I am so frustrated with not getting a definite diagnosis. My gyno mumbled something about PCOS years back as she handed me birth control, so I always assumed thats what I had. After having to go off birth control during cancer treatments and not having periods for two years, I really want to start treating my PCOS again. After researching PCOS, I realize there is more to treating it than just birth control. So, I found an endo that specializes is PCOS, and had a consultation. She seemed to think PCOS was pretty probable since I have a number of the symptoms, but she did blood tests to find out for sure. Well, I spoke to her nurse over the phone yesterday and all the lab work is "normal." Originally, the endo said she was thinking about restarting the birth control if I needed it and would contact me herself to discuss what to do next. Well, she hasn't called me, probably because my blood tests were "normal." I have an appointment next month, so I guess I will have to wait until then to really talk to her.
Do these "normal" results mean PCOS is unlikely?
Is it possible to have "normal" lab work and still have an androgen disorder like PCOS?
Well, mine was only the blood results. I had cysts all over both ovaries every time I had an u/s. With my LONG history of irregular and skipped periods, I was diagnosed. If Im not ovulating then that will just be the icing on the cake!
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Me -27 DH -32
Married since 08-01-03
01-08-08 BFP!!!!
DD: 09-08-08
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I had an ultrasound and I even got to see my cysty ovaries! It was kinda cool. But yea, my bloodwork always comes back "normal". But I too have all the classic symptoms. I don't know how it comes back normal, I really don't.
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Well, maybe I am still on the right track then :-). Thanks for the replies. My periods didn't start on their own until I was 18. Even after that they usually had to be induced or I just wouldn't have them. I also have several other symptoms, including frequent low blood sugar symptoms. (I have an IR test scheduled for early November). Their's got to be something going on, whether PCOS or something with similar symptoms.
Thanks for the link to the article Kat. That Dr. really seems to understand PCOS, I wish he wasn't all the way in New York! lol. Ya, I may consider a new doctor if it still seems that she thinks my lab work is a "tell all" after I talk to her again. Right now, that is just the initial impression that I had. Thanks again for the replies. It seems like each case of PCOS is similar yet very unique at the same time. I was wondering also, how variable are lab results? Could they have been different on a different day or different time of the day?
yup..that's what I'm going through right now...the clinic I've gone to tells me my tests are normal because the values fall within normal ranges.....but after getting the results and doing a bit of basic research, I'm finding them to be NOT normal at all! this clinic looks at the general ranges on hormones for women...not the age specific ranges, and they couldn't have looked at the relationships between things like testosterone or shbg or they would have seen that my testosterone was WAY too high for a 40 year old woman and was totally typical for the signs of hyperandrogenism I was complaining about. Last week...glucose tolerance test...sigh...DR calls monday says results were normal..no sign of IR (despite Acanthosis Nigrigans, occasional skin tags, and central weight gain)....this, she said because the results never exceded 140! Only problem, when you look at the curve, it was typical of reactive hypoglycemia, which I think generally is associated with insulin resistance and PCOS!...they never looked beyond the numbers and it really is getting me fed up and angry! I'm going to have to track down someone who will look at the whole thing, symptoms, patterns, relationships in addition to the numbers.....I just don't understand how I can find these clear errors when I'm not a doctor (I do have a background in psych and math and was married to a diabetic for 12 years...that helps when it comes to research and analysis).....and they can't or won't see them!
I don't even know what my results are, I was just told that they look good. But I think I will try requesting them, and also analyze them on my own, like you did Jeannemrm. Just in case the clinic wasn't thorough. It just seems to me that a clinic specializing in PCOS would be able to notice signs of it in lab work, even when they would appear normal to those less familiar with the syndrome. I do a glucose tolerance test on November 1st, so we'll see if thats "normal" too.
one tip about the glucose tolerance test. I had been being very 'good' about carbs and sugars and such for almost a month prior to taking it, and the doctor didn't tell me anything aside from 'don't eat after midnight' (does that make me a gremlin? hehe)...anyway...I've read in several places that you should actually eat a fairly carb rich (but not overdone) diet at least 3 days before the test. That may be what screwed mine up..being too good prior to the test....I know with me, the more I abuse sugar/carbs in a period of time, the stronger my reaction. At least earlier, I didn't end up with the hypoglycemic reactions unless I"d been 'bad' for several days.....Also, when you get the results, get a copy and chart them....do a basic line graph and compare your curve to norms. My dr said they're fine because they never rose above 140....but the curve was quite off and would have implied reactive hypoglycemia if it had been longer than 3 hrs (it did anyway, but it would have been undeniable with a 5 hr test)
Thank you for the advice Jeanne. My clinic actually told me exactly how many grams of carbs to eat each day. I think it was 300 grams each day! Seems like thats a little overdone. At least its much more than I have been eating now as I have been trying to eat less and less sugars and simple carbs. They also had sample meal plans and a chart to fill out with what I eat each of those 3 days so the nurse can check it off before I get the OGTT. I don't want to mess up my better eating habits too much, I think I'll try to eat more complex carbs as much as possible, although the meal plans include ice cream and vanilla wafers :-). I'll definitely graph my results. I saw your graph on another post that you made using your hubby's glucometer. So frustrating that your obvious RHG was overlooked.
at least your doctor is telling you to eat a certain way before hand. the 300 grams sounds about right...I think it varied from 270-450 grams depending on what I read.
I had problems with sugar in my first or second year in college, even fainted once! but then was good with my eating, so by the time I took my OGTT, inconclusive....but I've always reacted to sugar since I was little...
The scary thing was tonight's graph....We ate out at shoney's as I'd won a gift certificate from a local radio station. Ate mostly seafood, but had two small rolls and made the mistake of buying a non diet soda..and one spoonful of my daughter's dessert..ooops....unless there was a read error, it went up to 177 before starting to go down....the peak came later...which is probably due to all the protein in the meal.
Tomorrow, even though it's an awful thing to have for breakfast, I think I'll try graphing the effects of Ramen Noodles...Carb overload! I figure the cost of the glucosticks is cheaper than having the doctors keep running tests and getting nowhere with them.
"Normal" lab results are so frustrating! 
could you see a different dr instead?
