Posted by on March 08, 19100 at 17:43:29:
In Reply to: PCOS posted by Morry on March 08, 19100 at 14:42:52:
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: Morry, I used to feel the same way that you do. I felt like I was alone and that no one understood what I was going through. But what's so wonderful now is that the internet has a whole community of women that are going through what you've been through and can help you by sharing information with you.
My name is Rene Davenport, I'm 35 years old and I have known about my PCOS for almost 10 years even though I had symptoms since I was a teenager. Just like yourself I searched for answers about this illness on the internet and it has helped me immensely.
Morry, I can't give you medical advice but I can tell you my story. I went to many different gynecologist before I found out what was wrong with me. It took me years, and then one day a light bulb went on, and I thought, I need to get to a doctor who is not just going to treat my symptoms but will look into why this is happening to me. One of the symptoms of PCOS is not ovulating, in my case irregular periods was an indication of this. So I decided to go to a reproductive endocrinologist who would have to look into why I wasn't getting pregnant, thus not ovulating. This doctor performed a vaginal sonogram which revealed polycystic ovaries, just like yourself. Well, this was over 8 years ago, and they didn't have the treatments that they have now. I was given two options either take infertility drugs to help me ovulate or get back on the pill. I tried the infertily drugs and they didn't work, I eventually got back on the pill to control my excessive bleeding.
Over time I learned about a drug called Metformin. Metformin is an insulin sensitizing drug that helps your cells become more sensitive to insulin. The medical community has discovered that a great number of women with PCOS are insulin resistant. Now understand that all women with PCOS are not insulin resistant, but many are. I was tested for insulin resistance by an endocrinologist and put on the medication in March of 1999.
I've lost a great deal of weight, the hair growth has slowed and I'm pregnant. Yes Morry, there is hope!!
Morry, I would reccommend that you take full advantage of this website and find out everything that you can on PCOS. Read the following stories which appear on this website, "What is PCOS?", by Daniel E. Stein, M.D., "New Direction in the Treatment of PCOS", by Ellen Friedman Bender and "PCOS-A Reproductive and Metabolic Disorder", by Beth Kushnick.
You have to educate yourself as much as you can so that you'll know how to seek out treatment for yourself. This is what I had to do, but thankfully with all that's available to you now, you won't have as harder time as I had. Also, my faith in God has helped me get through this ordeal, please don't lose sight that there is someone who loves you and is watching out for you. We are never alone.
If you have any other questions or just want to chat, email me!
Good luck!
Rene Davenport