I listened to my gut and made an appointment with an endocrinologist despite all my blood work coming back OK after my last visit with my GP. I really liked this endocrinologist - Dr. B. He's an older man who practices the old fashioned way: he asked me questions and listened a lot. He refused to look at my blood work results from the previous tests until after he examined me and talked to me. His comment "that's cheating." He didn't walk around with a laptop. Instead, he had pen and paper and he liked to draw pictures. He spent over an hour with me.
And he feels I still have metabolic syndrome and if it's not managed, I'll likely develop Type II Diabetes, which runs rampant in my family. Additionally, despite having my periods on a somewhat regular basis (I got them back after I lost weight), he believes I should still actively manage PCOS - the condition did not fully go away, just some of the symptoms. And finally, he believes I have hypothyroidism, which can slow the metabolism and be partially responsible for my until now unexplained edema in my ankles.
He told me that he wasn't surprised I wasn't losing weight despite all the effort I'm making to do so.
I'm not sure what all the treatment plans will entail - continued healthy diet and exercise for sure, and possibly medication. He believes medication will help me get insulin production under control, which in turn will help me shed the weight.
I have to admit, I feel a bit vindicated here, but as I told my partner this morning "watch the blood work come back completely normal and Dr B's diagnoses will not be validated." His reply: "dear, he's an endocrinologist. He's looking for small nuances. Little blips your GP is not trained to see." I guess I'm a bit apprehensive because all the while I had been diagnosed with PCOS, my blood work didn't support the diagnosis. And because I think part of me is hoping this will be a magic pill.
Y'all know what I think about magic pills and chasing them. And here I am doing it.
I have PCOS with lots of symptoms (weight gain, acne, excess hair, frequent periods) and yet every time my blood work comes back normal. Keep with it. These hormone fluctuations are so darn subtle.
ReplyDeleteHi Maura,
ReplyDeleteSo glad you saw the endocrinologist and got some answers, even though they're still tentative. I hope this relieves your mind. And know what? I don't think you're looking for a magic pill, just the right path. You've been trying this one and that one for so long, not because you think any of them are magic. You've proven that you are not afraid of the hard work. I've never known you to hanker after the easy way out; you've just been looking for the WAY. You just couldn't see the right path because you didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle. Once you get them in place, I KNOW you'll lick this thing.
Blessings Maura!
Cindy from MFD
Cindy again, Maura.
ReplyDeleteOops, I signed in with my church account. This is my personal one.
Cindy
Oh Maura,
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you saw an endocrinologist. Sometimes medication can be temporary. You should feel vindicated. One can have the best doctors in the world and still need to manage them a bit.
Best
Peach
I'm not seeing this as a magic pill at all! You are taking charge of your health and you know that something just isn't right. Dr B sounds like a doctor that has good communication skills and someone that will help you figure this thing out. Good for you!
ReplyDeleteJayhawk
Maura,
ReplyDeleteHope all is working out for you. I know what it is like to chase down a diagnosis - but it is worth it when they finally figure it out with you. I truly believe that you know your body the best when you listen to it.Good for you!
I am back at MFD - took my own hiatus for a bit, but anytime you want to drop a line, let me know! I will be on the boards...
Maija
Thanks for all the support! This past week has been a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster for me - some anger and sadness to process. And some emotional eating ensued. But it's under control now and I'm feeling more settled.
ReplyDeletePart of my frustration is the continued ambiguity of the diagnosis and treatment plans. Is it? or Isn't it? Some docs treat this way. Others treat that way. It was this ambiguity and all the 'gray' area that through me for a loop about 12 years ago when I was first diagnosed with PCOS. The difference is that 12 years ago, I ate my way through the frustration - with no exercise to offset the eating - and gained about 50 lbs when I was already 40 lbs over weight!
I'm not going to let that happen this time. I'm back to logging my food and exercise is an integral part of my life so I never stopped that. I know I'm not going to gain 50 lbs. But I'm afraid I will.
Anyway - thanks again everyone for all your support and wisdom.
-Maura
Hi Maura, how's it goin'? You haven't blogged in a while and I miss your updates. I hope you're feeling better. I'm also struggling with knowing which treatment is right for my medical conditions, it is so frustrating, isn't it?! Thinking of you and hope you're doing well.
ReplyDelete