PCOS - questions help pls
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Topic: PCOS - questions help pls
Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Subject: PCOS - questions help pls
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 9:38am
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Hi guys,
Just wanting to know a few questions on PCOS please. If your periods are regular but you have painful periods - is that a sign of PCOS? I carry my weight in my tummy and have painful periods but that is my only real signs of PCOS. Reason I ask is my sister has it and I have asked my doctor to test me but he thinks I will be fine because I do have very regular cycles? TIA! ------------- TTC 6 years IVF it is IVF/ICSI round one 10 eggs, 8 mature, 3 fertilised BFN IVF/ICSI #2 = 22 eggs! 20 mature, 15 fertilised, 1 fresh transfer and 2 frosties BFN 2 Frosties still in freezer thank god |
Replies:
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 10:46am
| It could be more a sign of endo Dal? I always had regular as AFs, but they were heavy and painful - sure enough I have endo. |
Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 12:02pm
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Eeek! Best I be asking the doctor I guess.
Its weird I get 1 day of REALLY full on pain and the rest isnt to bad. How do they test for Endo? ------------- TTC 6 years IVF it is IVF/ICSI round one 10 eggs, 8 mature, 3 fertilised BFN IVF/ICSI #2 = 22 eggs! 20 mature, 15 fertilised, 1 fresh transfer and 2 frosties BFN 2 Frosties still in freezer thank god |
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 12:21pm
An operation  You've probably heard it mentioned around here a few times - a laparoscopy.
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Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 12:30pm
Ahhh yes thanks, so is that the only way they find out? And do I need to go to my doctor and ask for a referal or something?
 ------------- TTC 6 years IVF it is IVF/ICSI round one 10 eggs, 8 mature, 3 fertilised BFN IVF/ICSI #2 = 22 eggs! 20 mature, 15 fertilised, 1 fresh transfer and 2 frosties BFN 2 Frosties still in freezer thank god |
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 1:05pm
| They will have to refer you to a specialist, and then it goes from there - they'll do tests and scans etc., a lap is the last option really. |
Posted By: Emily281
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 1:07pm
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Hey BooBoo
I have to agree with kate - sounds more like endo than PCOS. Before my lap I used to have 2 or 3 days of REALLY REALLY bad pain (doc had to prescribe me some pretty heavy duty painkillers) and on those days AF would be really heavy and full of HUGE clots. Since my lap I only get 1 day of bad pain (but Neurofen and a heat pack is enough to make it feel better) and less clots. Your GP will need to refer you to a gynae for treatment, and its best to try and find one that specialises in endo surgery so you can minimise the potential scarring. Which part of NZ are you in? ETA: and do you have priveate health insurance? ------------- TTC#1: Jan 07 Aug 08: Lap found and excised Stage 3 Endo Nov 08: 2nd lap clear - given OK to TTC after next AF |
Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 1:40pm
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Thanks guys appreciate your help.
Im in Chch and dont have private health insurance damn it! Its hard to know how much pain is normal? Is nearly passing out normal! ------------- TTC 6 years IVF it is IVF/ICSI round one 10 eggs, 8 mature, 3 fertilised BFN IVF/ICSI #2 = 22 eggs! 20 mature, 15 fertilised, 1 fresh transfer and 2 frosties BFN 2 Frosties still in freezer thank god |
Posted By: emz
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 1:46pm
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Yeah I have to agree Dal, PCOS is generally linked with irregular painful periods but endo can be regular and painful. And yes passing out type of pain is not normal - I can sympathise!
there are of course other things it could be, I had the lap etc to look for endo (already knew I had PCOS) but was diagnosed with an irritable uterus and a weird thing where the blood supply gets cut a little bit to the uterus and makes it contract causing labour type pains usually around period time (But you get no period). If you're worried, I would get a second opinion as its something you shouldn't leave if you have your suspicions. Thinking of you hun |
Posted By: Emily281
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 1:48pm
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ummmm ... I would have to say NO!! lol
As I said before my lap I required some heavy duty painkillers (a colleague was prescribed the same stuff when she had a knee reconstruction) but since the lap I can get away with only neurofen and a heat pack. Its a shame you don't have private health insurance because the Oxford Clinic has a specialist endo treatment center and everyone there is lovely. I'm also not sure how long the waiting list would be for public, I know Angie had to wait around 6 months for her lap in Wellington but she already had a diagnosis so I would expect it could be 12 months or more by the time you get to see a specialist and then get your surgery  ------------- TTC#1: Jan 07 Aug 08: Lap found and excised Stage 3 Endo Nov 08: 2nd lap clear - given OK to TTC after next AF |
Posted By: SMoody
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 3:55pm
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The only way you can now if you have PCOS is to get to a dr and do an internal scan to see if there is cysts on the ovaries. Now this alone is NOT PCOS.
For the second part you need to go for bloodtests. You can do the bloodtests first and then the scan second. But the bloodtests is the one that will tell you if you have it or not. Signs of PCOS is so varied as it is a syndrome and not a specific illness. I never had painful periods and have PCOS. I had other signs however and my gynae in SA gave me one look when we met and said you might have it (due to facial hair and acne) and the scan revealed the cysts (that some PCOS woman dont have however and some have without having PCOS) and then did teh bloodwork. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 4:18pm
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I'm with Emily and Emz on this one - I was prescribed meaty painkillers to kill the pain (well, dull it) but my AF was regular as. And it could take around a year to be seen for a laparoscopy unfortunately, because of the public lists
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Posted By: BuzzyBee
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 4:20pm
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I've just had a laparoscopy (well to be exact a laparascopic cystectomy) on Monday to remove a LARGE cyst, check for endo and dye studies of my tubes. And honestly, the pain has really knocked me for six.
Took me a good 24 hours after the op before I could get out of bed unaided, and even now I am in immense pain, and surving on tremadol (strong pain killers). Not the kind of op i'd recommend unless you were 100% sure there was good reasoning behind doing so ...but then again everyone is different My cyst ended up being larger than scans showed, Since having baby my periods were crippling for the first 3-4 days of my period and around days 14-16 of my cycle i was bed ridden in complete pain, nausea etc etc. Dull cramping 24/7 in lower pelvis which was the cyst. I don't have endo, and yay my tubes aren't too scarred so thats a bonus. But gyne is hoping my periods won't be half as bad now that nasty cyst is out! I was showing classic symptoms of endo. You just never know, and as someones mentioned aboe ...there are so many signs/symptoms you can't make a diagnosis without the op, I'm not sure if a doc/specialist would let you have the op if you're only experiencing the one day of pain when your period starts, public lists are horrid. I certainly wouldn't go through a lap again unless I was darn certain I had something to remove (like another cyst). I've been told no heavy lifting or driving for 4 weeks, which really puts you out when you have kiddies etc. Just my thoughts though darl, I hope you get it sorted and can come to some kinda decision, have you tried taking voltarin or similar pain killers/anti flams when you get this pain at the beginning of your period? |
Posted By: BuzzyBee
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 4:22pm
Oh and i've just come home from hospital, I can't believe some ladies only do a day stay at hosp, i had 2 nights in there and even now I'm not sure if I'm OK enough to be back at home. Mum & Dad are still having to do everything for me and I can't pick Lucas up ...I gotta be careful as he doesn't understand he can't come near my tummy. Looks like no more breastfeeding too, he seems to have forgotton  
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Posted By: Emily281
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 9:15pm
Buzzy - I've had 2 laps now (actually 3 if you count the one to remove my gall bladder but we won't 'cause it was on a different area of the body  ) and the one that removed the endo was the worst pain wise (even if I do include the one where they removed my gall bladder!). It took me a good few days before I could move and I definitely needed the whole 2 weeks off work. The last one I had I was fine pretty much the next day because it was just a quick looksee to make sure my ovaries were still where he put them - I felt better after 1 day than I had after a week with the previous one. It's just cause they have to do so much work in there and move everything around (most of my endo was under my ovaries and he also had to relocate them).
BooBoo - I'd also have to agree with what Buzzy said - it's unlikely you'd get a referral for a lap on just the pain symptom alone. It really could be anything - endo, a cyst, fibriods. I would say its probably likely that you'd be referred for an ultrasound first. That was the first thing my doc did about 18 months ago (although that was for bleeding not pain). And I had heaps of symptoms on top of the pain and even then my GP doubted that I had endo. He only referred me to a gynae because the pain and the PMS was so severe and getting worse every month. He also tried me on Ponstan which is a strong anti-inflmmatory which you unlike neurofen you take 3 times a day every day from the time you start bleeding - its a very common treatment for period pain. ------------- TTC#1: Jan 07 Aug 08: Lap found and excised Stage 3 Endo Nov 08: 2nd lap clear - given OK to TTC after next AF |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 9:35pm
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Im with Steph and Emily on this one too... Ive had 2 laps and the pain after both was pretty up there (had tramadol and paradex for pain relief). I had a week off work to recover and yep, its like having a c-section, you cant do lifting and other physical stuff for 4 - 6 weeks. I was 6 weeks in total for both and DH had to do everything, which was kinda nice but also sucked for me as well.
I had ongoing pain for 18 months before I had any surgery. Before surgery I had about 4 scans, I was sent to a gastro specialist (go figure for pain around my girly bits ) and put on all sorts of meds. And as Emily said I was also put on Ponstan for period pain which worked on and off.
I dont have endo or PCOS thankfully but did have a cyst removed from my ovary. I wouldnt have another lap unless it was absolutely essential I needed one. ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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Posted By: Emily281
Date Posted: 18 February 2009 at 9:39pm
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Hey Rianna - they probably thought it might have been IBS - apparently alot of women who have endo are actually diagnosed with IBS because the symptoms are so similar. Lucky me I have both lol ------------- TTC#1: Jan 07 Aug 08: Lap found and excised Stage 3 Endo Nov 08: 2nd lap clear - given OK to TTC after next AF |
Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 8:54am
Thanks guys, man some of you have been through such a lot! 
Thanks guys, so basically I just need to take a diary of my pain etc and go to the doctor after another 6 months of TTC or something? ------------- TTC 6 years IVF it is IVF/ICSI round one 10 eggs, 8 mature, 3 fertilised BFN IVF/ICSI #2 = 22 eggs! 20 mature, 15 fertilised, 1 fresh transfer and 2 frosties BFN 2 Frosties still in freezer thank god |
Posted By: Emily281
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 8:57am
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Take a diary of everything - not just pain. It's amazing what can be related to what. Eg. my endo symptoms included fatigue, depression, constipation, diarrhoea, sever mood swings, changes in appetite and a bunch of other small stuff.
how long have you been TTC? 'cause that will really determine at what point your GP will do something. ------------- TTC#1: Jan 07 Aug 08: Lap found and excised Stage 3 Endo Nov 08: 2nd lap clear - given OK to TTC after next AF |
Posted By: BuzzyBee
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 9:28am
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Yep BooBoo keeping a diary of your pain, cycles, ttcing etc is a good idea and then presenting it to your doctor. If you're getting bad pain I don't see why he wouldn't refer you for a scan. Ultrasounds can often pick up lots of things related to cysts/PCOS/Endo ...endo you can have little cysts which they refer to as 'chocolate cysts' ...when they saw my big cyst on screen they then did an internal ultrasound then & there to try get a better measurement. Within just over a week I met with my gyne and then a week later had the op (where would I be without medical insurance?).
Hoping i'll be 100% & pain free for my wee guys 2nd Birthday which works out exactly 5 weeks post op! Roll on March 23rd
Interesting that IBS has been brought up, I was diagnosed with that when Lucas was 10 or so months old and I started getting the periods back and the really bad pain, that was also with the Dr that told me I WOULDN'T have a cyst left over from pregnancy and that I didn't know what I was talking about. Boy how wrong was she
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Posted By: IVFGirl1111
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 11:13am
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Thanks guys.
Its been 18 months TTC - but in saying that 15 of those 18 months we werent really really trying if that makes sense. And I didnt really know how ovulation and all that jaz worked to be honest! ------------- TTC 6 years IVF it is IVF/ICSI round one 10 eggs, 8 mature, 3 fertilised BFN IVF/ICSI #2 = 22 eggs! 20 mature, 15 fertilised, 1 fresh transfer and 2 frosties BFN 2 Frosties still in freezer thank god |
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 11:33am
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I'm one of the lucky ones with IBS and endo as well - much of the symptoms can be similar - bloating, wind, diarrhoea, cramps.....
It won't hurt to ask your doctor anyway Dal, as the pain you have is NOT normal and you shouldn't be expected to put up with it!! |
Posted By: SaffronLady
Date Posted: 19 February 2009 at 9:56pm
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Hey all
I have PCO. I randomly came off the pill just to have a break and didn't have a period at all for 6 months. This prompted me to see a GP about it. I had a scan and had heaps of cysts on my ovaries. GP said go back on the pill until you want to get preg then come back for help. Wen not on the pill, I have bad acne, easy to put on weight, but Im lucky not to have the bodily hair. I got married and decided it was time to have kids. I came off the pill again in April and again no periods at all. We got impatient and went to Fertility Associates in Oct. They are wonderful. We paid for 4 cycles of Clomifene before we got preg. We could have tried to 1 year and got the Government funding but we figured that IVF was a bit to OTT for us at this stage. We would never had got preg without help cos I was not ovulating.They did advise that we will need to come back when we want #2. In regards to Insurance, i was lucky enough to work for Sovereign at the time that I found out about my PCO. As an employee, they accepted me for full insurance without exclusions. So everything, even things I already knew about were covered. I suggest that before you get anything investigated, you get insurance. if you get insurance then the GP finds something then it would probably be covered. Good Luck :) ------------- http://mummade.co.nz">Go to MumMade   
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