Dr Question?

FeliciaB · 10-06-2006, 08:12 PM

Hey ladies! I just finished reading "What to do when the Doctor Says It's PCOS" (or something like that) I found it so much easier to understand then some of the other "jumble" I have read. My question is, all thru the book the author constantly indicates that women with PCOS should be seeing a endrocrinologist (I am sure I spelled that wrong!). How many of you see one and do you recommend seeing one rather then just seeing your primary care and obgyn?? Right now, I see my family doctor (he is my obgyn as well) and while I haven't had any problems with him, I guess I feel like I would like someone to put more emphasis on helping me deal with my syptoms from PCOS rather then just telling me to keep loosing weight and eat right!
TIA!

DollFin511 · 10-06-2006, 10:43 PM

Please don't take offense, but your thinking is a little backward. Being symptom focused is like hacking at branches when you want to cut down a tree.... no matter how many "branches" you cut off, they will grow back somewhere else.

Diet and exercise is the MOST important thing you can do to treat PCOS. If you are having trouble losing weight with diet and exercise alone, THEN ask the doctor for something else to help... such as metformin or something like that. Masking the symptoms won't get rid of the problem. And if you supress one symptom, another will come somewhere else, and maybe you will hate that one even more than what you have! But getting rid of the problem will get rid of the symptoms!

I know this isn't what you want to hear - it isn't an easy solution or a fast solution, but it is the one that will work the best.

There are natural things you can do to help alleviate the symptoms, working with your body. Massage, herbs, vitamins, acupuncture, chiropractic, and many other things can help. You might think about that. Natural Progesterone Cream can help with a multitude of symptoms, and won't interfere with your body's natural functions (also no side effects).

FeliciaB · 10-07-2006, 01:03 AM

DollFin, no offense taken! I appreciate any feedback from my "cysters".
Perhaps I should have made myself more clear in my earlier post. I appreciate all the guidance and knowledge that my dr. has given me. I was very blessed to have a dr that diagnosed me right away. After my first visit, he stated that he 'believed" that I have PCOS and ordered blood work as well as an ultra sound. After reading posts of other ladies on the board who had to wait years to find out what was causing their bodies to go "nuts" I definately appreciate my dr and respect his advice. I have followed (for the most part)his guidelines on loosing weight and watching my diet and beginning to exercise. When I was diagnosed I topped out at 202 lbs. Up until a few months ago I did not get serious about my weight, and since then, I have lost a couple of pounds. I am proud of my success and I give my dr all the credit he deserves for helping me to strive for and meet my goals. The things I am concerned with now are my mood swings, for which he basically shook off as being a newlywed, but I know me, better then anyone. And the things that I am doing lately are completely out of character (throwing things, screaming/ranting, cussing, etc). If I don't do something about these moodswings, I won't even get done being a "newlywed" before I am in divorce court. I have also, talked to him about, what I believe, is sleep apnea. I have tried to do as much research as possible, and according to the books (which I know are not always accurate) I am showing all the signs. (constant fatigue, morning headaches-everyday, snoring, etc) Once again, he and I came back to the loosing weight. (If you loose more weight it will go away, type of comments).
So while I understand where you are coming from and I understand your place as far as starting at the "root" of the tree, instead of just yanking the branches off (it was a great analogy!!!) I want to know all the aspects that can make getting to the "root" a little easier. Why dig with your hands to get there if you can pick up and shovel along the way?
Please don't think that I am being rude - its not my intent AT ALL. I hope that you will continue to give me advise and reply to my posts (my intent is not to put you off)!!
(Sorry for the long post!!)

Liloppy · 10-07-2006, 01:07 AM

I am currently reading that book. I never went to an endo but am seriously thinking about it, my Dr. keeps telling me I need to loose weight, well no duhhhh but it's not that easy. I want him to up my metformin he won't I want him to run blood work, he wont. What to do?

FeliciaB · 10-07-2006, 01:17 AM

Liloppy - I sympathize with you on the loosing weight. I have always thought that if I found a "genie in a bottle" and he gave me one wish, it would be to be at my "normal, healthy" weight. I don't want to be a stick, I just want to be healthy.

As far as the dr goes, I am not sure what to tell you to do there. I tried taking Metformin, however it upset my stomach so badly (even after changing my diet up) I got off of it. I want to try to pick it back up now that I am eating better and exercising...guess I am kinda "chicken". How many mg are you on right now? Maybe you could sit down and make a list of reasons why you think its a good idea for your Met to be increased and give it to your dr next time you go see him. Just a thought! Best of luck!

kristinenicolle · 10-07-2006, 02:22 AM

im currently seeing an endo..but she was the one who first noted that i MIGHT have pcos..she put me on metformin (1000mg) but i never got my period...a year later or so i went into a big slump and just was tired of the doctors and taking meds (i dont know what i was thinking)...i got out of that slump and decided i needed to get back on track so i decided to go to a obgyn since it was time i get a pap smear and blah blah blah..she told me i should go on the pill to regulate things..she was mainly concerned w/ my period...she didnt even send me in for xrays/ultrasounds whatever!! so needless to say i have to find a new obgyn because im just not happy with her

liloppy- my endo said the same thing....i asked her to send me in for blood works on my thyroid because i think i have hypothyroidism...and she said no at first..i had to tell her symptoms i had that led me to believe that i have hypothyroidism...and she finally sent me..but then she said if it comes back positive she wont give me synthroid UNLESS i lose weight..ugh this weight thing just makes me more and more depressed...i also mentioned that i would liek to up my metformin because me and the hubby are planning to TTC soon..and im still on the pill and if i get off it ill never have my period..so i want to start the process asap..and she said well discuss it at my next appointment *sigh* i hope it all works out

Liloppy · 10-07-2006, 02:36 AM

I am on 1000 mg a day

Skeezix · 10-08-2006, 05:36 PM

kristinenicolle

It sounds like you need to find a new endo. No doctor should ever withhold medication if you clearly have a diagnoised problem with blood work that supports it. Plus, if you are hypothyroid combined with the PCOS and don't treat both you'll never be able to successfully lose weight. Hypothyroidism makes it very hard to lose weight without synthroid.

I learned early on that you need to find a good doctor who will listen to your problems and work with you. It sounds like a lot of the poster's doctors are not doing that.

I see an ob/gyn who specializes in women with PCOS. He is really awesome and I purposely drive 1.5 each way to see him because he understands the condition and never once has made me feel upset when leaving his office. In fact, after my visits I always feel better because he listens and understands and works with me to keep the PCOS under control.

flyfisher · 10-08-2006, 07:15 PM

I too see an endocrinologist. My gp sent me to him and I am so thankful. My gp didn't want to put me on metformin, (I am type 2 dx 2005) and he was afraid that it would drop my blood sugar too low. My endo put me on metformin (on 2000mg right now) and I am glad he did. I feel so much better. He answered a lot of my questions about the things that were going on with my body. He was more knowledgable than my gp...I recommend seeing an endocrinologist, if that doctor is knowledgable about PCOS and the treatments...When I found out I was type 2, I was put on diabetic exchanges and I lost 40 pounds. AFter the holidays, I found it hard to get back on my exercise routine with everything going on and follow the exchanges completely. I upped my calorie count and don't want to lower it again. I haven't gained any of the weight back and my clothes feel better on me now than they did when I first bought them. I went from a size 22 to a size 16 and hoping to fall to a size 14 and almost there. I wish you luck and I hope you get the answers you are looking for. Sorry for rambling, I forgot what I was going to write..lol...one of those days...lol

irisa · 10-09-2006, 09:10 PM

Hello,

When i got diagnosed it was because i went to my ob/gyn and she told me she suspected i had PCOS. Then she told me she didn't have enough knowledge about it and that she thought i would be better off with a reproductive endocrinologist. So she referred me, made my first appointment and everything. I have been taking care of my PCOS since then, before that i had never even heard of PCOS. I'm so thankful that my dr was honest and helped me do what was best for me, even if it meant sending me to someone else.

Best wishes!

DollFin511 · 10-09-2006, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeliciaB

The things I am concerned with now are my mood swings... If I don't do something about these moodswings, I won't even get done being a "newlywed" before I am in divorce court. I have also, talked to him about, what I believe, is sleep apnea. I have tried to do as much research as possible, and according to the books (which I know are not always accurate) I am showing all the signs....

Don't worry, I didn't think you were rude, either. Now I understand that you ARE working on the root of the problem, and want to work on the symptoms, TOO. Good thinking! I might have some suggestions for you. What causes your irritablity? Is it just the sleep problem, or is it hormonal, too? It could even be both... maybe hormones cause your sleep to be out of whack. What are the symptoms you are wanting to get rid of? Are you interested in or willing to go the "alternative" way? If so, herbs, massage, accupuncture, etc might help you as much as or more than a breathing machine (or in addition to). Wouldn't hurt to look into, and the nice thing is that they won't make you worse! (remember Met??)

FeliciaB · 10-10-2006, 01:31 AM

Dollfin, not sure what causes my moodswings...I guess that it could be the fatigue or horomonal. I wish that I knew!

In the past few days I have tried taking deep breathes and walking away from the issue. It is hard for my husband to understand (he is one of those "we are going to talk about this until its solved") but I tried to explain to him that if I can just have five minutes to walk into another room and be alone, usually I am fine afterwards. However, my top "crappy" symptom is the hair growth. I shave everyday (I have a full male pattern beard) and usually by the time I get home in the evening, I can start to feel stubble. I literally have hair growth from the face to my toes. I try to keep using Nair on my body (stomach, thighs, legs, feet/toes) but my chest and face, I have to shave everyday. I think that the hair growth is the issue that I deal with self-esteem wise more then anything else. At this point, I would be willing to try anything!! It can't make anything worse!!!

(Thanks ladies for all the replies!)