How do you know if you have PCOS?

[stumblymonkey]

Hi,

I wondered if some of you much better informed ladies could help me in terms of how you figure out whether you have PCOS or not?

My facts:

• I have had two (sadly unwanted) pregnancies before, both times after one mistake, so clearly had no issues conceiving at that time but this was in my mid to late twenties

• Now 33 and in the 4th cycle of TTC

• My weight has increased substantially since I last conceived and I am now obese

• I have the odd spot but no major acne and no facial hair

• My cycles are very regular (25/26 days)

• I only started temping and using OPKs this cycle but forgot to take them away with me when I would have been ovulating

• I had an internal ultrasound before my unwanted pregnancies and there were some small cysts on my ovaries but they didn't discuss a diagnosis of PCOS with me (and then I got pregnant twice)

Any ideas? How do you know for sure if you have PCOS or at least 'know enough' to discuss with a GP?

How do you get diagnosed?

I know very little about it other than the symptoms which, as you can see, I have some of but not all....

[stumblymonkey]

Anyone?

[FuzzyOwl]

One of my closest friends has PCOS. She is slim and has lovely, clear skin with regular cycles. After two years of unsuccessfully trying to conceive she had a scan and it was picked up then but there was otherwise nothing to suggest it. She is just about to have her second child and both pregnancies have been conceived on the second cycle of clomid because, despite her cycles she wasn't ovulating.

Opks won't say if you are ovulating or not, but bbt will.

Can you make an appointment to see your GP on the basis that you want the cysts that were seen on a scan several years ago investigated further?

[JennyOnAPlate]

I was diagnosed via a scan. I would also suggest going back to your GP and asking for further investigations. It is possible to have pco without any symptoms.

[pigeonpoo]

I think you have to have multiple cysts for a diagnosis. It's usually a blood test at set times in your cycle to measure ovulation and an internal ultrasound they do

It's not just one thing that builds a picture of PCOS - it's a combination of things. Irregular cycles, male pattern balding, mood swings, acne, multiple cysts etc - some are present others might not be. It's different for everyone

A 4th cycle isn't that much really. It's only 4 times although I'm sure it feels like forever

I'm not sure how helpful a diagnosis would be unless it's because you want help to conceive from the dr such as clomid - in any case they don't normally check things out till you've tried for a year UNLESS there are known fertility issues. Given you've successfully conceived twice in the past and have regular cycles I don't think unless you paid privately you'd get any investigation unless it hasn't happened once a full year is up

Even if you did have PCOS (I do btw) the first thing you'll be suggested to do is try to lose weight before they prescribe you any medication

Good luck with TTC

Fwiw I used Royal jelly and CoQ10 when I did conceive - supposedly to make the eggs healthier. Not on Drs recommendation, possibly pseudo science - who knows.

[stumblymonkey]

Thanks all!

Yes, I know it's early days and I'm being super impatient...I just have a 'gut feeling' it's not going to happen easily now that I want to get pregnant and so far, compared to my previous experience, this is proving the case.

I've joined Slimming World so definitely working on the weight piece as I know this makes a difference.

If I've had nothing after six cycles I might consider some private tests...

[Muskey]

PCOS is a syndrome so each woman's symptoms can vary. Some of the main symptoms are irregular periods, absent periods over a number of cycles, excessive hairiness, acne, weight gain, losing hair, inability to maintain blood sugar levels, not ovulating, difficulty conceiving.

I was diagnosed when my periods stopped altogether. The diagnosis for PCOS is done by both a blood test and an internal scan. if you do have PCOS the scan shows a string of cysts around your ovaries (which looks like a pearl necklace).

[pigeonpoo]

It's such a cliche but I had medication chucked at me and years of TTC and tests and a double whammy of endometriosis as well

The time I conceived was the time we weren't even "trying" and had began the process of giving up. I took no medication and tbh forgot about things that cycle. We weren't preventing and I was still doing some of the various natural supplements I had left in the packs but it was the shock of our lives it actually happened when it did

Relaxing will help it happen - medication or not

There's also natural alternatives to the medication they use for PCOS to induce ovulation which is available over the counter in health shops. I'm not suggesting it's any safer, it probably carries the same risks as medication or others since it's not tested studied in the same way to my knowledge. Neither actually helped me conceive and I was someone they really didn't expect to conceive naturally. But it's out there...