So, after 7 months of waiting for my gynae appointment, Monday was the day! I was nervous, but really quite excited too, as I thought that finally I was seeing someone who knew what PCOS was all about, how it was affecting my life, and could do something about it.
I spent 15 fruitless minutes with a very young, very smiley registrar who said, well, you're very overweight, aren't you? As if he thought perhaps I hadn't noticed I was carrying around 100 lbs extra of me!) Apparently, if I just lose weight, all my problems will settle down--which should come as a surprise to the skinny cysters here. And, of course, that's all down to me.
He said he sometimes prescribes Metformin to stabilise IR, but there are nasty side effects and in view of my age, (48) once I'm through the menopause, which will probably be soon, in his opinion, everything will sort itself out anyway. I pointed out that if the IR continues unchecked, I could end up with type 2 diabetes soon, but he just smiled again and said, let's not worry about that just yet! So, he took some samples from my womb lining,(very painful) and said everything was probably just fine and I shouldn't worry. So I have had stomach cramps ever since he tested me, and some bleeding, which reassured me, as you can imagine.
Sorry that this has just turned into a full blown rant, but I had such high hopes of this appointment and now I feel so let down. Thanks for letting me blow off steam here!
Thats understandable honey. I feel that the doctors don't really know much about the condition. Maybe they just don't this condition as a very serious one. Well I'd like to see them cope with this s**t.
I understand fully what it is like to go to a DR and feel like they don't listen to you. So many DR'S out there seem like they really don't have the time for their patients and it is hard enough to know that you already have something wrong with you and they tell you that it isn't a big deal. I have gotten critizied for speaking my mind and telling the DR that I don't want anything more severe to happen to me. I have finally found a good ob/gyn that I am able to talk to about all my worries with having PCOS and for that I am thankful. At first I thought he would be like all the other DR's and wouldn't be able to talk to me, but I learned that you have to put your foot down and make them listen. That is after all what they are there for, to be your DR and discuss your "problems". Just thought I would throw my two cents in.
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I know how you feel, my original gyno use to tell me that I am just too fat. He took biopsy after biopsy of my cervix. The test came back fine. But he made me think that I might have cervical cancer for awhile. He never once said hmmm maybe you have PCOS. My friend was reading a magazine article about PCOS and said that it sounded alot like me. I have all of the symptoms except hair loss. I have IR, no periods, excessive hair, weight gain, polycystic ovaries,depression and severe anxiety. I actually had to go to a DR. at a Free Clinic to actually be diagnosed with PCOS. I brought up PCOS to her and she said I knew that you had it, just from seeing you. She has it too. needless to say I never went back to my old Gyno. But I felt like going back to him and giving him a piece of my mind!!!!
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Married 7-25-02
PCOS Diagnosed Nov 02'
Bi Polar Diagnosed Feb 08'
Current meds~ Lithium&Celexa
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That sounds almost exactly like what i went through. I feel for ya!!!! I have not been back to the doc since because of that bad experience. I was so mad I let my check bounce.. I wasn't going to pay for that!
I get SO MAD at Doctors about this... hello? they went to medical school, not us.. why do we have to find out all the info before going in and basically diagnose ourselves and have to ask and beg for medical help.
I think maybe they are not that familiar with the problem and they relate it to the weight issue.
Well, for one thing, PCOS makes it very difficult to lose weight. I'm having an extremely hard time, even with exercising and dieting....I'm not losing any weight. I'm about ready to ask for prescription diet pills and I bet you they would have no problem writing that prescription!
I completely agree about all the comments about doctors, I had tests done that came back as normal (even though cysts could clearly be seen on the u/s!) i moved doctors thinking they might be more helpful, yeah rite! All the new doc told me was that she wouldn't test me until i was ttc! What did that gain?!?!? I really don't know... i went in with all the info i could and a list of my symptoms but still no encouraging words from the doctor. I don't think i'll ever get dxd!
It makes me so angry. its like they won't help until we're full blown diabetic. I felt let down by my appt as well. I'd waited so long only to be told come back when i ttc. They seem to think thats all its about, trying to get pregnant. Its not just the getting diagnosed bit, its trying to find someone who will actually help with treatment. I came out of there crying. What can i say, the guy was an @sshole.
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once I'm through the menopause, which will probably be soon, in his opinion, everything will sort itself out anyway
They are so mis-informed and ignorant! GRRRR! I don't know what to suggest. We just have to keep trying to find a gynae/doctor who understands. Good luck xx
__________________ Sarah (24)
Vegetarian cyster
DX 11/9/03
After believing I was going crazy for years I finally have a diagnosis! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
I know how you are all feeling. My first 2 gyno's were kind of jerky. the first one told me oh you may have pcos, but lets rule out other things. lets start with that weight. drop thirty punds and see what we get then. i could have reached out and slapped her. i didn't go back to her. then my next gyno was just like okay meds, meds, meds. she didn't wantt o hear anything i said, she was always in a hurry to get me in and out. My gyno that i have now though is pretty nice. She takes time to try to talk to me, and answer my questions, but I always seem to forget to ask her something. Sometimes I feel like an idiot when asking all these questions, but you guys all said we didn't go to medical school, that's what they are there for.
When I went back to Australia last year my friend happened to work for a woman gyno. Finally I had found someone sympathetic to what I was going through and who fully explained things to me unlike the male gyno I have here in England.
Maybe its just a male thing!!! Its still no excuse dang it!!!!
I have had similar experiences and, although I have no wonderful suggestions, I hope that knowing you are not alone helps. I will say that I would not go back and line the pockets of any doc who doesn't care about you as a person. I took in an article on PCOS to my last Gyn. She looked at the title and said I didn't have it. I have been dx since, but this is just such a frustrating process. I am so sorry that this happens to so many women...not fair!
It's one of the reasons, I got into the healthcare field, because of Dr's like this, and the one I saw a few months ago, who just came into the room "Hi, you have PCOS" Me: "What's that?" Him: "Look it up, here's your script, goodbye."
I was very frustrated, and it's not cool at all.
^Shameless Self Plug^ Have you tried seeing a FNP (Family Nurse Practitioner) or PA (Physician's Assistant). I'm a PA, and I usually spend up to 30 minutes with a patient discussing all modes of care, not just "you have _____ Symptom, take this" I look at the whole person, ie "What are you eating, when? How much do you sleep? What's your family life like? Etc"
Any FNP or PA worth their weight in gold will be looking at this, and I personally and professionally recommend it. We are a lot more sympathetic to our patients.
They are also willing to learn. In my experience, Dr's aren't. They know everything and can do wrong. *scoff* They don't always know what's best for you, and DO NOT be afraid to say so.
Never be afraid to just walk out. Rememeber, the Dr works for *YOU*. You pay him/her, and if you don't like their service, Fire them. Tell them why and walk out. It's your health and body and no one should be treated like that.
Phew, I certainly got worked up didn't I?
It just pisses me off that all the effort I go to in my job and the Dr I work under pulls **** like that.... *sigh* Idiots. Really.
__________________ Leaving behind books is even more beautiful. There are far too many children. -Margerite Yourcenar
Happily Childfree since 1998!
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I agree that Dr.'s certainly don't know everything! I had one send me home from the ER saying I had PID when it was actually a giant ovarian cyst that ended up rupturing. Then, my OB-GYN failed to do anything for me when I started missing 4 periods in a row on the pill, complaining of constant pelvic pain and multiple large ovarian cysts....It took my dermatologist to tell me that I probably had PCOS and he suggested that I see an endocrinologist. I found one that specializes in PCOS and he is willing to do everything in his power to help me. I know it sucks, but I guess we just have to go to Dr. after Dr. subjecting ourselves to numerous pelvic exams by strangers, until we find someone willing to help...I thought all Dr.'s were supposed to do that, right???
-Janna
Thanks to everyone who replied to my post. I think I touched a chord, there, didn't I? To all my American cysters, our health system in the U.K. is a bit different; it is very difficult, sometimes impossible, to change your doctor. There are often very few doctors in a particular town and the really good ones have very long waiting lists for you to register with them.
Nurse practitioners are becoming more common here, but they are very restricted in what they can and can't prescribe, and for one to contradict a doctor's advice or diagnosis would probably mean them being disciplined by the practice manager at the very least.
Just to update you on my progress, after going back to my doctor after the disastrous gynae appointment, she just shrugged and after much badgering, is going along with my decision to see an endo privately. Even so, there are no private appointments available in my county, so I have to go to Plymouth and the earliest I can see him is in a month's time. I still haven't had my blood test and biopsy results back from the gynae after nearly five weeks, so I have to keep pushing there, and assume that things are O.K. until I hear otherwise! I'm playing the waiting game, ladies!
what a waste of time! 
I found a woman Gyno 
