r/PcosIndia

Love a bit of muesli added to my curd and peanut butter for the crunch. Its my favourite pre work out snack. I have been using the yoga bar one and then noticed it has added sugar.

Hi everyone,

I'm a 25-year-old female (5'5", 64 kg) and I've been struggling with persistent acne for the past 6 years. I've tried skincare over the years, but nothing has given me lasting results, so I'm now trying to find out if there's an underlying hormonal or metabolic cause.

My symptoms are:

Persistent acne for 6 years

Hair fall

Difficulty losing weight

Regular periods every month, but for the last 3 years my periods last only about 3 days

Mild constipation with straining and a feeling of incomplete evacuation

I'm not sure whether I have PCOS, a thyroid issue, insulin resistance, nutritional deficiencies, or something else.

Before visiting an endocrinologist, I'm planning to get blood tests done through PharmEasy Home Collection. The total bill comes to ₹4,586.

The PCOD Advanced package includes around 70 tests, including:

CBC (Complete Blood Count)

HbA1c

Fasting Blood Sugar

Fasting Insulin (HOMA-IR calculation)

Lipid Profile

Liver Function Test (LFT)

Kidney Function Test (KFT)

Thyroid Profile (TSH)

LH & FSH

Prolactin

Total Testosterone

DHEAS

Estradiol (E2)

Progesterone

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)

SHBG

Free Androgen Index

Along with that, I'm also getting these separate tests:

Vitamin D

Vitamin B12

Ferritin

Magnesium

Serum Zinc

Free T3 (FT3)

Free T4 (FT4)

Calcium

Cortisol

One thing I'm honestly worried about is starting medication. I've heard endocrinologists often prescribe hormonal pills, birth control, metformin, etc., and I'm concerned about possible side effects. I don't want to start medication unless it's really necessary and the benefits outweigh the risks. I'd rather understand the root cause first.

I'm also wondering whether I should consult an endocrinologist or try a homeopathy doctor instead. Has anyone here had good or bad experiences with either approach?

I'd really appreciate hearing from people who've gone through something similar:

Did your acne turn out to be caused by PCOS or something else?

Can you have regular periods and still have PCOS?

Would you recommend getting these blood tests before seeing the endocrinologist, or should I let the doctor decide?

Is this list of tests reasonable, or am I missing anything important?

Has anyone had success treating hormonal acne with homeopathy, or is it better to consult an endocrinologist first?

If you were prescribed medication, what was it, did it help, and what side effects (if any) did you experience?

I'd really appreciate any advice or personal experiences. Thank you so much! 🙏

37F with lean PCOS high AMH (11), trying to conceive for the past year. I’ve completely changed my lifestyle—I’m eating low-carb, dairy-free, and gluten-free, and I’ve been consistent with it.
I recently had blood work done, and everything came back normal with no signs of IR.
I’m wondering if it’s actually beneficial for someone with lean PCOS who doesn’t have insulin resistance. Has anyone in a similar situation taken metformin? Did it help with ovulation or improve your chances of conceiving?
I’d really appreciate hearing about others’ experiences or any insights. Thanks

After years of dealing with facial hair, crap periods, hormone issues, fertility issues, biopsies and every other thing that comes with it….and a whole new level of wtf unlocked….

Me exactly one week ago:
Okay….so I think I’m mentally struggling for real now. Like it’s setting in.

The reality hits that I’m truly genuinely missing like 35% of my blood. My co2 is down my red blood cells my platelets can’t keep up and my body is literally slowly hmeraging. That the low end of a regular scale of a hemoglobin level is 11.7 and I’m not a fucking 11 or a 10 but a fucking 8. I am 1 point from a fucking blood transfusion.

And no one seems to be able to help me. They just say well if it gets worse come back. Like hope you don’t die.

And then the reality is that this iron probably won’t help and between now and July 16 (new obgyn appt because ironically mine quit) there’s a VERY good chance I drop another point which means, I need a transfusion. Someone else’s blood because my body bleed out.

Because I’m a woman. Because I was born with something I didn’t pick, or choose, or fucking ask for. For something I didn’t make some dumb mistake to get it just happened. Fucking luck of the draw. They were my fucking cards.

I’m tired. I’m so tired and I’m so fucking angry. And I’m fucking scared.

Me today, one week later:
Go to get my blood checked. It’s dropped again down to a 7.2. The doctor says I’m symptomatic. He’s not sure how I’ve been going to work and functioning. I said, pure stupidity and stubbornness. I cannot change my pants without losing breath, I cannot walk upstairs without seeing stars, my veins feel like they’re twisting and burning all the time throughout my whole body, I can feel and hear my heart trying to work in my ears, my head my chest everywhere.

And he’s sending me back to the ER. He said it’s time for a blood transfusion.

So here I go, the one thing I didn’t want to happen after years of not thinking it could get worse. This was absolutely not something anyone talks about. But it should be talked about.

So in my previous post, I gave an introductory message related to PMOS.

In case, you wanna read my previous post ( https://www.reddit.com/r/PcosIndia/s/mFx7kLxnlp)

I said I'll make a series, but I'm not sure what to include. So if you guys have a structure, do give me some ideas. I'll write as much as I know.

And in this post, I'll include the blood works that needs to be done regularly. I'll tell which panel and when.

Blood Sugar and Insulin Profile

1. Fasting Glucose

2. Post-Prandial Glucose

3. Fasting Insulin

4. HbA1c

Hormonal Profile(Mostly done on 3rd day of periods)

1. Total Testosterone

2. Free Testosterone

3. SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin)

4. Progesterone

5. LH (Luteinizing Hormone)

6. FSH (Follicle-Stimulating Hormone)

7. DHEA-S (Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate)

8. AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone)

9. Serum Cortisol (Morning Sample)

10. ACTH Stimulation Test

11. Leptin and Ghrelin Levels(These are hunger hormones)

12. Thyroid Function Panel

TSH (Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone)

Free T3

Free T4

Reverse T3

Inflammatory Markers

1. C-Reactive Protein (CRP)

2. ESR (Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate)

Vitamin, electrolytes and Mineral Panel (Do it 6 months once. If deficiencies are diagnosed, take the necessary supplements and then recheck after 6 months)

1. Vitamin D (25-hydroxy)

2. Vitamin B12

3. Iron & Ferritin

4. Sodium

5. Potassium

6. Magnesium

7. Copper

Lipid Panel

1. Total Cholesterol

2. LDL Cholesterol

3. HDL Cholesterol

4. Triglycerides

Liver Function Panel

1. SGOT (AST)

2. SGPT (ALT)

3. Alkaline Phosphatase

4. Bilirubin (Total and Direct)

Kidney Function Panel

1. Serum Creatinine

2. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)

3. Estimated GFR (eGFR)

4. Cystatin C

5. Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio (ACR)(This is needed for Diabetic people)

Digestive Health(Not necessary for all, but if you think you're sensitive to certain foods, then do it once)

1. IgG Food Sensitivity Test

2. Lactose Intolerance Test

3. Celiac Disease Panel (tTG-IgA, Total IgA)

I've given the extensive list. Opt for necessary blood works if you feel you have the equivalent symptoms.

Feel free to add more in the comments.

Toodles 🌼✨

So many of you have PMOS(PCOS) and have hardly any clue what to do and how to do things. This is for my fellow Cysters!

PS: I'm not a nutritionist or a doctor but I've got few things to say from my personal experience.

First and foremost, Do a Vitamin Deficiency test. Most of the Cysters would be deficient in Vit D, Magnesium, Copper, Vit B and Iron(Sometimes or always Ferritin)

Also Get a hormonal panel and Haemoglobin test. I'll attach the necessary blood tests below.

And no one said this to me before, but I did Inflammation tests(Like CRP, ESR, CBC) as I have severe Inflammation at the bat of an eye.

So make sure everything is within normal levels. If not, go for those supplements as well.

Now coming to the stress management part, which takes up equal space in the major symptoms of PMOS.

1. Try Chamomile tea at night and sip Spearmint and green tea during the day. Spearmint is an all-rounder.

2. Also try Aromatherapy (My favs are Lavender oil and Ylang Ylang oil).

3. And to keep your cortisol(stress) levels low, go for walking.

4. And reduce HIIT Workouts. Heavy and quick workouts increase stress levels rapidly and hence stores fats in the abdomen region. So opt for Slow weighted workouts.(You can check few Youtube videos)

For me, Walking worked better than weight training.

Coming to the main supplements especially for PMOS,

1. Do your research on Inositol, Berberine and COQ10.

Go for 40:1 Myo Inositol and D-Chiro Inositol only(This is actually the most important for PMOS, life changer for me)

2. And for Gut health, probiotics supplements are actually must.

You can also research about Berberine supplement as it works for Insulin resistance.

3. Metformin is not a long term solution. If you're taking Metformin, you'll have so many Gut issues. So take either Curcumin supplements or Turmeric in your diet.

4. Also do your research on COQ10 supplements. It quickens your cell turnover rate and prevents cell damages.

5. If I have to say another life changer, I'd say Omega 3(Fish oil) supplements. If you're a vegan person, you can try plant based omega 3 like flax seeds.

Next dietary changes.

I understood that I'm sensitive to Milk, Gluten, Broiler Chicken, Eggs(Naatukozhi/Desi eggs are healthy, not the other ones).

I've started eating high protein food. And calorie deficit won't work for Cysters mostly. It'll leave us hungry always. So eat more and well. I include Plant based Protein Powders in my diet.

Opt for healthy snacks such as seed trails, dark chocolate, mixed berries, Makhana(Fox nuts), Pop corn, Nachos. I eat chopped carrots, Cucumbers.

It's a veryyy large and sensitive topic.

If anyone wants detailed descriptions, I'll make a series regarding it.

Hello,

Recently I have been having a really hard time managing my PCOS, it's getting really stressful and exhausting doing it alone. I think it would be better to have a friend to go through this journey of managing PCOS together.

We would help each other keep accountable, share meal plans, share daily workout progress. Support and motivate each other on our tough days.

If you think this something you would be interested in. DM me.

So i never had irregular or missed periods. I noticed that for last few months i have been having lighter periods , like withing 2 days it gets over. I have been experiencing some severe hairfall(or hairloss too), dermat initially said its Telogen effluvium,then said its Chronic TE , now she says i might have aga. So last week i went to a gynac, did blood tests for TSH,prolactin and insulin . My Prolactin is 46.7 . TSH is 2.9 but back in december my TSH was 1. Ultrasound shows my right ovary size is (40mm ×30mm×28mm) and concluded that i have mild pcos.

Now my derm says , my hairfall is not due to this pcos, according to her i have quite mild pcos which cannot cause this much of hairfall( i lose like 50-100 hair per day , double on hairwash days for last 3 months). Gynac says also that this is quite common these days for youngsters, and making some lifestyle and diet changes can make it go away.

I want some opinions,for two things

Do i dont need to take some medicine for my mild pcos?

And is my hairfall cause cannot be 'mild ' pcos?

I dont have any weight loss or gain too, i dont have diabetes, insulin resistance too. Only hairfall.

How do you keep track of ovulation?
My cycle has always been irregular (45+ days cycle almost all of the times).
Have been on and off on synthetic progresterone and have got induced bleeding caused due to it.
But don’t know if the underlying ovulation is happening or not. Am afraid this also affects fertility.

Any suggestions are welcome!

I’ve gained 10kgs in the last 6 months, yes I travelled drank alcohol and ate junks but I was also gaining weight even before starting all these , I have PCOS and I started strength training 4x a week and play tennis in the evenings , it’s been only 4 days since I’ve started eating clean but I’m already over 74 now , the interesting this is I was 73 kgs when I started and I’ve gained 1.5kgs after starting these things , I’m eating 100g of protein per day ,balanced fibre I’m eating 1500 calories ,
I’m taking inositol and Berberine ,creatine ,l cartinine based on my research.
I’m ready to wait patiently for these things to work but I simply cannot understand how I’ve gained 1.5kgs despite doing it all
I’m honestly freaking out and considering getting glp 1
Please someone help me out

Hey all — I'm an independent researcher (IMG, based in [Canada/India]) working on a systematic review titled "Body Dysmorphic Concerns in Adolescents with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome." Protocol is fully built — PICO, inclusion/exclusion criteria, search strategy across 4 databases, risk-of-bias tools selected — just needs a second reviewer to register on PROSPERO (which requires 2+ team members) and to independently cross-check screening.

Looking for someone to:

• Independently screen titles/abstracts against pre-built criteria (~5–8 hrs total, flexible timeline)
• Be listed as co-author/co-reviewer on the PROSPERO registration and eventual manuscript

Good fit if you're a med student, resident, IMG, or anyone building a research CV and want a low-lift, well-organized project to join rather than starting from scratch. Happy to share the full protocol draft so you can see exactly what you'd be signing up for before committing.

DM me if interested!

I have PCOS. My periods used to be regular,, but the blood flow was always very light and scanty.

I consulted a gynecologist who prescribed Vit D, metformin for insulin resistance, and a 21-day birth control pill. The next month, she stopped the metformin and continued only the 21-day pill along with Vit D and calcium tablets.

Even after 3 months of treatment, there was no improvement in my blood flow. She advised me to lose weight, and I managed to lose around 2 kg during that time. Since there was no noticeable improvement, my mom suggested I stop visiting that gynecologist for the 4th month.

The only tests I've had so far are a thyroid test and a whole abdomen ultrasound (the ultrasound was actually prescribed by another doctor for digestive issues.

Now I'm 10 days late for my period.

I'm confused about what to do next. Should I consult a better gynecologist from a nearby metro city and get more tests done?

Or should I focus on exercise, weight loss, and diet changes for a while to see if my cycle improves naturally?

I'm also worried that not taking any medication might cause the cysts to grow or lead to other complications.

Got diagnosed with PCOS earlier this year (2026) after years of irregular periods. The diagnosis itself was almost a relief (finally knowing what was going on), but the adjustment to "you'll be on medication indefinitely" has been harder than I expected. Doctor cited out many issues but mainly lifestyle and all…

6 months in now…still figuring it out. Looking for honest experiences from women managing this long-term, what's helped you on the day-to-day, the medication side, the lifestyle changes, the mental adjustment to a lifelong condition in your late 20s.

Advices and suggestions (serious only pls).

My gynaecologist prescribed Normoz DS Myo-inositol supplement to me for PCOS along with other medicines. However from a long time it is very difficult to get and yesterday my local chemist informed me that it has been discontinued.

Can you please recommend some supplements with Myo-inositol and D-chiroinositol with a ratio 40:1

It would be great if it is value for money and easy on the pocket.

Looking forward to your recommendations.

Hey everyone! I’m looking for a couple Bangalore-based (preferably Whitefield area) PCOS/PCOD/PMOS girlies who are around the 90–100kg weight range (no offense to anyone outside this range ❤️ — I just feel it would be more comfortable and motivating to find people who are currently in a similar phase of the journey).

I’m trying to build consistency one day at a time — nothing extreme. Thinking of simple things like:
⭐️ 10k steps challenges 🚶🏽‍♀️
⭐️ motivating each other to stay active
⭐️ weekend hikes/walks/badminton sometimes 🌿
⭐️ slowly improving stamina and fitness together

The reason I’m looking for this specifically: I genuinely love hiking, but when I go with fitter friends, I end up feeling like I’m playing catch-up the whole time 😅 They walk ahead, wait for me, I reach them, and then they’re off again… it starts feeling like they are milestones on the hike instead of friends enjoying it with me 😂
Or I’ve played badminton with folks who judge my ungainliness and I feel rather awkward not matching their energy.

I want to get better at hiking, cardio, and overall fitness, but I’d love to do it with people who are also on their way there — where we can encourage each other and celebrate small improvements.
If you’re in Bangalore particularly Whitefield and this sounds like you, comment or DM me ❤️
Would love to find a small group of supportive PCOS girlies!