Just Diagnosed, and I am in the HUH? stage

Piscesmomma97 · 02-03-2005, 11:54 AM

I was dxed with PCOS in 2001, because after I had gone off BCPs and was TTC I had the following symptoms--
* Extreme acne
* No period w/out progesterone
* 40lb+ weight gain in 3 months
* Hair growth in unwanted places

I was dxed without any blood work, just symptoms alone. Two weeks ago, I went to the doctor, and I told the doctor that I had PCOS and how I was diagnosed. I had a pap smear done, and she confirmed that I had larger than normal ovaries that appear in PCOS, and that they were cystic. She ordered three blood tests-- Hemoglobin, Blood Sugar, and Liver Function. All three came out fine, but my blood sugar was high, even on Metaforin. She asked me what the doctors told me when I was first diagnosed in the states. I told her that the doctors said that I had PCOS, that my blood sugar was borderline, and that I was considered insulin resistent. The doctor insisted that I am now a diabetic.

Now, I don't have many symptoms of diabetes (I'm guessing because I am on Met), but I have run out of the medicine and if I don't eat regularly I get dizzy, confused, and fuzzy (like I can't drive). But otherwise I feel fine. I 140, I generally eat what I am supposed to. I don't get the diagnosis. She didn't even do a fasting insulin or any of the other tests. There is a fasting insulin in my records, but I don't know what it is. Also she didn't prescribe any monitoring equipment. I am just supposed to go in every three months to be checked-- is this normal? I'm confused.

nobimbo · 02-03-2005, 08:27 PM

Hi Jodi,

The hemoglobin test the doc ordered was probably an HBA1c, which can provide an average of your blood sugars over the past 3 months or so. I'm guessing yours was in the diabetic range, as well as your fasting blood sugar.

My doc didn't tell me to monitor my blood sugars at home either when I was diagnosed, but 2 years later I began doing so anyway. I suggest you do, too. I also suggest that you request the actual lab report, and any others in the future. They belong to you and you cannot be refused them.

Get your Met refilled and stay on it. I don't know what dosage you are on, but it sounds like you might need an increased dose. When you go back to get checked in 3 months, your doc may decide to add another drug (such as Avandia); it is common to prescribe two different diabetes drugs if one doesn't do the trick. I was put on 2000 mg on diagnosis and have stayed on that dose for the past 3 and a half years. Taking Met, losing weight, exercise, and supplements such as cinnamon have helped me to keep my blood sugars in non-diabetic range.

Linda

jschmidt · 03-06-2005, 03:01 PM

Jodi,
Your dr didn't mention anything about going to an endo or for some more tests? Did they test your bs right after you ate? It's hard to say if your sugar is high (unless it was really high) by one test, especially if you had eaten in the past two hours. When I was pg I found out I was close to being diabetic, I don't know for sure but I probably am if I stop taking Gluco and Avandia. I failed both GTT tests when pg, and I only weigh 108, with some people weight doesn't seem to matter. I must have a terrible gene in there somewhere! I started checking my bs when I was pg, now I check it in the morning and sometimes after I eat. My #'s aren't bad, but I also take 1500mg of Gluco XR and 2mg Avandia. I try to eat right, I don't exercise yet, but I really want to avoid insulin in the future. I suggest that you go to an endo and get bw and other tests done to see what's happening, I do know that it's very important to have your bs levels steady for 6 months before you try to get pg. So you don't want to take any chances not knowing how serious it might be. GL and let me know what you decide to do!

Julie