XP: PCOS question for a friend

JessMike07 · January 2012

I am not familiar with this but I am trying to help a friend who has PCOS. She's had one daughter and (I think) 2 m/c.

She believes her LH:FSH was tested on CD 12 (not sure why) and was 5:1. Ratio should be 1:1 correct or is that only on CD 3? Does anyone have a good website or recommedations?

Also her doctor but her on BCP for 3 months and wants to try Clomid next, does this sound right??

TIA!

JMay · January 2012

In response to her Doc's plan... NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Please, from one PCOSer to another, tell your friend to RUN, not walk, to an RE. I went through OB after OB looking for someone who would treat me (and know what they were talking about) and all I ever really got was the protocol your friends OB is suggesting and inadequate testing. The BCPs screwed with my hormones something awful, and Clomid really took my hormones to a whole new level of "wacky". It took a full year to get back to "my normal" after taking Clomid for 4 months. And I never O'd on Clomid. Some PCOSers do, but research shows that Clomid is much less effective for women with PCOS than it is for the general population. For similar results, Femara/Letrozole is recommended by many REs, with strict follicle monitoring (since PCOSers develop multiple follicles, we could have too many mature).

Usually, I've found, OBs are less likely to prescribe Femara due to a black box warning regarding birth defects - this warning came as a result of a very small and poorly constructed study, but being the litigious society we are, the pharmaceutical company decided to cover their tushies. A good RE should be able to discuss this at length. Good things about Femara are it's short half-life (leaves the body/system much faster than clomid) and it's less likely to produce twins than Clomid.

Also, your friend may have some additional issues that may only be found through extensive testing, that only REs usually do. It may be that she needs more than Clomid or Femara to be successful. Also, it may be that Clomid will work, but without the testing that an RE will provide, she'll never know.

Sorry, I'm sort of on my soapbox here - I'm a bit passionate about this issue because I wasted SO much time with OBs, some who made me feel crazy, some who made me feel understood, all of whom completely missed the boat for me. I wish your friend the best - if you don't mind, please let us know what she decides / how she does! GL!

JessMike07 · February 2012

Your post cracked me up! I love passionate women!!! Wink Trust me I know exactly what you are talking about except my RE was doing half a$$ blood work so I also caution people to do their own research and find the right doctor!!!!!

I will pass along what you said. Would you be willing to talk to her via email??

JessMike07 · February 2012

BTW, everything that I know and have read in NaPro also discourages the use of BCP to try and balance hormones in whatever case not just PCOS. So I'm glad you brought this up too!!!

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