Hi everyone, thought I'd start off with a short introduction. I'm almost 25 years old and I think I have PCOS. I'm overweight (have been all my life), I have oily skin, a few skin tags (under my arms), mood swings, abdomen pains (more like dull aches), occasional pelvic pains, and of course the lovely body hair (arms, legs, stomach, back side, breast, chin, etc.). I also suffer from anxiety (I diagnosed that myself) and I'm also starting to have strange throat issues (weird feeling when I try to swallow saliva). Aches on the sides of my neck.
I found out about PCOS about a year ago, but still haven't made an appointment to get checked out. Growing up I was never really brought to the doctors so now I have a really bad phobia of them. The more I think about going, the more I begin to fear it! I've yet to go for a papsmear (I'm not sexually active)... truth is, I can't even tell you when I saw any kind of a physician last.
With that said, today was a really scary day at work. One of my coworkers was just diagnosed with breast cancer. She thought for sure she didn't have it because cancer doesn't run in her family, but low and behold the cancer chose her! My heart broke for her because it's obviously not what you want to happen to someone.
Not to dismiss her fears, but now that this happened I'm even MORE afraid to call for a doctor's appointment. I know that I really need to go, but the fear is just controlling me! I'm afraid that while I'm sitting here thinking for sure it's PCOS that it's something else, something more serious, i.e. Ovarian Cancer, Cervical Cancer, etc. (cancer doesn't run in my family either, so I learned first hand today that doesn't matter!). Now I'm absolutely terrified even more than I was before.
Did you all have the same fears before being diagnosed? How did you get over your fear of going to the doctor? What is the initial doctors visit like? What about getting a physical exam (kind of embarrassing, but I don't remember my last physical!). Any help is welcome and words of support/encouragement are welcome!
I will admit I don't like going to the Doctor either. Each time I go it is usually never something simple. I have had A LOT of female problems in the past. Most of the time I had Doctors telling me that I was crazy (putting up with that for years now). Finally when I was living in Virginia Beach I went to a gyno, one that actually listened. She was convinced that there was something wrong with me and she was just as determined as I was to figure out what was wrong. Come to find out I had a tumor. Since then I have moved away but we both keep in good contact. When ever I have a problem she is one of the first people that I call (female related that is). Any how when I was dingosed with PCOS (by a different dr.) she was telling me that I make it out worse than it actually is. If I just go and see what is wrong, afterwards I will just think it was nothing to worry about.
My suggestion to you would be just go to the dr. Make the appointments and just go. Don't worry too much about it. If you have PCOS it is not the end of the world, just have to make lil changes here and there to adjust your life accordingly.
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"A person is not a failure because she tried some things that did not work out. She fails only when she stops trying." ~Joyce Meyer To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Hi Cirri
Welcome to SC you'll be among friends here and you'll never be alone..
Try not to get worked about things that might never happen none of us are exactly the same.. When you contact then go and see your doctor it probably won't be half as bad as you think it is and they'll be able to give you advice on your treatment needs and refer you to the relevant specialists. It will also give you power and control as you will have the information you need to make informed choices..
You know you would put your mind at ease if you would just make an appointment. It's stressful that first visit, but we all gotta do it.
Once it is over with you will feel like a ton has been lifted off your shoulders!!! Because you can get treatment for everything you listed in your post. And you will start to feel a whole lot better once you start taking care of your symptoms.
Decide wether you will feel more comfortable with a man or woman, and make an appointment. I personally go to a male doctor. But many cysters here prefer woman doctors.
Make a list of everything you typed in your post, and make a list of any questions you have and take it with you to the initial appt. Otherwise you will probally forget half of it.
Try to relax when you go in there. They'll take you to a room, tell you to put a gown on and wait for the doctor. He/She will come in with a nurse and do the exam. During the exam just relax, and think of something else, it helps. Then 2 seconds later it's over and your done!!
Good luck to ya, and keep us posted.
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Ericka(29) Tony(33) Married 9 years Sepember 4, 2006 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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I think the fear that you know is much easier than the fear of the unknown. If you do have PCOS, then getting it under control as early as possible is to your benefit. I've never really had a fear of going to the doctor, but I avoided going for many years. Find someone you think you can be comfortable with. Ask people you trust who they see. If you like and respect your doctor, it makes everything else easier. I had the father who got cancer with no history of it in our families. Had he not gone to the doctor when he had, we may have only had him for a couple of months. Because he went to the doctor, we had him for a few more years. Your co-worker is justifiably upset that she has cancer, but she has a good chance now that she knows. Had she never gone to the doctor, she wouldn't have any chance. You can do it. You owe it to yourself to do it.
I could have written your post, I felt the exact same way before I was diagnosed. I knew about PCOS and I had a lot of the symptoms but I was so afraid to see a dr. I'm not sure what I was the most scared of. I think it was a combo of fear of the unknown and a fear of how unhealthy I really was. But I am so glad that I finally went to see a dr. I'm ready to start taking care of myself. On my really bad days I think about how the symptoms of PCOS (mainly the excess hair and obesity) robbed me of so much of my self confidence. I've struggled with those symptoms since I was 11 (I'm 22 now) and I am finally treating my body the way it deserves. Choirmissy had it right when she said that you owe it to yourself to see a dr. Find someone that you're comfortable with and let them help you. You may be scared to see a dr. but you will be so relieved when its done. If you ever want to talk, or you just need someone to listen you can reach me either through a private message or email: Ashleybrewer680@hotmail.com
Good luck!
__________________ "Say yes to life, even though you know it may devour you." -Stephen Larsen
I think you'll find so much support and advice here to help you through
The way I felt when I was being diagnosed was relief in a way.
For so long I had wondered what on earth was wrong with me. Nothing was explainable and it was embarrassing. My periods were all over the show, when she finally did decide to show up that is! Chronic acne in my twenties when I had clear skin all through my teenage years and my superb ability to eat healthily and under-eat with regular gym visits working my arse off and STILL get fatter 5x as quickly as my friends and family!
So as well as fear of what was wrong, I would say it was a relief to finally put it all down to something, to blame something after all this time. It is intimidating at first but as long as you find an understanding doctor and do lots of research yourself so you know what's going on, I think you will be fine and will feel better after you have talked it through with them.
Good luck and let us know how it goes. x
__________________ Age: 26
DX: May 2004
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Walking & Low Carbing to 146lbs - nearly there!
July 07 : 167lbs
Sept 07: 153lbs
Nov 07: 147lbs
May 08: 144lbs
July 08: 140lbs
I can understand your worries about wanting to see a Doctor, it took me a few years to finally seek help and undergo the tests for PCOS, I hope to finally find out at the end November but I am so glad I finally went to see my GP.
I just wanted to add one thing, when you make your appt, MAKE SURE the office knows that you don't go to the doctor often. If you tell them you have never had certain procedures done, they will try to make it easier for you and explain things if that's what you need them to do. Also, if you have a friend or relative that you trust, take them with you!
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~*~ ARMY Family ~*~
Angela & Shaun
Nate 9, Nick 5, Katie 3, Kaleb 1
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just wanted to add one thing, when you make your appt, MAKE SURE the office knows that you don't go to the doctor often. If you tell them you have never had certain procedures done, they will try to make it easier for you and explain things if that's what you need them to do. Also, if you have a friend or relative that you trust, take them with you!
Excellent point!!!
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Ericka(29) Tony(33) Married 9 years Sepember 4, 2006 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
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Well, fortunately I was not scared going into my appointment...but only b/c I had NO CLUE that there was anything wrong with me. I thought I was just a little overweight and had gotten the excess hair from the latin half of my family. But I'll tell you what I did feel when I WAS told that I had PCOS...I was very disappointed and a little depressed at the idea of not being able to have kids.
But then I did some research on it and talked more with my doc about what I could do to help myself and all kinds of different options, and before I knew it, I found out that I am not alone with this disease by any means. Nor does it totally exclude the possibility of children. There are more women than you know that have this disease and it can be conquered.
the best defense against any illness is KNOWLEDGE. Learn as much about it as you can. Ask your Dr questions. Don't be afraid of this. Make it be afraid of you! You can be strong and battle it and everything will be OK!
__________________ Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
So Scared and I Feel So Alone! 
It is okay! 
