very frustrated with my GP and UK diagnostic guidelines
I am originally Canadian but am living for a while in the UK
I suspect I have PCOS and have done VERY extensive research about it.
My GP just will not order the proper tests! SHE WONT and neither will other doctors in my practice. I know I can change practices but i don't know if it would be any better
What they did
test TOTAL T, LH ratio, an unidentified liver thing, and I think that is all.
I had a pelvis ultrasound (normal).
They tell me I do not have it but they never tested to see if I am ovulating. For this reason it is impossible to rule out PCOS along the Rotterdam criteria.
Tellling them things like that (and showing that you know anything) seems to piss them off and they don't take you seriously.
Here are my specs:
23
normal weight
hirsutism
acne
normal periods.
normal ovaries.
my total T was 66! They said that was normal but anyone knows that it is not. the ranges set by the labs are way to high!
They say I have 'hyperandrogenism' but WHY that might be they do not venture to explain. nor to they explain how i could have that with a purportedly 'normal' t level.
following Dr. Redmond, who has seen thousands of PCOS patients, I figured CALL it what you will, you still need to treat what the patient has.
I went back to Canada and managed to get a spiro prescription for a few months. It is really frustrating that they won't give me one here and I am gonna have to ask them to monitor my electrolytes whether they prescribed the drug or not. Whether or not they approve doesn't F**ing matter to me. if they care about health they will do what is needed.
I am just so frustrated by GP's who don't know SHI* about PCOS.
AtALL not even the basics. Being the gate keepers, they are prohibiing me from getting treatment I might need
welcome to sc sorry you are having trouble getting help with your pcos. I personally had to change gp surgery to get some pcos help. Perhaps you will have to do something similar?? or could you afford to go 'private'?? that can be expensive though, hope you get some answers soon - i know how frustrating it can all be.
eva
Sorry to hear about your GP experience. I've had many bad and frustrating encounters with medics so I empathise.
Is it not possible for you to insist on a referral to an endocrinologist? I went in to see a previous GP and had no intention of leaving until I got my referral!
My most recent GP was a bit worried about prescribing me Metformin, although at least she had some knowledge, so was more than happy to move the responsibility to the hospital. An endo would be able to use the latest research to get you the right treatment.
I hope no one flames me for ageism, but I find the younger GPs are more open-minded personally.
Good luck
Karen
__________________ Diagnosed with PCOS: 1996
RNY gastric bypass: Jan 2007
Using 1200mg D-Chiro Inositol daily. No improvements yet.
That sounds crap! I had acne and was overweight at school. I was given Dianette to help even before I was diagnosed with PCOS (they didnt manage that until 11 yrs later, despite having every symptom). It is a contraceptive pill so they might give you that. It completely cured my acne, never to return even when I came off it 2 years later.
the normal testosterone levels in women range from 2 to about 86 and yes some doctors will count over 50 being elevated, others dont. pcos cant be diagnosed on high testosterone levels alone, as pcos is a syndrome in order to be successful diagnosed it is usual to show three or more symptoms, for a concrete diagnosis cysts on the ovaries, ellevated testosterone and abnormal periods are most common, followed by acne hirustism obesity insulin resistance.
the reason you have hyperandrogenism without having an abnormally large testosterone level is because the adrenal cortex is producing excess levels of androgens but the tissue cells are not converting all this into testosterone as they recognise you are female, your symptoms are caused by the androgens as these are mild forms of the male sex hormones and can create similar effects as testosterone just not as strongly.
Either way whether you have pcos or hyperandrogenism your doctor should be looking into why this occurs and if the symptoms are bothering you ways to help lessen them. My best advice would be to move doctors or go privately or ask to be refered to an endocrinologist, but i would probably move doctors first, it might just be that going on to bcps for a while will help to get rid of the excess androgens and its possible that you may not have pcos, if i recieved your test results and your background pcos would not be my first diagnosis.
Compared to my total testosterone levels yours were relatively normal
HTH and i would change doctors if i was u
Good luck lizzie xxx
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DX - PCOS April 2008, US March 2009, PCOS confirmed, Refered to endo next appointment 25/02/2010
TX - Metformin 1700 mgs but starting off on 500 mgs. Mefanamic Acid
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very frustrated with my GP and UK diagnostic guidelines 
sorry you are having trouble getting help with your pcos. I personally had to change gp surgery to get some pcos help. Perhaps you will have to do something similar?? or could you afford to go 'private'?? that can be expensive though, hope you get some answers soon - i know how frustrating it can all be. 
