[Jesse]

hello,everyone i just found this site today and thought it may be useful. i am 26yrs old. i got off bc pills last sept. had two cycles on my own and then they stopped. i've been seeing my gyn in since last nov about the problem, have had lost of bw and us done and all she wanted me to do is take provera to help bring on the cycles, knowing that i have wanted to become a parent for a long time. with the advice of a co-worker i went to another gyn for second opinion last month. it has been about 8 1/2 month now with no cycle. i saw this new gyn and in one visit w/ new labs and new us done i was dx w/pcos. the doc says i don't fit the profile but the labs and us show the dx. i changed doc and got my records from old gyn and the labs and us showed the same results. why did my old gyn not pick up on the findings, exspecially knowing that i have been trying to concieve?? it's mind blowing and it seems that it is messed up that heath insurance doesn't cover the meds and monitor that new doc wants me to do to try to get a cycle. confused greatly about the whole situation and if this pcos is really the problem knowing all the heath risk and the numbers of infertility factors, why is it not more of a concern for researchers to try and determine a more definite cause and cure? or at least why can't our heath insurance cover our care? sorry ladies, for such a long post i am still angry over the situation and not sure what to do.

[Persephone1881]

to the forum. It's a wonderful place for answers and support.

I understand your frustration over your late diagnosis. I went to my GP in early 2004 due to really whacked out cycles (no period for 3 months, then bleeding for 2 months straight). My mom had told me that my sister had been diagnosed with PCOS and after I looked up the symptoms, I thought I might have it too. My doc (this was my first appointment with her) asked me a couple questions, did a quick pelvic exam and announced that I did not have PCOS. I'm sure anyone here who has PCOS knows how stupid that sounds.. I had no idea at the time.

About a year later, I was referred to an OB for an abnormal pap smear and after that was cleared up, I told him we had been trying to get pregnant with no success for about a year. He saw that I didn't have a regular cycle and gave me Provera, Clomid, and and instruction sheet and told me to come back in a month if I wasn't pregnant. When I finally went back (more than a month later.. I wasn't very impressed with him) all he was interested in was making me have a period every month so he gave me more Provera.. no mention of anything to help me get pregnant. It seemed like he had completely forgotten that I wanted a baby. And he had no interest in finding out why I wasn't ovulating, he just wanted to make me have a period.

Finally a couple months later, I asked a friend who had had trouble conceiving for the name of her OB and I made an appointment to see him. He immediately diagnosed me with PCOS (and looked at me like I was crazy when I told him how my former GP had decided that I didn't have it) and started treatment for it. He also ordered a semen analysis for DH and an HSG for me. I was so relieved to finally know why my body was behaving the way it was and what was preventing us from getting pregnant. At last we had a plan to move forward.

As far as why PCOS isn't more of a concern to doctors, I think it's just not understood well enough. It's not really a reproductive disorder.. it's an endocrine/metabolic disorder that has reproductive impacts. OBs are just not usually as capable at effectively treating it and if it's possible, you should start seeing an RE (reproductive endocrinologist). I only started seeing my RE when I did because my new OB became seriously ill and left his practice.

What are the meds your new doctor wants to put you on and is he aware of your insurance situation? There may be alternatives that will work as well that your insurance will cover. I'm sorry you're frustrated and angry over the situation, but it will get better.

[Jesse]

thank you for the welcome and reply. i probably will find one of those in my area because it doesn't make much sense and maybe that's my biggest issue of it all is not making sense. noone in my family has had pcos. i am only 106 lbs, no acne or excessive hair growth just bad numbers as far as the lh and fsh levels and the us showing the none maturing folicules. i am the only one left out of 3 sibiling that has not been able to start a family yet. my mom and sis have thyroid problems but my brothers nor i do. others than hbp our family is pretty healthy. he wants me to take the provera to get a cyle than take chlomphiene citrate and monitor it. he said that patients that use metformin get ill since they have to take it t.i.d. also my glucose levels have all been normal. thank you, and congrats.