diane 35, herbs, and IR and good news...general info
Hi Ladies,
I just wanted to share...last week I went to see a specialist in NYC. He is the foremost expert in the world on PCOS (and if you would like his name and contact info, please mail me) and has seen literally thousands of women over the years. i won't lie though, he is VERRRRY expensive! but well worth it!
there were a few things that really encouraged me...
1) i have been on Diane for 10 months and had HORRIFIC depression. he informed me that cyprotone acetate (sp?) is one of the worst depressants on the market and diane only contians 2 mg, and to be even minimally effective, you need 50mg a day, so all you get are the bad depressant effects. he said that it is a myth that diane can have any real effect on combating pcos symptoms, and overwhelmingly when women do benefit it is because of a change in other lifestyle factors.
2) herbs are not regulated AT ALL IN AMERICA, meaning that even if you buy them from reputable places, there is absolutely no guarentee that you are buying what you think you are. even though a lot of women have had success on the board with different herbs, it bears thinking about before you spend money on them.
3) he told me that IR is actually a lot less common than people think, and unless you have actually been tested for IR and shown to have it you should not be on met. he said that women that are IR normally have extreme weight problems, not just some extra pounds.
finally, he told me that overwhelmingly, pcos is very treatable, and if you aren't seeing positive results, that you should keep pressing your dr for more. i told him that i was so disenchanted because i saw so much negativity about pcos, and he quite smartly replied, "well, women that have successfully treated it wouldn't keep going on line, would they?"
I can't say what treatments he uses, as he goes on a case by case basis depending on the severity. FOr me, he put me on 200mg spiro and yasmin and recommended that we see each other every 6 mos.
His course of treatment wasn't revolutionary, but the first consultation with him is 90 minutes...which I had never had before. And he really really really understands the trauma of PCOS
I agree with your doc on Number 1. BCPs don't help PCOS - they just help you get your period. In a FEW women, high-progesterone pills can help combat high testosterone. But the symptoms come back, sometimes worse, when you quit taking the pills.
I kind of agree with your doc on Number 2. Herbs aren't regulated. But there ARE some reputable herbalists out there who are trustworthy. I wouldn't buy the offbrand of any herbs, but GNC products, for instance, are VERY trustworthy (if expensive). There are a few other national brands that I trust. And I have a local herbalist who actually grows the herbs himself - I trust him, too.
I disagree with your doc on Number 3. IR can be present subclinically - meaning that if you're in the high-normal range (like I was), it affects you as much as somebody with outright IR. And Met helps with PCOS, whether women are IR or not...lots of women have great labs after being on Met for awhile.
That said, lifestyle changes are necessary when you have PCOS. Met alone can't fix everything - it's not a wonder drug, it just evens the playing field. Regular exercise, a healthy diet, and sometimes nutritional/herbal supplementation is required, too.
I know the doc you're talking about - last I heard, he wasn't taking any insurance plans. Hope that's changed, 'cause he is expensive! I hope he helps you a lot!
diane 35, herbs, and IR and good news...general info 
