PCO on scan, what next?

[butterfly_warrior]

after an ultrasound scan to figure out what is going on, I'm told I have polycystic ovaries... I carry a lot of weight around my middle (starting to look like a potato on sticks), and my weight is just ballooning since I stopped the pill, that and irregular AF when not on the pill (along with being heavy, painful and clotty), I'm expecting to be told that I have PCOS when I next see my GP...

what comes next? what further tests can I expect to have done?

BW

[Kirsty77]

Hey BW

The only tests I had done were a day 21 b/t to confirm if I was ovulating or not. An ultrasound, another lot of b/t's to confirm what my hormone levels were for example testosterone(sounds scary I know) women with pcos normally have higher than normal levels and insulin resistance. Also I had a full physical in which my gyno looked for excess body hair!Ew!And the weight around your middle is a good indication that its PCOS as well. After that I was put on clomid 50 mg and monitored on it which normally details an ultrasound to check your follicles and a day21 b/t to check if your ovulating on clomid and to check your progesterone levels.Some docs though don't do the ultrasound while on clomid, they may just do the 21 day b/t. If you ahve insulin resistance then you may be put on metformin as well. There are so many success stories on bb of women falling pregnant quite easily once being diagnosed and put on fertility drugs.

I wish you loads of BW.I was only diagnosed when I was ttc as well so I know how daunting it all can be.Goodluck!

[butterfly_warrior]

thanks, kirsty!

and now I remember that my friend told me all of this yesterday... but I'm on information overload right now, and don't seem to retain it unless it's written in front of me... that way I can reread when it all goes foggy.

It's all quite daunting... I got an email from a friend yesterday that suggested it would be straight to metformin, without the glucose tolerance test, and then clomid if I was shown to still not be ovulating... she's an OB, so I guess she would have some idea of what is happening, but then my friend said pretty much the same thing you did - and her GP is married to my GP... at least it doesn't seem all so scary and unknown now!

BW

[Janet]

Hi I'm a cyster I have severe PCOS, currently pg with my second baby! I've never taken met as it isn't a longterm solution and I'm horrified by the side effects. After a while it stops working but lifestyle changes never end. The best thing I ever did was see Ruth Trickey, the naturopath who specialises in all things hormonal and wrote the brilliant book, "Women's Troubles: natural and medical solutions." That has expert information about all your options for managing your PCOS. It doesn't have to be a medical emergency! There are some rare complications but they are REALLY rare. In the meantime, do some moderate exercise every day, low carb (vital!!!), investigate ALL your options and try to relax. I've was dx when I was 21, I'm now 37. I'd say PM me for info or a chat but I can't PM here Like I said, currently pg with #2 and have NEVER done the drugs! I have learnt to chart my cycles though and that's one of the main ways I achieve pregnancies.

[Cherie]

BW, as well as the ultrasounds, hsg and blood tests (yep - I have high testosterone) I had a Glucose Tolerance Test, but it all came back normal so no metformin for me \/

The best thing I did after my diagnosis was to do lots of reading online about PCOS, and as I was reading, I wrote a list of questions specific to my situation, to ask the specialist next time I saw her.

I think maintaining a healthy weight is considered the treatment of choice for a lot of women with PCOS, but for me, it's the hardest thing to put into practice. If only there was a little pill to do it all for me LOL.

[butterfly_warrior]

thanks ladies! It really helps to know that I'm not alone in this!

was kind of funny - I've been so upbeat and positive about things until tonight... upon hearing that yet another friend from church has just conceived bub number 2, I kind of lost it for a bit!

I'm still kind of debating whether I want to go with the natural therapies, or go with traditional medicine, but I'm certainly looking into the diet and weight loss... DH and I had already decided that we needed to lose some weight and were starting on the CSIRO eating plan - seems to be based on insulin resistance as well... At this stage I'm thinking that the herbal/natural way to start with while everything else is being assessed is the way to go. One thing my friend said to me yesterday - a lot of people see managing their PCOS as a ttc thing, when it is really a whole life thing if you want to be healthy and live longer... so the lifestyle changes are an absolute must!

I guess I'm just rambling a little... the U/S scan has already been done - I guess next would be blood tests to check hormone levels and possibly GTT?

Janet, I'm trying the charting thing, but it seems pretty apparent to me (and I suspected this when I was younger as well), that I just don't ovulate! Although, the reading I've done so far seems to imply that if I can get my weight managed, and the diet right, then ovulation may just start to happen naturally... is this correct?

BW

[Kirsty77]

Hey BW

For most people diet change works and exercise.But alot of people with PCOS don't actually have a weight problem mainly the people with insulin resistance do(there bodies kinda work against them making it so hard to lose weight), hence why they are put on metformin first, to assist with weight management.

I have never been overweight and was never on met and simply just don't ovulate and my cycles are soooo long!Clomid helped really well to regulate my cycles and I ovulate everytime on clomid. I really think my condition was caused by being on the pill for so many years and a bit of family history of the condition.

I really hope you get a bfp really soon!!Goodluck hun

[kyliealysha]

I have PCOS and severe insulin resistance. I always ate well and exercised, but continued to gain weight (it was the high insulin levels) Anyway, I was put on Metformin combined with a low GI diet and exercise. I lost 13 kg, but more important it must have made me ovulate because I'm pregnant after the second month of trying \/

I would say you'll have some blood tests for hormones and a GTT next. You may be put on metforming wihtout a gTT, as I have hear this happening to quite a lot of women. Personally I can't see the point of being on metformin if your insulin levels are normal :-k

[Janet]

One thing my friend said to me yesterday - a lot of people see managing their PCOS as a ttc thing, when it is really a whole life thing if you want to be healthy and live longer... so the lifestyle changes are an absolute must!

Yes! Yes! Yes! To know more about metformin do a google of side effects.

[kyliealysha]

One thing my friend said to me yesterday - a lot of people see managing their PCOS as a ttc thing, when it is really a whole life thing if you want to be healthy and live longer... so the lifestyle changes are an absolute must!

I agree with your friend 100%. I was doing something about it long before we were TTC. People need to realise that unmanaged insulin resistance can lead to diabetes. Your pancreas just wears itself out.

[butterfly_warrior]

Considering that my maternal grandmother has type II diabetes, and has just been diagnosed with an inoperable pancreatic cancer, I'm certainly not going to muck around with this thing!

Diet changes coming into effect now... although, I'm feeling guilty about slipping up and eating donuts and cake at work today - was someone's birthday and there was all this food... couldn't resist!

Anyway, thanks so much for the info here, ladies, I'm off to see my GP again now, and I'm starting to freak out that I didn't think to check if there were any questions I should remeber to ask him!

BW