New and worried - 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

itsnotinmyhead · 11-05-2002, 12:47 PM

I am new to this whole thing so I'll give you a little background. I am currently waiting (patiently, lol) for my test results to come back. Dr. is testing for stein-leventhal, pituitary tumor, and hypothyroidism. I have done alot of research on the net about all of them and I have symptoms from them all, but I think stein-leventhal is my problem. I have so many questions!! First I want to say that I am so relieved that there truly is something physically wrong with me! I know it's an odd thing to say, but it's better than the alternative which is just plain fat, lazy and hairy. Does pcod cause obesity or does obesity cause pcod? Will the hair on my chin and neck go away after treatment? Is not bleeding every month such a bad thing (lol)? Why have I been dieting for almost a month and STILL only lost 3 pounds? How can I have this disorder at 31? I thought it started at puberty and made it very difficult to conceive. I have 3 children and none of them were difficult to conceive. Actually, I was surprised with all of them! I am confused, but also relieved. I will let you know when the results come in, but I am so glad to have found a place where people know what I am talking about!! Thank you!!!!

tnw · 11-07-2002, 07:41 PM

Hi Itsnot

,

your right it's not all in your head!!!! anyway, if you have pcos the symptoms can manifest at almost anytime from puberty all the way up to 40's. I am 27 and always suspected something was wrong, but never followed up on it. After I had my daughter (who was a surprise as well), that's when my whole system really went crazy and I gained a lot of weight. You were lucky that it didn't get bad until after 3 kids @ 31!!!! Anyway, you probably new something was wrong a long time ago. Maybe irregular periods, bad acne, or mild excess hair such as sideburns. I believe PCOS causes weight gain, not the other way around. Most people I've talked to said there symptoms lessened after they were treated. All pCOSers haven't had a hard time concieving, I just think irregular periods make it hard for some.

itsnotinmyhead · 11-17-2002, 10:31 AM

Thank you tnw!!! It's so nice to be able to talk to someone who knows what I am talking about! I am still waiting to see the dr again. I don't have a pit tumor and my thyroid is ok, so now I am waiting on the ultrasound results. Isn't depression part of pcos too? I went to the health clinic for a pap smear and they did a detailed medical and social history and the nurse-practioner there said she thinks depression may be the root of all my problems. I am starting to think she may be right. Anyway, I talked to my best friend from high school's mother and got her email addy and it turns out she has pcos!! I'm not glad she has the syndrome, but I couldn't be in better company! Thank you for listening, I'll keep you updated.

Katy

tnw · 11-17-2002, 01:57 PM

Hi Katy,

Like I tell everyone who suspects they have pcos:Don't take NO for an answer !!!!!!! I always had suspected something was wrong but my family practice Doc said I just needed to join weight watchers and exercise. I told her that I was already dieting and exercising, joined WW and lost only 3 pounds in 3 months, so i quit. It took me several months to convince her to at least check my hormone levels. When she saw them, she was like 'yeah something is wrong'(Well DUH!!!!!). I finally got a referal to an endo, and I went to the endocrinologist friday and he read my charts and did a physical exam and right away he said he knows I have pcos. He was so great!! Really friendly and understanding. He told me not to feel bad that I couldn't lose weight, and he said the insulin resistance that pcos causes makes it super hard to lose weight. Anyway he told me to get these other labs done as well, so you should ask your doc to get these as well:

2 hour OGTT w/ insulin levels @ all times (OGTT is oral glucose tolerance test)

LH, FSH, and Prolactin (best time is day 3 of your cycle)

Total and Free testosterone, DHEA sulfate, and androsteredione

8 am Serum Cortisol

HgbA1C

Free T4, Total T3, and TSH

Seriously though, don't take no for an answer becasue pcos is serious it can cause: High blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, endometrial cancer, endometriosis, anxiety, andDEPRESSION !!! And i'm sure there's a lot of other stuff that they haven't found out about yet.

Have a Blessed day!!!!!
Tanya

P.S. I love this site, but there is another pcos site that is good as well: www.soulcysters.com

HopefulSpirits · 11-17-2002, 03:21 PM

Last thing to remember, just because everything may be "within normal range" does NOT exclude PCOS. My LH:FSH is completely normal (1:1) as well as everything else except I was a little high in the testosterone but still in normal ranges. I had no cysts either for years. You'd think with everything being "normal" I wasnt PCOS but its not true of course. Infact, I have severe PCOS. It really takes a PCOS knowledgeable doc to diagnose and treat it in my opinoin. GL!

itsnotinmyhead · 11-19-2002, 10:22 AM

Well, my Ultrasound is back and all is "normal". Now what??? My doc seems to think I just need to lose weight and all will be cured. How do I go about finding a knowlegable doctor?!?! This one refuses to think I have pcos because of the results, yet I have nearly all the symptoms. AAAAARRRRGGGGHHH!!!!!

goodforme · 11-19-2002, 01:24 PM

Join the crowd, Katy! My tests all came back "within normal range" and he refuses to do an ultrasound because he doesn't detect cysts when he does the exam. Duh! Maybe that's why I need an ultrasound???? So, I still go undiagnosed, although I'm sure I suffer from it too. A trip to a different doc might do the trick, huh?

tnw · 11-19-2002, 04:45 PM

Katy,

Please have your doc re- evaluate your blood levels. Did he/she take blood insulin levels as well? You are probablt Insulin resistant. get it checked out, get a 2nd opinion if U have to. DON'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't let these a$$hole doc's intimidate you!!!!!

itsnotinmyhead · 11-19-2002, 10:08 PM

Thanks guys! I guess I'll just have to resort to being a complete b____ to get my doc to listen to me. He wants to send me to an ob/gyn. I think I need an endocrinologist. He is supposed to get back with me tomorrow. I don't believe it. Man I wish I had insurance....

tnw · 11-20-2002, 02:19 AM

Hi itsnot,

I would see what the ob/GYN says. My dumb family doc offered to send me to one, and the OB/GYN was more understanding. She also was smart enough to realize that something was probably wrong & referred me to and Endo - That's when I got a truly confirmed diagnosis of PCOS.

GoodLuck and God bless!!!!