unsure about PCOS diagnosis

[trumpcard]

My dr. diagnosed me with mild PCOS yesterday and I'm not sure if I belive her or what I should do next. A little background . . .

Off BCP since March 2008
TTC since April 2008

Cycles were not regular after stopping BCP ranging between 26-42 days but always with a clear temp shift 10-12 days before AF

February saw Dr. for my yearly appt. and mentioned we’d been charting but not been successful for 9 months. She took blood and scheduled a sonogram.

While waiting for my sonogram appointment had 2 regular cycles of 31 days with good CM, +OPK and temp shifts. These were the most normal cycles since stopping BCP.

During the sonogram the technician said she didn’t see anything that looked “troubling.”

Follow-up visit post-sonogram was Friday. Dr. walked in and started talking about her concerns with my sonogram. I have a fibroid which she says is not a big concern but we will monitor it and also she thinks I have mild PCOS. She referred me to RE and prescribed Metformin.

I was so shocked I got upset and now am kicking myself for not asking the right questions. So, I am asking you wise ladies before calling the doctor back. Is it normal for me to have cycles with temp shifts and +OPK and still not be Oing? I have gotten plenty of –OPKs too but right before my temp shift I have gotten + for three cycles.

Thanks for reading this far.

[kalamos23]

I don't know much about PCOS but if you are getting pos. opks AND temp shifts, with AF 10-12 days after, then it sounds like you are Oing.

[trumpcard]

It sure seems to me like I'm Oing. That's why the doctor took me by surprise yesterday. I'm wondering if it's possible to have all the signs of ovulation but not be releasing a mature egg? Or if there are other elements of PCOS that could be creating our infertility. I'm really doubting this diagnosis!


Also, DH has had a SE and his numbers are on the low side of normal due to varicoceles so I know that is a contributing factor too.

[MsHiss]

Check this site out, it was really helpful for me.

http://www.soulcysters.com/do_have_pcos.html

[MoonStarFalling]

So is your only symptom slightly long/irregular cycles then? Did your doctor do the bloodwork necessary to diagnose you? Did she do the bloodwork necessary to start you on metformin even? It doesn't sound like it and I would be very concerned that she's jumping towards diagnoses and medication for things that she hadn't even tested you for. I would only consider PCOS if you have several of the symptoms as well as bloodwork pointing towards PCOS.

[trumpcard]

Yes, my only symptom is irregular/long cycles and even that seems to be sorting intself out in the last couple months.
Dr. did take blood and had results yesterday but I was so taken by surprise (I had not been suspecting PCOS at all) I didn't even know what questions to ask. When she suggested metformin to lower my glucose level I asked if my blood work had high glucose and she replied that they didn't test for that in my blood work!
I am hesitant to take any medication ever so taking something that I'm not sure is necessary is a big no-no for me.
Obviously I need to follow-up with her now I'm just trying to fgure out what I need to be asking.

[BCMomma]

It's the LH:FSH ratio that needs checking. If your LH to FSH is out of whack, it can be an indicator of PCOS. I was diagnosed about a month ago, when my test showed an LH level of 6.6, and an FSH level of 4.5. The FSH is supposed to be higher than the LH, but mine was obviously the opposite.

But there's lots of other bloodwork they should do for the full infertility workup. There's a massive spectrum of PCOS, and lots of people have lots of different variations in severity and symptoms. It's very hard to diagnose, so I'd push for as much info as you can get from your Dr, and spend an evening reading the info on Soul Cysters. It's a fantastic resource to learn about it (if PCOS is in fact what you have).

Good luck!

[cristeen]

I would suggest not bothering with the OB at this point. She gave you a referral to the RE, who generally will be more versed in PCOS. Don't start the Met, go talk to the RE first. Let him/her know that your OB said PCOS but that so far as you know you don't have the symptoms of it and ask her to review your chart and tell you what she thinks.

[trumpcard]

Thank you all for your responses and advice. I've called the RE and have an appointment in mid-June. Always frustrating to wait that long but in the meantime I'll do my best to curb my carb consumption to lower my sugars without the medication. That certainly can't hurt me no matter my diagnosis.

I also called the OB to find out the hormone levels in my blood work since she did mention those in the apointment Friday. I was just so surprised I didn't think to write them down at that point. Of course the OB hasn't called back with that information yet.