PCOS Messages for November, 2001: Re: ad last week's Newsweek article

Re: ad last week's Newsweek article - went YES!

From: Belle (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 6 Nov 2001 08:29:13 -0600 (CST)

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PCOS has undergone many name changes in the last couple of decades. I, too was diagnosed with Stein Levanthal, then it was PCOD (Polycystic ovarian disease then disorder), and finally PCOS.

You have had the classic case. Now if you are not regular on a menstral cycle 12 months after onset, you are considered outside the limits of normal.

We have also found out that you do not even have to have cysts in order to have PCOS. There has been talk of changing the name again but none have been decided on because the symptoms tend to vary so much in each of us. Some women with PCOS do not have excess testosterone, some do not have cysts, some do not show up as insulin resistant.

We also now realize that if we do not have regular periods, we are all at risk for endometrial cancer. We are also at great risk for diabetes. It seems that you have lived the nightmare that many are just now learning about.

One of the other things that we have learned is that Glucophage helps many women with PCOS. This is a diabetic drug. It can help with controlling many of the side effects that come with PCOS. It might be something that you want to look into especially since you are diabetic. I am guessing that you are seeing an endocrinologist for the diabetes. The complications can be devastating so you need an excellent doctor to supervise your progress.

Osteoporosis is common in all post-menapausal women. Osteophytes (bone spurs) become more common the older we get. By the time we are in our late 50s, we are more like than not to have some. It dies not seem to be related to any one syndrome or condition. It seems to be related more to diet than anything. The recommendations are that you eat less acids (tomatoes, etc.), less red meats, etc. Glucosamine has been shown to alleviate some of the pain without having the side effects of pain medications.

At Mon, 5 Nov 2001, Molly wrote: >

After I read the article I jumped on the Google search engine for PCOS >and on one of the site listings saw the phrase "also known as Stein
>Levanthal Syndrome"
>Back, then, just starting out, it was considered perfectly normal to
>have just 2 or 3 periods a year. By the time I was 25, ovary pain was
>bad enough to send me to emergency. I
>didn't want S-L to be true...all those male hormones running around.
In my late twenties, >a doctor ordered an ovarian xray that involved a very long needle
>pumping gas into my uterus in order to view the ovaries. He said they
>were cystic, but not enlarged - therefore, not S-L. Approaching menopause in my late
>forties, new doctor put me on HRT and I began to have periods on a 45
>day cycle instead of a 60 to 80 day cycle. I was also at
>risk for endrometial cancer, so she performed a complete hysterectomy.
Then last year diagnosed with diabetes. Testing B/S every >day, but not on insulin or pills. Lost some weight and walk to
>exercise.
>P.S. I have bone spurs all down the left side of my spine. The
>orthopedist said I was a bone factory. Is this related and does
>osteoporosis come into play with post-menapausal S-L (PCOS) women?

-- Hope this helps,

Belle

Next message: jodi: "Re: How many doctors have you been through? Survey!"
Previous message: Lisa: "Re: How big are your ovaries supposed to be?"
In reply to: Molly: "Read last week's Newsweek article - went YES!"
Next in thread: Molly: "Re: Thank you-Belle"
Reply: Molly: "Re: Thank you-Belle"

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