Help - Hopeless

amberstrength · 05-12-2005, 04:58 PM

I dont even know were to begin I just need help! Family & others in my life just tell me wait until your next dr. appt. but I know it will end up the same way, leaving in tears becuase they dont want to help or offer the wrong solutions. My new ins. starts 6/15/05 & I have an appt. with a new gyno on 6/28, my problem is I have had pcos since I can remember & been on bcpills just as long because I'm always told unless I want to get pregnant then that is my only option, well i'm tired of bcpills & have always been severly depressed so when I go to new dr's they always want me to start anti-depression meds before they will address my weight & all other issues. It never works! Am I crazy for wanting to try other meds for my pcos to see if my hormones levels being normal will help me? Sorry I'm rambling I just need some good advice and I've have spent months researching my treatment options,but I KNOW the dr. will tell me the same damn thing they all have. What can I do to make them understand.
I'm starting to gain weight back( I lost about 50 pounds) since I was put on yasmin 2 years ago( I stopped those on 4/19 ) and have really been watching my diet and of course exercising 1+ hours 6 days/ wk. But the weight is still slowly creeping back and my hair is starting to grow more which is making me soooo much more sad than I was before. I should probably stop now cuz I could go on forever if any one has any suggestion on how to approach my new dr. w/o breaking down in the office please respond its nice to know someone relates & i'm not crazy cuz I sure feel like it.

stillhavehope · 05-12-2005, 05:59 PM

Amber ~ I'm so sorry you are having such a rough time right now. I have left many dr appts in tears and feeling very hopeless. I felt like the world's biggest pig and a loser. Have you considered seeing a endocrinologist to treat you instead of an ob/gyn? I am on metformin and avandia which helps my insulin stay regular and keeps my testosterone normal. I used to take Spironalactone to help keep it normal but now that I am on the right combo of meds I don't need it anymore. If you are able to get your insulin in line then lots of times your other hormones follow suit and start working the way they are supposed to. I have recently begun having cycles on my own too. I spent over 15 yrs on bcp's that were only masking the problem. You may have to go through several drs too before you find one who knows much about pcos. There are several places on here that you can print info to take with you too. I try to make a list of things I want to discuss ahead of time b/c I tend to get intimidated when I am in the office in just a paper gown. I had to change drs 3 times before I found a good one and after 20 yrs I am starting to have regular cycles and feel really good. The weight thing is what most drs focus on b/c they are trained that if you are overweight then that is causing all of your problems but pcos can make it difficult to loose weight. Hang in there and don't stop til you find a good dr that will listen to you. It can make all the difference in the world. There is a place on here that you can get recommendations from drs ~ you could check to see if there is a good one in your area or you can make a post and ask someone to recommed one in your area.

((((HUGS))))
Sherry

amberstrength · 05-12-2005, 07:23 PM

Thanks for replying. I did see an endo. that was my last appt./so i'm starting the whole referral process over again thats why i'm going to the gyno.
stillhavehope(Sherry),I live near dallas so if you have an endo who is helpful please respond with the name & number I would be so happy to have it.

stillhavehope · 05-14-2005, 03:02 AM

Amber ~ Oh my gosh girl if you are anywhere near Plano this is the best dr I have EVER seen for pcos. This man has done more for me since the end of October than all of the ones I have seen before combined!! His name is Dr. Mitchell Sorsby. His ph # is 972-867-4658. His nurse Laura is awesome and I have seen his NP several times too and she is also great!! Her name is Theresa Mueller. He is the first endo that I haven't left the ofc feeling hopeless or crying. He is so easy to talk to I feel very comfortable there. Everytime I have a ? and call the nurse I always get a call back very quickly too. I hope he is on your insurance b/c I think he is really great. I went through 4 other endos before finding him. Good luck and let me know if you are able to get an appt quickly. Because of the new combo of meds he put me on I no longer have low blood sugars like I did in the past and my blood sugar readings have never been normal like this before. And I even started having cycles on my own too. I think he will be one of the keys to me getting pg!!

skeeweeaka · 05-14-2005, 02:17 PM

Unfortunately, most doctor's treat the symptoms as opposed to taking the time to find out what the real problem is and treat the problem... If I were you, I would find out what doctors are on your plan, get the name of the ENDO's and call around and ask whether they treat for your condition... I have just done that because I am going through menopausal type symptoms and I only want natural hormones... Some doctor's give them, some don't... It is a rather difficult and expensive process finding a GOOD DOCTOR that actually wants to do somewhat what you want....they unfortunately have ego's and want to tell you what to do!

hopeless · 05-14-2005, 03:01 PM

I was on Demulen BCPs for about 6 years. When my doctor changed me to Alesse, it really helped with my moods. (I still can't believe that for 6 years, I was extra depressed because of my stupid bcps) So, changing pills might be an option if your doctor wants you to stay on them.

I don't think you need to deal with your depression before you can start other treatments, and I don't understand why a doctor would want it that way. Makes no sense to me.

Maybe before your appointment, you can write out what you want to discuss. Just in point form, what topics or questions. Then you can refer to it while at your appointment. Then, you won't forget anything...and you can be sure to have everything answered before you leave.

todybug · 05-14-2005, 10:06 PM

Don't ever give up hope. I was at my wits end when I went to my yearly with my OB/GYN and said I need help, I just can't lose weight despite diet and exercise. So this time he sent me for my bloodwork my thyroid was elevated. So he wanted me to follow up with my family Dr. Well I checked with my Endo and they stated it could be related to my BCP (it contained estrogen and could cause elevated thyroid levels), so I switched. That was it, he didn't want to retest it or anything after a trial of the new BCP. So I went to my family Dr. He agreed with the Endo, but thought the elevation was normal due to my PCOS. When I requested to see another Endo (I haven't been to happy with mine) we had a discussion about my problems. When I told him that he wouldn't even consider Metformin, he briefly replied, "well I will". Image my surprise. So he started me on Metformin, and he also stated that I was more up to date on my condition than most docs in my area. I told him that I research it like everyday. He asked me to bring in any information regarding PCOS that I could find or thought was relevant on my next visit. So we are both learning together. Thankfully he had just read an article regarding PCOS before my visit. (See Media is getting out there). So now because my family doc took the time to reach me on a personal level, I have some resolution, without accruing more costs from specialists.

That is my advice to you, when you go to this next visit, be armed. Make copies of articles regarding PCOS and treatment options. Have a hand written list of your symptoms and how long this has been going on. Show them that you are serious and you are not going to back down. This is your health, if you don't stand up for it and take charge, no one will.