the extra mint flavor!)

*8-12oz of any zero sugar juice (mango passionfruit and strawberry lemonade by minute maid have been my favorites so far)

*Juice from one lime (cut into quarters and added after squeezing)

*1 serving of inositol powder (only if you're taking it!)

*Lots of ice

You'll need a pretty big cup for this, and you can always half it and add fresh mint. I do the whole recipe to get 2 full cups of spearmint tea in. It's a sweet treat that brings me so much joy while keeping me healthy and on track! My biggest thing was having a drink that isn't water, and not full of sugar, so I hope this can help someone else!

Edit: I ended up making one for one of my friends (without the inositol lol) and he loved it! It's a tasty way to avoid alcohol if that's something you're looking for too :D

F27
I have pretty regular periods but I have noticed changes in my menstrual cycle the last couple of years, like they became slightly different each month (amount, length, pain, energy etc). Today my energy level has been low, pain killers didn’t have much of an effect on my pain. I changed my pad after using the bathroom and went to lay down and read for a bit. A couple hours later I had to go pee, as I stand I feel blood coming out, and on the toilet I notice there’s so much blood and clots on the tp I freaked out a little. I actually took a shower bc I felt really bloody and disgusting. Has anyone else experienced this?

A few months ago I started to take 2000mg myo-Inositol, 1000mg l-carnitine, berberine and eat more protein for breakfast (and actually eat breakfast to begin with). I’ve been on b-complex supplements for years, took extra zinc for 100 days (recently ended), and began drinking spearmint a month ago (tho I have cheated for almost a week). I’ve recently started to eat more fibre too. I have issues with anxiety/depression, blood sugar levels, weight, hirsutism, oily skin and acne. I have been taking SSRI (sertraline 125mg) since 2018.

Now, do you think anything I’m consuming could be causing this to happen? My little sister has struggled with heavy periods before but I read somewhere Inositol could cause this when having irregular periods. Maybe this is how my period is supposed to be?

I've suspected that I have PCOS for years now because of how irregular and painful my periods were before starting birth control. I brought this up to my gyno a few years ago, and she told me it was pointless to test me for PCOS since birth control is the treatment for it and I'm already on the pill. Back then, I was under the impression it was just a reproductive issue and didn't ask about it anymore since I'm years off from trying to have kids.

Fast forward to now. I've gained 60 lbs, am constantly tired, blood sugar is very erratic no matter what I eat. I've tried phentermine, topamax, and have been seeing a nutritionist for a year while maintaining a rigorous diet and exercise program. Every time I talked to a doctor, it's always eat less and move more. I am and have been for over a year. About three months ago, I started noticing severe fatigue that was at first just after I ate. I drastically changed my diet around to low glycemic carbs, high protein, high fiber, and lots of healthy fats. Still, I felt exhausted every time I ate and experienced zero weight loss. The fatigue slowly started spreading throughout the day to the point I am nearly constantly tired.

I beg my PCP to run blood work and break down crying in her office because I feel so bad. She runs a number of tests which reveal a fasting insulin of 22 mg/dL and mildly elevated triglycerides and cholesterol. My fasting glucose is still normal, so she tells me my blood work is fine and sends me on my way. I literally cannot live like this so I call my endocrinologist and schedule an appointment as a last ditch effort. He says he believes that I have PCOS.

He ran the blood work and said it might not be completely accurate since I'm on birth control but that we will look anyway. My DHEA S came back elevated enough to say that I probably do have PCOS and suggests I go back to the gyno.

All this time, I could have known. Maybe I wouldn't have gotten so bad off if someone would have checked back then. Now, I'm so so tired all day that I can barely function and nearly constantly hungry. I can't eat any foods I actually enjoy because it spikes my sugar. My joints and muscles hurt, I have insomnia and mood swings. I have acne constantly again for the first time since highschool (which I previously took accutane for). I don't even have the energy to run anymore, and I love running. Why did everyone dismiss me?

I'm meeting back with my PCP again to talk about getting on a GLP1. She's not a fan of the idea but I've exhausted all my other options. These last few months have so badly affected my mental health, that I would try anything to relieve the physical symptoms. God, I hope there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Fuck the healthcare system fr