Endo/PCOS/Both? - spotting/yeast infections/phytoestrogens/diet suggestions

tinyfrog1 · 02-04-2007, 02:35 AM

Doctors have been giving me conflicting diagnoses. I'm desperate for your insights regarding the following:

Does anyone here have BOTH Endometriosos AND PCOS?
Has anyone had brown mid-cycle spotting lasting till your period?
Have diet and exercise alleviated/solved your symptoms?
Is being prone to yeast infections a sign of PCOS?
Do I truly have to give up chocolate and alcohol? Are there any foods you find help? Has anyone explored mexican yams? Thoughts on vitex?

Does my story sound like PCOS? Endometriosis? Both? (Docs are giving conflicting dxs..)
Are phytostrogens are good or bad for PCOS i.e., soy

BACKGROUND
I am 31 and have had extremely regular periods up until 18 months ago. At that time I started breakthough bleeding at around day 15 of my cycle. The spotting is dark and had the consistency of motor oil. It would typically start around the 15th day and last until my period began. My periods themselves began getting shorter than usual with more clotting.

I have never had painful periods, nor pain during sex, have never been pregnant, and have been on the pill for only short stints since menarchy at age 16. Typically my PMS symptoms start mid-cycle and last all the way until menstruation.... they include pretty nasty bloating, occasional migraines, and definite mood swings, but are not painful.

I am not a classic candidate for PCOS little to no hirsuitism, small waisted, 100%normal/regular periods until age 30, 5'2"/100lbs, exercise around 2-3 times a week.

TEST RESULTS
After a year of this abnormal cycle, I saw two ob/gyns. The first performed an ultrasound which, I was told, indicated polycystic ovaries. The lab workup showed, slightly lower estrogen levels, lower progesterone (no mid-cycle spike), no thyroid issues, normal androgen and SHBG, and LH was only very slightly higher than FSH. I never had a fasting insulin test. (I wrote specific lab readouts down somewhere and can get more specific). Ovaries and uterus are normal size.

DIAGNOSIS
The first doctor said he thought I had PCOS, and that I was stuck in the follicular phase of my cycle (but then suggested gaining weight may make my cycles more regular(???) He also said he thought metaformin might make me pass out). The second doctor said he did NOT think I had PCOS.

FAMILY HISTORY
My mother is 60 (skinny, 5'3") and just had a hysterectomy: she had severe uterine bleeding for the past 2 years with sever cramping. Her physician put her on estrogen replacement therapy 15 years ago. The hysterectomy indicated severe endometriosis of one ovary. I do not yet know what they found with regards to her uterine tissue condition. Her surgeon/obgyn talked to me after the surgury and said that endo might be the issue rather than PCOS.

Family history makes me much more likely to have endometriosis; however, I wonder whether her endometriosis was induced by prolonged hormone therapy replacement with estrogen.... I have not yet had a chance to talk to him about this.

My grandmother was diabetic (Type II and also overweight). My mother, grandmother and I all are prone to yeast infections (and grandma also got thrush once). My mother and I seem to have a sort of weaker immune system. My grandmother had trouble getting pregnant the second time. Mom didn't have problems, although she had kids at age 22 and 26.

HAVE ADVICE?
Does this sound like PCOS? Endometriosis? Both?
Does anyone here have BOTH Endometriosos AND PCOS?
Have you found that diet and exercise along really have helped? ... Do you truly have to give up chocolate and alcohol? What about dairy? What about mexican yams?
Does anyone have an opinion about whether phytostrogens are good or bad to take as supplements (or just increase dietary intake... i.e., soy)

I would like to start regularly ovulating. Any suggestions for things to try/diet wise etc would be welcomed.

It has been confusing because when I read about endometriosis, suggestions focus on ways to reduce estrogen levels (i.e., exercise). Mine are already on the low side. Also -- does eating foods high in phytoestrogens aggravate endometriosis or alleviate it (by increasing total estrogen in my body, or by reducing the number of free estrogen receptors available for more powerful natural estrogens to bind to) ... or does it depend on the phytoestrogen in question (should I avoid soy and other foods high in phytoestrogens?)?

Thanks a million cysters,
tiny

TrishainAZ · 02-05-2007, 04:36 PM

HI,

I'm certainly no expert on this, but your symptoms don't sound that much like PCOS to me (although I have a very mild case... cysts, abnormal periods, mild acne... I think just about everything else was fine but i don't remember my lab results) I don't know much about endo so I can't help you there (although I have read that clotting can be a symptom). If you do have PCOS, you can read some of my past posts Go to "thin cysters trying to conceive " about the diet that has worked for me (essentially atkins... and yep, that means pretty much giving up chocolate and alcohol) and I try to briskly walk about 30 minutes most days and I take met (I'm about 5'4.5" with normal weight about 115-120, but get down as low as 107 when trying to get pregnant). I have not been prone to yeast infections myself (had maybe 3-4 my whole life) and I don't have midcycle spotting either (but again I seem to have a mild case)

I don't know the answers to any of your other questions, sorry!

PBLayzod · 02-05-2007, 06:01 PM

My RE discovered mild Endo during my laparascopy. Endo isn't uncommon with or without PCOS. It might be easier to go down the Endo road first. If they rule that out, then you can start looking at other possibilities. Polycystic ovaries don't necessarily equal PCOS. However, there is a wide variety of PCOS symptoms. Some women have all of the them, but some just have a few.

BTW, my SIL's Endo was so bad that during her 1st C-section they discovered adhesions had actually connected her uterus to her bladder. While ttc her 2nd child she had a laparoscopy to remove a large cyst. They discovered her tubes were bent over and attached to her uterus by a combination of Endo and scar tissue from the first C-section. She doesn't have PCOS, but the Endo alone caused plenty of problems.

TrishainAZ · 02-05-2007, 06:51 PM

I also wanted to mention if you havent' already done so that there is a really good book out there called "taking charge of your fertility" that can help you find out a lot about your body... such as are you in fact ovulating, if so when, is the bleeding due to some part of your ovulation, do you have short luteal phases, do you have enough cervical fluid, etc... It also has some discussion about PCOS and Endo (although not very much so you may want to get additional resources for those particular conditions) This is just a book that I would recommend to every woman regardless of fertility or even if they never wanted to have children.