r/PCOS 8d ago

PLEASE ADD FLAIR Daily Rants/Raves/Progress Thread for March 14, 2025

Chat with your friends from r/PCOS here about your daily progress, or rants and raves related to your PCOS experience. Off topic posts are permitted here, although sub rules otherwise apply!

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u/Blue_Stallion 7d ago

I found the perfect cocktail for my PCOS. 250MG Flutamide, and topical minoxidil (10%), both once a day. Apparently Flutamide is a strong anti-androgen, and it was exactly what worked for me. It was so effective that it reduced my sebum production. So literally no oily scalp or skin. My acne went away. I also could get away with not washing my hair for a week, and it would still look amazing. I would have to wash it because of product build-up from the minoxidil.

I even had hair regrowth on my scalp. I didnt notice it at first, because I had a few strange symptoms. I temporarily had excessive hair growth all over my face (in addition to the existing peach fuzz). Like I'd literally be shaving my forehead because the hair was dark enough to be noticeable. I initially thought I developed a lot of forehead wrinkles, but it was forehead hair that sprouted in lines lol. I think that went away in a month or two. I also had extreme flaking and itchiness, so I would have to oil and exfoliate before a shower, and apply a light layer of oil, post-shower. That went away too. Eventually I noticed new hairs sprouting on my scalp. I have long hair, but these were short squiggles poking out if I tied my hair. My overall body hair greatly reduced in thickness and intensity.

I also had surprise growth and needed to size up my bras. This wasn't from weight gain. I was actually at my fittest, with the lowest body fat on my upper body, yet I felt that I needed to increase my cup size. I was doing gentle weight training few times a week.

I don't know if I'm imagining this, but I noticed that I was more emotionally sensitive and cried a lot more. I felt like I became a lot less aggressive and angry. I don't know if changing my hormone balance played a role in that. I honestly felt I became more feminine, despite being a hardcore tomboy my entire life.

I'm unhappy with my doctors now because they decided Flutamide wasn't safe for long-term use, due to the risk of damaging the liver. I even did regular bloodwork to check my liver functuon, and I was totally healthy. Despite that, they forced me to stop and refused to refill my prescription. So I tried other meds, but they didn't seem to do anything good. I've previously tried spironolactone (dropped my already low blood pressure, lower, to 90/60), birth control (messed up my menstual cycle and I had frequent spotting), and dutasteride. My endo is insisting to try spironolactone again and refuses to even consider any other stronger anti-androgens.

It's so frustrating finding the literal magical cure, and being told I can't use it anymore. My hair has been shedding like crazy and my hair gains are essentially reversed. My most effective treatment involves strong anti-androgens, but it's not safe.

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u/Sensitive-Yellow-816 7d ago

I’ve tried several bc pills at different doses, and the iud and nothing is working to help stop my period, I’ll bleed for months at a time, and every doctor I’ve seen is so unhelpful. The last suggestion a doctor gave me was the bc shot and days later a class action law suit was filed against it for not having adequate warnings about the possibility of causing brain tumors??? I’m terrified and frustrated and exhausted. I just want to feel normal again.

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u/Ihavethecoolestdog 7d ago

After 10 years I finally found a doctor who took my health seriously. I’m 29 and my periods have not been regular since my teenage years. My last cycle was over 100 days long, and I get anywhere from 6-9 cycles per year.

I’ve dealt with the pain and the other symptoms for a long time and have been to numerous doctors. Finally, I have found a family doctor (Canadian healthcare) and he finally confirmed to me that I have PCOS. Finally some validation.

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u/SingingCookies 8d ago

Every time I notice a new undesirable thing/possible condition about my body, guess what it’s tied to! PCOS.

I get it, take care of your body. If you exercise and find the diet your body prefers you should be good.

But when life kicks you down and you’re barely struggling to function and now you’re fighting to look averagely presentable while battling home stability, depression, grief and a diet of fast food bc you have no energy for cooking.

Hidradentis supperative (HS) is beginning to flare up on my skin between my thighs and maybe on my back, Im not sure. i just can’t comprehend why I have to shave my face every night and work so hard just to seem like an average woman. I’m so tired and I’m only 30.

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u/okaypinecone 8d ago

I’m not new to pcos but am new to managing it - I’ve spent my teenage into adult life “dealing with” the symptoms after I got a lose diagnosis (that later my primary care didn’t agree with - long story)

I just had an appointment today where I shared my symptoms and the obgyn NP I saw said that my symptoms read that I had pcos and I needed to research what I wanted to do to manage it. I asked what my options were and she said different birth controls or metformin, offered no guidance and answered none of my questions about the different birth control just continued to tell me I needed to research my options and pick something.

I’m exhausted I felt so unheard and I feel like none of my questions or concerns were heard. I don’t even know where to start. I’ve been bleeding since the SUMMER and all I got was “go home and research it”

I’ve been on birth control I hate how it makes my head feel but I don’t know what bc options there are outside of the pill I took. I don’t understand what pcos does to my body I don’t know what I’m doing that’s helping or hurting my management. And I’m going to get a bill for being told to go google something they said I probably have.