PCOS information and/or advice please!

[sliverx2]

I've read a number of websites and I would like to here from you. I'm being tested for the condition PCOS the blood tests are fine but gong for and scan and/or x-ray to find out for sure weather I do have PCOS. Been on the pill and injection for contraception since I was 18, I've had spot problem all my life dianette was the only thing that worked I came off Dianette June 05 and started trying for another baby still not happened yet, but this year in May the spots came back and got worse over the month, are so very much getting me down sometimes sit up at night just crying about it. I'm not over weight I am just over 7 and a half stone and I'm 5 foot 2. I've started noticing fine fine hair growing over my face which never had before ever. I think I have PCOS or hormones have just gone wappy, but when I had that blood tests done I was taking some herbal (i have since stop taking) stuff to sort out my hormones and I think that's why my blood have came back fine when maybe their not, but the scan and/or x-ray I will be having in 4 weeks time will show weather I have the condition or not. The main reason for the post is if you or anyone you know have PCOS could you share your symptoms with me so I can get my head round it, websites are not helping!

Hi

I was diagnosed with PCOS in 1997 on the basis of my irregular periods and a few hairs. PCOS is a very individualistic disorder and does affect each woman with it very differently. One commonality is the cystic follicles on the ovaries - polycystic ovaries are decribed as having a "ring of pearls" appearance. They can also appear larger then normal (walnut) size.

Would also say that Dianette is often prescribed to women with PCOS due to its anti androgenic effect. The pill etc has not caused this at all to arise but masked the symptoms of the underlying problem.

With regards to the blood tests ensure that these people are comparing your LH level against that of your FSH. There is often an imbalance of LH to FSH in many PCOS patients so comparison is vitally important. It is no point therefore just looking at these levels separately.

If you do have PCOS you may need medical help from a gynae in order to conceive.

If you can try to stay within the correct weight for your height this will help - PCOS if its there can become worse with excess weight.

Verity is the UK based organisation designed to help women with PCOS and their web address is as follows:-

www.verity-pcos.org.uk

don't have time for a long post atm ,but have a look at www.marilynglenville.com,you may find it interesting.

I use Ovulation (detects when LH level is high as this happened just before you ovulate, am i right?) which test to aid Trying to conceive and I get a lot of positive tests, two cycle ago I got 9 (doctor said you should only ever get 3 in a row) in a row and most of them were VERY dark almost black!

Hi sliverx2,

Re your comment:-
"I use Ovulation (detects when LH level is high as this happened just before you ovulate, am i right?) which test to aid Trying to conceive and I get a lot of positive tests, two cycle ago I got 9 (doctor said you should only ever get 3 in a row) in a row and most of them were VERY dark almost black!"

OPK's are problematic in their own right and you have actually highlighted one of the problems i.e multiple positive results. If you are one of many women who produce higher than average LH levels (a common problem with polycystic ovaries for instance) the kit may give false readings.

These kits work on two misleading principles; namely that a rise in LH is immediately followed by ovulation and that women only have one rise in LH every month. Both of these statements are not true.

If your menstrual cycle is at all irregular it is likely that ovulation is not happening regularly if at all. In your case I would ask for a blood test to be done to assess your hormone levels properly (this will be more accurate than an OPK).

HTH

No i have 26-32 days menstrual cycle so okay there, i had a cycle day 21 blood test that came back fine and doctor said that blood test show i Oved each cycle so fine there too but could be wrong like i said in frist post! But i'll wait see what the scan and/or xray show!

Hi - I can't add too much more to Atillas great info, but just wanted to say that reading your post was like reading my own experience - I was diagnosed with PCOS after a scan and blood tests when my periods had still not re-appeared after 18 months of coming off ther pill. I used the saliva ovulation predictor kit when I had my first period, and conceived 6 months later. Don't despair - if you want to ttc in the future there is hope (oh, and my skin in 1000 times better since I had my dd!!) All The Best

Hi sliverx,

Re your comments:-

"No i have 26-32 days menstrual cycle so okay there
Not necessarily I am sorry to say. If there is a variation of 4 days or more from month to month this can be seen as an irregular cycle.

"I had a cycle day 21 blood test that came back fine and doctor said that blood test show i Oved each cycle"
Oh No!!!. This doc presumed that you ovulate each cycle based on the result of one blood test!. Argh!!!. That was sheer ignorance on the doc's part, this cannot be assumed. Proper cycle monitoring is essential, you need a blood test each cycle, not just for one. They need also to compare your LH against your FSH level. If that is not done then the test is meaningless.

But i'll wait see what the scan and/or xray show"
A very good idea. You will probably have an internal ultrasound scan done, they use a probe to see what your ovaries look like. As mentioned polycystic ovaries have what could be described as a "ring of pearls" appearance with multiple cystic follicles. Some of these contain eggs, some contain hormones and others are dormant. These often disappear only to be replaced by further cystic follicles.