[cherryred]

Going through some blood work tests yesterday with the Doc - I have also been given a diagnosis of Polycystic ovary syndrome.

Does anyone know if these two (SLE & PCOS) are related - or am I just attracting abbreviations of late? :rotfl:

 

[lin]

i didnt think it was, but i could be wrong,

 

[mtyaphrdti]

I am a lucky recipient of both so far. I was dx with PCOS years ago and lupus a month ago.

 

[KarolH]

No pcos here yet my girlfriend has it so my heart goes out to you.

I suffered with severe Endometriosis for years prior to a total hysterectomy.

Female issues stink!!!

 

[Chihiro]

This is from the Lupus Foundation: Yes, a recent study that was done and presented at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) meeting did show that women with Systemic Lupus erythematosus (SLE) are more likely to have ovarian cysts.
I suffered several surgeries and finally after 5 they removed EVERYTHING including the cervix. I was 19 at the time. It was known then as Stein-Leventhal syndrome. It was one of the earliest signs I had before my lupus diagnosis. It is another symptom of your body turning on itself. I think it is one of the most psychologically damaging of any of the symptoms/signs of SLE. I feel for you, luckily they have better treatments than they did 15 years ago.

Chihiro

 

[Lily]

Hi Cherry,

:hug: I am sorry you have added another diagnosis and not a nice one at that


there have been studies done on women with lupus suggesting they suffer more ovarian cysts, but that is different to having polycystic ovarian syndrome (which includes cysts but is sooo much more).

I'm not sure if PCOS is classed as an autoimmune disease, but if it is then unfortunately it's not uncommon when we have one to develop another

I hope you have a good doctor who can monitor and treat this accordingly. From what I've read it will depend on your particular problems as to what the treatment may be. Good luck and let us know how you get along :luck:

sending hugs,

love
Lily

 

[cherryred]

thanks everyone for the answers and support. *shew* thankgoodness I found this place:wink2:. Everyone around me seemed to just brush over the PCOS dx - I thought I was going to loose my mind, well what is left of it :rotfl: . I think it made me sadder then the Lupus dx, at least the SLE came with a feeling of relief as to why I was feeling the way I was. The PCOS was just an unexpected surprise

 

[hardcandy]

Cherry,

I have PCOS, and, like you, was quite upset when I was diagnosed. The good news is that it can be well-treated and controlled with medications, and is one of the easiest infertility issues to treat (and doesn't necessarily mean that you're infertile at all - depends on whether you're ovulating).

Most books I've read state that up to one in ten women has PCOS, but many do not ever know it. It frequently goes undiagnosed because doctors are not aware of it, or don't know to look for it unless someone is obese, has a beard, and has stopped menstruating.

I've found both metformin and aldactone to be very helpful! I'm just now cutting back on the metformin, since I take around 12 medications and want to let up on my liver some. So far, so good!

Many of the symptoms of PCOS overlap with both lupus and the side effects of steroid treatment, like hair loss, and skin rashes and acne. And having PCOS makes you much more likely to have a whole slew of other issues, among them autoimmune thyroid disease, metabolic syndrome with diabetes and high cholesterol, and lichen planus.

Funtimes!

Really though - lots of women have this, and many without even knowing it. Don't freak out just yet! Have you started any medication for PCOS? Some of my friends couldn't tolerate the GI side effects of metformin, but I've been fine on it. It really was the first thing to make a big difference after I started feeling bad. Lupus, PCOS, and Hashimoto's seemed to hit me all at once, and it took a long time to untangle everything and get the proper diagnoses and medications.