does this sound like PCOS?

im writing to ask about my sister who was just diagnosed with PCOS.


she is barely 110 pounds, has no acne, no excess hair growth, and went from about 130 pounds to 110 pounds last year after gaining weight in college. After she lost that weight, she lost her period. She went to the doc a few weeks ago and they did some tests. Her LH was 3x the level of her FSH. Her Dr. told her she has PCOS and started her on metformin. She has not started metformin as she is completely baffled by this diagnosis. She was thinking the loss of her period was due to her weight loss.

Does this diagnosis make any sense??? I told her to get more tests, like maybe a glucose tolerance test or an ultrasound of her ovaries. She's not TTC, she was just wondering where her period went.

any thoughts here? is a high LH by itself enough to make this diagnosis? thanks ladies!!

Hi! It does sound like PCOS. The best way it was explained to me is that PCOS is a syndrome which means there's lots of symptoms and not every woman has the same symptoms. The LH and FSH ratio are very indicative of PCOS though and every woman is different. Some women have other symptoms like facial hair, weight issues, insulin resistance, polycystic ovaries, etc. I had to go to an Reproductive Endocrinologist to get pregnant so in being there, I noticed that it really is a syndrome. For example, my ovaries are filled with polycystic cysts, and my friend who also has PCOS had normal ratio levels of LH and FSH and only had 2 cysts over the limit in which they diagnose you with PCOS. Of course she wasn't ovulating either, which is what's happening with your sister too. Good luck I hope it doesn't cause any problems TTC I know first hand how heartbreaking that is. :(

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Originally Posted by Coastieswife

The LH and FSH ratio are very indicative of PCOS though and every woman is different.:(

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She's totally right (how are you btw??). A 3x ratio is dead on in the PCOS range. My testosterone was 54 (normal is < 45) and my ratio was 3x like that. My glucose was relatively normal, but the scans showed multiple cysts. I am 130 lbs and have no excess hair -- I do have acne. A lot of woman w\ PCOS get a monthly period, just as many do not. I had like 3 periods on my own. So long story short, PCOS comes in all shapes and sizes.

My advice would be to get a transvaginal ultrasound. That's what confirmed it for me (in addition to the labs). Although my glucose was fine, the beautiful little circles surrounding the ovaries were there!



Good luck!

Yes, it does sound like PCOS. As the previous posters have said it is all about the hormone ratios. Every woman is different and some may have every symptom, others may have very few. The thing to remember is that PCOS is progressive so the longer it goes untreated the more symptoms may develop overtime. This was what happened in my case.