PCOS diagnosis

[tami24]

Hello Dr. Andrea,

I took the test on the Insulite website to see if I might have PCOS. The results said that there is a high probability that I might. What do I need to do? Do I need to see a doctor in order to be "officially" diagnosed?

I'm a lesbian and I tend to stay away from doctors. Hasn't always been the best experience. Is there anything I can do without going into a doctor?

Please point me in the right direction...any tips you have would be nice.

[drheather]

Hello Dr. Andrea,

I took the test on the Insulite website to see if I might have PCOS. The results said that there is a high probability that I might. What do I need to do? Do I need to see a doctor in order to be "officially" diagnosed?

I'm a lesbian and I tend to stay away from doctors. Hasn't always been the best experience. Is there anything I can do without going into a doctor?

Please point me in the right direction...any tips you have would be nice.

Dear Tami,

Dr. Andrea is unavailable to answer your post. I would be happy to answer your question and I hope that you find it helpful.

First, I was not sure if you were implying that you tend not to go to doctors because you are a lesbian. If this is the case I would encourage you to try to find a doctor that you are comfortable with. I know it sounds easier than it is.

There are many great doctors out there and I hope that you are not going because you feel you will be judged. Part of our medical training is not to impart judgment to any person. If that has not been your experience, I am sorry.

In addition to get "officially diagnosed", you would need to see a doctor. Either a gynecologist or an endocrinologist should be able to do this. Some of the tests used to determine if a women has PCOS include fasting insulin, fasting glucose, testosterone, DHEA-s, LH, FSH and possibly an ultrasound to look at ovaries to see if any cysts are detected. Also, testing can be useful to rule out other conditions that have similar symptoms as PCOS, such as Cushing's disease.

However, another option if you do not choose to go to a doctor is to try a more natural approach. This would include nutrition and exercise changes in addition to supplements that address the cause and symptoms of PCOS. To read more about this, please go to: http://pcos.insulitelabs.com/index.php. You certainly could try this approach and see how you feel.

Tami, let me know if there is anything I have not addressed. Thanks again for writing into the forum.