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futuremartyr -> RE: PCOS support (5/10/2008 1:18:09 PM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: DustyLady
I have had PCOS for many years. I never had what I would call a normal period, and when I was in my mid-20s my endocrinologist told me I had polycystic ovaries. I didn't know about the syndrome, though, until I was in my late 40s. I saw a woman interviewed on the local news, and everything she talked about sounded so much like me. So I did some research and found out more about it.
Yes, insulin resistance has a lot to do with the disease. But I have also seen research indicating that they now feel it is an auto-immune disorder. What's interesting is that my grandmother had rheumatoid arthritis, and my mother has Crohn's disease. Both are auto-immune disorders. So I have to wonder if there is some genetic component. I had symptoms of PCOS even when I was at a "normal" weight.
About 5 years ago, my endocrinologist told me that I also had metabolic syndrome, which includes PCOS. Almost every part of my metabolism is off-kilter at various times, never consistently. I take meds for high blood pressure. Right now my cholesterol and thyroid are fine, but that could change at any time. There are many medications I am not able to take, and have strange reactions to diets and weight-loss programs that I've never heard of with anyone else. Oh, and I'm also perimenopausal.
Sounds like fun, doesn't it?
Dusty
Is it true you can have polycystic ovaries and not the syndrome, but not have the syndrome without the polycystice ovaries. I am a believer that the syndrome messes with your unsulin not the other way around. I also had symptoms at a normal weight. But when I ignored my diagnosis and contiued to eat a high carb diet, I put on 30 lbs in a year. I began to have bad bloating after eating any carbs or sugars. A friend who used to be a nurse for PCOS patients said she thought it might be related to my PCOS. I went to a gyno and she refused to listen to me, I told her I had PCOS she denied because I was infertile and had semi normal periods at the time, I told her what kind of sugar test I had 5 years prior and that the specialist had told me that the only way to find the insulin resistance was the all day sugar test. Not the over night fasting, so she didn't listen again and gave me the overnight fasting test. I believe I can reverse the IR with my diet, exercise and suppliments, but it was the principal of it and that gyno wanted nothing to do with listening to me, the patient. I have plenty of support from that friend who is a nurse and my family, so I don't need that doctor to believe me anymore. I had not yet heard of it as an autoimmune disorder, when did they come out with that information? I am convinced my mom has pcos and has never been diagnosed. She has diabetes and has had ovarian cancer once. I also remember her having a hormonal imbalance when I was a child. More and more of my friends are being diagnosed, I have 3 friends recently diagnosed. One who is also perimenapasual. My friend who was a nurse with pcos patients believe birth control pills only mask symptoms, has anyone heard that from their doctor? I will be checking on the one stop thread on PCOS, I assume, it is a very supportive community of women.
Thanks for the posts ladies.
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