Possible PCOS??? Please Help Me?

Question

I am 18 years old and have very irregular periods my doctor keeps telling me that they will regulate with age but I've had my period since I was 12 and nothing has regulated at all. I have recently started putting on some weight in my mid section, above my hips and I have some dark hair on different areas of my body- toes, a little line on my tummy below my belly button, and recently I've been told I have higher blood pressure than normal (nothing dangerous just high for my age). Now I'm not trying to have a baby and won't be for many years but should I still talk to the gyno about me having PCOS? If I do have it and I'm not TTC will he still give me medication to regulate my cycle? Please help me I'm confused and getting really scared- thanks!

Answer 1

There is no need to be scared. Even if you do have PCOS, there are ways to regulate the problems that come with it. Many things can be difficult for women who have PCOS, such as losing weight and conceiving, but it is not impossible. Irregular periods are very common for many women and often don't come on a regular basis without birth control pills and often not until after you've had a baby. After our 4 kids were born, my husband had a vasectomy and I came off the Pill. I was 38 years old then and my periods still weren't regular. Hairy toes is actually very common as is hair growth below your belly button. I have both of those and do not have PCOS. However, my daughter, who will be 23 in November, was diagnosed with PCOS at the beginning of this year. She didn't go to the doctor to be tested, but while my daughter was there for something else, the doctor asked if my daughter had ever been tested for it. At the time, she had never heard of PCOS and I hadn't either. There are numerous symptoms that can be present. The ones my daughter has are overweight, carrying a lot of weight in the stomach area, difficulty losing weight, male-pattern baldness, irregular (really non-existent) periods, unusual hair growth (on her back, chest, and face), and high blood pressure. A blood test also revealed a high testesterone level and elevated blood glucose level which gave her a diagnosis of Insulin Resistance. An ultrasound showed cysts in both ovaries. For her treatment, my daughter takes birth control pills to regulate her periods and Metformin to control the blood sugar. Additionally, she has been trying to eat well and exercise. All those things combined with a class designed to help people with eating issues (being overweight since childhood has been hard on her self-esteem) has helped her see a 25 pound weight loss. She is not trying to conceive, but when she is ready, there are also additional medications that can help her with that, if needed. I suggest that you speak with your doctor about your concern that you have PCOS. He/she should take your concern seriously (if not, find another doctor) and will be able to help you determine if you do have it (or not) and prescribe the medications that will help treat the symptoms. PCOS is not able to be cured but can be controlled. In the meantime, take your blood pressure at one of those blood pressure machines found at the drug store or K-Mart or Target (near the pharmacy section). It is not uncommon for a person who is worried to have a high blood pressure reading at the doctor's office. Have your blood pressure reading done somewhere else to see if it is still reading high. You can also do a search for PCOS online, there are many good websites with lots of good information to ease your fear.

Answer 2

yes, you should talk to your gyn or an endocrinologist.
for most women that are not trying to conceive your doc will put you on birth control pills. i was on then for years. i went off a year ago and boy did my symptoms come back in full force. yasmin is a great bcp b/c it has an antiandrogen in it. in addition the BCP, if hair growth is an issue the doc may give you spirolactone which is a blood pressure medication that has andogen blocking properties. i wld not use it unless you have serious hair growth issues. it is a medication that CANNOT be used by pregnant women. if u were to get pregnanct while using it u wld probably have to abort due to ist effects on male fetuses. there is no cure for pcos, so for now, exercise, take a good multivitamin, don't overdo it on carbs and refined sugar. i do thin bcp's are the best option for women with pcos that are not rying to conceive b/c it rests the ovaries so that they are not producing androgens, it allows you to shed your utering lining and it helps with hair growth. when you are ready to conceive see a reproductive endocrinologist. fertility meds are pretty effective. also do not stop taking the pill until you are ready to start fertility meds. your ovaries will be more responsive to fertility meds if you start them right after stopping the BCP's.

Answer 3

yes you can talk to your dr about it, if you dont want to go on birth control ask your dr about metformin