I posted a few weeks back in the general section about my suspicions I have PCOS. Just as a refresher:
I've not had a period since last June. I also am very overweight, have acne and dark hair on my knuckles, toes, upper lip, chin (a few hairs) on my back ect. ect....
I convinced my doc to send me to a gynecologist and I had my first appointment today. She was very nice but at first seemed to downplay my suspicions. She said its common for young girls (I'm 19) to have irregular periods.
She examined me and then said she was "moderately suspicious" that I could have PCOS. Yay.
I have to go get a whack of hormone tests tomorrow and then we will "go from there" But I have to wait FOUR weeks to go back and see her.
I'm going NUTS. I hate to think I have a disease and she basically told me that it would be nearly impossible for me to lose weight so i'm a little depressed about that. She said I could be insulin resistant and that makes it really hard for me to lose weight.
I actually felt better to think maybe all this weight I've put on isn't all my fault. It could be a hormone thing going on.
For some reason, she told me @ 19 she hesitated to put a diagnosis on me, even if my ovaries had cysts. She said that most women have the appearance of follicular cysts. I hate that I'm not a doctor! I wish I could know if she was a quack or not.
She was good at explaining some things to me though, she took out her books and showed me how all the different hormones had a play in my body and why I am packing on the pounds.
She said if my tests came back with an indication of PCOS she would put me on a low dose of birth control. Will that cause me to gain weight? Because I really cant afford that!
Wow, this is all so overwhelming right now!
I'm so grateful for this site, cheers to everyone!
Jen,
Welcome to SC!
I'm glad that your new dr is going to run some tests. Is she also checking to see if you are Insulin Resistant? I would push for more help - not just the pill.
Personally I think the pill is evil (just my opinion) and it will only mask some of the PCOS symptoms, not solve them. You will still have PCOS.
If this dr isn't giving you any other treatment options, then I would get a referral to an Endocrinologist who specializes in PCOS. That, or you can go the alternative route and see a Homeopath or Naturalpath (which I'm doing), and have them help you on what herbs and vitamins to take, and what foods you should be eating.
We never really got into the treatments of PCOS because she wants to wait for the test results. She had just mentioned the birth control at the end of the appointment.
What I did like about her was she wants to see me in four weeks after the test came back. She said if they indicated PCOS that we needed to have a counsellinng session about PCOS and consult a dietician (sp?) about ways for me to lose weight.
She did mention insulin resistance but didn't say anything about testing it. I believe she wants to get the hormone tests back and go from there.
I am interested in homeopathics and ayurvedic medicine. I had consulted a homeopathic doctor while I was waiting to get into see her and he gave me something called M2-Tone. I took those religiously for a month and low-and-behold, I spotted for two weeks. This could also be because I was tapering down my effexor (I stopped menstruating regularily after started anti-anxiety/depression meds). I thought it was interesting though.
What was really funny though, is when I told the gyno yesterday about that, she was soooooo unreceptive to the idea. She got all confused over the spelling of the word Ayurvedic doctor and and said something to the effect that I "decided to take some herbs but we need you to get on something that is going to help resume menstruation." LOL She is pretty old fashioned.
Anyways, I need to do my own reseach a little to find some alternatives.
if you have pcos and ir.. i would suggest seeing a endo ..bc this doc only seems to want to put you on the pill, which wont help fix or manage pcos very well. it can help with symptoms , but it wont help lower your ir... bc when you lower ir, your pcos should become better and would help your overall health.
i hope you get the answers you want xo jenn
__________________ jennifer, 33years old
long island, new york
dxd 2001
searching for new therapies/meds for pcos
met/gluc not working as well..but on 1000mgxr
married on 9/28/06 to keith
I just got a copy of the Insulin Resistance Diet book tonight. If I was able to lose weight on this, would this lower my insulin resistance? i'm a little confused about all this.
I know I should probably have a GTT but have a few questions regarding this. Do they actually stick you with a needle FIVE times??? OUCH! I actually don't mind the needle, I just hate having my blood tested! It really grosses me out. I had my hormone tests today and they took five tubes, I almost puked. How many viles with each stick? I think its the thought of something under my skin with the blood flowing out of me. I'm grossed out just by talking about it.
Your appointment with the gyno sounds a lot like mine went, only mine never even mentioned IR and wants me to lose weight before he put me on meds. It's crazy. I had to have 4 bloodtests and she only put one needle in me and attached to that 4 different sample bottle thingies. It's really no big deal.
I'm really interested in what your gyno has to say when the results come back and do you plan to go to a dietist?
I'm 20, pretty new to this all as well. Please feel free to send me a message if you want to talk.
I know, they just don't seem to get the concept of insulin resistance. I'm sick of hearing, eat less and exercise more. DUH!!!!!!!!!!! I know that, BUT IT ISN"T WORKING! LOL
I just went to an interview for a new family doctor today and had an excellent appointment! She is my new family doc!
She told me by looking at me she thinks I'm definetly PCOS but wants to see my hormone tests as well, just for information sake. It was wonderful to have a doctor who seems familiar with PCOS. She told me a low dose birth control pill is a good way to start but that there are more than just the pill to treat PCOS.
She also suggested, GET THIS, the Insulin Resistant Diet! She said I need to be on a diabetic like diet and that this was a good one. I asked her if this was okay for me to do even if I'm not insulin resistant and she said absolutely and encouraged me to do it. She said because she's 99% sure I have PCOS and I'm overweight, I must have insulin resistance.
YAY! I have a new doctor!!!!!!!!! She isn't starting any treatment yet because she wants me to go through this entire consult with the gyno first then she wants me to come back to her so she can explain the results fully because "specialists are quite busy and I can explain all this in detail and answer your questions )
She gave me some information to read!! heheh I'm so happy!
What was also funny, I was limping and she asked what was the matter. I've had a suspected stress fracture in my foot for two months and the x-ray didn't show anything so I just have to rest it and see how it goes. She examined the foot and is sending me to the hospital for a bone scan ASAP! LOL she is fixing all my problems!
Sorry, I'm just so happy I've found a good doctor at last!
What's worse: my gyno is a man. All the gynaecolgists in this city are men. *sigh*
I don't know how I ever managed the internal ultrasound....
I should make an appointment soon, but I haven't been to the dietist, have exercised a bit but probably not enough according to him etc. I dread going back.
I am about 50lbs overweight. I should be 130 but I'm 183.6. All of that went on in the last two years.
I think the IR book looks good. My new doctor recommended it so it must be nutritionally balanced. Give it a go.
Is your gyno nice? I guess it should matter the sex of the doctor, just so long as he is professional. Although, I have to admit, I do feel more comfortable with a woman.
"Moderately Suspicious" says the doc! 
I need to do my own reseach a little to find some alternatives.
heheh I'm so happy!
