Re: Diagnosed yesterday. Medical questions RE my doctor & met. (Long)Questions about Avandia!
From: Ann (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Mon, 27 Mar 2000 16:34:46 -0600 (CST)
The fasting insulin test can be useless. I tested in the normal range
on my fasting insulin test. I was given a test through a study that I'm
doing and unfortunately I can't remember the name of it. Basically what
they did was shut down my pancreas and injected me with insulin and
glucose. They then monitored insulin and glucose levels for several
hours. At the end my glucose level was still too high which told me
that I was insulin resistant. Does anyone know the name of the test?
Anyway supposedly the Glucose Tolerance Test (GTT) will also show
whether you are insulin resistant or not, but you have to make sure that
they are measuring insulin levels along with sugar levels. I used to be
with Kaiser and they will do the test but you have to request it.
I'm now with Aetna and might be going on a study with Avandia. Has
anyone tried Avandia yet?
At Mon, 27 Mar 2000, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>
>At Fri, 24 Mar 2000, Belle wrote:
>>
>>I am not worried about the dr diagnosing you based on your history,
>>especialy since bloodwork was ordered. He is correct that blood levels
>>can be in normal range and you still have problems. Since you asked for
>>and presumably got an order for the insulin test, this is a good sign.
>>
>Hello, my name is Katie and I just came across this list while
>web-searching about PCOS. I have a couple of simple questions (which
>were kind of touched on in the archives, but I would like to be sure so
>I can talk to my Dr. from a solid footing, ya know?)
>First of all, some history ... I'm 28, have excess facial hair (big
>nasty black hairs despite the fact that I'm blonde), am overweight and
>can't seem to lose weight with diet and/or exercise, and my periods have
>been really irregular for about six years.
>I finally got around to mentioning these things to my doctor and she
>thought right away it could be PCOS. But my blood work (reproductive
>hormones, fasting insulin) was within normal ranges (except cholesterol
>and triglycerides but my levels of those have always been high). She's
>sending my for a pelvic/abdominal ultrasound anyway; I go in a week.
> My questions:
>1. Are hormone levels always wacky with PCOS, or are there periods (no
>pun intended) of "normalcy"??
>2. I suspect (and have for a long time) that I'm insulin resistant.
>Isn't getting a glucose level after 12 hours of fasting (which is what
>my test was) kind of useless to detect IR?? I'd like to ask her to test
>my insulin levels but doctor's kind of intimidate me.
> Thanks (sorry about length).
> Katie
![[ PCOS Discussion Forums ]](../../images/pcos_at_obgyn.gif)