Student Doctor with PCOS:PLEASE HELP

agentcmc13 · 07-21-2006, 06:20 PM

Hi-

I am in medical school at Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale FL. I have been diagnosed with PCOS and have found that physicians are not educated about PCOS, so i thought it would be very important to bring in someone with PCOS to discuss how physicians treat them, what they have encountered, and ways that doctors have made their lives easier.

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to come give a talk at one day for lunch to a group of student doctors. PCOS awareness month is September, so I thought this would be a good month to have the session.

Please let me know if anyone would be willing to share their story of diagnosis, treatment, and physician interaction so physicains in the future will be better able to help their patients with PCOS.

Thanks in advance.

Chrissy OMS-II
Nova Southeastern University

peppagrl · 07-23-2006, 08:28 PM

Hi agentcmc13.

I think what you are doing is wonderful! I, myself, is a student doctor (OMS III)and I have dealt with ignorance and lack of knowledge on PCOS by doctors too. I guess it is up to us to do what we have to do educate not only our classmates but other doctors to take patients with these symptoms, even the mild ones seriously.

There seems to be a lackadasial attitude toward treating PCOS among some docs. Most of them are very insensitive and rude and need to know more about the emotional ramifications of the choice of words they use towards PCOS patients. Thanks for addressing this issue over there in Florida, I wish I can go there and shock them (lol!)

We are on both sides of the table on this issue, and I think it makes us better doctors because of that! I should also mention that Kat Karney had placed a really good video of Dr. Katherine Sherif (who's also my gyn) addressing PCOS to NIH on the board. It's under Video cast and it's an hour long, but it's great! Here's the link http://videocast.nih.gov/ram/orwh102805.ram

Let me know how it turns out.

agentcmc13 · 07-23-2006, 08:41 PM

Thanks for your reply... I am just hoping that someone in this area will be willing to share their story and help many PCOS afflicted women in the future. I thought about just talking myself, but i think that it would be much more effective if someone who was just strictly a patient came in and described what they have gone through.

I know that I have learned many ways not to treat my patients, and I just hope my classmates can hear some stories so they are sensitive and understanding when they are out in practice.

If anyone is able to take one hour of your time think of all the emotional stress and pain that you could preventing someone from experiencing in the future!!!!

heidikisin · 08-20-2006, 01:41 AM

hi over here..

i posted to you on another thread but thought i would do the same here.

i think it is wonderful what you are doing.

i am a RN student at BCC. I live right by Nova in davie. I would love to help you but think scary thoughts about publicly speaking.

i sent you an email, email me back so we can chat

SABTeacher · 09-06-2006, 02:27 AM

I don't live too far from Davie, only about a half hour. I would volunteer to help, but I don't think I'd be the best person. I have a mild case of PCOS according to one doctor, but have been told by another that I don't have it based on my labs (I have normal hormone levels and no IR). I never had any big struggles with PCOS related issues with the exception of slightly irregular periods, struggles with weight, and some facial/body hair issues. I only found out about PCOS when getting testing done after a couple of miscarriages. And, to be honest, my experiences with doctors has been mainly positive with the exception of one RE who tried to push us into IVF without there really being a need for it.

If you want more information, just let me know.

x_Trish_x · 09-06-2006, 04:49 AM

I'd go anywhere to better educate any doc as to what PCOS really is. I've been through so many "old school" drs who all have the same opinion - "lose the weight fatty and PCOS will disappear forever"...

Perhaps you could put together a few of our stories about what we've been through and hand them out as well.

I do hope that newer doctors will change their out dated views on PCOS and that the women behind PCOS are real and have feelings as well.

Good luck to ya! I hope it goes well and that you get through to at least one person.