PCOS and Weight Loss

by Morgann
(Fremont, CA, U.S.A.)

Hi everyone,

My name is Morgann and I am 21 years old going on 22 in June. I remember once reading about PCOS when I was about 18 and thinking "That's what I have!!" Of course, I have a few of the signs of PCOS -- absent period, infertility, hirsutism on my face and abdomen, acne, obesity, the works.

Ever since I had my first period at the age of eleven, they have always been either irregular or absent... Mainly absent. Whenever I've been to the Ob/Gyn all they would ever tell me with every pap smear is "Oh you need to lose weight. It's your hormones that are imbalanced and causing you to have irregular periods. Here's a prescription for Yasmin." In turn I have been on and off the pill since I was 14 years old.

I had recently gone to the gyno for an annual pap smear and when they found out that I hadn't had my period for over a year it was like absolute panic. (As if I had never mentioned it before.) Well why else would you put a 14 year old on the pill huh? DUH!!

Anywho, they ordered a battery of tests on me to be done the next day. I needed blood tests and external/internal ultrasounds of my ovaries. Long story short there was absolutely nothing they could find in my blood that was off kilter and nothing they could find on my ovaries. So why am I not having my period if everything seems normal? So of course they put me right back on the stupid pill.

I decided to do a little more research on PCOS in seeing that the doctors couldn't provide me with a viable answer to my problems..

I learned that you can have PCOS without any sign or symptom of cysts, which was a surprise to me but the fact that I didn't ovulate is what really struck me to try to help myself.

Don't get me wrong, I am way too young to have kids but I was very upset in the fact that I didn't even have the option. I thought well if the doctors aren't gonna help me, then what do I gotta do?

I learned that weight loss is the number one thing to help the situation. Even a 10% body weight loss might return your menstrual cycle... So I decided to join Weight Watchers Flex plan.

I'm happy to report that in 14 weeks I've lost a total of 31 lbs and have been getting my period for 2 months now! I'm hoping that the more I lose the more the symptoms of PCOS will subside namely my acne and hirsutism. Weight Watchers is changing not only my health but my outlook on life.

Good luck to all you ladies struggling with this condition. My prayers go out to you. Thanks for reading my story.