Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome - help

[fairydust]

I've been to the doctors and she agree's i have all the symptons on p/o and sent me for a blood test - got the results back today and all is normal.

I have an appointment tomorrow to discuss them - is it possible i've got this even though my bloods are normal?

I was diagnosed with PCOS about 7 years ago so may have some of the details wrong.

Like you I had all the symptoms so was booked in for blood tests and an ultrasound. I remember being told that the blood test showed I was in the normal levels. I nearly didn't bother going for the ultrasound as I thought that meant I was ok. Anyway I decided to go anyway and they found the follicles on the ovaries.

I went to the GP to discuss but as I had follicles on my ovaries and the symptoms I did have PCOS even though my levels weren't too elevated.

Hope this helps

Fairydust, I was told to have this and not much can be done about it. Try this link, it's really interesting. Sorry I don't know how to do a proper link yet.
www.netdoctor.co.uk/womenshealth/facts/pcos.htm

Another good website is Verity

here

I was dx'ed with polycystic ovaries through an ultrasound .. don't remember any blood works

(actually after my first pregnancy I had another scan and they found I no longer had it .. and was told that was because of the pg)

Hi Fairydust,

If you have a copy of the results to hand (ask for a copy) have a look at your LH and FSH levels. Those two hormones should have been measured.

Ideally these two are the same but if LH is higher than FSH then this is one possible indicator of PCOS.

The problem is that some docs do not compare the LH level against that of the FSH thus some women are told that their levels are "within normal ranges" (well they are individually but when compared they are not). I know of a couple of women where PCOS has initially been missed because the blood test results were misinterpreted.

If you can have an internal ultrasound scan done this will be helpful as the ovaries will be seen. A polycystic ovary has an appearance likened to a "ring of pearls". There are multiple cystic follicles on each ovary. Some of these contain eggs, others are dormant and yet more release hormones. It is small wonder therefore that ovulation is affected with this condition.

No one therapy or treatment will cure PCOS (the underlying causes of same are not fully understood) but it can be controlled to a certain extent.

Have a look at Verity's website - this is the UK based organisation designed specifically for women diagnosed with PCOS.

www.verity-pcos.org.uk

P.S If you can stay within the correct weight range for your height this will help too.

well i went to the doctors thursday and apparntly my bloods we'ren't normal (effing receptionist) we (me n dh) are benig refered to the hospital for further tests - she's 90% sure it is p/o and as we want another sh'es deicded to get the ball rolling.

What can i expect from the hospital?
i know i have to have a scan.
If it is def diagonised what will they do?

If you aren't trying for a baby you may be put on the pill - Dianette which is supposed to help with the symtoms. (never did anything for mine)

If you are trying for a baby you may be referred for help in conceiving particularly is you don't ovulate regularly. Clomid may help with this but you will need to be referred for this.

If Dianette doesn't work and you find the symptoms of PCOS too much you can ask to be referred to see if anything else can help which is what I'm doing now. I've been diagnosed for 7 years and am in the process of having blood tests and an ultrasound to see if there is another reason the pill isn't helping. I will then see a Dermatologist to help.

Hope this helps

thanks charellie - we are currently trying for no.2 (never had any problems getting pg with dd) period are crap basically i've had 4 this yr.

fairydust, I had PCOS after coming off the Pill - my GP suspected it because I'd had no periods after five months off the Pill. He referred me for an ultrasound which showed the "pearl necklace" style ovarian cysts.

I then got referred to gynae who buggered about with wanting to do blood tests and didn't believe I had PCOS because I didn't have particularly obvious outward symptoms. When I went back for the next appt, I saw the consultant and he prescribed metformin which worked a treat. I conceived ds after about 6 weeks on metformin, combined with a low-carb diet.

If you have any probs with junior doctors re diagnosis, I would def ask to see the consultant - I found the juniors I saw really didn't know much about it at all.

It seems to be a confusing disorder. I was diagnosed many years ago when ttc my first. I did have a blood test and also an internal scan. These showed that I had PCOS> But I do not have that many symptoms. When my weight is very high, I do not ovulate and that was the case then. If I drop below a certain weight, all is fine. I was told to lose some weight and then try clomid. I never needed the clomid - I lost weight and got pregnant naturally. Second time around I was a low enough weight that I fell pregnant first month of trying. I do not have the hair thing.

I think everyone is different with this.

I have - the hair thing - the weight thing the lack of periods and the blood - i'm worried they'll just tell me to loose weight i am really trying just fidning it hard - will they still medicate to regulate my periods even though i'm over weight?

I wasn't that overweight - maybe a stone or so, but I lost a lot of weight very fast once I'd started on the metformin. It's what some Type 2 diabetics are given and it helps the insulin in your body get the glucose out of your cells (or something).

Doctor's approaches differ. Mine would not prescribe metformin. And he was a private specialist - top of his field.

Yes - I had blood tests which were all normal, although my periods were all over the place. I was getting a bit hairy, nothing much though, and have always been underweight, so PCOS was not an immediate diagnosis. It was only when I had trouble conceiving that I had an internal scan, that the PCOS showed up.

what I mean is, the medication sorted out my weight at the same time as my periods - the two things are closely linked and you would probably find it very hard to shift the weight without that treatment.

IlanaK, I really couldn't shift the weight myself - I was going to the gym 3 times a week and it had no effect. With metformin, it just melted off effortlessly. I guess everyone's metabolism is a bit different, but it really worked for me.

PCOS is a very individualistic disorder and can affect each woman who has it very differently.

For instance some women with PCOS have insulin resistance but not all women with PCOS are IR so Metformin would not help very much. Its yet another mystery surrounding this syndrome.

Verity's website is very useful to look at and would recommend any woman with PCOS to look at it:-
www.verity-pcos.org.uk

I was diagnosed with PCOS as my skin was bad and I had the hair thing. Periods were OK and although I have always been 'solid' never skinny, I wasnt partic overweight.

i conceived straight away with both ds's so it is a bit of a strange condition.

Have to go to hosp again on Tues about my skin as it is horrible ATM.

my doctor diagnosed me on the basis of my symptoms alone - she says these constituted me having the 'syndrome' and it is not necessarry to have the actual cysts or the abnormal blood levels - what defines a 'syndrom' is a collection of symptoms. maybe you have the symdrom fairydust but not the actual cysts. it is v confusing.

I had an iternal scan which showed up my PCOS.
My periods have always been very regular,but I am very overweight.We were ttc for nearly 8 years and I was on a waiting list to have ovarian drilling but the day the appointment finally came round I found out I was pg,and now ds is 5 months old.
We are hopefully going to try for another baby soon,as we don't know how long it could take,but also hoping to lose quite a bit of weight first.