Some material may be unsuitable for males, because this deals with my lady parts (and I know some guys don't like to talk about this kind of stuff).

I guess I'm posting here because most of my friends are guys who, well, don't want to talk about this kind of stuff. It's also something I can only talk about so much with my own family (which is rather small), but it feels like it's still weighing heavily on my chest. I hope this will help get it off.

About a week ago I was formally diagnosed with polycystic ovary disease (PCOD). Through a series of events starting about five years ago, I've kindof known that I've had this condition, but I didn't get a "for real" diagnosis until last week.

PCOD basically means my ovaries don't produce hormones correctly. I have too much androgen (the hormone that makes guys fat and hairy and pimply), so my ovaries don't release eggs properly. I develop abnormal cysts on my ovaries because of this, and when they rupture it can be painful. Luckily the treatment I am on prevents the cysts from being too large, so I'm not at a high risk of having complications related to that.

Coincidentally, the treatment I am on also prevents me from having babies (to be honest, being off of the treatment, I'd still have trouble having babies because my ovulation is all weird). I'm not really worried about that right now per se, but my fiance has already made it very clear that he wants to have at least one child with me naturally when we've finally settled in with our careers. Needless to say, he was pretty upset when I gave him the news. He still wants to be with me, but he's busy with work and school so he's not really around to comfort me as much as I'd like him to be (when he is around, he's usually crabby about how he's busy with work and school, so no luck there either).

I guess I'm still more depressed about this than I'd like to admit to myself, but I was wondering if there's anyone else out there in the same PCOD boat as me.

I'm not; but I have a friend who has it. She's rather depressed as well, because she wants to have kids eventually; but she only has a like.. I think she said 10% chance (that decreases over time) of being able to naturally have her own kids.

Well, you said "naturally," but I'm not exactly sure if you were referring to having the child naturally or saying "naturally once we get settled," but if it was the latter, then I'm pretty sure you can have your eggs taken out and find a surrogate.

*raises hand* I have PCOD.

You don't have to answer these questions, but keep them in the back of your mind. Are you overweight? Losing weight will help with the condition a bit. Not everyone with PCOD is overweight, mind, but I know I could shed a few pounds. Plus, the estrogen released into the body by the breaking down of fat cells increases your chances of ovulating appropriately.

Another thing to consider is the possibility of food allergies; do you have any you know of? I am a huge proponent of good nutrition, mainly because I grew up "sick" without knowing why until my early 20s. PCOD and food allergies/intolerance/sensitivities often go hand-in-hand, but the research on this is new. If conceiving ends up being difficult, you may want to keep this in the back of your mind.

Ultimately, I wouldn't let the discouraging words of "INFERTILE!" weigh on your shoulders too heavily. My friend with the same condition, after being on years of birth control pills and treatment, ended up conceiving within 3 months of trying, once she and her husband were ready. Her little girl is healthy and active, a roaring toddler now.

I wish you the best of luck. It's upsetting when our bodies don't work the way we want them to. :hug:

*nods*
I don't know for definate if I do have it but i know my mum does and I do know that pretty much all the females in my family have had it. I am thinking about going to get checked out because my periods are really messed up, I mean one month I will have a really heavy one and then they will go and come back six months later.
I have a daughter, she is four months old, I never thought that I would have children and she was a happy little accident. My boyfriend wants to have more and so do I though I just can't seem to say to him that Ailsa may be our one and only.
Plus there are all sorts of fertility treatments and surrogacy and adoption so we are not lost, though it can be a bit of a bummer.

@Ren: Naturally, as in, without anyone's assistance. Just me and the hubby and no rubber barrier or chemical barriers that we're using now. For him, in vitro doesn't count as "naturally," nor does surrogacy.

@Chi: Yes, I could stand to lose a few pounds, but before I had just attributed it to a drastic change in diet I went through at about the same time. My doctor told me otherwise, and that once I start my new hormone therapy (tomorrow, yay!) I'll start to shed a few pounds. And my adult acne will go away (double yay!)

I do have a caffeine intolerance, but I figured that was hereditary (my mother has a similar condition with the caffeine, but not the ovaries). I'll keep that in mind when I get ready to rear some babies. That's really the only food thing I have (other than my picky appetite :D)

@Shooga: Sounds like you do. My doctor was baffled that I had no family history, but you sound like you've got it, especially with family history. The first time I told my dad that I hadn't had a period in 4 months, he nearly had a heart attack (I was only 17! He thought I was preggers, but I hadn't even had sex yet...). I stopped my old treatment this past March, and had only two periods since then (July and this past week).

I also am aware of the fertility treatments, but I hear that ovulation drugs can make you really messed up emotionally. Personally, I'd like to adopt just one child and be done, but future hubby wants two kids naturally (our compromise is one adopted and one natural). He's much more worried about it than I am (and I don't actually mind only 3-4 periods a year...). I have a feeling I'll have to do in vitro, but that's still another 5 years off. I'm trying not to think about it much right now.

Thanks to everyone for the support. I guess this condition isn't as uncommon as I thought (but then again, who goes around yelling "MY OVARIES ARE TOTALLY FUBAR" on the street?). I found out that a friend of mine who moved about a year ago has the same condition too.

LOL!

"MY OVARIES ARE TOTALLY FUBAR!"

I'm gonna have to try yelling that out to someone randomly just to see the reaction. XD

On a serious note, it's not as uncommon, but I think that's because there are so many varying degrees of PCOD. I think mine is mild. I have a couple cysts, but my periods are (finally, finally, finally) regular. Adding soy to my diet helped regulate me a lot. If I go a few months without it I'll spot all over the place.

But some do have it severely so they can barely have a period without crippling over in pain. ;_;

Yeah thats what I thought too. When I told my mum that I missed a few periods I was infact pregnant so she had a right to malfunction.
Yeah, I have the whole family history thing going on, though I really don't wnat to get diagnosed yet, it sucks big time. I will perhaps just wait until we try again XD
MY OVARIES ARE TOTALLY FUBAR!!!
I shall say it loud and say it proud!
yeah, I heard that about the fertility drugs too, same with anti depressants really xD