I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was about 17, and started taking BCP to control symptoms when I was 20 (I am now 25). My periods started becoming very irregular on the pill so I went to a new RE. He wanted to do blood tests to re-diagnosis me with PCOS. He made me stop the pill for 6 weeks before getting the blood tests. My blood tests came back normal, which is a good thing, but now the doctor is not conviced I have PCOS and can suggest no course of treatment for me despite symptoms of bad skin, weight gain, impossibility to lose weight, dark skin patches, excess hair growth, etc saying that because my hormone levels are normal, there is nothing he can do that will help those symptoms. I just feel so frustrated because I am trying so hard to reduce these symptoms and nothing works, and now I feel like I have no recourse.
I have two questions though about my blood tests:
1) Is six weeks a long enough time to be off BCP to allow my hormones to do their own thing, or would my "real" hormones still be under the influence of being on the pill for 5 years?
2) Would being on a low carb diet (which I am on) influence my blood tests? I know one of the benefits of a low carb diet is regulating your insulin levles and I told this to my doctor, but he said that the low carb diet would not have any effect of the results.
I know this seems weird that I'm hoping the normal blood test results were wrong, but I KNOW something isn't right with my body and my doctor says there are no treatment options because the tests were normal. I hate to think that I have to live with these symptoms for the rest of my life!
doctors can be so frustrating at times! I'm no doctor but my thoughts on this are that six weeks would not be long enough for your hormones to completely go back to 'normal' whatever 'normal' may have been for you. and Yes I do think that your low carb dieting would also have some affect on your results as well.
I think that you know your body best, and if this doctor isn't planning on doing anything to help you figure out, or treat your symptoms find another doctor who will listen
good luck!
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I have two questions though about my blood tests:
1) Is six weeks a long enough time to be off BCP to allow my hormones to do their own thing, or would my "real" hormones still be under the influence of being on the pill for 5 years?
2) Would being on a low carb diet (which I am on) influence my blood tests? I know one of the benefits of a low carb diet is regulating your insulin levles and I told this to my doctor, but he said that the low carb diet would not have any effect of the results.
Could you get a second opinion? Go to another GP and find out - the hormone probs are usually part of it, but for the symptoms you've been describing it definitely sounds like PCOS. I was recently referred from my GP to an endocrinologist who had me off BCP for 6 weeks - yeah, it pretty much is enough time for your hormones to do their own thing in terms of testing - they usually do bloodtests just prior to stopping the BCP and then more blood tests during and/or at the end of the 6 weeks to show the amount of changes in that time period (my testosterone levels are still quite high regardless of whether i'm on BCP or not).
Not sure about the low carb diet question, but from my understanding, if it's working and you're losing weight/being healthier, it's likely to result in your hormones stabilising out somewhat (though if you're still showing the symptoms you described, if the hormone levels were normal you wouldn't be having those probs)
__________________ Age: 23
DX: 2004
Medication: Estelle (BCP), Vit. B, Spiro
Symptoms: High cholesterol, Hirsutism, Cysts, Weight probs
Height: 167 cm
Exercise: 40-60 mins a day 4-6 days a week
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Blood Test Questions 
