Symptoms but no cysts?
TaurusV
Posts: 66
Hi, girls (and boys if there is any). I always had symptoms of P.C.O.S, specially not menstruating for a year once and now menstruating each 3 months. I dont have any acne or oily skin though. I dont have thyroid problems either (very normal values). But I have naturally thin hair and thicker body hair that annoys me. Also have very high Androstadienone, low globulin and testosteron on the limit side.
I was suspected 3 times of having this and every transvag. ultrasound all different doctors said I have not even a small cyst on the ovaries. How can that be? I did these exams separated in time, in interval of 10 years.
So should I really just keep at this and conform myself? Can I have pre-PCOS waiting to be developed when I am older? (I have thick body hair since puberty).
I gave up on the pill, cause they send me into deep depression and weight gain (tried lots of types of them for some time each).
I was suspected 3 times of having this and every transvag. ultrasound all different doctors said I have not even a small cyst on the ovaries. How can that be? I did these exams separated in time, in interval of 10 years.
So should I really just keep at this and conform myself? Can I have pre-PCOS waiting to be developed when I am older? (I have thick body hair since puberty).
I gave up on the pill, cause they send me into deep depression and weight gain (tried lots of types of them for some time each).
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It is technically possible to have PCOS and not have cysts on your ovaries (the name polycystic ovarian syndrome is actually a misnomer, it's an endocrinological disorder) - and actually likewise it's possible to have cysts on your ovaries but not have PCOS.
That being said, you would normally want to look specifically at the LH and FSH lab values. In a normal person, these are approximately 1:1 ratio, but in PCOS they are about 2:1 (LH:FSH) or even higher. Have you had these labs done? Have you had your glucose levels checked for insulin resistance?
If you have the abnormal LH:FSH level, then with your other symptoms its highly likely you do have PCOS. If you don't have this, then it's likely not that. There are other things that cause high Androgens (and high androgens in turn cause the thin hair/thicker body hair so those things are linked, whatever the root cause). Keep pursuing this with your doctor and get to the bottom of it because one of those things is a tumor - though usually non-malignant - especially if it's been going on this long so don't get too worried about that option, but definitely pursue answers!
Of course, there is no harm in following a low-carb, low-sugar lifestyle in case you have PCOS, while trying to get to the bottom of it. Studies have shown this kind of diet can benefit women with high androgen levels, even those who do not have PCOS. (sorry I'm too lazy to link to some studies right now but Google away and you'll find lots of info)
Another thing that can help bring androgen levels down is Spearmint tea. I just started trying this myself so can't say for sure if it will help but it's something that's pretty easy to try.
Good luck!0 -
PCOS is a syndrome, which is defined as a group of symptoms that tend to go together but not every person is going to have every symptom. And the symptoms you do have will vary in intensity.
When did you stop taking the pill? Were you taking it a long time? The reason I ask is that the pill will keep you from developing cysts (or more correctly, follicles). A follicle is formed because with PCOS, the body tends to prepare to ovulate by getting an egg into place but then you do not ovulate (due to hormone imbalance) and the egg just sits there, eventually hardening into a scar of sorts. On the pill, your body does not prepare to ovulate so you don't tend to get follicles. I've been on the pill most of my adult life so I don't have as many follicles as I would have had if I wasn't on it.
It sounds like you are not ovulating regularly, which makes me think that you "should" have follicles. But not having them does not rule the disorder out entirely - in other words, you don't have to have them to have PCOS.0 -
Of course, there is no harm in following a low-carb, low-sugar lifestyle in case you have PCOS, while trying to get to the bottom of it. Studies have shown this kind of diet can benefit women with high androgen levels, even those who do not have PCOS. (sorry I'm too lazy to link to some studies right now but Google away and you'll find lots of info)
^this
PCOS can display differently. Ive been dx since i was like 11 but ive always had my period right on time, and as far as I can tell i ovulate regularly. but have cyst burst every stinkin month, have hair loss, extra hair places, etc. Last time they checked, i had twice as many follicles at age 33 as a 'normal' 18 year old has.
either way, following a low carb diet is good for anyone with those types of hormonal imbalances. its worth a shot0 -
It is technically possible to have PCOS and not have cysts on your ovaries (the name polycystic ovarian syndrome is actually a misnomer, it's an endocrinological disorder) - and actually likewise it's possible to have cysts on your ovaries but not have PCOS.
That being said, you would normally want to look specifically at the LH and FSH lab values. In a normal person, these are approximately 1:1 ratio, but in PCOS they are about 2:1 (LH:FSH) or even higher. Have you had these labs done? Have you had your glucose levels checked for insulin resistance?
If you have the abnormal LH:FSH level, then with your other symptoms its highly likely you do have PCOS. If you don't have this, then it's likely not that. There are other things that cause high Androgens (and high androgens in turn cause the thin hair/thicker body hair so those things are linked, whatever the root cause). Keep pursuing this with your doctor and get to the bottom of it because one of those things is a tumor - though usually non-malignant - especially if it's been going on this long so don't get too worried about that option, but definitely pursue answers!
Of course, there is no harm in following a low-carb, low-sugar lifestyle in case you have PCOS, while trying to get to the bottom of it. Studies have shown this kind of diet can benefit women with high androgen levels, even those who do not have PCOS. (sorry I'm too lazy to link to some studies right now but Google away and you'll find lots of info)
Another thing that can help bring androgen levels down is Spearmint tea. I just started trying this myself so can't say for sure if it will help but it's something that's pretty easy to try.
Good luck!
Thanks! No, I didnt check for LH, FSH, only when i was on pill for a short time. But I checked for insulin resistance one year ago and was normal.
Wow supercoo, I didnt know about the spearmint or that you can get well with low carb even for us high androgen girls. When I ate mostly protein instead of carbs, I was so thin. Maybe is connected.
I also didnt know about tumor? Should I be worried? Do I have to be fast to find out? The doctors here are not like in USA or Canada. The life here is very slow and doctors usually don't know about most of these modern subjects so well as in USA, I think (small city in Europe).
Thank you a lot, I will try to get this spearmint. Does it have too much side effects, can anyone take it?0 -
Hi, thanks for the input. I took for very short time, some months in a year, then some years later I took for 12 months around again. But I am not on the pill for quite some time now. This syndrome is so confusing, and many doctors seems it looks all like about the cysts. If you dont have any and ovary is normal, you are good to go, is their usual modus operandi. Is very insecure for us that have or might have some problem with this.PCOS is a syndrome, which is defined as a group of symptoms that tend to go together but not every person is going to have every symptom. And the symptoms you do have will vary in intensity.
When did you stop taking the pill? Were you taking it a long time? The reason I ask is that the pill will keep you from developing cysts (or more correctly, follicles). A follicle is formed because with PCOS, the body tends to prepare to ovulate by getting an egg into place but then you do not ovulate (due to hormone imbalance) and the egg just sits there, eventually hardening into a scar of sorts. On the pill, your body does not prepare to ovulate so you don't tend to get follicles. I've been on the pill most of my adult life so I don't have as many follicles as I would have had if I wasn't on it.
It sounds like you are not ovulating regularly, which makes me think that you "should" have follicles. But not having them does not rule the disorder out entirely - in other words, you don't have to have them to have PCOS.
0 -
Of course, there is no harm in following a low-carb, low-sugar lifestyle in case you have PCOS, while trying to get to the bottom of it. Studies have shown this kind of diet can benefit women with high androgen levels, even those who do not have PCOS. (sorry I'm too lazy to link to some studies right now but Google away and you'll find lots of info)
^this
PCOS can display differently. Ive been dx since i was like 11 but ive always had my period right on time, and as far as I can tell i ovulate regularly. but have cyst burst every stinkin month, have hair loss, extra hair places, etc. Last time they checked, i had twice as many follicles at age 33 as a 'normal' 18 year old has.
either way, following a low carb diet is good for anyone with those types of hormonal imbalances. its worth a shot
I will keep trying with lowering the carb the most I can without feeling bad! Thank you guys. This syndrome is so complicated, you have the cysts but no irregularity, why this thing is not studied more?0 -
When I was diagnosed it was through blood work and an ultrasound. I did NOT have any cysts but my blood work is what showed that I did have PCOS.
Also, I have a friend who is having MAJOR troubles with ovarian cysts...but she doesn't have PCOS.0 -
If you dont mind if I ask, what was the biggest thing that showed in the blood work the PCOS? I have mostly high androstenedione, and limiting testosterone. Thank you!When I was diagnosed it was through blood work and an ultrasound. I did NOT have any cysts but my blood work is what showed that I did have PCOS.
Also, I have a friend who is having MAJOR troubles with ovarian cysts...but she doesn't have PCOS.0 -
High testosterone is a good indicator, but can be indicative of other things. If this is the only thing abnormal on your blood work, your doctor should be looking to eliminate all other possible causes of high testosterone before concluding PCOS.
Other things that could show up in your blood panel are:
High ratio of LH to FSH (LH:FSH ratio should be 1:1 but in PCOS is often around 2:1
High LH on it's own
Abnormal blood glucose (specifically in a glucose tolerance test)
High insulin
Low progesterone (but this depends on what day of your cycle you're on, so it's hard to compare with a baseline - you have to be sure of what cycle day the blood is drawn in order to be able to use this as a diagnostic tool)
There might be more but that is all I can remember at the moment.
The thing is, not everyone with PCOS has ALL the symptoms/signs. Most people have 1 or two things. PCOS is a clusterf*ck of symptoms and everyone will be a bit different.0 -
I don't know to be honest. I was 15 when I was diagnosed and my doctor mainly said that my blood work showed I had PCOS....she said a few other things but had a super heavy accent so I didn't hear any of it. lol I have to get a new doctor one of these days to get everything tested again since it's been a long time.0
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I don't know to be honest. I was 15 when I was diagnosed and my doctor mainly said that my blood work showed I had PCOS....she said a few other things but had a super heavy accent so I didn't hear any of it. lol I have to get a new doctor one of these days to get everything tested again since it's been a long time.
I know, I dont know if I was unlucky and got 3 different gynec. misdiagnosis all my life, but those doctors had good reputation. Sigh, but none of them gave me a good diagnosis, one said was my diet, another said I had to go to endocrin and not her. I dont have high glucosis, or insulin resistance, though I had some low protein exames before.
One of them told me I could try the patch of hormones that would be better than pills, but my husband read somewhere some young women died from it (trombosis, dunno) and that is not well tested yet, and he was scared and asked me if I could not use it by now. But my doc said that has less of some effects of the normal pills that I was getting. Sigh, well hope it is just my messed up genes -.- that wont cause danger in the future.0 -
^^ Thrombosis is a concern with the birth control pill, yes.0
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They said that the patch is more dangerous though, dunno why. Is a damned if you, damned if you dont.^^ Thrombosis is a concern with the birth control pill, yes.0 -
I didn't know that. I know my cousin cannot take BCP because she has a family history of thrombosis. She was on the Depo shot with no problems.0
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Im convinced the combined pill has made my blood pressure high. Before starting it although overweight my blood pressure was normal and now, I have lost weight since starting it and still exercising and my blood pressure is now raised. Im now on the mini pill so shall see how that goes.
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