|
Re: Need Advice please !?!
From: Jenn (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:38:59 -0800
Hey Sonia....
Ya know, I could be totally off base (am I'm sure I'll be corrected if I am)
but I don't think you HAVE to have an internal exam. I mean, PCOS is insulin
and hormonally caused so unless she thinks your symptoms are caused by
something else, a blood test is what's needed to diagnose PCOS. Maybe she's
concerned about the excessive bleeding and wants to do a pap smear. Have you
ever had one? If not you really should get one. I completely understand your
fear. I have the worst time going to the gyno and they know to get right to
business with me or I get even more nervous. For some doctors it's difficult
to comprehend a patient getting nervous because to them a body part is just
a body part...they see them every day. But like I told my doc, "you don't
see mine every day". Anyhoo, back to the subject :-) The old school of
thought is to do a vaginal exam to check for cysts and/or do an vaginal
ultrasound but we now know that a woman does not have to have cysts to have
PCOS. This is what I would do.....approach her with a compromise: "I'll
have an exam if you do a full diagnostic blood work up with very specific
things to be tested."
I know, I know, it sucks. But being sick is worse. Trust me, once you get a
clear diagnosis and get on the right track, in some weird way you WILL FEEL
BETTER EMOTIONALLY. Knowledge is power.
Best wishes and feel free to email me privately if you want to! :-)
--Jenn
Scaredy Cat Cyster
>----- Original Message -----
From: "Sonia" <anonymous@obgyn.net>
To: "Multiple recipients of list PCOS" <anonymous@obgyn.net>
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2002 4:18 PM
Subject: Need Advice please !?!
> I am in the UK, and have a problem. I think I may have PCOS, I have
> always been very hairy, and have had hair loss on the scalp. I am
> excessively overweight, and have always had irregular, very painful
> periods, and little abcesses all over my body.
>
> Lately things have got a lot worse. My periods are worse, my hair is
> growing so fast on my face that I'm using a facial hair removal cream
> every two weeks and plucking in between, and in the past three months I
> have put on nearly 2 and a half stone, pulling me up to 18 and a half
> stone - as I suffer from Arthritis in my ankle joints, this is not what
> I need, so my mobility is effected, and it's not like my diet has
> changed, and I certainly don't eat crisps and sweets all the time.
>
> With all this in mind, I went to see my GP. I told her my symptoms and
> here's where the problem really lies. She said that I need an internal
> exam, and a smear test before anything further is done. There is no way
> I want, or can have one. I am very upset about it. She said I need to
> have 10 clear days after my period has stopped, but that was three weeks
> ago and I'm still waiting for it to stop anyway ! But I am scared stiff.
> I'm 27 years old with major self esteem issues, and have never even had
> a boyfriend, never mind had an affair, and therefore I am still a
> virgin. I told this to my GP and she didn't listen, and said that it's
> nothing to worry about as she can deal with that, it's not a problem,
> and explained how. I feel actually quite nauseaus at the thought, and
> filled with total dread. But she insists that it is the only way to
> preceed, and cannot do so until an internal exam is complete.
>
> I have looked into changing doctors, but no one is available a for a
> further 8 months, and I am really at the end of my tether now, and my
> health is suffering due to my weight gain.
>
> Is there another way to diagnose ??? Is there anything I can do to help
> myself ??? I need advice desperately. I feel like I am going to peices
> here.
>
> Kind Regards
> Sonia
>
|
|
![[ PCOS Discussion Forums ]](../../images/pcos_at_obgyn.gif)