Re: I'm sure I have PCOS
From: AmandaRee (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Thu, 9 Aug 2001 12:56:00 -0500 (CDT)
Maria,
Welcome! The symptoms of pcos can vary greatly for those of us with
pcos, that's why it's hard to say what is "normal." Make sure that when
you go to your doc for the first time that you take along a list of
symptoms that you have been experiencing..whether you think they are
related or not. Also, read through more of the past postings and the
articles on this site and jot down any questions you may have that you
want to ask your doc about--being prepared with stuff written down can
help a lot! Also, you will want to have a bit of your family history
written down...such as any one in your family with heart disease,
diabetes or trouble conceiving.
You will want your doctor to check your hormone levels, especially the
total and free levels of Testosterone (even slightly elevated
testosterone levels can cause pcos symptoms) and your LH:FSH ratio (even
if they're in the "normal" range if the LH is 3 times higher than your
FSH this usually confirms pcos). You should also have your insulin
levels tested after fasting for a certain amount of hours to test for
insulin resistance. Your doc may want to do a transvaginal ultrasound
to check for cysts on your ovaries.
I hope this helps...let us know how your visit with your doc goes!
Best of luck,
Amanda
>At Wed, 8 Aug 2001, Maria wrote:
>>
>>Hi. I recently started reading about PCOS and am so scared. When I was
>>21 I went to an endocrinologist because I was concerned about excess
>>hair (mostly on my body). He told me my hormone levels were fine but
>>that they weren't very reliable and that I might have trouble
>>conceiving. Well, within a year I was pregnant with my son, so I didn't
>>worry about it and blamed the excess hair on bad genes. I discussed my
>>excess hair with my OBGYN and he told me that certain ethnicities tend
>>to have more excess hair than others and not to worry. It's gotten way
>>worse and is so embarassing. Vaniqua I think is helping somewhat on my
>>upper lip but isn't doing much for my chin.
>>
>>I suffered one miscarriage and became pregnant with my daughter 7 years
>>later. She was born with a life-threatening and incurable disorder of
>>the skin and I blamed my hair loss on all the stress her birth and my
>>later divorce brought. I always had a great head of long dark hair and
>>I figured I had plenty to spare. Well, that's no longer the case. I've
>>got most of the PCOS symptoms, but my periods are regular...every 28
>>days, except that I start spotting up to a full week prior. I've also
>>got high blood pressure. I am not obese, but I am over my ideal weight.
>>I have some acne although it's minimal and usually around my period. I
>>experience pelvic pain at times and some days I feel as if my uterus is
>>going to drop out. I can actually feel it externally. I thought it was
>>a prolapsed uterus, but now I'm really starting to worry. I haven't
>>read anything about a symptom like this. Is this normal?
>>
>>I have made an appointment with a gynecologist who also specializes in
>>endocrinology. I never even knew there was such a thing until I
>>searched the PCOSA website. What do I need to know for my first visit?
>>
>>I'm so happy I found this board. It's great to be able to post my
>>concerns/questions to people who understand.
>>
>>--
>>Thanks for listening.
>>Maria
>>
>--
>timber
>
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