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Re: Just diagnosed
From: Debbie (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 16 Oct 2001 01:51:14 -0500 (CDT)
yes once you are diagnosed of it its like half the battle won but if the
diagnosis is of PCOS then its a real headache.
must see into other treatment, the traditional treatments are a real
pain in the back, arm, waist, etc. and ofcourse yes neck.
At Mon, 15 Oct 2001, jodi wrote:
>
>Hi Maria, welcome to the club!
>
>It's good that you have a diagnosis. It is so relieving to know it's
>not in your head, isn't it? I for one was glad to have a diseasse upon
>which to blame my chin hair rather than just thinking i was some kind of
>hideous awful freak...
>
>As for glucophage, definitely ask about it. What kind of doctor are you
>seeing? Endocrinologists are usually your best bet with PCOS... but any
>doctor open to new stuff can be helpful. Glucophage is thought to help
>a lot with the whole underlying cause of PCOS. In a nutshell, the
>experts believe PCOS is caused by insulin resistance... basically a
>sort of reverse diabetes. We don't have too little insulin, we have too
>much because our bodies don't know how to use it efficiently so our
>pancreases keep pumping out more and more insulin to compensate. This
>excess insulin is thought to really mess up ovulatory functions because
>of the effect it has on the ovaries... Glucophage works to keep insulin
>low by limiting how much blood sugar the liver will release into the
>blood stream. Other insulin meds work by directly inhibiting the
>relsease of insulin. The end result of both is the same - lower
>insulin, better hormonal profile. (In theory...)
>
>Low carbing is meant to achieve the same ends... same with eating low
>glycemic foods rather than high glycemic ones. By keeping insulin low,
>you normalise your hormones.
>
>BCPs have long been doctors' first choice of treating us... they give
>the illusion of regular periods. This is beneficial in that the regular
>shedding of uterine lining reduces our chances for cancer... but it
>doesn't address the underlying insulin issue and in some cases, makes
>the insulin problems worse. Some women have great success with BCPs in
>that they do temporarily reduce androgens... some women see a lessening
>of acne and body hair. But in general, BCPs should not be your only
>treatment. An insulin med or low carb diet or combination of the two is
>currently thought to be a better way to attack the problem.
>
>What is the biopsy for??? I was under the impression that an ultrasound
>could tell enough about the thickness of the endometrium... BCPs should
>help you shed it anyway... I wouldn't think at your age you would have
>to worry YET about cancer, unless you have gone years and years without
>periods. I am certainly no expert in this area, though... i just have
>never heard of a biopsy without some good justification.
>
>Do ask about glucophage. Take books, articles, whatever to show it
>works. I am on it, have lost weight I could never lose before... and
>just went off the BCPs so I will hopefully find out if the Gluc alone
>does much in the way of periods. :-) we shall see...
>
>And no one knows about the baby thing until they start trying. I don't
>intend to start trying for a few years yet... though God knows it still
>plagues my mind. I remember sitting in high school and dwelling on the
>fact that I might be infertile. I had never even heard of PCOS then...
>but I knew something wasn't quite right with me, as I only had periods a
>few times a year... :-)
>
>- jodi
>
>At Mon, 15 Oct 2001, Maria wrote:
>>
>>Hi everyone,
>>
>>I am 25 years old and was just diagnosed with PCOS. I have suspected I
>>had it for the last two years but I have this fear of doctors that
>>completely freaks me out. I am doing better since all this. Being
>>diagnosed with this was a bit freeing.
>>
>>It was good to finally realize what was wrong with me and that I could
>>do something about it. For the longest I feared the worst (cancer). My
>>doctor has now put me on Birth Control pills and would like me to go
>>back in three months for a biopsy. Should I ask her about Glucophage?
>>Is a low-carb diet the way to go? What should I do next? What questions
>>should I ask? Any help will be appreciated?
>>
>>P.S. Don't know how the baby thing is going to work out yet since I
>>haven't tried to get pregnant yet.
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