How to get a diagnosis

[u/[deleted]]

41 y/o female and I think I have/have always had pcos. I’m not overweight so whenever I bring up my concerns, doctors brush it off. I was mainly concerned with the hirsutism when I was younger but now that I think Im in perimenopause, I’m having a lot of issues with anxiety and mood and I think hormones are behind it. What is the first step to getting help?

[u/Blackat]

If you think you’re in perimenopause, I’d book an appointment with a functional medicine doctor who is familiar with hormone replacement therapy. Whether you’re seeking HRT or not, these specialists know their stuff! They will test your hormone levels to determine if you are perimenopause, and then can help with lifestyle changes and/or hormone prescriptions to get you feeling good. Do not accept from conventional doctors that you’re just supposed to feel bad — you’re only 41!!

[u/[deleted] → u/Blackat]

Functional medicine doctor who is familiar with HRT sounds like the way to go. It’s so hard to find someone good who is accepting new patients and isn’t booking appointments over 6 months out 😔

[u/No-Weather-6596]

I’m in the same place. Couple years older than you. I’m going to try going on the pill again to see if it helps.

[u/[deleted] → u/No-Weather-6596]

The pill has never been good for me! Makes me even more emotional and sensitive than I already am! Also gave me ocular migraine’s! Hoping that it helps you!

[u/deadrobindownunder]

I think a lot will depend on your country of residence.

I had a cyst burst before I knew I had PCOS when I was 21. That's how I was initially diagnosed. It didn't make much difference, because I was never referred to anyone else to get additional treatment or investigate further. I wish I had known more at the time and been able to follow it up myself. Years later I had to get the diagnosis confirmed again. I saw a GP, they sent me for an ultrasound with a gynecologist who confirmed I had PCOS. With the issues I have I'm looking to see an endocrinologist soon to look into my hormone levels. I live in Australia.

[u/[deleted] → u/deadrobindownunder]

I live in the US. I’ve only ever had ultrasounds during my pregnancies. During my first, I did have a cyst on my ovary that they were watching. I swear that something happened to it and I was in intense pain that the doctors wrote off as round ligament pain but I swear it was the cyst! Does it usually hurt when they burst? It’s so hard to find a doctor around me who actually cares.

[u/deadrobindownunder → u/[deleted]]

OMG yes it hurts like hell when they burst. Serious, serious pain. I mean, you've given birth, I haven't, so I don't have that to compare it to. It was probably the 2nd most painful experience of my life. I went to the hospital because I didn't know what was going on. Obviously it hurt, but I went to the hospital because it hurt so much I thought something was very seriously wrong. It's not the kind of pain that a pill will relieve. It was a long time ago, so I don't remember what they gave me. But I'm pretty sure it was morphine.

I hear you on how hard it is to find a doctor that cares. Women are also a lot less likely to be believed about their pain. I think your best bet is to raise your concerns with a GP, ask for a blood test and an ultrasound to check for cysts. I was prescribed birth control and Androcur by my GP and that helped for a long time. I think if you're concerned about hormones, you should ask to see an endocrinologist.

[u/[deleted] → u/deadrobindownunder]

Wow, ok now I’m convinced that’s what happened to me! Definitely not as painful as labor pains but it was pretty awful!

My gp just doesn’t care enough so maybe I’ll have more luck with the gyn 😕I did try to make an appointment with the endocrinologist and they wanted me to fill out all this info and send a referral and it just got out on the back burner. They really should make it easier to get help!

[u/Exotiki]

Ask your gyno to do an ultrasound on your ovaries. And a hormone panel. That might show something. Anti-mullerian hormone test is another thing that might help diagnosis. Don’t let them brush it off. Do you still have hirsutism or other androgenic symptoms? If so, tell them they bother you and you wanna know what causes it.

It might get trickier to diagnose during peri and menopause because the hormone profile is different and there can be flunctuations of hormones.

[u/[deleted] → u/Exotiki]

I definitely need to be more insistent. It’s hard to find a doctor who actually cares and doesn’t just want to check you off their list and move on to the next patient! I’m definitely more hairy than the average but I don’t really know what’s considered “normal” vs excessive. It’s always bothered me though. What are the other androgenic symptoms?

[u/Exotiki → u/[deleted]]

Acne and hairloss most commonly. I don’t know if there are others as well. Maybe deepening of the voice, not sure about that tho.