Re: Do I have PCOS?
From: anne (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Mon, 8 Oct 2001 20:21:20 -0500 (CDT)
At Mon, 8 Oct 2001, Bamajenn wrote:
>Is Glucophage/Metformin the standard approach to treating this?
It depends on your situation, others can answer this better, I'm new to
PCOS, but it would seem so, as well as hormonal approaches, which will
vary depending on your hormonal situation, we can all be so different.
Please treat the thyroid right away, be sure your TSH, once treated gets
down to between 1-2. Every cell in your body need thyroid hormone,
undertreatment, under-diagnosis is criminally common. Your future baby
needs your thyroid to be in good working order, and you will probably
need to increase your meds during your pregnancy.
Pick up the books I recommended, I have learned to so much from them,
you will find them invaluable.
--
Anne
>
>Thanks,
>Jennifer
>
>At Mon, 8 Oct 2001, anne wrote:
>>
>>Jennifer,
>>
>>If you have the diagnosis it is a good start, I agree, but as one who
>>had hypothyroidism for years before it was out of whack enough to get
>>treated and who now has PCOS (how long, who knows?) I've got to say, why
>>wait to treat it?
>>
>>Pick up the book PCOS by Samuel Thatcher, and "Women, weight and
>>hormones" by Elizabeth Vliet, and learn about hormones and insulin
>>resistance.
>>
>>PCOS is a serious metabolic disorder that can lead to very serious
>>problems, I don't know why your doctor doesn't want to treat you, and
>>certainly that should be something to discuss further, but know what you
>>are dealing with, don't rely on the doctors, inform yourself and make
>>decisions inconjunction with your doctor, and consider the possiblity
>>that you might have to make changes in your medical care partners (aka
>>doctors).
>>
>>I hope that you can get pregnant soon. I hope to try in another year or
>>two to have my first biological child. I have raised my husband's son
>>for the past 10 years and it has been a wonderful joyous (occassional
>>trying) experience that is going by way too fast.
>>
>>--
>>Anne
>>
>>At Mon, 8 Oct 2001, Bamajenn wrote:
>>>
>>>Sonnet, Thanks a lot for your support. I just got off the phone with my
>>>endocrinologist's nurse. She affirmed that ovarian hyperandrogenism is
>>>the same as pcos. (She had to put me on hold and asked the doctor, and
>>>he says that PCOS is actually an older term.) I know this sounds crazy,
>>>but I am actually excited. For the first time in my life I know why my
>>>body does such crazy things. I am very hopeful about getting treatment.
>>>My doc is going to fax me my blood test results tomorrow. I am assuming
>>>that since he doesn't want to treat me right now that I am not that far
>>>out of whack. Cross your fingers. Maybe sometime in the near future
>>>this "green egger" can become a "hammie." :)
>>>
>>>Thanks again,
>>>Jennifer
>>>
>>>At Mon, 8 Oct 2001, Sonnet wrote:
>>>>
>>>>Hi Jenn from your fellow "green egger" again! :)
>>>>
>>>>I ust wanted to add to what I said earlier that if PCOS is what you have
>>>>(and I do believe the two terms are interchangeable) then it's
>>>>definitely worth treating!
>>>>
>>>>Treatment (with insulin sensitizers, diet modifications, testosterone
>>>>blockers, whatever suits your current needs) can help to keep you
>>>>healthy. It can protect you from diabetes, heart disease, and certain
>>>>cancers, all of which PCOS puts you at high risk for. It can stop the
>>>>symptoms from appearing or getting worse. It can help you lose weight
>>>>if that's an issue for you. It can lower your cholesterol and
>>>>triglyceride levels.
>>>>
>>>>As far as fertility goes, getting your PCOS treated can really REALLY
>>>>help you to acheive pregnancy! It can often help you to resume ovulation
>>>>on your own. If that's not the case, it makes Clomid work so much
>>>>better. One recent study showed that 91% of women with PCOS who took
>>>>both Metformin (an insulin sensitizer) and Clomid ovulated within the
>>>>first 2 months! It can help prevent miscarriage as well - one study
>>>>reduced the rates from 45% to 9%. And if nothing else, it can help
>>>>protect your future fertility by getting your ovaries, uterus, and
>>>>hormone levels back into a "normal" cycle.
>>>>
>>>>It's of course up to you, but there are a lot of compelling reasons to
>>>>look into it further. :)
>>>>
>>>>Take care! I'll see you around I am sure.
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Sonnet
>>>>
>>>>At Sun, 7 Oct 2001, Bamajenn wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>I recently went to an endocrinologist, and he told me that I have
>>>>>ovarian hyperdandrogenism, but he is not going to treat it. I have been
>>>>>searching a lot of sites and sometimes the terms are used
>>>>>interchangeably and sometimes not. If this PCOS is what I have, who do
>>>>>I see to get it treated? OBGYN, Fertility Specialist? I don't know. Any
>>>>>help would be greatly appreciated.
>>>>>
>>>>>Do these symptoms sound like PCOS?
>>>>>3-4 periods a year with out help from birth control pills
>>>>>overweight
>>>>>sweat easily, sweaty palms and feet
>>>>>mild acne, (I also have the "pimply" feeling bumps on my upper arms.)
>>>>>
>>>>>Just to clarify, I am not looking for a diagnosis. I just want to know
>>>>>if I should persue this further. My husband and I have just started to
>>>>>try to get pregnant, and it seems so hopeless since I know that I don't
>>>>>ovulate regularly.
>>>>>
>>>>>Thanks,
>>>>>Jennifer
>>>>
>>>>--
>>>>Email always welcome to: sonnet_fitz@hotmail.com
>>>>
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