do tests always show up pcos?

Question

i had had menstrual problems since a teen,my weight keeps going up which i suspect is to do with insulin resistance.family history of diabetes .very prone to yeast infections and skin rashes.had blood tests for pcos,blood sugar etc,and thyroid -nothing shown up .doctor put me on xenical for weightloss which i stopped taking as it doesnt do anything .have gone from size 10-16 in 5 yrs .thanks for any answers :)

Answer 1

There is no real test for PCOS. There is a general panel of blood tests usually they run. However, many women test within normal limits on all those tests and still respond positively through proper treatment. It sounds to me as if you might have PCOS. It should be diagnosed through symptoms.

I recommend seeing a reproductive endocrinologist They are generally more knowledgeable about PCOS and the correct treatment. Unfortunately, many doctors are not aware of the proper treatment.

The underlying cause of PCOS is insulin resistance (IR). The best treatment for PCOS is going on an insulin sensitizing drug such as metformin (1500-2550mg per day) combined with a low carb diet and exercise. There are a few important things to know:

1. Many women "pass" the test for IR, but still respond positively from the metformin. No one knows exactlly why..my thought is that the test is not a sure fire way of detecting the IR.

2. You must be on a high enough dose of metformin. I've heard women complain that their bodies dont start working even though they've been on metformin for awhile. Some doctors are hesitant to up the dose past 1500mg...but for some of us it takes more. I don't respond until my dose is around 2000mg a day.

3. It can take a few months on the correct dose, before your body is regulated.

4. It is important to treat your PCOS even if you are not trying to get pregnant. There are higher risks for many things (high blood pressure, blood clots, diabetes, and many other things) when you have PCOS, but if it is treated properly, then those risks are lowered.


When the PCOS is treated properly, all of your symptoms may not disappear, but they should improve some. It will also be a lot easier to lose weight (and keep it off). Our bodies work against us when we try to lose weight on our own, making it nearly impossible to lose weight.

As for vitamin...stick with a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin (they sell these over-the-counter).

There are TONS of books about PCOS and dieting. There are two that I recommend. Here's the links at amazon for those:
http://www.amazon.com/o/asin/0809224275/...
http://www.amazon.com/o/asin/0007131844/...

I also recommend a couple web sites:
http://pcos.itgo.com/
http://www.inciid.org/faq.php?cat=infert...

http://messageboards.ivillage.com/iv-bhp... This one is a great message board where you can ask all your PCOS questions or just chat with the women who are also dealing with PCOS. Good luck.

Answer 2

Your doc missed one part of DXing PCOS and that is the transvaginal ultrasound. You do not have to have 'HIGH' levels to have PCOS, you can have levels in the normal range, but at the high end, infact, in the USA you only need to have 1 of the 15 or so symptoms of the syndrome to be DX with it. Find a reproductive endocrinologist and get on a diet like South Beach as soon as you can. PCOS can destroy your fertility and your health, but it can be treated if you find a doc that knows about it (and most GP's or regular OB/GYN's dont).
Good luck, HTH and the link below is some great info on PCOS

Answer 3

i'm no longer efficient yet i'm particular it ought to take position. PCOS motives your body to furnish extra hormones that ought to influence the being pregnant attempt. you'll imagine it would continually arise efficient even with the reality that? Who is acquainted with. in case you imagine you're pregnant how you are able to comprehend for particular is to get a blood attempt on the medical doctors. good luck!