PCOS and Diabetes

Jeanine_Colavecchi
Jeanine_Colavecchi Posts: 185 Member
edited October 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone familiar with Diabetes and PCOS? I'm frustrated because I lost a bunch of weight and eat a low GI diet ...and went to the doc today for them to test my fasting glucose at 134 :( So now I have to go see an endocrinologst. Never had diabetes so I'm really freaked out. Not sure if this goes hand and hand with PCOS or what. It hurts went you think you're doing all the right things...and things get worse.

Replies

  • mgmlap
    mgmlap Posts: 1,377 Member
    Has your doctor tried to put you on Metformin? It is a diabetic medication..but for us who have PCOS..it really helps controls the way our bodies regulate sugar..
  • rahrah013
    rahrah013 Posts: 1
    Hi, I am studying to be a physician assistant and am quickly becoming an expert on PCOS! A lot of women have a problem with diabetes and PCOS- in fact 60-70% of women have a decrease to insulin sensitivity associated with it so it is really common. Metformin is actually the drug we're taught to prescribe for women in your situation so that might be a great thing to mention to your doctor- as well as oral contraceptives. Do you know if you have any symptoms of metabolic syndrome? That is also seen really often in women with PCOS! I hope you find something that helps you with this- I know its not easy!
  • ChangingJojo
    ChangingJojo Posts: 30 Member
    Unfortunately PCOS can lead to Diabetes among other things. Don't lose hope 134 is not as bad as it could be!! You are making the right steps to correct it, and sometimes it can take medication to help us as well. It is great that your physician referred you to an endocrinologist. Many are specifically trained to help those of us with PCOS. Here are some great sites that I've found a lot of information:

    http://www.pcos.tv/
    http://www.pcosupport.org/
    http://www.soulcysters.com/
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    PCOS - and......Metabolic X Syndrome!

    Im on Metformin 2000mg daily, with an OCP, spironolactone and a blood pressure med.... I had to adapt to a low-carb/1600 calorie daily intake and it actually was easier than I thought.

    I am VERY familiar with this not just as a patient but also as someone who has worked healthcare as well......

    Unfortunately because my PCOS and X Syndrome are severe cases (not something I wanted! LOL), I have to go for bloodwork 3-4 times per year, get my liver checked (enzyme #9 is GREATLY affected by hyperinsulinemia), and med-maintenance.

    Im about to go for some pretty intense and new blood work here pretty soon - now that I have a new Endo working on my case...

    Im telling ya.. Im losing weight more now under this Endo's care than any other doctor Ive worked with... and Im not dietarily hurting nor wanting to pig out...
  • smashatoms
    smashatoms Posts: 144 Member
    Have you been diagnosed with PCOS, or is it just a hunch?
    PCOS/Diabetes/Thyroid Disease is all interconnected with the endocrine system. Since you have the elevated glucose levels and think/know you have PCOS, it is a really good idea to go see an endocrinologist. So your doctor is doing the right thing by referring you to a specialist.
    Your elevated glucose is troublesome-- however, it alone does not mean that you have diabetes. An A1C is most accurate because it tells you the average of your glucose levels over a longer period of time. I would wait to talk to the specialist. When I started visiting my endocrinologist I was a borderline diabetic. I now have a healthy A1C. It is possible to reverse it with proper diet and exercise-- something that your endo can help you with.
    I have PCOS myself. If you haven't had it diagnosed yet, it is a simple blood test. I believe they check the amount of testosterone in your system.
    My best advice? Go talk with the endo. They can give you the right answers.
    P.S. Metformin is the go to drug for pre-diabetics and diabetics, but I had WONDERFUL results with Byetta. The down side is that it is a shot that you have to do two times a day. The up side is that it helped me loose about 30 pounds. I no longer have to take it. I would check into it-- it can be more expensive than Metformin too. It depends on insurance.
  • Jeanine_Colavecchi
    Jeanine_Colavecchi Posts: 185 Member
    Have you been diagnosed with PCOS, or is it just a hunch?
    PCOS/Diabetes/Thyroid Disease is all interconnected with the endocrine system. Since you have the elevated glucose levels and think/know you have PCOS, it is a really good idea to go see an endocrinologist. So your doctor is doing the right thing by referring you to a specialist.
    Your elevated glucose is troublesome-- however, it alone does not mean that you have diabetes. An A1C is most accurate because it tells you the average of your glucose levels over a longer period of time. I would wait to talk to the specialist. When I started visiting my endocrinologist I was a borderline diabetic. I now have a healthy A1C. It is possible to reverse it with proper diet and exercise-- something that your endo can help you with.
    I have PCOS myself. If you haven't had it diagnosed yet, it is a simple blood test. I believe they check the amount of testosterone in your system.
    My best advice? Go talk with the endo. They can give you the right answers.
    P.S. Metformin is the go to drug for pre-diabetics and diabetics, but I had WONDERFUL results with Byetta. The down side is that it is a shot that you have to do two times a day. The up side is that it helped me loose about 30 pounds. I no longer have to take it. I would check into it-- it can be more expensive than Metformin too. It depends on insurance.



    Well my AC1 or whatever that is was 5.8 which is high from what she said. They did an ultrasound today and verified i did have PCOS from all the cysts and folicles. I also was having a little numbness and tingling on my right foot...3 baby toes....but wasnt sure if it was from the glucose elevation or that I work out 2 times a day and wasnt wearing wide shoes...since my feet are wide...so got a pair of expensive fitted wide shoes today....I'll see if that helps. Endo appt is in a few weeks so hopefully they will shed some light and I can gain control. She switched my birth control from nouva ring to LoSeasonique...and said she would want me to get on Metformin after i see the endo and know whats going on.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    Anyone familiar with Diabetes and PCOS? I'm frustrated because I lost a bunch of weight and eat a low GI diet ...and went to the doc today for them to test my fasting glucose at 134 :( So now I have to go see an endocrinologst. Never had diabetes so I'm really freaked out. Not sure if this goes hand and hand with PCOS or what. It hurts went you think you're doing all the right things...and things get worse.

    I am right there with you. I eat low carb and was controlling mine with diet and exercise and still my fasting blood sugar is always high in the morning. The rest of the day seems to be fine.

    Metformin (aka Glucophage) does not work for me so I have been put back on medication and this time it is Byetta. My doctor actually prescribed Victosa but my insurance didn't pay for it and it was $400.00 per month which I can not afford. I just started it, so we will see how it goes.

    And PCOS causes Thyroid and Diabetes and Heart Disease. The symptoms of PCOS can be very detrimental to your health in the long run if you don't get the symptoms under control NOW.
  • ajl2
    ajl2 Posts: 40 Member
    Have you been diagnosed with PCOS, or is it just a hunch?
    PCOS/Diabetes/Thyroid Disease is all interconnected with the endocrine system. Since you have the elevated glucose levels and think/know you have PCOS, it is a really good idea to go see an endocrinologist. So your doctor is doing the right thing by referring you to a specialist.
    Your elevated glucose is troublesome-- however, it alone does not mean that you have diabetes. An A1C is most accurate because it tells you the average of your glucose levels over a longer period of time. I would wait to talk to the specialist. When I started visiting my endocrinologist I was a borderline diabetic. I now have a healthy A1C. It is possible to reverse it with proper diet and exercise-- something that your endo can help you with.
    I have PCOS myself. If you haven't had it diagnosed yet, it is a simple blood test. I believe they check the amount of testosterone in your system.
    My best advice? Go talk with the endo. They can give you the right answers.
    P.S. Metformin is the go to drug for pre-diabetics and diabetics, but I had WONDERFUL results with Byetta. The down side is that it is a shot that you have to do two times a day. The up side is that it helped me loose about 30 pounds. I no longer have to take it. I would check into it-- it can be more expensive than Metformin too. It depends on insurance.



    Well my AC1 or whatever that is was 5.8 which is high from what she said. They did an ultrasound today and verified i did have PCOS from all the cysts and folicles. I also was having a little numbness and tingling on my right foot...3 baby toes....but wasnt sure if it was from the glucose elevation or that I work out 2 times a day and wasnt wearing wide shoes...since my feet are wide...so got a pair of expensive fitted wide shoes today....I'll see if that helps. Endo appt is in a few weeks so hopefully they will shed some light and I can gain control. She switched my birth control from nouva ring to LoSeasonique...and said she would want me to get on Metformin after i see the endo and know whats going on.

    Is the A!C and ultrasound the only things your doc used to determine you have PCOS? It is important to note that just because it's called polycystic ovarian syndrome doesn't mean that all PCOSers have cysts in their ovaries. On the same note, not all women with cysts in their ovaries have PCOS. It is a poorly named syndrome. You probably do have it from the way it sounds though.

    I agree with others here. If you aren't already taking Metformin, you should get on it.
  • Jeanine_Colavecchi
    Jeanine_Colavecchi Posts: 185 Member
    Have you been diagnosed with PCOS, or is it just a hunch?
    PCOS/Diabetes/Thyroid Disease is all interconnected with the endocrine system. Since you have the elevated glucose levels and think/know you have PCOS, it is a really good idea to go see an endocrinologist. So your doctor is doing the right thing by referring you to a specialist.
    Your elevated glucose is troublesome-- however, it alone does not mean that you have diabetes. An A1C is most accurate because it tells you the average of your glucose levels over a longer period of time. I would wait to talk to the specialist. When I started visiting my endocrinologist I was a borderline diabetic. I now have a healthy A1C. It is possible to reverse it with proper diet and exercise-- something that your endo can help you with.
    I have PCOS myself. If you haven't had it diagnosed yet, it is a simple blood test. I believe they check the amount of testosterone in your system.
    My best advice? Go talk with the endo. They can give you the right answers.
    P.S. Metformin is the go to drug for pre-diabetics and diabetics, but I had WONDERFUL results with Byetta. The down side is that it is a shot that you have to do two times a day. The up side is that it helped me loose about 30 pounds. I no longer have to take it. I would check into it-- it can be more expensive than Metformin too. It depends on insurance.



    Well my AC1 or whatever that is was 5.8 which is high from what she said. They did an ultrasound today and verified i did have PCOS from all the cysts and folicles. I also was having a little numbness and tingling on my right foot...3 baby toes....but wasnt sure if it was from the glucose elevation or that I work out 2 times a day and wasnt wearing wide shoes...since my feet are wide...so got a pair of expensive fitted wide shoes today....I'll see if that helps. Endo appt is in a few weeks so hopefully they will shed some light and I can gain control. She switched my birth control from nouva ring to LoSeasonique...and said she would want me to get on Metformin after i see the endo and know whats going on.

    Is the A!C and ultrasound the only things your doc used to determine you have PCOS? It is important to note that just because it's called polycystic ovarian syndrome doesn't mean that all PCOSers have cysts in their ovaries. On the same note, not all women with cysts in their ovaries have PCOS. It is a poorly named syndrome. You probably do have it from the way it sounds though.

    I agree with others here. If you aren't already taking Metformin, you should get on it.

    I have other symptoms of PCOS too. Not just the cysts. I need to get this glucose level under control though so hoping after I see the endocrynologyst I can get on metformin.
  • elvisbabe304
    elvisbabe304 Posts: 25
    I have PCOS as well and the Doctor is trying to figure out why I am not losing weight like I should and is concerned about my blood sugar as well...Take Cinnamon extract pills!! They WORK! And yes ask about metformin most definitely.
    Good luck, girl!
  • kleavitt1992
    kleavitt1992 Posts: 592 Member
    it does your endocrine system is hormones insulin is a hormone when one is out of wack its very easy for the other to go out of wack i wasn't diabetic but insulin resistant thats what most of the ladies with pcos have is insulin resistance. i went to an endocrinologist for about 10months (metformin is a life saver) it made my periods reg. helped control my appetite also i dont do anything special like low gi or anything just followed calories restrictions and the metformin which i no longer need and have continued to have reg. periods for the first time in my entire life (im not on any type of birth control to regulate them) its all me :D the metformin helped me lose the weight which in turn regulated me i went off metformin on july 5th (if it wasn't clear im not on it anymore) ;) you are not alone
  • Jeanine_Colavecchi
    Jeanine_Colavecchi Posts: 185 Member
    it does your endocrine system is hormones insulin is a hormone when one is out of wack its very easy for the other to go out of wack i wasn't diabetic but insulin resistant thats what most of the ladies with pcos have is insulin resistance. i went to an endocrinologist for about 10months (metformin is a life saver) it made my periods reg. helped control my appetite also i dont do anything special like low gi or anything just followed calories restrictions and the metformin which i no longer need and have continued to have reg. periods for the first time in my entire life (im not on any type of birth control to regulate them) its all me :D the metformin helped me lose the weight which in turn regulated me i went off metformin on july 5th (if it wasn't clear im not on it anymore) ;) you are not alone

    Ok, that makes me feel better. I really hope the endo tells me its insulin resistance...not diabetes. It doesnt run in my family so I was a bit suprised about the glucose level. And glad you had such success on metformin. She suggested I go see the endo first to get a panel on my pancreas and such.
  • sarah829522
    sarah829522 Posts: 139
    I'm right there with you my fasting is in high 120's low 130's but not after meals. IFG (Impaired Fasting Glucose) and an A1C of 5.7 does not make you Diabetic but does possibly mean you have IR and potentially PCOS.

    My Endo was very informative. I also just had to have my thyroid removed because there were nodules growing on it so that's why I've been away from MFP for awhile.

    She has been a great doctor and much more informed than my Primary Doc. She spent 90 minutes with me in my first appointment explaining all the tests and what she expected to find, and what I needed to do. Even though I was watching calories and only eating whole grain carbs, I needed even lower carbs.

    She gave me options about starting slow on the Met, then adding birth control (Lutera) then adding Spiro. She said losing weight for people with IR in incredibly hard and incredibly slow. And it's because our bodies make 3-6X's the amount of glycogen for the same meal that someone without IR makes...and that leads to extra fat storage which jacks with the hormones and that leads to PCOS...so they're all related. I'm paraphrasing but you get the idea.

    I hope you get a great doctor. They really can make the difference.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    I have PCOS and IR as well. I was pre-diabetic when I first met my doctor and the weight lost thus far has helps my symptoms greatly. I take BC and Aldactone to treat my PCOS. I do cut back on carbs and sugars, 1. because I don't feel like crap when I have too much and 2. it has helped my weightloss. I also used to get a rash on my neck that my doctor said was a warning sign of pre-diabetes. Since losing weight, the rash has disappeared. I was really fortunate to start making changes just in time to avoid more serious conditions.

    Don't get discouraged! It may take time to find a good doctor and medications that work well for you but it is managable and you can improve your health! Best of luck!
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