I'm very new to all of this. I am 26 and have had menstruation issues since I started at 13. In fact, my periods are virtually nonexistant. Recently, my husband and I have decided to get pregnant. Of course, things aren't happening, like I had figured. I was put on birth control at age 16ish and just got off at age 25. I've been seeing a general OB/GYN. I researched infertility problems and saw PCOS and thought that must be what I have, since I have several symptoms. But when I brought it up with the doc he seemed to think against it just because I don't have excessive hair growth on my face. I have dark hair, so there is actually some there, just not a ton (enough for me to have to take care of it.) He had blood work done; I think progesterone, FSH, and estrogen. The only thing that came back abnormal was progesterone. I have very low levels, which he thinks is causing me to not ovulate. He put me on prometrium to get things flowing, which worked. But still, nothing happens w/o being on it. I'm getting frustrated though. I want to know what is going on and I'm not getting very many answers. I've recently lost medical insurance...so things are halted at the moment. So I'm deciding to do some more investigating of my own. Does anyone have any other stories similar? Or suggestions for me to investigate?
Yes, Get a new dr lol lol.
I spent years listening to one dr tell me if Id just lose weight and quit smoking everything would go away lol.
(cant say Ive seen any ads for smoking warnings that talked about growing beards lol}
Usually they come up with cop outs that its u, and not admitting to the fact that they don't know. P.C.O still has to be one of the miss diagnosed or ignored problems with women.
Im not sure if you are near any walmarts but one of the main meds for P.C.O is glucophage - metformin. Its on walmarts 4 dollar list. If you could get a prescription for it it would be a cheap med to stay on with out insurance.
If you're referring to my previous message, I got off bc, which was making me mentstruate regularly. Once I stopped bc I didn't have my period for several months and since I'm ttc, I went in to my GYN to address the issues. Thats when he recommended blood work. But still...no answers...
sorry saxmyr...i was reading the earlier posts about cushings...that freaked me out!!
i agree with jennifer - it sounds as if you need to find a new doctor. i'm on metformin and that has been helping. I found a book called a patients guide to PCOS which has been very helpful. i've also started trying to lose weight. my dr diagnosed me right away and i do not have hair growth on my face...
i know it's hard especially when it feels like you are not getting any answers - but try to stay positive. it's ok to be a bit pushy about this -it's your own body and if you're doctor is not responding to your concerns then it's time to find someone who will.
are you into alternative medicine at all? i know some people who have been to naturapaths and accunpuncturists and had success.
Sorry If I over step, I wasn't sure if you were referring to her cushings post or mine lol
When I went to do my pco blood work he for some reason asked they do the free cortisol or something to the sort test, and when it came back my cortisol levels were thru the roof (close to 600). He was scared that I either has cushings or a tumor on the adrenal gland. (Usually either of the two cause high readings like that)
BUT PCO can cause it, but he said not often.
Both the cat scan and cushings test came back neg and I was clear.
THE only down fall they didn't tell me when they did the FIRST blood test was that BCP & Spironolactone can mess with the readings, I had already been on the meds a week at the time. So I'm not sure what my "true" readings would have been (normal range is 0.5-8 at the worse)
But cushings and P.C.O are pretty neck n neck with symptoms.
Jen
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sorry saxmyr...i was reading the earlier posts about cushings...that freaked me out!!
if someone has an irregular cycle or no cycle and has blood tests done on hormones........how would i know which are low or high when it coms to estrogen progesterone prolactin
theres always a section that says luteal or follecular
but if there is no cycle or if its irregular hwo do i know what phase during my period my blood test for these hormones were taken?
has anyone had an experience with really low estrogen? i was dx 8/2008 due to missed periods, cysts on the ultrasound and bad recent onset acne. but i had a feeling that this isnt the whole story so i went to an endocrinologist. she thought i had an adrenal definciency and wasn't really sure if it was actually PCOS so i had some bloodwork done. FSH & LH were REALLY low but this is normal, they said, since i am on the pill. the really weird part is that my estrogen was REALLY low, too - like at the post-menopausal level (and i'm only 30!). doesn't the pill give you EXTRA estrogen??? ugh, i am so confused. i am having more tests done later this week but i am just curious if anyone else has had low estrogen issues??? i have most of the symptoms that go along with it - headache, night sweats, fatigue, etc. anyone else? how have any of you treated this?
I'm not sure with all blood work, but I remember some of the test I had done said Spironolactone and B.C would throw off blood work. Ive been reading alot about Saliva testing. And giving "true" results. I wonder if it would help if your on b.c. still or if you would have to come off the b.c to get true results?
