Hi...
I have suffered from most of the symptoms of PCOS for the past couple of years.
Irregular periods.
Severe Acne - (treated with Roaccutane)
Facial Hair and other unwanted body hair.
Although I am of normal body weight.
I went to my doctor about a year and a half ago. She tested my blood and told me that I had a really high testosterone level. She said it was double what it should have been. She sent me for an ultrasound examination. The ultrasound did not show any cysts on my ovaries but the woman examining me did say that my ovaries were quite large!
I went back to my doc for the follow up appointment and she said that even although the cysts are not visable it does not mean that that they are not there. She tested my blood and again and the testosterone level had decreased slightly and she took no further action.
There has also been times were I have came off the pill for several months at a time and have never fell pregnant. I worry that I am going to have problems in the future with regard to getting pregnant.
Since last year my symptoms have being getting worse. Do you think I could be suffering from PCOS. What would you advise I do ?
RE: PCOS???
Hi JSS
It sounds very much to me like you have PCOS. What you need to do is to insist that your GP refer you on to a specialist. I was diagnosed about 10 years ago and luckily have never wanted children so on that score am not worried. I take Metformin which has helpmed me tremendously even though I started on it back when the link between high testosterone levels and taking the drug was only just being discovered.
There are other health risks associated with PCOS too such as diabetes and thyroid problems. I suffered from an overactive thyroid gland which could very well have killed me it was that serious. After three years of treatment it is now underactive and I'm well again.
I would recommend you look at the Verity Website too [link= http://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/ ]http://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/[/link]. They will give you a wealth of information, there are discussion forums and you can attend meetings to network with other sufferers. You can have polycistic ovaries and not have the full syndrome. All of this could be explained to you by a specialist.
Good luck with this. Happy to give as much info as you like.....
Keep us posted. Jo x
RE: PCOS???
Agree, ask to see a specialist, that website is also very good. I have pcos and although never found it hard to conceive I have had recurrent miscarriages (5 in total now) due to my pcos. I have 2 children and am pregnant again now so it doesn't necessarily stop you conceiving but is mroe common to need fertility treatment. When people pcos are overweight (hard to lose weight with pcos) then it makes it even harder to conceive also and having pcos increases your risk of developing diabetes. I am also a normal weight but have lots of cysts on my ovaries among other symptoms. One thing I'm glad of is that we didn't wait until we were older to start a family, if I had I may have never had any children.
Jodie