Confused!

Dakotah · 02-27-2007, 11:52 AM

Hi everyone,

I am 35 years old and was diagnosed with PCOS in March of 2005 - I was having irregular bleeding lasting anywhere from 2 - 3 weeks. Doctor did a blood test and told me that my hormones were "flipped" - high levels of testosterone, and low of estrogen, etc. He also did a transvaginal ultrasound which showed that I have one cyst on my left ovary. I am doubting the PCOS diagnosis - I have no insulin resistance and am only about 15 - 20 pounds overweight (could be due to my junk food addiction!). Also with only one cyst on one of my ovaries. Could a diagnosis be made from basically out of whack hormone levels?

My doc put me on birth control in March of 2005, but since I have been on the pill, I have only had 8 regular cycles - 8 out of 24!! Most months I have spotting for a few days before my period starts or for a few days around Day 10 of the active pills. But... recently things have gone haywire. I skipped 2 cycles from September to December, had 2 "normal" cycles, although they were really light, and then I had a normal period, but started bleeding again 9 days later - very heavy, clotting, and still going on...2 weeks later!

I went to the doctor yesterday for a repeat PAP due to some "mildly atypical" cells - been dealing with that for the past year also - and told him about the abnormal bleeding, but he didn't seem too concerned. He told me to skip the week of placebo pills and start a new pack of birth control pills to stop the bleeding. He said if it didn't stop by this Friday that I should call him and he would schedule an ultrasound to check my uterine lining - too see if it is too thick which could be causing the bleeding, or to see if I have "endometrial thinning", which could also be causing the bleeding? UGH! He also said that the PCOS should NOT be causing the abnormal bleeding because I am on the pill and that should be "fixed". So...he thinks something else is wrong. Then, he mentioned that I could have "endometrial thinning" from being on the pill for too long. I have only been on it for 2 years. I was on it for about 6 years in my twentys but was off for 3 years before I started the pill again.

I am sooooo frustrated by all of this - I feel terrible ALL the time - tired, moody, depressed and my boyfriend and I have NO sex life because I am always bleeding or spotting. This is really affecting my quality of life. And...I am confused - do I have PCOS? What is causing the abnormal bleeding? Why can't I get this under control after several years? Why can't I get answers?

If anyone can shed any light on any of this I would be very grateful! I just don't know what to do next....

Thanks for listening!

Jashobeam · 02-27-2007, 12:06 PM

Welcome to SC! There are five types of PCOS and there are different treatments for the symptoms of PCOS. There is no one test for PCOS and there is no one treatment that works for all cysters. It is a syndrome of elimination. Your doc should have checked you for Cushings and Thyriod problems.

Please check this link: The Newbie Road Map

Danusmom · 02-27-2007, 12:52 PM

If your hormones are that askew, I would suggest you see a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Perhaps your OB-GYN can recommend one. Hope you find an approach that puts you back on track to some sort of normalcy for you soon.

PS -- Welcome to SC! There's a wonderful vast amount of info here AND camaraderie.

Jenn29456 · 02-27-2007, 01:36 PM

Hi,

I agree with the pp's..

I was in your shoes also at one time hun. Bleeding for weeks/months at a time. Then also had the Midly aptycal cells.. ( btw, i had the cells because of the bleeding, the ob will even tell you that if/when they do the pap you were bleeding or had just got over period recently, the cells will show up) Have they done a colposcopy yet to make sure that that is the issue with the cells? Mine came back FINE!

Now back to the bleeding......... I went back and forth with my doc.. So Annoying, Finally I got him to DO BOTH the abdominal ultrasound and the Vaginal one. What do ya know.. My Uterine lining was a "little thick" in his words. Based on my dealing with this doc, I think it was a little worse then what he said......... Anywho, he told me that I had to get a D7C to remove the lining and while he was doing that he did a Hysteroscopy (looked around in there) and he found 3 polyps.... He removed all 3 of them... I spotted for a few days after the D&C, then exactly a month later, the same bleeding crap started all over again. I called the doc numerous times and he said everything was fine, "might just be the polyps growing back" wth????????? So a few more weeks went by and I was still bleeding, I called him back and he said typical as usual. Take these "Yaz" for 2 months and call me, this should make it stop being that I am TTC, I wanted RESULTS!!! NOT BCP's!!! So I picked up the BCP"S but in the meantime I made another appointment for a second opinion from another Doctor... That was on Nov 8th. He looked at me and based on what I told him, without blood test etc.. He said he strongly believees that it was PCOS.. So he ordered blood test etc.. got them back and what do you know PCOS. I was still bleeding mind you.. and now this doc actually listened and udnerstood that I wanted to get preggo and NOT prevent it. He put me on bcp's for 5 DAYS/a pill every 6 hours and 1000mg of Met a day... Lo and behold, the bleeding stopped and a week after I took my last bcp.. I got a REGULAR PERIOD.. and I have been regular since... Maybe you could mention this approach to your doctor.

Normally i am NOT an aggresive person at all, but sometimes you just have to let these doctors know WHAT YOU WANT and that YOU ARE TIRED OF PLAYING GAMES :-)

I hope this helps with you hun, and that everything gets back to normal for ya real quick..

Let me know if you have any more questions.