Question: I am 61 years old and divorced. My 31 year old daughter has PCOS, could not get pregnant until going to a fertility clinic five years and now she has 4 1/2 and 3 year old sons. She has so many of the complications of the PCOS, she encouraged me to do some reading online about this syndrome because she believes that I may be suffering from it also. To my alarm, I have practically ALL of the symptoms shown on the PCOS webpage, including menstrual problems since I was 17 years old (had to get an injection at 17 just to get my period started & on birth control until I was 29 years old to help regulate my "AWFUL" periods). At 30, after stopping the birth control I finally had my daughter. I have had a heart attack, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, hair loss, mental health problems (diagnosed at age 34), diagnosed diabetes, and have had a D&C a few years ago due to the thickening of my uterus, a fistula between my bowel and my bladder, which I had to have colostomy surgery, wore the colostomy bag for nearly one year, but thankfully had successful reversal surgery, have had C-dif colitis three times, almost died the third time while in the hospital for an entire month, total knee replacement in one knee and dislocated patellar in the other, which is in operable (I'm now permanently confined to a wheelchair) and more symptoms, which I won't take time to list. I have not been tested for PCOS and I have not had a pap smear since the D&C. My question is: should I go to the gynecologist, who did the D&C (who only takes patients referred with specific problems) and request a PCOS test and a pap smear as a follow-up from the D&C? After all the problems I have had and still do, it scares me that I may develop ovarian cancer. I never dreamed that so MANY health problems could be the result of having PCOS. I would also know if there is any treatment available to me at this late date for PCOS and its symptoms. Thank you sincerely for any advice you can give me, Karen-Irvin Dickson

Not sure. Will my answer from the doctor be received by my email address? Please keep this confidential. Do NOT share on Facebook, etc.

Thank you for your quick reply. I will make an appointment with my gynecologist right away.