PCOS question

I went to dinner with a friend last night and she was telling me that she and her DH have been trying for a while to get PG, but she said her GYN is sending her for an HSG and bloodwork to check for ovulation. He said that he suspects she may have PCOS. I explained the whole process for the HSG to her.
Now, she knows all about my IF troubles, but I do not have PCOS and want to help her as much as I can. Can anyone tell me exactly how they diagnose PCOS and what the treatments are?
I know that she has a long history of cycts and tumors on her ovaries and I don't know how that affects anything.
Thanks so much!!

Re: PCOS question

there isent one specific thing that points and says u have pcos.. i have a few symptoms - not all - but yet i have pcos. Some people have annovulatory cycles some people get af every single month like clock work.

The way I was diagnosed was by having bloodwork done and having my cycles monitored. My hormones werent right and My cycles were wacked out. I had long irregular cycles - while im a typical pcos case some people may just have one or 2 symptoms.

It seems her dr is heading in the right direction ruling out other possible issues and tackling the problem

eta: my treatment was clomid and iui cycles. i did mc (unfortunatly my dr said with pcos there is a higher chance of mc) but my mc were prob associated to a clotting issue i also have.
She should also have her thyroid checked and make sure thats functioning good too!

for some people clomid/iui does nothing and they need to move to injectables or ivf.. it really just depends on the person

Message edited 11/29/2010 3:58:26 PM.

Re: PCOS question

For most people they are diagnosed via blood tests. The dr thought this was a possibility for me and thus sent me for testing. One thing I know they test for is glucose levels.

There is a list of characteristics of PCOS, like weight, hair, cysts on ovaries, hormone levels being off, etc. But you dont' have to have the entire list of symptoms...

2 of my first cousins have PCOS.

On a side note... it seems PCOS is on the rise; either that or more people are just being diagnosed with it. This was something you hardly ever heard of and now it seems like A LOT of women have it. Makes me wonder....

Message edited 11/29/2010 4:44:28 PM.

Re: PCOS question

PCOS is an acronym for PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome. I have PCOS because I have many cysts (am polycystic) on my ovaries.

All my blood tests are normal: thyroid levels, glucose, hormones. But my cycles are crazy irregular and I ovulate on my own about twice a year, if that. Instead of one follicle growing large and then being ovulated out, I have many follicles every month, all staying small, some of them sticking to my ovaries and becoming larger cysts.

PCOS is pretty common - some estimates put it at 10% of the female population. RE's can treat it pretty successfully - they just have to find the right meds (or combo of meds) to make you ovulate. I still haven't gotten there yet but many, many ladies on this board have PCOS and ovulate with meds so I have lots of hope!

Re: PCOS question

Thanks so much for the responses.
I am trying not to google, and figured you ladies will have better answers for me anyway

I remember my friend also saying she had some thyroid issue a while back, I will have to mention that to her too and see what her doc says.