Diagnosis Is Difficult
According to the numbers listed earlier in the article, about how 1 in 10 women may develop PCOS, the condition is rather common. Yet, many women will cast off their skin problems, pain, hair loss or growth, and weight gain as symptoms of stress, nothing more, until they start trying to get pregnant. Not only this, but diagnosis of the condition is difficult, even from a medical standpoint.
Many good doctors will miss the signs of PCOS, because they overlook a key factor, or the testing that they ordered reveals that nothing is wrong. Moreover, PCOS affects every single person uniquely. For instance, around 80 percent of the women who get polycystic ovarian syndrome are consider overweight or obese, but there is also the 20 percent of women who are at a healthy weight. This is much like the fact that not all women with PCOS get ovarian cysts.
When it comes to PCOS, there is no typical scenario. No one size fits all course.
Doctors have been forced to use what is called “diagnosis through exclusion” for polycystic ovary syndrome. This means that they have to do testing to rule out all other health problems that may mimic PCOS. Once nothing else can be held accountable for the symptoms the patient is experiencing, they will then diagnosis it as PCOS.
The doctors you visit are also important. You should go to a single medical professional for your problems, especially if you suspect you have PCOS. Why? For example, if you go to a primary care physician for your pelvic pain, they may not ask about your skin. Likewise, if you go to a dermatologist for dark patches, skin tags, and acne, they might overlook your excess body hair or weight gain. They certainly won’t ask if you have missed any periods.
