Worsening symptoms after being diagnosed with PCOS

First of all:

PCOS is a combination diagnosis of ultrasound counting cysts, many many, not just 5 or 10, little cysts

and blood hormone levels.

(for correct blood hormone level interpretation,

you need to know exactly, where you are at in your cycle and most women do not.

Noting the start of last bleeding is a good hint, but not saying at all after two weeks especially, where one is at. Some have later ovulations naturally....then the whole 'normal' range does not apply. Yet another good hint is, to tell the doc, when the next bleeding followed after blood was taken to roughly get an idea where one was at, at the time of sample for correct interpretation. So if you ever get a hormone testing, please write down the date of start of your bleeds as it is very helpful to draw correct clues of hormone levels.)

PCOS would hinder a normal ovulation,

the follicle phase being long, too long, the luteal phase (progesterone) being short, too short, if at all an ovulation occurred and set progesterone free in normal luteal cyst.

PCOS has rarely anything to do with the duration of menstruation.

It has more to do with a hormone effect, unable to get pregnant, maybe even hair growth (unwanted beard) or acne.

PCOS is often therefore a problem for people with unfulfilled wish for a baby.

I had PCOS, I was diagnosed in my twens as I had simply no ultrasound earlier. 

I always have had very painful menstruations, but I tell you right here: it had nothing to do with PCOS.

I had access to lab checking hormone levels over a cycle and it was true PCOS,

= hardly progesterone and far too short luteal phase, high testosterone.

In ultrasound about 20 cysts, small pearls per ovary.

I was diagnosed PCOS when I was not even thinking of a baby.

So this diagnosis didn't bother me at all.

It was a side result, a coincidental finding and I had no symptoms of ovary pain or anything, or bleeding abnormalities.

Maybe a bit longer cycles like 5-6 weeks between bleeds, which I didn't mind. ;-)

I always had strong pain with menstruation and needed to take Naprogesic and drink yarrow root tea,

otherwise couldn't stand upright anymore.

But this had nothing to do with PCOS. (This was/is my cramping uterus, endometriosis or fibroms were not found in laparoscopy etc, the cramping went on even without PCOS..... it's 'me', and I can deal with it. Found my solutions.)

The gynaecologist -typical maie - said,

that I would never get children, if not taking the pill and then stop pill and see if we could 'restart' the ovaries for less cysts, not so many hindering each other.

....

first I did what he said and then I was like, hxxx bells, this doesn't feel right and stopped.

I needed two years

without any pill and the cycle normalised (in my twenties) by itself,

simply not worrying, but eating better, cleaner, being patient and not watching too much. As said, I had no persitent ovary pains or so.

we had access in our health system to a yearly prophylactic gynaecological check up incl ultrasound, that's how I know, because I felt no difference. I wouldn't have known if I still had PCOS or not.

I did keep a cycle diary later, when I was 30, measured my body temp prior getting up and could see a trend of ovulations happening and the phase (luteal) after ovulation (you have a temperature spike there) getting longer and 14 days, so all good (were about 9 days with PCOS).

Over time one notices also that -as gross as it sounds- one can pretty much tell by the 'slime', where the cycle was at.

All it took was patience. For me. Just telling you my PCOS story.

Every woman in reproductive age (and not taking contraceptives) has multiple cysts per ovary normally.

It depends HOW MANY cysts. (and what blood hormone level says about ovulation and luteal phase)

How many do you have?

A string of pearls like e.g. 5-7 cysts in a row is not that bad, actually is normal. But your doc should know that anyway. Unless the hormones said something different with these few cysts.

That's why I say, it has to be a combination (ultrasound counting and blood) diagnosis to be sure of impact.

Yet if no daily pains and no unfulfilled children wish, it is not that urgent to get a PCOS 'label'.

Also note please, that one 2-3cm size (inch) cyst is normal for a functional cyst (prior bursting=ovulation or after ovulation the luteal cyst), to be sure, sometimes is simply checked if disappeared, but that's all.

Just in case you ever see one in that size and they measure around for ages. Nothing to worry.

My daughter -yes I easily fell pregnant when I was ready, so much to 'never be able to get children'-

had very bad pain with menstruation (sorry, my genetics) and strong bleeding and low iron/ferritin.

She has many other pains and life disabling conditions additionally,

so she is taking a certain birth control pill to avoid any ovulation and any bleeding (as we do not do the 'fake' stop every 3 weeks of a hormone withdraw bleed. She takes it continuously and only stops for 4 days, if spot bleeding stayed longer than 5 days. She had also a string of tiny pearls in her ovaries and one 2cm cyst, but that as said, is normal.

A woman without any cysts has atrophic ovaries, not working ovaries.

One wants some cysts, it just depends how many and if they are functional.

What is your doc giving you?

If you have bad side effects, there is a strong feeling, you should not take it, but talk to your doc please first and let him explain, how PCOS should feel and how many cysts, how 'bad' yours were.

I feel it is sometimes diagnosed a bit prematurely, overhastily.

You don't want to fall pregnant right now I guess, so you have time to let your ovaries find their rhythm. Unless of course you  have pain and some specific problems due to it. I don't know that at all. But having menstruation pain or prolonged bleeding is usually not due to or a sign of PCOS.

It takes many years for the ovaries to find their rhythm.

All the best!! 

There are many medicines that treat PCOS. Each med has women who love it and women who hate it. I don't think your body likes this one. Call your healthcare provider if you have sudden shortness of breath. That's the warning for one med called Yaz or Yasmin. Yaz also has thirst as a side effect. So, for example, if Yaz were the one your body didn't like, you would want to try something with different ingredients. You're going to have to take notes. I hope the next med is perfect for you. But, there's no way to remember it all when you may have to try ten or twenty, and doctors aren't perfect. There are just way too many ingredients, in way too many combinations. And, some ingredients or combos have different names that mean the same thing. Just in the U.S. Yaz has over eight other names. Zarah, Rajani, Gianvi, Ocella, Vestura, Syeda, Safyral, Nikki ...