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Diabetes and PCOS - could I have been misdiagnosed?

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Jules08

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Type 1
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes exactly a year ago and, now aged 21 have also just recently been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. I have had the symptoms of PCOS since I was about 14 and yet have only just been able to persuade my GP to give me a blood test to show that I do in fact have PCOS.

Any research I do into PCOS states that the condition leads to a risk of type 2 diabetes as both conditions are often seen in people with a genetic predisposition to over production of insulin, which leads to insulin resistance which then leads to PCOS and/or type 2 diabetes.

I have a feeling that my PCOS going undiagnosed for so many years has lead to the development of what is actually type 2 diabetes. Other reasons which lead me to suspect that I have been misdiagnosed and actually have type 2 are that I was an overweight child, my farther is also type 2 diabetic and I already have background retinopathy in my left eye which suggests I could have been walking around with diabetes for years and not known it.:confused:

Is there anyone out there with diabetes and PCOS?
 
Hi Jules and welcome,

My first question would be how were you diagnosed with type 1 diabetes?

It may be that you have been misdiagnosed or you may just have type 1 and PCOS. Have you asked this question to any of your team yet?
 
I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in April '08 if a little presumptiously as I am aware that they do not routinely test for antibodies (an indicator of an attack on the immune system which would indicate type 1) upon diagnosis in this country. I have not been told exactly how I was diagnosed.

I have asked Proffessor Holt at my Diabetes Resources centre in the past if my diabetes could be linked to my farther's type 2 but he was very reluctant to look further into it. He also said that I should have no changes in the back of my eyes yet as I have only had diabetes for a year and yet here I am with background retinopathy which would indicate that I may have had diabetes for a lot longer.

I suppose I could have type 1 and PCOS but I find this hard to get my head around. It would be unusual to have PCOS and type 1 as PCOS is linked to over production of insulin like in type 2 diabetes. :confused:
 
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I was diagnosed with PCOS about 18 years ago, and told if I wasn't careful I could get diabetes. But they didn't really explain what they meant, and the PCOS didn't help trying to lose weight and I was diagnosed with type 2 about four years later. Some years later, both my parents were diagnised with type 2 in their 60s. So I guess I have the genetic link, and the PCOS and overweight made it even more likely.
 
Jules, have a look at www.soulcysters.net it is for those with pcos and there are many diabetics on there.
 
I am convinced I have PCOS as I have systematically been diagnosed with so many symptoms, the last being type 2 diabetes and constant weight gain despite me watching what I eat in conjunction with the general healthy eating guidelines we all know of.

When I went to my GP and tried to speak to them about this they ignored me my request to do a test, infact I was referred to a diatician "Food For Thought" course instead!

Having piled on yet more weight I am still convinced this is another problem I have and it is made worse by the fact that my hubby and I cannot conceive a child :( (we have no children).

Despite me returning to the dr again today as I now think I might have hypo thyroid symptoms (many cross over with type 2 diabetes) again my request was ignored even though I have several blood tests requested for next week.

What do I have to do to be heared and my plea accepted?:confused: Its not that I want these conditions (obviously) its more that I am certain I am more likely to have them after self research (but not having convinced myself I have rather concluding from what I have gathered I am more likely to)😱.

Thanks
🙂
 
If your not happy with your gp - you can ask to see another one at the practice - or change gp's - your health is important and if your not happy then that in itself can cause stress etc.. Bev
 
Hi thanks, I have seen 2 drs and asked both. Maybe I needed to be firmer and insist more.

I will ask when I see the dr again when blood test results come back if no mention of testing for PCOS has been done. Better still maybe I will ask the nurse if she can add an extra test at time of taking blood :confused: I will also check I am being tested for thyroid troubles.

🙂
 
Hypothyroid can be another symptom of pcos.. as I said earlier a good site to meet other cysters from around the world and for information and messageboard is www.soulcysters.net
 
😱 Really an underactive thyroid is also associated with PCOS? Then I will have to be more insistant on a test as there couldn't possibly be any more closer matches in symptoms.

Thanks for the website I did have a quick look before you replied but I dont really want to get into another mind set that I have it unil it is proven medically. Daft I know but I have enough to cope with right now 😱

Thanks again.
 
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