Hi all, I was diagnosed with PCOS about 6 years ago. Nothing was mentioned about insulin resistance, and I have only really found out most of the things I know about it by reading this message board and looking it up online. My question is this - how do you actually know if you are insulin resistant? Would love to hear from you all about your personal experiences. C x

In my case my bloodtests showed it, but I am sure there is a specific test that needs to be done. Best would be to speak to your doctor/dietician.

C,

How were you diagnosed with PCOS? I was diagnosed through a glucose test, and other symptoms lined up.

Insulin resistance is found through a specific blood test. The best way is with a glucose tolerance test. You can also have fasting insulin levels drawn, but the GTT is more specific.

Make sure with the GTT that they are testing your insulin levels along with your glucose levels. My glucose levels have always been normal and for a long time, they's all my regular doc would test and then tell me I was fine. It wasn't until my RE finally made sure to get the insulin levels along with the rest of my GTT and hormone levels that they saw things weren't normal.

I never did the GTT to verify that I was insulin resistant. My endocrinologist took one look at me and told me. She knew that I had an insulin imbalance based on the acanthosis nigricans (dark patches of skin) on my neck, elbows, "bra line", underarms...sure enough...she ran only a fasting insulin level and it was WAY high...96 when normal is 5-25. That's when I went on Metformin.

Here's a picture to what AN looks like...

http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/...10421_fm-2.jpg

Good luck...

Kristy

your best bet will be to have them do a insulin fasting, and the GTT test. also, any signs of shakyness or clamminess after a few hours of not eating could be a sign. but it's a rare one as far as i've been able to find out.
good luck.

you know, i always thought that those marks were because i wasn't scrubbing hard enough in the bath. i would scrub my skin raw, and STILL they never went away. huh...would've been nice if someone had told me when i was a younger. I've had them since a little after puberty. >.<