Ladies with PCOS...

I have pcos. This is the reason it took just over 3 years to conceive my dd. My symptoms are non existent ovulation, bloated belly most of the time and one thing I have recently noticed is excess hair. I have always had a tiny bit of a moustache :redface: So I always just bleach it, usually every 6 months. I believe that the birth control pill has kept my hormones at bay for all those years and now I am not on any contraception the hair seems to be darker and I am having to bleach every 2 weeks. I am definitely not ready to have another baby yet so contraception would be great, however after a whole lifetime of irregular cycles my body has decided it will now ovulate every month. I worry that if I use any kind of pill etc it will bugger up my body again. I know there is condoms, but they are inconvenient, uncomfortable for both and expensive.
Any suggestions on what I can do?

I have PCOS too. I was waxing my chin and lip and still do that occasionally while pregnant. It takes a bit of getting used to, and to be honest, I don't know if I could have done it myself if I hadn't got a professional wax the first few times.

Eventually I did go and get laser therapy at Victorian cosmetic institute in berwick. That was great. Hair is much much thinner and it grows back slowly. It's expensive though, $132 per treatment - and to start I was going monthly I think. Waxing is definitely cheaper and awhile at first you might do it as often as you bleach, it definitely slows down and you do it less regularly.

As for birth control, I have no idea honey. I am not planning to go on anything, but like you... If those early months are hard it will be really difficult decision to use protection, cause it's been so hard to get pregnant and I hate the idea of messing with my body again. I don't know about any of those other contraceptives I see people talking about in here - but maybe someone else can pop in and tell you more. Maybe it's something you can discuss with the GP, they might have a few ideas for you.

:hug: being a mum is hard, and you should be so proud of yourself cause you've done a great job getting through the hard parts xox

Thank you myturn :) PCOS sucks! I don't have enough dark hairs to wax, there's just random dark ones that are really obvious in the sunlight. Maybe I can bleach until I can save up for laser treatment! :lol: Wonder if there is any long term effects of bleaching.....will I be a granny with a permanent bleached upper lip?

Lol. Maybe a granny :)

The waxing will remove the blond hairs as well (which I like, cause while I have some dark ones, I also have some light ones that are quite thick and corse which bug me and can be seen in the sunlight) my little brother once called me beard lady :( it was the first time I had noticed it and it was because I was in the sun and the lighter hairs were noticeable.

Another option - and people might think I'm crazy, it's shaving... Yes I know! We don't usually say that its a good idea - but bare with me! For laser you have to shave in between treatments, and just before a treatment so the laser gets the follicle, not the hair.

You do have to keep going for laser, so it's expensive in the short term, and then longer term the treatments are spaced out. Also PCOS doesn't respond as well to laser as a typical person - cause it's the hormonal issue a which care the extra hair. I was going about once every ten weeks before I was pregnant. So that's five times a year - ish.... It's a lot of money to find on a tight budget. But if you can find the spare money it's worth it. I have noticed the hairs bothering me a bit more again since I haven't been able to go to laser. But I am shaving them off cause it's easier and it isn't making them thicker or more prominent or anything. Occasionally I'll wax them off to give myself a bit of a break (or pluck a few really dark or annoying ones) but mostly the shaving has just become a habit cause the laser works better that way.

Ps... So nice to see you back around here, you sound really well and that is great xox

Oh gawd, couldn't imagine shaving! Eek! :lol: I could stand by my DH and we could both do it hahahahaaa
Of course pcos hair doesn't respond as well, just our luck. Damn mo. The only thing that worked for me was the pill, hair doesn't seem to grow when on the pill. And thankyou, yes it's nice to be back. I actually haven't had Internet for a week or so, getting a new plan with waaay more gb :) Not long now for you either, so excited for you xx What is your due date?

I knew shaving would be controversial. Lol. (Ps... I shave my chin in secret.... In the shower....Lip is almost all gone now since the laser, so I don't bother with that.... )

Im due 1st July... Hanging out to finish work on 23rd may - 20 days to go! Still hard to believe I'm here, after all the drama. It doesn't feel real.

I have pcos and have to Shane the side of my face every day. Have since I was in my teens. Can't afford acupuncture and unfortunately I also have dark body hair to start with. Throw in pcos and it's terrible. I also Shane my arms cause the hair was so bad I looked like a man. I know it's not great but it's been the best I could do to cope with the issue.

Melbournemumma, I'm sorry it's so bad :( And yes, having dark hair doesn't help at all! Have you considered laser hair removal?

Real talk. I've shaved my mo hair for years. Nobody can tell, the hair hasn't mutated into tree trunks, and it's cheap ;)

I've done everything to remove my 'mo - shaved, waxed, removal cream... For me it's not so much the colour of it, it's how bushy it seems :lol: My dad has a fluffy moustache, I wonder if it's PCOS plus genes? Last attempt at removal was cream last week, plus shaving the ends because I missed those :redface: I also shave my "beard", because I can't stand plucking and the hair seems to sprout near pimples so I can't use the cream.

Bearded ladies unite :lol:

:rofl: Oh it's so annoying! I'll never forget the first time my DH saw me with bleaching cream on my lip hahahahaha

I use the cream on my mo, chin, double chin, and sides of face. It's definitely gotten worse with gaining weight, so I'm hoping as I lose it'll slowly go away.

So dainty, so feminine :rofl:

Although I don't have PCOS, I did beat one chap in the Movember challenge. After the laser hair treatment (on my behalf, not his).

I also don't like the american tv fad of no chest hair on men. I do like to be slightly less hairy than a bloke. And have shaved my stomach before.

Joining in here - I've had PCOS since I was 18.

Being on the pill for 10 years since then helped with keeping the hair under control (thankfully it is only really dark on my legs and bikini) but since I stopped the pill to get pg I have been feeling rather.... furry! Legs and bikini get a very regular wax, stray face hairs are plucked and arms are in ok shape atm. Oddly enough the hair on my head is super fine and thin (if only my genes could give me long shampoo ad-like locks) :wall:

Coming off the pill has buggered up my body so I can feel your frustration!!

I hate hair. I hate it in my bathroom, in my sink, on my lip, anywhere on my body but my head! DH is not a very hairy man, bit around his nipples and a small snail trail thats about it. And thats the way I like it. I've always hated hairy anything :lol:

My very best friend has PCOS and suffers from the excess hair and one time she asked me to wax her mustache and I must have heated the wax a little too much and slightly burnt her upper lip... It removed all the hair but left a bright red rash on her upper lip!! :S needless to say she wasn't pleased when her hubby came home from work and started calling her Toula until the rash went away!!

Although I don't have PCOS I do have this one mole on the side of my face that sprouts this big black hair!!! And my DH is always on the look out for it.. He once stopped me in the middle of an aisle at the supermarket and tried to pluck it out!!!