Doctors willing to diagnose PCOS in Virginia
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I have PCOS. I'm happy to share with you my story and how it relates or doesn't relate to weight loss. I was struggling with infertility and successful pregnancy, having suffered 7 miscarriages in 7 pregnancies in 6 years. I started to see a gynecologist who specializes in oncology. They diagnosed my PCOS (didn't know I had it) via ultrasound. The very definition of PCOS is that you have multiple cysts on your ovaries, something easier to see than detect in blood. I started metformin. I was not actively looking to lose weight at the time, and did not lose weight while I was on it. I stopped metformin with a successful pregnancy (he's 6 now and super cool).
I still have PCOS. I don't take metformin. Yes, my calorie limit is adjusted for that because I do believe it affects my BMR. But I was still able to lose 70 lbs without medication.
My advice, I guess, would be 1) see a gynecologist for an ultrasound to determine if you have PCOS. 2) get your BMR tested to determine what your CO portion of the equation really is.
Best of luck.22 -
pamplemousse21 wrote: »God. I thought posting on MyFitnessPal would be fine but apparently the internet is trash everywhere. Thanks to those of you who actually said helpful things instead of assuming I was lazy and wanted metformin as a magical solution. And to be clear, i have been diagnosed but the doctor didnt do or suggest anything helpful (my title maybe makes this unclear, thats on me). I am not self diagnosing. I am counting calories meticulously (including weighing/measuring my food). I just want a doctor who believes me when I outline my symptoms and provides some sort of solution instead of “you aren’t going to be able to keep losing weight but you have to to be healthy” or just writes binge eater down in my chart when I explicitly told them I’m not. If they had some sort of solution other than metformin I would be perfectly happy with that (prescription or otherwise) but no one has done so.
No one said you were lazy. No one said you were self diagnosing. And I'm not sure why any of this conversation demonstrates that "the internet is trash." Most people have given you accurate advice, and many of us have been in similar situations.
I have (had?) PCOS and was morbidly obese. I was on metformin along with several other medications. I took metformin for many years with no change in my weight, even though I was active and eating a healthy diet. I lost weight when I started accurately weighing and logging my food, and consistently staying within my calorie goal. Once I was about halfway to my goal weight, I was able to stop all the medications. After losing 100 pounds, I am now at an optimal BMI, where I have been maintaining for over a year. I continue to manage my medical conditions without medication.20 -
brightsideofpink wrote: »I have PCOS. I'm happy to share with you my story and how it relates or doesn't relate to weight loss. I was struggling with infertility and successful pregnancy, having suffered 7 miscarriages in 7 pregnancies in 6 years. I started to see a gynecologist who specializes in oncology. They diagnosed my PCOS (didn't know I had it) via ultrasound. The very definition of PCOS is that you have multiple cysts on your ovaries, something easier to see than detect in blood. I started metformin. I was not actively looking to lose weight at the time, and did not lose weight while I was on it. I stopped metformin with a successful pregnancy (he's 6 now and super cool).
I still have PCOS. I don't take metformin. Yes, my calorie limit is adjusted for that because I do believe it affects my BMR. But I was still able to lose 70 lbs without medication.
My advice, I guess, would be 1) see a gynecologist for an ultrasound to determine if you have PCOS. 2) get your BMR tested to determine what your CO portion of the equation really is.
Best of luck.
Just wanted to add that you don't need cysts to have PCOS despite its name. It's an endocrine disorder that can cause cysts but it's not a requirement for diagnosis ( that's why a hysterectomy doesn't fix pcos).1 -
Multiple people explicitly said I was self diagnosing. Multiple people implied I was lazy by saying I was looking for a magical solution. I’ve been doing the work and I made this post because I’m sick of doctors assuming I haven’t and the last thing I wanted was people who do not know the condition telling me that I haven’t. There has been plenty of good advice that I plan to use. I didn’t realize how inaccurate measuring cups can be for example. But there has been too many annoying comments about me looking for a magical solution (I.e. looking for a doctor who will explore solutions for my already diagnosed PCOS instead of telling me I’m doomed to not lose the weight) or me just self diagnosing that I’m done looking at and responding to this. I really am grateful for those who tried to help and did help but I came here explicitly for the reason of seeing if I could find a doctor who would listen to me, not so that people could condescend to me about my situation (again, explicitly talking about people saying I’m self diagnosing or looking for a magical solution, not the people who tried to help but were giving me information I already knew).13
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MelanieCN77 wrote: »This baffles me. Searching for a doctor who will do what you have decided is right rather than taking the hint from the many you've seen?
Right. How obscene of me to want to find a doctor who cares about my excruciating ovary pain, frequent migraines, constant fatigue, and extremely painful cystic acne instead of just telling me I have PCOS and am doomed when I know there are things that can help.
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Why don't you try suing for malpractice? That seems to be the angle you are taking. There's more to this story and you just aren't telling it all. There is no way I believe that multiple doctors are refusing to treat a diagnosed condition. That just doesn't make sense in this litigious society.
Heck, I have the opposite problem. If I mention any kind of symptoms of anything at all they want to give me multiple tests and pills.
I have never had a problem getting medication for a diagnosed illness. There's more to this story.22 -
...and you say you know multiple people who have gotten Metformin and that it has helped their exact same problems? Why not ask them who their doctor is?14
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cmriverside wrote: »...and you say you know multiple people who have gotten Metformin and that it has helped their exact same problems? Why not ask them who their doctor is?
The more to the story is that the first 3 doctors told me there is nothing wrong you are just overeating and not telling us go home and didn’t test me. The fourth doctor told me I do have PCOS and basically told me I’m doomed to deal with the symptoms forever. I didnt feel a need to make an already long post longer by adding those details and didn’t feel the need add those details in general. I was asking for recommendations for doctors, those details aren’t relevant. And because of the three people I know with PCOS 2 were diagnosed in Texas and one was diagnosed in Maine.
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the things with drs is its going to be trial and error. my mother in law when sick saw more than 5 drs for her illness,finally she found one who was able to figure out what her health problem was. she had many tell her one thing and another would tell her no she had something else. by the time she found out what it was it was too late.so it can take dr after dr to figure out the issues and find one that is willing to listen as well.
same with endos. my daughter went to one who did not believe she barely ate 1200 calories,she looked at her like she was an overeater too. she wasnt and still isnt.she told her she had insulin resistance just by looking at her(she had Acanthosis nigricans). she did NO blood tests. made my daughter feel like a piece of *kitten* and belittled her because she was NOT a vegetarian.
we left her practice after that ONE visit. it was that bad and had our family dr find another endo. she finally found one that doesnt belittle her and treats her like a human being and we found out she does not have insulin resistance either and the Acanthosis nigricans cleared up with her thyroid meds. she had no other issues besides that. she can actually talk to her endo and she is helpful.
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CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »the things with drs is its going to be trial and error. my mother in law when sick saw more than 5 drs for her illness,finally she found one who was able to figure out what her health problem was. she had many tell her one thing and another would tell her no she had something else. by the time she found out what it was it was too late.so it can take dr after dr to figure out the issues and find one that is willing to listen as well.
same with endos. my daughter went to one who did not believe she barely ate 1200 calories,she looked at her like she was an overeater too. she wasnt and still isnt.she told her she had insulin resistance just by looking at her(she had Acanthosis nigricans). she did NO blood tests. made my daughter feel like a piece of *kitten* and belittled her because she was NOT a vegetarian.
we left her practice after that ONE visit. it was that bad and had our family dr find another endo. she finally found one that doesnt belittle her and treats her like a human being and we found out she does not have insulin resistance either and the Acanthosis nigricans cleared up with her thyroid meds. she had no other issues besides that. she can actually talk to her endo and she is helpful.
Thank you so much for both of your very helpful responses.3 -
pamplemousse21 wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »the things with drs is its going to be trial and error. my mother in law when sick saw more than 5 drs for her illness,finally she found one who was able to figure out what her health problem was. she had many tell her one thing and another would tell her no she had something else. by the time she found out what it was it was too late.so it can take dr after dr to figure out the issues and find one that is willing to listen as well.
same with endos. my daughter went to one who did not believe she barely ate 1200 calories,she looked at her like she was an overeater too. she wasnt and still isnt.she told her she had insulin resistance just by looking at her(she had Acanthosis nigricans). she did NO blood tests. made my daughter feel like a piece of *kitten* and belittled her because she was NOT a vegetarian.
we left her practice after that ONE visit. it was that bad and had our family dr find another endo. she finally found one that doesnt belittle her and treats her like a human being and we found out she does not have insulin resistance either and the Acanthosis nigricans cleared up with her thyroid meds. she had no other issues besides that. she can actually talk to her endo and she is helpful.
Thank you so much for both of your very helpful responses.
yw1 -
Great Big Hugs
Sounds like you've been through a lot.4 -
I live in Roanoke, Virginia; about two hours from Charlottesville. I see an Endocrinologist at Endocrinology Associates that prescribes my metformin. I was originally receiving it from a doctor at Phyicians to Women. I was on the same track as you until I demanded my PCP to send me to an Endocrinologist. In the meantime I decided to get an IUD and during the appointment I dicussed the issue with the OBGYN. She initially diagnosed and gave me the meds. A few months later and my Endocrinologist appoinement, he took over the medication. Good luck!1
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I have no advice concerning PCOS but I do want to chime in to say that metformin is not a magic bullet. The side effects can be very serious. It does cause diarrhea and it can severely compromise your kidney function. Get a referral to an endocrinologist and go from there.4
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Also pcos. Diagnosis confirmed through transvaginal ultrasound by my OBGYN. He also prescribed my metformin when trying to conceive. It only suppressed appetite for a while but no weight loss that was noticeable. Only took it for that. Also struggled/struggling with all the attendant PCOS issues. The only thing that has solved the weight issue and other comorbidities has been calorie tracking, better eating habits and working out. Have limited carbs but not low carb. Metformin won’t do it. But try an OB and endocrinologist. It seems like maybe ur doctors have been saying to try other methods to lose weight because metformin is not a weight loss tool. And that’s true. But getting to the right specialists will help. GL.
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I totally missed that you live in Charlottesville. I'm in Waynesboro so semi-local(ish). I do not have PCOS, but have been very happy with both my OB/GYN and my PCP. My PCP is part of the UVA network and my OB/GYN is not.
That said, I'm slightly surprised that you're having this type of issue in Charlottesville. When my mother was experiencing symptoms of endometrial stromal sarcoma, her OB/GYN (in Warrenton, about an hour and a half north of Charlottesville) blew her off for a couple of years until the symptoms got really bad and insurance finally changed and she changed doctors - to an OB/GYN affiliated with UVA. Suddenly, holy crap, she has cancer and we need to treat it - and she's feeling much, much better now.
Of course I'm not trying to say that doctors in Charlottesville, or affiliated with UVA, are better than other areas. When I lived in Charlottesville I found I had the opposite experience to yours - doctors I was seeing there were very quick to prescribe medication before recommending lifestyle changes (in my case, to deal with high blood pressure and debilitating migraines). Both issues, once I grew up a little and realized I didn't want to be on medication for the rest of my life if I could help it, were reversed (high blood pressure) or mostly managed (migraines) through changes in diet and exercise.
It does seem odd to me that if you've seen various doctors in the area already, and none will prescribe you medication, that medication would be considered appropriate in the general medical community for your specific condition and situation/symptoms. As I am not in the medical field, it would be imprudent for me to make any kind of assumption as to what is happening here. However, if your doctors are not giving you explanations about why medication is not appropriate in your case, and are not giving you more information about what you CAN do to alleviate your symptoms, then that seems like they are being very incomplete in their treatment of you and finding another doctor may be the right course of action.
If you would be interested in referrals to doctors I've enjoyed working with, please feel free to PM me. However, I like doctors who don't just feed into my self-BS cycle - as in "no, you're not stuck like this, you can do something about it, you just need to make up your mind whether you're going to do it or not." So if that doesn't sound appealing to you then I'm afraid I can't help you.
Best of luck whatever you decide!7 -
I'm nowhere near you geographically (am in UK), but I do have PCOS and endo, and took metformin a few years ago. I was prescribed it for fertility related issues. Just wanted to say that (ime) it's a horrible medication with some really nasty side effects. Obviously some people will get on fine with it, and I'm not for a second suggesting this as any medical advice of course! I hope you find a dr that helps you to feel listened to, and that you find a treatment option that works for you. My point (there is one, honest
) is that, if you're offered other options prior to metformin I'd strongly recommend giving them a go, as that drug is NOT an easy ride.
Best of luck x.3 -
MelanieCN77 wrote: »This baffles me. Searching for a doctor who will do what you have decided is right rather than taking the hint from the many you've seen?
Agree, "shopping" for a medical opinion when many doctors have given the same course of treatment just because one doesn't want to accept their collective knowledge isn't a great idea.4
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