I do not want to be negative, but just want to tell you my experience with him. I still don't know what to make of it. I felt as though it was possible I had PCOS and went to him. I found him from the same website. He gave me a checklist and told me that I did indeed have it. He prescribed me medicine as well. He sat with me and explained everything for a while which I was initially very impressed with. However, I went on the medicine for the first month and went to check in with him. He gave me a medicine instead of Met that didn't give me side effects. He has no intention of giving me any kind of exam or doing any sort of blood work. He said I have enough of the symptoms to make the diagnosis and my symptoms were doing better so further examinations weren't necessary.
According to some women on here, PCOS is a syndrome of exclusion meaning you need to check for several things to know the best way to treat it. I get the sense that he has a very educated but cookie cutter way of treating PCOS. I don't get the sense that he looks at each patient on an individual basis. I asked him if it was possible I had anything else and he said it is possible but unlikely. However, from reading here many women have problems with their thyroid or other reasons other than just insulin resistance that he explains that need to at least be investigated.
I truly appreciate his bed side manner, but I am going to get a second opinion just to be safe.
For what it is worth...
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I went to another doctor since 1996 and was treated in that matter. I went to him after a feeling of helplessness. I too have other problems besides PCOS. However that is the stem of all of my problems. I complained of severe pelvic pain to my other doctor only to be told it wouldnt go away and that it was PCOS related (keep in mind my endo diagnosed me and my gyno knew little and didnt feel the need to learn more about PCOS) So I went on Met and it made me sick, I took Aldactone made me sick, had U/S and showed cysts but nothing was done. I felt like I had reached the end of my rope.
That is until I found Dr. Howard. I do not feel he has a cookie cutter way of dealing with PCOS, what I do feel is that he is one of only 3 doctos that specifically deal with PCOS patients. As soon as he reviewed my medical files and my symptoms he scheduled a LAPO two weeks later. He talked me through everything and told me things I didnt know about PCOS and what I was dealing with. For the first time in my life, I had a doctor who understood and didnt make me feel like I was mental. Let me mention I tried SIX other doctors since 1996 only to be be put on fish oil pills, etc, etc.
During my lapo it was discovered that I had stage 4 endometrosis that covered over 90% of my pelvic region - my uterus was connected to my bladder my ovary and tube connected to my colon - and gone untreated would have developed advanced ovarian cancer (which was confirmed by another unrelated doctor). My ovaries were 4 times the normal size and my tubes 3 times. One of my folices is closed shut while the other can be repaired.
My point is he saved my life. Since I started seeing him my life has turned around. I have lost 12 lbs on weight watchers, my hair is growing back and my facial hair is decreasing. It has been three weeks since my surgery and it was the best experience in my life.
Many women feel that they dont have PCOS and spend a lifetime going from doctor to doctor. The facts are not many doctors understand the "syndrome" and will put you on drugs for many things. Dont get me wrong you could have thyroid problems, cortisone problems, etc but I bet they are related to PCOS. Since he put me on actos, flutamide, cymbalta - my migranes are gone, my weight can be maintained and I no longer have painful intercourse.
I have researched doctors in DFW for over 12 years and turned up nothing until him.
I am glad to hear that you are happy with Dr. Howard. I am extremely new to this and don't really know what I need or the best way to treat what I have going on.
I, too, greatly appreciate the time Dr. Howard spent explaining PCOS, how it works, and other complications that accompany it. However, from another friend of mine who went to him, she took him her lab results from another doctor. You, too, had a long history that you could give him so he knew what to work with.
It is possible that once I am TTC, he will be willing to look at my situation more closely, but as it stands right now, I am having a difficult time trusting any doctor because this is the first time I have had a medical problem of any kind. I have not decided that I will not work with him anymore. I simply want to get a second opinion to be certain that all things are being taken into consideration and see what other courses of action are out there.
Please keep us updated as your relationship with him continues. I am still on the fence about the best way to proceed.
Thanks!
P.S. Also, this may be too much to ask, but can you let me know who you did go to that didn't get the job done? I would like to avoid them. ;-)
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Great Doctor in Carrollton Texas 
