Could I Have PCOS?

[Contravene]

I've seen a few posts about PCOS and it made me wonder. I seem to fit a few of the minor symptoms but not all of them. I know I should be talking to a professional about this sort of thing but I don't have any support from my family and I'm reluctant to see a doctor they would refer me to who would probably be equally as unsupportive. I also really don't want a doctor to diagnose me then pump me full of estrogen, I would much rather begin transitioning and taking T instead. I'm afraid that if I do have PCOS my parents would see it as an opportunity to "fix" me and turn me into a woman once and for all. So, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask some opinions here first.

Some of the contents of my post might be triggering.

The first and most obvious thing I've always noticed is that I've never had a regular time of the month which seems great but obviously indicates that something may be wrong. Sometimes shark week won't happen for months at a time and I've even gone as much as a year without one. I've also noticed that I always get severe headaches and bad bouts of depression when I have it. I'm guessing both of those are due to horomone fluctuations.

Another thing I've noticed is that I have a few male secondary sex characteristics despite being pre-T. I have an Adam's apple (I know everyone has one but mine is pretty pronounced), my voice is in (or close to being in) a more male range, I have hair on my chest and stomach in certain spots, and a few other things.

Everything I've read points to PCOS even though I don't have very noticable symptoms. So could it be PCOS, something else or are these things just "normal"?

[spacerace]

I've seen a few posts about PCOS and it made me wonder. I seem to fit a few of the minor symptoms but not all of them. I know I should be talking to a professional about this sort of thing but I don't have any support from my family and I'm reluctant to see a doctor they would refer me to who would probably be equally as unsupportive. I also really don't want a doctor to diagnose me then pump me full of estrogen, I would much rather begin transitioning and taking T instead. I'm afraid that if I do have PCOS my parents would see it as an opportunity to "fix" me and turn me into a woman once and for all. So, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask some opinions here first.

Some of the contents of my post might be triggering.

The first and most obvious thing I've always noticed is that I've never had a regular time of the month which seems great but obviously indicates that something may be wrong. Sometimes shark week won't happen for months at a time and I've even gone as much as a year without one. I've also noticed that I always get severe headaches and bad bouts of depression when I have it. I'm guessing both of those are due to horomone fluctuations.

Another thing I've noticed is that I have a few male secondary sex characteristics despite being pre-T. I have an Adam's apple (I know everyone has one but mine is pretty pronounced), my voice is in (or close to being in) a more male range, I have hair on my chest and stomach in certain spots, and a few other things.

Everything I've read points to PCOS even though I don't have very noticable symptoms. So could it be PCOS, something else or are these things just "normal"?

If your cycle isn't at all regular, a doctor would be the person to consult.

That does not mean something is wrong though. Everything else you described is pretty normal - some people just have more hair and a deeper voice. I was the same way before starting T, though I don't have an adam's apple, and as far as I know, I don't have PCOS.

I know it is easy to see symptoms in a list and think they apply, but the reality is there is no way to know without tests. The symptoms in those lists have tons of different causes.  You could go to planned parenthood or something similar and ask them about it for pretty cheap without telling your parents.

I personally, as my opinion, wouldn't mention any of this to them until you talk to a doctor, as it does definitely seem like ammunition that could be used verbally later.

[Valerie]

I have PCOS & my doc has me taking medroxyprogesterone tablets 10 days a month to keep my cycle regular.  Your symptoms are similar to mine, and when I'd miss for months at a time, all of a sudden I'd get it real heavy for two weeks straight.  It's definitey worth it to get checked out by a physician to confirm or deny your suspicion....PCOS can affect your health in other ways, so if you can stand to see the doc, you may just wanna' get educated.  You are the patient & have the right to refuse any treatment if you're an adult of sound mind & competence.   ~V.


PS-- forgot to add that I'm cis, so the meds issue isn't relevant to me as it would be for you...

[Chaos]

I've seen a few posts about PCOS and it made me wonder. I seem to fit a few of the minor symptoms but not all of them. I know I should be talking to a professional about this sort of thing but I don't have any support from my family and I'm reluctant to see a doctor they would refer me to who would probably be equally as unsupportive. I also really don't want a doctor to diagnose me then pump me full of estrogen, I would much rather begin transitioning and taking T instead. I'm afraid that if I do have PCOS my parents would see it as an opportunity to "fix" me and turn me into a woman once and for all. So, I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask some opinions here first.

Some of the contents of my post might be triggering.

The first and most obvious thing I've always noticed is that I've never had a regular time of the month which seems great but obviously indicates that something may be wrong. Sometimes shark week won't happen for months at a time and I've even gone as much as a year without one. I've also noticed that I always get severe headaches and bad bouts of depression when I have it. I'm guessing both of those are due to horomone fluctuations.

Another thing I've noticed is that I have a few male secondary sex characteristics despite being pre-T. I have an Adam's apple (I know everyone has one but mine is pretty pronounced), my voice is in (or close to being in) a more male range, I have hair on my chest and stomach in certain spots, and a few other things.

Everything I've read points to PCOS even though I don't have very noticable symptoms. So could it be PCOS, something else or are these things just "normal"?

From personal experience,i will openly post the known signs of PCOS.One thing you have to keep in mind is that,PCOS or *the cysts* block the ovaries and E,so in a sense-you are getting less E and much more T and with that,your body over time will become more masculine in appearance.

1) Very painful sharks
2) abnormal sharks at that
3) abnormal hair growth on the body

These are the main signs but just a simple inbalance can do that too.So you need to get checked.Because of my age and having it since puberty,i myself on a personal level have developed more sever signs and issues.Note: i have never had my PCOS under control at any time-no meds or anything.(And it seems i NOW have the guidelines for a hysto due to a prolapse-which is a good thing i guess.double the reason to have one)

Me: In a nut shell,my body and mind,HATES it and the small amounts of E i do get.So you could see it as *my* body has become so dependent on the T,that anything else-it fights against.

Moods swings/changes
above abnormal hair growth on the body
Intestinal/organ issues (that also involves another issue i have atm)
Physical and mental/emotional pain (includes sever head aches,aches,self hate,almost a twisting feeling mentally)

Things very from person to person and also keep in mind that you need to double make sure when checked,that they can PROVE its pcos because it has been shown that they do tend to misdiagnose it with other more sever ovarian issues.So you could be *told* you have PCOS but be suffering from a much more serious illness.Also keep in mind that PCOS alone will not be enough for any type of corrective surgery.They WILL force meds on you and that is the only thing you can do.As of right now,they do not feel (even with the proven serious outcomes and lasting effects) that PCOS warrents a hysto.Good luck to you and i hope things turn out how you want them.

[BeefxCake]

i do have pcos, and that seems pretty accurate, but i was diagnosed, and really the only way you can know is if you are diagnosed.

irregular periods can be an underlying cause to something else. something serious. i have pcos and i am irregular but i don't go more than 2 months without having one. sometimes more than one period a month it just depends it;s irregular.

the way my doc described it to me is im makin too many eggs, or folicles or something. hormones are jacked so i can't have a regular period.

but as far as physical features, i've got this stuff and some of it might be normal for someone with pcos or it's just me

some chest hair around aeriolas, little on the stomach (honestly my body hair is blonde so i can't really tell if im extra fuzzy or not ) deeper voice ( i can hit tenor range comfortably) acne (ughh sh*ts everywhere) higher testosterone level, smaller boobs, build muscle easier ( cuz higher testosterone level )

so yeah i guess that it

[Contravene]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

I seem to fit a lot more of the symptoms than I thought but I won't jump to conclusions and just assume I have it. I definitely need to see a doctor, I'm a mess. The problem is I don't have an adult physician, my parents still want me to see my pediatric doctor despite me being much too old to go to a pediatrician (it's ridiculous, I know) and I'm still under their health insurance plan for now so anything I do would have to go through them first. Hopefully within the next year that will change and I'll have my own health insurance plan. In the meantime I'll try going to a planned parenthood or another type of clinic since there are a few close to where I live. I just have to muster up the courage to go first since talking about sharks and lady parts gives me massive dysphoria.

[D0LL]

Ive never been diagnosed by a doctor with PCOS, but  I definitely have it.

I actually have a pretty regular cycle schedule for someone with PCOS, which is strange. Someyimes it comes a week early, sometimes it skips a month, but for the most part it seems pretty regular (although I also dont really keep track). Its almost always basically nonexistant, though, which from my understanding is not norm.

My hormones are the biggest clue. If I dont shave my face my bf can tell, and I sweat like a SOAB. And, of course, my acne. My face and back are almost always just terrible.

I also show hints of insulin resistance, but I would have to actually be tested for that to know for sure.

With your symptoms, you could at least talk to a doctor alone and see what they think. There are other health problems that can severely alter your monthly schedule like that, so if its not PCOS, it might be something serious youd want to have checked out. Not trying to scare you, just dont use a possible PCOS diagnosis as the reason to not get checked out.

Good luck with everything.

[DriftingCrow]

D0LL, you should get tested. I thought I had it too, I get some facial hair, irregular periods, and some other symptoms.  But I went to Planned Parenthood and I don't have PCOS. They said it could be a thyroid problem, which can cause your hormones to screw up. They did a test and luckily everything is in the normal range for me. The symptoms can be something else and its probably best just to get tested now instead if finding out later that its really a tumor or something else horrible.