PCOS?

[susgan]

I have just read a post that listed a few symptoms of this. I am VERY unfamiliar with what it is, except the symptoms fit me to a tee. I have been treated for yrs. as a perimenopause, using Prometrium as a remedy. Can any one tell me what it is, and how you found out? Blood work? Other obvious symptoms? Any help or web site that tells about it?

Thanks in advance

Susan

[Pippin31]

I was diagnosed with it in ‘97. Actually, I went in and told the doctor I had it (found out what the symptoms are and like you, matched to a tee)
Anyway, she did some blood work and agreed.
Symptoms include:
facial hair
weight gain
low sexual desire
ovarian cysts (not always)
fatigue
irregular periods
dark patches on skin
Insulin resistance
change in breast size
I am sure I am leaving some things out. Anyway, they will do blood work, specifically Insulin. They may also do an ultrasound to look at your ovaries. I was put on Glucophage (blood sugar medication) but couldn’t tolerate it more than a few months. I now control my sugar through diet (usually )
That is the key, control your sugar...loose weight...etc..
However, with PCOS it’s a vicious cycle....it makes your sugar high and causes weight gain.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[kimzi81]

my doctor diagnosed me with Polycystic ovaries earlier this year after i came to her because of continual spotting, with no periods (or very irregular periods.) she did an ultrasound where she showed me that my ovaries contained about 5 small round things which she told me were the cysts. the thing is, after looking up pcos, i dont seem to have the symptoms. i experience no pain, have no trouble with weight. (Im actually pretty underweight at 5'4" and 100 lbs.) I actually have been trying to gain weight but cant, my metabolism is too high. My insulin counts are normal, and i have no problems with facial hair. i get my period usually around every 3 months or so.. I really really really want kids in the future, and was really disappointed when she told me I would probably have to go on fertility pills. How are PCOS diagnosed? My only symptom was the spotting and irregular periods (which i've had ever since i started menstruating). Do you think she could have made a mistake?

[Blastoff9600]

I was recently told I have PCOS...my only recent sign was missing periods. I had several blood tests that did show much. One test though did come back funny. I did have weight gain but at the time I didnt know of PCOS so didnt know it was linked.
I over the past two months I have had more problems with so called signs...not fun but I am dealing with them because we are trying to get pregnant.
Yes I have to be on infertility drugs. Granted they arent the injectables...yet. There are several ways to treat PCOS depending on what you are currently wanting to do.
Also you should know you dont have to have the common signs to have PCOS. Even underweight women can have it. Normally as you age the signs will start popping up more. For me I started having the weight gain about 5 years ago. It wasnt major just a few pounds here and there. But at that time I didnt know it was a sign. Then this past year I had the missing periods. Then when I went to see my doc she suggested we start testing for PCOS.

There are several books now that can help understand PCOS. Also there are several sites.
You can ask to be sent to Endocrinologist to have it throughly checked out. They tend to be better at finding out for sure if it is PCOS or not. As for testing it normally entails blood tests,ultrasounds,questions about your cycles,questions about body hair,loss of hair and so on.

[This message has been edited by Blastoff9600 (edited 08-04-2003).]