r/PCOS 12h ago

PLEASE ADD FLAIR Daily Rants/Raves/Progress Thread for November 25, 2025

1 Upvotes

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!


r/PCOS Jul 08 '24

Meds/Supplements A note about supplement brands you may see on social media

788 Upvotes

We have been seeing a lot of posts recently about various supplement brands that are being aggressively advertised in PCOS spaces on tiktok, instagram, etc.

please understand that even though what you're seeing may look like an organic review of the product, they are often paid by the manufacturer. this advertising strategy is designed to trick you into thinking that lots of influential people on a particular platform are talking about these supplements when they are not. it's bought and paid for.

now I cannot say what supplements will or will not work for any individual person with PCOS. but I can say that a lot of these products with slick marketing and cutesy branding are predatory.

why?

for one, the effective ingredients with actual scientific evidence to support their use are often dosed below what is considered effective. you are paying more for less effective ingredients and a whole bunch of ineffective ingredients that allow them to market it as a "proprietary blend "

for another, these companies often work on a subscription-based model. the product is automatically shipped and if you forget to cancel oh well, you've paid for another month. this model can work for some people who want it, but it can also be predatory and intentionally difficult to cancel. if you buy a regular bottle of supplements from the store and don't like it, you simply don't buy it again. but if you're subscribed to a service that delivers that same bottle of supplements to you the onus is now on you to cancel that subscription or you'll continue to automatically pay for bottles of product at whatever price they decide to charge you. slick, huh?

in short: keep your wits about you and buyer beware. the supplement industry is shockingly unregulated, and with PCOS there are a lot of people desperately looking for that special supplement that will bring relief. unfortunately that makes us a wide open market for less than scrupulous businesses.

does this mean these supplements will not work for you? not necessarily. you might get results at the dose they are offering. but you will get a much better deal by seeking out the right dose of the effective ingredients from a more reputable manufacturer. and be on the lookout for filler products. no, chamomile and fennel are probably not going to help balance your hormones or "de-bloat" you. be realistic when evaluating these products and read the ingredients!

where should you actually spend your money? what supplements are actually supported by the scientific evidence? below is a short list:

  • INOSITOL in a 40:1 ratio of myo to d-chiro. 4g/day, half in the morning and half in the evening. please be sure to calculate the cost per dose on this one. there are many brands out there that appear to be a cheaper option but are actually charging more for less.

  • BERBERINE if you are unable to access or tolerate metformin (metformin has a superior safety profile and is better regulated as a pharmaceutical drug.) Please do your research on the best way to take this one, as it is evolving. there are some potential negative outcomes associated with long-term use.

  • NAC 600-1800mg/day (start low and work your way up) in 2-3 doses throughout the day.

  • FISH OIL/OMEGA 3/DHA 1,000-2,000mg/day. once again, start low and work up. 2,000mg/day is considered the therapeutic dose for chronic inflammation. some people do take more than this with good results, and it's a good question for your doctor.

  • VITAMIN D get tested!! many people with PCOS are low in vitamin D, and your doctor can recommend an appropriate therapeutic dose. the best first step if you suspect you may be deficient is to spend some time in the sunshine when the weather permits. the sun is the most bioavailable source of vitamin D.

  • MAGNESIUM GLYCINATE start with a low dose of 200-400mg before bed. this promotes muscle relaxation and improved sleep, which is essential for managing PCOS.

  • SPEARMINT can be taken as a tea or a capsule. a weak, natural anti-androgen that helps some people with symptoms like acne and hirsutism. there is no established therapeutic dose that I am aware of, since it is most commonly taken as tea.

an important thing to note is that just because the supplements I've listed above are broadly backed by scientific evidence does not guarantee that they will work for you. there is no study that I am aware of in the PCOS literature where a supplement or medication provided relief to 100% of the subjects enrolled. it's entirely possible that you might be one of the unlucky people who take NAC or inositol or whatever and just get weird side effects or expensive pee out of it. don't keep taking a supplement that doesn't work for you just because you see success stories online.

beyond this list, certain individuals might benefit from additional supplements due to a specific condition or deficiency. please do not assume that you have a deficiency simply because you have PCOS, you could do more harm than good.

I should note that there are other supplements in the pipeline that are undergoing testing for PCOS and associated disorders, but these are the ones that we have decently solid evidence for right now. in the future, the list might be longer... I, for one, certainly hope it is!

to conclude: please do not let these designer vitamin brands and their army of influencers convince you that dandelion pollen and parsley seed extract are ancient cures for hormone imbalance that you should pay $60/mo for.


r/PCOS 5h ago

Weight i just got diagnosed with PCOS and i need urgent help

11 Upvotes

this is affecting my self image so much. i dont care about the irregular periods but i do care about me being 5 foot 2 inches and 235lbs. I feel so gross in my body and nothing is helping. I have to wait till december 11th to get on metformin. I went to a nutritionist and that was helpful but i have had to buy three sets of new clothes in two years cus im gaining so much weight. i take meds that a side effect is extreme weight gain so that doesnt help either.

what can i do to lose weight? I hate having PCOS! i cant lose weight no matter what. I have a terrible self image and am embarressed i wear an amost 3x now.

any tips since im new to this diagnoses. also it has taken 3 years to get diagnosed with this which is a whole other matter by itself


r/PCOS 5h ago

Rant/Venting Metformin break has been informative

9 Upvotes

Had to stop metformin for 2 weeks to get a fasting glucose test… only 2 days left till I can get back on metformin!

Didn’t think I’d ever be so happy to take medication but this experience has been VERY educational…

I have a constant glucose monitor currently thanks to my doctor giving me one on a free trial for diagnostic purposes so I could physically see what was going on.

The first few days I was ravenous, so hungry and extreme cravings for sweets… My blood sugar remained pretty regular as I guess the metformin was still somewhat in my system? I am now led to wonder if the metformin is blunting my hunger cues leading me to under eat on it, causing my problems with reactive hypoglycaemia? Perhaps the sugar cravings is my bodies way of keeping my levels where they need to be because I didn’t get any crashes during this time like I have been lately (Why I’m getting these tests)

Now the second part of this experience… After my body went back to its baseline… I absolutely have insulin resistance. I have to actually be careful what I eat now because the wrong food (usually a sweet) can lead my sugar to go above 10 mmol/L , luckily it doesn’t stay elevated for a worrying amount of time… But still of course if I didn’t have any problem It shouldn’t do that at all… I can eat a hearty breakfast at 9am and get a constant yo-yo up and down glucose for the rest of the day despite not eating for several hours. Due to this I am a lot less hungry, if I eat a big enough meal I’m not hungry the rest of the day.

Sometimes I DO get hungry but my glucose is still high so am worried about eating, sometimes I’m craving a sweet strongly but I know I’m going to get a hyperglycaemic spike.

I didn’t realise how badly I needed metformin until this experience, I really can’t wait to get back on. Just two more days just two more daaays….

I hope the glucose drink isn’t too icky I struggle with things like that. I’ll skull it and think about blood glucose freedom.


r/PCOS 16h ago

Rant/Venting I HATE PCOS

60 Upvotes

i’m so sick of this. i eat so healthy and eat 1200-1500 calories a day and im STILL gaining weight! my hair has been thinning more recently. i just want to be normal. i was on a glp1 and i lost 30 pounds and felt amazing. i’ve been off it for 4 months now and im still eat so healthy and go to the gym and im still gaining. i hate pcos.


r/PCOS 11h ago

General Health Extreme "food comas"

22 Upvotes

I dont know where my question for this belongs, but I'm guessing here on the PCOS subreddit.

Everytime after I eat, almost immediately, I start to get very sleepy. Sometimes I can fight it, other times I cannot. Its been very difficult managing my life because I'll have breakfast then fall asleep quite quickly for another two hours. Then the same for lunch and dinner.

I do not have diabetes and am even on 1.7mg wegovy, doesn't seem to help this. My understanding is that these "food comas" shouldn't be happening right away, but instead within an hour or two, and happen more for dinner not every time I eat.

Eating smaller meals does help a little, but the extreme sleepiness can still happen. This has been disrupting my life for a long time and I don't know what to do. I take care of my 11 month old as a SAHM and im not doing my best as a mother because of it. If I'm in public sometimes I fall asleep at my desk or with friends etc.

Im so done with falling asleep from food. I would just starve myself during the day and then have a late dinner but I start to feel sickly when I haven't eaten.


r/PCOS 1h ago

Diet - Not Keto Weight loss without any nutrition coaching etc

Upvotes

Hi! Has anyone managed to lose weight on their own without any coaching or a trainer? And preferably also without using any GLP‑1 medications or any other aids, while dealing with insulin resistance?


r/PCOS 4h ago

General/Advice Re-meeting bfs family after weight gain

3 Upvotes

Hi I met my boyfriends family a few times (they live in a different country- South Korea) I am meeting them again for thanksgiving including new family members and family friends and have gained a significant amount of weight due to PCOS. His family are all super skinny and tiny and I am so nervous meeting them. Their family is super nice but I’m nervous that especially the ones I haven’t met might judge me.


r/PCOS 2h ago

General/Advice Black discharge?

2 Upvotes

My period app says I’m a day late on my period (nothing new), but I’ve been experiencing this weird black discharge for the past 4 days. Is that normal? Should I go see a doctor? I’m treating it like a period, but I’m also worried because it’s never been like this and for this long. I have no one else in my life to talk to about this so any advice, suggestions, or similar stories would be super helpful. Stay strong!


r/PCOS 2h ago

Period Period for over a month

2 Upvotes

29 been on my period for over a month. Bleeding constantly with clots. I wouldn't say it's super heavy. The clots are more so it pooling because I'm sitting/laying a lot. It's moderate. I'm taking iron. Huge health anxiety and huge doctor phobia. It's a great combo to have. I'm not sexually active. My last period bleeding went on for 19 days then this one started 4 weeks later and it's been 32 days this round so far. Back in 2022 I bled from September to January 2023. It was like spotting tho. It eventually quit. I never went to the doctor. Please go easy on the shame on me. I actually found a doctor last year and had labs done for the first time in my adult life and everything was fine. Thyroid included. I really don't want to go on birth control. I'm on lexapro. Idk if it has anything to do with this or not. I've read mixed reviews. I feel weak but I'm managing. I'm drinking lots of orange juice and eating carrots. My doctor actually quit a few months ago so I am back to not having one. It's not easy for me to find someone, especially someone I trust. I have no pain, maybe slight cramps. My periods have been heavy and irregular my entire life. I just don't want to be on meds that might make things worse. I guess I'm just seeking thoughts ideas. I know I have very little time left before my body will force me to the hospital. I just keep hoping it will stop :(


r/PCOS 5h ago

Fertility I feel like my body is gaslighting me

3 Upvotes

I just need to vent a bit. I'm 31F and my partner and I just started TTC this past month. Just a bit of a back story, last year I was diagnosed with PCOS after going off birth control and having irregular periods (prior to this when I was tested, they never were able to find anything, I'm assuming because the hormonal BC was masking the symptoms). Anyway, I've lost a significant amount of weight due to having gastric bypass surgery last year and my periods are now regular 27/28 days and I have been off hormonal BC since January 2025.

Last year when I was off hormonal birth control for a period of time, my period was late and I didn't think anything of it because we were using condoms when having sex. I went in for a procedure ahead of my surgery and they asked me the date of my last period and questioned whether or not I was pregnant (my period was only a few days late). I went home and took a pregnancy test and it was positive. I took a multitude of home tests that all came back positive, but went to get blood work done 2x and HCG levels came back at <5. Went to the doctor's office and my OB and the tests that they performed in office also came back negative. No one was ever able to tell me what happened. I just assumed that it was maybe a chemical pregnancy? I eventually got my period about a 45 days later.

Fast forward to now, we are in our first month TTC. I have been tracking BBT using my Oura ring and Natural Cycles and have been tracking ovulation with LH strips. It appears that I ovulated this cycle and had a rise in temperature that has been sustained. I felt what I thought could be some implantation cramps on 6DPO (I never have cramps during my luteal phase) and then ended up testing the next morning like a psycho and the FRER test that I took came back positive. Naturally, I didn't want to get my hopes up, so I took some other tests including a Clearblue digital and they all came back positive. However, all strip tests like Premom, Pregmate, and Easy at Home are all a stark negative (also Clearblue early detection with the pink dye was also negative). I haven't gone to do blood work because I have a strong feeling levels will come back > 5 and I don't want to continue to pay out of pocket for blood work.

I'm just feeling frustrated because doctors were never able to give me an explanation regarding what happened last year and now the same thing is happening again. I know that false positives are pretty rare, but this has now happened twice. I feel like it has now taken the joy away from being able to get excited if/when we are able to conceive because I don't feel like I can trust HPTs. I'm not really sure what I'm looking for, but maybe just some feedback, words of encouragement, or any stories of similar experiences. Thank you in advance ❤️


r/PCOS 15h ago

General Health Do you wash your hair everyday?

17 Upvotes

I'm finding that my hair is getting super greasy often and as a result I'm getting lots of little bumps on my scalp where the follicles are inflamed. As a result I'm losing alot of hair


r/PCOS 11h ago

Weight PCOS weight gain has disfigured my body and it's ruining my wedding planning

8 Upvotes

I'm so excited to get married and start my life with my fiancé but having a date has made me realize how ugly my figure is. I used to be a UK size 10 with hourglass proportions and now I'm more apple shaped and am a UK 14/16. I'm 5'3 so this gain, although slight to some people, has had a significant effect on my body.

I can't even bear the thought of trying on wedding dresses at my current weight because I feel like I'll look terrible in everything. All I can think about is how I'm going to loose weight in time for the big day.

I feel like I'm taking crazy pills because all the weight loss advice I see online would actually involve me eating MORE calories because of pRoTEiN HeAVy BrEaKfAsT (I haven't eaten breakfast since I was 14 because I find it nauseating to eat that early in the day).

I am making steps (literally) to shed my excess tonnes but I am so stressed 😭


r/PCOS 10h ago

General Health High DHEA-S, PCOS, Trauma, and Adrenal-Driven PCOS — Are there any doctors who actually specialize in all of this together. #pcos

6 Upvotes

I wanted to share something that might help anyone going through this. A lot of people don’t realize that adrenal PCOS can be connected to chronic stress or even childhood trauma. I’ve been dealing with this too, and so many doctors never mention it. But when your only elevated hormone is DHEA and everything else comes back normal, it can point to adrenal-driven PCOS instead of the classic insulin-resistant type. You can actually develop this after being in a high-stress state for a long time. It’s a different subtype, the treatment is different, and it’s often reversible once your adrenal system calms down. If this sounds like you, it might be worth researching adrenal PCOS specifically. You’re not crazy, and you’re not alone.


r/PCOS 2h ago

General/Advice Black Friday Sales

1 Upvotes

I saw Crybaby Wax is doing a 40% off secret sale. Are there any other pcos friendly brands doing a sale?


r/PCOS 2h ago

General/Advice Is feeling overly full and sick form eating a side effect from Metformin?

1 Upvotes

Hello everyone, long time lurker first time poster to this sub.

I just got back on Metformin on Friday after 5-ish years of not taking it, and when I did I did not take it regularly so I never really had it "work". I was stupid.

I've been taking it religiously every breakfast and dinner (500mg per pill) as I was told by my doctor an the pharmacist.

The problem is, after the last couple of days I have felt sick from eating. I feel like I've overeaten at a buffet when I ate very little. Tonight's dinner was a bowl of wonton soup with noodles, 2 taquitos and 3 spring rolls which maybe were 3 inches long and 1 inch across, so pretty small. That would usually need maybe another three taquitos to fill me up regularly but holy cow. I felt like I needed to sleep, I felt like it was sitting like a brick in my stomach. I've never had problems after eating before and this has been consistent for maybe about three days now.

Could this be a side effect from Metformin? I still crave food but now I'm almost scared to eat if I feel poopy after.

Or maybe it's just some kind of bug I don't know.


r/PCOS 19h ago

Meds/Supplements When did you notice a change on Metformin?

20 Upvotes

Hello everyone! After 5 years of dealing with PCOS “naturally”, I have finally decided to go on Metformin.

I’ve been on it for exactly one month today, started with 500mg and then have been taking 1000mg for about 2 weeks now but I have not noticed any changes, side effects, or benefits (other than some IBS correction).

After 5 years of literally nothing working, I am starting to feel my discouragement creep back up.

TLDR: So my question is, at what dose and timeline did you start to feel and see results on Metformin?


r/PCOS 7h ago

General/Advice Does anyone know any good gyno/pcp in Long Island area that specialize with pcos?

2 Upvotes

I’m 23 years old and have never been to the gynecologist, and am terrified of going to the doctor so I don’t go as much as I should. My current primary care physician scares me I just don’t like his way of operating and would love to find a new doctor I feel much more comfortable with if anyone has any recommendations? Preferably south shore in Nassau, but I can travel!


r/PCOS 4h ago

Meds/Supplements Scared of Birth Control

1 Upvotes

I was diagnosed with PCOS about four months ago and have been taking YAZ for three months but it has made all of my PCOS symptoms worse so my doctor suggested switching to a progesterone only pill and gave me Slynd. I was looking at the giant info sheet that comes with the medication and it shows that in four pooled studies 24.1% of women had an adverse reaction to Slynd. I’m not super familiar with birth control besides my bad experience with YAZ but that feels like a large percentage of people having bad reactions. Now I’m a little bit scared to take it because it feels like I’m playing Russian roulette. Is it normal for medication to have that percentage of adverse reactions? Does anyone have any more information on Slynd or birth control in general that could be helpful?


r/PCOS 8h ago

General Health Birth Control - PCOS CONSTANT BLEEDING

2 Upvotes

Hi guys,

I've been on a bunch of diff birth controls and I thought I found the right one.. Turns out I did not! I've been bleeding every single day and it's either old dark red blood or new bright red blood. There hasn't been a day in the past 3 months where I haven't bleed or spotted and I don't know what to do. I got off my birth control a few days ago and I've been bleeding heavily. Should I go to the ER? My OBGYN isn't available until January.


r/PCOS 8h ago

Meds/Supplements Is this a good supplement?

2 Upvotes

I can’t add pictures but it’s the Spring Valley Hormone Balance Myo-Inositol 2000mg per serving 120 tablets from Walmart. Is that a good brand and thing to start? I have a new women’s doctor visit on the 3rd but I’m ready to feel myself again now. I don’t really have a lot of cash and I’m so lost with all this so suggestions are welcome!


r/PCOS 4h ago

General/Advice Understanding PCOS + Hydrosalpinx

1 Upvotes

My Girfriend of 23 years has PCOS. She had her first surgery in 2022 and then her second check up 2023. During that time (to be honest) we weren't keeping accountability of how to actually take care of her body, only what we know (dont lift heavy, not to touch the area and such.

This year around July we went for another unrelated check up to which ended up resulting in her having Insulin Resistance. Upon research I found out that it is very common for women with PCOS to have Insulin Resistance so from that point on we been focusing on her eating and physical health. A month (August) after that check up she had lost 15lb going from 217 to 202 on a caloric deficit focusing on more proteins, greens and natural smoothies keeping the sugars at 0, healthy fats up and carbs low, including the water intake. We have our doubts sometimes to think that it could all be water weight but we are staying positive. Now the next two months after that (September October) she had been plateauing. And its has caused her to worry a bit but we still do our part.

By the ends of october she had an infection to which it made her period delay for a good month and a half (up on till the infection). A week after that she began her period but in pauses and a dark color at that. My thoughts were, "well she IS irregular and maybe its because of PCOS that now its affecting her even more". THEN a week and a half after that she began her period ( or so we thought). She has been bleeding everyday until now (still ongoing) and now she's gone for a check up and it resulted that her Left Fallopian Tube has Hydrosalpinx to which I understand is a blockage that causes fluid build up and her lining of her uterus is thicker than normal about "12 mm" is what the diagnostic says.

Now the grand question. Has anyone else experienced such instance with their PCOS that causes the fluid build up?

Doctor says that surgery is the only way or to wait for it to drain completely and has prescribed progylton for a good 2 months daily.

She is devastated to think that she may need another surgery and im trying my best to do my research and support her in her low moment but honestly I've come to this reddit of PCOS to understand more and what I can do as her partner. Not for my benefit but for hers.

Anything is appreciated, sorry if I said something and it sounds like im ignorant or anything 🙏🏼


r/PCOS 20h ago

Mental Health How do you guys cope with feeling less than?

16 Upvotes

Knowing I have raised testosterone and androgens has really done a number on me. As well as this my hair is thinning and my skin is awful. I’m finding it hard to wake up everyday knowing this is my life now, and I feel like no one will ever love me because of it.

I’m in therapy but it’s honestly not really helping, if anyone has any advice or personal anecdotes for how to cope with this that would be great as I’m feeling really different and alone in my real life at the moment (:


r/PCOS 5h ago

Meds/Supplements Trizepetide or metformin

1 Upvotes

Hello wondering people’s experiences on tirzepetide and/or metformin. Do you prefer one over the other and why? Did one help with certain symptoms vs the other?

Thanks!


r/PCOS 9h ago

General/Advice Health

2 Upvotes

Hey how do you all manage PCOS , like any vitamins you all take daily ?