Table of Contents
Several years into having periods I knew something was different. While other girls my age were complaining every month about cramps, and it being “that time of the month”, I only had 3 or 4 cycles a year. I thought I was lucky! Several times over the years my doctors mentioned taking Birth Control Pills (BCPs) to regulate my cycles. I was not interested in BCPs. Part of my hesitance was worrying that my parents would think I was sexually active...the horror! The other part was that it seemed pointless to take birth control pills if I did not need birth control.
I never worked with a doctor who actually wanted to look into why I did not have cycles. Every doctor pushed BCPs. Many doctors also blamed my weight. While I was very thin when I started puberty, I got taller, curvier and gained weight over the years. Regardless of my weight, my cycles were never regular. I was frustrated at the advice, “Eat less, exercise more”. I know I am not the only woman who has wanted to scream at that advice.
At some point in my 20's, I realized that if birth control was the only way to regulate my cycles, and regular cycles were needed to get pregnant, I was in a crazy Catch 22. Take birth control pills to regulate my cycle, but then the pills would prevent me from getting pregnant! Strange that no doctor every actually discussed that with me. In addition to the issue of my cycles, I had thinning hair, trouble losing weight, I was tired all the time, and I had acne. I kept going back to the idea that it could be my thyroid. I probably had my thyroid tested 3 different times, with all of the tests results being in the normal range. I never once encountered a doctor who was willing to ask questions, think outside the box, and run more tests.
When I moved cities for a new job, I also decided to change health care plans. I wanted to be able to chose my own doctor, specialist, self-refer and find out what was really going on. The first RE that I found thought it might be PCOS, but missed some key things when running tests. Now I knew what PCOS was, and I knew it seemed like that is what I had. I went to a second doctor who told me I “walked, talked and sounded” like I had PCOS. He ran more tests and confirmed the diagnosis. Now I had answers to my questions. However, I was devastated at the idea that I might not be able to have children.
This doctor told me to treat my PCOS right away, and not to put it off until I thought I wanted to have children. He told me about metformin and what it might do for me. He said I could wait to do treatment, but my chances of having children would “drop like a rock”. I will never forget those words. I began taking metformin. I was so sick from the side effects. I could barely eat anything. I had to plan meals around the medication. I dropped weight without trying, and I felt terrible. But I had started to exercise too – mostly the timing was a coincidence. Then I realized I was ready to lose more weight and take better care of myself. I wanted to be at a healthy weight when I met the right guy, got married and began trying to start a family. I lost almost 60 pounds! I felt great, got a lot of positive feedback, and met my husband. The metformin regulated my cycles within 5 months, something I had never experienced before. To this day I credit that doctor with saving the tiny bit of fertility I did have.
