Should I continue meds and believe I have PCOS?

[wannabe_mamma]

Hi All,

I have been recently diagnosed with PCOS and have been on Metformin the past 2 months and took Clomid this cycle. I started temping in March and have completed 2 cycles of charting so far. Now my question....

The first cycle of charting (March) was a perfect bbt chart that showed pre-O temps, Post-O temps clearly. The following month I had consulted a RE who diagnosed me with PCOS by doing a pelvic ultrasound scan and put me on Metformin saying that I may not be ovulating due to the hormonal imbalance. I found that hard to believe becoz i don't have any symptoms of PCOS, of normal weight/height with very regular periods that range from 3-4 days of flow and cycles of 28-31 days. Moreover, all my hormone blood tests (FSH, LH, Oestrogen, etc) were normal and my RE didn't draw my attention to anything abnormal in my blood hormone tests.  In any case, I heeded the advice of my RE and took the medicines and ever since have been seeing messy temps. You can view my charts here:

http://www.fertilityfriend.com/home/26418b

Should I take a chance and stop my medicines for a couple of cycles to see if I do ovulate on my own? I have a strong feeling that maybe even if I do have PCOS, it's a mild condition and my RE is blowing it out of proportion and putting me on meds that's confusing my hormones. I've read that alot of women with PCOS continue to conceive without help and have children because it's not a serious condition.

I seek the advice of friends here who are more experienced with charting. Thanks in advance!

[msniki412]

Well, if your uncertain of your doctors advice then have you sought to a second opinon or in any case a third opinon? I know how annoying it is to know that something might be "off" with our bodies and just not know what it really is. Having pcos just doesn't mean you have to be overweight and periods not regular, allot of ladies of normal weight have it and have regular cycles. We all have pcos different. I'm overweight, and periods were crazy each month, and another girl I know is also overweight but never got a period. So there are different varations of it. Did they ever do a pelvic or internal sonogram? Pcos may not be considered a serious condition to some, but if it goes untreated it can lead to infertility, which is quite common in allot of cases of infertil women. Did you ever have a blood test at cd 21 to make sure you are ovulating? Thats another test they can do to double check that.

[luisa24]

I agree, get a second opinion if you distrust the diagnoses made by your doc. However, I find it hard to believe that the doc should make a diagnosis that is not based on clear evidence. Maybe he/she did not take enough time to explain the findings in your case. And yes, everyone with PCOS is different in the actual manifestations of the syndrome. Also, Metformin will not tamper with your hormones - it has no effect in that area. The only thing it does is manage your insulin levels and your insulin resistance - which is believed to be a root cause of PCOS (that is, if you have it).  Stopping the medication won't really harm you, but you should still discuss with your doc. You have to know for sure if it is PCOS or not -even if you don't have a lot of symptoms, it has to be managed, otherwise it will pose a threat to your health.

[pol79princess]

I agree with the two posts above. Your doctor is the one with a medical degree (unless you are too), and if you don't trust his diagnosis, then you should find another doctor who will explain it to you better. I also have PCOS, have always been thin, and without birth control I don't get my periods at all. So, as you can see, there are variations in the symptoms. Also, you need to know that 70% of women with PCOS are able to conceive naturally! I belong to the unlucky 30%, but you may not! If you are having fairly regular periods, that may be a good sign. Again, talk to your doctor about this if you need more info.