could i have pcos???

[goosysmom]

I am 32 years old and have NEVER had a regular cycle since my first one appeared at age 9 (thanks mom)..I am lucky to get maybe 5 a year..I have had 2 M/C in the past 10 years and welcomed a beautiful baby girl into the world in march of 2004 (each time i have gotten pregnant it's been a month off birth control and then i am pregnant)...I was breastfeeding so I chose not to take the mini-pill and am not taking any form of birth control right now...I have had my thyroid tested and it came out within the ok levels and I passed the glucose tolerance test (one hour) when pregnant with flying colors...However, within the past 3 years or so I have gained in excess of 40 pounds despite working out, eating right, all around my abdomen only....I have a bit of the hirsutism on my abdomen and my inner thighs which I wax...

I am the only female in my family of 5 women (6 with me) that isn't taking some form of Synthroid for Hypothyroidism and that came as a shock to my mother but she is happy I don't have to take it...She was irregular her whole life she says and had several M/C before she became pregnant with me and then had to use Provera to stay pregnant (if i remember right from our talks).....

I would love to find out what's going on as in a few years I would love to try to have another sweet child...hopefully I will have insurance that covers the needed testing by then.....Until then, if I have it (or think I may have it) what to do???
I appreciate the time you have taken to read this and wish you a great day....

[celesterra]

Hey Goosysmom, I'm sorry to hear that you're facing this question. You might want to join the "PCOS thread" on Trying to Conceive. There are many women there with varying experiences with PCOS and ttc. Even if you're still seeking a diagnosis, I know you will be welcomed there.

I also passed the glucose tolerance test, but I had enough symptoms to warrent a diagnosis, including stubborn weight around my middle, hirsutism on my neck, constant feelings of stress, and irregular periods (since I was 15). My testosterone test was the only of my bloodwork that came back slightly abnormal.

FYI, there's a site: http://www.pcos-support.org/ that might be helpful. Here's something from their FAQ:

"How do I know if I have PCOS?
If you have symptoms such as excessive weight gain, period problems, facial or body hair, mood swings, tiredness, thinning hair, cravings for food, irritability, a tendency to faint or emotional problems, you could have PCOS. Your doctor can arrange for an ultrasound scan and the results will give you the answer. You could have one, two or all of the above symptoms, so it is important, if you feel you have PCOS, that you discuss this with your doctor!"

I highly recommend seeing a reproductive endocrinologist/OBGYN who specialized in treating PCOS. Like many of the women on the thread mentioned above, I take metformin, and I am on my 3rd month of Clomid. I have been ttc for more than 3 years.

I hope for you that you can get some quick answers to your questions, and that your ttc journey comes to a blissful end soon! Feel free to PM me if you wanna talk...

As for what you can do to help yourself, there are many things, including diet, exercise, and herbs that others have had some good results with. I've got to get back to work now, so more later!

[goosysmom]

Thanks so much....

I have been to that link a few weeks ago and then earlier today....

I had a midwife with my previous pregnancy but she didn't seem to think there was anything wrong...mainly bc I lost 19 pounds the first trimester from all the nausuea and only gained about 10 of it back...Lost all the original 19 plus 8 by 8wk pp but by the 6th month it was all back plus a few more and there it has stayed....regardless of diet or exercise....I am back up to 181 on my 5'2 frame (luckily ppl are shocked when they find out how much I weigh so I must carry it well..whew) where I was pre-pregnacy up from the 140 I normally am (it came on within 5 months)....

I'll take a peek at the other thread...thanks again..I may take you up on the PM offer....

Take Care

[goosysmom]

Originally Posted by celesterra

I highly recommend seeing a reproductive endocrinologist/OBGYN who specialized in treating PCOS. Like many of the women on the thread mentioned above, I take metformin, and I am on my 3rd month of Clomid. I have been ttc for more than 3 years.

If only my PPO included someone like that...but they don't....

I hope your journey comes to an end soon as it has been much longer than mine.....