Anyone have oestrogen dominance....

[Cattypuss]

.... sans PCOS?

I think that's what I have.

I've been referred to a gynaecologist for the bleeding after sex (after my GP ruled out infections and cervical cancer), and after lots of googling I've decided that the physical things I've had for the last 30 years (ridiculous body shape - tiny waist - huge hips and thighs, biggish tits, can see my ribs... acne 30 years straight, low-funtioning thyroid... feeling increedibly cold most of the time....also recurrent depresssion) point to life-long oestrogen dominance, now worsening and leading to suspected cervical erosion (hence the bleeding)..........I'm thinking sans PCOS cos I don;t have any hirsutism.

Seeing the gynaecologist this coming week and I'm sure he'll be tickled pink when I tell him what's wrong with me (health professsionals must curse the fact that lay people have access to the www lol).

But I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of this?

 

[CurlyKat]

I don't have any experience without the PCOS, but you may want to consider PCOS anyway. Hirsutism is just one symptom, but not necessarily a requirement for a PCOS diagnosis. My recommendation would be to request a full lab workup either way, just to make sure you find out exactly what it is to guarantee better treatment.

 

[PertPerth]

It could be due to a number of things - wait to talk to the specialist! My GP was concerned about me having PCOS, but turned out to be a false alarm (yes, I had cysts, but nothing out of the ordinary)

Fibroids?
Other hormonal issues?

To minimise bleeding, I've been put on the new pill - Yaz. It's a low dose 24 day pill, not 21 like most of them. It's been fantastic in reducing my acne, moodswings and bleeding - and general related issues. Now I've reduced to 2 days of "heavy spotting" in stead of 6 days of bleeding and spotting between periods (I was on Yasmin before).

But yes, do google your symptoms, but keep an open mind when you talk to your doctor!
Good luck, I hope it's something they can treat.

 

[nh23]

BiBunny does. You might try sending her a PM. She doesn't have the hirsutism either.

 

[BiBunny]

PCOS is the overabundance of testosterone, not estrogen. So, yeah, you may have whacked hormones, but it wouldn't be PCOS.

 

[the captians wench]

PCOS is the overabundance of testosterone, not estrogen. So, yeah, you may have whacked hormones, but it wouldn't be PCOS.

*giggles* this is exactly what I was thinking.

Bunny have you ever had any type of treatment for yours? I started out on progesterone treatments but I was way moody on them so they went to birthcontrol but it didn't regulate me either and again mood swings big time.

I haven't been on treatment for 4 years now but most of the symptoms are gone, except I'm having mood swings and crazy PMS the past 6 months or so. I'm thinking that I'm having hormone fluxuations, but I don't want to throw hormones at my body.

I know you're a googler, have you come across any other treatments?

 

[CurlyKat]

PCOS is the overabundance of testosterone, not estrogen. So, yeah, you may have whacked hormones, but it wouldn't be PCOS.

Yeah, this is why I shouldn't be allowed to post at 1:30 a.m.

Many of the symptoms of PCOS overlap with several other hormonal disorders, so until the results of a full lab work panel come in I wouldn't assume one over another. Google and WebMD are awesome, but no substitute for a good doctor or even team of doctors.

Having PCOS and not an excess of estrogen, I won't venture any more than that here.

 

[Cattypuss]

Thanks guys.

I was of course joking about telling the specialist what's wrong with me lol but I will mention my feeling that it must be hormonal and mention I've had acne now consistently for 30 years, and this ridiculous body shape since puberty and that even as a little girl of 5 or so (chubby, not obese) I had actual cellulite on my thighs (I've seen the photos)

 

[BiBunny]

*giggles* this is exactly what I was thinking.

Bunny have you ever had any type of treatment for yours? I started out on progesterone treatments but I was way moody on them so they went to birthcontrol but it didn't regulate me either and again mood swings big time.

I haven't been on treatment for 4 years now but most of the symptoms are gone, except I'm having mood swings and crazy PMS the past 6 months or so. I'm thinking that I'm having hormone fluxuations, but I don't want to throw hormones at my body.

I know you're a googler, have you come across any other treatments?

I can't afford treatment, LOL.

My boss, however, has PCOS, probably to a much worse degree than I do. She's on Metformin for insulin resistance and on anti-androgen hormones. She said when she first went on the Metformin, 50 pounds or so just melted off.

*Want*

According to her, the Metformin really isn't that expensive, even without insurance. My hope is, once I can afford a visit to the endocrinologist, that I can get on it myself.

 

[the captians wench]

I can't afford treatment, LOL.

My boss, however, has PCOS, probably to a much worse degree than I do. She's on Metformin for insulin resistance and on anti-androgen hormones. She said when she first went on the Metformin, 50 pounds or so just melted off.

*Want*

According to her, the Metformin really isn't that expensive, even without insurance. My hope is, once I can afford a visit to the endocrinologist, that I can get on it myself.

*giggles* I thought you mentioned something like that. I was just wondering if you had researched treatment. I'd like to avoid pumping more hormones into myself.

 

[Harmony_1985]

I'm glad some people get treated for their PCOS, I've just been stuck on the pill and left =/

 

[CurlyKat]

I can't afford treatment, LOL.

My boss, however, has PCOS, probably to a much worse degree than I do. She's on Metformin for insulin resistance and on anti-androgen hormones. She said when she first went on the Metformin, 50 pounds or so just melted off.

*Want*

According to her, the Metformin really isn't that expensive, even without insurance. My hope is, once I can afford a visit to the endocrinologist, that I can get on it myself.

Metformin is the devil's drug! I was on it for a bit, and had some very, very bad reactions to it. It actually caused me to gain weight. If you're on the oral form of Metformin, make sure you pay close attention to the side effects, they're rough. There is a new form of Metformin, though, some way to apply it topically so you skip over all of the nastier digestive side effects. That might be worth looking into (for both of us!).

 

[BiBunny]

Metformin is the devil's drug! I was on it for a bit, and had some very, very bad reactions to it. It actually caused me to gain weight. If you're on the oral form of Metformin, make sure you pay close attention to the side effects, they're rough. There is a new form of Metformin, though, some way to apply it topically so you skip over all of the nastier digestive side effects. That might be worth looking into (for both of us!).

Ooh. That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know! I'll definitely have to look more closely into it if/when I ever get the money to have myself treated. I'd die if I were to *gain* more weight on it.

 

[CurlyKat]

Ooh. That's interesting. Thanks for letting me know! I'll definitely have to look more closely into it if/when I ever get the money to have myself treated. I'd die if I were to *gain* more weight on it.

That's why I eventually went off of it. I was sick all the time on it, and it lowered my blood sugar too much, which made me eat more and therefore gain weight. I do hope it works better for you, though!

 

[the captians wench]

I'm glad some people get treated for their PCOS, I've just been stuck on the pill and left =/

That actually was one of the ways I was treated, but again I didn't like how it altered my moods.

Infact, it was only slightly worse than how I feel now.

 

[Kajira Callista]

I can't afford treatment, LOL.

My boss, however, has PCOS, probably to a much worse degree than I do. She's on Metformin for insulin resistance and on anti-androgen hormones. She said when she first went on the Metformin, 50 pounds or so just melted off.

*Want*

According to her, the Metformin really isn't that expensive, even without insurance. My hope is, once I can afford a visit to the endocrinologist, that I can get on it myself.

Metformin made her lose weight because it makes your stomach too sick to even swallow your own saliva. blech

 

[Kajira Callista]

OH... and i have had this since I am 16. I blew up my left ovary twice, it adhered to my intestine after it blew up. I had surgery to repair it and they told me i would never have children I have two.
They told me that being pregnant helps....it didnt fix anything just made it better while i was pregnant.
They also told me a ballon ablation would solve my problem (which pretty much was having a heavy period for months at a time and constant rolled up in a ball of pain throughout)
Soooooooo when my bladder fell out and he needed to do surgery to fix it, i begged doc to please snip the tubes. He did and guess what...that was the only thing that worked.

The medical world does not consider this a serious illness so they don't have a clue how to fix it.


Kinda sad

 

[graceanne]

I can't afford treatment, LOL.

My boss, however, has PCOS, probably to a much worse degree than I do. She's on Metformin for insulin resistance and on anti-androgen hormones. She said when she first went on the Metformin, 50 pounds or so just melted off.

*Want*

According to her, the Metformin really isn't that expensive, even without insurance. My hope is, once I can afford a visit to the endocrinologist, that I can get on it myself.

I've been on metformin for about a year now and it doesn't make me ill. And most things do. It does have a high chance of causing nausea, though. My doctor was worried it would with me, but it didn't. I guess after years of taking Asacol (which is designed to be difficult to digest), nothing bothers me.

That said, if it's dropping your blood sugar really low you're taking too much. It helps me regulate mine, when I'm on it I notice I don't crave sugar like I normally do. I've even been known to turn down chocolate.

Also, my mom is on metformin and is slowly losing weight.

ETA: While I'm thinking about it - if you go on metformin DO NOT accidentally take it twice in one day. You will get the mother fucker of all migraines.

 

[CurlyKat]

ETA: While I'm thinking about it - if you go on metformin DO NOT accidentally take it twice in one day. You will get the mother fucker of all migraines.

That's the dosage my doctor put me on... and probably the reason I had so much trouble with it.

She's lost her license by now, thank goodness.

 

[graceanne]

That's the dosage my doctor put me on... and probably the reason I had so much trouble with it.

She's lost her license by now, thank goodness.

Wow. The only people I know who need metformin twice a day are full blown diabetics. As in, trying to stay off insulin, diabetic.

 

[Cattypuss]

Well I saw the gynaecologist today and she is organising a hysteroscopy and biopsy for me.

Not looking forward to the procedure but hey, if it can lead to a diagnosis that can stop me bleeding...

 

[graceanne]

Well I saw the gynaecologist today and she is organising a hysteroscopy and biopsy for me.

Not looking forward to the procedure but hey, if it can lead to a diagnosis that can stop me bleeding...

Cool. Not that you have to have the hysteroscopy, but that your doctor is on the ball. Good luck in figuring out what's wrong.

 

[BiBunny]

Yep, best of luck to you, Cattypuss.

 

[Cattypuss]

Thanks gals