'Polycystic Ovaries' picked up in scan.....any info on this condition? Thanks

[mumznet]

Had a second scan which showed polycystic ovaries. I suffer from heavy periods with clots (occasionaly), cycles are 7-8 days, spotting in between, had one child years ago. Have severe Ovulation pain every 3-4 months. BMI is borderline 25 so just near overweight.

Smears are all normal.

Doctor has said just to watch my weight because this is linked with diabetes.

I am confused between PCOS or Polycystic Ovaries? I think I have Polycystic Ovaries and not PCOS?

Anything else I need to worry about with this?

Any advice or knowledge greatly appreciated

Polycystic ovaries are a symptom of pcos I believe. Pcos requires 2 of the key symptoms to be present before it is officially diagnosed. Other pcos symptoms can include hairiness, irregularities with periods, weight gain.

I believe other than the symptoms themselves, the problem with pcos and with poly cystic ovaries us the potential impact on fertility. It was described to me by my gp as little lumps of follicle where the egg has not been despatched down the Fallopian tube properly and overtime these follicles can build up in the ovaries making conception harder.

The difference between PCO and PCOS is explained here better than I could put it into words.

Basically you can have cysts on your ovaries, you can have the androgenic symptoms (extra hair, bad skin, etc) or you can have both. I have both; yay(!)

My GP prescribed Metformin, which is a diabetes drug but should help with the symptoms side of things.

I think the only real issue is that with unpredictable ovulation it can be hard to conceive, and I think the MC rate is slightly higher.

Am just reading the wiki and, although wordy, it's quite informative.

Have you had a blood test? The first indication that I had pcos was my blood results I then had a scan which confirmed lots of cysts.

PCOS means you have at least 2 of these 3: weird ovaries (don't need more than one cyst or even visible cyst ever, they can just be like 'cyst-y'), weird periods (none, loads, whatever), weird hormones (can't remember the ones they measure but I think these are the ones that will make you hairy etc if imbalanced - I don't have this one so I can't recall it all)

So you can actually have PCOS with lovely shiny ovaries (mine are terrible and lumpy)

I wasn't prescribed anything for mine specifically. I take cerazette to stop me bleeding constantly. It can be really hard to lose weight so it's good to watch it. With your doctor mentioning diabetes risk I reckon the diagnosis is PCOS. Go back and ask to be sure if you want :)

Thankyou everyone!

Rinabean I think you are right I might go back to clarify it.

I also had a blood test but not for the hormones. I might ask for it.

do i need a referral to a Gyneocologist?

Take care

Mine was diagnosed after blood tests with the GP and an ultrasound at the hospital.

poly cycistic ovrary thingy was diagnosed on me when I was 20 something. they showed me a scan of a string of pearls around my ovaries which were the cysts. I had had terrible periods for near of 15 years and that's why I ended up at the consultants office. I went on the pill for 12 to 15 years and life was bliss. I only came off it when I wanted to conceive and my periods were for the first time regular and slight off the pill. [apparently the cysts get reabsorbed into the body whilst you are on the pill and so your ovaries heal themselves a bit]. Anyway eight months later I was pregnant.