Could be PCOS?

[lovelee925]

Hello-

I'm a 27 yr old single woman, no children and I have had symptoms throughout the last year and a half that no doctor seems to be able to diagnose. The only thing they "know" is it's endocrine based. I've had bouts of dizziness, essential tremor, pins and needles all over my body on a daily basis, problems with memory and cognition (used to have a photographic memory), fatigue that seems to taper as the day goes on, weakness in my muscles, especially my thighs. I've had trouble walking up even small flights of stairs. I've developed the worst acne of my life and have not been able to lose weight no matter how healthy I eat and how much I exercise since age 16. I've steadily been gaining since then albeit slowly. I also have a really puffy face now, abnormally puffy. I also occasionally get optical migraines.

All of the tests I've had were normal with the exception of a 4 point salivary cortisol test, which came back sporadically high and an elevated SED rate @ 35 (Range <20). I had a random MRi of the head done in May of 2011 as I was experiencing numbness and tingling in my arms, legs and face and they suspected I had MS. I tested negative for MS, but I had some "excess fluid" (This is what the ER neurologist told me) on the left hemisphere of my brain. Arachnoid granulations I think. He said this was uncommon but normal (what?) I also apparently have a partially empty sella (this was not mentioned to me, I checked the reports after they gave me a copy) don't know if that matters. Every other test I had came back normal (ekg, chest xray, CBC full panel, sex hormones, etc.) Oh, but my LH levels however were like 5x higher than my FSH levels. Heard that a common PCOS sign.

If anyone has any input or can give me an idea of a kind of doctor to go see, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

[lovelee925]

Thanks for responding but I haven't been diagnosed with PCOS. I just posted here asking about it being a possibility given my symptoms. I have not been officially diagnosed with anything, yet still have the ongoing symptoms that I listed above. I don't eat, gluten, lactose or nuts anymore myself. Haven't for about 2 years now. I eat 1200-1400 a day. I appreciate your response anyway as the information about weight loss you posted is helpful for anyone :)

[Nyxks]

With PCOS you need to work harder then most to get the weight off and for some actually eating more is what you need to do (or less depending on medical health in general). I've managed to louse over 100 pounds (I average 20 pounds a year) its slow going but the scale is going in the right direction, but for me its meant having to work out twice as hard as others might (I use to hit the gym for 4 hours 2 of weight training and 2 for cardio and at the end of the month I might see a pound or two loss and I'd be eating around 1800 to 2300 calories, because I found eating under 1600 meant I "gained weight" instead of lost).

I've settled into a deal that works for me, I've cut out a lot of things (soy, gluten, lactose and nuts - mostly do to allergies or intolerance's) and have found that I don't have to work out as hard and that eating 1200 to 1500 a day works well enough for a monthly pound or two loss (if I'm doing hard physical work I can drop 5 or more pounds in a month - but just day to day non heavy physical work not happening).

So you might track down a dietitian who works with those who are diabetic (since finding one who works with those with PCOS is much harder and many who work with diabetics at least have some of the info to work with those who have PCOS, since one of the roots of it is insulin resistance for most with it).

[lovelee925]

Thanks for responding Doctor. I have been going to an endocrinologist, and I have a gynecologist as well. Both of them are "baffled" (in the words of my endocrinologist) and haven't been able to help unfortunately. My endocrinologist seems to have given up quite frankly. I have never been to a neurologist so I guess I could try that.

As for the weight loss, I am aware that would help, as I've been trying to lose weight for the last decade. It's as if my body does not know how to eliminate fat. I remember one particularly frustrating time a short while ago during a 4 month period. I was eating 1200-1400 clean calories/day, exercising 5-6 days/wk and strength training/weightlighting 2-3 days a week. At the end of the 4 month period I had gained a pound and my measurements were exactly the same. More recently I have been losing and regaining the same four pounds. I will lose the four pounds slowly and then literally regain them randomly overnight one day and have to start all over again. It is beyond maddening. I have never, ever, ever been able to properly lose weight and I eat very healthfully and eat very little. A family member of mine stayed with me for a few days a couple of weeks ago and said after watching how much and what I eat, they have no idea why I'm overweight. I'm currently 170 and 5'4'', thank goodness my frame is large and my bones are dense unless I would look much worse than i do. Do you have any advice on this weight reduction given my unsuccessful history with it?

[Sanjivani Wanjari, MD]

Hi,
After reading your post it is obvious that you will need a team of specialists. Your problem can be sorted out in consultation with an endocrinologist, neurologist and a gynaecologist. Weight reduction will go a long way in dealing with your problems. Hope this helps.
Take care and good luck.