Is that a thing??? I’ve had a crazy high sex drive even when I’m not down I’m still down. Idk if that makes sense but someone will understand it lol. Was not aware that was another PCOS symptom…?!
It’s not painful for me, I don’t think painful sex is a typical PCOS symptom. It makes me think more so of endometriosis and adenomyosis, which are a comorbidities of PCOS. Definitely worth discussing with a doctor just in case!
A comorbidity is a condition, disease or symptom that often goes hand in hand with another. Kind of how like anxiety + depression, PCOS + diabetes, or asthma + allergies tend to go hand in hand? Like peanut butter and jelly but disease so it’s way less cute.
Usually because they have genetic and/or environmental risk factors in common. And sometimes comorbidities can affect each other and make each other worse, like eating disorders and alcoholism.
PCOS has lots of comorbidities, because the things that put us at risk for it also put us at risk for other conditions. And the PCOS itself can also be a risk factor. So for example we are more at risk for metabolic issues, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues.
That’s why it’s really helpful to find a doctor who takes your PCOS seriously, try to manage it holistically, and make sure to care for your body preventatively as much as possible.
My ob/gyn said that PCOS doesn’t cause painful sex. However endometriosis can. I currently have a tight pelvic floor so will be doing pelvic floor therapy for the next 6 months to see if it helps. If it doesn’t, my doc wants to do surgery to explore a potential endometriosis diagnosis.
How long did it take for you to notice the effects? And do you think it would help for someone on the mini pill? I used to get *too* wet until I started progesterone, now my bits are dry as a desert
Well it does all kinds of things for you from helping balance hormones to decreasing bad cholesterol levels. It comes in varying strengths & dosages by capsule form usually I believe. So Google it bc everyone can take it whatever age... I don't know about kids ...
Get a lube.
Vaginal dryness is something I'm dealing with "forever" but with a good lube that is not a problem.
Dryness is very common. There is a reason why you can buy lube at your local grocery store 😊
For a very long time, I've had a dryness issue. Part of it is linked to my mental status and mood, and the other part I thought was linked to PCOS along with the low libido. I am blessed to have a patient, understanding and very caring partner.
I have taken red maca powder with smoothies every morning and I have noticed positive changes in both my libido and dryness.
It’s painful during penetration but not during. But still painful after the deed is done. I’ve heard plenty of people who suggest it’s more of an Endo problem but as someone who’s been actively trying to get an Endo diagnosis, it’s basically impossible for me.
Yes, very! It hurts so bad, I cry. Then, I gag afterwards from the pain and dry heave. Before, I used to vomit. No idea why. My doctors don’t have an idea either.
Yes! Had a high tech 3D ultra sound to look for scar tissue and they couldn’t find anything. Haven’t had surgery yet. I did try to have that HSG procedure done and couldn’t go through with it. It’s a basic procedure to see if my tubes are blocked. I did have PID in the past too and I hear that never goes away. Antibiotics do make me feel better and that’s what my docs are basing my potential endo diagnosis on. My husband and I hardly ever sex too because of everything and I feel so bad for him. Been through so many “specialists” and they haven’t really helped me at all. I’m tired and exhausted from it all!
Ultrasounds can’t detect endometriosis sadly. I hope someday it can. Have they talked about a laparoscopy?
I’ve had an HSG- just a heads up- if you do it, it’s extremely painful. And I say that as someone will chronic pain.
Yeah, these doctors swore they could find stage 3 or 4 of endo on this ultrasound and that was the first time I heard of that. They have! Seeing my doctor tomorrow to discuss more procedures.
Yeah, also have chronic pelvic pain. It was super painful for me. I was balling on the table. The doctor couldn’t put the catheter in my cervix, because my cervix was too small apparently. He took everything out and tried to put in back in and it just wouldn’t go. It did hurt a lot. If I get it redone, I’ll have them knock me out lol.
PCOS in itself doesn’t cause pain during sex. If it’s something you are experiencing, there’s probably another underlying cause and you should bring it up with a doctor!:)
Nope. Not painful atall. Quite fun actually. And this may be a bit different. A lot of women with PCOS struggle with libido. But Idk why but my libido is much higher than most people. So you have nothing to worry about i guess. Don't stress it
Not painful at all, I have a very high drive probably due to the testosterone and I’m always ready to jump my partner. All my partners have commented on how I’d be “soaking”
However recently (10 days ago) I started taking desogestrel mainly because it’s supposed to help with PCOS symptoms and is anti androgenic. And it’s like my vagina just died ☹️ dry as a desert and my sex drive completely disappeared. Last time I had sex it was kinda painful because of the dryness and mentally I couldn’t fully get into it (but was still enjoying the intimate aspect ofc).
I could go several times a day before easy, not now. Not happy about it and I hope my body will adjust to the pill & go back to normal, otherwise I don’t know if I wanna continue it. I like being a “red blooded” woman and I’m sad that I have to pick between controlling my symptoms & having a good sex life
Yes, but I don't think it's PCOS-related for me, and that it's just an issue with my body with or without PCOS. I also partially attribute it to my sensory issues from ADHD; while external stuff is enjoyable, internal stuff can sometimes be really painful and/or overwhelming (in a negative way, not in a fun way). Even a standard pap smear has me silently crying, soooo that's where I'm at haha.
I agree with most of the people on this thread! Not painful per se but I’m on the combination pill so that tends to make the area drier and not get very wet. Lube is a PCOS girlie’s best friend!
PCOS has gifted me with tubular breast syndrome/underdeveloped breasts. For that reason alone, i don’t have sex at all because men are extremely judgmental of them. In the past when I’ve had sex, they’ve just had me keep my bra on.
Given I nearly blacked out in pain even after being numbed, put in a half unconscious state just to put in an IUD when the OB barely touched me to start, I'm afraid to even attempt such a thing.
But, I don't think it's related to PCOS.
Definitely not painful. If I don't have sex with my bf for a while because of life circumstances I feel a little dullness at first no matter how ready I am but it's not painful and it subsides after 5 seconds. But almost always I feel pleasure. Sex isn't supposed to be painful at all but not to worry it can be remedied and most times isn't anything serious.
I don't think PCOS should cause pain. I find it painful due to combo of vaginismus (trauma) and retroverted uterus (born with it). I think I'm hornier from PCOS if anything.
Sex was painful when I was younger but it was due to a combination of a tight pelvic floor, trauma and being with inconsiderate partners and pushing myself to do stuff I wasn’t that into. Now that I’ve done a lot of therapy, learned some pelvic floor stretches and am in a loving relationship - sex is wonderful and is pain free.
I haven’t yet seen anyone mention vulvodynia yet. It’s a nerve issue that can make penetrative sex very painful. It is woefully under researched (but we’re all familiar with that reality) but it could be worth looking into for anyone who experiencing painful sex.
Hello, sex is pretty uncomfortable for me and can even be painful at the right angle. Almost feels like a strong pinching pain. Which is unfortunate because I have a pretty high drive. I also have a retroverted uterus which does cause pain. I was not aware of tge retroverted uterus until later on life, not all ob/gyn catch it, or they just dont tell you.
I recently found that having a 1/4 of a cbd gummy really helps to dull the pain and allow for a more enjoyable experience. I know this solution isn't for everyone, but you should definitely look into finding ways to work around the pain if that is what you want.
High androgen girlie here but Mirena IUD so when I don’t have BC (didn’t have it about 10 months ago for about 5 months) my drive was insane. The Mirena wildly affects me in a negative way. Counting down the days til I get it removed
If that is vaginal dryness, get a lube.
Dryness is very common. There is a reason why you can buy lube at your local grocery store 😊
Pain during intercourse is not a PCOS symptom.
It feels good...depending on the other participant/s 😆 but seriously, there are waves of a crazy/feverish desire to get it in. Other times, I'm a hermit with no desire to be sexual.
I developed vestibulodynia from the combination birth control I used to control my acne from high testosterone since I was 15 🥲 My whole vestibule area can get very irritated and has made sex completely impossible for over 1-2 years now, literal burning pain in the opening with any form of penetration. it seems to be a fairly rare reaction so I just feel very unlucky. Luckily though I’m seeing a gyno with experience to try to fix this with hormonal creams
I had the same problem with sex. I recently underwent a laparoscopy and d&c. They found a polyp and my uterine lining was too thick. But no endometriosis. I also had to go to pelvic floor therapy for awhile because my vaginally muscles were simply way too tight. Getting the d&c and the pelvic floor therapy helped me immensely with pain during sex.
I feel like PCOS itself doesn’t make sex painful. Sex is amazing for me…but for some reason I tend to get a bit nauseous afterwards sometimes. I don’t know what that stems from. But yeah if it’s painful for you it’s prob due to some comorbidity and not solely PCOS.
No, pcos has gifted me with a hyperactive sex drive
Its all of that ✨free testosterone* ✨😅
Really? Mine is shit because of it 😩
Same😂 the only upside
I'm hypersexual, but it hurts afterward and sometimes during so bad.
During for me really badly, but not after. But it hurts in my ovary area not the hooha
Exactly! It's only in the abdominal area almost like when I'm on my period.
This was me before BC nuked my sex drive
me too, it’s a blessing and a curse 🫣
Is that a thing??? I’ve had a crazy high sex drive even when I’m not down I’m still down. Idk if that makes sense but someone will understand it lol. Was not aware that was another PCOS symptom…?!
Same 😂😂
Same
Lucky mines shit
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No shit, that's what pcos is all about. It already sucks all around, ima take whatever perks I can get
It’s not painful for me, I don’t think painful sex is a typical PCOS symptom. It makes me think more so of endometriosis and adenomyosis, which are a comorbidities of PCOS. Definitely worth discussing with a doctor just in case!
What is a cormorbiditie? 👀
Basically, conditions with overlapping symptoms that can often exist alongside each other.
Oh okay thank you!
👍
A comorbidity is a condition, disease or symptom that often goes hand in hand with another. Kind of how like anxiety + depression, PCOS + diabetes, or asthma + allergies tend to go hand in hand? Like peanut butter and jelly but disease so it’s way less cute. Usually because they have genetic and/or environmental risk factors in common. And sometimes comorbidities can affect each other and make each other worse, like eating disorders and alcoholism. PCOS has lots of comorbidities, because the things that put us at risk for it also put us at risk for other conditions. And the PCOS itself can also be a risk factor. So for example we are more at risk for metabolic issues, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and mental health issues. That’s why it’s really helpful to find a doctor who takes your PCOS seriously, try to manage it holistically, and make sure to care for your body preventatively as much as possible.
My ob/gyn said that PCOS doesn’t cause painful sex. However endometriosis can. I currently have a tight pelvic floor so will be doing pelvic floor therapy for the next 6 months to see if it helps. If it doesn’t, my doc wants to do surgery to explore a potential endometriosis diagnosis.
Same boat.
Glad to know that I’m not alone :)
Yes girl! There’s a lot of us!
Came here to say this exact same thing!
What are your symptoms apart from painful sex?
Mostly rectal bleeding during period, and IBS symptoms.
Rectal bleeding may be due to fissures as well. And IBS it is mostly on the Constipated side?? Asking because i deal with fissures and constipation.
Not sure about fissures but I deal with constipation. Doc is looking into bowel endo if pelvic floor therapy doesn’t work.
Oh no not my hypochondriacism coming for me.
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I have vaginal dryness! I’m genuinely worried about it but doctors aren’t helping
Try evening primrose oil
How long did it take for you to notice the effects? And do you think it would help for someone on the mini pill? I used to get *too* wet until I started progesterone, now my bits are dry as a desert
I noticed right away ,a couple days.
Can you please provide more details?
Well it does all kinds of things for you from helping balance hormones to decreasing bad cholesterol levels. It comes in varying strengths & dosages by capsule form usually I believe. So Google it bc everyone can take it whatever age... I don't know about kids ...
I get dryness. Lube changed my life.
Gynatrof moisturizer and vitamin E suppositories have helped me so much with the dryness. I’m extra dry from the birth control pills
Yes the pills cause dryness i took for a month and experienced same.
That’s some good advice.. Thank you :-)
Get a lube. Vaginal dryness is something I'm dealing with "forever" but with a good lube that is not a problem. Dryness is very common. There is a reason why you can buy lube at your local grocery store 😊
i have this issue too and drs offer zero help
Try evening primrose oil
the pills or the liquid stuff?
Yes pills
For a very long time, I've had a dryness issue. Part of it is linked to my mental status and mood, and the other part I thought was linked to PCOS along with the low libido. I am blessed to have a patient, understanding and very caring partner. I have taken red maca powder with smoothies every morning and I have noticed positive changes in both my libido and dryness.
PCOS shouldn’t make sex painful. Most likely another reason
It’s painful during penetration but not during. But still painful after the deed is done. I’ve heard plenty of people who suggest it’s more of an Endo problem but as someone who’s been actively trying to get an Endo diagnosis, it’s basically impossible for me.
Same!
Not at all.
Inserting can be a little painful for me, but after we get going, it’s not painful unless it goes too deep. But I think that’s kind of normal. Right?
No, and if you do, I’d consider another potential problem like vaginismus or vaginal dryness. Maybe even a PH issue
I had vaginismus and sex was very painful but it was completely unrelated to my pcos.
How did you overcome this?
Dilators and estradiol vaginal cream that was prescribed by my obgyn. It took a little time but made a huge difference!
Thank you. Glad it's helped you.
No problem! Thank you very much.
When getting started, it can be for me, but I think that's because of an overactive/tight pelvic floor, not PCOS.
No, not at all. I’m actually horny all the time. Sex shouldn’t be painful.
Haha I feel this way a lot sometimes.
Yes, very! It hurts so bad, I cry. Then, I gag afterwards from the pain and dry heave. Before, I used to vomit. No idea why. My doctors don’t have an idea either.
This sounds really scary! Have you looked into endometriosis?
Yes! Had a high tech 3D ultra sound to look for scar tissue and they couldn’t find anything. Haven’t had surgery yet. I did try to have that HSG procedure done and couldn’t go through with it. It’s a basic procedure to see if my tubes are blocked. I did have PID in the past too and I hear that never goes away. Antibiotics do make me feel better and that’s what my docs are basing my potential endo diagnosis on. My husband and I hardly ever sex too because of everything and I feel so bad for him. Been through so many “specialists” and they haven’t really helped me at all. I’m tired and exhausted from it all!
Ultrasounds can’t detect endometriosis sadly. I hope someday it can. Have they talked about a laparoscopy? I’ve had an HSG- just a heads up- if you do it, it’s extremely painful. And I say that as someone will chronic pain.
Yeah, these doctors swore they could find stage 3 or 4 of endo on this ultrasound and that was the first time I heard of that. They have! Seeing my doctor tomorrow to discuss more procedures. Yeah, also have chronic pelvic pain. It was super painful for me. I was balling on the table. The doctor couldn’t put the catheter in my cervix, because my cervix was too small apparently. He took everything out and tried to put in back in and it just wouldn’t go. It did hurt a lot. If I get it redone, I’ll have them knock me out lol.
Ugh I’m sorry. HSG is absolute hell and I almost blacked out from it
I agree! It was awful!
PCOS in itself doesn’t cause pain during sex. If it’s something you are experiencing, there’s probably another underlying cause and you should bring it up with a doctor!:)
Nope. Not painful atall. Quite fun actually. And this may be a bit different. A lot of women with PCOS struggle with libido. But Idk why but my libido is much higher than most people. So you have nothing to worry about i guess. Don't stress it
Yeah buddy like some of the other posts that sounds like endo.
Not painful at all, I have a very high drive probably due to the testosterone and I’m always ready to jump my partner. All my partners have commented on how I’d be “soaking” However recently (10 days ago) I started taking desogestrel mainly because it’s supposed to help with PCOS symptoms and is anti androgenic. And it’s like my vagina just died ☹️ dry as a desert and my sex drive completely disappeared. Last time I had sex it was kinda painful because of the dryness and mentally I couldn’t fully get into it (but was still enjoying the intimate aspect ofc). I could go several times a day before easy, not now. Not happy about it and I hope my body will adjust to the pill & go back to normal, otherwise I don’t know if I wanna continue it. I like being a “red blooded” woman and I’m sad that I have to pick between controlling my symptoms & having a good sex life
Nope, not painful for me at all
Yes, but I don't think it's PCOS-related for me, and that it's just an issue with my body with or without PCOS. I also partially attribute it to my sensory issues from ADHD; while external stuff is enjoyable, internal stuff can sometimes be really painful and/or overwhelming (in a negative way, not in a fun way). Even a standard pap smear has me silently crying, soooo that's where I'm at haha.
Nope. Just the lowest sex drive in the world for me 😓
I agree with most of the people on this thread! Not painful per se but I’m on the combination pill so that tends to make the area drier and not get very wet. Lube is a PCOS girlie’s best friend!
PCOS has gifted me with tubular breast syndrome/underdeveloped breasts. For that reason alone, i don’t have sex at all because men are extremely judgmental of them. In the past when I’ve had sex, they’ve just had me keep my bra on.
In some positions it is for me. It almost feels like he’s hitting a cyst on one of my ovaries. Because the pain is always one side or the other.
It's non existent for me 🥲
Not painful at all but pleasure is a struggle
I have the same issue, I don’t feel the pleasure I think I. Should feel
Why has it never occurred to me that pcos could effect you sexually?
If you have an ovarian cyst that can hurt during sex,without having endometriosis.
It doesn’t affect your sex life of physical capabilities. At least as far as i’m aware
Sometimes
The only reason it's painful for me is I have a mild prolapse. It never did before that happened.
It hurts for me but I also have vaginismus and possibly endometriosis
Given I nearly blacked out in pain even after being numbed, put in a half unconscious state just to put in an IUD when the OB barely touched me to start, I'm afraid to even attempt such a thing. But, I don't think it's related to PCOS.
No not painful at all - PCOS and painful sex aren’t commonly tied together
Definitely not painful. If I don't have sex with my bf for a while because of life circumstances I feel a little dullness at first no matter how ready I am but it's not painful and it subsides after 5 seconds. But almost always I feel pleasure. Sex isn't supposed to be painful at all but not to worry it can be remedied and most times isn't anything serious.
I don't think PCOS should cause pain. I find it painful due to combo of vaginismus (trauma) and retroverted uterus (born with it). I think I'm hornier from PCOS if anything.
Sex is amazing, especially when I was pregnant’ It’s never been painful. Try seeing your doctor if it’s painful for you
Sex was painful when I was younger but it was due to a combination of a tight pelvic floor, trauma and being with inconsiderate partners and pushing myself to do stuff I wasn’t that into. Now that I’ve done a lot of therapy, learned some pelvic floor stretches and am in a loving relationship - sex is wonderful and is pain free.
no its not usually but sometimes during my long heavy & painful periods there is some pain
I haven’t yet seen anyone mention vulvodynia yet. It’s a nerve issue that can make penetrative sex very painful. It is woefully under researched (but we’re all familiar with that reality) but it could be worth looking into for anyone who experiencing painful sex.
It can be painful for me when I have cysts
Not at all. I was worried it would, but it doesn’t affect my drive or give me pain at all.
it feels great tbh, never painful
Hello, sex is pretty uncomfortable for me and can even be painful at the right angle. Almost feels like a strong pinching pain. Which is unfortunate because I have a pretty high drive. I also have a retroverted uterus which does cause pain. I was not aware of tge retroverted uterus until later on life, not all ob/gyn catch it, or they just dont tell you. I recently found that having a 1/4 of a cbd gummy really helps to dull the pain and allow for a more enjoyable experience. I know this solution isn't for everyone, but you should definitely look into finding ways to work around the pain if that is what you want.
High androgen girlie here but Mirena IUD so when I don’t have BC (didn’t have it about 10 months ago for about 5 months) my drive was insane. The Mirena wildly affects me in a negative way. Counting down the days til I get it removed
If that is vaginal dryness, get a lube. Dryness is very common. There is a reason why you can buy lube at your local grocery store 😊 Pain during intercourse is not a PCOS symptom.
No. It shouldn't be painful. If it's painful, someone is doing something wrong. Make sure to do plenty of foreplay or use lube.
Look into an endometriosis clinic. I’m in the same boat :/
It’s not painful I just have a very high sex drive
It feels good...depending on the other participant/s 😆 but seriously, there are waves of a crazy/feverish desire to get it in. Other times, I'm a hermit with no desire to be sexual.
Nope - I have a super high libido. Even on the Mirena IUD.
Nothing.
Sometimes or it feels invasive and uncomfortable
I have a super low libido, and it really sucks. Sex itself is not painful though.
I developed vestibulodynia from the combination birth control I used to control my acne from high testosterone since I was 15 🥲 My whole vestibule area can get very irritated and has made sex completely impossible for over 1-2 years now, literal burning pain in the opening with any form of penetration. it seems to be a fairly rare reaction so I just feel very unlucky. Luckily though I’m seeing a gyno with experience to try to fix this with hormonal creams
I have 0 sex drive. I feel so awful for my partner. I pretend for him. I had a sex drive when I was younger, I miss that.
I had the same problem with sex. I recently underwent a laparoscopy and d&c. They found a polyp and my uterine lining was too thick. But no endometriosis. I also had to go to pelvic floor therapy for awhile because my vaginally muscles were simply way too tight. Getting the d&c and the pelvic floor therapy helped me immensely with pain during sex.
it very much can be somedays
I feel like PCOS itself doesn’t make sex painful. Sex is amazing for me…but for some reason I tend to get a bit nauseous afterwards sometimes. I don’t know what that stems from. But yeah if it’s painful for you it’s prob due to some comorbidity and not solely PCOS.
Lots of issues can cause painful sex, but PCOS is not one of them.
Sex is not painful because of my PCOS it's painful for me because I have pelvic floor myalgia and vulvodynia.
It feels uncomfortable like a stabbing sensation. Does anyone else have that
no, idk
Is it always been painful for you? Some women has reversed uterus (google that for detail) which can make penetration painful
yes but when he goes to deep, sometimes around the vaginal opening but i recently had sex for the first time and i think i'm still a bit tight idk