I have PCOS but was never put on meds?? can someone help?

~lou*lou~ · 02-23-2008, 09:19 AM

I was diagnosed with PCOS in jan 2004 after having no periods for 5months and then spending many nights in so much pain were i'd get the most painfull cramps that would come and go every few mins in my lower abdomen area, i'd be sweating, going hot and cold, shaking, passing out like i don't know what and trying not to be sick!
eventually my mum found me passed out and got my doctor. after blood test after blood test they couldn't find nothing apart from a huge hormone imbalance! i had no other symptons other than putting on weight (i put on about a stone and a half!) My gp seemed quite baffled and tested me for ovarian cancer, luckily it came back negative! I was referred to a gynacologist but she never really did alot because i couldnt stand the woman and refused to let her examine me internally ( i was only 15 at the time) but i agree'd to let my gp examine me (at that age ive never felt so embarrassed!!) luckily my gp is the nicest woman i've ever come across so she was completly understanding about it all.
I went for a couple of scans and they couldn't find my ovaries! As my ovaries were completely covered in cysts they couldnt see the ovary itself, there were very englarged!
Went back to the doctor who said i have pcos and the pain must have been cysts growing and dispursing themselves.

The only meds i was put on was the contraceptive pill to balance out my hormones and i was giving mefenamic acid to take when ever i felt the pain which can be taken with normal painkillers. So ive spent the past 4years on them.
So reading this it makes me wonder why i havent been put on any of these meds that everyone else is on. I'd never even heard of any of them other than what im taking myself!!

im not on the pill no more and since then ive had normal periods but occassionally i get the odd night when i am on my period were im in such pain pain with cramps, sweating, hot and cold and passing out but i take my mefenamic acid and eventually i fall asleep (or pass out) and when i wake up its gone!
I'm just a bit confused as to why im not on any medication that everyone else is on?! I do have pcos don't i???

Sorry to waffle on!!! thanks for taking the time to read this!

Loulou xx

soulfulqween · 02-23-2008, 01:09 PM

Sorry you've had a hard time of things.

Not all the same meds work with the same people. Many women here have had success with Metformin...I can't stomach it so I use herbs and bcp to keep myself in check. But even that needs adjusting at time with me my symptoms changed and needed more attention as I got older.

Now have you had lab work done? Do you have IR? How are your symptoms? Are they under control? What else do you suffer with besides painful periods and cysts?

Some of the other medications you've read about are geared more towards women that are actively TTC. I've found most Dr's don't even think to suggest these other medication unless the woman specifically goes in and says I want to have a baby and I can't.

I'd say that if you are not happy with how your treatment has gone bring up these concerns with your Dr. Ask her/him if you can get lab work done and maybe see if you can get scans done again to see where things are since you've stopped the pill.

HTH

lalala5 · 02-23-2008, 06:42 PM

hello....

the thing with doctors and meds seems to be... if you dont want babies just yet... they cant go and put you on all the ovulating baby drugs cus there is no point.... many of the ladies on here are trying to get pregnant and hence taking drugs to regulate and get periods.. clomid ect.

Im like you i dont want babies yet... so if you symptons of hair growth, acne and no periods/pain can be helped by the pill.

If you are overweight/ suspect insulin resistant.... they also tried to see if they were gunna give me metformin, but doc didnt think i was insulin resistant so he didnt bioth with that one as that can also help with the "symptoms".

if u were on the bcp and you didnt have a period/bleed.... then they might consider giving you other drugs to stop building up a lining and also test u to see if you may have something else going on.

theres no point taking clomid ect...plus i read the more u take it ... you body get resistant??? so save that one for when u want babies

personally i dont even wanna go on the bcp..as i think it help caused my pcos in the first place... so they might jsu7t give me a dose of progesterone each month as that will give me a bleed.

so if you dont want babies... and dont want pain... they gave u pill. you could ask abt metformin if u wanted, dunno if thats great or not

x

JosieFB · 02-23-2008, 07:17 PM

There might be another kind of BCP that would help with the horrible cramps. I suffered with them for years. Menfemic Acid (Ponstel) was one of the things I tried to control the pain, but nothing ever worked. When the doctor put me on Yaz, I started having pain-free periods.

I agree with the others that said the meds your doc prescribes often depends on symptoms. They prescribe Spiro to treat excess hair, thinning hair on your head, and acne. It lowers testosterone. They prescribe Met to treat insulin resistance which may be what causes the hormone imbalance, and symptoms such as weight gain, tiredness, oily skin, cystic ovaries, hyperpigmentation in creases and folds on your skin, hypoglycemia, irregular periods, etc.

You'll probably have to find a gyn or a endricronologist to treat your PCOS. I rarely hear of primary care docs that treat it.

soulfulqween · 02-23-2008, 09:18 PM

Some primary care doctors do treat it, mine does. Thankfully she does a good job.

But Josie is right in saying that you want to find a gyno and or endo that is going to get to the root of your symptoms.

You may have to be a bit demanding to get exactly what you want (once you figure out what you want them to help you with exactly)but go armed with questions and research and you'll do just fine.

Leopassion7 · 02-24-2008, 04:02 AM

Sorry, I can't relate so I'm of no use in this case. I wish you all the best in resolving this issue.

BrandiDaryl · 02-24-2008, 06:45 PM

I'd also like to ask that you make sure your doc does the 2 hour insulin test.. and not just glucose... two different tests for two different things... I mean you DO the same thing.... drink the icky red drink.. but it's checking two different levels.

My OBGYN last year said I wasn't IR...

The new OBGYN I'm going to says that my levels are on the upper end of what he's seen before.

Doc #1 tested glucose.
Doc #2 tested insulin levels.

So ALOT of doctors sometimes end up telling their patients they're not IR.. when they are...

But you don't necessarily NEED meds... Apple Cider vinegar, cinnamon.... both are hormone binders that you can do with herbs... and a good birth control ...

Get checked and see if you're IR.. and if you are.. get on metformin

Jashobeam · 02-25-2008, 09:55 PM

Here is some info: The Newbie Road Map

I'm on Spiro because my hair was falling out, it was regrowing in weird places and my hormones were not what they should be (though lab tests showed no big hormone imbalance). I went to the doctor and asked about it. I'm also on Metformin because I had IR symptoms and asked my doctor to test me for it and prescribe Met.

I started Cinnamon because the Met. seemed to be not working as well as it was. I have never been on BCPs.