“I feel I have PCOS but I don’t even know what to ask my doctor for?”
The above question is one that I receive every time I am asked about PCOS, because so many ladies feel that they exhibit symptoms. In fact, many women are walking around with misdiagnosed PCOS or have PCOS but are being treated for hypothyroidism and vice versa. So the questions then becomes, How do you really know you have PCOS or any other endocrine abnormality? Well the number one indicator is what is present in your blood work, but not just any blood work, a Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) blood test. What is a CMP? A CMP is
The comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) is a group of 14 tests that measures several different substances in your blood. It is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests.
The CMP gives your healthcare practitioner important information about the current status of your body’s metabolism (hence the name metabolic panel). The CMP provides information on your blood sugar (glucose) levels, the balance of electrolytes and fluid as well as the health of your kidneys, liver, and other organs. Abnormal results, and especially combinations of abnormal results, can indicate a problem that needs to be addressed and may require additional testing.
Due to PCOS being such a compilation of symptoms that are often accompanied by comorbidity (two or more chronic illnesses/conditions at once) this blood test is essential in order to get a full capture for creating a proper treatment plan. So now you’ve asked your doctor for one, which areas of the blood test indicate PCOS? No worries, I’ve listed all the red flags that you should ask your doctor about when looking at your blood work:
- Elevated Free Testosterone
- Sex hormone binding globulin is suppressed in PCOS
- LH is higher than FSH (Follicle stimulating hormone) which indicated issues with ovulation (number one cause of conception issues)
- (DHEA) 17-Hydroxyprogesterone is significantly low in women with PCOS unless you suffer from the hormonal issue variant of PCOS which will then result in an androgenic response that is excessively high or to rule out Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
- Cortisol key indicator to inflammation (common with PCOS) but if excessive can indicate Cushing’s Syndrome
- Insulin Serum – If you are insulin resistant like me with your PCOS this number will be abnormally high as if you are diabetic
- Hemoglobin A1C – will be high if you suffer from insulin resistance (please pay attention to this because if it’s above 5, ask your doctor is they will prescribe a medication/supplements beside metformin to help manage your blood sugar to prevent becoming diabetic)
- TSH, t4 make sure that this is looked at to make sure you aren’t suffering from thyroid problems with mimic many PCOS symptoms
- Estrogen may be elevated as well due to the hormonal complications with PCOS
- Androstenedione may be elevated
- Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) is often increased level is often seen with PCOS
In addition, to the blood results above make sure you ask your gynecologist specifically for a trans-vaginal ultra-sound to check for ovarian size and cysts to accompany the above blood work. Not all women will have cysts on their ovaries but many cysters do, so don’t be surprised if you see that ring of pearls :).
I hope that this helped you ladies in your health journey and of course if you have any questions, leave a comment below. Have a wonderful week!
Sincerely,
LoLo