Excuse my complete ignorance but.....

JenKat · 03-30-2002, 11:01 PM

These questions may sound daft but I feel I will get more info here than from my GP (who seems to know less than me) (I have an app with gyn but cant wait till then):
Could I be insulin resistant when I am only slightly over weight?
I did not ovulate this month, does this mean I never do?
Is there any way I can tell if I have without getting tested by the doctor?
What medication might I be offered to help me ovulate?
Could a medication to help me ovulate also help with excess hair?
I have many more questions but I dont want to bore anyone!
Sorry to ask so many questions, any advice would be great!

Deeds2 · 03-31-2002, 05:40 AM

Jenkat, A lot of your questions would be answered by the book "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by Toni Weschler. I got mine from Amazon for about £16.
Every woman has cycles where they don't ovulate - is your cycle regular? Mine is very eratic, but I do O occasionally, other women with pcos never O. The test your doc would do is a blood test starting on day 21 - if it shows nothing they will repeat it every few days to track what's happening.
The hospital will track me through urine once I start Clomid.
I'm about to start Clomid which helps ovulation (I hope!) It doesn't do anything for excess hair. Metformin can help with a number of symptoms, but I'm not the expert on that!

Have a look on the Metformin board and also the TTC board here as you will probably find plenty of answers.
Ask as many questions as you want - I found out loads from this board!
Good Luck
Love
Deeds

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The new & improved Deeds!!
Soulcyster since January 2001, mysteriously disapeared February 2002 - returned as Deeds2!!
Age:31, DH:32
Came off BCP Dec 1998
Dx PCOS July 1999
TTC#1 ever since
Miscarriage Oct 2001 - would have been a mum on 19th May 2002
No meds
Successful fertility appointment 3/15/2002 - got Clomid!
50mg to start next cycle days 3-7
=^.^= two fuzzy babies!! =^.^=
email me! deeds@soulcysters.com

Eva34 · 03-31-2002, 11:46 AM

Hi

Welcome, you'll love it here. There's lots to read, and loads of people to meet - and make real friends.

See you around the boards

Eva

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Age 34, dh 29, married 7 years, one son 4 years old

DX pcos Jan 2001
DX ibs Dec 1999
Dx LOCAH Sept 2001
Hidradentis Suppurativa
(lumps)
Cervical Ectropion
Raised blood pressure
High Cholesterol
Loads of meds - too many to mention!!

"She is buffeted by the waves but she does not sink"

Shira · 03-31-2002, 11:57 AM

hey JenKat
I'll answer what I can, ok here goes:
Yes you can be insulin resistant without being massively overweight.
As Deeds said, every woman has anovulatory cycles sometimes, but if you have PCOS it is very likely that you either don't ovulate at all (I don't) or that you only ovulate occasionally. Something you'll become familiar with is that with PCOS, anything is possible.
I will jump on the bandwagon and recommend Toni Weschler's book, lovely Deeds bought it for me and it is so informative, especially if you do have a menstrual cycle (I don't...but never mind), you will be much more aware of what your body is doing once you have taken in what she says.
In order to help you ovulate they will more than likely give you clomiphene citrate, usually just referred to as Clomid. If you are insulin resistant it will probably help to try an insulin-sensitiser called Metformin, but believe me it will NOT be easy getting it (unless you are incredibly lucky). A lot of PCOS women find Clomid doesn't really work for them, but then if they take Metformin for a while and then take Clomid the success rate is much higher. A lot of women who take Metformin find that they don't need the Clomid, but everyone is different.
Drugs that are designed to help with excess hair are usually not good for those trying to conceive. I personally have not found that my excess hair problem has been improved by the Metformin but so much else has improved that I don't mind.
Ask as many questions as you like, this is what we are all here for!
By the way, you would do better seeing a reproductive endocrinologist rather than a gyn, as PCOS is an endocrine disorder that causes gyn problems, it is not a gyn problem in itself. Gyns often don't know quite what to do and have a bit of an attitude about patients trying to find stuff out themselves...come to think of it, so do a lot of doctors.
Good luck!
Shira

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No-one ever said that it was going to be just, you really ought to know by now how She's all red in tooth and claw; after all, weren't you the one screaming for more?

"It's a tattoo. Of COURSE it hurts."

"Most people can't see the wood for the trees. I see the wood, and the trees, and the small village beyond and what's more, I have a flamethrower."
"The best forms of torture rarely hurt" - Charon
feel free to email me at redshira@gothism.zzn.com

JenKat · 03-31-2002, 01:39 PM

Thanks for those replies. I feel a bit more informned and a let down by my doctors. I really had to push to be refered and have still not recieved an appointment a month later. I suggested to my doctor that an endocrologist might be able to help me but my doctor insisted that a gyn would be better. He tested my blood on day 21 and I recieved the result form a nurse over the phone saying I had not ovulated. I was upset because before then I had lived in hope that I would be able to get pregnant without any difficulty despite have PCOS. (I havnt started trying yet, I think I have been putting it off because I was afraid of finding out that it would be difficult.)
What sould I do now? Should i go back to my doctor and insist that he tests to see if I am insulin resistant or test my hormone levels? Or sould I just wait until I get an appointment with the gyn? I also have an appointment to get a scan. Should this have been done before now (I was diagnosed 10 years ago?)I would appriciate any advise. Thanks again
Jen