I have been diagnosed with PCOS since I was at least 15. At some point, the medical community decided that PCOS might be caused by insulin resistance, or that it might cause insulin resistance. I think I first “got the memo” about that in 2001. I was actually seeing an endocrinologist at one point and was halfheartedly recommended to eat low-carb, and put on Metformin. I didn’t really change my eating, the Metformin did not seem to have much effect, and there was no follow-up (probably my fault). I stopped taking it.
In 2006 I had some female problems and was put back on Metformin to try to treat PCOS. I was told it might help me lose weight. I was not told to go on a low-carb diet, so I didn’t.
Early this year I failed a GTT, and my insulin numbers (which had never been checked before) were sky-high. I was switched from Metformin to Avandamet. That was all done by my reproductive endocrinologist / obgyn.
When I told my PCP about this, he ordered an A1C and found it to be elevated, and said I had diabetes. So here I am.
But I have told most of this story before. The reason I tell it again is because I have a question. Have I had diabetes this whole time? Was the “insulin resistance” really diabetes? Are they the same thing?
Also do I actually have PCOS at all? Or do I just have insulin-resistant diabetes that causes all the PCOS symptoms? I know there are thin women that have PCOS. I Guess there are also some rare thin people who have type 2 diabetes. But I have just been wondering lately if it is ALL just diabetes, and if I should have been in treatment 7 years ago?