Question about PCOS?

[pierce88]

For those who don't know PCOS is short for Poly-cystic Ovarian syndrome. One of the effects of this disorder is having higher than normal (for a bio-female) amounts of testosterone in your body. I was diagnosed with this last fall.  At this point I am currently pre-everything and was wondering if anyone here was diagnosed with it and when I start on T, if that could possibly be covered by insurance, due to my already having a condition where I have high levels of T for a bio-woman. I know that  I am probably grasping for straws here, but I am so desperate for T and my mom wants me to be financially dependent (wont pay for the testosterone), but the search for a job is not going well.

[Osiris]

I don't think testosterone would be covered in conjunction with that condition. The point would be to treat the cysts and restore your hormone levels to the normal range for a woman, not putting more testosterone in your body.

[Ryan]

Hmm... but then the T will be for GID, not PCOS. Surely your treatment depends on diagnosis. I guess the tricky part comes where one medication worsens one condition and betters the other.

They advise that you get a hysterectomy after a couple of years on T, so getting that done sooner may be an option if they won't give you T with PCOS.

[Nygeel]

Testosterone is not a treatment for PCOS but a drug that I think increases testosterone, or is an anti-androgen has been used for fibroids (I think).

[gilligan]

androgen refers to male hormones, so an anti-androgen would decrease testosterone.  in the case of PCOS it is used to reduce the amount of unwanted body hair (i just looked it up on WebMD).

[Nygeel]

androgen refers to male hormones, so an anti-androgen would decrease testosterone.  in the case of PCOS it is used to reduce the amount of unwanted body hair (i just looked it up on WebMD).

anti-estrogen? Don't know the word.

[Nat]

I was diagnosed. Is it painful for you too? T makes my pain worse.

[Nimetön]

Were I in your position, I would discuss my HMO with my PCP and negotiate an attempt to use PCOS as a pretext for full hysto-/ooph-, and then switch medical context to GID and proceed with androgen HRT.

Surgery prior to hormone therapy is uncommon, but I have known it done.

- N, EIEIO