Pcos

[Real36]

Any women out there who have it? If so how did you find out? I plan to ask my gyno for testing but I would like to know what symptoms others had before diagnosis.

[Her Bridges]

Any women out there who have it? If so how did you find out? I plan to ask my gyno for testing but I would like to know what symptoms others had before diagnosis.

 

Hi, I'm 26 and have PCOS. My doctor first tested me when I was regularly not having any cycles (as in, was often every 4-6 months, then skipped 2 years) in addition to some sudden weight gain (those 2 skipped years) and starting to show signs of hirsutism (male pattern hair growth). The tests included blood work for hormone levels, cholesterol, a 3 hour glucose tolerance test to check insulin response, and an ultrasound.

 

The results were that I have very high estrogen and testosterone, delayed insulin response, and very visibly cystic ovaries... all symptoms within the "syndrome."

 

There are a lot of forums, blogs, and health journals dedicated to those with PCOS. The severity is different for different people, both the symptoms and how you respond to the diagnosis.

 

Some notes on common misconceptions that cause most "diagnosis panics":

- it does NOT mean you can't have kids. It may throw your ovulation out of whack but plenty of mothers have PCOS.

- it does NOT guarantee weight gain or diabetes. However a lot of the hormone imbalances are tied to insulin so they are things you need to pay attention to... but no need to get paranoid over.

- depending on your doctor's advice and on your particular case, it does not require medication for the rest of your life. Though even if you're not severe they can help, like any medical situation you weigh the pros and cons.

 

 

Good luck with your chart with your doctor, I'm happy to answer any follow-up questions

[Real36]

Thanks for sharing. I've talked with 2 women in my building who have been diagnosed with PCOS and they have exactly the same symptoms as you. After talking with them, reading your post and doing Internet research I've come to the conclusion that PCOS is not my problem. This is a good thing but also a bad thing because I still don't know what is causing my weight gain! I've been to 2 doctors and all my blood work comes back great, I'm the picture of health, except I somehow put on 38 lbs in the last year. I've been counting calories since before the weight started coming on with no result. Weight Watchers was a bust too. I just started Atkins because I read that low-carb diets are ideal for PCOS. I'm not insulin resistant but I figured that it wouldn't hurt to give it a good try. I'll ask the gyno about it when next appointment comes up but I really don't think PCOS is the culprit. Thanks again for the helpful information!