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Re: To Belle - a little question - A THANK YOU NOTE
From: Heather (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sat, 23 Feb 2002 16:22:22 -0600 (CST)
Belle - Thank you for your post! I really appreciate it. I have
searched through the http://www and found some great sites on PCOS and isulin.
Everything that I have found I have printed out to take to my ObGyn. If
he won't run any tests, then my PCP said that she would. If you have
the link info readily available - sure, send it on to me, if not, not a
problem. You have already helped pleanty. Thank you again for your
knowledge and time! Heather
At Fri, 22 Feb 2002, Belle wrote:
>
>:) Tera is a sweetie. She has become very knowledgeable herself. I
>have noticed that her replies are excellent.
>
>I will try to remember all of the tests that I would like to see.
>
>1) LH & FSH - we are looking for the ratio between the two. Both of
>them can be within normal limits and the ratio still be off. They
>should be about the same. If the LH is twice what the FSH is, it is an
>indication of PCOS.
>
>2) Glucose and insulin levels during a Glucose Tolerance test (IGTT).
>This one is becoming less popular with doctors if they already feel that
>you qualify for the diagnosis of PCOS. This is because it is expensive
>and because insulin resistance is considered to be the cause of PCOS.
>Doctors who do research in PCOS think that all women with PCOS would
>show up as insulin resistant if only the tests were sensitive enough. If
>you are still searching for the diagnosis of PCOS, the IGTT can be very
>informative. Be sure that you have two tubes each time the blood is
>drawn. It is very important to see what the insulin levels are doing.
>
>3) Cholesterol (total, HDL, LDL) and triglycerides (lipids) This may not
>seem important but insulin resistance can cause our lipid level to be
>out of whack. Usually, we see high LDLs and triglycerides.
>
>4) Estrogen, progesterone and testosterone - these are useful for
>determining your overall picture
>
>5) DHEAS & TSH (full thyroid scan) These tests are useful in helping to
>determine if it is PCOS or something else that is causing the problem.
>Many things can present like PCOS. Many times, the diagnosis is a
>process of elimination.
>
>Since women with PCOS have such a high rate of diabetes, heart disease
>and endometrial cancer, I think that you are right to be concerned now.
>My 15 yr old daughter is on metformin (well, Glucophage XR) to help
>ensure that she will be able to have children (in about 80 - 100 years,
>er, 10 - 20 years), and so that she will not have to endure the symptoms
>that I have developed. The symptoms do seem to worsen over time. Some
>GYNs do not have the understanding that PCOS is serious. For centuries,
>it has been just a cosmetic problem. He has probably not associated
>PCOS with the diabetes or heart disease. If he sees them, he probably
>blames these problems on the weight that so many of women seem to gain.
>He may not have read the research linking PCOS with the insulin
>resistance. Insulin resistance probably cause the weight gain.
>
>Do you have adequate sources for the link between insulin resistance and
>PCOS? If not, I can get some for you. I would do it now but I am not on
>my computer (it died at 6 months and has been sent back to the shop. :(
>) None-the-less, I can probably find some fairly quickly if you would
>like.
>
>At Thu, 21 Feb 2002, Heather wrote:
>>
>>Belle - I searched the archives and found a post from 2/4/02 concerning
>>the tests that need to be run for PCOS. I want to make sure that I have
>>ALL my bases covered when I go the my ObGyn on 3/7/02. He is very blah
>>about my findings/research and the possiblity that I may have PCOS. His
>>words were "Only worry if you want to get pregnant". So, someday I want
>>to get pregnant so, I'm going to worry now...
>>Can you please go over all the tests that need to be run for PCOS? I
>>would greatly appreciate it. Youw ere referred to me by Tera - wasn't
>>that nice of her! (thanks Tera) I will be anxiously awaiting your reply!
>>Best wishes! Heather
>
>--
>Hope this helps,
>
>Belle
>
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