Posts by rustyraven75

Samuel Morgan40 said:Those aren't actually cysts—they’re just follicles, which is what PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) looks like on an ultrasound. The symptoms can vary quite a bit from person to person, so the imaging doesn't always tell the whole story.
Most often, you'll notice your cycle is somewhat irregular, usually in the sense that it feels like your period is perpetually running late. You might experience anovulatory cycles—where ovulation doesn't happen at all—or perhaps just "lazy" ovulations where everything takes a bit longer to trigger. There are other symptoms to consider too, and while periods can be painful, I guess that isn't necessarily directly linked to the PCOS itself.

Honestly, the best move would be to have your gynecologist write you a referral for a full hormone panel—including your thyroid levels—just to see how everything is balancing out. It’s important to check if anything is trending too high or too low to confirm if it’s definitely PCOS; the diagnosis really comes down to combining those hormone levels with the ultrasound results. After that, they'll likely suggest birth control (though they'll probably want to run a standard blood count first), which should help regulate your cycles and hopefully make things a lot less painful—maybe even painless.

My thyroid levels are fine—I already had that checked—but I guess we'll have to tackle the rest once we get started.

I know I’m going to have to push for more testing because, based on everything I'm feeling, I'm pretty sure it's PCOS. The weird part is my period has been regular since I was eleven; it never used to be late, but for the last four months, it's been lagging by 10 to 12 days. My doctor told me PCOS usually shows up as missing periods for months at a time, but apparently, I'm just the exception to the rule. 🤣

I have to laugh at the whole thing just to keep from losing it—it's so frustrating. I've cycled through several different doctors now, and finally, when I think I've found someone sane, well... life happens.

And as for the pill? No thanks. I had a nightmare experience with Yasmin, Triquilar gave me cellulite and ten pounds of weight gain, and Celest left me with mood swings from hell. Plus, with my family history regarding breast cancer, I'm really hesitant to mess with hormones anymore.🙂

Anyway... I'm heading back to the clinic in a few days to have a real talk with my doctor.😁

I actually had no idea this thread even existed, but I feel like I stumbled upon it at just the right moment.😁

So—should I head to my primary care physician for the prescription, or would a gynecologist be the better bet?🤷

The real frustration is that, according to my charts, apparently I don't have any underlying health issues that would justify the level of pain I'm feeling.🙄

My OB-GYN mentioned I have a few ovarian cysts, but nothing major—nothing that poses a real threat to my health.🤔 BUT she can't explain why I get these sudden, sharp stabs of pain in my ovaries a few times every month, nor can she tell me why my period has been running 10 to 12 days late for the last four months, especially since it was perfectly regular for years.

And when the pain hits, it hits hard. From day one to day three, I’m basically out of commission. No classes, no grabbing coffee, no walks—nothing. It's just bed-bathroom-bed.🙂

Even standard over-the-counter stuff, like Advil or Aleve, doesn't touch it. I would be absolutely thrilled if I could get some actual, effective medication.🙏 Because honestly, I'm done popping five or six Ibuprofens a day just to cope...

First off, my apologies to the moderators if this topic already exists elsewhere—I only saw weight gain mentioned in the thyroid thread.

I'll keep this brief.

A year and a half ago, I weighed 143 lbs at 5'7", and I’d been steady at that weight for several years without ever going over.
Since starting college—I'm currently a sophomore—I've added another 45 lbs to that baseline.
About 22 lbs came on in just two months, and the rest has been a slow climb; honestly, it feels like it won't stop at 187 since the scale keeps creeping up every time I step on it.

I'm 20 years old, and my diet hasn't changed one bit since I started school.
I still live at home with my parents, so there wasn't any sudden lifestyle shift—no moving out, no major changes in meal prep, nothing like that.

A few months back, my OB-GYN sent me for some hormone panels and a TSH test.
Everything came back within the normal range, except for my prolactin, which was slightly elevated.

I was actually doing okay with the extra weight for a while, but lately, it's been getting harder to handle mentally. It's tough to just accept these pounds when you have no idea where they're coming from.🤷

I'd almost prefer it if it were my own fault—if I could just blame a poor diet—but it isn't.

Before I head to see my primary care doctor, since I've mostly been dealing with my OB-GYN so far, does anyone have suggestions on what tests to run? Or perhaps you've dealt with something similar or know someone in your circle who has? 🤷