I’ve been dealing with what I suspect is PCOS for over a decade now, and I’ve read every “official” list of symptoms out there-from irregular periods to acne and weight gain. But let’s be real: the medical community loves to lump everything under “hormonal imbalance” without digging deeper into how periods specifically signal PCOS in ways that aren’t just “skipped cycles.”
What bugs me is how docs dismiss subtle period changes as “normal variation” until you’re at crisis point. For instance, has anyone else noticed that their periods aren’t just irregular, but come with this weird, almost predictable pattern of super-light spotting for days followed by a heavy gush that lasts only 2-3 days? It’s like the lining builds up unevenly, and I swear it’s tied to insulin resistance more than they admit. Standard advice is all about metformin or birth control to “regulate,” but that feels like masking symptoms instead of addressing why the endometrial buildup is so inconsistent in PCOS.
I’m skeptical of the one-size-fits-all approach-why aren’t we talking more about tracking cervical mucus or basal body temp alongside period flow to catch PCOS earlier? Feels like gynecology is stuck in the 90s on this. Anyone with long-term experience want to share if they’ve seen this pattern or challenged their doc on it?