went to a specialist reproductive endocrinologist today about my irregular periods and weight gain, which I suspected may be related and may be PCOS.

My doctor was WONDERFUL. He said that he is almost positive it's PCOS and prescribed metformin (which he described as a "magic bullet"). I have my blood work and untrasound tomorrow to confirm, but he said to start taking the met straightaway.

He also said that a lo carb diet is exactly the right thing, though he said that I should add in low GI fruits sooner rather than later and not stay at Atkins induction levels for more than about 8 weeks - even if weight is dropping off.

He said that the medical evidence for this WOE is coming in and looks more and more convincing. But he also said that only moderate amounts of red meat and cheese should be consumed and that people should really read what Atkins says carefully and not go overboard on the cheese and cream.

Anyway - I'm just so happy I went.

He said that I will be thin for my wedding and pregnant on my honeymoon (if I want!).

Way to go! And congratulations! You finally have an answer!! I am 43 and found out June of 2004. An answer that I have been looking for since I was 13 -14 years old. I have been on Glucophage since then (1500 mg xr) and it is helping so much. I have had 7 cycles in a row!! YEE HAW!!!! And have never felt better.

That is SO wondeful!

I feel really fortunate that I found this out so quickly and relatively painlessly. My mother had PCOS, I'm SURE.

But her symptoms were never linked together and she had to suffer the facial hair and weight gain without ever having a clue. She also had a heck of a time getting pregnant, suffered miscarriages, ruptured cysts, etc.

Now she's a type II diabetic.

I feel very very blessed that I found out about PCOS and got a diagnosis and treatment so quickly - and before discovering I had fertility problems.

It is down to these message boards (including soulcysters) that I was able to tell my regular doctor that I needed to see a reproductive endo and didn't take her cr*p about telling me to eat fewer calories and lose weight if I wanted to have periods.

I just said - I'm not surprised you said that, because this area of medicine is not your speciality. Please refer me to an RE now.

Women getting diagnosed now are much more fortunate than women a generation ago, who had to put up with the symptoms and feel ASHAMED about having them. It makes me sick, actually.

To be honest - I think this is a feminist issue. There are still a lot of doctors out there making women who have PCOS feel like worthless pigs.

MeNoCarb - your last post was very powerful. I especially agree that this IS a feminist issue - more than the postering of curvy women and female genitals that i see plastered around everywhere I look for the 'face of feminism'. I mean sure, we are beautiful and menstruation is great, but what about those whose "curviness" is the result of a hormonal imbalance that makes menstruation impossible? Why isn't feminism addressing us?? Thanks for your posts! You are right that you were VERY fortunate to have finally found a supportive RE. Congrats on your engagement!

Thanks very much, dasanipure!

I think that with issues of insulin resistance, PCOS and type II diabetes becoming more widespread, there will be more understanding and awareness.

I, too, just got the PCOS diagnosis. My doctor said that he thinks 1/2 the population has it to some degree or another, with varying levels of symptoms and difficulties. He couldn't understand why my last doctor never picked up on it, but I'm really glad that he did.

He just seemed concerned that I'm very insulin resistant. He was all happy-go-lucky til he saw that lab result, then got kind of grave. But reading that many others are also insulin resistant and it seems to be common among those of us who have PCOS, I'm confused as to why this troubled him so. He put me on 1000 mg a day (500 mg 2x a day) of Metformin, which I'm hating right now. I asked him if he was talking diabetes, and he said "not yet, maybe we caught it in time". That seemed kind of odd...?? So, does IR become diabetes or does the Metformin prevent that?

Yesterday my labs came back, and my cholesterol was normal (he said if it was high, he didn't want me to low carb anymore) and my thyroid was still low, so he increased my Synthroid.

It's weird to go from no diagnosis to three in two visits, but at least I have a name for what the problem has been all this time.

Susan

I'm pretty sure my mom had PCOS - she had all the classic symptoms. AND A LOUSY DOCTOR. Now, as I mentioned in my previous post - she has diabetes that started as Type II and is now Type I (because she wouldn't take her medicine so she would lose weight).

I think the issue with IR and PCOS is - if you are IR, it makes it very difficult to lose weight and you are overburdening your pancreas by overproduction of insulin. Once your pancreas gives out, your blood sugars run wild and you have diabetes.

So the questions is - have you already done too much damage to your pancreas?

IR is greatly helped and the risk of developing diabetes is dramatically lowered by losing weight. Of course, the IR makes it difficult to lose weight, which is a horrible catch 22. The best way to combat that is to LC, which keeps your blood sugars very low and very stable and your insulin levels low, which should help you to lose weight.

You should start a journal so people can come visit!

Good luck!

I was diagnosed in 2001, when I was perscribed Metformin for the first time. I've been on and off it since, always quitting when the GI problems became too painful to deal with. I switched RE's when we moved this year, and we've been seriously trying to conceive. The new RE was adamant that I try and get back on the Met before trying Clomid or Letrozole. I tried it for a week before the painful cramping caused me to say "forget this!" I called my new RE and the nurse told me that eating too many carbs when taking met can cause GI problems. How is it that no one told me this for four years?!? The good news is I've been low carbing for a week, taking the met, and I've lost 7 pounds!

I was just diagnosed with PCOS today, my doctor called me earlier after she got my blood test results. I have been surfing the web for info on it and never thought I would find many of my answers here where I have already been a member! I have probably had it since I was a teen but I was on the pill for 12 years so I had regular periods, etc. DH and I have been trying to have a baby for the last year and now I know what the problem is! I am going to see another doctor she referred me too next month and I want to know what questions to ask. I am just glad that low carb seems to be a good idea for anyone that has PCOS. Thanks everyone for all the great info!